The first part talked about toxic masculinity, and the baseline is that it’s real, and people just don’t understand the term and if they did they could accept it. Or maybe not, there’s some that just won’t admit anything. But another term that’s just as controversial (In My Opinion) is the Black Lives Matter.
I get the point of BLM. I really, really do. I have no doubts as to how racist, ignorant and divided this country has been. I even understand the whole purpose of BLM in today’s day and age. With the ability to reach more than ever, we still find ourselves divided into our tribes of self-interest.
BUT
When you have to explain the term to people, you get lost in translation. The instant feeling from BLM is that people react and go “Well ALL lives matter, don’t they??!!”. TO which you have to explain, yes, but the point of BLM is to bring about direction and focus into the injustices that black people face on the daily and how their lives are affected by that. Any reasonable person can look at that and say, “Oh, I guess that makes sense. I would support that.” Many do after thinking about it.
You can get pushback-“Well it’s their own doing”, “If they weren’t so lawless in the first place”, etc. Which data wholeheartedly doesn’t support. It’s no secret that black people are killed almost twice as much by the police than white people and only represent less than ¼ of the total population. It IS a problem. Most if not all data supports these conclusions. Not to mention the aspect of trigger-happy cops and we can do another “thin blue line” segment, but you get the picture.
So how do you address these issues to make people realize that this IS a problem and that people need to realize this? Society change is never easy-it often takes time and sometimes comes to bloody conclusions. And you don’t want to overdo it-because often times we need to realize this information without being shamed or forced into the conclusions. Then we might resent them even further and push the divide.
That’s a realistic possibility and one that seems more likely. With the riots still fresh in people’s minds-the temper of the country was thrown into a furor, and the previous president seemed to enjoy the chaos. It might be tempered now that there’s a little bit more calm and order, but there’s still no real solution to these aspects-and let’s not forget that half the country literally voted for that past president. The divide is here, and the divide is now. Oh, and throw in a bit of Asian hatred and racist on top of that. I’m sure that those lawns can use more signs-BLM, Stop Asian Hate. We need a few more cultures represented too.
I vote for the term “Be better”. I feel as though that represents a significant portion of that previous population as well as not being directly shameful. Getting that message across means a lot more. Be a better person. Everyone has the capability to change, and can change their trajectory towards being a better person. Striving for that is important to ensure that you realize and recognize these major societal changes. Used to “gay bashing”? Be better. Used to use the slurs “Chink”? Be better. It works for both sides and again without the guilt and stigma that the previous terms can invoke. It’s a “Christian-friendly” term, just like Jesus could preach. Don’t preach toxic masculinity, be better. Don’t set fires to stores and loot, be better. Don’t look for attention on facebook or the internet, be better.
There, problem solved.