We Should All Be Ashamed of Ourselves

Political party, whether Democrat, Republican or Independent. Skin color, whether black, white, or brown. Gender, whether male, female or somewhere in-between. Orientation, whether straight, gay or even a tad curious, these things, these things are not our problem, these are not the things dividing our country. These things, that’s what we’ll call them, things. These things may not have much in common, but can I tell you what we all have in common beyond all of these things? Yes, no? I’m going to tell you anyway. This mutual thing we all share is the fact that we are all American citizens. If I voted, I’m an American citizen, if you voted, you’re an American citizen, we voted, we’re American citizens.

Definition of citizenship: it’s a noun, FYI.

Citizenship, the state of being vested with rights, privileges, and duties of a citizen.

Or, we can even use this second definition!!

Citizenship, the character of an individual viewed as a member of society; behavior in terms of the duties, obligations, and functions of a citizen.

Now I’m going to ask everyone a few questions – Do we still have OUR RIGHTS? Yup! Do we still have OUR PRIVILEGES? Yes! Are we performing the duties of a citizen? HELL NO!!!!! Wait what? Hell no?????? HELL NO, YOU ALL ASK???? Yes, hell no. There is not the slightest chance we as American citizens are doing the things that would fall under our civic duties to society. Do I have to define civic duties too? Good, I’m not going to. We’re protesting and rioting against our new President. We’re looting, fighting, burning, and destroying each other, as well as our communities. We’re trying to change history; we’re taking away from our future. We’re not performing our civic duties, we’re not respecting each other, the government, or our founding fathers, we’re failing ourselves, and we should all be ashamed.

We are lucky enough to call this place, America, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, our home, we are so fortunate, so very fortunate. There are people all over this world who wish they could live here, escape their mother country and run here, some will do everything and anything in their power just to get here. And here we are, AMERICANS, destroying our streets, burning our cars, rioting throughout our communities, for what? For our privileges? For our rights? Stop. Please stop, I’m asking you to stop on my behalf. I have my rights, I have my privileges, and so do you.

But, if you TRULY feel victimized in the three days President Trump has actually been our President, then do me a favor, do us all a favor. Instead of writing on your protest signs ‘WE WON’T LOSE OUR RIGHTS’ or ‘HE IS NOT OUR PRESIDENT’, write your names, write all of your names out, in a list, name by name, or give your ‘group’ a nickname, something like ‘Fifth Ave Feminists’ could be a cute one. But, do not say OUR, do not say, WOMEN or MEN, do not say US or WE, don’t include me in your childish acts of violence, do not include me in anything. Because, yes, we should all be ashamed of ourselves for letting this occur, for letting this get so out-of-hand, but I don’t want to be ashamed anymore.

I’m not ashamed of who I am. I have my flaws, but I love being me. I’m not ashamed of my life, my family, my friends. I’m not ashamed of my home, my town, my country. I’m not ashamed of my choices.

I’m proud. Proud of who I am and who I’m going to become, I’m proud of my country, I’m proud of my choices, I’m proud to be an American. And, you should all be proud too.

We don’t have to be ashamed of ourselves anymore.