Becoming a Better Nation

Part I: The Problem

A. Racism

As an American citizen, it would be easy to say we should encourage both unity and diversity, but, in truth, it is almost impossible to implement such a great idea. Our nation would be a utopian society if we could implement both global or nation-wide unity while keeping our citizen's diverse. Unfortunately, it's an oxymoron - like saying we're all alone together.

Part II: The Dream Answer

A. Utopia

We could always take each individual aside from all they knew and brainwash them into believing that everyone was created equal, allow 10 year olds to vote just the same as 90 year olds and 45 year olds, and create family units of "brothers" and "sisters" who are of all different ethnicities. Then our nation would have both unity and diversity!! We could erase all those years of slavery, deception, and racism by never thinking of it again! Wow. Wouldn't that be lovely??

Unfortunately, we don't live in dreams. You see, even if we were able to rob citizens of their United States' freedoms and brainwash them, still our nation would have our racists, and we'd lack both unity and diversity coexisting as one. Racism is the reason we cannot have diversity and unity. Now this is because of the meaning of this word "racism."

Part III: Racism

A. Opinions

Now, let's think of this logically: What is racism? Now when we want to find this out, duh, we go to the dictionary - and what more famous than our trusty (and dusty, in my case) "Webster's Dictionary"?

"Rac * ism (rā Ò' siz Ò' em) n. ... 2 Any program or practice of racial discrimination, segregation, etc. based on such beliefs - rac Ò' ist n., adj."

The main word in this definition is the word "beliefs." A belief is not based on a fact; it's based on a personal opinion. How can you make everyone not have personal opinions? By brainwashing them? Racism never ends. Therein lies our problem with full unity.

Part III: Racism

B. Expression(s)

We all look different, but how do we feel different? By expressing ourselves. Some people are racist; some people are creative. Everyone has their own way of being themselves - and this is what makes the world diverse. No one is exactly like his or her best friend, neighbor, spouse, or even one of his or her parental units. So, why even try to end racism and unite the world, or, at the very least, our nation? There is no point in doing so, because if you take away our choice to be racist, you take away our freedoms as a United States citizen. We lose our individuality.

Part IV: Different Views

Outsiders Of America

Our nation has always been looked at as perfect - or, rather, we see ourselves as perfect. This is not to say that all American citizens think America is perfect, it's more so the way the government wants the world and history books to remember this nation. This is the outfit we try to wear. Perfection. This is so unrealistic and ugly deep down inside. We call ourselves "The United States." Our founding fathers fought for our freedoms. They fought for equality. Martin Luther King Jr. was even one of our "prominent figures" in our American history. We show ourselves as united, proud, diverse, equal, and free. Yet, we have not lived up to the outfit we wear, we lack