Humanity

Are we fearfully expecting that terrorist aggressors will antagonize us because we fail to initiate and establish worthy relationships? Among all the religions, philosophies, wars, books, time, geography, and history, surely we have learned at least a little about humanity! Is the strongest country in the world shirking responsibility and joining the “holy wars” we tend to snob in the name of humanity?

US presidents have the responsibility to defend the Constitution of the United States of America! Most presidents have done that…as a matter of fact, I honestly believe that all presidents have done that—“to the best of their ability”—but their “inbox” has been clearly full of backlog from many decades. Obviously, it’s a natural tendency, therefore, to blame the sitting president when things go wrong and when an immediate remedy isn’t effective or backfires.

Yes, we must always defend! However, let’s proactively elevate the level of our responsible example! Before the attacks and after the smoke settles, we have an opportunity to establish genuine, meaningful, and prosperous relationships. Failing to do so will perpetuate the “blame-game” against the sitting President throughout America’s existence.  (Click on title to read more.)

Unfortunately, weapons are sometimes necessary to defend National Security against terrorism. However, what we seem to repeatedly overlook is the fact that we do so as a means to mend the negligence of the past. Although such means is not a solution, we nonetheless must defend ourselves, but during such setbacks the obvious is overlooked:  The very reason we engage in war is because of negligence in the past with regard to establishing genuine friendships among the human race throughout the world—meaningful bonds of friendship not that shallow diplomacy stuff.

Weapons do not cause war; hatred, indifference, and negligence cause war. (Similar to a student’s neglect regarding homework being the cause for failure, neglected homework in establishing mature relationships contributes to failure and supplements the cause of war.)

Sanctions and eloquent speeches of superficial diplomacy do not bring peace; genuine relationships and simple willingness by way of commonsense promotes peace.

The “melting pot” can be one of America’s greatest gifts of strength. Americans can serve to unite the entire world because of our diversity with respect to race, religion, ethnicity, et cetera. Like many Americans, I have friends from all walks of life. As such, my understanding extends to me that I can relate to any human being. In America, we can learn to recognize our differences as an opportunity to understand and grow because of them. America’s “melting pot” is one of our greatest gifts. If we learn from its strength, our compassion can carry the efforts collectively toward uniting the human race with such wisdom in motion.

“Prejudice is the child of ignorance” (a quote from a fortune cookie). Prejudice serves only to stagnate potential and permeate indifference like a poisonous disease across borders and generations. Anyone with faith who understands that each human being on Earth is a miracle can strengthen character by eliminating any prejudice. Prejudice maintains levels of hatred. Let’s open our hearts and minds and “allow hatred to transform into friendship because of our existence” (also from a fortune cookie).

I love America means I love Americans. What are Americans? Americans are human beings of different cultures, colors, races, religions, political affiliations, countries, ethnicities, et cetera. We have such a great opportunity to learn from all the aspects that make up this beautiful land of opportunity, among which freedom and human diversity are the finest gifts. You and I can recognize this obvious opportunity to make the world a friendlier more prosperous place instead of a battleground!

This country is like a famous old coat—“a coat of many colors mama made for me”. With friends of many colors, I feel rich as I could be, because I live in this land of many colors where we know at least we’re free. Wisdom is a fine stitch among compassionate company. Respect, forgiveness, and love are redemption songs for sins of bigotry. My rods and cones work fine, I’m not colorblind—nor would I want to be. Thank God for all the many colors and for these eyes with which to see. May this land of many colors reflect on the eyes of the sea—a mirror of solidarity!

Friendships minimize disagreements. Any human being can become my friend. I just have to want to find a similarity with which to connect. Developing a relationship requires two human beings relating with one another, rather than indirectly demanding, “You must become like me!” Establishing relationships converts differences to understanding and increases strength because of diversity. Having friends of all walks of life, we learn how to relate to their culture and thus to their country of origin. I can relate to any human being.

Strangers “agree to disagree”. This is an elementary method of maintaining politeness while avoiding discussions to “prevent” hostilities between two closed-minds. Such “diplomacy” is simply negligence that merely postpones and inevitably exacerbates hostilities.

We can have friends from every culture and use this as a “bridge” to relate and establish friendships to find common ground with leaders of all nations. Learning and growing because of our “melting pot” is a gift that can serve to help us relate to all human beings in other countries. We can use this gift to “raise the bar” on humanity. Prior to “winning the hearts and minds” of leaders and citizens of other countries, we must open and use our own. An open-mind will allow us to establish friendships with any human being in our neighborhood as well as throughout the world. “Winning the hearts and minds” of a country’s citizens requires establishing relationships of friendship while inspiring with respectable motives within collaboration.

Obviously, human beings residing within each country’s borders can relate much easier with human beings with whom they coexist. However, when two countries’ leaders meet to discuss policy, it is wise to have established a relationship. There are certain commonalities among all human beings; but obviously there are certain differences as well such as religion, culture, language, mannerisms, and knowledge based on historical events of which may have caused conflict in the past. Mutual respect does not take place while discussing such subjects prior to establishing a relationship. Usually, heads-of-state are prematurely categorized by misperceptions. Therefore, relationships are obviously a crucial element prior to engaging in discussion regarding policy across oceans or conference tables. If worthwhile discussion is expected, a genuine level of mutual respect is most certainly a prerequisite.

Furthermore, relationships are not only possible between two human beings who can relate on every subject, which is precisely the reason for which mutual respect is a requirement. Collaboration, therefore, must entail respect on all levels. In the midst of collaboration, one can confirm and take comfort in the fact that mutual respect was reached because a relationship was obviously developed—prior to discussing policy.

Thereafter, upon discussing policy (domestic and or international) one must have a wise grasp on the formation of decisions of which the intellect, the will, and the passions have a very important role in the maturity-level of the human being across the table but most importantly in the maturity-level of the human being on this side of the table. Collaborative maturity within discussions transcends similarities and dismisses selfishness, ego, and arrogance at the dumpster, well before taking an oath to lead this amazing country whose citizens’ dignity warrants one’s total donation.

Each human being has a heartless-intellect that can think, clueless-passions that can experience emotion and feelings, and a will that can improve with discipline, courage, perseverance, and the like. Therefore, a smart human being will assign one’s will to do the driving, the intellect to do the navigating, and the passions to strengthen resolve.

Some human beings think and feel at the same time, which is fine. However, when their passions confuse their intellect or their will, wisdom suffers while premature decisions are made. Wise human beings do not allow their passions to share in the thinking because it would confuse the intellect. Nor do they allow their intellect to drift because it would confuse the will. In the midst of such confusion, simple material is easily complicated. Hence, it is impossible for highly educated people to understand what is simple for someone who understands the role of the passions, the will, and the intellect respectively. The key is to supplement the strength of each to produce wise decisions through an informed conscience.

Decisions are made by the will. When one’s conscience is informed, one recognizes that the will is in fact responsible for decisions one makes. When one’s conscience is not discernibly informed, one is fooled to relegate such responsibility hastily to the passions or to the intellect, and one can so obliviously drift so far astray. Drifting, therefore, follows the pack of those who also are collectively “going with the flow”.

When striving toward optimal level, the passions are monitored and controlled by the will and understood by the intellect that the will can work best when there’s teamwork. When all three are performing with symbiotic harmony, wisdom increases with each new experience of challenge with respect to emotions, feelings, information, and decisions. The heart loves and the mind thinks. When one manages the heart and mind to work together, interdependence between compassion and knowledge produces wise decisions. (Contrary to common-nonsense, love is not about mere emotions and feelings. Love is a mature decision based on an informed conscience. A decision is an act of the will—not a solitary act of the passions.)

A human being whose passions are on the “driver-seat” is one who is clueless while attempting tirelessly to satiate one’s emotions and feelings. A human being whose intellect is on the “driver-seat” is likely to acquire lots of information. A maturing human being whose will is on the “driver-seat” is one whose direction is navigated by the intellect and strengthened by one’s passions. A human being whose will is not on the “driver-seat” is one whose direction is navigated by the intellect and weakened by one’s passions.

A wise human being is a compassionate human being. A compassionate human being is one whose will is strong, whose intellect is focused on authentic knowledge, and whose passions are reflected upon toward empathy.

Were it not for the emotions and feelings, the human being would be incapable of growing in wisdom because of a humility-deficiency and, therefore, genuine compassion toward a fellow human being would be impossible.

A human being whose leadership-skill is congruent with wisdom and compassion is a leader who will know how to communicate with anyone, because of the humility that reveals itself in one’s ability to relate—likely because of having made so many mistakes. Camaraderie will ensure communication is adequate; collaboration will prove leadership is a maturing feature; and leadership will weigh variables such as negligence from the past and communicate them. If leadership rises to the occasion, compassion, humility, and wisdom become obvious!