This past month has been whiplash on the emotions of Americans. Within short order, we as a nation have been subjected to grief and questions. We have had to decide where we stand on rape culture, on gun control, on hate towards those who just need love.
Personally, I've asked myself what the best response would be to the tragedies that occurred in Orlando, as well as in the Santa Clara County courtroom. I've held back on social media, keeping quiet for the most part, because I'm not sure what I can or cannot say.
But let me try.
To the communities affected: you are my heroes.
To the survivors, those who speak, those who stay silent: you are braver than I will ever be. You have seen things, have things said and done to you because of who you are, because of who you love.
To the LGBTQ community: you deserve so much more than what the United States has given you. You deserve respect. You deserve protection and acceptance. Above all, you deserve love.
This may be an unwelcome opinion, but if the United States as a country, as a people, had taken the time to give you the respect, the acceptance, the love, that the LGBTQ community so deserves, we could have avoided this tragedy.
As fellow humans, we could have kept everyone safe. But because of our failing to understand, to open our minds and our hearts, to accept and love you, we have only hurt you.
And I'm so sorry.
To the survivors of assault, both domestic and sexual: you have the courage that a majority of us lack. All you want is to be heard, to be listened to, to be believed.
And still we fail you.
When I was young, I was told that the bad guys always get what they deserve. That they would be punished for hurting people, that the good and the innocent would prevail. But now I look around and I wonder when it became okay to deprive justice to those who need it the most.
When I was young, I was told that as long as I told the truth, I would be believed. And now I wish I could comfort each and every one of you who believed that too, who pushed on, who tried to fight back against those who hurt you, only to have that one truth shattered before you in a court of law, when the good guys suddenly took the side of the bad guys, when your words were questioned.
As a country, we have failed all of you. The very systems that are supposed to protect you oppress you instead. Because you are not one thing, you are disregarded and neglected. And as you already know, that's not fair.
We cannot expect you to be white, or male, or cisgender, especially after boasting about "how diverse America is," and yet we act as if that is the standard for everyone.
To this day, I don't understand why one group decides how to treat everyone. I don't understand how, as humans, we can be so mindless to the pain and the circumstances of those around us.
To those who I will never meet, I'm sorry.
And yes, I know that my apology will never be enough. Even if the entire country was to unite tomorrow, to audibly say "I'm sorry" so that it echoed, it wouldn't be enough. But I want to try to be a part of the change that will help unite this country.
I want to help so that you are not afraid of being hurt because of who you are. You should not have to walk in fear because of who you love, because of what has happened to you, because of circumstances that shaped your life and experiences.
You are enough, and it is time for all of us to learn and accept you for who you are. Thank you for your bravery, for the strength that you carry from day to day. Thank you for being you.