This simple life-changing truth changes a few lives due to people’s narcissism. We are divided because we perceive ourselves to be different and our perception becomes reality, we are divided because the complexities of one's stories are turned into sound bites; instead of being exemplified by their stories, they became characterized into a single word. Where a black child becomes a thug, Asians become terrible drivers, blondes are just dumb, and Hispanics are aliens who don’t belong. It comes to the point where we don't feel the need to ask for people's names because we already gave one to them.
Everyone is guilty of assigning names to one another; because it starts young. When I was born, even before my name was decided, my occupation was chosen: Engineer, Doctor, Lawyer. Uzair was an afterthought. My entire future was simplified into one word moments after I had taken my first breath. We don’t intend to negatively simplify, but it is human nature to do so. We strive for brevity and simplicity so that things make sense. Unfortunately, the harm in doing this is we often attempt to simply those who are different from us; removing the chance for any explanation. We fail to recognize that it’s inside complexity that we discover parts of our existence that we never knew possible. Simplifying all things, all the time only leads to sterilization; soon everything becomes black or white, left or right. This divisiveness has seeped into our politics, where believing in universal healthcare for all makes you a liberal, or believing in the second amendment makes you conservative. Where cold weather debunks global warming. It is always us versus them; there is always an enemy. When the true enemy is the simplistic false narratives that we have given to everyone. Labels are masks that don’t allow us to see who others really are. But instead, we see them through the judgmental, prejudicial, artificial filters of who we THINK they are. Assigning names, placing labels, and marginalizing people do nothing but hurt us. We need to identify these false choices that are made to divide us.
We share the same DNA, we share the same emotions, and every human feels pain, joy, and love. We share a common goal; happiness. But that goal can only be reached together. The human race survived not because we are the fastest or strongest, but because we worked together. Isn't it funny how babies cry when they hear the cries of another? No matter the gender, culture, or color. Did you know the most translated phrase in any language is I love you, proving that we were meant to connect and care for each other? If we can build a better world together based not on our differences, but on the things that connect us, then we can create a future that is much greater than any vision we can have alone.
If we work together can we make this world a better place? This world will only be created when we have the courage to have a meaningful conversation. Allowing people to tell their names gives them the chance to tell their stories. With their stories, we can find the complexities and the hard truths and learn to live with them. We find common ground which sprouts understanding and with this, we can humanize the people we never had the chance of knowing. We need to learn to listen to our conversations; we need to listen not to respond or persuade but to learn; and that is when we can truly connect. So go and find someone you don't usually talk to and converse with them; let them share their name and when asked, share yours. This is the way we take a leap for mankind.
Then we can recite together: I pledge allegiance to the fact that we are all human. And to the earth on which we stand. One person under god, is indestructible. With liberty, love, and equality for all.