Volume

Tamara says I'm loud.

She frequently shushes me because the level of my voice has reached a point where she feels the need to shush me. Often it's when we're with my family, and I and various siblings unconsciously engage in a battle to determine who can reach the highest decibel level. I usually win, though Beckie is always right behind me.

True story: I worked in a McDonald's in our mall food court, and once heard my own voice echoing from across the entire thing, bouncing off the walls of Arby's back at me to tell me "son, you gotta tone it down."

Anyway, while I have to plead overwhelmingly guilty to using my voice in a way that can hurt ears, it may be said of me I don't use my voice often enough to speak on matters of importance. I think the prime reason for this is I do not like conflict, and I try to avoid conflict when I can (except when certain spouses or siblings give inadmissible answers in Scattergories). That's why, especially as regarding politics, I more often observe and less often participate.

But today I feel I want to use my voice to say something that shouldn't need to be said out loud but apparently does need to be said out loud (a relative correctly corrected me in saying President Trump has verbally condemned white supremacy, but in my opinion his actions have done nothing to back up his statements). So here it is:

I condemn any and every form of white supremacy and racism.

I don't want anyone to be able to have any shred of doubt about my feelings on this. If any person believes he or she is superior to any other person because of their race, that person is inarguably wrong and in error. There is no such thing as a superior race or skin color. God the Eternal Father never intended such and has condemned His own anointed people when they exhibit such thought and behavior.

Maybe my voice here doesn't matter. But I'm still going to shout this as loud as I can here, and I hope i have the courage to do so when confronted with the despicable idea of racial supremacy in the real world.

May we all have that courage.