Should Not Take Tragedies to Unite the Country
With the rise of White nationalism and the divisive presidency of Donald Trump, race relations and community relations seem at an all-time low.
Nevertheless, disasters (natural or man-made) seem to bring people together despite the destruction that occurs.
From the deadly massacre Sunday night in Las Vegas to Hurricanes Harvey and Katrina to Sept. 11, when disasters occur people forget racial differences and other differences and come together to get through the hardships of life.
However, it should not take such occurrences to remind people that we all belong to the human race and divisiveness is pure ignorance.
During the mass murders in Las Vegas and recent hurricanes, people of all backgrounds came together from everywhere just to help their fellow man.
Young people rescued old people and vice versa.
Believers rescued non-believers and vice versa.
Poor people rescued rich people and vice versa.
And Black people rescued White people and vice versa.
The disasters showed people what truly mattered and that is human life.
That unity showed that it is true that after a dark day comes a brighter tomorrow.
While many people blame God for devastating natural disasters like hurricanes, contemplating how a loving God can cause so much pain, maybe God uses tragedy to bring people together and end the divisiveness of racism, sexism and religious discrimination.
Weeks before Hurricane Harvey brought the whole country together, the whole nation seemed to be at odds because of the violent White nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va.
While the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11 happened as an attempt by Muslim extremists to break the resolve of Americans, it created more unity, more strength and more patriotism.
After every tragedy, from Hurricanes Maria, Harvey and Irma, Americans simply became Americans.
Strangers opened their homes for stranded residents.
Neighbors became friends and strangers became like family.
But it should not take tragedy to bring people together.
The fact that it takes such tragedy to bring people together might explain why God lets bad things like natural disasters happen.
God might let bad things happen because people cannot get it right when things are going well.
Arrogance and selfishness might just be human nature for many, and God has to bring tragedy to show people what is really important.
Many people refuse to humble themselves and help their fellow man because innate arrogance makes many think of only themselves most of the time.
People often only treasure material things until all of their material possessions are washed away.
People often think that they are invincible because they possess a college education, a good job and a nice house.
Often people only realize those things cannot protect them until they lose the house and the job.
If people understood what was really important in life from the get-go, then maybe God would not need tragedies to teach us a lesson.
Therefore, let’s not wait until the next tragedy to come together and unite.
Let’s stay united during the good times too.
Let’s not wait until our homes are lost to foreclosure or flooding to realize that all of our material blessings can be taken away in a New York minute.
Let’s do it right, so we do not have to get right.
