General Discussion

"The irony of the United States is that you have a portion of those who flee the oppression and fascism from their native countries, to come here to find peace and some kind of acceptance, but who often end up actually reproducing the same sort of oppression that they fled, right here - IF they feel THEY are at the top, because they find they can reap the benefits of it, and will support those who continue to suppress the rest of us."

The "trigger" was to a memory from elementary school. Our teacher pointed out how many of the people fleeing religious persecution in England immediately established communities which persecuted any and all other religious traditions. Now, it kind of went unspoken that these opposing faiths were all of the Christian variety. But what's important is that even at that young age, my classmates and I were exposed to the hypocrisy that permeated American history, even as we were taught to love our country in a very standard sort of way.

I'm very grateful for those age-appropriate lessons on questioning norms. Those classroom experiences are one of the reasons why I can refute the "Love it or leave it" dichotomy posed by more simple-minded patriots. I love my country enough to want to see it refined into its best possible self. I see the beauty-- the absolute dazzling wonder-- of those founding ideals. The number of times we fail those ideals will never diminish the value of them.

People from all over the world are drawn to those ideals. America didn't invent them, but they still shine here in moments such as the candidacy of Kamala Harris. And from social media comments that I have read, there are people all over the world hoping and praying that America does the right thing and make her our next president.

The hope of all those people lifts me. Yes, there is a dark side to human nature. But if someone like Anne Frank, who lived in a world shaped by Nazi persecutions, could believe in the good of human nature, then it seems weak and selfish of someone like myself to question her faith in our race. There are people of good will and good faith all across the world. That is what I am trying to hold on to now.