Recommended for you

Start writing a post

Politics and Activism

"Am I Safe?"

Is humanity important anymore?

Onna Biswas

Jun 20, 2016

Agnes Scott College

Tumblr

A family friend of mine, (whom I cannot mention as she wants to remain anonymous,) and I were having a conversation on Sunday about what happened in Orlando. “Am I safe?” she asked.

I looked at her and asked why she questioned that. I patted her on the back and hugged her. “I don’t know,” I said, “I don’t know.” For a 12-year-old to ask me if she is safe was more than frightening. I myself do not know if I am safe, and for me to confidently tell her that she is was not possible.

On Sunday, June 12, 2016, around 2 a.m. a shooting happened that killed 49 people and left 50+ injured. That morning I woke up around 3:05 a.m. out of nowhere, and started looking through my news feeds, to find: “Breaking News: Orlando Club Shooting.” I got scared as I was in my room all by myself and had nothing with me except my teddy bear. I quickly exited Facebook and started watching YouTube videos to get my mind off of what was happening that morning. Around 10 a.m. I woke up and received a text from a family friend asking me what happened in America. I thought my eyes had been lying to me when I saw the words “Breaking News: Orlando Club Shooting.” Sadly, they weren't. It was real, and once again we lost dozens of innocent human beings within a few years, months, weeks, days, minutes, seconds. The word sad does not even describe how I feel right now.

“Why do people kill people? What do they gain from killing innocent people? Whether it be in Syria, Gaza, Bangladesh, India, Norway, America, or wherever you are on the planet...why? I do not feel safe on this planet. I am scared. Should I be scared? Whenever I go to school I have to look around and observe the place and the people because you just do not know what will happen. Whenever you, me and/or others go to the movies, I see you (me) trying not to show fear on your face because you are watching and observing people. When I go to the mall I have to look around and feel like I have to strategize something to escape. When I see cops I do not know if they are real or fake ever since the attack in Norway in 2011. Am I going to be harmed because I am brown? Oh my god, will I be harmed because I am confused about my identity? I’m even scared to be at home, visiting the temple, everything, and anything. Am I safe? The world is coming to an end. Almost every month I hear some kind of shooting is happening. Why do people have so much hatred stored in their vena cova? Why don’t they just release it by getting help? Why do people hate women, men, or a specific group? What have they ever done to that one human being? Why? I want to go up to them and ask, why? Why!? Stop the war, stop killing innocent people, please stop. Please stop killing innocent children; they're so innocent and they are still blooming,” said this family friend of mine.

She turned towards me. “Am I safe? Are you safe? Are we all safe? Is the planet even safe anymore?”

Tears started rolling down our eyes. “We can’t be scared, we have to be strong. ‘And love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love.’ The medicine to all this is love,” I said, not knowing if what I said was right or wrong, hugging her tightly as tears rolled down my cheeks.

R.I.P. to all those that lost their lives in Orlando and around the world. You are not alone. Trust me.

And is humanity even important anymore?

Report this Content

This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.

Student Life

8 GIFs That Are College AF

Cs get degrees!

Jacksonville State University

273

Personal Photo

College is tough, we all know. Here are 8 gifs you will 99% relate to if you are in college.

Keep Reading...Show less

gifs

Adulting

6 Unrealistic Expectations Society Has For Young Adults

Don't let the thesaurus-inspired vocabularies in our résumés fool you. We're actually just big kids.

University of Dayton

2904

Well over four feet tall and 100 pounds in weight, many of us "young adults" of the world still consider ourselves children. Big, working, college-attending, beer-drinking children. We may live on our own, know how to cook noodles, and occasionally use a planner, but don't be fooled; the youthful tendencies that reside within us still make their way into our daily lives. From choosing to stay up until 3:00 a.m. playing video games on a school night to going out in 30 degree weather without a coat, we still make decisions that our parents and grandparents would shake their heads at in disappointment. So why are we expected to know exactly how to be a wise, professional, sensible adult? It's not that we're irresponsible (for the most part, anyway). It's that we are young, inexperienced, and still have the sought-after, enthusiastic mentality that we can do and be whatever we want, which has not yet been tarnished by the reality of the world. These are just a few of the unrealistic expectations that society has for young adults.

Keep Reading...Show less

young adults

Lifestyle

20 Reasons Why Pizza Is Basically Everyone's Best Friend

Seriously, who wouldn't love pizza?

Ball State University

2623

Fandango

There are a lot of foods in this world, but there is only one dish that stands above the rest: Pizza. If you're close to me or at least know who I am, then you know that I'm totally obsessed with pizza. It's one of my favorite things to eat and I will NEVER turn down a slice, even if it doesn't have my favorite toppings. There isn't a day that goes by where I'm not thinking about pizza. I even sleep with a pizza pillow every night! There are many reasons why pizza stands above all other foods, and here are just a couple reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

pizza

Recommended for you

"Am I Safe?"

Is humanity important anymore?

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Cs get degrees!

1. Me after every class

2. If you really care about your grades

3. When you get a new homework assignment

4. When people ask what you're going to do after college

5. When you see people who don't study and get good grades

6. We're all broke here

7. FREE FOOD IS FREE FOOD!

8. When it seems like everyone in class is smart - EXCEPT THE PEOPLE IN YOUR GROUP PROJECT!!

Other than knowledge and all those important things

How to take stairs.

Caffeine is your friend.

How to study.

Finding free food.

How to take a nap anywhere.

How to appreciate sleep.

How to procrastinate productively.

Surprise: This is not on the syllabus

1. As a freshman, one does get to be called “freshman” by upperclassmen when they walk to parties in a mob of people.

2. Some of the best stories happen after 2 a.m.

3. Upperclassmen live for meal swipes from freshman because they are poor and need free food.

4. People are struggling just as much as you are so you're not alone.

5. You will never take privacy or personal space for granted ever again.

6. You are not the only one who has slept on the community bathroom floor after a night out.

7. Skipping class for Netflix is a valid excuse.

8. It’s totally acceptable to bring a pot of coffee, a sleeping bag and a pillow to the library.

9. Having class with a friend is the best because you can trade off days on who goes to class.

10. When you are a senior, you take the easiest classes to boost your GPA.

11. How to pull an all-nighter.

12. How to handle drunk people.

13. The drunk you does not look out for sober you about 90 percent of the time.

14. How to deal with a hangover.

15. How to interact with people very different from you.

16. The perfect amount to procrastinate on every assignment.

17. How to pass a class without paying for the textbook that was "required."

18. How to calculate your grades to see what you need on every test in order to maintain a passing grade.

19. How to hook-up with someone without getting emotions involved (but we all know that doesn’t happen).

20. How to handle your roommate when you want to strangle them.

21. That you miss your parent’s every day.

22. How to get into a bar when you aren’t 21.

23. How to BS on assignments, out loud and on your resume.

24. That theme parties are the greatest.

25. How to find free events that have free food.

26. That when there are puppies on campus it will be the greatest day of your life.

27. Alarms are necessary and you must set like seven of them in order to wake up in time for class.

28. Greek parties are exactly how they are in movies.

29. Care packages are treated like Christmas presents.

30. The friends you meet in college will become your bridesmaids and groomsmen.

31. That printers only break when you need them the most.

32. Cereal, ramen noodles, Easy Mac and microwavable pancakes can be used for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

33. That classes before 8 a.m. should be illegal.

34. Changing your major is OK.

Don't let the thesaurus-inspired vocabularies in our résumés fool you. We're actually just big kids.

"You should know exactly what career is right for your future by the time you're 18."

"Save all your money."

"Get plenty of sleep and adjust to a regular sleep schedule."

"Make sure to eat healthy, balanced meals. Don't forget those fruits and vegetables."

"Surround yourself with good, moral people."

"Don't do anything stupid."

Seriously, who wouldn't love pizza?

Pizza is like a BFF

It can be delivered right to your door!

You can eat it at any time of the day

It's there for you after a breakup

It's the best party food

Celebrities love it too

Everyone loves it!

Pizza doesn't care what you look like

It comes in all forms

It's the food that is always free at events

It's always available

Two Words: Frozen Pizza

You can customize it any way you want

Going on a date and don't know what to eat? Pizza

Vegan? Vegetarian? Gluten Free?

It's Delicious

Subscribe to our
Newsletter