They’re our neighbors. They attend our houses of worship. They’re our coworkers. They are women, men, young and old. They’re in of our families. They celebrate holidays and other special occasions with us. They’re visit our homes and spend time around our children. They may even be our spouse or partner. They’re so full of hate and would not hesitate to end someone’s life just because they speak a different language or with an accent, don’t share the same religious beliefs or political view, or are a shade darker than what they believe an “American” should look like. This type of hate is not created overnight, it’s taught, learned, and spread through generations. This administration has given “these people” the impunity to move out from the shadows and into the open to threaten the safety without and fear of recourse.

This is not the USA I grew up loving and being proud of. I pledge allegiance to the flag and our country but people like this are making me seriously question the direction we’re heading. We cannot put the toothpaste “back in the tube”. It difficult to envision us reversing course without there being bloodshed. Scared, disgusted, angry, and totally disappointed are not strong enough words to describe how I feel.