I wrote and posted this to Facebook on July 2, 2015, after an emotional and controversial week where we had events that could have come from today’s headlines like, cases of police brutality and racially-motivated killings, as well as unique headlines like the Supreme Court rulings on gay marriage and the Affordable Care Act, and the decisions of several states to remove the confederate flag.
The feelings expressed below motivated me to start the Spree Speech Blog. So it is a great way to start it off.
With all of the division, debates, criticisms, etc, I would like to take a moment and try to bring us all together by giving thanks for a couple of things.
First, I am very thankful that most of us live in a country where we can openly criticize and question the decisions and actions of our government without repercussions. For my friends in the countries that don’t have this freedom, I hope you gain that freedom.
Second, I am in awe that we live in a time where technology gives us access to an almost unlimited amount of information and that we can use this to know about and comment on these events almost as they happen.
Finally, I’m thankful for those of you who respectfully disagree with me on some of my views and yet remain my loyal friends. Especially to those of you willing to engage in debates with me. It keeps me from living in an Echo Chamber where I hear only the opinions I agree with.
What this world needs more than anything else, is open and free, if not a little heated, dialogue. Nothing good has ever come from isolating oneself from dissenting opinions.
Disagreement is not the same as lacking respect. Please know, that any arguments that I may have posted, were done so in the spirit of open debate and with respect.
So, before we jump back into the rhetorical morass that makes up social media debates, let us all join together and give thanks.
