What America Has Taught Me

*The views/opinions presented in this article does not reflect those of the HonorSociety.org*

America has caught my attention and at times I wonder what that could mean. You see, throughout time, there has been a saying that pops up every now and again: America is the greatest. While I would like to comment in agreeance, I find it difficult.

In school, we are required to take American History, it’s not something we can choose or dwell on. We’re required to learn the history, learn the ‘facts,’ learn some of the truths. Unfortunately, it takes until getting into college to often hear the full stories or what’s left of them. Even now most people, if asked, have no idea what the Native Americans, a peoples violated of their homeland, are doing today? What they are specifically enduring now, how much they need to climb to be noticed. No, we often stop at what we learn in history books and classes and call it a day. This ‘great’ nation was built off of their peoples’ murders, but there isn’t even anyone around to say “sorry.” Perhaps one day it may come to pass.

That leads me to the integrating of different peoples on this land. For decades we’ve been called the melting pot in compliance to the various religions and ethnicities we hold and though that could be considered a good quality, it hasn’t been fully achieved. Sadly, the ideal of minimum acceptance has floated around America from the moment it was born. Melanin is not only used to describe one’s dominance over another but also condemns those who are not born with the preferred societal shade. We divide each other by mere arguments off whose religion is more powerful, the domination of Christianity usually being a core focus. Women still march for equality and genders are displayed as an unsolved jigsaw puzzles to the public. To be American is often solely served as those who were born primarily in America and not those who have made a home here. We shelter underneath the words, “you are not like me,” while wishing and hoping that things can change.

Yes we share freedom, but with limits.

There’s a quote from a recent novel called Under the Udala Trees by Chinelo Okparanta that I enjoy: “not everyone wants to hear the continuous destruction of their country.” America was an ideal dream that more quickly than wanted, got turned into a flawed blueprint cast out among neighboring peoples who too wanted a better life or heard of one here, but was soon deceived by the talk that money paved every street and jobs were always unlimited.  Instead, they were brought to a place with not even enough space to occupy their luggage and people ready to cast out those that who were different in any aspect. But these immigrants, slaves, wanderers, they still worked hard. They worked hard for their family at the time and for the generation that was to come and I don’t think people really forgot this, the sacrifices their ancestors made. For some, it screams in their ears, echoing throughout the day, for others, they’ve learned to tune it out. As a result, we’re faced every day with the judge-mentality cast on by social media, integrated from society.

Perhaps this is why the term, ‘America is the greatest,’ never uttered from my lips. In all reality, it never was. It was once an opportunity to really make a change for the better. Unfortunately, like some opportunities, it was looked over, but often more than not, opportunities have a way of resurfacing. In the last two to three years I’ve seen more people stand up for what’s right than ever portrayed in history books. I’ve seen more people come together and battle for actual freedom, people taking to light the corrupt justice system, people giving other people the chance to be recognized. I’ve seen people fight back, look up, and feel worthy of being themselves. Yes, it’s true. Like many things, America has a lot of growing up to do. No, the creation of America wasn’t executed well, in terms of slavery and the murdering of native peoples, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to change. I am a questioner of all things impossible and believer that anything is possible and while, at times, the emergence of a better America may deem incomprehensible to a lot of people, we should stay optimistic. We have to. Because if we don’t, then things will surely stay exact; a continuous and repetitive history. So, what has America taught me? That hoping isn’t an impaired form of emotion that originates from a mind that seeks the impossible. Hoping insures possibility.