This summer has been incredibly dangerous and shockingly traumatic. It seems while the temperature increases, this heat wave has not only resulted in ornery behavior, but the world has gone from bad to worse to absolutely horrible. How has it really come to this? Not only has catching up on current events become terrifying, it is insane how fast things seem to be unraveling.
On June 12, 2016 Omar Mateen killed 49 people and wounded 53 others in the Orlando, Florida shooting at Pulse nightclub. On June 28, 2016 three suicide attackers opened fire and killed 44 people in Istanbul, Turkey at Atatürk Airport. In July 20, 2016, Islamic State militants killed 33 civilians in Mosul, Iraq. In July 23, 2016, 9 people were pronounced dead and 16 people severely injured in a shooting rampage at a shopping center in Munich, Germany, while on the same day 80 people were killed and over 230 were wounded by two suicide bombers in Kabul, Afghanistan. These are only a few of the many terrorist attacks just in the course of 3 months.
From ISIS claiming responsibility for the majority of the attacks to ongoing problems in our own country, how are we supposed to feel safe and protected? There is so much going on that people are starting to fear even going to the grocery store. Between controversy over police brutality and the Black Lives Matter movement, to picking our poison between two of the most vicious presidential candidates in America's history, the next few months may be some of the most frightening the world has yet to face, at least in my 21 years of being on this earth.
So, to the big bad world out there, I ask you, can you please chill out for a sec? Put down your weapons and stop your fighting. Ask yourself, what is this accomplishing? Mass murders, gunfire and so much hate can only go on for so long. God only knows what the breaking point will be, and just that thought is scary enough.
So when does it stop? This may sound very Gandhi of me, but we must all come together to truly be the positive change we want to see in the world. We are all human, and we need to start acting like it. No one is winning any battles as more people are losing their lives. Replace the anger with love. Restore peace rather than destroying it. Spread joy instead of hate. This may not change the world over night, but at least it's a start.
