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Arizona has been in the news lately and for nothing good. It's sad that a few people that represent the state(poorly I might add), have caused such a negative light to be shed on our great state. The truth is, we are a collective hodge-podge of people of all walks of life, and that is what makes us great. Arizona has always been a "transient" state. The running joke here is natives are more rare than immigrants. The diversity of the backgrounds that have found themselves residing in Arizona make for wondrous melting pot. Maybe that is what outsiders don't get. We really don't have an identity, because we take on so many values from the people that have relocated here. Arizona truly is a melting pot, and it's a fabulous thing. Sadly, over the last few years there have been a few outspoken individuals, that have somehow found their way into seats of power, that have brought negativity to us. Let me assure you, that is not a very good representation of our state. I have been able to experience such a wonderfully diverse upbringing by living in Arizona that I know I would not have found east of here. The culture here speaks for itself, and it's something that is truly remarkable to experience due to its diversity. The black eye we have gotten will heal. What scares me more than a tarnished reputation is the fact that there are people in this day and age that think it is ok to discriminate. To hide behind the veil of religious freedom and decry the rights of others is not only shameful, it shows cowardice. Life is ever evolving, and to hold steadfast to norms and mores that are antiquated shows a lack of growth. There used to be a time when the world was flat, and to think otherwise was to subject yourself to persecution. The world has been proven not to be flat. Beliefs had to change to evolve with this fact. It is no different with anything else. You can't plant your roots so deep that when the earth moves you are stuck, or the world will swallow you. You have to be able to change with the landscape. This is not our forefather's world anymore. This is our time. Time to change, to evolve, to leave behind a place our children will be proud of. It's time to live in the now and not in the dark ages. It is time to accept that maybe what we have been taught has been proven to have a different meaning than what was originally inferred. I also think that if you can't, and you have tried, that is ok too. Just don't force others to live in the dark when you are scared to turn on the light.