I can’t remember the last time I felt this passionately about writing on the subject of current events to the degree I feel right now. I am appalled. I have watched now for 12 years, my beautiful country turning in on itself. I do not surround myself with fully like minded political influences. I love the diversity in opinion amongst my friends. What I witnessed today in no way mirrors what my America represents.
My America embraces culture. I need look no further than the kitchen of a friend’s to find culinary expanse. I have tasted so many other cultures because my life is filled with them. I have no idea if I were living in Singapore that I would be able to get a taste of real Mexican food. But, I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say that I don’t think many Mexican families have moved to Singapore and set up a restaurant. In my America, the world lives in my neighborhoods.
My America represents freedom. The freedom to protest. The freedom to speak. The freedom to be who you are without fear of your government murdering you for it. We have the coveted ability to gather ideas and see them thrive. Today, those freedoms were desicrated. They were abused. They were taken for granted. Embarrassingly, those freedoms were misrepresented to entire planet watching.
My America is just. Is it perfect? No. But do our processes have a solid track record? Yes. We have the ability to embrace our freedoms and voice them at polling stations. We have the ability to activate and embolden those ideals and find others to build that tower. We have checks and balances to nurture our society every two years. Today, justice was threatened by mob. I could not believe the sensibility lost today. Today, hypocrisy attempted to stop our validated and just process.
My America does not discount history. I just watched The Trial of the Chicago Seven and then today happened. It was an out of body experience to listen to the leader of My America, insight disorder and chaos. We know what happens when chaos tries to rule. We know what happens when disorder controls vivacious ideologists. This need only require a brief history of the Sixties in this country.
It saddens me deeply to truly know that regardless of who won the election, America would have seen her children rival. Conspiracy theories as to who were the truly unAmerican today will follow. Finger pointing will continue. The real issue has zero to do with what side of the ballot you check a box. We have lost our decorum. We have lost our nature. We have lost our civility. Viable introspection needs to start at our dinner tables and with our friends. Every day America does not look like this.
Right now the need for community couldn’t be more desperate. Our neighbors are suffering in silence. Pandemic has stricken normalcy as we have known it. We should be taking care of each other. It shouldn’t matter who you voted for but who you are to your fellow man. Our leadership has been given too much control of our emotions toward one another.
I am so disheartened by today’s events. A life was lost. For what? Did she believe so deeply in what she was doing that it was worth her life? I’m sure we will find out more about her as the review of this day unfolds. Take a deep breath. My America wants peace. My America wants freedom. My America does not want insurgency by a small few become her identity.
