Page 2 October 1, 2020 EL SEGUNDO HERALD
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Your Neighborhood Therapist
VOTING SAFELY IN 2020 MEANS
A TRIP TO THE MAILBOX. VOTE
EARLY TO KEEP EVERYONE
HEALTHY AND ENSURE WE GET
EVERY VOTE IN.
It’s never been more important to stay
healthy. Keep your community safe from
COVID-19, and make sure you and your
family know how to vote from home this
election. During this pandemic, vote by
mail, vote early and stay healthy.
Make your plan to vote today
plan.LAvote.net
Letters
BLM in Schools?
Black Lives Matter is a movement based
on social justice and a particular political
and social philosophy that is at odds with
traditional Judeo-Christian values. If BLM
was purely focused on safeguarding the lives
of black citizens’ then it would be at the
forefront of putting an end to black on black
violence and not limited to police brutality.
BLM’s principles have been made clear on
their official website stating that their agenda
includes dismantling the heterosexual family
unit, undermining the belief that our system
of government is based on creating a society
where “all men are created equal” Instead
BLM is seeking separating citizens by the
color of their skin and furthering LGBTQ
interests. BLM is not an extension of the
Civil Rights movement of the sixties. In fact,
it promotes goals that are antithetic to what
Dr. Martin Luther King stood for; his struggle
was to call America to live up to Christian
principles while denouncing Godless Marxist
ideas. We, as citizens have an obligation
to fight to eliminate police brutality in all
its manifestations, but to also acknowledge
the selfless service that the vast majority of
police provide Americans of all colors each
and every day. To be sure, there are bad
apples in all professions, including doctors,
teachers, soldiers, politicians, etc. but no one
is calling to defund those professions. Let’s
not jump on BLM’s bandwagon in ignorance.
– Jack Ashworth •
UNITED WE STOOD
I’d look up at the flag as a young boy,
And it would bring me nothing but joy.
The son of a soldier who fought for this land,
I felt such pride hearing “United We Stand.”
I look up now and what do I see,
Red, White and Blue looks different to me.
Not in a bad way but we have changed,
Like our morals and values have been rearranged.
The biggest division ever between left and right,
But we are all Americans, black, brown and white.
Can we get back to coming together?
Or will we fight like this forever?
Im not naive, it will be tough.
But at some point, enough is enough.
There’s never been a time where we all have to agree,
But this is supposed to be the land of the free.
If we are not careful we will succumb to disorder,
And our biggest threat will be division within our borders.
Believe your beliefs but do not spread hate,
After all, this country was built on healthy debate.
Republican or Democrat it’s still supposed to be one team,
Fighting to protect the American Dream.
Let’s fight together to try and do good,
Or else one day we will look back and say, “United We Stood.”
Ryan McCarney, El Segundo Resident
Dear Neighborhood Therapist,
Maybe I spend too much time on social
media, but I’ve been so worked up over the
election lately that I’ve been losing sleep. I’ve
gotten into angry Facebook arguments with
relatives and friends. I cannot believe they
are going to vote for their candidate and I
just cannot reconcile it with what I believe.
How am I supposed to feel about this? I feel
like I can’t even talk to them.
- Election Stressed, El Segundo
Dear Election Stressed,
I agree with your politics. I’m not a bothsides
person who believes that both parties have
a point by virtue of seeing things differently.
I’m not a person who believes that both sides
operate in good faith all the time. But I edited
out the name of the politician you mentioned
because there’s a bigger point: every four years
it seems we elevate people’s political positions
above their positions as people.
I think that’s a big mistake.
I don’t want to minimize the importance of
what is at stake for anyone. If you come from
a group that has been historically subject to
power, instead of a group that is in power,
you may well feel that your very survival
depends on a certain electoral outcome. I’m
not going to disagree with you.
Most of us are daughters, sons, mothers,
fathers, sisters, brothers, coworkers, friends,
neighbors, teachers, students; we are the person
who stops at the crosswalk; the person
who arranges your flowers; fixes your bike;
we are all of these things before we’re any
political party or set of beliefs.
This is why I urge us all to fight the systems
that drive us apart, and not each other.
We care for each other in so many ways that
are unconnected to our politics. We are so
much before we are our political identity.
Everyone grieves at the loss of a parent.
Everyone wants their children to do well.
Everyone wants to be safe. Everyone needs
coffee in the morning (except those who
don’t, whom I diagnose as “officially clini-
See Therapist, page 9