When I say \u201cAmerican history,\u201d what do you think of? What people or events come to mind? If you had to choose one word to describe your impression of our nation\u2019s history thus far, what would it be? I wonder what our campus\u2019 answers would look like. I imagine one of the top answers would be \u201cfreedom.\u201d Maybe \u201cproud.\u201d Others would surely take a different approach, with words like \u201cshameful\u201d or \u201coppressive.\u201d I think it is safe to assume that we would not all be in agreement. So who\u2019s right? Or at least, who\u2019s more right? We are 244 years into this American experiment; so, in 2020, what\u2019s the verdict?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The answer is it\u2019s complicated. Yes, I know that\u2019s a cop out, but that\u2019s the best answer we\u2019ve got. It\u2019s not a spicy or inspiring answer, but the truth often isn\u2019t. It is tempting to ignore the nuance of our history and instead embrace a one-sided, washed-over view of American history. This is dangerous and must be avoided. We can\u2019t even begin to discuss where we are as a country and where we should be heading if we don\u2019t even know how we got here. In order to properly recognize the context of the current state of our nation, we have to be honest about our nation\u2019s past. We must do the best we can to set aside all biases or agendas and evaluate our history from the perspective of an objective observer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I believe that when you approach our history in this way, you will see many great triumphs and successes that we should take pride in. Our nation was founded on principles of liberty and freedom that offer Americans incredible empowerment and opportunity. Our destiny lies in the hands of the people, not a tyrant. In many ways, Americans have used this responsibility in admirable ways that have been of great benefit to the world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the story does not end there. The voices of the privileged sing the praises of our forefathers, while the cries of the oppressed often fall on deaf ears and are seldom recorded on the pages of history. Ideas of evil and hatred have tragically found a comfortable home in America since our country\u2019s conception. It would be impossible for me to list every group that has been systemically oppressed and discriminated against in America. It is a sad fact that those in power have often used lies to justify why certain groups of people are undeserving of the rights afforded to \u201ctrue Americans.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Both sides of America are true and must be acknowledged. We should take pride in our nation\u2019s crowning achievements, and our hearts should break at our nation\u2019s unspeakable tragedies. We have to see both. However, many people today refuse to see both. It saddens me to see people attack one another from polarized positions on this subject. It is the job of the responsible American to instead speak truth and lift every voice from our history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Looking forward, I have great hope for our future. I think our nation\u2019s most important function is the ability to keep moving forward. Our institutions have time and time again struck down oppressive systems of the past and opened up new avenues of freedom for future generations. Laws do that. Government can work. That is an American tradition we can rally behind. But to move further along the path towards fully realizing the founding principles of our nation for all people, we have to first be honest about where we come from. And, to make a long story short, it\u2019s complicated.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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