I would like to begin this blog by stating that everything written here is my personal opinion. I have come to these opinions from my own personal observations, discussions and experiences. By writing my opinion I am not claiming it as truth for everyone, but this is my truth. The truth that I see.
It is easier to ignore the issues at hand and find ways to disprove there is a problem than it is to acknowledge that the system we use to run this country is broken.
The overwhelming anxiety that comes with not having the answers to fix this problem can cause great strife and unrest. However, feigning ignorance will only bring a false sense of momentary peace and cause the actual problem to gain momentum. It's like trying to hold a beachball underwater. Eventually, your arms will get tired and once you let go of the ball it will shoot to the sky. In the end, there are greater repercussions to not handling the issues head on. Change is not easy. Change has never been easy. There is a lot of subconscious fear to change, the fear of the unknown. The fear of not making the 'right' decision. But the only way to move forward is through change.
The past does not hold the answers to where we need to go, but we can use the knowledge from the past to build new answers for a better future. The answers lie in the future. We must keep looking ahead by using the foundation of our past to see farther.
We cannot keep doing what we've always done and expect a different outcome. That is the true definition of insanity. Stagnancy is a slow poison that is driving our country mad.
The sayings "make America great again" and "change we need" have the possibility to come together to fix the issues at hand. From observation however, the majority of these two sides are only seeing the negative aspect in each meaning. Many times when people see the term 'make America great again' among many other things, see a nostalgia to a time when America was not great for all of it's citizens. During that time a lot of American's were suffering. When they see this saying they are taken back to the past where a great number of people felt great suffering and atrocities. To them, America was never great. On the other hand, when some people see the term "change we need" they are confused because there has been change. From my observation, what they believe needs to change is drastically different from what others believe needs to change. This can happen when two different viewpoints collide and cannot see what the other sees because they are at different altitudes.
For many, the perception of 'make America great again' is America was never great for them in the first place because America wasn't great for all of it's citizens in the past. That same saying for many others reflects on a time when America was once revered as one of the greatest countries in the world. They want to have that title again feeling we have lost it.
The funny thing is, I'm sure every American wants our country to be revered as great! The simple fact of the matter is that in order to do so we must first make it great for its citizens. There are Americans who are suffering due to broken judicial systems, mass incarceration, systematic racism, economic and educational inhibitions, and more.
These are our citizens who carry some of the fractured pieces of our great country cutting them deep and the longer they carry those fractured pieces the deeper those cuts go. We have practically a whole race of people who have been crying out for help for so long that they can no longer handle the pain from these fractured pieces and this pain is turning into anger and resentment. Resentment for a system that consciously decides to turn a blind eye.
To go farther we must go together and right now there are communities that are being left in the broken pieces of our system. Then gaslighted that the issues they are experiencing are caused from their own actions and not from the inaction of our broken system.
In order to make America great 'again' we must stand for change. Together.
So, what does that change look like? The notion of standing together is great and all, but outside of it's innovative inspiration what does that look like? What happens when we can't agree on what change is needed? What parts of the system are broken? Where do we even start? How do we agree on where to start? Is there a right and wrong way of doing things?
There are so many questions. So many opinions, viewpoints, and experiences. Like I said, it can be overwhelming. Let's try to start by listening and empathizing. Truly listen to each other.
“Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men and women who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it.” -Muhammad Ali
Written by Kristina Darrah
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Good Stuff! Thanks for sharing.