The Land of the "Free"

    America, known as the land of the free, isn’t as free as many say. Despite many movements, equal rights have yet to be truly granted. Take, for example, the Black Rights Movement. Why should blacks still have to fight for equality after the strenuous efforts of the civil rights activists for the same cause? How does this alleged freedom matter when, in reality, no one is free? In light of recent events and the discussion of racism in the story A Raisin in the Sun, I think this fact has become more apparent than ever before. 

    Many immigrants flocked to the country in search of a better life, specifically the education, security, welfare, and equal opportunities to succeed; however, these promises were mere facades for some. Although many people of color have succeeded in achieving their dreams, others have been left to perish in the country’s prejudice. Although such statements may sound exaggerated, statistics prove their validity: the Detroit metro area, including Detroit, is only 23 percent Black, and 68 percent white, making Detroit the most segregated city in the United States1. Moreover, with poorer areas of living comes diminished education, which then causes less opportunities to flourish; it’s a never ending cycle. Many wealthy people are blinded by their success and fail to recognize this prejudice, causing them to blame the victims of this system for their elaborate “excuses'', when in reality they are trapped.

    Equality is just one admired aspect of the country, though. Due to the recent events, it feels as if safety is also being compromised. Tuesday afternoon, a shooting broke out at Oxford High School, killing four people and injuring another eight. When I first heard the news, I was devastated. I finally realized the urgency of this issue when it hit so close to home. That could’ve been me. That could’ve been my friends or my teachers. How are things like this normalized in only our country? Why did I never realize the scope of this issue? It’s not fair that some of us can’t go to school feeling safe. Whereas others strive for the education systems we have, we need to escape it’s problems. 

    I think that any sane 15 year old student would not decide to walk into a place meant for education and, instead, end the lives of their own peers, those with ambitions and aspirations for a bright future. This issue is scarily prevalent in our country and needs to be addressed. Instead of “spreading awareness”, we need to prevent further instances of this tragedy. Merely discussing these issues is not enough, for we have been doing that for many years now. Actions are required and solutions need to be found, fast. Only fate can tell when the next individual is to succumb to the cruel system of our “beloved” country…