There are things happening in America right now that are inexcusable and should not be happening in the richest country in the history of the world. Instead of becoming enraged over symbolic objects being disrespected, maybe we should start to care more about literal human beings being disrespected and the direction our nation is headed.
1. Children are separated from their families at the U.S. border.
Despite Trump blaming the Democrats and claiming that he had no jurisdiction to stop the separation of children from their parents at the U.S. border, Trump signed an executive order to keep families together.
While it is good that this inhumane behavior is finally being put to an end one way or another, that does not change the fact that there are still children suffering because of the inhumane actions of the United States, more specifically, the Trump administration's initial "zero-tolerance" policy.
The Trump administration has not offered an explicit plan of action to reunite the children with their parents, and for some adults who are illiterate or unable to communicate in English, it appears that reuniting them with their children may take longer than expected. The psychological damage this places on a child is unacceptable and should not be happening at all, let alone in America.
In a nation that prides itself on "freedom" and ideals of "liberty and justice for all," it is downright hypocritical that so many people are willing to stand by and watch injustice without the slightest feeling of guilt or empathy.
2. Puerto Rico still has 5,593 U.S. citizens without electricity and estimates of death tolls given by the U.S. government almost certainly false.
As of June 13, there are still 5,593 U.S. citizens residing in Puerto Rico without electricity. Although Trump boasted about the number of people saved in hurricane Maria and tried to downplay the effects of the hurricane by comparing it to Katrina, it is clear that the hurricane in Puerto Rico was much more damaging than Americans were led to believe.
The United States' official death toll of 64 is now suspected to be a ridiculous understatement. A Harvard study has estimated the number of deaths is closer to 4,645.
The Harvard study also found that the average household went about 41 days without cell phone service, 68 days without water, and 84 days without electricity. To put the health effects of Hurricane Maria into perspective, the study shows that more than 30% of households reported interruptions to medical care.
The fact that it took so long for Puerto Ricans to receive aid and the fact that some still have not received it proves where our nation stands and how it values Puerto Rican lives, especially when President Trump went as far as to claim that the Puerto Ricans "want everything to be done for them."
Expecting efficient government response to a lethal catastrophe is not too much to ask of your nation, especially considering that Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens and deserve to be treated as such.
3. Flint's water crisis is still happening.
Flint's water crisis began in April 2014 and the slow response to restore water safety show how prevalent racism is in our nation's institutions. Initially, when fecal coliform bacteria were detected in the water supply, the city boosted the amount of chlorine in the water system and assured residents that it was safe to drink. The advisory was lifted, however, as a number of residents kept experiencing issues with the water.
Nearly three years later, a federal judge approved a $97 million settlement in which the state of Michigan vowed to replace lead water lines to at least 18,000 Flint households by 2020.
Authorities claim that Flint's water is safe enough to drink, but residents beg to differ and it is clear that the people of Flint will not have true peace of mind until their pipes are replaced.
In April 2018, the free bottled water program was put to a halt even though the pipes will not be replaced until 2020. The city should end the bottled-water service only when lead service lines can be replaced.
4. After countless school shootings and mass murders, nothing is being done to take guns from violent people.
If you've heard the news recently, it has been flooded with school shootings and growing levels of gun violence. Despite the activists speaking out for gun control, little has been done to address the issue of gun violence.
Multiple studies from Johns Hopkins University have found that stricter gun laws would effectively reduce homicides, suicides, and gun violence in general.
Studies that examined a wide range of gun policies throughout the U.S. consistently discovered that these laws save lives, and as common sense would suggest, fewer guns correlate with less gun violence.
We have the facts and all the information we need to know that our country needs change. How much longer can we go on knowing that our children are at risk? When will the intention behind "thoughts and prayers" be reflected in laws to effectively prevent fatal situations from occurring?