Teachable Moment - don't be a jerk

So if you follow me on Twitter you probably came across this tweet yesterday:

Do not overcome hate with more hate.

My heart breaks for those that must live with this daily on social media and in real life.#LoSiento pic.twitter.com/TtNVsQXjGj

— Señor Jordan (@senorjordan) 13 de noviembre de 2016

If you can't read the message someone wrote on my Youtube account:

F__king Kill urself no one likes you ur immigrant trump won and your getting deported taco n_____r

The most hurtful part to me was not that someone would tell me that, but that someone would tell ANYONE that. That in our country, people feel as though they are justified to express such blatant disregard for others' lives and that someone actually empowers them to do so.

For the record, I don't care who you voted for. I found it to be a very difficult election myself.

But what I do care about is how we, as a nation, seek unity and not disunity.

And here was my response:

I am so sorry:1. that you think that that is an appropriate way to talk to anyone (whether on the internet or otherwise)

2. that you make your preconceived notions on someone based on their ethnicity (or what you think it is anyway) 

3. that you think that a person has less value simply because their family comes from somewhere else

4. that you don’t see the irony in that at some point in history your family immigrated to the US to search for a better life

5. that you think being “American” makes you better than others

6. that you think your opinion matters in the slightest to me

7. that you are most likely only expressing what has been taught to you instead of actually thinking for yourself

But most importantly, I am so deeply sorry 

8. that no one has taught you better

And by the way, I doubt I will get deported considering I am from an English speaking household and my family originates from England.  

But I am honored that you would include me with such a noble group of hardworking men and women.

In addition, I decided to show my Spanish 1 students this and explained beforehand in Spanish about how I was irritated because on Sunday I was in Walmart with my family when I pulled out my phone and checked the email and there was a terrible comment.

Afterwards, I showed them the comment and my response and tried to convey the following:

1. they all have value
2. no one has the right to be a jerk to another based on social, ethnic, moral biases
3. we are all part of one race: the Human Race
4. treat others with dignity and respect

Then we resumed our lesson in 90% Spanish.

I thought it was a valuable life lesson not just on how to be appropriate on social media but as a citizen of this world.