The Red, White and American Blues

Orlando...what a pivotal eye opener for so many reasons. And I'm sure if we collected all the hashtags related to this tragedy, it would be just as effed up as the situation itself. You don't have to live in Orlando to feel the ramifications of what happened. Orlando is OURlando. So no matter what political high point resonated with you most out of this situation, bottom line is, it's a problem. Whether it be the LGBT issues, gun control, terrorism, public safety, mental health, or religion....it doesn't matter.
When people who consider themselves American begin to even slightly empathize with terrorists based on the group they target, that's a problem. When people know everything about the Kardashians but don't know the words to the National al Anthem, that's a problem. When people without jobs are living more comfortably that middle class workers, that's a problem. When hypocrisy is embedded into the norm, that's a problem. When the media is so manipulative that no one knows what's legit and what's not, that is a problem.
In order for us to "make America great again", we have to know what it means to actually be Americans. What sacrifice really means. What progress really looks like. We have to understand that standing united doesn't mean everyone has the same views and positions in life. What FREEDOM and BRAVERY really are. Home of the free does not mean you are entitled to have things handed to you merely because you're an American. The only thing you are entitled to is opportunity...and you have to take those yourself. You are not afforded the freedom to play God, no matter how richeous you feel you are. And for the love of all things good, Freedom isn't synonymous with inconsequential.

American pride doesn't mean you take for granted your liberties. Pride means you understand, honor and appreciate how and why we have those liberties in the first place, and you stand up for and defend them. You are mindful of those fighting for our freedoms. You honor and protect the American flag. Being a decent human being is a small task compared to the sacrifices being made to defend the right to do believe and think and speak the way we want.
It doesn't mean conforming to things we don't understand or agree with. It means, that despite our differences, our neighbors are our brothers and sisters of red white and blue. We have become so desensitized to the name of our country...so very little do we use her whole name....we call her by her last name, "America", as if we even really know her anymore. I think words are important for depth and meaning. We don't live in America...we live in the United States of America. We need to get back to knowing what that really means.
It's not making light of horrific curcumstances, it's being the light in those circumstances. We don't praise terrorists for "taking out the gays". We don't perpetuate racial discrimination by poisoning the image of the police by over generalizing their objectives. We don't say that because it's a gay bar it has nothing to do with those who are not gay. We don't say that because so and so doesn't go to church as frequently as others they aren't Christians, or that they are going to hell. We dont say "all lives matter" and then continue to degrade one another. NONE of that is for us to say.
What we say is please and thank you. We say united we stand. We say God bless America. We say love prevails. We say love thy neighbor. We say justice for all. And when we are crossed, we protect ourselves and our own. When our country has been terrorized, we come together. We have ALL been offended, and we all stand up for liberty. We don't turn a blind eye to tragedy and minimize destruction because it only targets a certain "controversial" demographic. What we should turn a blind eye to is WHY someone/a group would cause such devistation....because what does it really effing matter? The "why" doesn't change the end result.
Our country is just that...OURS. We sit here and judge and hate and discriminate, and blame, and shame others so much that being offended has become offensive. Divided we fall....and we have fallen in so many ways. But after a fall, we must get back up. It shouldn't be "make America great again"...it should be "make America United again".