Commentary: How Do We Keep Our Country Safe?

By Faye Morrison
BWFO4 CHange - Massachusetts

The actions in Washington DC yesterday and at a church in Kansas eleven days ago, are horrific and sad. It is a shameful commentary to a civilized society that gives false prophets masquerading as journalists a license to incite violence wrapped in a first amendment right.

I hope the American public is willing to suffer the consequences of not holding people responsible for what they say, and evaluating the decency of those remarks as well as their accuracy.

I will not mention the names of the hate filled people who have brought domestic terrorism to our communities, but I will point out neither of them are Muslim, or Arab so what is the plan for profiling? Because if you let these national and local commentators continue down this path you better figure out how you keep us safe from them.

Three local schools had children in that facility yesterday; any of them could have easily been hurt or killed if it weren’t for the bravery of Stephen Tyrone Johns a guard at the museum, his name is the only one I will invoke in this letter, his courage and valor are the only actions worth noting. My heart goes out to his family and loved ones.

The American people need to think about this, how safe is the building you walked in to this morning? Who is standing guard between you and those who for whatever reason might want to do you or your institution harm? Are you sure you want people on your public airwaves preaching Armageddon and hate? Is this what you want for your children?

I hope the American people will not spend a lot of time wondering why this “man” did what he did. I don’t even want to hear his name or the affiliations and arrests that bought this hate filled man to the nation’s capitol to take lives. Let’s focus on how we make this country as safe as possible, let’s focus on how we change the tone of discourse so that everyone in this country regardless of your background or beliefs, can find common ground that supports this country we all live in and love, America.

Let’s focus on the positive and work towards its success if we don’t then this terrorist wins and we live in fear, despair, and suspicion. I have chosen a different path, I hope you will join me.