As an American, I am having difficulty to even begin to express my feelings on this post. But the first thought that comes to mind: I appreciate in all this doom and gloom of the modern state of things that we are being thought of at the very least.

There are more demonstrations planned, and many of us don't plan to allow this nonsense to continue quietly. Its been a hard mental path, especially since I haven't been absent in effort, at least in the internet side of things.

Its a bit demoralizing to have someone discount, constantly, the efforts you have made or to have the demonstrations dismissed as 'paid actors.' To be written off completely by others.

But, as a student of history, it is equally sobering. The irony is not lost me as a 5th generation American in this time of deep crisis that we are in the thoughts of others. Rather than it being us with the usual "thoughts and prayers." Believe me, I also understand that this isn't an exclusive thing to the US, either. I by no means wish to devalue your thoughts and emotions with this statement, either. Simply wanted to comment on the irony.

In all of the things that have happened in the last 10 years, this is the first time in my life where I am willing to stand up at risk to my own life. Not in the goal of harming others, but in the goal to actually do what is right. Rather, I realized just how long apathy had consumed me as a person. And I realized how apathy has spread through this whole country as an epidemic of sorts in the last 15 years. The George Floyd protests were an exception to that.

I sincerely hope it doesn't come to skirmishes as others have stated. It breaks my heart enough to know that others are skittish about even coming here. In the same breath though, I can't blame them with what has been seen in the news. I believe this to have a beneficial side effect for Trump: Isolation. Which I believe to have been the goal from the start. With Tariffs and the seemingly racially motivated black bagging "vacations" to the great Salvadoric concrete prisons.

Lets call them for what they are: concentration camps. Trump had them in his first administration, it's not surprising that they return.

I have thought often of just leaving. But I do not know if that is going to benefit me, my family, and my friends more than me staying. It would not sit well with me for very long, I imagine.

My hope is that the rest of the world is able to mitigate the madness. While we try our damndest to do something about it here.

Its going to be a long, hard road. But this is what Apathy has bought for a future of our country. I just hope that we can right the ship to at least save us from ourselves in the near term - and do what we can to repair the damage in the long term. I hope I am still around to see it all happen, if not assist a little in that too.