President Donald Trump has been quite adamant over the years about his campaign slogan "Make America Great Again," which paved the way to his election. Although America has been labeled as a land full of great opportunity, freedom and prosperity, it may not have all that jazz. Just today we are still facing a global pandemic issuing our first quarantine in years, Black lives are at risk, police are getting away with murders and that's only the surface.
Although America can be viewed as a land of greatness, Trump can't 'Make America Great' because it was never great to start with.
Minorities in America face challenges every day that some people never have to deal with. Racism is a major problem in America, and every day innocent Black lives are at risk. Black people have been a target in America dating back to slavery. Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries people were kidnapped from Africa, forced into slavery in the American colonies and exploited to work as servants for white people and labor tobacco and cotton.
Centuries later, slavery may be over and slave owners may not exist, but now, we have racist white police officers.
How can America be so great, yet the people that are supposed to protect us are killing us?
Police Brutality, a civil rights violation, is something that happens on a regular basis, and nothing is done about it. Countless cops are getting away with the homicides of innocent Black people. These days, Black people can't even wear their hoodies as they walk down the street due to fearing for their lives.
How can America be so great when we don't have proper equality?
How can America be so great when people with fair skin are treated and act superior than others?
How can America be so great when we have a president with an openly racist campaign?
You can't make something great overnight. America will not change overnight. But, change needs to happen. If we want better, we must do better.
It is important to vote November 3rd so we can be that change. It is up to us to vote and stand up for what is right and fight for everyone to be treated as equals.
Trump can't make America great, but maybe we can.
Sheetal Tadiparty
Flickr Creative Commons
