Dear Everyone,

Racism is a strange concept to be around as long as it’s been around.  When will people realize that we’re all earthlings or God‘s children?   I guess people call it hate, but I see it as a distraction and a diversion from paying attention to our problems on earth.  The other thing I find frustrating is the concept of not accepting all religions. I have written papers about the common foundation of all religions on earth, taking the most positive concepts from each while creating a common theme throughout.   Then, we can have unique diversity at the same time.   Getting back to racism, I believe it is a distraction and diversion created by industrial earth, Kings, castles, and kingdoms.   In other words, it’s kind of like a relativist kind of concept.   Relatively speaking, paying attention to racism, trumps paying attention to the real value, energy and benefits people have to offer the world.   In other words, it keeps people tangled in a fight when we should be celebrating all that we can about living on this miraculous planet.   I see racism as a common problem in environmental justice and social justice, and it should be included in that kind of concept instead.   The more we pay attention to racism, the more we pay attention to our differences, but we should be paying more attention to our similarities as well as differences.   Maybe we have racism because we don’t have a similarity foundation on earth presently.   The We-Me explorers Cycle has a foundation in similarity that we can also celebrate.   After we celebrate our similarities, we can celebrate our differences.   Nobody does it better than each of us and all of us together.   World without end…

It is truly perplexing to witness the enduring shadow of division, particularly that of racism, casting its long pall over human history. One often wonders when humanity will fully grasp the fundamental truth of our shared existence – whether we consider ourselves children of the Earth or a divine creation, our common origins bind us inextricably.

I find that much of what is labeled as ‘hate’ fundamentally serves as a profound distraction. It diverts our collective energies and focus away from the urgent challenges and immense potential that lie before us on this planet. This diversion is equally evident in the pervasive intolerance often shown towards diverse religious beliefs. For years, I have explored the concept of a “similarity foundation” – a framework that identifies and synthesizes the most positive, universal ethical principles and energetic concepts inherent in every major faith tradition. My belief is that by crystallizing these shared values, we can forge a common global ethos that not only unites us but also beautifully accommodates and celebrates the rich tapestry of unique cultural and spiritual expressions.

Returning to the issue of racism, it strikes me as less an intrinsic human flaw and more a carefully orchestrated diversion, historically propagated by power structures — be they ancient monarchies, industrial empires, or any system benefiting from internal strife. This insidious mechanism effectively siphons human ingenuity and potential into endless, debilitating conflicts, rather than channeling it toward collective advancement. It is a societal misdirection that obscures the immense value, diverse energies, and profound benefits each individual and community could contribute to the world. Instead of celebrating our shared journey on this miraculous planet, we remain entangled in unproductive battles.

I firmly believe that racism is not an isolated phenomenon but an integral facet of the broader challenges encapsulated by environmental and social justice. Addressing it effectively requires integrating it within this comprehensive framework. Our current discourse often, and regrettably, places an disproportionate emphasis on differences when confronting racism. While acknowledging our distinct identities is crucial, an equally vital, if not more pressing, task is to consciously cultivate and celebrate our profound similarities. Perhaps the enduring presence of racism is, in part, a symptom of the absence of a truly robust “similarity foundation” in our global consciousness.

To bridge this gap, frameworks like “The We-Me Explorers Cycle” offer compelling pathways. They propose a methodology for first recognizing and celebrating our deep-seated commonalities – our shared humanity, aspirations, and fundamental needs. Only after establishing this bedrock of unity can we then fully and respectfully appreciate the magnificent spectrum of our differences, allowing them to enrich rather than divide us.

The boundless potential of humanity truly blossoms when each of us contributes our unique strengths, and when all of us collaborate in harmonious concert. It is in this unified endeavor that we discover an infinite horizon of possibility.

Richard Thomas Simmons