Dear Mr. Sandman,
As the song is being silently hummed throughout the minds of the readers, it is obvious you have made your intentions clear. Your duties are to “bring me a dream…” Although that might sound pleasant and quaint, I am afraid I must ask you for something more.
Mr. Sandman, you work through our dreams, you lead us to sleep, and fill our heads with magic. I am not denying the desire for a man with ‘lips like roses and clovers’, but that dream is one I can wait for. Instead, Mr. Sandman, bring me world agreement, a consensus to cease the violence, a refreshing breath of trust and positive energy.
Each morning, I wake up, hesitant to turn on the news; what tragic story is lined up for us today? People steal, harass, and kill each other almost as if it is a daily hobby. A world that is so used to seeing the flag at half-mast, that we rarely know what it looks like all the way up. Mass shootings, freak accidents, and other distasteful acts are so apparent in today’s society that it is almost natural to see the words “breaking news.” And what do we do as citizens in response to such news? We respond with comments sharp like knives to dig into the people who we ‘think’ are responsible.
Mr. Sandman, we are always quick to judge but never to comfort. When the kid fell into the gorilla exhibit, we were quick to judge the parents or the safety of the zoo. When the little boy was killed by an alligator, society took a stab at the negligence of the parents and the quality of the park. When 49 innocent people were murdered, society looked towards the weapon instead of the man. Will gun laws actually fix the hate and sadistic hearts of certain individuals?
It is as if some people feel they are obligated to take the lives of others just because they are different; hate crimes are what we call them. If something doesn’t fit into our cultural norms, then it must be destroyed, right? This way of thinking has entitled people to inflict harm on innocent bystanders and feel no remorse.
Mr. Sandman, we were once a nation that cared for each other. A nation that held true to the colors of our flags and the security of our government. We were the nation of neighbors; white, black, or in between, we the same under one constitution.
Now, our nation has turned into a randomized killing grounds. With the trust of others not always certain, people have a hard time getting out of the house. We are plastered to the television screens viewing the nation we live in, through a small media-controlled box. Our nation is better than this. Although there is no way to stop the hatred spread by individuals, there is always an opportunity to spread the grace and love you alone might have.
As you can see, Mr. Sandman, our world needs more than just a midnight dream. Our world needs to remember what is was like without such violence. Mr. Sandman, take it from me, this is the dream that society needs. To live without fear, hate, or grief. Though some may not agree with what others do, a band of tolerance is what society needs. Where an effort to smile can change a life. Mr. Sandman, can you bring us this dream? Make society what it used to be.
