TARA DYER STOYLE: America needs to hear the music of unity
Tara Fletcher
Special PhotoBy Tara Dyer Stoyle
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Everybody knows that there are people of every color who perpetuate racism. Those people have agendas; they profit or benefit from it in some way, and just as Chris Rock said about big pharma … “There’s no money in the cure”… for these people, there’s no money in peace.
People of all races are being influenced by sheep in wolves’ clothing who pretend they have our best interests at heart but really they’re self-serving narcissists, and the division grows larger while their pockets get fatter.
This past Wednesday was the anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks on the U.S. If something good can come from something so tragic and evil, it was the America of Sept. 12, 2001.
Americans of all races were afraid together, we grieved together, got pissed off together and when we saw the NYPD gather in a circle, hold hands and pray, no matter what religion we were (even if we weren’t religious at all), we prayed together. We were united.
Now here we are 18 years later … in the worst condition of my 49 years.
We can’t agree on anything (even agreeing to disagree would be a start). We look for someone to blame for the state of our children, neighborhoods and environment, and spout our opinions on social media while we sit comfortably blameless and apathetic.
Who is to blame for our environmental problems? You are. I am.
Who’s to blame for your neighborhood’s problems? The people in that neighborhood.
Who’s to blame for these bad children? Before they become bad adults, the parents are.
If you aren’t willing to work with your fellow man, at least take a good look in the mirror and make any necessary changes. Make good decisions based on facts and don’t be blindly led by someone just because they look like you or it’s easy.
In the spirit of the love we felt after 9/11, please think about your duty to your family, community and country and, because this is a music column, listen to the lyrics of the following songs that were written by people with love and hope in their hearts.
“Everyday People” — Sly and the Family Stone
“What A Wonderful World” — Louis Armstrong
“Love Train” — The O’Jays
“One Vision” — Queen
“One Love” — Bob Marley and The Wailers
“All You Need Is Love” — The Beatles
“Imagine” — John Lennon
“One Nation Under A Groove” — Funkadelic
It’s going to take a lot of work to fix what’s broken, and we can only do that if we are honest with ourselves and willing to be proactive.
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