I AM A HUMANIST

What am I? How are you? What are we? Am I woman before human or human before woman? Are you Igbo before human or human before Igbo? If we were put in a room and had to be identified by one common factor what would that be? Is the white girl more human than I am or am I more human than the victim of banditry and terrorism in Zamfara? What makes me human? What differentiates this specie that is so interested in self-sabotage from an instinct-driven hyena in the wild?

HUMANISM

hu·man·ism

[ˈhjuːmənɪz(ə)m]

NOUN

• a rationalist outlook or system of thought attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or supernatural matters.

Humanism is a philosophical stance that emphasizes the individual and social potential and agency of human beings. It considers human beings as the starting point for serious moral and philosophical inquiry. The meaning of the term “humanism” has changed according to the successive intellectual movements that have identified with it. Generally, the term refers to a focus on human well-being and advocates for human freedom, autonomy, and progress. It views humanity as responsible for the promotion and development of individuals, espouses the equal and inherent dignity of all human beings, and emphasizes a concern for humans to the world.

A few days ago, a documentary on the banditry situation in Zamfara was released by BBC. It was indeed an eye sore, sore enough to bring tears to my tired eyes. Being no stranger to violence nor seeing a loved one bleed to death from a gunshot wound, I felt pained that little children had to go through all that trauma. All I could do was ask myself why. Why would an individual pick up an arm against another human and worst of all little children? 

Strikingly, one of the interviewed bandits answered my question. He gave a proverbial explanation of how every time a crime of such intensity is committed, a black mark marks the heart of the individual. Over time, as the individual continues perpetuation of such dastardly act, the black marks increase till it entirely cover his heart. Humans lose their humanity every time they choose to ignore cognitive dissonance and their conscience. Humans lose their humanity every time they fail to put their humanity first.

Although I do not agree with extreme humanism which claims that God does not exist, I can empathize with that belief. Humans through the years have used God as an excuse for bad behaviour exempting themselves from responsibilities incurred through bad behaviour and sometimes nature. God has now become an excuse rather than a father.  

It is a man who takes up a weapon against man, it is a man who poisons the food of another man, it is a man who rapes and kills, NOT GOD. Man becomes a monster to himself when he refuses to do unto others as he would love them to do unto him. You may not agree with me. Well, you are not under any pressure to. But take a minute to introspect, how fulfilled have you felt the times you put humanity above all else? 

Conclusively, we are all born human but to be human is to love!!! To be human is to be a humanist, to be a humanist is to be a lover of humanity. Loving I AM A HUMANIST

What am I? What are you? What are we? Am I woman before human or human before woman? Are you Igbo before human or human before Igbo? If we were put in a room and had to be identified by one common factor what would that? Is the white girl more human than I am or am I more human than the victim of banditry and terrorism in Zamfara? What makes me human? What differentiates this specie that is so interested in self sabotage from an instinct driven hyena in the wild?

HUMANISM

hu·man·ism

[ˈhjuːmənɪz(ə)m]

NOUN

• a rationalist outlook or system of thought attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or supernatural matters.

Humanism is a philosophical stance that emphasizes the individual and social potential and agency of human beings. It considers human beings as the starting point for serious moral and philosophical inquiry. The meaning of the term “humanism” has changed according to the successive intellectual movements that have identified with it. Generally, the term refers to a focus on human well-being and advocates for human freedom, autonomy, and progress. It views humanity as responsible for the promotion and development of individuals, espouses the equal and inherent dignity of all human beings, and emphasizes a concern for humans in relation to the world.

Few days ago, a documentary on the banditry situation in Zamfara was released by BBC. It was indeed an eye sore, sore enough to bring tears to my tired eyes. Being no stranger to violence nor seeing a loved one bleed to death from a gunshot wound, I felt pained that little children had to go through all that trauma. All I could do was ask myself why. Why would an individual pick-up arm against another human and worst of all little children? 

Strikingly, one of the interviewed bandits answered my question. He gave a proverbial explanation of how every time a crime of such intensity is committed, a black mark marks the heart of the individual. Overtime, as the individual continues perpetuation of such dastardly act, the black marks increase till it entirely covers his heart. Humans lose their humanity every time they choose to ignore cognitive dissonance and their conscience. Humans lose their humanity every time they fail to put their humanity first.

Although I do not agree with extreme humanism which claims that God does not exist, I can empathize on that belief. Humans through the years have used God as an excuse for bad behavior exempting themselves from responsibilities incurred through bad behavior and sometimes nature. God has now become an excuse rather than a father.  

It is man who takes up weapon against man, it is man who poisons the food of another man, it is man who rapes and kills, NOT GOD. Man becomes a monster to himself when he refuses to do unto others as he would love them to do unto him. You may not agree with me. Well, you are not under any pressure to. But take a minute to introspect, how fulfilled have you felt the times you put humanity above all else. 

Conclusively, we are all born human but to be human is to love!!! To be human is to be a humanist, to be a humanist is to be a lover of humanity. Loving and respecting everyone first as humans before or without consideration of other factors such as gender, race, tribe, status, and other biases. To be human is to obey the golden rule, treating others as we would love to be treated. 

I AM NOT A FEMINIST; I AM A HUMANIST!!! I BELIEVE IN HUMANITY; I BELIEVE THAT THE KEY TO EXCELLENCE AND PEACE ON EARTH IS RESPECT FOR HUMANS AND THE EARTH. I BELIEVE THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT VIRTUE TO PROTECT IS OUR HUAMNITY. and respecting everyone first as humans before or without consideration of other factors such as gender, race, tribe, status, and other biases. To be human is to obey the golden rule, treating others as we would love to be treated. 

I AM NOT A FEMINIST; I AM A HUMANIST!!! I BELIEVE IN HUMANITY; I BELIEVE THAT THE KEY TO EXCELLENCE AND PEACE ON EARTH IS RESPECT FOR HUMANS AND THE EARTH. I BELIEVE THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT VIRTUE TO PROTECT IS OUR HUMANITY.