“Get into the box!”

Have you ever felt like you were being shoved into a box, metaphorically of course (or at least I hope it’s metaphorical)? Right now there are so many things going on in the world that it can be difficult to keep up. One of the many things I keep my eye on is the use of politically correct language. It seems to me that folks are afraid to say anything. Everything has become so polarized and politicized by the mainstream media and cancel culture, that we are starting to forget how to have a conversation. Saying certain words can get someone thrown into Facebook jail or lectured for an hour about how you might be trying to disrespect someone.

For instance, I recently discovered that using the word “female” is offensive. It’s better to say “person.” I also discovered that everything going wrong in the world lies on the shoulders of white males. Triggers, triggers, triggers. While I understand the sentiment, I think things are going too far.

Is anything ever going to be normal again? Are we ever going to be able to have a conversation without fear? The problem is that once these ideas are radicalized by things like critical race theory and other WOK curriculum, it is extremely difficult to walk that back. It’s almost like Pandora’s Box. Once that box is opened, nothing will ever be the same.

I am a white female, and I don’t feel labeled or categorized by my gender or color. In fact, I feel like others are asking me to feel guilty BECAUSE I’m white. I feel like I am required to apologize to everyone for being born with pale skin. The problem is that I don’t even know where I came from. I don’t know anything about my origins. My mother was adopted. My father’s family is from Europe, but that’s about all I know. They settled in Virginia when they came to the Americas. I don’t know if they owned slaves or not. Why should I have to apologize for the ignorance of an entire generation that I had absolutely no part of? I can say that I am sorry that anyone was bought and sold like livestock. I don’t think that is right at all. It makes me sick. Still, I had nothing to do with that kind of oppression.

The point of this entry is to just reflect on what is happening to our world. I do not see color. I do not see gender. I never have. I see souls. In every single facet of my life I have shouted this from the rooftops. We are entities of light wrapped in skin. We all share the same source. We are all the same. Hate is taught. We aren’t born to hate. Yet, according to many of the WOK doctrine out there I am biased and can fall victim to using microaggressions. Essentially, we’re all hopeless. I think this is an extremely cynical and negative perspective. I am being put into a box and told that I am basically a bigot. I take major issue with that because I pride myself in being open, accepting, and empowering!

Another issue that was recently brought to my attention surrounds religious believes. A friend of mine has been required to take a class on equity. In that class she was asked to share something that made her feel marginalized. She shared that she wore her cross necklace to work. She was asked by administration to remove it because it was offensive. The trainer chastised her because Christians are not marginalized. So, let me get this straight. Because she wanted to wear her cross instead of some other religious symbol and was told to take it off and she shared that in the training, she was demonized in front of the entire learning group? When is enough enough?

As most of you know, I am not a Christian. I am spiritual. With that said, nonetheless, I believe all people should be able to express their religious views, wear religious symbols, and engage in freedom of religion unless they are doing it to hurt people. For example, Jim Jones leading almost 1000 people to an isolated part of the world under the guise of religion isn’t something I support. On the flip side of that coin, someone who wears a shirt saying “Keep Christ in Christmas” shouldn’t be told to take it off and never wear it again. He/she isn’t hurting anyone.

Why can’t we all agree to disagree anymore? Is that too much to ask? What happened to intelligent discourse? As Jimmy Steward said in It’s a Wonderful Life, “Can’t you see what’s happening here?”

Again I ask, how do we put the Jeanie back into the bottle? I am for women’s rights. I am for EVERYONE’S rights, but WOK-ism is causing more harm than good in my view. I’m sure someone will get angry at my “senseless rantings.” I’m still going to speak out as long as I have the right to do it. In fact, if you don’t agree, I’m perfectly fine with that. The differences make us wonderful. Embrace those intricacies and celebrate who you are. Be proud of who you are. Do not allow yourself to be categorized as an oppressor or a victim because none of us belong in a box! NONE OF US!