We all, lately, have witnessed such destruction in our country. I will never understand why it feels necessary to some to set fires, break windows and loot, in order to protest a horrific event in our world. Why create more devastation where there is already so much pain. In all of history, when has violence, destruction and war ever, truly helped to change anything? Protesting, letting your voice be heard, carrying a sign stating what is in your heart, writing, talking, having true, deep conversations, and coming together are constructive methods of change. Through destruction, you destroy another's dream and hard work. Through destruction, often whole communities that are already struggling are damaged or devastated beyond repair, leaving people homeless and scared. Fear and anger grow with violence. More wounds are ripped open and infected and more scars are formed.
A few local businesses have been hurt by what started out as a peaceful protest. It only takes one volatile person to create utter chaos and change that peaceful protest to an angry, scared mob. Across our nation, fires, bricks, broken glass, looting, tear gas, rubber bullets, thrown punches, bullets, arrows, and death have blown through like an unstoppable hurricane. The wake and wounds will be evident for decades to come, adding to the trail of devastation already deeply driven into our country.
I understand the anger, the disappointment, the fear, the uncontrollable fury that has built for so long. Racism continues to be a critical wound in our country I feel it. And I know you do too. It is overwhelming, painful, horrific, sad, anger invoking tragedies that has engulf our country for beyond too long.
But I do not understand the destruction, the killing, the breaking, and the devastation of homes, businesses and public property that has been paid for in taxes, blood, sweat and tears.
Every human has dreams, some put their heart, soul and life savings into these dreams just to see them shattered with bricks, flames and broken glass, with inventory and hard work ripped from their walls without regard to anything but the pent up anger of others.
Have we not lost enough? When is destruction no longer an option and building becomes the answer? When has hatred ever begotten unity, love and true, real change?
When do we begin to gather in unity and share our stories, our fears, our scars, our questions and most of all, our solutions? We keep asking questions, screaming about our pains, sadness, oppression, inequality. We keep pointing fingers at everyone else to bring awareness to it, to take responsibility for it and to fix it. We have witnessed mass shootings, police brutality, murders, intentional harm and destruction. We keep looking outside of ourselves for change. Blame is spread from parents, to teachers, to police, to congressmen to the President. Hundreds of years watching history repeat, or better yet, sugar coating history so it becomes lighter on our shoulders, and still this anger grows and continues to harm everyone, worse than a plaque, in what could be a great nation.
No more blame, no more destruction, no more death, brutality, killing, looting, fires, bricks thrown, punches and anger! NO MORE!