Remember when it was okay to tell what you think without the fear of getting fired and canceled and yelled at? Those were the good days; days that are long gone.
The best thing I remember about those days is that when someone tells what they think is the truth, others actually listened.
The people who listen would then offer their take, sometimes pointing out the flaws and unintended consequences of an argument or an idea in good faith.
It was also very common for a person to change his or her initial stance based on the new insights and evidence put forward by people who listened to them.
I miss those days. There were meaningful conversations all around and more often.
These days, its just outrage everywhere.
I recall one of the conversations that happened between two people for whom I have great respect (This was back when it was okay to say what you think).
After listening to a bad take on a very sensitive issue about his community, my friend offered a calm and thoughtful response (which destroyed the other person’s strawman). While concluding, he said this which stuck with me ever since.
… so I disagree profoundly with what you just said.
but I will defend to the death your right to say it.
(I later learned he was quoting Evelyn Beatrice Hall)
Look around you. Its madness everywhere.
This is why it is all the more reason, to tell the truth, or more accurately put - what you believe is the truth - out loud.
If you are still reading, some points to consider
Tell the truth, no matter how difficult it is.
Be articulate and thoughtful when you tell the truth, but do not be afraid.
Be humble enough to accept an alternate version when you have enough evidence to suggest the truth is not what you think it is.
I will start by telling a difficult truth.
Over the past couple of days around the world, thousands of people of all color and creed took it to the streets in solidarity with the protests in the United States against systemic racism that resulted in the brutal murder of George Floyd and many others before him.
I admire those protesters for their strength of character and courage.
Because these protesters made the choice to risk their health and life in the middle of a pandemic for a cause they believed in.
The government, corporate media, and organizations respected their choice.
Now, this was a choice not available to many people
This was a choice not available to many small businesses that went under
This was a choice not available to someone I know who had to wait one week to see his firstborn.
This was a choice not available to the family of my friend who lost their father a few weeks ago.
Because we were all asked to stay home and maintain social distancing.
Are the protests more justifiable from a moral perspective? - Perhaps so.
Is it hollow virtue-signaling to label people as “grandma killers” and sneer at them just because they want to reopen and save their livelihoods from going under? - Yes
Is the right of a family to say a proper goodbye to their father any less worthy than the right of thousands of people to gather and protest? - No
There I said it