Do you ever get super depressed because society seems to just, for lack of a better phrase, suck on all levels currently? It feels like humanity is in a downward spiral. Then, on top of all this, there are also guns in the equation.
It’s so bizarre to me. Everything about American Life right now.
I originally thought about this concept late one night, a while ago, not quite sober, and probably sleep deprived. But I can’t stop dwelling on this idea, humans have been killing other humans since the beginning of time. The concept of war is a universal entity that every society had to deal with. Every culture seems to have their version of at least a form of violent problem solving. And we all seem to just acknowledge that of course, they had to. But if you really take you time to think about it doesn’t that just seem so baffling? Are we as a human species that intolerant of things we don’t know or people we don’t understand? Does this not show how group think creates society that are inherently evil to those on the outs?
This is merely opening up a can of ethical and philosophical worms that, no doubt, many have discussed and theorized far before me. These questions stay on my mind. Coronavirus has been inadvertently promoting gun violence. The video showing poor, young, Ahmaud Arbery being violently killed. This is why I am beginning to think this way.
The whole terror of Ahmaud’s death is nothing new for the African American population here in America. I am not blind to that. It is a hate crime. I still remember my mother reading us To Kill A Mockingbird when I was in elementary school. Remember being absolutely heartbroken and insanely angry when hearing of the verdict on the George Zimmerman trial. Getting away with the racist murder of a child. I was reminded of To Kill A Mockingbird. I couldn’t believe that world, or more specifically, America, hadn’t changed. That we were still dealing with these issues. That we were still coming up with the same excuses. Letting the same sort of people get away with these things.
Racism. There are so many true stories of the atrocities caused by slavery in the south. We have public records and documented accounts of the Confederacy stating their secession and the subsequent civil war was about Lincoln plan for abolition. And yet, there are still so many that argue it was about “states rights” and tout the Confederate flag with pride. I live in a country that never addressed it’s most disgusting past. We continue to live in deep denial of our horrors. Ahmaud Arbery’s name is just the latest on the list of the millions killed because of America’s pride and deeply rooted belief in white supremacy. As we continue to ignore this pattern we become doomed to repeat it.
All I can do to hope for change and keep my head up right now is to write about my feelings and hope it’s reaches people. To stand is solidarity is all I can do. Stay informed and stay strong as an ally to my black friends and their community. I am simply trying my best to do my part.
The entire family went on a hike today to support the I Run With Maud movement.
