This past Sunday I was fortunate enough to go to an international soccer game for the Copa America (American Cup). I stood in a stadium of almost 50,000 people, many who were not American, and witnessed a beautiful moment of silence for the victims and loved one's of Orlando's tragedy. Yes, I know there certainly were Americans there, perhaps very few if any from the Sunshine State, but who was there and their ethnic backgrounds is irrelevant. The point remains that the moment of silence was a beautiful sign of solidarity for the victims and families of this tragedy.
Anyone who knows me, knows I'm a big political junkie and this tragedy specifically comes with plenty of fuel for both political parties. From the left we may hear a bigger push for gun control. From the right we may hear of issues of national security and radical Islam. Let me start by saying, I am disheartened tremendously by what has happened and I can only hope this is not used to push political agendas.
The truth of the matter is, one's faith, one's race and ethnicity, one's gender or sexual orientation is irrelevant. What is relevant is the fact that these victims are all people, they are all humans! We have humans all over this planet, yet day by day, I see less and less humanity. I can't help but think that could have been me or anyone of my friends who's life was taken. I can't help but think about the pain and agony their families and friends are experiencing.
Omar Mateen, 29 year old male, who "pledged his allegiance to ISIS" took 49 lives this past weekend. Mateen, however, did not take just 49 lives, he took millions of opportunities, he took children, he took parents, and he took America's sense of security. Regardless of political and/or religious views I am heartbroken and I am genuinely concerned about the future of America. I do not want to continue to wake each morning with headlines of people being killed.
As of March 2010, the United States had 2,266,883 men and women in the armed forces. Despite the 2,000,000 men and women, who I am forever thankful to for their service, I feel so very unsafe. I am afraid of what is within the walls of my own country. I do not want to sit in a lecture hall or a movie theater and plan my escape route out of fear. I personally do not believe gun control will fix it. I personally do not believe a ban on muslims will fix it. I personally do not know what is going to fix it. We often look at issues of national security as people from the outside hurting us, but America we need to wake up and look within our own borders. I want to extend my sincerest condolences to the victims' families and I want Orlando to know that the rest of America, too suffers with them.
