Make America Great Again: the slogan that millions of Americans have gotten behind. But what is this greatness that we are returning to?
A strong sense of nationalism is a staple to American culture. We hang our flag high and proud, never letting it touch the ground. We open sporting events with the national anthem, and through processes of socialization, the school system in particular, we are all taught that America is and always has been the greatest country on earth.
Of course, the US has been going through some rough patches -- growing economic inequality, disputable social change, and a divided, extreme government to name a few. It is no wonder that Americans are supporting this notion of going back to a time when America was great. But when did we truly ever live up to this standard of greatness so well that we are trying so desperately to return to that time? Certainly we are not returning to the 1930s when Americans faced the most devastating economic decline in our history. Could it be the '40s, when Japanese Americans were put into internment camps with no valid cause? Or perhaps the '50s and '60s when African Americans were beaten and murdered for fighting for their civil rights. Maybe the '70s, when marital rape was completely legal, as was sexual harassment in the workplace? I somehow seem to be missing these times of greatness…
People have such a romantic idea of United States history, and perhaps that is why so many are supporting Trump and his promise to make America great again. But looking at the realities of history and the times of discrimination and inequality and hardship, America has never had a time of true greatness. What does make America great is its opportunity for progress, created by freedoms of speech and press, and put into action by social movements and the power of the people. Progress is what is going to make America great, and progress is what Americans should be focusing on to overcome the problems the nation faces today. Let’s not move backwards by trying to “make America great again.” Let’s push forward toward actually achieving that greatness.
