Dear America (and even the rest of the world),
Let's start by clearing the air. I promise that this will not be about politics. Therefore, you can keep reading. I feel like our country has not only become very divided, but we have started to spread more hate instead of love. Why have we done this to ourselves? I ask myself this question almost everyday. As many times as I have asked myself that question, I cannot find the correct answer. However, I may have come up with a few solutions that might be able to help us to get back on the right track.
1. Make America "Great" Again: Stop the cyberbullying
Social media is supposed to be a positive outlet for people to connect with one another all around the world. Yet, we have turned it into what seems like a competition. Don't get me wrong, social media is probably my worst addiction. It's so easy just to shut myself away and scroll through Instagram for hours at a time. Nonetheless, we all need a break from social media every once in a while. Social media is the perfect opportunity for someone to hide behind their screen and say hurtful things. If I'm being honest, I can't remember a time that I scrolled through any social media sites and didn't see a mean or rude comment. America has become so focused on materialistic items that if we don't see something "up to our likings" on social media, we feel the need to comment about it and put people down. The same exact thing goes for physical appearances as well. As Americans, sometimes we forget that not everyone can have the "perfect body." Consequently, again we feel the need to comment and put someone down for no reason whatsoever. Saying mean things to people in general is not the way to go. However, it is even worst when someone does it behind a screen. Of course, "modern" America has probably always had the problem of cyberbullying. However, instead of being bystanders, I challenge all of us to take a stand if they witness cyberbullying on the internet. Also, if you are a cyberbully...knock it off immediately. Bullies just aren't cool, especially on the internet.
2. Make America "Great" Again: Be a positive human
Have you ever heard the saying "It takes more effort to frown than it does to smile?" Ok, I admit that the saying is kind of cheesy. However, it is a really good saying to remember. We as Americans find the smallest things to complain about, yet we tend to forget how great we actually have it. For example, instead of complaining about it raining outside...be thankful that we're not going through a drought. Why do we as Americans feel the need to complain about any little thing that does not go our way? I admit, I am guilty of this. Yes, I know...America may have never been a country where nobody complained. Honestly, I don't think that will exist anywhere in the world. However, I can guarantee that the people who continue to fight for our country every single day would not appreciate the negativity that we have associated with our country. They risk their lives everyday, yet we continue to complain about not getting the new electronic that we want. I think that we as Americans can make our country "great" again by being more positive in our everyday lives. Let's all stop complaining, and be thankful for the beautiful country we live in.
3. Make America “Great” Again: Mind your business
I know this may seem blunt, but it's the easiest way to put it. Can we just take a moment to think about how better off our country would be if everyone wasn't always worried about somebody else? Again, I apologize for my “bluntness," but someone has to say it. If we as Americans stopped worrying about what other people are or aren't doing, our country would be so much better. If you don't like or agree with something that someone does or says, mind your business and move on. We don't have to have a negativity reaction about everything that conflicts with what we think. Let people be happy and live. I promise you that our country will be better because of it.
I understand that America may or may not have been anyone's idea of great in the first place. I also understand that we still have a lot of work to do to truly make our country a great place. The people that have fought for our country and our rights have worked too hard for us to let them down. I hope that we as Americans can do our best to follow these simple solutions to make our country a better place.
