Love?! I don’t “love” America!

No, you still love America. This is something we might disagree on but, you have not canceled America.

How do I know that you love America? How do I know that you still believe in what America could be? Because you’re still fighting.

You’re still speaking up for human rights. You’re still fighting and protesting in America.

You’re fighting for Black lives, you are still speaking out against women being murdered, mistreated, raped, and silenced, you’re still fighting for love and families to be recognized no matter how they identify, you’re still fighting for equal rights no matter one’s pronouns, you’re still speaking out for people who come to America to escape what is happening in their own countries only to end up in cages, families torn apart, children raped, trafficked, and/or left to die… you’re still fighting.

Why?

Not only because we built this country, not only because we brought wealth to this country, but because we BELIEVE in this country. It’s because we BELIEVE that America has the capacity to change.

Now, we have different ideas on what needs to take place for that to happen, but we BELIEVE it is possible. We BELIEVE that all CAN BE FREE HERE. We believe that we can welcome immigrants and be their refuge. We believe that women can be equal and be free to speak up and not live in fear. We believe in equal human rights for all. We believe that love is love. We believe that ALL “men” (women included) are equal. That’s why we are trying to wake up America.

We KNOW that we are better than where we are.

If you are in a relationship (friendship, romantic, or otherwise) with somebody and they do you wrong and you don’t believe it’s worth the effort to have a conversation or address the conflict, what do you do? You cut them off.

Now I am not saying, “If you don’t like what’s happening then leave.” That is not it at all because we know debt, money, family ties, layers upon layers make that difficult for most and impossible for our most vulnerable.

There are people who are no longer fighting, speaking up, or even discussing the parts of America that needs to change… but YOU are.

YOU ARE.

That’s how I know YOU BELIEVE.

Say that you’re married and the first few years of the marriage your spouse is mistreating you. Now that mistreatment is whatever you imagine it to be for this scenario. You’ve considered or tried to leave a few times, but it’s complicated financially, emotionally, or because of family. For whatever reason it’s complicated, but the other part is that you also love them. The other part is you still believe they can change.

Now say that you renew vows or recommit to your relationship and although you still have an uphill battle the question comes into play… do you celebrate your anniversary or do you celebrate the day that they TRULY began committing to you through their actions and step by step changes, or do you celebrate both?

Yes, I agree, these changes need to be faster.

Yes, I agree, that there are “changes” that are meant just to pacify.

Yes, I agree, that there have been wonderful steps (that have choked me up a bit).

Yes, I agree, that we have a long way to go.

But I believe it can be done.

That’s why I write, that’s why I fight, that’s why I post, that’s why I share, that’s why I read, that’s why I work towards something better for me, my family, my circle, and my community.

I believe.

I don’t know if we are officially celebrating the 4th of July anymore.

I feel like “we” as the Black community have been shaken and not only do we demand change in America, but we are also demanding change of habits (amongst other things) inside ourselves and our siblings.

I do know that there are layers.

So, to those of you who do not celebrate due to the past and current atrocities in America, I see you. I understand you.

To those of you who celebrate because of progress, I see you. I understand you.

To those of you who celebrate because you don’t know yet, I see you. I understand you.

We are still be united although, for everything, we do not agree.