Fireworks, not Gunfire

Tonight, I went to the fireworks here as part of my internship. I've never been before, but they were really pretty. (Honestly I'm not much of a firework person, but it was nice.)

Then, I started thinking something: I really dislike the loud popping sound the fireworks make.

It reminded me of The Kite Runner when the shootings first start in the middle of the night and Ali holds Hassan and Amir close and tells them it's just people hunting ducks, which, of course, it's not at all.

Some people hear popping noises much the same as these daily. Nightly. There is an entire generation of children who have probably never had the luxury of sleeping through a night without worrying about getting bombed or shot. That is so impossible to me. The same noise that annoys me and causes me minor inconvenience is the noise that could mean death for them or their loved ones.

Sure, I love America. I do. I know I am incredibly lucky to have been born here and I try to not take that for granted.

But forget my country, what kind of world do we live in? In what world is it okay for people to murder others because they disagree with them or because they do not believe exactly the same or because they don't want to wear certain clothes?

Maybe that book just has me too emotional about this...it made me cry a lot. But still, think about it.

Happy 4th everyone.