We all have that something, that something that just throws us over the edge. Something so unbelievable that we just lost it and could no longer remain quiet. Well…I think I found my something and it unleashed what I had been holding in since 2016.
Okay, so there’s so much happening in the news right now that picking what to write about was a bit hard.
- Pelosi announcing an impeachment inquiry, I mean…whoa!
- Venezuelan Delegate deciding to continue to read instead of listening to Agent Orange address the UN. Was anyone else intrigued by what she was reading? Just me?
- Climate deniers scared shitless by a 16 year old girl #iheartGreta
- Amazonia fire still raging and no one caring (this is why we need you Greta!)
All of these topics are fascinating and I have so much to say about all of them. However, I’ve been sitting on a topic for a while now and I can’t seem to get away from it. It all started with a robo call that I received a few weeks ago from the Chief of School Police: “Your child’s safety is our number one priority, we are aware of the incidents of gun violence in our surrounding communities and across the nation…” What? I mean, WHAT THE FUCK?! He’s in preschool, we should not be worried about this! As a first time mom I was anxious about many things. I did not, at any point of my anxiety consider gun violence as something to be worried about. But apparently this is now a thing we must worry about.
That sat with me for a bit.
Then a few days later I read: “Trump pushes forward a vaping ban that would make flavored e-cigs illegal”, I lost it! That was my trigger, it unleashed what you are about to witness. Sit tight, it’s going to get bumpy.
When he announced the ban, only 8 people had died. We are now at 9, as a second person has died this week. The CDC and the President have warned people to stay away as they try to figure out what is killing folks. See, these things are not regulated. Almond milk is, but e-cigarettes are not.
I don’t know about you, but when I think of vaping, I think of duchey ass guys with manbuns inhaling as they talk about how they could have pulled off “FyreFest” or our tokers who believe that nobody knows what they’re really smoking. Yea bruh, you got me!
Oh Leo, why? 
I’m not saying this is not an issue of concern. However, I am saying that a ban on e-cigs should not come before a freaking ban on semi-automatic weapons or at least some form of gun-control reform.
Do you get where I’m going with this?
We’ve had 9 people die from vaping; according to the Gun Violence Archive, we’ve had 10,976 deaths due to gun violence this year alone.
The median age of the vaping victims is 19; gun violence does not discriminate either:
• Number of Children (ages 0-11) Killed or Injured 514
• Number of Teens (ages 12-17) Killed or Injured 2,272
Do you see the irony here?
Vaping does not seem to be as important of an epidemic as death by gun violence. I’m not saying it shouldn’t be regulated or looked into, but it should not be priority #1.
There has been over 200 hospitalized during the 10 years e-cigs have existed, 9 have died. We have had 310 mass shootings this year alone, and it’s only September!
Let’s clear the air. I’m not naïve, I’ve lived in areas that were hot beds for gang violence. I’ve lost many friends growing up to gun violence, I myself am a survivor of gang violence. So, yea I know the threat is real. I was just hoping I had a bit more time to guard this from my son.
Gun control is such a taboo subject.
Some of you might have stopped reading the minute I said “gun control”. I don’t understand why, I’m not trying to take your guns away. However, I don’t think you need to have a semi-automatic weapon to hunt. I do believe in stronger background checks, that are the same throughout all 50 states. None, of that legal purchase in one state but banned in your home state crap. We’ve seen so many home-grown terrorist jump state borders to buy weapons to later use them back home where they were banned from purchasing because they had stricter background checks.
We’ve had Democrats and Republicans in power. So, it’s not a party issue.
Maybe it is. Maybe it’s not. Most likely a dollar issue, though.
We seem to make it political when catastrophes strike, when there’s been another shooting. When more people are dead.
When another white guy goes out and demonstrates how much he hates the other and anyone else that he/they feel has wronged him/they.
It becomes extremely political then.
The way I’m writing about it, could be seen as political.
I just called out race. But let’s face it, race and class play a big role in our politics.
Race politics play a big role in everything, but particularly in how these individuals are perceived by both the public and the media. Needless to say tried by a Jury.
Now, wait…here come the “thoughts and prayers” from the Right. Now the Left is telling them where to shove those prayers and are demanding gun-law reform.
This goes on for a bit. Then we lose steam.
Leaving mourning families with the herculean task of trying to forgive but not forget.
Then 45 does something completely stupid or racist; both go hand in hand at this point, and we forget about our victims.
We spent so much time talking about the damn sharpie, do you think the people in the Bahamas even cared about the sharpie?
But again America, vaping is the crisis we are making a priority.
What are we doing?
Many said to boycott Walmart. Well, Walmart clapped back by banning their open-carry policy and will no longer be selling ammunition for military style weapons.
Colt, a gun manufacturer, has decided to stop making AR-15’s for consumers. These are the weapons that were used in many mass shootings: Las Vegas Music Festival, Sandy Hook Elementary School, and the Marjory Stoneman High School shooting. Will it hurt their bottom line? I don’t care. They’ve made enough money as it is.
Many of you might be saying, “Dude, wtf? Why the outrage now?” I don’t know, I just refuse to believe that this is going to be our new “normal.”
America, we have our priorities mixed up.
We, THE PEOPLE have stayed quiet for far too long.
Let’s get this clear: We are seeking impeachment because of the President’s phone call with Ukraine.
Not because we have children in cages at the border.
Not because these children have been mentally and physically abused.
Not because he has withheld aid to one of our “modern-day colonies”, Puerto Rico.
Not because his words incite hate and physical harm.
Not because he raped and groped women.
Not because he’s clearly rolling in the taxpayer’s money by staying at his own properties.
Not because he rigged an election.
Not because he has put this country’s security at risk several times.
We are all shades of fucked up America!
We should have gotten angry when he won.
We were shocked, some of you were hurt, but we weren’t angry enough.
Now we are dealing with the consequences, we got a clown in the White House who has turned our country into his own private circus.
We are:
Having to worry about exits when we just want to see the girl get the guy.
Worrying about gun violence in schools.
Getting scared, when we see sirens in our rear view mirror.
Getting equally as scared when we see large crowds of white men.
Walking a little faster past a house when we see a US flag waving carelessly in the wind.
Worrying a little more than usual when we see unmarked cars driving around brown neighborhoods.
Upset by how our country has lost its humanity and decency.
Embarrassed when we have to travel abroad and say “…yea, I know. I didn’t vote for him”
Worried that tomorrow, 45 and his cabinet might figure out another way to hurt the poor and colored people in the US.
I honestly don’t know where I’m going with this post. But I do know I’m going to vote, no doubt about that.
I will continue to sign petitions, support those that are bringing humanity and just plain common sense back to politics.
Continue to protest and march when I feel the need and urgency to do so.
I will continue to protest with my dollars against those businesses that use their corporate greed to lock kids up in cages, build prisons, and discriminate.
I will continue to stay vigilant and support those around me that need a hand, or a simple reminder that they are human and not alone.
I leave my mighty rant with one simple call to action, VOTE!
Make sure you are registered to VOTE!
Double and triple check you and your loved ones are registered to VOTE!
Go out and help people register to VOTE!
I will not apologize for this rant, but I do thank you for indulging me on this wild ride.
Until we meet again!
Voz y Vida™ 