Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of
Independence that "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are
created equal; that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable
rights; that among these, are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."
These
words made me proud to be an American as a child, I believed with every ounce
of my heart that we were the greatest nation in the world for this very reason. Over the years
however I've grown older and more cynical I now no longer believe we're that
great nation. We were a country built on the principle of equality yet never in
our history have we achieved it. We have been led by many great men who have
spoken many great words but have done very little in regards to action. We've been told of dreams of men only to
watch those men shot down before their dreams were ever allowed to infect the
rest of us. We are a system for the people and by the people and yet every
single day from the streets of New York City to Oakland, California we stand
and shout for change and yet nothing ever seems to change. The time for talk
has passed and the time for action has arrived. Washington cannot make it
happen so it is the responsibility of every man, woman, and child no matter of
race, religion, or sex to pick up the banner and wave it proudly. It is our
duty as Americans, as human beings, to make this country the best country not
only for ourselves but for future generations who are sure to come after we're
dead and gone.
In
1689 A Letter Concerning Toleration written by John Locke was published
and now more than ever this country needs to learn that toleration. We're
divided by race, sex, sexual preference, age, religion, political parties, and
countless other idiotic walls we have built over the years. We are not united
by any means of the word; we've become intolerable, hateful, and greedy. We
demand everything and we expect it to be handed to us now. We are no longer a
symbol of hope in a dismal world, instead we stand on the edge of the same
chaos as the rest and instead of trying to find a solution to the problems
ourselves we simply pass the buck to our elected officials who we vote into
office and then belittle until they are out.
I have been called naive because I believe that change is possible, I've
been called ignorant because I believe that we are truly created equal, and
I've been called a fool because every day that I am lucky enough to wake up I
try to figure out a way that'll help unite us all. We don't all have to like
the same things, believe in the same gods, or even listen to the same music but
we do need to be more tolerable of the choices of others just as we would want
them to be tolerable of our own choices.
Stop
believing we cannot change, stop listening to election time powerhouses that
tell you standing up for change makes you un-American, and please stop sitting
there doing nothing, because we need you, this country and this world needs you.
Everyday more and more are waking up from personal slumbers and are beginning
to try and make a difference if not for ourselves then for future generations.
Black and white hand in hand, man and woman side by side, Christian and Muslim
arm in arm, a united America and a united world. We the people are the change,
from the desert sands of Saudi Arabia to the concrete jungle of Manhattan
together we can and we will make it happen.
