There are moments in life when silence is not an option—when standing up isn’t just a choice, but a moral obligation. For me, that moment comes when I see others being oppressed, disrespected, or treated unfairly simply because of the color of their skin, who they love, their gender, or their financial status. I draw a line, and when that line is crossed, I will not stand idly by. I will speak out. I will fight for those who are trampled on and treated as anything less than human.
It is shameful that, in this day and age, we still have people—right here in this country—who believe they are superior simply because they are white, straight, or male. That kind of ignorance and arrogance has no place in a society that claims to value freedom and equality. If you believe others are beneath you for these reasons, then you are the problem. Crawl back into the darkness where that kind of thinking belongs.
People are people. And as most of you know, my philosophy on life is simple—treat others as you expect to be treated. I don’t care about your race, your gender, your sexual orientation, or your bank account. If you show me kindness, respect, and decency, you will receive the same in return. It’s long past due that we put an end to racism, that we stop treating women as less than equals, and that we stop attacking people simply for who they love. If you stand against equality, then you stand against the very foundation of humanity.
The world is getting uglier by the day because too many people believe it’s acceptable to keep spreading hate, to keep treating others like they are less than human. It is not acceptable. It never has been. That is not the America I believe in, and I refuse to support or accept a version of this country that continues to enable discrimination and oppression. We are better than this. We must be better than this. And the time to change is now—not tomorrow, not someday—right now.
Article written By Scott Randy Gerber for The Tipping Point Tampa Bay ©2026 All Rights Reserved
