In finishing one of thew books students can vote on for the Delaware Diamond voting –

I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys – the transparency of how honest people are willing to be with others, and to themselves is transparent itself. I find this ironic as the circle of betraying others from informing them and yet the idea of informing on others to save your own is a tale that is woven through so many periods of history – The Crucible, Nazism, McCarthyism, and modern day politics. The beauty of this writing comes in the form of how in calls to the carpet, so to speak, the untapped power so many youth, and older generations fold to based on their biases and ignorance of taking in a full spectrum of both sides of any story, and being nonjudgmental before making up their mind.

The incredible bravery, as well as the pain that so many individuals had to go through in just this one example that occurred in Romania, is all you need to know about why more people need to be informed about the atrocities of not only our past, but the past of so many other countries’ past. This knowledge of a true history of so much only sets each of us on the correct one.

I distinctly will always remember being in another country and hearing a leader of my own country put down, desecrate individual’s nationalities, slander people’s identities, and thought, this can’t be a United States I knew or have come to know. It has always been what I have been taught my those that have been respected around me, be it my family or generous individuals who have taken the time to teach me to respect others, you will often disagree with others, but putting down others and slandering individuals you do not agree with, is one of the most ultimate sins that you will carry in your own self.

When leaders take on this person, and try to make this seem to be a characteristic of strength, I t realize they are compensating for a hatred that runs deeper than actually represents a country that deserved better than standing on a platform of hatred. That is not what a country I have been born into has ever meant to represent. Whether I am in the country I was born into, or lucky enough to be learning about another country I am lucky enough to live in and respect their beliefs, there never – EVER is an okay pass to disrespect any other individual person verbally, even those that spew hatred, even though it is difficult.

I equate this also to the way the internet makes you feel. Watching social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and others, and paying attention to the constant barrage of pitting bullies and adverse situations to solving them by fighting, violence and paybacks as a solution, has its own paybacks and karma. I have seen similar plots in our everyday politics. it depresses you over a period of time in viewing such situations, it locks you into a state or sense of disillusionment, it chains you to feelings of desperation and depression.

It wears on you and changes you as a person. It even restricts your full potential of being your best, and clearing your mind to be able to be your best self. I see this in so much of the wording and actions of so called leaders today. This is why such feelings and examples of fake news need to be exposed, eliminated and replaced with healthier approaches how we receive and respond to each other.

I keep going back to the incredible courage, striving for TRUTH rather than fear-mongering, hatred and animosity generated that occurred in Romania during the reign of the Ceausescu family – while their country suffered, was brutalized, talked in the worst way about in any way that disagreed witt against them, sound familiar? We have no idea the brutality of other countries and the treatment that many receive when leaders consider themselves above so many other, yet all the more reason to expose such negative motives in our own country.

The chance to learn how to expose false narratives, rise above hatred spewed in speeches towards others, utilize courts to honor respect instead of for revenge, stand up for individuals of other races, beliefs, nationalities, religions, and sex, expose individuals that spew distrust, hate, and fear, eliminate this crazy belief that by banning ideas you might not agree with and limiting them to wide audience, and showcasing accurate and fair/honest media (versus subversive and biased media as a demon of society) – is all the basis of why it is so important for youth to learn why lobbying, advocating, representing, and voicing concerns and putting priorities that protect the characteristics that have made our country what it is (along with the bad) – are such important details to be protected and fought for, as well as to be acted on.

When so much awful motivations are stemming from Putin, Palestine and Israel conflicts, genocides occurring in Africa and the Middle East- our role as Americans has to be protecting, voicing, and action on concerns for ALL individuals and their plight. During National Arab – American Heritage Month (April) and the increasing role that climate plays in immigration movements all over the world, complacency, hatred, negative slander towards others, certainly has no place or time in representing individuals that say they are leaders.

Nonsense.

Those individuals representing the darkest aspects of our country are not worth the time, conversation, or thought of any action when better energies can be put towards improving and supporting the lives of individuals that are in much more desperate situations than ourselves. THAT is energy better spent than scrolling through social media and conspiracy theories and posting posting posting. Last time I checked DOING something to help others causes much more of a ripple effect than simply being the loudest mouth in a crown without any helpful action.

Amazing what can be gleaned from learning of other’s as well as our pasts. History and the spoken word can be a HUGE motivator, such as in Ruta Sepetys’ novel I Must Betray You, as long as we agree not to betray ourselves and who we are as a people and as a country.