#115 My buttons Part 1

I dedicate this section of the blog to M.M. – who struggles with some of these issues all of the time.

I cannot begin to count how many times someone has begged me “Please, don’t start a fight”.  In all honesty – I hate fighting.  I prefer peace and harmony however I do know that one of the biggest tragedies in our world both in the past and today – is the silent majority.  Knowing something is wrong and saying it are two different things.  Or to put it another way – if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.  It really isn’t easy to be a fighter.  Life is so much simpler if you go along with the general consensus but what is important to remember is the big picture.  Every major change in our society began with the lone voice.  Many lone voices who spoke up shouted into the wind or were condemned.  Onto those voices, others added until change began to come about.  Change takes time.  I think the hardest part about fighting injustices is knowing that you might not live to see the change occur but trusting and hoping that the day will finally arrive.  Fighting isn’t easy.  Think about it.  How many people say to themselves, “Boy, I hope I tick off as many people as possible so they can turn around and make my life difficult.”  You don’t fight because you want to – you fight because you have hope.

There were and are a lot of things that will get me going.  “That’s the way it has always been.”  Since when does traditional and/or general consensus make it right?  Many years ago, a female dancer in one of the larger companies was being let go.  She was pregnant.  When I questioned the logic, I was told, “That’s the way it has always been.”  Last time I looked, it took two different sexes to make a baby so why is it that the man gets to keep his job?  I worked for one company that on the day you turned thirty – you were fired.  I’m happy to say that this practice has finally changed but it didn’t without challenging the reigning perceptions.

“You should…”  People that tell you what you should do.  I’m not talking about the people that you go to for advice – I’m talking about all those people who give you unsolicited advice.  “You should” people cloak themselves with a false perception of offering help.  “You should” people never get down in the trenches with you to do the actual work – they hold themselves apart in a place where they can judge.  You want to tell me what to do – come down to my level and get dirty.  Then in the midst of fatigue and hunger give me a solution.  I only take advice from those who have either done it or are doing it.  It’s like those people that go through a modern art museum and scoff that they could have created what an artist has presented.  Here’s a reality check for you people.  Maybe you could have created the same thing or better – but you didn’t.  You didn’t have enough guts to put yourself out there for public scrutiny.  You think you can do better?  Great – then go do it but don’t knock something that you’ve never attempted.