America, do not tell me or instill in me the pride of being part of the “land of the free” when I am tied to the chains of fear that are more than contradictory to the belief.
America, do not tell me or instill in me the pride of being part of the “land of the free” when I am tied to the chains of fear that are more than contradictory to the belief.
On Sunday last week, I was in shock. A wave of fear, anger, and frustration overcame me in a feeling indescribable. Not only am I angered at our obstructive and divisive government for failing to take legal actions that could have prevented the tragedy in Orlando, but I am also appalled at American society.
As I scrolled through my social media feed, I was dismayed, if not disgusted, by the “support” or even “praise” given to Omar Mateen for his actions against LGBTQ. I was also faced with the hypocritical Tweets of NRA-funded politicians sending prayers to the families of the victims and politicians quickly utilizing this tragedy for political advertisement. Motivated by this fear, anger, and frustration, I have written this response to America as we struggle to overcome this tragedy and prevent others.
You, America
You, America, are a hypocrite of your own proclamations: advocating equality and justice, yet deny the simple protections to all Americans. You, America, a country built on the recitation of indivisibility have yet to overcome the barricades you have created with your racism, your homophobia, your xenophobia and the politics that uphold them.
You, America, elect officials who advertise themselves as champions of our freedom, yet are crooked by the money infiltrated to their own selfish causes.
You, America, who’s redundancy of a nation “under God” and “in God we trust” are inconsistent with verses you recant to justify hate and oppression. If hate is what you preach, it is not God whom you serve.
You, America, are infested with the ignorance reflective in your focus, or lack thereof, on the matters that could have saved 50 lives this Sunday. You, America, dedicate moments of silence, but this silence is only the epitome of willful negligence.
Do not tell me or instill in me the pride of being part of the “land of the free” when I am tied to the chains of fear that are more than contradictory to the belief.
America, take off the shackles you have tied on myself and my fellow Americans that you have made with the iron of hatred and bigotry, and, instead, prove that you are a leader of progress.
May the memories of the Orlando victims be everlasting, and may their deaths not be in vain.