These are typically not the articles that I would write, something about politics, Donald Trump and Hilary Clinton, or religion. I tend to stay away from politics and religion not because I don’t think they’re important, but because they are, and everyone has different and very strong views on each. As an 18-year-old American, of course I have, and I am developing my own as well. But I’m not writing this article to tell you about my political and religious views. I’m going to write this to hopefully attempt to wrap head around what’s happening in the world. So, I guess I lied. I will be projecting onto you somewhat of my opinions. But before I continue, I will tell you this: I don’t watch the news regularly. I, like probably many other teenagers, am updated by social media apps, friends, and family. (I know where this can seem like a bad thing. You may say that everyone else’s opinions are being propelled at me and I’m not developing my own.) But that’s not the case; I’m just listening and processing it all. Sitting back and wondering what the hell is happening to the world, and how we’re letting it happen. How gun control (still at a loss for a better word) sucks horribly, people are being shot for loving the same sex, and being killed for the color of their skin. I have to be able to process it first before having an opinion…

Now that I kind of gave you somewhat of disclaimer. I’m going to start on somewhat of philosophical and religious note. (Yeah, I lied. I’m going to start talking religion and God now.) I believe in God. I believe that there is a higher power, and that we all go somewhere after death. I think we need to believe in something. I don’t believe that we’re floating on clouds, and sitting underneath golden arches, and riding on mythological creatures, and have this bright glow around us. However, I do believe that our soul goes somewhere, and that the life we’re living is for something. I have faith. Faith that there’s more. I think that’s why people like looking up at the stars so much. Because you feel so small, and know there is a whole world out there. You’re a speck in an entire galaxy. That other people are feeling the way you do. I don’t know where I’m going with this now, but the point is- this isn’t it and that you’re not alone. Now, that I gave you that, whether you’re rolling your eyes at me and think that I have no idea what I’m talking about, or maybe I’m onto something. Maybe I don’t, maybe I am. It’s nothing no one's ever heard before, right.

I’m a firm believer in the whole “things happen for a reason.” You can leave two minutes earlier or later because you forgot your coffee cup upstairs, and this can determine your whole day, fate, whether you get hit by a car or not. Ever heard someone say “If I left two minutes earlier… or that could have been me?” I’m not saying people need to die, and other gets to live. But that maybe you leaving your coffee cup upstairs was for a reason. You can see God's work around us if you take a minute to stop and look.

But if there is a God. Why do we suffer? Why is there pain? Why is there so much evil in the world? Well, some have said because without suffering we wouldn’t know compassion. J.L Mackie proposes first and second order of evil. That first orders of evil are a logical necessary component in second order good. Such as sympathy. However, second orders of evil like cruelty are not justified but ascribed to human beings that God cannot be held responsible for. Thus, God made us free beings and evil is a result of human sin. Or that God has a reason that we’re simply unaware of. But how about natural disasters? Something to do with science. Right? I don’t know.

But whether you believe in it or not. I think we all need to pray for the families in Dallas, the families in Orlando, and everyone else victim to the hate in this world. Because I can’t wrap my head around it. Eating breakfast and hearing the horrific acts of violence happening around the world, physically seems to weaken my bones, twist my stomach, and shatter my heart. As I mentioned in a previous article…. (Yeah, I’m going to quote myself here.) :

“…With all of the things happening around the world, all of the racial discrimination, homophobia, and violence, it’s baffles me that someone can project so much hate onto another human being, and community. It’s 2016, and gun regulation (for the failure of a better word here) sucks, and people are being shot for loving the same sex. It’s 2016, and people can’t love who they want and have to walk the streets with fear; we’ve failed not as just a country, but as people, as human beings. To take away someone else’s life because of utter ignorance, or because communication is now too much of a failed weapon, is beyond me… I wanted to mention the heartbreaking and downright terrible events that have been occurring in Orlando, but in no way can write a proper article in which I could properly explain, and propose a solution, or convey the heaviness in my heart towards the friends and families of the victims. To nearly cover the negligence of the ignorant, and the loss of innocent lives… My heart goes out to all of the victim’s families and the LGBTQ+ community. Everyone deserves to be happy, loved, respected, everyone deserves to live.”

I still don’t believe I can write a proper article to explain or propose anything, or to extend the heaviness in my heart. But, I will say this. Which is pretty obvious. We’re not working towards better gun control, with MORE guns. We’re not working towards better racial equality or defeating homophobia by KILLING each other. And whether you hate police and the whole system in general, killing them isn’t going to solve anything or make us more safe. It’s making the problem worse, and putting people on the defense. Police shouldn’t be killing innocent people, and people should not be killing innocent police. It’s stupid, senseless, and counterproductive. Where is this going to better us?

Now. I’m white, and grew up in a middle class white family. Scrolling through social media I see, “A black man is killed by cops and media prints his prior records. A white teen rapes a girl and media prints his swim times.” I think this is disgusting, and it’s not right that one is treated one way and one is treated another. I think if you commit an act of cruelty against another human being you should be punished no matter what you look like. (What you look like on the outside doesn't show how terrible you are or aren't on the inside.) But don’t look at me, and hate on me because of the color of my skin. Because I don’t project hate on yours, just because other people do. I could care less what the color of your skin is or who you love, or who you pray to at night. I don’t care. I don’t care if you’re black, white, Asian, Spanish, Jewish, Muslim, Catholic. I don’t care if you’re a guy and you love guys, or if you’re a woman and love women. I don’t care if you’re a guy and like women, or a woman who likes men. I don’t care. I care when love isn’t there at all. When you can’t love anyone. I care when you decide to be a shitty (excuse me.) person and ignorant, and senseless. I care when you hate on a whole community of people because one terrible person. I care when you decide to go out and rape an innocent girl, or boy. I care when justice isn’t served for the victims and their families. I care when you decide to be an insensitive idiot and torment an innocent animal. (Yes, they count too.) And I hate the fact that this is the world we’re surrounded by, and can’t communicate with one another without our hand on the gun in our pocket, or pointed at someone else’s father, son, wife, daughter. It’s disgusting. It’s terrible, and needs to stop. All lives do matter. I support it. I support black lives matter. Because as I’ve seen and strongly agree, “All lives won’t matter until black lives matter, too.” We all matter.

Why are we destroying our communities, and where we live? Why are we destroying each other? Why are we educating our children to hate people who have lighter or darker skin color than ours? Or who loves the same sex? Or who prays to someone other than you do? Why aren’t we educating our children to love and help others? Why aren’t we educating our children to care? Why do we have to tell our children to not raise his hands when he’s stopped by a cop. Or to not walk into a certain part of the community, because it’s a “bad area.” We are we educating our children not to drink too much at parties because some stupid boy will take advantage of them? And this is why I sit here writing, heartbroken, because the hate in our world is overpowering the love. That the light seems dim, and the darkness is what’s consuming us. I don’t know about you, but that’s pretty terrifying. We destroy each other and then ask why there isn’t more love and compassion in the world. We point a gun at our neighbor because he’s black... and might have a gun in his pocket. Or we hate cops now rather than appreciating them. We’re scared, and full of hate. We keep destroying each other yet hope for peace, and equality.