History probably wasn't your favorite subject in school. Maybe because "it's boring", maybe because "it doesn't relate to the here and now", or maybe because "you have to remember too many people and too many dates." And I believe this to be incredibly unfortunate.

But don't take my word for it. Philosopher George Santayana once said "Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it."

I think we have all seen the comparisons on the news of the current immigration detainment centers to the Nazi concentration camps during the holocaust and the Japanese internment camps from the 40's. This is only one example of history seemingly repeating itself in recent events. But there are many, many more.

If we want to see change, we must first learn from the mistakes that were made from the generations before us.

While you thought history was just another boring class you were required to take in school, you failed to realize the importance of the subject and the serious consequences involved with being ignorant of it.

If when you read that last statement you thought to yourself, "That's silly. There aren't any consequences for not being interested in learning history." Then that is not yourself speaking, but rather the privilege you have known your entire life.

Many people today are suffering from choices and decisions made from past generations and your eyes must be opened to this no matter what race, class, religion, or sexual orientation you are. Saying you aren't the cause of an issue today or being indifferent is the biggest injustice to your country you can make. The people directly responsible are no longer around, so now it's up to you.

If you want to see social justice enacted in the lives of our country's people, you must understand why the stigmas and resistance of those in the majority are around today. And not only that, but certain economic plans and laws that you may believe are new ideas that will work wonders, have actually already been tried and proven unsuccessful before.

The only way to understand this is to understand our nation's history.

And I'm not talking about simple facts like surface level details about the wars and that Abraham Lincoln was the 16^th president and abolished slavery (which actually isn't an entirely true fact…you know.) It simply just isn't enough.

You need to understand the intentions, messages, and reasons historical figures had behind every famous act and decision. You must also know and understand every major event that has occurred, and the causes behind it and the effects that it had. You need to know what has been tried and what has failed already, because most of what we do today has already been done before.

If you do not know these things, then you do not, in fact, know your nation's history.

Our nation's "history" actually didn't happen very long ago at all, which is something many people fail to realize. For example, you may think slavery was "forever" ago, but African Americans can trace back to their enslaved ancestors with a simple family tree.

We must be willing to move forward as a nation and adjust to the times. Keeping things how they are simply because that's what your familiar and comfortable with is the biggest threat to improvement and progress as a people.

Before you form an opinion on the next event or controversy you see on the news, it's time to do a real background check on the issue. In this day and age, only well educated opinions should be formed, not ones that just came from you making a split decision based on what you think you believe just because that's what you've always done.

Also, you should know the difference between reliable and unreliable sources of information so you aren't misled.

It's never too late to take matters into your own hands by learning history yourself. It's the chance to be able to reach your maximum potential as a responsible American citizen.