Check before...if not NO!

📷 Image credit: Anat Errel, El HaLev Instructor

While I set out at the beginning of these 1000 days empowering, to focus on the good, the positive, and the healing.... I just cannot tap into this right now. So, here is my ESD answer to the alleged (yes, that is me being PC) horrific rape of a 16-year-old by a line of up of possibly more than 30..... and here I get stuck. 

Can't say "men" because real men wouldn't do such a thing. 

Can't say "humans" because anyone who could be part of this, IMHO, does not deserve the title of human.

Can't say "people" because honestly, it is truly unfair to the rest of "people" to lump them into this clearly gendered atrocity.

A good man, one who lives for human rights, equality, safety, and empowerment for and or all humans called them, "the lowest form of despicable carbon-based life form," so I am going to stick with that. 

When are we going to take a deep and honest look at the culture that we have created?

What I find myself asking anyone who has the stomach to have the conversation is, when are we going to take a deep and honest look at the culture that we have created, and I say we because there is so much that we have put up with that we know is wrong, be it education, online content, media, etc.

When are we going to stand up and say "yes, freedom of expression, but only if it does not hurt, hate or oppress anyone else?"

Objectification is wrong. Oppression is wrong. Racism is wrong. Ableism is wrong. And yes, I invite you to continue that line of thinking.....

The time has come to stand up to violence and to evil.

Enough is enough.