Level the Playing Field

We are all the same. No matter our race or religion, we are basically the same. Our values, despite what the extremists on either side of an issue may say, are all the same. Being the same is not the equivalent of being equal.

Being caucasian and born in Canada, I have won the lottery. Through no fault or merit of my own, I was born in the best country on the planet and am not a visible minority. I have never known hunger, persecution, or real fear. This is not the case for much of the world’s population. For most of the planet, the second they enter the world, they are literally fighting for their survival. Food, shelter, safety, everything I take for granted, are not so easy for most people.

It’s easy to say “no free rides” and insist that everyone earn their own way. What is not easy is recognizing that we all do not enter the world on a level playing field. Recognizing the fact that none of us had done anything to earn our birthright goes a long way in empathizing with the dire situation much of the world’s population find themselves in. Wanting a better life for your family is an inherent wish for all mankind. For some of us this is not even a concern because of the luck of your birth location.

We are all the same but we don’t all have the same advantages.

“Safety should be a birthright” - Clemantine Wamariya (b. 1968)