“But if you only have love for your own race, then you only leave space to discriminate, and to discriminate only generates hate, and when you hate then you’re bound to get irate.”
- The Black Eyed Peas, "Where is the Love?"
Here in the weeks following the Orlando massacre where a gunman opened fire on a gay night club, we see many conspiracies behind his actual motive to take so many lives leaving our country devastated. It was eventually announced by President Obama that officials were characterizing it as an act of terrorism and hate crime (CNN.com). The gunman, Omar Mateen, although killed as the police officers moved into the night club, has still managed to leave many asking the same question. What force could drive any human being to set out with intentions to take so many innocent lives? There are many answers that have been given to this question, but in my eyes I only see one: hate.
Often after tragedies such as these we see America come together and unite as one. Thousands attend vigils held, coming from all over. News segments and tributes are put together, moments of silence are taken at the beginning of sporting events, and we become a country in mourning. In these moments, race, gender, sexual preference, and religion are a non-factor. Instead of being a country made up of differences, it is these differences that make us a country, but sadly this doesn't last for long.
Only three weeks after all of the love and unity, we already see America creeping back into its old ways. With comments from those constantly in the media such as Donald Trump stating that, "...cracking down on profiling Muslims in the US is common sense (The Washington Post)," I understand the want for extra precautions, but it is the thinking that because of one, all will follow, that is dangerous. Not all Muslims should be punished and singled out because of the actions taken by one man early that morning.
It seems that everyone in our country is so quick to place blame on a specific group of people. African Americans are to blame for the rising crime rates in communities. Muslims and Arabs are to blame for all terrorism. And whites are to blame for the ever growing problem of racism in our country. It is not the specific groups of people that are causing these issues, but it is instead the lack of love and acceptance we have for each other and as a country. So in the words of the famous song by The Black Eyed Peas, the only thing we can do is pray for our country and the world, "...ask for guidance from above...and keep my faith alive 'til love is found."
