This world is filled with hate. After everything that has happened through our history and the reason that this country was founded you would think that there would be more tolerance. Unfortunately this is not true. While there are laws against hate crimes, what we consider to be punishable is reserved only for the most severe cases. What about the “smaller” crimes that go unpunished? Who will help the people too timid to speak up? Who will stand up and say that there has been enough hate? My voice may not be big enough to reach the world, but with the help of everyone who reads this they can make my voice louder. Let's make our voices loud enough that this can no longer be ignored. We must stand up and do our part and be active in the pursuit of ending injustice towards each other. We must remember that it is all our little differences that this great country was founded upon. That makes this country unique! Can we truly be proud to be American while we watch the stories in the news almost every day about how some child was bullied in school for not being “normal”? What is normal? If it is being cruel to others and picking on their differences then I do not want to be normal.

We all know someone that is different. Whether they are gay, tall, short, quiet, or they follow a different religion than our own, this diversity offers us power, it gives us knowledge. We live in this country so that we may follow our beliefs without fear of being persecuted, but we know this is not true. People from all religions are targeted by these hate crimes whether they are Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, etc. People from all nationalities are harassed whether they are Irish, Italian, Iraqi, Chinese, etc.

I hope that this may be a start of a movement. One that can open the eyes of just one person. I beg anyone that has a story to tell about an injustice to make it known. Let us be silent no more while our loved ones are tortured. Let us help put a stop to reading a news headline about another person committing suicide because they lived in fear and pain. If the people who run the country won't be active about this, then the responsibility is left to us. Pass this on to your friends and families. Let them know that we have a place to let our voices be heard. Can we restore faith in humanity? Can we as humans embrace our differences and learn to love them? It is not up to me, it is up to each individual out there to make a difference. Please leave your thoughts and stories here so that they may be shared by everyone.