Are you having trouble discussing today’s social issues with your neighbors or friend without being called names or a conspiracy theorist? When we are united we tend to listen more objectively.

Do you have strong opinions about today’s social issues? Do you research what you hear from the news media or do you just take it for gospel and share but people are not receptive to hearing what you have to say?

I have had the same experience just this week when I made an innocent comment on our neighborhood community platform about mask and vaccine mandates. I was blown away by the unwillingness and downright refusal of the people commenting to even be curious as to why I believed the way I do.

The people who contributed to the conversation were either wanting to force everyone to take the vaccine and wear a mask or just choose to stay home and lose all of their privileges to shop or travel outside California. Most of the contributors were not willing to discuss any of the topics without judgment or name-calling.

I was upset and just wanted to leave the conversation until I realized I was doing the same thing.

I was taking their comments personally and not taking into consideration that each person was experiencing fear about the unvaccinated and how and the mask mandates would affect our community based on the sources they follow on social media and the news they watch.

When I realized where they were coming from I have a newfound compassion for them because all of their decisions were based on fear not on science or facts. I discovered something when I entered the words Masks don’t stop the spread of Covid-19  the majority of articles displayed were aligned with how I worded the question. My experiment proved I could find proof for both sides of the argument. Many people who had social media channels on Facebook, Youtube, and Twitter were shut down because it was considered a danger to the public.

I am happy to say there are some people who are still participating in the conversation and doing so with understanding and respect. A great example is in this post at https://www.americaagainstcovid.com/

I encourage you the next time you have a conversation in person, on social media, or on your neighborhood forum please take into consideration that people are afraid before you post. I know when I am afraid or feel like my beliefs and values are being challenged my first response is to lash out but I know that does not serve or bring value to anyone. I found it is better to agree to disagree on this topic and choose to part as friends.

The answer is Unity.

Just consider that there may be people or factions whose only purpose is to divide our community and its people. we may still disagree on some issues but we can agree to be respectful of each other’s opinions.

United we stand divided we fall

“We have a war on women, race wars. Income wars, age wars, religious wars, anything you can imagine. A house divided against itself cannot stand it. And it’s going to be up to us, to people, to begin the focus on the positive things, on the things that we have in common and stop listening to those who are stoking the fires of division.” ~ Benjamin Carson

Are you curious how to learn more about how the human mind works and how to make it work for you and not against you check out the Masker Key Course? You can apply for a scholarship for $1 at https://bit.ly/3ljsx3b

Please contact me if you would like to discuss this article I would be dialogue with you.