On Restrooms

I want to apologize to my readers for this post.

I want to apologize because I try to make this place an escape from the every day. I want to apologize because I do try to veer away from overt political posts or statements. I want to apologize because I don’t want to be that person who uses his blog space – otherwise used for not serious content – to get on a soap box and pontificate on how I see the world or what I want the world to be. But mostly, I want to apologize to my readers because I’m writing this post in the year 2016.

I want to apologize because we live in a world where hate and fear trumps love and understanding. I want to apologize because we keep repeating the same mistakes over and over again. I want to apologize because we still live in a world where, if you are not white and heterosexual, you have to fight harder for opportunities and acceptance. Because we live in a society where some people still have to provide evidence that their experience is valid and should be accepted. Because we live in a world where the republican frontrunner for President of the United States dehumanizes people of every race, gender identity, and sexual orientation, and gets applause for it. (Please note: I am not here to discuss this candidate. He doesn’t deserve the airtime he has gotten so far and I have no desire to waste any more words on him except for this: he is everything we should be standing against.)

I want to apologize because, as much as I may want to, I can't stay silent when it comes to the right of other people whose voices are not yet being heard. I want to apologize for feeling the need to apologize for expressing my own views and opinions.

And I want apologize because I know that what I write after this will only be a sermon to the choir rather than be a change in the minds of those who have already chosen fear over logic. 

6/12/2016

There is so much one could say - so much one should say. I have typed, deleted, and retyped this opening sentence since yesterday - and all I've got for you are two sentences about typing sentences. I should be able to say something. Anything. After all, lots of people have said lots of things.

Some people have said that we need stricter regulations around gun ownership. Other people say that guns don't kill people - people kill people. Some people say it was a hate crime. Some people say we should blame religious radicals. Other people say we should blame an entire religion. Some people have called for war. Other people have said we've had enough war. Some people say we've become numb to violence. Some people say we've forgotten how to mourn. Some people say we've become complacent in our humanity.

Some people say something tragic happened yesterday. Tragic. Sad. Calamitous. Deplorable. Disastrous. Grim. Harrowing. Heartbreaking. Terrible. Sorrowful. Mournful. Somber. Horrific. Dismal.

But there is nothing to say.

There is nothing to say.