Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and normally I’m pumped for it. I’m not in a relationship, but love is always worth celebrating, and I have plenty of loved ones to celebrate.

Unfortunately, I’m feeling very little love for my fellow Americans this year. A slew of racist scandals in the last few months has given me little hope that our country can ever accept other cultures. Now, thanks to a Coke commercial during the Super Bowl last week, Americans are once again letting their red, white and blue hate flags fly. So throw out your cheap flowers and stale candy, folks. There’s no room for love in a country fueled by so much ignorance and hate.

By now you’ve heard all about the commercial, which features “America the Beautiful” being sung in several different languages while smiling people of various cultures flash by. It’s clearly meant to represent how multiculturalism is redefining exactly what makes America beautiful. But some Americans seem to think that the commercial is disrespectful and, judging by the colorful language exhibited in their tweets and online comments, they’re pretty angry about it.

“Absolutely disgusting,” said a Youtube user who goes by the name Mike Hawk. “You do realize multiculturalism leads to race mixing and that’s unhealthy, right? …When hybrids mix with other hybrids they have health problems.” He then goes on to bemoan the impending “downfall of the west.” Even better than Hawk’s comment is the one by Michael Hall that reads, “This is our America. Not the foreigners’ America! And I agree, English only!”

I could go on for pages and pages about the sheer hypocrisy of Americans knocking foreign languages, considering our country was only founded after the forced assimilation and genocide of non-English speaking Native Americans, but I’ll save you the argument you’ve no doubt heard before. The point I want to make is that America is suffering from a severe shortage of love, and with Valentine’s Day so close, it’s time for us to take stock of our supply and work on multiplying it before it’s too late.

Between Arizona State’s MLK “Black” party (where white students mocked black culture by drinking alcohol from watermelon rinds and flashing gang signs) and the University of Illinois’ racist, sexist backlash toward Asian-American Chancellor Phyllis Wise (“Communist China no stop by cold” and “Asians and women aren’t responsible for their actions” followed by the hashtag #F*ckPhyllis were among the tweets aimed at her decision to keep schools open during harsh winter weather) I think it’s safe to say that tolerance in 2014 is off to a great start.

My hope with this editorial is that, as the next generation of voters, politicians and all-around human beings, Tarleton students will open their eyes to the world outside of white, English speaking Americans. We are blessed to live in a country where freedom reigns, and instead of extending that blessing to others, we continually shut them out.

Tarleton could be a voice in this outcry. We could use our education and intelligence to create a more welcoming, loving America. Instead of fearing those who are different, let’s try loving them.

Maybe then we’d have something to celebrate.