In pertinence to our commemorations

Isn't it shameful how we put so much effort and energy into hating one another?

It seems as though today is the only day where people agree that the other American is worthy of the title American; because maybe their ancestor or something was involved in the destruction of the Towers on the morning of September 11th of 2001. I didn't live through it, but as someone who wasn't alive for it, I get told time and time again that people of all walks of life, be they white, black, Asian, this, that and the other race came together in support of one another in a time of need.

But there's my major issue: Why is it only ever in a time of need where we as a collective society agree that the other person is about as deserving of life and support as the rest of us?

Let's put it this way; the United States hasn't been attacked by a foreign enemy on the homeland (at least to that scale, to my knowledge) since that fateful day. Since then its been back to the same old stupid bullshit we impose upon ourselves: systemic racism, sexism, homophobia, xenophobia, phobias against certain religions, and the fear of being in each other's minds. Does it need to take another catastrophic event in order to make us all at least tolerate each other?

What the heck does it matter that your boss is a woman? Why does it matter that that girl over there doesn't like being called a girl? Why does it matter so much that the Latin American guy is taking the job nobody else wanted in the first place? Can't we just be happy that we're even goddamn alive?

We spend so much time hating each other, fearing each other, that we shoot ourselves in the foot by taking action on something that should have otherwise been another mundane part of life. Somehow, someone's happiness is always riding off the back of someone else's suffering. The lights could go out any minute, and with the way the world's going, I won't be surprised if it were to happen all tomorrow.

And as a matter of fact, if we can't get our act together soon, we might as well deserve it.

All I can say is I'm going to treat the people around me with respect and love, cause I am under the belief that we should make the most of our limited time here, and this disdain and dread we use to shield ourselves is a waste.

I feel as though it's what they would have wanted of us.

And yes, there's just so much else wrong with this world, but that's not what I'm getting at.