THE UNITY CZAR SPEAKS
Historically, our presidents have always appointed a "czar" to handle issues of great concern to America where there is no official department to deal with the issue substantially. I am officially the self-appointed United States of America "UNITY Czar." Seems nobody else wants the job and it is my field of endeavor and since this country isn't going to unite itself, here's the plan in 3 steps:
Step #1: MAKE UNITY A PRIORITY - I understand that the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi has a visceral reaction whenever she hears the words, Donald Trump, and I understand that she feels it necessary to publicly display her contempt for
him at every opportunity, such as the infamous paper-tearing routine after his State of the Union address, but the Unity Czar now deems such acts as contrary to the mission of unity and they are hereby forbidden.
As for the president himself, he is hereby forbidden from referencing anyone by anything other than their given name. Name-calling is not allowed per the Unity Czar's directive on civility (to be published soon), given that it unnecessarily defames and degrades others and creates an atmosphere of discord.
Many other Washingtonians and political officials from both parties are being cited for discord and unnecessary division. The Unity Czar will begin assigning grades so that American citizens can identify whether or not the politician they are supporting is a uniter or a divider. We want uniters in public office, not dividers. Making unity a priority is not just a responsibility of elected officials, though they should set a good example of how it is done, but it is your responsibility and mine as well. We must stop requiring people to be "us" in order for "us" to get along with them. Nobody else is me so I need to deal with that and learn to live with them in harmony. Ask people their opinions and stop telling them what their opinions are. Talk kindly to strangers and make new friends like you used to when you were 5 and 6 years old. Find a ray of unity in dark situations and magnify it. Make unity a priority.
Step #2: BECOME AN AMERICAN. The idea that we need to recognize every single difference that we have, works against Step #1. Sure there are differences in the multiplicity of cultures that make up the garment of America, but they are indeed all parts of the singular garment that is America and we are Americans. How about that as a unifying cultural theme? With all of the differences we have, we can all be American.
When we get that right, respect, appreciation and concern happen because we realize that we are on the same team, in the same family and still fighting together for that which we declared in our struggle for independence centuries ago, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It is indeed intriguing to find out about my African ancestors. but the middle passage experience, slavery and all of the other experiences in the "new world" by my ancestors, both African and European, create opportunities for me to blend my experiences with the experiences from others, who perhaps come from other continents, to create something unique in all the world, the American. Together we work and struggle to create a more perfect union as Americans because that's what we do; as Americans. Therefore it is equally important that I think about my descendants who will want to know about their ancestors' time in America. What did it mean to them to be an American? That is the story we are writing today.
Step #3 ERASE RACE and all other labels. Surely you knew this was coming from me. I had to do it. I must remind us all that we have been tricked into this idea that people belong in groups based on their skin color. Though some believe that it's been here for so long that we can't change it, but I disagree. In reality, it's not so much about us having to change everyone else's mind. It's about each of us changing ourselves. See in reality, the problem isn't with all of those "racist" people in our country, it's with you and me.
If everyone of us took it upon ourselves to stop seeing people as a label, whether it is "black" or "white," democrat or republican, conservative or liberal or anything else and just began relating to each other as a part of the human family, we would soon realize the folly in the fact that we ever believed that people belonged in groups based on skin color. It was wrong from the beginning and it will "be wrong" until we end it. Yes America has an opportunity for a "do-over." We can get it right, right now. We often complain about our historical baggage and then we pack it up and take it with us every year and every decade into the next one. Why not drop off that baggage, never to pick it up again? Why not create new relationships, associations and terminologies that don't come from some colonizer's ad-hoc justification for chattel slavery?
Under our current "race" ideology, my grandson, Beckett would be classified as "biracial," a term that is not only scientifically and biologically inaccurate, but also one that bows down to the author's of 3/5ths and the creators of Jim Crow. They were all trying to convince us that we are not of the same "race" and we now know that we all are because there is only one race, The Human Race.
So here we are. The Unity Czar has spoken and of course my words will never be enough for those whose hearts are set to never care for those they deem as unworthy of their concern. That is a hate that they will have to deal with in their hearts. However, for those who have captured in their imaginations the vision that regardless of what has happened and regardless of where we are today, we can all have a hand in making America better than the day before, then we will; we shall and ultimately our children and their children will WIN!!! We plant the seeds today for the victory that comes tomorrow. It's not just about us, it's for them.
