a herd of turtles stampeding through peanut butter.

Things are slow for me right now.  As in s-l-o-w.  S.  L.  O.  W.

S.
L.
O.
W.

But I digress.

Truthfully, it isn't so much that things are slow as it is other people are slow...by my standards at least.  In all fairness, I've only got a couple of things on my plate, some of which are growing colder and congealing.  Meanwhile, the people I'm dealing with have seven course buffets to contend with. That's super.

I'm trying to stay busy, but at the same time, I'm super restless.  I really shouldn't complain, but I just want to be doing more than I am.  It will happen eventually...but now would be nice.

my modus operandi from here on out.

I have to get this off my chest.  This is long, but it would do you good to read it through to the end.

When I was at Public Allies training last week, one of the things we did was to create life maps to share our unique life experiences with the rest of the group, and talk about what our future goals and plans were.  It was very enlightening and powerful to hear others share their stories, good and bad, happy and sad.

In the last few days, it has given me much to think about and reflect on about the things I have said, and the choices I have previously made when it comes to relating and interacting and thinking about others.  It deepened and renewed my way of thinking and my commitment to what I am doing with Public Allies, the work that I am doing at Operation Threshold, and the work I hope to do after my placement.  Before I go much further on this path, I feel that I need to say this--and I only want to say this once, so let me be clear.

• I have many friends of both sexes and genders.  
• I have Asian, African-American, Hispanic, Indian friends.  
• I have friends who have been sexually assaulted.  
• I have lesbian, gay, transgender friends.  
• I have friends who are disabled, either physically or mentally, or both.  
• I have Christian, Muslim, Jewish, and atheist friends.  
• I have friends of many different cultures, ethnicities, and nationalities.  
• I have friends from many socioeconomic backgrounds.  

You get the idea.

Not only do I have friends like that...

• I also have co-workers who have some of those characteristics.  
• I work with teenagers who also have some of those characteristics.  
• Some of my fellow Allies also have those characteristics.  
• After my placement and term with Public Allies is over, I hope to keep working with many diverse people and populations who will have those characteristics as well.  

I have found tremendous satisfaction and a renewed sense of purpose in doing this kind of work.  I am a happier, more positive person.  My life has been infinitely changed for the better.

These people I have mentioned, and others like them, have all experienced harassment, prejudice, hatred, and discrimination because of those things that make them unique and make them special, valued people to myself and others.

And so, in that regard, I say this: from this point going forward, I will no longer tolerate nor participate in ANY form of hate speech, action, or thought that comes at their, or anyone else's expense.

It's not humorous, not a joke, not just kidding around.  It perpetuates the problem and ignores the solution.  It shows a lack of humanity and empathy.  It makes you look unintelligent.  It spreads hate and fear and ignorance.  It breaks our society, our community, our world apart when we should be coming together.  It reinforces negative stereotypes that for the most part, I have found simply aren't true. It is degrading, demeaning, dehumanizing, and WRONG.

If you don't understand this, or you don’t think it is a big deal, or don't see how those words and actions are part the problem and not the solution, or you want to give me any number of excuses, I will set you straight--if I didn't, I would be doing a serious disservice to the people I serve and care about. I'm sure the friends I've mentioned can help set you straight as well if need be.

I have largely already lived my life in this way, but there have previously been times where I was negatively influenced by others in this regard.  I now see the power of my words, thoughts, and actions.  I'm not going to dwell on it or live in the past, but I apologize to anyone I have wronged, and I will take it for the learning experience that it is.

Here is where I draw my line in the sand and say "no more".  I'm not going to put up with it--and neither should you.

It's 2015; this shouldn't even be an issue anymore--but it is.  The only way to stop it is to remember this:  We are all human.  We laugh, we cry, we think, we bleed, we feel, we love, we live.

We all are in this together.  Let's act like it, shall we?