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In the face of violence we must remain strong. 

Last Wednesday Oct 25 a terrible tragedy took place in Lewiston ME. 18 people lost their lives when shot by a man with an assault rifle, who then took his own life. This senseless act of violence has shattered the lives of many. The grief continues to ripple through Maine’s communities across the state and will for generations. We mourn these lives lost. 

These types of attacks are carried out on a daily basis here in the United States. Our country has become known for sending our kids to school with bullet proof backpacks. We’ve become so desensitized to these shocking displays of destruction but never think it could be us in the line of fire. The shootings in Lewiston are a wake up call to us all. The illusion of safety is being cracked open for us to see. We live in a death machine and we are all only one wrong place at the wrong time away from being cranked through it. It’s fed by the cycle of colonial violence that was brought here long ago. 

The systemic cycle of violence lives everywhere in America. From the way we are raised as children, how we are treated by romantic partners, how we’re treated at work. Colonial violence plays out when you sell your labor to afford basic human necessities and to access basic human rights. With the widespread use of social media we are now able to see in real time the effects of colonialism as they play out in our everyday lives. We are seeing what’s behind the curtain.

There are lawmakers that make it their business to make sure the death machine keeps operating. There are politicians responsible for keeping flimsy laws fragile when they should be fortified. There is more at play when it comes to senseless violence. There is always a root cause where symptoms pop up. Senseless violence is a symptom of a much bigger problem. Colonialism is a root cause of many of the worlds symptoms of injustice taking place around the globe.

We must keep room in our hearts to hold this deep pain of grief. Being crushed by the weight of it is easy to do. But we must remain strong. We must find a way to make room to hold onto each other in solidarity. We must never forget to call on each other for strength in times of despair. 

We must continue to keep Gaza and Palestine in our hearts and minds as we move together towards a world without the horrific violence we are bearing witness to on a daily basis. There is an end to all this. We must continue to ask our leadership to stand in solidarity with Palestine as they do with the victims and families of Lewiston ME. In the movement for freedom from oppression there is always room for solidarity. 

Free Palestine ��