_Kurtis Dunlap is a fifth-year senior at MU. He is an English major who writes about student life as an opinion columnist for The Maneater._
Over the past couple months, all that people seem to talk about is how America is in such turmoil. Hollywood continues to use award shows to tell us how awful the country is. Before, during and after sporting events, athletes take a stand on how awful the social climate is right now. No matter where we go for entertainment, relaxation and peace, the message remains constant: America is doomed.
The reality is that our country is not doomed, it is not in turmoil, and it is not failing. The history of our country is filled with plenty of examples of trials and tribulations that far extend past anything we are facing today. In 1776, our country’s Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence. Thirteen tiny colonies broke away from the world’s leading superpower of the time. A revolution was fought and won by Americans.
In April 1861, America began a war with itself. Brothers were fighting brothers, states were fighting states, North was fight South.
The United States joined a world war in 1917 and again in 1941, emerging as a global superpower. Boys, who wouldn’t be old enough to buy a beer today, shaped the global landscape of the world by defeating Hitler and the imperial army of Japan.
Our country has been through a lot: women’s suffrage, the civil rights movement, presidents dying in office or being assassinated. Our country even found a way to survive Prohibition. In our lifetime, we have gotten through 9/11 and far too many mass shootings. When you look back at all the trials and tribulations America has gone through, the ones of today seem so minute.
In today’s society, you either have to be a social justice warrior (in other words, a liberal), or a gun-toting, Bible-preaching conservative. There seems to be no middle ground anymore. The country has become so polarized that if you have a different opinion than someone, they will automatically disregard your opinion or claim you don’t know what you’re talking about.
Mainstream media is at fault just as much as the average person. The media is a content-driven business, and conflict sells. This means there is a market for people who take strong opinions on mundane issues. We have become a country that needs to argue just for the sake of being in an argument. Liberals don’t seem to be happy unless they are attacking someone for their social climate opinions, and conservatives can’t be happy unless they are complaining about someone taking their guns or freedom away.
In the grand scheme of things, America has never been stronger, never been safer and never been more inclusive. Are there things that we could and should do better? Yes. Are there social issues that need to be addressed? Yes. Are these things in any way in comparison to fighting a world war or getting through Prohibition? No way. It is time we put all the jargon aside and realize how good we have it. We live in the greatest country in the world, so let’s start acting like it.
