I reject your reality, and substitute my own.

The U.S. of A.

In response to discussions from my Multicultural America Class, which will be elaborated further on.

I'll be the first to admit. Our country isn't perfect. It was based on perfect ideals, but, as human nature goes, things fell through. People fell victim to racism, prejudice, and vast discrimination. Japanese were placed in Internment camps, Blacks were lynched, Native Americans were placed in Reservations, and even many whites fell victim to their own ignorance.

However, I think it is completely unfair for someone to say that America is a terrible country, that we don't believe in freedom anymore, or that "if so-and-so is elected President, I'm moving to Canada". We're a country based on freedom, and we've still got it. It's repressed in some areas, but it's still there.

Where else are you going to be able to speak out against the government in such a fashion? I've lived overseas for over half my life, so much of my experiences are first hand. In Malaysia, the government has become increasingly afraid of people's outspoken beliefs, a freedom of speech that is so widely exercised in this
country. The G-men have jailed political activists, and the Federally-supported newspaper sued a blogger for slander, in reaction to unfavorable posts towards their articles. One government official is even suggesting that Malaysia-based bloggers should have to register, putting their content to the subject of filters that can
remove anything deemed "un-print-worthy". With MySpace, Facebook, Blogger, Xanga, and many more, there is an unlimited amount of resources for us, Americans, to speak out not only against our country, but against any country in the world. And we're not being pulled out of our homes by the police while we're at it.

Freedom of religion? That's a heavy argument. Supposedly, religion is oppressed throughout this country, with society blocking out beliefs that aren't widely accepted. This may be true, that society is not completely open sometimes. But when has this ever not been true? Has there ever been a people that was so widely accepting of everything different from themselves, with absolutely no prejudice towards them? There is no such record in history, I guarantee it. Sure, Islamics and
Buddhists are not that widely represented in the United States, at least not in the favorable light that other beliefs are. But if you practice Christianity in certain parts of China, you'll go to jail for it. Pastors are being beat up. In parts of the Former Soviet Union, Islamics or Christians face much more prejudice than any sort that we experience here. Be happy with the bowl of soup you've got, cuz ain't
nobody gonna give you the ladle.

One more note on the topic of religion. I believe one of the rules that we suggested for the "safety for classroom discussion" was to argue points, not people? To single out a certain culture or people as "f****d up and selfish" certainly seems like the very prejudice that our class is preaching against. It's not worth it, really.

History is to be learned from, so not as to be repeated. However, History should never be resented, either. Because of a man's mistake two hundred years ago, we suddenly find ourselves justified to declare him completely and morally bankrupt, with no place in being a hero of our country. But history is what it is, the past. Don't hate it. It's made our country what it is today. And I'm pretty sure the people that decided that Andrew Jackson would be on the $20 bill were fairly educated people, and aware that he was responsible for the Indian Wars. He's still a war hero, even though he did bad things. He saved us from the British during the War of 1812. I'm pretty sure we don't say that America was prejudiced and racist towards England.

The United States of America is a proud nation, a nation that is said to protect and defend, to welcome and shelter, and to serve its people. It doesn't always do that, but that doesn't mean that we resent it for what it is. We praise it for trying, and praise it as the mother of over 300 million people. You don't like the way this country is run? You've got it better here than anywhere else in the world, I guarantee it. Nobody I knew moved to Canada after the last election.

thinkandrew

posted by Andrew @ 10:13 PM