America

(Jada Palmer ’19)

I see so much hatred for those
who do not bow down to the
throne this country sits on.
Nowadays, the act of loving and
protecting those on whose backs
and land America was built
is equated to whining.

Accepting people for who they are
is somehow too difficult for this
heteronormative world – this world
that acts as if the restrictive and charged
labels are not a cage in a courtroom.

It becomes unbearable only to have thick skin
when hateful and racist words lead to actions.
It becomes unbearable only to have thick skin
when lives are taken and criminals in authority remain unpunished.

People like to think this country is based on morality
when, in reality, it is only based on power.
Whenever a fault in this country is brought to light,
my eyes are flooded with citizens demanding that
anyone who does not bow down to that throne
should leave because they do not breathe blind patriotism.

How can a country call itself great when it doesn’t bother
to fix the problems it does have because they are not
as bad as those faced in third world countries?
Why are those who have committed crimes deemed
untrue Americans, as if this country has Moral Authority?

Being sensitive to the long term effects of the oppression this country has perpetrated
is seen as asking for too much and being too emotional when ignorant people
disrespect different cultures, religions, and people, yet
as soon as someone says anything bad about this Almighty Country
it is deemed as Blasphemy as if America is God!

Saying that this arrogant, narcissistic country needs improvement, as all countries do,
is not an act of Disrespect to this undeserving country but an act of Love.
Somehow caring about the wellbeing of others has been equated to weakness.

Do not teach your children to expect love and respect from others if you believe that
saying whatever you want and expressing hatred should bear no consequences.
Do not teach your children that they will make the world a better place when they get older
when you deride disrupting the status quo as unnecessary and too tedious.

Instead, teach your children that caring for others and wanting to make social and structural improvements is equated to fragility and ungratefulness toward this country.
Instead, teach your children that America is the Almighty One and they must bow down to it
no matter what evil it does to itself and other lands.
Instead, teach your children that America is Great and that it will only become Greater if they ignore every ounce of evil perpetrated by it, because power and success are more important than Love.