Skip to content

“Know the Enemy” – Ethan Van Sice

13512125_1302846453062313_7771626145567197851_n (1)

Know the Enemy
By Ethan Van Sice

They called it the “deadliest act of terrorism we’ve seen since 9/11”, but apart from the resoundingly contrasted death tolls, one thing made these two events significantly different:
9/11 brought us closer together, and Orlando tore us apart.
Think about it. 49 lives were stolen in just over 7 minutes. We got a name, a cause, and an organization. But we still have no idea who the enemy is…
It was a bloody massacre; It was NOT a hit-and-run.
As Americans, all of you were victimized last week. So why is everyone testifying against different perpetrators?
Instead of collaborating, you nitpick and divide. You regurgitate the mindsets of your inner circles, NOT the patriotism between your outer coasts.
You neglect the Council podiums in your own hometowns, only to demand legal adjustments from an imaginary soapbox called Facebook. You share an “opinion” the way other people share a cold. You can’t follow the transaction from actual activism to true reform, so you exchange a flash video for “likes” and “comments”.
You’re not an American, you’re a DJ looping trendy ideologies.
You’re not an eagle, you’re a parrot.
The enemy’s name was Omar Mateen, but all you heard was ‘homophobe’.
The enemy’s claim was ISIS, but you could’ve sworn it was the NRA.
Because you suffer from a media-induced dyslexia…
You’re deafened by the static…
You’re blinded by the politics.
You must be. For you no longer see yourself in Red, White, and Blue;
Instead, you’re either blue or you’re red…
White or black.
Gay or straight.
You pick a side, you pick a fight. Just like you always do. You blame the gays, or the fornicators, or the lawbreakers. The guns, the racists, or the religious. Because you’re not an American, you’re a puppet.
It’s not “us against them”; it’s “me and my cohorts against anyone who thinks, loves, elects, or worships differently.”
You’re not a social activist, you’re a social terrorist.
And you picked the wrong fight.
The choice is yours, America. Will you let terror win? Will you let it purge, divide, and tear this great nation apart after pulling the wool over your eyes?
Sometimes, the most damaging effects of terrorism are not in the attack itself, but in the aftermath. Can’t you see that Omar Mateen attacked that day is now attacking itself. Diversity. Our differing opinions, individual lifestyles, and divided beliefs. They’re what make us true Americans. Don’t let them make us useless in times like these as well.
Stand up. Don’t become distracted by the senseless propaganda this tragedy has produced. You are not a billboard. Your Facebook page is not a campaign engine. Don’t fall into the media traps on the left or the right. Walk straight. For the true, American way can only be found on the narrow, middle ground.

Leave a Comment