I’ve been trying for a while to find the words to put in this article. I’ve had to re-write this at least ten times. I’ve been trying to decide what side to present to you and what exactly to add and not add. The truth is, my heart is hurting. It aches for the black community that is clearly being treated unfairly. It aches for the police community who are rightfully fearful of their lives. It aches for the LGBTQ community, who are still not accepted by a large part of the world. It aches for the 10 children and countless adults that lost their lives celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, France.
I’m cold. I can’t grasp the levels of hatred being shown not only to select groups of people, but everybody all over the world. Here at home, we are fighting each other. Overseas, we are fighting each other. There is so much death, pointless death. Hate is the worst plague the world has ever seen.
I am writing this to the haters. To the members of the black community that aren’t satisfied with peaceful rallies and reforms. To the small part of the police population that is racist and trigger-happy. To the homophobic people who feel other people’s lives are their business. To ISIS, and all other terrorists, both domestic and international.
What is wrong with you? Why do you walk around feeling that violence and death are the only solution to a problem you have created in your heads? You make me sick. You make us all sick. It is not okay to kill people for any cause. Do you want reform? Approach it with educated suggestions, not a gun. You want police to have a better rep? Call out those around you that you know are unfair to people of color.
I don’t know everything. Nobody does. But I do know that today, as I sit here watching images of forgotten toys and strollers along that promenade in Nice, we need change. We need acceptance. Love. Tolerance. Peace. What did you achieve by killing over 80 innocent men, women, and children? I’ll tell you. You achieved hate. The world now hates you. We hate what you stand for. We hate what you have done.
We hate.
It’s hard not to hate you. It’s hard not to hate whatever religion or group you are affiliated with.
Now to the people like me. This part is for the people in pain. The people wanting justice. The people wanting peace. The people that want answers. I encourage you not to hate. I know, it’s so easy to say, “let’s ban all Muslims to keep out the handful of radical ones.” But that is what they want. These bad people, the radical Islamists, the radical colored Americans, the radical police. That is what they are. Radical. Not all Muslims are filled with hate. Not all Black Lives Matter supporters are going to open fire on police. Not all police are going to treat the black community unfairly.
Hate is the worst plague the world has ever seen. Change is going to be hard. It’s going to be a long process. But I urge everyone, both here in America and all over the world. Don’t let hate control you. Don’t catch this plague.
