VICTOR ARAIZA
THE SIGNAL
America is not the greatest country in the world anymore. It has been that way for a while, we just hate to admit it.
To look back and see everything that was accomplished in this country – the discovery of electricity, and the creation of the locomotive, cities and steel – we had people who used their time to make advancements that made life easier for the general population, not to screw them over for personal gain.
We built great things, buildings that could scrape the sky and spaceships that could go beyond it. We promoted higher education to continue to build on what others had started. We didn’t belittle intelligence and refuse to work with someone who could teach us a thing or two or call us out on our shortcomings. We also didn’t automatically deem someone as stupid just because his or her beliefs were different from our own.
Yes, I know we’re not all bullies. We’re not all afraid to reach for something greater than ourselves and sacrifice self-recognition and pride for the betterment of those around us. Unfortunately for us, in the eyes of the world, all the crazy people at the podium are the only voice of America many people in other countries may be able to hear.
The inmates are indeed running the asylum. The inmates in question are members of the 113th Congress, though alluding to them as such may be a dishonor to inmates themselves. Inmates might actually be able to agree on a policy that will benefit the majority of U.S. citizens and put an end to this fiasco, a stunning feat that what is supposed to be some of the brightest minds in this country just can’t seem to do.
At about a 50-50 split in seats in both the House and the Senate, the current childish dispute is an embarrassing display of our culture. Today it is Obamacare, yesterday it was going to war with Syria, and tomorrow it’s going to be why can’t America just switch dinner to breakfast and breakfast to lunch (and raise the tax on maple syrup).
I remember when I was in elementary school, we were taught to respect our congressmen and women. They were up there with firefighters because they were doing a public service for the betterment of the people.
By the time I got to high school, I remember teachers saying, “You guys are the future of this country.” Except when we were fooling around, then the saying would be, “If you guys are the future of this country, then I’d hate to see where we’re going to be in 20 years.”
News flash: it’s not so pretty now and, to be honest, I think the bar is so low that if all my generation does is just try, we could do a better job. We don’t even have to get it right, we just have to say, “You know what, I genuinely want to try to make this country better in any capacity.”
All this bickering and shouting for what? Because we’re not satisfied with the president we voted into office? Because our guy lost? When did this turn into a twilight rivalry between #TeamRepublican and #TeamDemocrat and why can’t we just #GetOverIt.
What does this say to elementary school students today? If these tactics work for legislature what message does this send to kids? That if you cry and throw a fit you’ll eventually get your way because we’ve become so easy to irritate?
So while our “leaders” go through this civil war of political parties, we have to wonder if this makes us vulnerable to a terrorist attack from enemies who work in unison. Even then I think what scares me the most is that the next terrorist attack might not be coming from abroad but rather from within.
We don’t have to relive 9/11 to remind us how to unite, we don’t have to relive another presidential assassination to prove we’re divided and we don’t have to watch congress go to war with itself to remind us we can do better.
America is not the greatest country in the world anymore because greatness is not achieved without a team. There’s a reason the trophy reads “Chicago Bulls” and not “Michael Jordan.”
