One Man's Opinion On Your Advice

Since the attacks in Paris I've been getting a lot of unsolicited advice to "wake up" and realize what's going on.  

A lot of advice warning me what a dumbass my president is.  

A lot of advice telling me how our country got to this point.  

A lot of advice telling me to arm myself because ISIS is coming to take what I cherish.  

A lot of advice pointing my attention in the right direction. 

A lot of advice to stop these "god damn Muslims" and these "god damn Syrians" from entering our country to destroy me.  

A lot of advice to change my way of thinking.  

A lot of expert advice on how to shape my views on foreign policy and foreign cultures and foreign people and foreign lands.  

The problem is I'm getting this advice from a lot of short-sided thinkers with racist tendencies who can't look beyond their pointy, turned-up noses to see the medium-sized picture, let alone the big one. 

From biased followers getting their information from biased followers.   

From sheep.  

From lemmings.  

From squawkers.  

From reactionaries.  

From hypocrites.  

From broad-sweeping generalists who ignorantly avoid the truth in favor of embracing what's been conveniently wrapped up for them in tidy little soundbites of hate.  

Thanks for the advice, but no thanks.  

I didn't ask for it.  

I don't want it.  

I don't need it.  

I've been doing my own thinking for a real long time now.  

I've been forming my own thoughts and my own beliefs and my own opinions all on my own for many a year.  

A lot of us have.  

All without your help.  

All without your fear-mongering.  

Including in moments in crisis.  

Including in times of confusion.  

Including in periods of turbulence. 

This may come as a surprise, but I learned to think for myself right here in the good ole' USA.  

I learned to be an individual in classrooms right here in this country.  

I learned about other lands right smack here in the middle of the USA.  

I learned to think independently from history and civics and political science and philosophy and religion teachers and instructors and professors who taught me all about how our country came to be. 

How it formed. How it withstood previous attacks and corruption and attempts to tear it down, including from the inside.  

I learned to form my own thoughts from interacting with people of all races, creeds, and religions.  

I learned by witnessing people with different origins laughing together. Crying together. Worshiping together. Playing together. Competing together. Breathing together. Living together. Loving together.  

I learned from neighbors who are Asian, Russian, Jewish, German, Irish, Polish, British, Scandinavian, African, Indian, Native American, Canadian. . . .  

I learned by not by isolating myself.  

I learned by realizing those who scream the loudest are often those who lack the intelligence and control and compassion to speak wisely with a soft voice.  

You think because you and I were fortunate enough to be born through no doing of your own in the greatest country in the world that makes us inherently superior. I think that makes us extremely lucky. I think that makes responsible to spread the fortune to those who weren't gifted with such luck.   

Your advice is flawed.  

Your advice is weak. 

Your advice is based on simplicity. 

Your advice is one-dimensional.  

Your advice is nothing but hate.  

Frankly, too many of those giving the advice have no business doing so. They're not qualified. Worse, deep down, I think they know it. But strength in numbers. Gang mentality. Fucking sheep.  

Here's some advice: Stop blaming one fucking man for every problem that surfaces in every land. Stop blaming one person who was legally elected according to the system set forth by very wise men with great foresight for every crack in every sidewalk, for every broken window in every building, for every gunshot that's fired, and for every damn thing that's gone wrong in your life. Take a look at our decisions. Learn how our government actually works.  

I don't need you to tell me how to feel. My conscious does that for me. 

I don't need you to tell me where to place my anger. The sympathy I feel for all of humanity, not just a select few who happen to look like me, lets me know.  

I sure in the hell don't need you to tell me to take a look at what's going on.  

I've been awake my entire life.  

Every time innocent people just trying to get through another day by loving their family, just trying to find purpose, just trying to survive in a world that can be intolerably cruel and unforgiving and incredibly lacking of understanding and sympathy, I'm aware of just how awake I am.