I have bias and opinions. It would be wrong for me to say otherwise. If I were to do just that I could easily be saying I am infallible and therefore a god. I am most certainly not. I do make every effort to acknowledge when I am wrong and do what is needed to correct my words or actions.

If I were to say that a group of people make me uncomfortable and pass judgement on them based on belief, opinion or whatever my own thoughts come from and they should not be allowed to – insert exist, be allowed to “X”, etc. I am placing that group in their entirety in a barrier and inside that barrier will very likely be good, bad and every kind of person in between irrespective of the distribution within that definition. I would then be playing god deciding the fate of all who might fit a description.

After 9/11 in America I saw it become socially acceptable to discriminate against any people who might have any connection with the Middle-East. I saw business close and attitudes change. The behavior towards others changed for the worse. This became normal and accepted socially and many resisted I know. The impact still resonates. It has become so easy to rapidly spread a negative attitude towards a group of people that it is almost like a lightning strike.

I make mistakes, I know. I am not immune to passing judgement on others, I am very aware of this. It is what I do with and about that where I see a division in people.

There are some people who have a trait or many traits that make me uncomfortable. The vast majority for me are based in personal safety and imminent perception to physical harm.

People, humans regardless of their demographic, cultural or belief system deserve to exist. Even if some make me uncomfortable or I fundamentally disagree – they should and need to remain part of the world so long as they do not impose direct physical harm or take choice or life from others. They do not have a responsibility to make me like them, nor for them to like me r even make each other comfortable with our different existence. With this we should not feel fear from others. We should not attempt to remove anyone or their choices.

Elimination, erasure, or removal should not happen to anyone from anyone. Respect and tolerance is what is required. Or just call it what it is, playing god.

I am not immune and neither are you.