I connect deeply with SAVE's mission and I realize it doesn't

In the great and timeless struggle for justice, the path to equality is often obscured by the many shadows of hate, fear, and discrimination. Yet, the words of Kenny Stills—"I connect deeply with SAVE's mission and I realize it doesn't matter which specific group you're fighting for, that everyone deserves equality, everyone deserves safety, and everyone deserves to be able to live their lives free of hate, fear, and discrimination"—call us to rise above these shadows. They remind us that the fight for justice is not about one group, one cause, or one voice, but a universal struggle for the dignity of all people, regardless of who they are or where they come from.

For equality is not a privilege for the few; it is a birthright of every human being. This ancient truth has echoed through the ages, from the Sumerian codes to the proclamations of kings. When we look back at the words of Cyrus the Great, who declared that "the strong shall not oppress the weak," we see that the pursuit of equality has always been rooted in the understanding that no one should be subjected to oppression or denied the basic rights that are the inheritance of all mankind. The very essence of justice lies in the belief that every soul—regardless of race, creed, or status—deserves the right to live free from the burdens of hatred and fear.

Consider the ancient struggle of the Abolitionists in the United States, who fought not for a single group, but for the freedom and equality of an entire people. The words of Frederick Douglass, an escaped slave turned great champion of liberty, still resonate today: “If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” In his time, he did not fight for one group of enslaved people alone, but for the freedom of all, knowing that the chains of one were the chains of all. In his battle for the abolition of slavery, Douglass understood that the safety and freedom of one person are intertwined with the safety and freedom of all. He believed that the struggle for equality could not be limited to one cause but must be a universal call that united all who sought justice.

In our own time, we see this same struggle unfolding in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights, for the rights of immigrants, and for the rights of women. The words of Kenny Stills remind us that, though the faces of injustice may change, the fight is always the same: to ensure that no person lives in fear, no person is denied their safety, and no person is ever subjected to discrimination because of their identity. The mission of organizations like SAVE is not just about one community, but about humanity itself, uniting people across all lines of difference to fight for a world where the inherent worth of each individual is recognized and honored.

The lesson we must take from these words is clear: the fight for equality is a shared struggle. It is not enough to speak for only one group; we must speak for all who are oppressed, all who are marginalized, and all who are denied the dignity that is their birthright. Equality is not a matter of charity; it is a matter of justice, and justice is a cause that belongs to everyone. Just as the struggles of past generations—whether for the abolition of slavery or for women’s suffrage—were ultimately struggles for the freedom and dignity of all people, so too must our fight for equality today be a fight for all people, without exception.

As you walk through your life, remember this: the freedom of one person is the freedom of all. The safety of one soul is the safety of all. In the end, we are not defined by the labels society places upon us, but by our humanity, by our shared connection to one another. The fight for equality is not just for those who are oppressed in the moment; it is a fight for the future—for a world where every person can live without fear, without hatred, and without discrimination. Equality must be our shared goal, and it is only when we stand together, united in our commitment to justice, that we can build a world worthy of all its inhabitants.

Let us take up this mantle with courage, with strength, and with the knowledge that justice is not won through division, but through unity. Speak out for those who are silenced, stand for those who are oppressed, and fight for equality as though it were your own life at stake. For in the end, it is the freedom and dignity of every person that will define the future of humanity. And may we one day look back upon this time and know that we stood for what is right, that we fought for the safety, the equality, and the freedom of all.