Thoughts and Prayers

We’re told to give our thoughts and prayers and wait.

We wait.

We’ve been waiting.

Waiting has brought us approximately 2000 deaths from the year 2013.

December 14th, 2012, the first shooting outrage our country has seen occurred, by one man. Twenty-seven souls were lost that day. A number that enraged the nation, #NeverAgain we preached.

Thoughts and prayers.

June 12th, 2016, the first blatantly performed hate crime our nation has seen took place. 50 deaths. The number has doubled.

Thoughts and prayers.

October 1st, 2017, the first mass concert shooting our country has seen. 59 deaths. The number yet again increases.

Thoughts and prayers.

February 14th, 2018, our nations second overt mass school shooting. Students were promised safety. Teachers were promised protection. 17 souls were lost.

Thoughts and prayers.

March 15th, 2019, although it may not have occurred in the United States, it has torn and bled out the hearts of millions of Americans. A single man, one soul, took the lives of 49 innocent human beings while in congregation.

When will it be enough? Our patience as not only Muslims but as citizens of the free world has been cut thin, so thin that no amount of thoughts and prayers will cure the epidemic caused by hatred. The United States and its President is responsible for inciting and igniting hatred in millions worldwide. The problem starts here. In our hearts. Although my words may not make a difference, the words of the President of the United States does. Like a father to a son, a teacher to a student, the president’s words are sowed and planted in our minds. We are taught to hate. We are taught to be violent. We are taught to accept what is happening and are programmed to send our “thoughts and prayers” to the families of those who lost their loved ones. But words cannot breathe life back into a soul, thoughts don’t make things better but worse, prayers will not bring them back to life.

The racists, the homophobes, the Islamophobes, the ones fueled by hatred, the ones killing our people– where are they in times of distress and tragedy, where do they go to hide? The President of the United States is systematically assembling an army of the most dangerous people to exist in our time — white supremacists. The supremacy of white people in the United States has exceeded an apt amount and it is far from being cured by a hashtag or a protest, we must extract and cease this deep-rooted hatred. No gun law, no constitution, nor will any regulation terminate this issue, it is broader than that, more layered. It is hate. Hate is driving individuals to do and say the things that are being said and done. Your job you ask? Is to raise awareness and persuade supporters to think deeper, research what they so proudly stand for, blatantly stand against the President of the United States and his beliefs.

We will raise our own army. An army of peaceful freedom fighters who love and accept everyone. Who will unite against the toils of our world and bring them down one by one, lethal leader by lethal leader.

We will rise, for we are fueled by love not hate, and are driven by peace, not violence.

Don’t send thoughts and prayers when so much more can be done.

Peace and love will conquer all, regardless of how much hate remains.

-L.S