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Why I’m Losing Hope in the Wake of More Horrific Tragedy
No one is safe in today’s America.
It is becoming increasingly difficult to find something positive to write about.
Violence in the news is a regular and somewhat anticipated occurrence. I scan the headlines and wonder why people seem so desensitized to the loss of human life. A feeling of helplessness looms large from the cumulative effects of too much tragedy and injustice.
I barely recognize my birthplace. The America I grew up in no longer exists.
This past holiday weekend, I started out hopeful. It was the Fourth of July. Independence Day. My calendar was full of celebrations with friends and family.
Sunday began with an intense indoor cycling class. We rode to a themed soundtrack that opened with Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the USA, followed by Neil Young’s Rockin’ in the Free World and Katy Perry’s Firework. Near the end of class, we sang in unison to Neil Diamond’s America. As corny as it may sound, a surge of patriotism flooded the room, and the endorphin rush stayed with me all morning.
That afternoon, I attended a backyard barbecue with a few high school friends. We ate hot dogs and hamburgers cooked on the grill and swapped stories of our glory days, growing up in a close-knit community…
