I don’t care what party you’re for or what president you hate or don’t hate; or if you think addiction is a choice or a disease.

What I care about is the innocent victims in THIS COUNTRY who have their lives shattered over a widening epidemic that continues to spread throughout our society. We still have the Judge Judys turning their heads saying “Not my family- We’re too talented, rich, smart, etc. This doesn’t affect me. I taught them better”

Then we continue to have Big Pharma promoting new drugs to fight the old ones, ATF & drug cartels “likely” bribing each other. Police forces possibly funding their own drug problem for “job security.”
Not to mention the many money and drug launderers who seemingly run businesses and are the pillars of their communities but are benefiting from this epidemic.

If you don’t believe this is happening you will soon. Recovery.org states that 1 in 3 Americans have been harmed by others’ addictions. Recent exposure has shown a light into the darkness of trafficking and addiction.

Meanwhile, a thousand tears are being cried, people living in broken down trucks or in trap houses because they’re too ashamed to get help. Kids on father’s day wondering why they aren’t important enough to win over a demon enslaved brain who’s been hijacked to think it only needs that evil drug to survive. (Which it does to a point).

I care about people wanting help and being told that the treatment is 15- 30 k a month with the recommended time being 3-6 months. Only movie stars can afford that. The others have to scrimmage around getting any morsel of help for their shattered lives that they can all while being pressured and legally bullied to pay fines etc immediately.

No money for lawyers, to fight for basic human needs, for the layman to understand his rights.
No money to give to a little child to tell them it’s not their fault but it IS in their genes and also “Hey by the way, you are going to need years of self-awareness to make sure the illness doesn’t repeat.”

Meanwhile, we all suffer as a society. We wonder why people steal, why the mentally ill are hanging around our neighborhoods, why families are dysfunctional and hurting in deep deep pain, often silent pain.

There seems to be only room in this world for the wealthy, the devious, or endless useless political arguments that we usually have no say in.

I deeply respect freedom. I respect those who fought for our rights and those who lost their lives for their country. I even respect that my son and others did have the freedom to choose a stress and pain relief those first times of using. I have come to understand that their choice was quickly taken away once they became addicted and caught in the snares of all that addiction to entails. 

I hope we can try to remember the ones who didn’t traditionally celebrate the 4th of July.

Likely because they didn’t have the typical freedom most of us do. Being enslaved in a disorder that offers no winners is not freedom. Being stuck in this same loop of feeding the monkey on your back like any other day of the year yet having just enough mental illness not to believe they have other options.

I hope today we can decide to not argue and spread hate and vitriol in the genre of the political climate. I hope we can turn anger into enlightenment and compassion. This can’t be done by attacking and creating more strife.

I hope today we can remember the one who didn’t get a red, white and blue snowcone or have a roasted hot dog. They didn’t watch the fireworks with a cozy blanket around them surrounded by their family.

Yes, it may be “their own fault” but how cruel is that? How does that help solve a huge problem? Telling them they need to figure it out didn’t stop the 8-14 thousand homeless who live on the streets with my son.

Today on this after-holiday, let’s help not hurt. Call someone affected by addiction and tell them you are thinking of them. Call someone struggling and ask them if you can buy them lunch.

Have a blessed day