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Thursday, March 28, 2024
The Observer

I love you'

Actually, let's talk about love.
It's easy to love your friends. It's easy to love your family (sometimes). It's easy to love those who are a part of your community, of your niche, who share your viewpoints or who believe the same things you do.
I'm all for that love, but that's not the kind of love I'm talking about.
I want to sign a banner in the dining hall, in LaFortune or wherever in which I commit to 'Love Everyone' (note the capital E).
I'm committing to love those who say my sexuality is a disease, that I should be quarantined for my sexual orientation.
I'm committing to love those who still believe we ought to live in a racially segregated society.
I'm committing to love those who would prefer to see me dead due to my spiritual beliefs.
Do not misunderstand me. Do not confuse love with agreement. I believe segregation should be a thing of the past, I believe in marriage equality and freedom of religion. And I will defend my beliefs to those who disagree with me.
But defense of my beliefs does not call for disrespect of another's inherent humanity. And yes, every single person on this earth possesses this inherent humanity which we are all called to respect. I know I am right in my beliefs. But I also know I am not God. None of us are. We are all the scum of the earth, fighting tooth and nail to find some kind of truth, some higher meaning, hoping we do not get swallowed up by the vastness of this magnificent cosmos and praying we are more than a mere fraction of a decimal of a speck in reality.
To those who would see me rot for who I am: I love you.
I clearly do not agree with you. I'd prefer to stay alive. Rotting is never good for the skin. I can't imagine how much money I'd have to shell out for prescription lotion to deal with that condition. And hey, if you come at me in the middle of the night with a knife, I will probably try some fancy dragon style on you, because knife wounds are never fun either. But nevertheless, I am committed to love you. Every day, it is a struggle to love you, but I am up to the challenge. Because to feel any less for you than I do for myself is to deify myself. I know I am not God. I know we are all equal and that we all have a right to our own beliefs. And I love you.
Loving our friends is easy. That's not what I'm signing onto.
P.S. - Observer, way to go upholding freedom of speech and remaining unbiased in reporting. Thank you for loving and respecting everyone's humanity. Rock on.

Mia Lillis
junior
Cavanaugh Hall
April 12