I NOTICE THAT IF I START TALKING OUT LOUD ABOUT POLITICS, SOME PEOPLE LISTENING ARE THINKING “ARE YOU NUTS?” BUT I ALSO CATCH MYSELF THINKING THE SAME ABOUT THEM!! I THINK WE CAN ALL SAY THAT OUR OWN INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS HAVE FELT THE POLITICAL STING. WE HAVE NOTICED THAT WE DO NOT ALL THINK THE SAME. WE AREN’T ALWAYS PREACHING TO THE CHOIR! IN THE USA, WE ARE PROUD TO EXERCISE OUR FREEDOM OF SPEECH. WE STAND UP FOR THE RIGHT TO EXERCISE OUR FREEDOM OF SPEECH ESPECIALLY COMPARED TO OTHER COUNTRIES. WHEN A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, I PERSONALLY FELT COMFORTABLE TALKING ABOUT MY OPINION (MAYBE MY FRIENDS WEREN’T COMFORTABLE?), IT’S NOW STARTING TO GET SCARY TO REALLY SPEAK OUR POLITICAL TRUTH. WILL I LOSE MY FAMILY? WILL I LOSE MY CLIENTS? WILL I LOSE MY BOYFRIEND (FIGURATIVELY SPEAKING!)? WILL I LOSE MY JOB?
MAYBE IT WON’T HAPPEN HERE? WHEN YOU START TO THINK ABOUT IT, THERE HAS BEEN MIGRATION, MAYBE SOME POLITICAL, MAYBE ECONOMICAL TO THE RIGHT HERE IN THE US. AS AN EXAMPLE, I CAN THINK OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION THAT TORE PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR HOMES FORCING THEM TO GO ELSEWHERE TO FIND HOPE, POSSIBILITY, A MEANS TO PROVIDE SHELTER AND FOOD FOR FAMILY.
I’M NOT TALKING TO THE LEFT OR TO THE RIGHT REGARDING OPINIONS/POSITIONS- THE ONLY LEFT AND RIGHT THAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT ARE MY SHOES OR THE SHOES I SELL YOU! WE ARE ALL SLEEPING UNDER THE SAME BLUE SKY CALLED THE UNITES STATES OF AMERICA NO MATTER HOW WE THINK OR WHAT WE BELIEVE. I WANT TO RESPECT EVERYONE’S BELIEFS EVEN WHEN I DO NOT AGREE WITH THEM. AND I HOPE YOU RESPECT MINE. CAN WE CHANGE ONE ANOTHER’S MIND? I DON’T KNOW. BUT WE DO HAVE TO LIVE TOGETHER AND MAYBE EVEN BE FAMILY.
IF WE HAPPEN TO HAVE DINNER TOGETHER OR RUN INTO ONE ANOTHER AT A ROTARY LUNCH, AT AN ART OPENING, OR AT THE GROCERY STORE…. WE’RE COOL. AND IF YOU COME TO GOLER SHOES, ALL I WANT FOR YOU IS THE GET THE RIGHT PAIR OF SHOES!
I ALWAYS APPRECIATE YOUR THOUGHTS, BELIEFS, AND OPINIONS. YOU CAN CONTACT ME AT GUADA755@OUTLOOK.COM.