Make America Great Again?
So it’s no longer great? And when do we consider it to be great? The 90s? The 80s? The 70s? A case can be made for each, as music was seemingly at its best in the 70s (Peak Queen and Peak Led Zeppelin). The 80s, during the Reagan years when seemingly anything was possible---and the random mix of films released during the decade is evidence of this. Could it be the 90s when the American economy and growth was at its absolute peak and America was easily considered the top nation in the planet? And on a less serious note let’s never forget the epic Nintendo/Sega showdown.
Republicans will whether avoid the Bill Clinton years or announce that it was because of Reagan, but the 90s is probably the time Donald Trump is referring to when speaking of a “Better America”. Sanctions against big business decreased significantly, free trade was increased dramatically because of NAFTA, and American consumerism was at its highest. New York City was the symbolism of 90s America, with Donald Trump’s empire having a fun time in a wildly free market devoid of rules and not providing a safe base when the economy crashes. New York City was the city to go if you want to get the ultimate taste of what the country is offering.
But it wasn’t great for everybody, even during the 80s/90s when it arguably had the highest percentage of Americans doing fine. But to claim that America was great in the past isn’t a fully accurate statement. And this is where everyone starts screaming because they can’t accept any type of criticism or shade thrown at their beloved nation. But hear me out: once you dig deeper you’ll see entire populations of people suffering and desperately striving for equality underneath all the success America was experiencing.
Back to the 90s. During Sex and the City, the prisons started filling up with minorities for minor crimes and for crimes they didn’t commit. During Seinfeld’s early years the largest state in the country was suffering from a rampant case of racist cops making life miserable for Blacks. During the Playstation’s rise, gays and lesbians were struggling to be socially accepted outside your larger cities.
What if America was considered great in the 50s after the war? During those years, Blacks were still considered inferior and weren’t allowed in certain restaurants, and certain cities entirely. Poor Muhammad Ali after winning the gold medal FOR America was kicked out of a restaurant in his own small town. And after his death, he is STILL getting criticism for skipping out on the Vietnam War, when we've had dozens of political leaders (and even a president) do the same thing. The point is: America is still a relatively young country, but declaring it great and always being great is a slightly selfish statement---and saying it needs to be “great’ again is nearly worse.
Today, this very day, this is the most open and accepting the law has been towards minorities, the GLAAD community, transgender, and everyone in general. Yet America’s racism levels has been steadily rising since Obama coming in to office, and has come out in droves to support Trump. So technically Peak America should be right now, since gay marriage is accepted, people have the option to live and work together in peace and harmony regardless of race, and because technology and economic opportunity should be at the highest level. America should be a Top 3 nation right now.
So if NOW America is not great, then it never has been great, because despite the success, despite the advancements, it’s all been done with inequality, rampant racism, prejudice, phobias, and fallouts from past atrocities around the corner. America nearly wiped out all Native Americans, made slavery legal for over a century, accepted the concept of segregation for another century, stole land from Mexico, refused to allow for women to vote and threatened them with death, and lastly took centuries to allow for everyone to marry and adopt. And don’t get me started on how much wealth the top 1% currently owns and will continue earning through loopholes they pay to take advantage of and we can’t keep afford to seek. And I am not here to pass any blame whatsoever, what I am saying is that the road leading up to what America currently is has some dark shadows and dark decisions.
Today, this very day, we should be great, and we’re not. Donald Trump, an obvious bigot and an obvious racist has a shot at the presidency. Barack Obama spent eight years trying to improve America but had racists in the White House denying his every decision----even some that would obviously help those in need. We have a candidate in Bernie Sanders simply trying to give free health care and free college to everyone, and its being met with waves of hatred. We have a sudden fear of the religion of Islam, even though some of our top political figures accepts money from terrorists in these same nations. Gun violence is insane, we have spellbinding rates of mass shootings, the drug wars with Mexico has been a silent killer, and worst of all we haven’t achieved the level of peace we are seeing in other countries like Canada. We should be closer to being like Germany, Canada, Finland, Japan, even England. We’re not there yet.
If America isn’t great now according to your eyes, then it was never great. If you are supporting Trump’s message, then you are silently sponsoring and reminiscing of a past that might appeal to you, but had been absolute horror for others in the same borders. Yes the United States remains one of the top superpowers in the world, and yes we are much better off here than most other nations. But we shouldn’t settle just because we are in the Top 20. The United States has a government structure, a population, a technology, and a deep entourage of resources that should allow for us to rise above the bigotry and ridiculousness and become the top country. It is 2016, racism should be all but evaporated from our system. It is 2016, why are businesses still getting away with not paying their taxes and putting their share?
When I say America has never been great, I’m representing the voices that had been shunned by modern day society. The reason I'm not leaving (yet) despite my criticisms about the country is that I have actually been blessed to be living in a state that is progressively accepting and has become an economic powerhouse. Florida might be the most bizarre state in the country, but our diversity, ability to maintain resources, and constant strives to technologically improve has allowed for us to be the top destination for Northeasterners and a top destination for Puerto Ricans escaping an island neglected by the United States for the past 4 decades. Trust me when I say this: Florida has some of the best towns and cities in all of America. Trust me.
But others living in the United States aren’t as lucky. Midwest is a mess, certain types of people to this day aren’t fully accepted in certain regions, and to this day some of my favorite people personally have been discriminated against and have dealt with racism. When you say Make America Great Again, you are striving for time periods that was unkind to many regardless of how successful you and your family may have been. When you say America is always great, you are denying the plethora of issues that other developed nations just don’t experience. When you say America is great now, you are being complacent and accepting of its status as among the best, when it should be the best.
Want to actually make America great? Accept she has problems that need fixing. Don’t settle. Keep improving, keep pushing to collectively be the best population in the world. Push to be more accepting of everyone despite background. Push, keep pushing. America is not perfect, and it may not be fully great, but it doesn’t mean she will never be great.
The beaches of Normandy weren’t breached to see an America that has a businessman that participated in the economic crashes of the 2000s leading the Republican vote. Millions of soldiers did not die for a country that still has pockets of regions hating Blacks and Hispanics. America will never be truly great until it’s equally great for everybody that lives within its borders.
Me saying America isn’t great is not an insult, it’s a challenge to all. Be good to one another. Be good to the environment. Be a good human being. Keep striving for greatness. Don't vote for hate, and each of you know who I am referring to.
Keep pushing for America to be in peak form; economically, morally, and socially. Do it for your neighbor, do it for those in the past that died for you, and do it for your future and the future of others.
Make America great, now.
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