Post-Independence Day Blues

July sucks. Everything sucks. Maybe not always, but why is this month so hard?

Since July 4th, Independence Day, I’ve lost a lot of motivation.

Juggling two internships, revising my novel, looking for freelance opportunities, and applying to jobs. And oh yeah, that’s right, keeping up with the Black Lives Matter protests. Add a thick layer of COVID-19 cases spiking across the nation, and in Utah, we are now ranking in the Top 30 places with COVID cases per day, lack of testing, and lose restrictions.

Bring it on.

I’ve focused on cutting back on social media and scheduling a lot of my Twitter, Facebook Page, and LinkedIn posts instead. Re-sharing, sharing again and sharing petitions, links to donations, and news supporting the BLM movement plus everything else I’m doing.

Now I’m stuck.

Stuck feeling like every day is a new struggle. A brand new day to see if I can keep it all together, keep hope, and truck along.

Now more than ever, I feel like change is possible. It can happen, but the tension, the debates, and the absolute absurdity in politicizing every issue this country is facing right now are hindering progress.

Why is wearing a masked political when there are data and facts, scientists and doctors, that give us real reasons to wear a mask?

Why is it increasingly us versus them?

Why is a fight for equality, BLM, perceived by some as anti-American?

That seems to me to go against what it means to be an American. Isn’t the whole point of America justice, liberty, and freedom for ALL? I’m sorry, am I wrong? I guess maybe not “ALL” just a select few, such as those who are NOT POC, who are NOT POOR, who are NOT RICH WHITE MALES.

I guess if we reduce people to numbers, “1% will die? Ok, that’s fine with me,” suddenly we don’t care?

1% of people dying in the U.S. from COVID is A LOT OF PEOPLE. Approximately a little over 3 Million.

We thought 9/11 was bad, what about COVID?

But maybe 3 Million people dead is not enough for some to care?

Oh, well, I guess if most of that 1% are minorities and poor, it doesn’t matter at all?

This is what I’m seeing; this is what I’m hearing.

We are in a war, a war against COVID, poverty, inequality, and corruption. A fight to the death, for our lives.

I don’t understand the tension, the divide.

We are falling apart when we should be united, fighting to protect our neighbors, our families, our friends, everyone.

-Alina

On a lighter note, if you’re still with me, here’s a link to a few of my latest Medium stories:

Poetry is a waste of time? I don’t think so

Poem “Infinity in my blood”

Yes, I support BLM and this is Why

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