And we thought we’d seen it all this year.

Your voice means the world. Don’t let the cynicism of others stifle it. (RLBolton, Creative Commons)

The year-long dispute over George Zimmerman following the shooting of Trayvon Martin, 26 dead at Sandy Hook Elementary School, and three dead and 264 injured at the Boston Marathon. It just couldn’t end there.

On Monday September 16, Aaron Alexis opened fire at the Washington Navy Yard in our nation’s capital, shooting and killing 12 and wounding eight. Regardless of Alexis’s motivation or mental state, Americans were shaken by this tragedy. 

As Americans, we like to think of our nation as a model for those around us; after all, we are the land of the free and the home of the brave. So when tragedies like these hit us, it’s natural to be stunned. 

For the past few weeks, we’ve exhausted our media coverage, assailed our government with an influx of opinions and deliberated over and over again about the use of chemical weapons in Syria. The difference was those horrors, as incomprehensible as they were, happened thousands of miles away. From the protection of our sea to shining sea, we stood back as a witness. 

But our nation is far from so-called perfection; we are equally as prone to violence, devastation and destruction as the next country.  

However, we cannot lose sight. We must remain vigilant in the face of danger. 

President Franklin D. Roosevelt, in his 1932 inaugural address, famously said, “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” While the societal implications of that period differ from those of today, the message is as relevant as ever: we must not live a life of fear. Rather, as fear hinders action and progression, we should live in spite of fear.

It’s possible, though, that we can make mistakes. 

It’s possible that a military air strike on Syria may not be the best course of action, as it has been put on hold for now. It’s possible that while we may not want to be the “world’s policeman,” according to President Barack Obama, intervention may cause us to fall into that trap. 

Worst of all, it’s possible that we can be back in war again after having barely brushed the dirt off our boots from Iraq.  

However, we cannot let a list of endless ‘what-ifs’ and ‘possibilities’ make us indifferent. We cannot let fear compel us to shut out the world and throw ourselves into ignorance. We cannot let tragedy weaken us to the point of emotional detachment. 

If you disagree with militarily striking Syria then spam your Facebook, tweet about it, write a letter to your congressman or rather the President, sign a petition, do something.  

The call for gun reform has been resurfacing, as major corporations like Starbucks have broadcasted their views on the issue. 

If you have an opinion, share it. 

We are so privileged in having free speech; so much so that many of us couldn’t even imagine a life without one.

Your voice means the world. Don’t let the cynicism of others stifle it.

Reach Contributor Nika Shahery here; follow her here.