A recent public figure (one I will not name but whose platform has 26,000+ followers on Spotify for his “no-holds-barred take on today’s cultural, religious, and political issues”) made bold and audacious claims on his podcast about the city of Cincinnati. And while I will not defend any violent act that happens in Cincinnati, I will defend what I have experienced (and not experienced) over the last 9 years of living in the greater Cincinnati area.

I have been processing the few snippets of commentary that have been shared with me from said podcast over the past 48 hours, and my visceral reaction has been strong and consuming. Initially, hearing that he called Cincinnati a “hellhole” was enough to get me fired up. So, despite my usual choice of podcasts, I turned this one on to learn more. And after about the first 90 seconds, I turned it off. This isn’t the first time I’ve been repulsed by his work. But this time is different because it was personal.

I remember a conversation that I had with a friend a few years ago, when our former workplace was the talk of lots of outside noise. I remember her saying, “It’s one thing for me to talk (shit) about my family…but it’s another thing for you to”. (You being people not in the family…not me, for I was also a part of this toxic work “family”.) And even though it was personal then, too, some of the noise and accusations were true.

So I find myself in a similar place yet again – except this time, I do not believe that what has been said is true. I have tried to listen (twice) in the last 24 hours to the full podcast and, honestly, it’s heartbreaking that hateful words, name-calling, and damaging labels continue to plague not only Cincinnati but also this great nation so many of us call home. This rhetoric creates division and separation, not of church and state, but in this particular instance, of White people and Black people. (Is this seriously still a thing? Can’t we process this like adults and move forward?)

Although he is entitled to his opinion, as am I, and as are you, this immature response is completely ineffective in my opinion. And it’s REALLY ineffective for me. Any attempt at bringing about awareness of whatever he is attempting to do through this episode is completely lost on me. This is one of the reasons it’s so hard for me to follow politics in general, and the last thing I want to do ever is become anything other than positive and uplifting.

“If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing.”

1 Corinthians 13: 1-2

So, regardless of your political stance, the one thing we all have in common is that we were born human and we should treat each other with the kind of human dignity and respect that should be our natural, given birthright. One where we are called by name, not name-called.

As a White and Hispanic female (who looks white and sometimes even pasty depending on the time of year), I have seldom felt unsafe in this beautiful city. And anytime I have, they have been situations that I have put myself in. Actually, I cannot recall anytime when I have felt truly unsafe. Cautious, sure. I’m not stupid. But never truly unsafe. And that probably has less to do with the people around me, and more to do with the security I feel in who I am and, more importantly, Who is watching over me.

Oh wait – come to think of it, sometimes when I am out for a walk, either early in the morning or at dusk in my neighborhood, I am more terrified because there are deer – both doe and buck, snakes, and random roadkill that always make me so squirmy.

What I have not experienced is any type of anti-white mob roaming the streets and attacking random white people just for fun. On the contrary, some of the most incredible, kind, and generous people that I have met in this city are Black. Don’t read (or hear) “anti white” – because that is not who they are. They’re Black, kind and boisterous and loving and encouraging. They go out of their way to support me and take care of me. To love me and protect me.

Are there misguided people in Cincinnati making bad choices? Absolutely, without a doubt. And that is not exclusive to any color of skin or zip code. I was not there (thank God) for the incident that prompted the aforementioned podcast host to do an episode on Cincinnati. But I would venture to guess that all people involved in the violent and disgusting incident were either drunk or under the influence of something. (And don’t bother looking up the incident if you haven’t seen it – it is not good for your eyes nor your soul.)

I will never forget the first time that I heard this saying, “Hurt people hurt people”. In my opinion, that sentence is the basis behind the drama and trauma of this country —not the color of your skin or which political party you belong to, what you believe in or don’t believe in, what you fight for or stay silent about, what religion you are or aren’t.

May God bless Cincinnati and let the good continue to prevail over evil.