Land of the Free Home of the Brave

Its the Fourth of July weekend here in the USA.

I always feel a sense of pride and excitement!

The sparklers and the glowing faces of people enjoying themselves.

Grills smoking, music blaring and parades booming.

I live in a wonderful country, but this year, for the first time my pride of being an American girl isn't so strong.

I know many will frown upon this, but I have to speak my mind.

I think I'll start with the obvious.

All the shootings.

We are the only country in the world that has had this much gun violence.

If we don't change anything soon, the fireworks blasting in the sky will bring more people anguish and tears than happiness.

And I know this year, it will tare the hearts out of many many chests.

We've lost too many.

There was even a shooting on my college campus in March.

A boy who once sat next to me in class is now dead.  

We usually see the gun violence stories in the news and shrug our shoulders thinking; That'll never happen to me.

And then it does...

And it just keeps getting worse.

In the news recently a picture went viral of a 3 year old girl standing on a toilet.

Her mother questioned her and her child told her she was practicing what to do at school if a gunman enters.

I never had to do that as a child...I never even dreamed that in the future my country would be drowning in this violence.

We are truly not safe anywhere anymore.

I am also seeing my country go through the worst election I've ever seen.  

It's terrifying to think that there are people out there who actually like Donald Trump.

All people care about is money.

The USA seems to have grown very greedy and desperate.

and I have never been so ashamed of my country for turning so blind.

I know we can do better.

For the first time, I am literally scared to see where the USA is headed.

Even with these dark clouds ahead, this fourth of July I will be grateful for my freedom.

I will be thankful for those who battled for it.

I will be full of pride for my family- those who served in the air force..

and most of all I will be happy to be alive.

We are the land of the free and the home of the brave

and right now, it's time to be brave and keep moving forward.

Best of luck USA.

We'll make it through.

Author's Note

Reviews

[Lorry]

I saw the picture you speak of, when the little girl standing there showed the whole world that innocence is taken in more ways than we imagine, when kids have to learn survival techniques just to get through school. The only place we see guns here are at airports, which is nice of them, getting us accustomed to it before we get on the plane. Nothing quite gets you used to seeing a mother in Walmart with her kid in one hand and a cannon shoved down her jeans at the a*s crack though. Put me right off my popcorn :)
A wonderful and thought provoking sentiment that others could do well in heeding.