"Making America Great Again." These words echo loudly across rallies and speeches by former President Donald Trump. But one cannot help but pause and wonder: what exactly is the "great" era Trump speaks of? America’s history, viewed through the lens of reality rather than nostalgic idealism, presents a vastly different narrative. It's one marked by deep injustices, violence, and systemic racism that have profoundly shaped the Black American experience.
We must confront a troubling past where Black men were lynched from trees by white men claiming righteousness and divine purpose. Bible verses were recited to justify cruelty, as our ancestors swung lifelessly from branches. Their only crime was the color of their skin. Women in our communities were subjected to unimaginable horrors—raped, abused, stripped of dignity. Yet, they were still expected to maintain composure and strength for the generations that followed.
Despite our resilience, despite the blood, sweat, and tears shed in pursuit of basic human rights, society continuously reminds us that our value, contributions, and humanity are questioned. No matter our accomplishments, whether in war, politics, science, culture, or sports—too many view us through a lens of prejudice. Our achievements and struggles are too often reduced to nothing more than a footnote.
Yet, we are expected to express gratitude. Gratitude for rights and freedoms never freely given but painfully earned through marches, protests, sit-ins, and sacrifice. Each generation of Black Americans shoulders the weight of maintaining these fragile liberties. Complacency risks losing the hard-fought ground gained through continuous effort.
This is not a condemnation of all white people. Not all white Americans bear responsibility for these injustices, nor do all harbor racist sentiments. However, our collective discomfort arises from Trump's calculated indifference toward history. His deliberate efforts exploit racial divides for political gain.
Trump's administration actively seeks to censor education on systemic racism and critical race theory, attempting to erase uncomfortable truths from schools. Economically, his policies disproportionately favor the wealthy, further deepening socioeconomic disparities and limiting opportunities for marginalized communities.
Moreover, Trump's divisive approach harms America's global reputation, weakening alliances and damaging diplomatic relationships. Is this really what greatness looks like? Saint Augustine reminds us that 'an unjust law is no law at all.' Our responsibility, therefore, is to resist injustice—not through complacency but through active, courageous, and peaceful civil disobedience. The choice of how we confront injustice is ours, but silence is never an option.
Trump's rhetoric stirs underlying tensions, emboldens racists, and diminishes the importance of historical truths essential for healing our nation. What is truly alarming is the complicity of leaders who claim to represent us yet remain silent. Trump and his administration degrade the very fabric of democracy.
Trump, under the guise of "greatness," aims to resurrect an America that ignores the harsh realities of its past. It's a past stained with genocide against Indigenous people and the enslavement and exploitation of Black bodies. Oppressive Jim Crow laws maintained a system of racial subjugation long after slavery’s formal abolition.
As a veteran who has honorably served this nation, I deeply question Trump's notion of patriotism. Am I supposed to embrace a vision that erases my history, ignores my humanity, and dismisses my contributions to America? Should I love a country whose leader willingly disregards my people's struggle and perpetuates racial divisions?
My patriotism doesn't require silence; it demands truthful confrontation with our past. My patriotism doesn't require complacency in the face of a man hell-bent on putting me back in chains and claiming to be my savior. The thought of congressional leaders buying into his divisive rhetoric concerns me deeply.
America has grown beyond its painful history only to face regression from a man determined to hold onto power indefinitely. Are we truly a nation governed by the people, or have we become voiceless? Reflect on this: nothing he has done or is doing serves the greater good. Yet, we continue to allow it.
And for what? A tax relief that could cripple our economy and plunge our nation into deeper debt? Wake up, America—there is clear and present danger, and its name is Trump.
Again, I ask: What "greatness" does Trump seek to reclaim? Is it the greatness of stolen lands, slavery-driven prosperity, or an era when systemic discrimination was openly practiced and legally sanctioned? America's true greatness lies in the legacy of civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., John Lewis, Malcolm X, Medgar Evers, and Rosa Parks, who bravely confronted injustices to push our nation forward.
America’s true greatness, if authentic, must rest upon acknowledging, confronting, and genuinely healing from these wounds. Greatness cannot exist in ignorance or deliberate erasure of truth. Trump’s version of America offers no genuine path to unity, healing, or true greatness—only division, distortion, and regression.
It is our collective responsibility—Black, white, and every ethnicity—to firmly reject this distorted vision. We must pursue an America defined by equity, acknowledgment of historical truths, and genuine progress toward equality and justice. Only then will we genuinely understand the meaning and promise of greatness.
Comments