There are many things that have always bothered me about, as you called them, “bumper sticker Christians.” Near the top of that list was a notion, demonstrated through their behavior, that faith alone was all that mattered; just believe in Christ, ask for forgiveness (when it’s convenient) and all was good. Now, perhaps this is all that’s truly required for salvation, but it strikes me as a terrible waste of our time on Earth.

In a different form, this notion is currently occurring in regards to racism. There are many people who believe that merely voting for the correct party (aka Democrats) is enough to hold oneself up as a beacon of equality. Which, again, strikes me as a terrible waste. For it is our actions, as you so wonderfully described at xxxxxxxxx, that matter far more than any vote.

You really think certain groups are marginalized? Go out and help them. Understand that the way you act in the world actually matters. That sure, it’s just a meal here or a volunteer hour there, but all those seemingly tiny actions accumulate to move society to where you want it to be far better than any vote ever could.

Your speech made me think of my father. He’s a proud Trump voter who would be, based solely on his vote, deemed a racist by some. Yet this man is up at 4am three days a week running miles with ex-convicts and ex-drug addicts (who happen to usually be black) trying to help them restore their lives. When one of them slips back into chemical dependence or crime and needs something, it’s my father they call. This is the living, breathing personification of someone who truly cares about equality.

So, thanks for reminding me of these facts and for inspiring me to build the world I want through my everyday treatment of people.