Politicians praise themselves and claim that the United States is the greatest country in the world. The truth is that the people are our nation, and if they are great and have an exceptional quality of life the country is great. I question the statement that America is the greatest nation in the world.

Respect, freedom and equality for all is guaranteed by our Constitution, but do all of our people experience these basic principles? Our nation is far behind every other developed nation in the world. Because of politicians we ignore the rights of women, support the Christian religion and attempt to deny equal protection under the law for the LGBT community. Freedom in America is only for the few, the white and the wealthy.

America’s greatest flaw, its greatest evil, has existed from its inception. Racism continues to be a serious problem within the United States, and is actually on the rise instead of decline. This despicable situation is the fault of one of our major political parties.

Let’s look back and revisit examples which prove our nation is not as great as it should be.

When the United States entered WWII in 1941, women, both white and black, were asked to work for the war machine. They labored in the factories which produced our military aircraft, and the shipyards where our battleships and submarines were manufactured. They were welders, worked on assembly lines and tested weaponry. In other words, they were doing what was traditionally a man’s job.

Black women were paid less than white women. When the war ended, black women were the first to lose their jobs. When the men returned from the battlefield, all women were discounted and told to return to their ‘real’ jobs of being housewives and mothers.

Although black men fought side by side with their white brothers, and black women labored with their white sisters during the war, at its end segregation was reinstated.

In our southern states blacks were forced to live in squalor. They were denied comparable education and the right to vote. Hangings were common practice as the Ku Klux Klan grew its numbers. The separation between blacks and whites was complete.

When the civil rights marches began in the 1960’s, law enforcement joined with the white community and physically attacked the protestors. When federal officers defended the crowds, the predominately white community was forced to accept the integration of blacks into the community. But their hatred and prejudice remained.

Today new laws have been instituted in the Southern States, Arizona and Texas aimed directly at the black community. These laws are intended to prevent poor women from obtaining an abortion, while rich white women can have the procedure at will. Other laws require identification before an individual is allowed to vote. These laws are an obvious effort to restrict the number of black men and women at the polls. Blacks do not receive the same respect and consideration as do whites by law enforcement. In some states politicians are attempting to remove any discussion of slavery in our schools in an attempt to deny that racism exists.

The United States can never be labeled ‘great’ as long as a single racist exists. When presidential candidates such as Donald Trump and Ted Cruz openly display their racism and bigotry, proof exists that an entire party is composed of men and women who have the same prejudices.

The number of men and women who are experiencing increasing income inequality and slipping into the poverty level is a situation which adds to the proof of America’s lack of concern for 90 percent of its people; and blacks make up the majority of those living in poverty.

If the American people can become great, our nation will become exceptional. Our politicians must cease their attempts to divide us with fear, anger and mistrust. This is our nation and our people must take it back from those who live privileged lives in Washington.

Op-Ed

By James Turnage

Photo Courtesy of Archives Foundation