Deep Change : Our Pockets Are Not Empty

Sandy Hook Elementary

Expressed opinions don't do much in terms of altering behavior.  Scream, or laugh, or shout, or swoon into a rapture - all actions have a limited impact upon another persons' opinion.  Our opinions were shaped when we were a cluster of cells, by our parents bodies and minds, and by our own experiences.  The deeper issues we face are not altered or even defined by our opinions.  The deeper issues are a result of a distorted understanding of entitlement.  

Would our opinions need to carry weight if that single word, entitlement, was sifted through the all inclusive filter of "We, the People ..."?  Would there be Gender Equity, Healthcare Equity, Educational Equity, Religious Freedom Equity, Personal Power Equity, or Sexual Preference Equity with such a change?  Imagine our opinions stemming from a core of public versus personal importance.  What would we become?

We attempt to order the chaos of life, the tension between our differing opinions, by compartmentalizing equity into neat little packages tied up with a blue, black, pink, red, yellow or rainbow symbolic ribbon.  Why the need for delineations?   What is the color for the ribbon of all humankind?  Intolerance, tolerance, vitriolic, pacifistic - words with unimaginable power, and far too often voiced recklessly through a filter of self-importance; through a filter of entitlement.  Where are we?  

Yesterday, 20 children were murdered.  The scene did not take place at an abortion clinic.  Yesterday, 20 children were murdered.  The scene did not take place in front of a judge as two men were married.  Yesterday, 20 children in every country,  within each city, throughout the world, were murdered.  Yesterday, 20 children lost a part of their souls while they were being sexually assaulted, or humiliated for being gay, or bullied for praying to their personal god(s).  Yesterday, 20 children took a bath, ate dinner with their families, and watched television.  Yesterday, 20 children worked in a field to feed their families, stepped on a landmine, and begged on a street corner.  Yesterday, 20 children felt raindrops hit their bodies, hugged their dogs, and were stung by a bee.   Who are we?

Yesterday, before 20 children were murdered, there was a scab being picked, overheard gossip between two teachers regarding another child, snot blowing, fear that a parent wouldn't have $5 to buy a Secret Santa gift, a growling stomach, anxiety over tomorrow's spelling bee, dread of the separation from friends during the holiday break, anticipation of seeing a grandfather make cigar smoke rings, a need to pee, self-loathing over a new haircut, the stroking of a new fuzzy sweater, dancing for no apparent reason, silent reading through squinted eyes, comforting of a friend who was crying because someone called her ugly, social isolation, discussions about what each wanted for Christmas, a not so secretive huddle around a pocket knife, worry over an incarcerated parent being alone Christmas day, an idea for a science fair project, and profane screaming.  Where were we?

Yesterday, 20 children went to school to learn.

What will the other 2,000,000,000 children learn today?

Create the life you want for our children.

The Broad

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