From the Heart. We are all humans!

From the Heart. We are all humans!

By Nick Aitoro

Regardless of our skin color, the God we worship, the person we love, or the country we were born in, we are all human. Yet far too often, we forget that. This isn’t about one side of the aisle or the other, white, black, Latino, Asian, or native american. This is about the collective We.

Where is our compassion for one another? When did caring for others get buried? What happened to respect? We now hide behind our screens, keyboards, skin color, and opinions, big or small, and believe that whatever we say is automatically our right and is correct.

I’m old enough to remember when we showed each other respect regardless of someone’s title or position. Today, when you read the news or scroll online, it feels like you’re surrounded by people acting like children needing guidance and redirection.

Let me be clear—I’m not excusing the behavior of murderers, abusers, or terrorists. Breaking the law still means something and must be dealt with. Without laws and accountability, we are no better than animals.

We don’t even come together anymore when tragedy strikes. Hurricane Helen devastated North Carolina—yet it was politicized, it didn’t bring us together, and so many suffered. But I remember the day President Reagan was shot, the Oklahoma City bombing, and 9/11. I remember exactly where I was during each of those events. And I remember how, each time, we came together as a country.

Where did that spirit go?

After the Oklahoma City bombing, “The Oklahoma Standard” became part of our collective identity—neighbors helping neighbors, strangers showing kindness, communities standing united. We need more of that across this incredible nation—and beyond.

This is not a call to “be positive” or “be better.” It’s a call to be human, and to realize there are humans all around us.

It’s time to remember who we are and what we stand for—not just as individuals, but as a society built on shared dignity, compassion, and respect.