Make the Pledge to Choose Love
In January of 2018, I made the pledge to Choose Love. I made the pledge to accept others regardless of our differences, to not exclude anyone because they do not believe in the same things that I believe in, and to go out of my way to focus on love and not hate or division. Will you make that pledge with me?
With all of the negativity that is going on in the world right now, we need love more than ever. I believe that it is easier to love than it is to hate. We are born with love in our hearts. Hate is learned and it takes an effort to hate.
Say No to Hate
The one-year anniversary of the Charlottesville, VA white supremacist march – Unite the Right- is coming up. The white supremacists and various other far-right-wing groups were protesting the removal of a Confederate monument. Last year's demonstration quickly turned into a riot and one woman was killed and 19 others were seriously injured when a man intentionally drove a car through a group of counter-protesters.
I remember watching the television in horror as white men with hateful looks on their faces dressed in khaki pants holding burning tiki torches and screaming “Blood and Soil” and “Jews will not replace us.” The term “Blood and Soil” is a Nazi slogan believing ethnicity is based solely on blood descent and the territory one maintains. Hitler made “Blood and Soil” a policy that made farmland hereditary and made German farmers show proof of ethnicity. This was used as a way to keep Jewish people from owning the land.
Unite the Right Washington Rally
Thankfully, the organizers of this year's rally were denied a permit to hold an event in Charlottesville this year. Unfortunately, that didn't stop them from organizing somewhere else. The organization was recently approved for a permit in Washington, D.C.
The focus of this year's rally will be on what they conceive as “white civil rights.” They believe that white people now have limited rights – specifically freedom of speech. Of course, this is blatantly untrue. However, people that have always felt this way but kept it to their inner circles are now showing their hatred for the world to see and without shame. When our leaders do not denounce racism and declare that we are all equal, it makes some people believe that racist behavior is okay and acceptable.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlaws discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. President John F. Kennedy tried to get it passed in 1963, but it was opposed by filibuster in the Senate. Thankfully, Lyndon B. Johnson pushed the bill through (after several revisions) and it passed the Senate with a vote of 73–27 and a House vote of 289–126. It was signed into law on July 2, 1964.
1964 was only 54 years ago which isn't a long time ago. A lot has changed for the better since then, but we are still not at a point where all people are equal. White supremacy beliefs didn't just vanish once the Civil Rights Act was passed. If you read the numbers above, members of the House and Senate unanimously vote for the act. The white supremacists that existed 54 years ago had children. What do you think they taught their children? Never forget, we are born with love in our hearts.
Five Acts of Kindness and Awareness Challenge
- Speak out if you see someone being harassed or treated unfairly and if you don't feel comfortable doing that – record the situation with your phone so there is proof of the incident.
- If you have children and haven't talked to them about racism, sit down with them, and talk to them about racism and how it is wrong. Don't expect them to solely learn this fact from school – talk to them directly and make this an ongoing conversation.
- If you haven't already, watch the movie “13th” to learn about systematic racism. Education is the key to change.
- If you watch the same news channels on television or listen to the same news on the radio or podcast consistently, try something different, and change up your routine. Watch or listen to something that you haven't before. Also, research the facts of the news online to confirm its accuracy. Note: If someone is shouting the “news” at you – it more than likely is just their opinion of the news and they are trying to get viewers to see their way vs. the actual truth.
- Watch the PBS documentary “Documenting Hate” which details the hatred and division in last year's Charlottesville event.
Watch the “Documenting Hate” trailer here:
We hope you enjoyed Simply Amazing Living's “Make the Pledge to Choose Love” post.
26 Comments. Leave new
This is such a nice campaign and I hope it reaches everyone to see all it does to make a difference is started with me.
What an amazing campaign, We really do need more love and less hate!
This is a fabulous campaign and a great cause sending a much needed message of love…
Such an amazing campaign. Love always in the air.
I love all of this and totally agree it’s important to sit and discuss this with your kids. I choose love!
The Choose Love campaign is such a powerful one. It is sending out a brilliant message to everyone. We definitely do need more love.
This is a beautiful choice and a great philosophy to live by! I think we all should make the same commitment!
First, it’s crazy that they were allowed a permit in Washington DC!! Why? Second, I love this campaign. I think education is so important and also so is dialogue. I recently saw a video about how a former KKK member and a former Syrian refugee became friends. It was simply through dialogue. The Syrian reached out and just listened. When the former KKK member listened to his story, it was really hard to hate him. I think it all starts with dialogue.
I love your campaign! What a beautiful message. Thank you for standing up and speaking out. We need all the love we can muster in this world today! ?
Oh my God. This campaign is almost like the words to my songs “We Are People United” and “Love No Limit”. This si something. We have the same goals and thoughts of spreading love and unity.
Here in India too that encounter made the news for all the wrong reasons. We need more such openness and a simple T-shirt can sometimes convey powerful messages!
This is such a powerful campaign. I’ll share this with my friends also. By the way Choose Love shirt is so pretty.
fantastic campaign! we need more such coampaigns in future! Thank you for sharing it with me, it definitely put a smile on my face!
A simple T-shirt with a powerful message. Indeed a great campaign. One must feel proud by spreading the message
This is a great movement and some great tips that you share. I haven’t seen that movie but I need to check it out.
Nailil
http://thirtyminusone.com/
Wow I can’t believe someone intentionally drove their car through a crowd of protesters that’s awful. I think this campaign is a great idea we need to spread the love as it were x
What an amazing campaign, and such a great message to share. Choose love, its just so easy. Why can’t we do it?
The Choose Love campaign is truly inspiring! Your spot on we are all born with love and hate is taught and chosen; it’s not an inherent human value that anyone is born with. I love how inclusive and welcoming the Choose Love project is.
Me too, I choose love over hate. It’s a conscious effort though, especially with so many offensive things around us. But I try, because it’s much better and life has become easier for me to love more.
The five acts are so powerful and so important. I will start talking to my kids about love, inclusivity and kindness.
Choose love is a good mantra to start the year right, yeah! Wearing it in shirts is a good way to spreas the love ?
What a fabulous campaign, and how wonderful to be involved in it! There certainly is far too much hate in our world; new villains but the hate is still there.
This is such a powerful post and sounds like a great campaign! And yes! we need to talk about racism to kids and tell them how wrong it is before they create any opinion through their school!
Such a powerful post and I really love this campaign and love to spread this message
I’m all about choosing love. There’s not enough love spread in this world, such a great cause,
Thanks for sharing this campaign. I really hope someone can share this “Choose Love” campaign and spread the love. There’s too much hate in the world and we need more love.