Brain’s Open Letter To America

Dear America,

I am a 44-year-old father of three and I'm sad and worried. Those feelings would be reason enough for concern, but it's not the first time I've felt them. These feelings and many others crop up every time someone loses their life in a mass shooting in this country. And this past weekend was a very bad weekend for that. Two mass shootings in 13 hours left 29 dead. America, I need to know what we're going to do.

I grew up knowing that I lived in the greatest country in the world. There was literally nothing that we couldn't do if we put our minds to it. We conquered an unknown and vast land, populating it from sea to shining sea. We built rails that traveled from coast to coast. We erected buildings that reached to the sky. And when the sky wasn't enough, we went to space, and then the moon! I've also lived through some of the nation's worst tragedies.

I was in school when the Challenger went down. When the Alfred P. Murrah federal building was blown in half. And I was a young radio broadcaster on the September day our world changed forever. But America fought back after every challenge. We held people accountable. We passed laws to keep people safer. No, these measures aren't always perfect, but neither are we as a nation. So why can't we come together now and solve another crisis of humanity?

This country is more divided now that I've ever seen it in my 44 years of life. Not only is there bickering between political parties, but there is also infighting within the same party. As I sat and watched the sad headlines scroll across my TV this weekend, I came to a realization. This is one of those issues where we are all going to have to work together if we want to fix it. Both sides need to realize that right now. Stop worrying about calculated political victories and how it might affect an election. Worrying about your constituent's lives should be enough.

So America, I ask you to be patient with us. Let us work through these difficult times. Let us find leaders on both sides of the aisle that are willing to listen and are willing to compromise so that we as a country can be safer. Our country has been through harrowing times before. Civil and World Wars. Terrorist attacks, both foreign and domestic. But we've always pulled together under your colors. I pray that the red, white and blue can stand another fight.