Today is September 11, 2025. A tragic day that unfolded in America on September 11, 2001, became a source of unity throughout the country over the years. A day that people appreciated the unity of America, our troops and the sacrifice Americans made for something bigger than themselves. A sacrifice no one deserved to make, but everyone recognized. For the last twenty-three years, I’ve seen countless tributes to 9/11 and the unity that it brought America. On that day, it didn’t matter if your views were different, or who you disagreed with. Everyone agreed that America didn’t deserve to be attacked, and we could come together as a nation when it really mattered most.

This year, I didn’t see unity across America. In the weeks leading up to 9/11, I saw the news that a young Ukrainian refugee, who came here to be safe, got killed. This was an unprovoked public murder that was recorded on security footage, ultimately no one could help her. There are so many views of this video, but did anyone think to take it down? Did anyone think her family, that is already suffering because their country is under attack, can see this? Why are my videos of my dog on TikTok “under review” before they’re getting posted, but murder is okay for consumer consumption? Rest in peace, Iryna Zarutska. I am so sorry that America couldn’t keep her safe.

The day before 9/11, I saw a political activist get shot while scrolling through my feed. Charlie Kirk died shortly after that gunshot wound. Two murders in a few weeks’ time that are taking over the internet. Viewing murders in real time is not meant for entertainment. I understand that social media expression is free speech, but a video of a live murder, I don’t think, falls under that category.

The human soul wasn’t built to view a murder in the middle of the day and scroll onto the next video as if nothing happened. We are creatures of connection and warmth. We are not meant to be cold, calculated and unaffected. I looked up an article “What Makes Us Human” Dr. Robert Brooks (2023), clinical psychologist. He dives into the five most important qualities: consciousness, empathy, creativity, resilience, and the pursuit of meaning and purpose.

I found this interesting because on September 11th this year, I didn’t see many posts of remembrance, resiliency, unity, love or appreciation.

I saw many talking about the murderous videos online. I saw many posts about how Charlie Kirk deserved to die. Regardless of political beliefs, the ability to show such hatred for another person immediately after watching a video of his murder shows a lack of humanity. It certainly doesn’t show consciousness with so many messages of widespread anger rather than reason. I didn’t see the empathy for his wife and two young children, who will grow old without him, and are exposed to watching his murder on their suggested reels. Creativity didn’t cross my mind when I saw people staying in the mindset of us vs them, left vs right rather than “let’s unite.” Resiliency was nowhere to be seen when the arguments online suggested that everyone is falling apart at the seams. This certainly doesn’t illustrate the pursuit of meaning and purpose, unless the meaning and purpose presented is to be filled with rage. Let’s identify the enemies as the murderers of Charlie Kirk and Iryna Zarutska instead of each other.

I am not someone who is making a political statement. I am not someone who agreed with everything Charlie Kirk said or knew Iryna Zarutska personally. I am someone who is concerned with the lack of humanity being replaced by insanity within the human race. I am much more interested in the works of the soul than I am in politics. This feels heavy and sinister. It feels wrong that it is available for anyone to watch these two murders on the internet, and probably many more that simply didn’t get the attention that these two got. We watch videos online as entertainment or education. A horror movie in reality is unfolding in front of humanity. I write to ask, which side of humanity do you want to be on?

When we’re all on our deathbeds, I don’t think the question of Democrat vs Republican is going to cross our minds. I think what will matter to most of us, is how much love we had in our lives. Lead with love in a world that is trying so hard to make evil stay prevalent. As September 11th comes to an end, I wanted to take the time to remember everyone that was affected by 9/11, to everyone who lost their lives that day, lost someone they loved, or still carries the scars from that tragedy with them today. You are not alone.