Let’s Humanize

JOHN “QUINN” FLYNN

Dehumanization is the pre-requisite for wars and genocide.

Most would never bring themselves to do awful things unless “the other side” was described as barbarians, savages, or animals. Slowly and efficiently their humanity gets swept away, making it much easier to believe that causing them harm is justified. If this is true, then the solution to wars and genocides is “humanization.”

When we can look across the street and see someone who looks differently than us, speaks differently or believes in a different religion and can say, “Look, another human,” we are actively being part of the solution and not the problem.

But it’s difficult, isn’t it? Why? Because we’re filled with fear. Our own governments have filled us with brainwashing and fear about people in other countries so that we will support the awful things they do to them. Fear is a powerful motivator.

We are watching this play out in real time in the Middle East. With all of these ideas in my mind concerning this horrific situation, I questioned myself ... What can I do??? l feel so powerless in situations like this and as I see innocent civilians being attacked and slaughtered, my heart hurts. I want to do SOMETHING!

I believe we are all products of our environment. I didn’t ask to be born a straight white guy from the United States any more than my friend Ahmed asked to be born a brown skinned Muslim in the Middle East or any more than my friend Levi asked to be born a Jewish Israeli. We’re all just people. We have loves, dreams, jobs, families, traditions, and we share the same frustrations often times with our governments’ leaders. We believe they lie to us and manipulate us as they line their pockets with power and money. I can’t stop my government from funding Israel’s bombs; Ahmed can’t stop Hamas from blowing up Israel and Levi can’t stop Israel’s Zionist government from massacring Gazans.

Does that mean we should do nothing? What can we do as individuals? What can we humans across the world do? It’s simple really ... we can “humanize.”

• Meet people that are different than you are and get to know them.

• Invite a Jewish person out for Coffee or an Arab person over for dinner.

• Take a walk to the park and approach someone who looks different than you do and introduce yourself.

• Find an authentically ethnic restaurant and eat there and meet people. Talk to the owner and listen to their story of building a small business in America. Take pictures together, make videos together, become friends and tag each other on your social media accounts. These may seem like little, useless things that won’t make a difference, but often times these little extensions of humanity toward others have a way of growing and creating actual change. You can take it one step further too. Share your experiences with others to spread the humanization of those that appear to be different. Sharing stories removes fear.

Recently, I started sharing my viewpoint on social media and the response I received was amazing! I was invited by many Arab people from around the world to visit their country as their guest to get to know each other. One of those invitations was from a new Egyptian friend that told me, “If you want to see what it’s truly like here, then come to Egypt and we will go to Gaza together!” I immediately jumped at the chance, bought a ticket, and now I’m packing for the Middle East.

What’s my purpose in going? What are my goals? To tell the stories of humanity. I’ll share my own story as a human and the fears that I will face as I journey there. And I’ll relay the stories of the people that I meet and become friends with along the way. Our stories as humans are the most powerful thing we hold and telling these stories not only helps others see us as human, but it gives them permission to tell their stories as well.

Since I unveiled that I was going to Gaza, I have had dozens of other invitations from around the world and currently have a trip to Iraq scheduled after meeting a new friend there. These interactions are how we can create change, dispel our own ignorance, and become more human.

Whether it’s traveling the world and meeting people or searching out people different than you wherever you are, this is how we make a difference. Spread humanity ... it is the solution after all.

Update on Quinn since he submitted this article:

Quinn is currently in Egypt awaiting entrance into Gaza. He is currently telling stories via social media. He is also curating a list of humanitarian groups in the area and what they do and how they need support. Be sure to visit his website and get on his email list to receive the latest updates!

John “Quinn” Flynn is a traveler, a teacher, and a Student of Life. He’s been journeying around the world for several years bringing stories of people, places and culture to social media in an effort to explore the world, dispel ignorance and prejudices, and celebrate the humanity in us all. He’s the author of 8 Ways to be Happy which is available on his website at https://www.quinntheeskimorocks.com