Jim Crow never really went away, but it has had several makeovers throughout the years. It has spent much of its recent days attacking young black people in the prison system, picking them up for marijuana, and essentially leaving them there to rot. You have all heard the story before, some of you recognize the reality of it, and others stubbornly refuse to recognize the heartlessness it takes to lock a man away for a habitual drug everyone uses in college. And all of this to hold on to a fantasy promise of lower crime that will never materialize. But it also permeates in ways that are often unseen. Terms like "snowflake" are used by the right to delegitimize the very real harm that can be caused by hurtful rhetoric. What does happen when everything becomes a joke? When every movie has a reaction video? When every bit of news is deemed irrelevant or fake? Do we take anything seriously at that point? The untrained spectator of political movements may believe the answer is no, but that is tragically misguided. The endgame for movements that portray themselves as innocent victims of injustice that are perfectly righteous and can do no wrong is, of course, conquest. The truth becomes distorted in such a sea of righteous indignation. Everyone seems to have a bit of a point, and one quickly tends to believe that the middle ground is the answer, that some settlement can be reached. Has this always been the case? Will there be a deal of any consequence with violent dictatorships? Can you soothe a religious extremist with sweet melodies about the Id, the ego and the superego. I have no idea. Perhaps, but I would imagine it would be quite difficult, not some quick fix one would search up on webmd. In the course of being in the middle, one often gravitates toward one side or the other on most issues. This is not a true middle, but a facade of political centrism that is convenient for election season, and painfully annoying every other season. We live in an age where it is a crime to be proud of being different. You are supposed to be like everyone else in this world. Coexistence was simply a facade for a the same political agenda that has always been, the consolidation of power. We cannot live for others. We can only live for ourselves or else we are doomed to despise those around us. This does not mean that we cannot help our fellow humans when the are in need, but it does mean that we should take care of ourselves first. How are we to help others if we do not ensure that we are alright? How do we achieve happiness if it is our responsibility to see to the happiness of those who hate us? These are the questions the false middle of the road politicians fail to answer. Jim Crow has prevailed mostly because people do not care to admit that it is real; they like to believe that history is a book, and that we have already moved past that chapter. They fail to realize that just because you think that you have moved on, it doesn't mean that you actually have or that it is even possible to move on.  I do not frequently call into question the ideas of peace, happiness and love because I prefer the cold reality of truth. I seek out the truth, and question my emotions because emotions cannot be trusted. Perhaps we are so deeply infatuated with the emotional world, that this is making the real world seem more harsh than it actually is. There is much pain, struggle and misery amongst us, but there is also wonder, mystery and excitement if we are willing to look below the surface. Always remember that reality is a multi-layered experience. It does not simply exist; it permeates through you. Anything that exist within you can be manipulated to make you happy. The key is to make your happiness the truth. That way you will not try to escape existence, instead you will stand up for yourself. 

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