I’ve recently seen plenty of my more left-leaning friends repeat protest phrases like “We’re better than this” and “This is not my America.”
Not only is this counter-productive to addressing critical issues that have plagued this nation since its conception, but it also is a false statement altogether.
We are not better than robbing the indigenous of their land; we are not better than enslaving fellow human beings; we are not better than abusing marginalized groups. This is our America.
We, as contributors to American society, have all had a hand in creating the current situation, whether indirectly or directly. If liberal individuals cannot realize that even they are complicit in the creation and development of this America, then they cannot effectively address the issues as they promise to do.
Thinking deeply and critically about one’s own involvement – the institutions that you benefit from, the histories that have led to your birth – in the development of modern America is crucial to enacting positive, inclusive change.
Nobody singlehandedly facilitated the election of such a president. However, we have all contributed, in some way, to the rise of a hateful, horrendous administration regardless, and we all have to admit it if we’re going to confront ingrained, longstanding prejudice not only within our society, but within ourselves.
