Called to the Ranks of the Decent Race

There are two races of men in this world, but only these two—the “race” of the decent man and the “race” of the indecent man. ― Viktor Frankl

The headline read, “BREAKING: Fourth Muslim man killed in ABQ.” This is not us. NO community should live in fear of being targeted and killed. Our Muslim friends and neighbors should not live with that fear. We are better than this. We the People in the city of Albuquerque, in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, USA, are part of the decent race, and indecency has no place among us.

The heinous act of hatred visited upon Albuquerque’s Muslim community does not reflect the values of the decent race. In a true democracy, worshipping or looking like everyone else is not a prerequisite for basic human rights. Our opinions may differ, religious beliefs may fall anywhere on a spectrum of faith, country of origin may be anywhere on the planet, but as members of the decent race, valuing Justice, domestic Tranquility, common defense, general Welfare, and the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and Future generations, those tenets are non-negotiable. The tenets of a Decent Democracy call us to join the ranks of We the People, in Order to form a more perfect Union.

I grieve with our Muslim community. I grieve with our Black, Brown, Asian, Indigenous, and LGBTQIA2S+ communities. Hatred has no place in a more perfect Union. We can and must do better. I am fortunate to keep company with people who are committed to the same. According to the Greek Stoic philosopher, Epictetus, “The key is to keep company only with people who uplift you, whose presence calls forth your best.”

We have not achieved, and in many ways, we have only just begun, to carve out the face of an inclusive Decent Democracy. It is a battle worth fighting, and it is a fight that calls us to solidarity so that we can overcome the indecency rising to oppress the People. If we organize, we win. Join me in the fight for a Decent Democracy.

We are building the bridge to a more inclusive, just, and equitable democracy as we cross it.

Yours in service and with gratitude,
Flora