If we valued every person

The solution to our biggest problems is to treat people with dignity and to acknowledge their inherent worth.

If we valued every person, we wouldn’t kill them in their homes or yards. We wouldn’t kidnap them.

We wouldn’t make perpetually stateless refugees of them. We wouldn’t bomb their homes and hospitals.

If we valued every person, we wouldn’t call people we dislike vermin. We wouldn’t seek to cleanse our neighborhood, our region, the earth of people who think or live or worship differently.

We wouldn’t rip apart families because they are poor and powerless.

We wouldn’t assume that people who vote red or blue, who drive electric cars or pickups, who display “Coexist” or “Guns Don’t Kill” bumper stickers are intrinsically evil.

If we valued every person, we wouldn’t disrespect, demean or harm others over skin tone or pronouns.

We wouldn’t quickly take offense – or pretend to simply to juice our social media mojo.

If we valued every person, we would assume their good faith. We would see their pain. We would seek understanding. We would act first from love.