Just Be You

    

         Don't be offended. Just hear me out first. One thing I challenge all of my readers to do is think for themselves and form their opinions. You do not have to agree with me for these are my thoughts for you to see. As different topics pop up in the news from Kanye West to Bill Cosby to the never ending headlines of the President, a lot of us are being drawn into various arguments and opinions about certain comments. You're actually being forced to pick a side and you don't have to. Don't let the comments of individuals force you to pick a side. It's okay to have your own voice and own opinion. So many times I see people piggyback off of someone else's comment because everyone else is doing it. There's nothing wrong with walking alone. Believe me, at some point someone will choose to follow. Your opinion also will not always be the popular one. That's okay. At the end of the day it's about what you believe. As far as Mr. West, I can say that I personally do not agree with his comments on slavery being a choice no matter how you spin it or however you want to interpret it. Many consider him a genius. I consider him a musical genius to a certain degree but his thoughts are nothing more than moments of attention seeking to me. I'll sum that up by saying it's a lot easier to say what you would do when you're not in that situation. I can't say how I would react to slavery because I wasn't born during that time. I can have my own opinions about how I feel I would've reacted but it's not the same thing. It's like shooting basketball in the back yard and counting down the final seconds at the buzzer. Until you're actually in a real game situation ,you can't recreate that moment when the pressure is on with the someone in your face and the crowd watching. That's all I'm saying. Of course Kanye said more and some things made sense but it's Kanye being Kanye. I think the overall beauty of that situation was the open dialogue it created from both sides whether you agree with him or not. As long as it's based off of what you think. Be your own person. We are living in a society right now where being yourself is often ostracized. From early childhood, you're constantly picked on if you're not a part of the "cool kids". I can't tell you how many times I've heard that "I didn't know you were this cool in high school?" I graduated in 2006 lol! You have to give people the chance to be themselves and prove to You who they are instead of always listening to the opinions of others. How easily are you swayed by the opinions of the others? Comments? Actions? I challenge you to be a leader. A trend setter. An original. I tuck my jogging pants inside of my socks. I get crazy looks all the time but that's my thing. Don't be an "HUI", Human Under the Influence of others. Be yourself and form your own opinions.