C1 My Turn - Let's all yell less, listen more

When I was being raised, my parents taught me sharing is a great thing, to always see things from all sides and to never be unkind.

Growing up and learning more about people, especially here in Coeur d'Alene, I have learned three main things: Most people never want to change or reevaluate their own beliefs, the beliefs of parents will always be taught to their children, and it is easy to hate people you do not know personally. Ignorance breeds hate, and people who do not further their education and challenge their beliefs become more hateful. This is a fact I have seen repeated over and over again.

When the people at the library were protesting the Rainbow Squad they should have talked to the leaders. I wish they had kept an open mind and realized they are protesting people. People just like themselves, who happen to like the same gender, or be a different gender than the one they were assigned at birth.

That club is an amazing thing; it helps children and adolescents who are scared about their identity and gives them new opportunities to meet friends and people like them. I feel truly scared and sad for the progeny of the people who protested because they are being taught to hate their neighbors and to not tolerate and learn from differences.

I'm 16, and I go to high school in Coeur d’Alene. For the majority of my time here, I really have not seen or heard much hate. Except to the minorities of the school, which shows me the minds of our future are being poisoned with hate and bigotry.

We are always told to listen to our elders, but what if what they say is wrong? I am friends with people who are in the LGBTQ community, people who are in the tribe, and I am friends with African Americans. They will all tell you about the hate they have experienced.

My friends who are gay can all tell you about the times they have been called slurs and made fun of. My Native and Black friends can all tell you about the times they have been harassed and called racial slurs by their peers. These children have been taught that these are acceptable behaviors, because from the time they were kids, they observed the hateful behavior of their parents and copied it.

Now because much of the administration at the schools do nothing about this vile behavior, some of my closest friends are moving away. This behavior is unacceptable. We need to show kindness to ALL members of our community. Otherwise we are going to be stuck in an echo chamber of hateful rhetoric.

We all need to rethink our core values, and think of the effects those values might have on others. We need to teach our children kind words and actions and I guarantee you we will have a better future.

We as a community and society need to stop yelling and start listening to each other. We need to learn more about our neighbors and keep open minds. We need to stop blindly following our political parties, open our eyes and see what we have in common is much more important than our differences. We need to help and support each other; simply because it is the right thing to do.

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Cameron Baker is a student at Lake City High School.