Before starting this article, I just want to it clear that I love this country. The United States has been a place that has offered my family and me opportunities to grow and flourish in ways that may not have ever been possible anywhere else in the world. With that being said, the United States of America is far from being the city upon a hill that our forefathers strive for it to become. Of course, it is a country that is certainly better than most, but it too suffers from ailments that threaten the very spirit of the country and its people. In this article, I won't be talking about race, gender equality, or anything else covered in the mainstream; I will be pointing out the issues that act towards challenging our values as Americans yet seem to get the least amount of coverage from the news cycle.
The undying grip political parties have on our society
For the past hundred years, the Democratic party and the Republican party have been the two defining staples of American politics. One's political position has become so ingrained in a person's identity as much as one's race or religion. But what if I were to tell you that our forefathers never wanted this to be the case? In George Washington's farewell address speech, he states several cautionary declarations for future generations, one of those was the rise of political parties. He believed that one's political standing should only be emphasized when needed, such as during election year. He warned us and his peers that if we were to allow politics to dictate our lives, then the fabric of our country would tear by the seams.
Sadly, I must say that one of Washington's worst fears is becoming reality. It seems that no matter where you look, people wear their political beliefs like a badge of honor, and ridicule and harass those simply based off a difference of opinion. This not just simply a Republican problem or a Democrat problem, but an American problem. As we let more and more of ourselves be consumed by the political machine, we are losing sight of what makes us all American.
How the U.S. government makes deals with the devil
Let me be clear that when I say "deals with the devil" I am not talking about any specific country being the devil, but rather I am saying that the U.S. has made less than honorable deals with several countries that, I believe, go against what America stands for. One such country that the U.S. has had a massive soft spot for is Saudi Arabia. For decades, U.S. presidents have maintained joyous relationships with the king and royal family of Saudi Arabia, participating in hundreds of multi-million dollar arms deals and basically turning a blind eye when it comes to the Saudi government's dark side.
It has been a country known for its rampant gender inequality, severe backlash towards free speech and its several backings of terrorist groups in the Middle East. Despite all of the evil that Saudi Arabia has been accused of, president after president in this country seem to refuse to do anything to deter the country, just for the sake of keeping up the oil trade between us and Saudi Arabia. I bring up this because it shows the thick layer of hypocrisy that hides underneath our values as a country. We preach about human rights, equality, and free speech, yet our government is willing to bow to a kingdom that goes against almost everything that we believe.
How our justice system disenfranchises the poor
There is no doubt that the U.S. criminal justice system is one of the best justice systems in the world, but it has several major problems that allows justice to be dispenses not based off equity, but off of wealth. One such facet our justice system is the concept of bail when a person charged with a crime can pay to stay out of jail while awaiting trial. For anyone with the right amount of money, paying for bail is easy and simple, but for the poor in this country, it is a life changing decision to make. For many poor individuals who are charged with low-level crimes, they often cannot afford to pay the bail fine, leaving the only option to stay in jail and await trial. However, many of these people work jobs were if they miss one day, they are fired and lose their only source of income.
Because of this, many resort to companies that loan them bond money so they can stay out of jail. This may seem like a decent solution, but in reality, these bail bondsmen add on additional fees to these loans that make it almost impossible for people to pay back the loans. If they don't pay back the loan, they are sent to jail anyway. Keep in mind, this is one of the many unfair obstacles that is put in front of thousands of American even before they are founded guilty of any crime. This seemingly endless loop of bureaucratic mess and disenfranchisement of impoverished Americans is destroying the fairness and honor that our justice system boasts about.
I like I said before, I love my country and there is no other place I can imagine growing up in. However, there are many dark secrets and deeds that remain unnoticed in this country and have been allowed to grow and fester. I thought it was about time for some of these issues to be brought into the light.
