Free Flow


It’s not every day you get to sit back and watch the world self-destruct right before your eyes. Usually, there’s nothing you can do except pray if you’re a believer or write down your thoughts to calm your mind. I choose the latter.

Over the past decade or so, I’ve noticed a troubling neglect of people's lives. This attitude shows up in underserved communities, middle- and upper-class neighborhoods, and, most notably, in government-sanctioned killings. 

For the past two years, the world has been captivated by the impunity granted to the Israeli government for its widespread killing of innocent men, women, and children in Palestine. Similar atrocities are happening in Sudan, but the media only mentions them in passing. Additionally, the current Trump administration is now involved in killing suspected drug traffickers in international waters. 

I don’t understand how this happens when most people claim they are religious. Churches, mosques, synagogues, and other places of worship draw many people who listen to their leaders praise the virtues of their faith. Still, there is so much violence — why?

As human beings, we must decide who we want to be, regardless of our circumstances. Often, life's struggles can lead us astray, but that doesn’t mean we have to cross the line into murder. Still, we’ve become too comfortable with witnessing death and have grown desensitized to it. 

The rise of social media has greatly impacted how violence in other countries is shown and has influenced policies and practices in other places. However, the lack of empathy is concerning. It’s this attitude that is unfortunate and has made us less likely to care.

After many nights of contemplating how to resolve this issue, I have arrived at the only viable solution for this growing problem. Society must set aside religious dogma and focus on supporting humanity. We need to improve and develop both as individuals and as a community. 

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