Letter to my Neighbors

Dear Neighbors,

Many of us live on a roller coaster in the wake of our country’s instability and our governing authority’s inability to direct us towards peace. I am a felon, a recovering addict, and a recovering mental health survivor. My voting rights were revoked long before Donald Trump’s escalator ride and when it came time to reregister I didn’t waste my time because of my own personal feelings of the US government; however, I am actively kept abreast of all the propaganda of Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC. I do this for 3 reasons. First, I love my neighbors, from coast to coast. Second, peace is required for my recovery and your peace affects mine. And third, my hobby is to come up with outside the box solutions to everyday problems in the world and judge government officials on their principles and logic.

Today, I write with a guarantee: If my voice cannot be heard, none of yours can either. Additionally, what is clear to me is that all three branches of government are set to sustain division and continued illegitimacy to serve my 330 million neighbors, until an outside the box solution resonates.

I don’t come to you as a perfect citizen, but a citizen whose downfall is caring too much, and therefore, my feelings suggest I write. My goal on this forum is not to present points to win arguments, but by simply showing both sides to make suggestions clearer. I want your help. Walking in the shoes of your neighbors, even ones that you disagree with can shed light on reasonable solutions. Is it not realistic that the Republicans and Democrats and both their base have gone too far to have their voices heard to make their point? I have. I can relate. Although, I do not subscribe to either political party, I feel the pain and see the fear of the opposition coming from both sides of the aisle running deep into my core. By asking me not to watch, you’re asking me to pretend. By asking me to pretend, you’re asking us to be sheep. Quite frankly, if you read my story, you will know that no politician or government official has won the right to blindly direct my future. We all need to speak up. We all need to speak up, together.

Today, in this letter, I come to you to specifically highlight what appears to be forgotten by our government officials by the laws they legislate, the policies they set, and the examples they make for all of us. I write today for my first suggestion towards common ground.

I am by no means a moral juggernaut but each day I examine my thoughts and actions to become a better version of myself. What’s clear to me is that both sides of the aisle cuts through the murky waters from topic to topic with no outline of principles and values. I am flawed and I don’t think I am best to sound off on an iron clad list of principles and values to pass down to the next generation, but together we can, regardless of which party you voted for. We remain divided amongst households depending on your propaganda source. We’re better than that. Not blue, not red, principles and values will be how we win the war. Simple as that. What do you stand for? Will it be enough to set examples for the children? Aren’t they what matters most?

Jonathan