As You Chew on Your Next Chicken Sandwich

As you chew on your next sandwich from Chik-fulla-hate, I need to ask you a question:  Where were you on Friday night?  At 7 p.m.?  You certainly weren't where I was, which was on the John Meyer Bridge (downtown, easy to find--it's a bridge).   
Hypocrite (but I already knew that).
Help me figure this one out.  You were willing to go to a local fast food place, wait in line for 1, 2, or more hours, PAY money to said food place for a greasy meal--all in the name of "religious freedom", the right to "free speech", or "because I don't want those gays to have equality either".
But you can't spend less than one hour, at a FREE event, on a beautiful evening, to show support to members of our local community?  Members of their faith community were murdered because someone objected to their religion, killed them because they were worshiping, expressing their religious faith.  I daresay if the members of our local community looked more like you, or went to one of "your churches", there would have been thousands of you on that bridge.  Crying, screaming about how everyone hates the Christians.  I've heard it over and over and over again--"they" took prayer out of our schools, "they" are persecuting us because we want a nativity on the courthouse lawn--I could go on and on, but you've certainly heard these rants about the phantom "they".
Maybe you like that "us" vs. "them" mentality.  Maybe you embrace it because it makes it easier for you--there's a lot to be said for a "black and white" world; your choices are so very clear.  You, and all the other "good people" feel superior, because you have all the "right" answers.  All of "those" people are wrong, so should be ignored, shunned, or worse of all, killed....
One guy with a gun and a lot of ammunition certainly agreed with you on that one.
But here's the thing.  You're a grown-up now.  You should know there's no "black or white"--there's just a whole lot of shades of grey.  Life involves thinking about things, seeing the other side. 
And there are a bunch of people who have more in common with you than you are willing to admit.  There are a whole lot of families just like yours--they may not have the same skin tone, but they want pretty much the same things out of life:  happiness, a home, food on the table, education for their kids, and to be able to go to a place to worship.  Without fear.
When was the last time you thought, as you entered your church door, "Someone who hates me could kill me today."?  And yet, there are people, like you except not, who for even a fleeting moment, think that every time. 
Here's another thing to think about as you eat your chicken sandwich--how would you have responded if someone of your faith community had been killed?  Would you have closed ranks, been suspicious of "all of them"?  Called for "an eye for an eye"?
Because you weren't on the bridge with me, I'll tell you what local members of the Sikh community did.  They welcomed us.  All of us.  They talked, not of revenge, but of peace and understanding.  Of tolerance.
Most of all, they spoke of our commonality, of how much alike we were.  They thanked us for being there--all of us, of many different faith communities.  And they invited anyone who wanted to, to speak.
Those minutes on the bridge were spiritual, and I hope they were moments of healing for those who needed it.  It was a time of real religious freedom and expression. 
I'm sorry you missed it.  REALLY sorry you didn't bring your kids.  It was a moment of love and understanding.  And goodness.
Something that you don't get in the parking lot of Mr. Cathy's restaurant.