Looking Back to Move Ahead

Image via Clipart Library

America is flawed. No one can deny that fact. Last year when the Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests occurred, it almost seemed like the movement cropped up overnight. That is far from the truth. BLM has a long history beginning much earlier than 2020, due to our country’s faults. The reality of America is that many of our government systems are flawed, and offensive and hurtful biases are deeply ingrained in the people who oversee them. These truths are what allow things like the storming of Capitol Hill on January 6th, 2021 in Washington, D.C. to happen.

What happened that day was horrifying on so many levels, and really demonstrated the stark contrast between the way different groups of people are treated. It is awful that our country is in a state that allowed that to happen. And it is terrifying to think that something similar may happen in the next few weeks as the office of the President transitions.

January 6th serves as a reminder of all the work that still needs to be done. We have had an African American president, we will soon have a mixed-race female vice president, and we have more people of color and those that are LGBTQ+ in office than ever before. That is no excuse to stop calling for improvement, however. We still need to push these government officials into deconstructing prejudiced systems and putting into place new ones that truly respect and care for all American citizens. The work does not end now, nor anytime in the near future.

Politics is not for everyone, I myself barely understand it and spend little time thinking about it. But I cannot allow myself to ignore the issues, and neither should you. Do your part; sign petitions, write letters, attend peaceful protests, create artwork, whatever you can do. The work will not be done in a day, so our actions now must inspire those who come after us. No action is too small.