IndigoCLCTV_FINAL

DIVIDED STATES
OF AMERICA
THE
Left to Right:
Kimono: East/West Shop
Jeans: Levis
Top: Nudist LA
Pants: Nudist LA
Jacket: Vintage Christian Dior
Shorts: Levis
Mia Choy & Aryana Gathings
Can you hear that?
The distant, faint buzz in the air. Always there, pestering
you in class, at work, at the supermarket. Following you
everywhere. Driving you mad, urging you to stop in the
middle of a busy street, get out of the car and scream,
“SILENCE!” Want to know what that buzz is? It’s the
sound of a woman wailing because her child was gunned
down by a police officer on their way home from school
today. A fire crackling in the distance due to gang related
activity. A rope snapping tightly as another transgender
person commits suicide because they are alone, rejected
by the people that at one point loved and accepted them.
It’s the laughter in a schoolyard as the children taunt a
muslim student for wearing a hijab. That buzz in the
background of your life, your beautiful, loving, coddled
and privileged life, is hate.
We are going to break this down a few notches so that
we can get to the bottom of hatred. To so deeply loathe
someone doesn’t equate hate. Just like there are different
ways to love somebody, there are different ways to
hate as well. Rejection is the elephant in the room I’m
referring to. Often there is an ambient “us against them”
mentality. With so much change stemming across the
nation it’s easier than ever to feel uneasy and unprepared.
Who knows what lies ahead?
The future remains undetermined, but why not try and
create an embracing and bright environment to help
invoke change rather than turning a cold shoulder and
narrowing our compassion? In this day and age, we are
striving to move closer and closer to equality and freedom
in all aspects of life. We’re trying to live and create a
nation without gender biases, sexual stereotyping, racial
inequality and prejudices, and severe economic class
differences instead of creating a stampede in a negative
way. As long as these unjust emotions of fear of what we
do not understand and transparent threat to change are
alive, for example money means more than humility, and
biology and personal interests are judged and ridiculed,
there will be no change. If the fear of change, of equality,
of respect, of love, feeds the horrendous divide between
us, we will never be satisfied. Simply put, one does not
DON’T STAND SILENT TO INJUSTICES; WITNESSING
A CRIME AND REMAINING A BYSTANDER IS JUST AS
HARMFUL AS COMMITTING THE CRIME ITSELF.
have to emit hate to be hateful, standing in silence in
a time of injustice reflects as much negativity. Turn the
other cheek, it’s not your business anyway, right? Hate is
a word that is closely associated with evil. The truth of
the matter is, the more hate is a breeding ground for evil
and the more it spreads, the more places evil can find a
place to call home.
for someone else to put it out? It is hard to determine
which evil is more predominant in our society but
having both evils at play is definite. The issue is not our
differences that make us unique. The lack of support and
love we have for one another will lead to our demise.
This day in age, it seems there is much more hate than
love. Is it a failure to change perspective? A fear or threat
to your own outlook? Maybe it’s due to an innocent ignorance?
Whatever the case may be, we need to change,
open our minds, broaden our perspectives, and communicate
with peers, acquaintances, and strangers alike.
Be mindful of those around you, try to show respect
for every being, regardless of their cultural values. What
we emit into the world is returned back. Don’t stand
silent to injustices; witnessing a crime and remaining
a bystander is just as harmful as committing the crime
itself. Every voice matters. Every mind is powerful. You
have the ability to harness and release as much positivity
as you can evil. Don’t stand down to something as
fundamental as equality. Equality not just for all races,
religions, genders, or even social classes. Equality for
every mind and soul-inhabiting body. Equality for those
who never thought they could shine as bright as their
hearts imagined.
Are you an evil? If so, which one? An inflictor, spreading
negativity into the world like wildfire? Or a spectator of
evil? watching the world burn while the arsonists run
free, while you watch the flames grow and silently wait
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