There are people who believe that some human beings have more inherent worth than others.
This post is not for them. Although I strongly disagree with that belief, the purpose of this post is not to argue against it.
I’m writing to people who believe that all human beings have value. That, in the words of Thomas Jefferson, “all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights.” That all humans are made in God’s image. You, reader, may not believe all of these things, but if you believe even one of them, I’m writing to you.
How would the world change if we truly lived according to what we believe?
How would we treat immigrants?
What would the grand jury have decided in the case of Marshae Jones if they had recognized her human dignity as well as that of her fetus/unborn child?
How would we treat strangers on the Internet when we disagreed with them?
Who would we choose for President?
How would I respond to the driver who disregarded a traffic law and nearly hit me?
How would we treat poor people?
What if we commit to start consciously thinking of the human dignity of every person we encounter — in person, on the phone, or online? What would the world look like if we started treating our fellow humans as if they were truly valuable, simply because they exist?