The United states is at a Critical Moment in History.

     2020 has thus far been a year of pain, misfortune, and violence, especially in my home country. Right now the United States is ablaze with the flames of hatred as peaceful protests have been bastardized by those who would prefer violent movements that stoke the flames of separation and injustice. I have been sitting at my desk attempting to distract myself with the final week of the quarter, but I can no longer pretend like everything is okay as curfews are called and the man elected to act as the figurehead of the nation that I had and still have so much hope for threatens to move the military against the people he is sworn to protect.

     As I grew up I have always loved the USA since it is my home and, I believed, an honorable country, that belief has changed as I have grown and nurtured my knowledge of history and the intricate problems that this nation (and every other nation) faces each and every day. I do still love my country, but I am disappointed with how the systems are and have been working in recent history. I have held so much hope for this nation over the years: 

     Hope that we will end systemic racism. 

     Hope that the justice system will be mended to promote rehabilitation and not blind punishment. 

     Hope that health care will be recognized as a right and not a privilege. 

     Hope that we will address climate change and promote sustainable technology.

     Hope that this nation will be able to truly be a leader in not only economics, but the well being of the people.

     The United States of America is a young country that was thrust into world leadership very early on in its history, but that is no excuse to be allowing injustice to run rampant in the systems put in place under the guise of protection. These systems have been broken for far too long and there is a desperate need to mend those breaks by implementing changes that will completely alter the foundation on which those systems function. The justice system should not condone any form of police brutality, too many people of color (specifically black people) have died at the hands of cops (and former cops) that in some cases already had records of brutality. It does not matter why the cops were on the scene, the point is when there is video evidence of a man cooperating, there is no justification that can be made for his murder. The result of these unlawful executions has been the peaceful protests unfortunately weaponized by some (who are rebuked by the leaders of the peaceful movement) to start riots and increase tensions with the police force. 

     This has now escalated to the threat of the utilization of the military against American citizens by the one in office sworn to protect them.

     I do not condone violence, and I should make that very clear, but as Martin Luther King Jr. eloquently said, “A riot is the language of the unheard.” I do not know who threw the first brick or lit the first match, but I do know that this place that we find ourselves in as a nation can easily be mapped by the trail of blood leading up to the edge of the cliff this nation is precariously balancing upon. At this moment there are critical decisions being made by elected officials that will either pull us away from the edge by stopping the violence and start us heading down the path that will heal our nation and replace the broken systems with ones that actually protect and serve every single person. The other course of events, however, is one that will throw us off this cliff to plummet down towards the sharps rocks at the bottom where we may be met with civil war and martial law, unfortunately, this seems like the most likely of the two scenarios and that truly sends shards of icy fear straight into my heart.

     I cannot speak on what it is like to be a person of color in the United States of America because I am a white woman, and that means that I have a certain privilege that so many claim does not exist. I do however recognize that our system is broken and enough is enough. Black men and women should not have to live in fear constantly because we have a broken system, they are human beings just like me and deserve the decency of human respect. I do not have the answers here, but I am truly saddened and angered by the events going on in my country, this is a human problem and as good humans, we should be working to fix it, not exterminate dissenters. 

     Threatening to turn the military against the citizens it is sworn to protect while peaceful protesters are tear-gassed is unacceptable behavior from the man who took an oath to protect this nation AND its people. Perhaps he did not understand the gravity of the oath that he took, or perhaps he does not care. There are some suggesting the latter is more likely and the next step is a full dictatorship. I truly hope that is not the case, but there is a part of me that is truly gripped by fear even writing those words. 

     Like I previously stated, I do not have the answers to this problem, but I do hope that anyone who is touched by these words takes a moment to reassess their values. When will it be enough? When will the system be fixed? When will this nation actually hear the concerns and protect the interests of every single citizen? When will the violence end?