Life in the time of politicizing everything

If you’re against abortion, you’re Republican. If you support a woman’s right to choose, you’re liberal.

If you support free Pre-K for all, you’re a Democrat. If you support vouchers, you’re Republican.

Support constitutional carry? Conservative. Support background checks? Progressive.

Free college for everyone? You’re a Bernie Sanders crazy.

Got your COVID-19 vaccine? Democrat. Refuse to take the vaccine? Republican.

Bottom line? Ridiculous!

Before you know it, we’re gonna be labeled for what we eat, i.e., Vegan? Liberal. Carnivore (big word for meat-eater)? Republican.

Oops, it’s already happening.

So, here we are…still struggling through a pandemic, still figuring out how Houston took the biggest hit in the state from February’s winter storm, with no real solutions forthcoming, but we’re still politicizing every stinkin’ part of our lifestyle. How did we end up in such a polarizing mind-set?

Aren’t we all human beings? Aren’t we all out here, trying to do the best we can, whatever the social, racial and religious barriers? More importantly -- and I believe I can speak for many of you -- aren’t we all trying to make this a better world than greeted our arrival?

Aren’t we working to make it a fairer, more comfortable, healthier planet for our children, our grandchildren and their children?

You think we’re getting too hung up on labels?

The other day, I heard a fellow human being introduce themselves as a gay Latino male on a radio show. While I liked his message, I wondered if I had attended his speech in person if his label-filled introduction would have been necessary. Would I have liked his message any more – or less – because it would have been obvious that he was male and Latino…and so what if he was gay? Did that make his words resonate any more or less with his audience?

Maybe we should get over our tendency to label everything and everybody and, instead, be comfortable in the knowledge that we all pray to the same God? That we all go through times of joy and celebration as well as times of sadness and grief.

How hard would it be to stop labeling, stop judging, stop criticizing others and just start accepting each other, loving each other as we all go through this life together?

The other day, someone asked me if I took the COVID-19 vaccine because Biden was president?

My Answer: No, I took the vaccine because I wanted to safely have a meal with my family, because I wanted to hug my grandchildren and because I wanted to wander outside my home without infecting neighbors and strangers.

Getting vaccinated had nothing to do with any politician, any ideology or anyone I planned to vote for, now or in the future.

Politicizing every aspect of life is a waste of time. We have work to do to make our world a better place… and we can start by loving each other. It takes so little time!

Forget the labels!!