Dear America,
I love your beautiful landscapes that stretch across the western seaboard from sea to shining sea. I love the Statue of Lady Liberty who greeted tens of thousands of immigrants in the 19th and 20th centuries with a silent but understood feeling of freedom. I love our nation's capitol and all the history residing on its streets and within its museums. I love how people's dreams come true every day because this amazing land has given them the resources to do whatever they believe in. I love our country, and I strive to be patriotic every day, not just on the fourth of July.
As much as I love this country, I am so disappointed in, if not angry at, this nation.
What has possessed us to become a nation that is full of such hatred and disdain? Why are citizens always pitted against citizens? Who allowed our government to become so corrupt and humongous? Where did the caring and strong country we once knew go?
I can't believe we're alive during the most egregious election of all time. I can't believe we've chosen two of the most controversial and equally awful individuals in our lifetimes to potentially be president. I don't understand why we can't get along with people who are different from us. I don't understand why we overlook domestic issues of poverty and flawed policy. I won't ever comprehend some things that are happening in our nation, but the bottom line is that I am so deeply unnerved by how awful we citizens are being to each other and how blind we are to the problems happening within our government and business sector.
Considering the United States are a melting pot country, I imagined the stigmas and stereotypes we have against people who look, act and believe differently from ourselves would be embraced and celebrated, not made fun of and hated. Considering the United States were "discovered" by European explorers and the Native Americans of our great land were either slaughtered or quartered into reservations over the years, I thought we would show them the respect they deserved, but we're trying to run a pipeline through their reservation that could potentially ruin their water supply instead. Considering the United States were founded by men who wanted religious freedom and a non-corrupt governing system, I figured we would have a government free of inside deals and congressional gridlocks, but here we are with the most polarized government in history.
People of America, we've failed ourselves. We've allowed hatred of the unknown, fear-mongering and mud-slinging to take over our country. We've allowed Facebook activism, conformity and stereotypes to suffocate the already nearly-slain American dream once and for all. We're killing our environment and polluting our resources. We're more concerned with someone's religion than we are with the current system of foster care so many children are involved in within the country.
Our priorities are backward at this point, and the only advice my "inexperienced and rose-tinted" millennial mind has to offer is to pray for one another and love each other. Let others know you care about them, and make an active effort to ensure a safe and clean future for our children, and if you already have children, please make choices that will keep them and your grandchildren safe. They're the ones who will have to clean up the mess we're making.
If you're reading this, please make a difference. Show love and compassion, and make sure you're doing all that you can to ensure peace in our nation. Let everyone know they matter, and make the best political choices that you can. I beg of you. Don't let us go from the greatest nation in the world to being the Earth's problem child.
Sincerely,
An angry American
"Little child
Dry your crying eyes
How can I explain
The fear you feel inside
'Cause you were born
Into this evil world
Where man is killing man
And no one knows just why
What have we become
Just look what we have done
All that we destroyed
You must build again
When the children cry
Let them know we tried
'Cause when the children sing
Then the new world begins"
"When the Children Cry" - White Lion
