Following its war for independence, the United States of America provided the rest of the civilized world with a model of freedom that has inspired suppressed people ever since. This accomplishment was as encompassing as a launched vessel into space in search for another life-sustaining world. This vision of freedom though, remains an unfulfilled dream for many who continue to endure the shackling of intolerance permitted by our society. Just as the spaceship that travels on its nebulous destination in search for life has failed to fulfill it’s mission, the promise of freedom has likewise failed to secure justice for all in this country.
A nation that guarantees freedom to all should stand against any form of injustice. Why then do we tolerate, in a society devoted to humanitarian preservation, the actions of people who fuel injustices? Why, in this era of political awareness, have we failed to recognize the magnitude of the most fundamentally obvious correction to our country’s mission statement–the Declaration of Independence? The preamble to the Declaration of Independence expressed, We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal. By the end of the American revolution Gouverneur Morris recognized John Adams’ inescapable oversight when he expressed We the people…The promise of freedom is not enough to ensure freedom for all just as there is no more sacred responsibility than to uphold the of freedom. Critics will explain that I am making too much of one word or that the intention was inclusive of all people. Language, however, proves to be vital in determining laws especially legislation that is harbored in the tradition of patriarchal superiority. Caucasian male society has failed time and time again to step aside and bow to the rights of all people, indeed it has trampled over the efforts of those who are promised justice.
The Declaration of Independence identified that the thirteen British controlled colonies “ought to be Free and Independent States.” “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.” (Adams). Over a decade later later The preamble of The Constitution appears to correct the oversight of the original declaration of freedom by declaring: We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity… (Morris). Of the fifty-five delegates of the Constitutional Convention who embraced The Constitution, about twenty-five owned slaves (Howard). Furthermore the long-held practice of slavery in the U.S. ignores the initial independent clause of the preamble in order to serve the subordinate clause. These visionaries of freedom as well determined that women were prohibited from securing the blessings of Liberty for themselves by denying women the right to vote and, if married, to own property. Is it unpatriotic to criticize such noble intention or is it our patriotic responsibility to insist that all people are entitled to the blessings of Liberty? Our fight for freedom can never rest until all people are secured with their unalienable rights; we are obliged by those who sacrificed for that ideal as well as those who we have faught and failed.
In order to appreciate how we formulated our principles we have to understand the influence of our heritage and more importantly the roots that our customs and beliefs sprout from. The power of influence that formulated American society was predominantly white Anglo Saxon people. Anglo represents the English speaking caucasian population, while Saxon represents the distinction of a population of people who were instrumental in establishing Britain as a European nation, a mixture of largely Romanized Britains and Germanic peoples. History indicates that this union of people in England occurred in the eighth century. Even when you expand your scope of consideration to include the French occupied Louisiana territory as well as French occupied Canada, along with the Spanish controlled Florida and Latin American territories, you have an undeniable influence of European control in the Western Hemisphere by the dawning of the eighteenth century (Jacobs)
Another unmistakeable influence defining our society’s principles as a nation was that many areas of the United States were settled by christian worshippers of various denominations. Regionally, the Puritans of the northeast colonies, the Quaker influence in New Jersey, parts of New York and especially Pennsylvania, along with the Catholic populations that settled in Maryland and the southern colonies established a variety of christian denominations that would eventually shape the culture of those regions. By the late 1700’s protestant populations dominated colonial society and remained the most influential religious doctrine in the past and present-day United States. The 2019 census accounted for over 140 million protestants in the United States compared to fifty-one million catholics (Collinsworth). Other denominations including judaism, mormon, muslim, and quaker make up far less of the population. Joe Biden’s election as the forty-sixth president of the United States represents only the second time that a catholic has been elected to that office. Most of the other presidents claimed to be protestant or reformed denominations of protestant beliefs.
A third factor that influenced America’s ideology had been long established before Europeans ventured to the new world. Male-dominated societies have always been the one constant that harnesses most human civilization. Regardless of the diverse beliefs observed in the myriad collection of spiritual practices throughout civilization men have placed themselves at the center of order. Man, the bible states, is made in God’s image (Genesis 1:1:26-27). The central principle of the Muslim faith lies in their belief of monotheism, that there is only one god. Brahma, the Hindu creator, is commonly viewed as a grandfatherly figure. Yes, Buddhism does not identify with a central creator, but the founder, Siddhartha Gautama(the Buddha), of this far-east philosophy, was a man. Even the Greeks who envisioned a hierarchy of gods and goddesses claimed that these deities descended from Cronus the father of Zeus. These early historical and literary testimonies undeniably prove that Man has always been the object of his own worshipping. The obvious question, if one is allowed to question their beliefs, is why is man so important? The conclusive response is that man believes he is important, that his vanity is mirrored by a misshapen reflection of a looking glass that he engineered. Aristotle observed that early dramatic productions represented a theme that centered around man’s hubris, his self-obsessed excessive pride. Aristotle taught that tragic heroes, most commonly men, were limited because of their tragic flaw (Aristotle), while Socrates observed that a man’s strength is the source of his greatest vulnerability. If nothing else history shows us time and time again that men are determined to prevail over others. Following this path of enlightenment who can argue that as ideologies were fortified throughout civilization that a woman’s virtue would be such a central preoccupation of man’s belief? In fact any deviation from a man’s vision of order, expressed by many of these ideologies, was considered blasphemous. If you are unwilling to see that religions are not based on the word of a creator rather than on man’s interpretation of that word then you need not read on. There is no disputing that despite the idyllic understanding of humanitarian’s quest for civilized spiritualism all of these visions are fundamentally flawed. Man remains unable to consider revising his beliefs while clinging to the traditions that upholds his dominance, compromising his quest for a just society. Socrates was truly wise.
The final factor that has influenced our long-standing prevailing doctrines in the United States is the belief in capitalism, the idea that private ownership and the ability to profit exceeds all rights. The golden rule seems suitable just as long as it does not conflict with your ability to benefit from another’s misfortune. Consider now these influences bound together: The law and order of our country was established by Caucasian men, driven by their ideological vision, who are destined by their unalienable right to profit. Don’t bother trying to sensibly defend this vision. You don’t need to, just as long as the silent (and yes cowardly) fraternity of white Anglo Saxon men maintain their blindfold of tradition over all.
It’s okay to admit that we made mistakes. What cannot be forgiven is our quaking insistence of paying homage to the reflection in that supercilious mirror. We are so determined to continue to deny others their unalienable rights fearing that we will no longer be the center of society.
Here, come closer guys, so I can whisper to you this next revelation. Just a minute. I want to make sure that no one is eavesdropping, especially one of them, you know, those non-caucasian protestant men. Okay, I think we’re safe, here it is– Listen carefully,
This vision of yours,
Has
Always
Been
A
Flawed
Belief.
Consider an early European man scanning the heavens, under the ethereal scope of innumerable stars. After deep contemplation he concludes, we’re made in the creator’s image, at least white men are. That’s all that matters. Therefore, every new revelation can be examined as well as magnified from that scope of hubris.
The desperation to confirm our own self-importance, imagined from a conversation with our creator, was all we needed to pose ourself as the greatest illusionist ever. Indeed we manifested our agenda, threatening any who challenged us. Together we stand. We continue to condemn in the name of our creator any who challenge our authority because He is so magnificent that He has the power to create something from nothing–the greatest miracle of all. The absurdity is inescapable and contradicts the generosity of love.
I know the union of ignorance and arrogance is monstrous, otherwise it would be humbling. We can overcome though. We can evolve. We can be honorable, courageous, and sacrificing. We’re long overdue to finally and truly manning-up like the good-old-boy code teaches us. Let’s rise up and support one another as we admit that while we are exceptional we are no more exceptional than any other individual. We, my caucasian brothers, can provoke the end of humanitarian’s prolonged chapter of injustice by simply confronting the truth. Otherwise we are left with the legacy of a lie, that the liar is the only one who fails to comprehend the truth.