America celebrated Independence Day this past Monday. People celebrated their freedom by eating hot dogs, drinking beer, and shooting off fireworks. ‘Murica! In the days that followed news continues to pour out that makes me sick to my stomach. It has left such a stirring in my heart that I feel I can’t ignore it. Before I go any further I will say I am extremely thankful for those in the military who risk their lives for the freedom that I enjoy. I also have multiple family members, including my brother, in the police force and appreciate what cops do to protect this country. But what in the world is happening in America? How do we celebrate freedom one day and then have a series of events unfold that show the exact opposite?
There is such a heaviness in my spirit right now that aches for what is happening. I am completely aware that I am a white male and that there is a depth to our country’s current state that I will never fully understand, but my heart is broken right now. This week we have witnessed a privileged white woman essentially get away with a major crime. It was announced that she broke the law, lied about it, and yet there won’t be any charges pressed. Our President even publicly endorsed her to be the next president. Then we witness two black men killed by cops in a grossly brutal and unnecessary way. And now news is breaking about 11 cops being shot by snipers. I can’t even begin to make sense of any of it.
Right now America is in a state that a lot of addicts go through, denial. We have tried for so long to brush things under the rug. We have tried for so long to just act like there isn’t anything wrong. It’s time to wake up. It’s time to check into a clinic and get some help. AA’s first step is admitting that there is a problem, and it is time for America to do that. Yeah America needs Jesus. Yeah America needs to love people. America needs a lot of things. But none of that is actually going to happen until we admit there is a problem.
I won’t even pretend like I have any answers because I don’t. It’s going to be a long, hard, messy process of healing but it is one that needs to start. We can’t keep pretending we are the land of the free. It just isn’t that way for everyone. America is becoming the same tyranny that we just celebrated our freedom from. We have a problem. It is time to step up and own that so that we can start dealing with it. I pray that as a country we will humble ourselves and admit that we are messed-up. It is the only way we can start to make a change.
Until next time…