Throughout the past few years and in numerous instances throughout American history, our great nation has gone through quite the series of events. America has endured wonderful and monumental victories but also some challenging circumstances as well. The last few years have presented a fair share of challenging circumstances that have rocked this beloved country. From the COVID-19 virus, damaging unrest in America, and presidential party changes, division has permeated our society. Consequently, some may ask the question where do we go from here, and what is happening to the country that we love so dearly?
Many people will remember 2020 as the year that the COVID-19 pandemic changed our lives and the George Floyd tragedy brought months and months of protest, rioting, and unrest to several cities around the country. One of those cities that experienced disorder was my own hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. Peacefully protesting is a fundamental right of our freedom of speech, and it is a freedom that we need to cherish. However, rioting, looting, and destroying businesses is unscrupulous; those who participate in such shameful and illegal acts should bear consequences. Realizing the tragedy that our country faced, I thought, “America, where do we go from here?”
In late May and early June of 2020, I sat home watching the news, shocked at the headlines that filled our screens on that Friday night. Our city and several others were being dismantled, including “Eddie Merlot’s,” a restaurant in downtown Louisville that was ruthlessly vandalized. Criminal’s broke windows stole hundreds of dollars’ worth of wine, and splashed graffiti on what was our lovely downtown. When I watched the news and listened to our government officials speak to families of police officers to confirm that they were being told to stand down for a period and that these officials were not condemning the violence, I was outraged and discouraged. I was appalled by the fact that these police officers put themselves on the line for us every day to keep us safe. How did we come to a point in society where we are not respecting and honoring officials? All officials deserve to be held accountable to the law; however, they still deserve respect, just like every profession. Nevertheless, supporting the “blue” started to become disgraceful rather than honorable. This unfortunate realization left me asking the question, “America, where do we go from here?”
It had been quite the beginning of 2020, followed by the controversial November presidential election, a crucial election that happens every four years. However, this one was different. Why? The ubiquitous election irregularities that we saw throughout the country seemed to multiply daily. No matter how Americans feel about our 45th president, we should all want and expect fair elections. What happened to election integrity? Fair elections should exist for every candidate on any side. Growing up, I thought that we could trust the American election system, but my trust is now starting to waiver. We must preserve election integrity and maintain the highest standards and protection of one of most sacred honors as citizens of our democracy. The controversy that followed from the 2020 election left me once again pondering the question, “America, where do we go from here?”
Our military is fighting for our rights every day. They are putting their lives on the line for our freedom. I am a staunch supporter of the military as my grandfather is a member of the VFW. He served in the Vietnam War, and my uncle served in Iraq. Additionally, I have several friends whose parents have selflessly served in the military. I have seen the sacrifices they have made, how this has affected them and their families. They deserve our utmost respect. The fact that everything that they have fought for can be taken away by ignorant leaders is a miserable thought.
“America, where do we go from here?” is a thought on many Americans minds. But I have an answer. We go forward, we do not give up, we stand up for what we believe in, we fight for our freedoms, we stand for biblical values, we pursue truth, and we honor those in blue. America is the greatest country to ever exist. While challenges have always existed and lie yet ahead, it is such a blessing to enjoy the opportunity to live here and live out the American dream. My fellow Americans — I encourage you to find a platform that you are passionate about, advocate for that issue, do not back down, stand up for the flag even if you are the only one standing, and love America with every ounce in your being. May we advocate for our God-given rights, freedoms, and spread historical pro-American values throughout our communities. I have hope for America —for what it was, what it is now, and what is to come. America, let’s move forward, returning to the tenets on which our great country was founded.
