We the People…

I woke up this Saturday morning with a little Schoolhouse Rock in my head.

Circa 1787.  “We the people, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

Yesterday I got on LinkedIn and started to read an article from Essence magazine, April 2019 entitled “Black Women in Beauty: 15 Beauty Executives Who Are Changing the Industry“.  In short, the article highlighted trailblazing black women executives that are holding space in the beauty industry and changing it from the inside out.  What’s wrong with that, you ask?  Absolutely nothing.  It was beautiful and inspiring, for those that actually took the time to read it.  We should collectively be celebrating and empowering these women.  Not because they are women…or black…or beautiful, but because they are successful and living the American dream.  Unfortunately, as with every other post out there on social media, here’s what actually happened.

The hate started spreading, one comment at a time and now we are up to near 700 comments of nonsense.  It became all about gender, race, ethnicity, political parties and nothing about “we the people, perfect Unions and domestic Tranquility”.  We’ve fallen so far away from unification and peace at home that we don’t even know what it looks like anymore.  Why do we feel the need to knock every one else down in order to boost ourselves up?

As we approach the celebration of our National Day of Independence, let’s recall what our founding fathers set out to do.  Honor the list of principles that are known the world around and live. them. every. day.  While our freedom wasn’t free, kindness is.  So sprinkle that sh!t everywhere.  And for God’s sake, last time I checked, LinkedIn was for professionals.  Let’s keep it that way.