Proud to Be An American..

Yesterday, I had a simple and friendly discussion with my relative discussing a sudden topic of a question of racism in the U.S.A. Even though this topic is serious, it later on built up to be a question of philosophy and inner thinking. I would kindly say that I learned a lot from my own words. At the topic of racism, she presented me with an article in the news about a group of  Americans writing on a Sikh temple's walls. Her statement was accurate; however, my own words were streaming out of my mouth, not because I was mad, but because I had pride for my nation, The United States of America. I felt very happy and relieved afterwards because it was the first time I told a few people my own thoughts for more than five minutes.

After my relative told me about this issue, I replied saying that each and every country has its good pros and horrible yet important issues. Clearing my mind's wishes to tell everyone my thoughts, I then described the women rights issue in the Middle East, the Muslim-Indian problem in India, and child abuse in China. Moreover, I covered a topic of people, simply just people. Some groups of people in the past and even in the present are horrifyingly cruel, but most people in every single country share their love and true affection in beautiful unique ways. For example, when my art teacher assigns us projects relating of every religion, she describes them all so beautifully, complimenting their beliefs or customs. However, I encountered a mean woman in a July 4th parade, celebrating the United States' independence. She told my dad to get out of the way, calling us rude and shouting. It was difficult to ignore her at first, but then thinking positively, I told myself to treasure the wonderful people God allows us to meet as well as getting through the cruel ones. The fact of having both kind and terrible people is what makes a nation a nation, a United nation. America is not called "America"; it is called The United States of America. =)

My relative was curious about discrimination during the Civil War, when African Americans were slaves in mainly Southern America. I told her that there were non-African protesters against slavery, including Abraham Lincoln, Bishop Asbury, Mary Lloyd, and William Legge. Additionally, the past remains the past, and every day our country improves as an independent nation. Yes, people did cruel things including mistreating Jews and putting the nations Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia in labor camps, but now we have equality in people and this will still improve in future generations.

Racism is an illusion. If we think about it, it will surely happen and affect our minds. However, ultimately people are people and God created them in this universe to have both love and meaning, not to discriminate others. As every country has  its unique trait, the United States is a country open to people from around the globe, everlasting from the year it got independent, 1776.

                                         

(This song was playing in my mind while I was writing 

this post.... hehe. enjoy)