Our discussion today really made me wonder what is taking so long for Americans to change our way of thinking. I cannot understand why everything has to happen in such small doses.
For example, Puerto Ricans were granted the possibility of citizenship in 1917. Native Americans did not have the same opportunity until 1924. Same with African Americans. And we are STILL fighting Mexican imigration. Why is this such a slow process? Either we are a country that chooses to accept multiple cultures or we are not.
I've been thinking about this in other terms too. The legalization of gay marriage seems crazy to me because I can't believe it is still even an issue. We are a country that claims we do not discriminate yet we are telling people they can't get married because of their sexual orientation. Is that not discrimination? We are a country that allows for religious freedom. So why are there policymakers citing the bible as evidence that gay marriage is "wrong"?
Americans are very hypocritical. There is always a huge divide between what we say we believe and what we do. We pick and choose too much. If we say all men are created equal, let's treat all men equally.
I believe the end goal is that we are a country that chooses to be multicultural. Now, let's get there!
First off, love the title of the post. Second, you bring up such an interesting point with citing the Bible as a means to prove gay marriage as "wrong". It really is unbelievable that we've made a trail in our history that is so tainted by hypocrisy and pure brutality (both mental and physical). It's actually really confusing when you push past the surface - our country really does hide the truth. We claim so many different "GREAT'S" about our country, yet at the root of it all, we are barbaric, unsympathetic, and cruel. Considering the fact that we have published articles and even TEXTBOOKS (so they are being taught in schools) that divulge this cruelty and enlightens about the way we should move to squash discrimination, I don't know how we aren't embarrassed to make drastic moves to change the way we do things. We need to stop fighting the urge to make this country perfect by keeping people out and changing who they are at the root of it all and need to start working to accept difference as a good thing.
ReplyDeleteWhoa. Whoa. Whoa. "...barbaric, unsympathetic, and cruel?" Those are some harsh terms to use as general descriptors of the "great" country we all live in. We are certainly a flawed nation, there is no denying that, but think about the people in your hometown, the people in this class -- would you describe them as "barbaric, unsympathetic, and cruel?" This book does a fantastic job of making us think outside of the box we are comfortable in and our class discussions raise important issues that are certainly worthy of discussion, however; we must not confuse thinking critically with carrying the guilt of all the flaws our country has made or continue to make.
ReplyDeleteWe can make changes to things we do not like in our own lives and classrooms. We can vote, protest, and exercise every right our Founding Fathers provided for us for precisely these moments where were are unhappy "with the system."
ReplyDelete"Never doubt that a small, group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
Gay marriage is a no-brainer to me, and many friends of mine. Give it a couple years.
ReplyDeleteThe problem is the two-party system. Both parties are afraid to change their platforms, due to fear of losing votes. Individually, it is easy to influence people to see the other argument. Collectively, people listen to the crowd, which is afraid to take any ideological risks.
I think we need a 3rd party candidate to show up to the debates. They'd make a foolery out of the two parties. Change takes much longer when there are only two parties in control of it.