That's right, you are nothing less than blessed to be reading this post right now and it's an ability you likely take for granted every day. I'm not talking about how easy it was for you to access my page, or to open up the internet from your phone or laptop. I'm talking about your sheer ability to read.
As many of you have probably experienced at least once, dealing with a foreign language can be incredibly frustrating and challenging. We take foreign language courses during school to find that we are pressed to retain and understand as much of that language as possible, simply because our grade depends on it. And those who take on another language for leisure face even less pressure than that. It may be a goal we set for ourselves, but our futures certainly do not depend on how well we succeed.
The quality of our lives is dependent on how well we can understand the world around us, and I don't just mean in regards to other people. We rely every day on our ability to read signage, menus, directions, assignments, work papers and bills. We don't think twice about how skilled we have become at reading because it has already become so natural to us. Literacy seems to be a given. But what if it wasn't?
It is estimated that in fact it isn't a given for 32 million adults in America who cannot read. That's millions of families, millions of parents who are limited everyday by their inability to properly communicate with the outside world and with each other, simply because they do not have the tools. Literacy aids our problem solving, decision making, communication and awareness at a community and global scale. Even more so, it is what makes it possible for us to obtain and maintain suitable careers and relationships. If people can't communicate properly with their communities, our society becomes divided.
For years, America has been seen as a melting pot, a land of freedom and equal opportunity, but we know that this does not necessarily hold true anymore. With the approaching election, the topic of immigration has become more and more pertinent to our lives, a topic I believe to be directly related to illiteracy. The problem is, we label someone who is not well versed in English, illiterate. We assume that this person cannot read or write just because they can't read or write in English. Who is to say these people aren't just as talented, just as intelligent as you and me? Only they have only developed their skills in a different language, in a different country instead. How can we undermine the ability of someone who we don't understand? We truly couldn't, but for some reason, we do.
Being a student at a university in particular, it's easy to overlook the presence of those who are not well-versed in English and easy to overlook this issue. The reality is, there are cities across our nation that are plagued by "illiteracy," poverty and unemployment, with Syracuse, my college town, being one of them. It just so happens though, that Syracuse is also home to people from over 30 different countries. We know that someone who doesn't fully understand English couldn't possibly pass a GED test. And they certainly wouldn't be considered for a well paying job without having those credentials at the very least.
The issues that spiral from illiteracy can be monumental, but at its root, the solution is simple; teach more people in America English. Not just toddlers and students, but adults, too. If we want to reshape our communities and our nation at large, we must accept and understand the reality of all people of all sectors of society. The means to fix this problem however, might not be as simple, and will require genuine, dedicated beings to see it through. But those humans are out there and they have already begun seeking change through service. It seems to be in our best interest to go and find them.
If you have made it this far in my post, then I thank you. Thank you for not only choosing to read something I have to say, but for hearing me out on this issue and hopefully understanding my point of view. These issues may not be your issues, and I know this because you are reading my English, but if you are someone, like me, who can see the bigger picture when it comes to the future of our people, you will consider volunteering your time or donating a small amount of money to local literacy foundations. At the very least, be more considerate of the people around you who you simply do not understand.
