Lit Magazine

Every Human is Equal

By: Erin Knott

I believe that every human on this planet earth is equal. I believe that every human should be seen as equal and given equal rights. No matter the race of a person, what they look like, what they believe, how wealthy they are, we should all be seen as the same. My mom used to say to me when I was younger, “Erin, it doesn’t matter if a person is white, black, or even purple. You treat everyone with kindness and respect and that is what you will get in return.” This saying always stuck with me, especially as I grew up and started to see how people discriminate against others. I believe that no race is superior over others. I believe that there is no superior gender, and women should not be seen as less than men. Women possess no less value than men. Through the recent Minneapolis episode, too often there seems to be an imbalance of police brutality versus African Americans. I am well aware that every race has “bad apples” or “hooligans” but the training that the police receive to handle these “bad apples” needs to be changed and/or modified. Too many bad people get away with committing horrible crimes. Perhaps the hiring personality test for an individual who wants to be a police officer can be enhanced or modified so we can get to the core of who these people truly are. 

It makes me sick watching the news and hearing everyone go back and forth fighting about if cops are good or if cops are racist. I do not believe either statement, because it is simply discriminationation and ignorance. Putting a group of people into a category and categorizing that entire group as bad is the same thing as being racist. I believe that the police officers who stood around while George Floyd was being murdered are all an accessory to murder and deserve to lose their job and go to jail. The police officer who took George Floyd’s life should be put on death row immediately, or spend his entire rest of his life rotting in prison. The pattern of discrimination towards African Americans needs to stop. We as Americans need to put an end to this constant hatred towards each other. People who look at this shameful situation and decide that they are indifferent, and don’t have a say, are a huge part of the problem. Indifference towards the situation is a huge issue. Until everyone begins to sympathize and empathize with people who are abused by others who feel superior, nothing will change. I believe that the only way to resolve this systemic failure is with far greater tolerance of how others may live their lives. The rioting byproduct of this situation is not the answer either. Peaceful protest, expressing one’s views and allowing tolerance into your life is. Treating others with respect and realizing that it is wrong to judge a person based on their skin tone will help this country unify. 

It is going to take all of us to be the solution. If there’s anything we should all learn during this pandemic, it is the value of human life, family and respect of one another. I believe that there is a solution, I believe that we are the solution. I believe now is the time to act and make a change. 

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