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Idiocrasy: America's Founding Ideals And What Went Wrong

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Idiocrasy: America’s Founding Ideals and What Went Wrong “Oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever…” were the famous words of Martin Luther King Jr. Perhaps one can remain so not forever, but in America, a very long time. Called a “…beacon for freedom and opportunity” (George W. Bush, 2001), America has prided itself as the champion of its five founding ideals outlined in the Declaration of Independence. These ideals of Equality, Liberty, Opportunity, Democracy, and Rights have not been given justice. Through history, especially the events of The Civil Rights Movement, September 11th, and our present day; America has not lived up to these founding ideals. From the very beginning, America’s minority groups were institutionally oppressed and silenced, but the largest push for equality was The Civil Rights movement; almost fifteen years of fighting to be recognized as equals. Acts were passed, and in time America became truly equal. Right? Evidence says otherwise. In interviews with white men and women, from various backgrounds, very few said they thought about race almost at all. Some even went as far as to say that they …show more content…

Before 9/11, 28 hate crimes attributed to Muslim religious were reported. In 2001, that number soared to 481 (FBI, Schevitz). One group we is blamed for the actions of its extremists. Imagine blaming Christians for the crusades. It’s hardly fair, is it? LACCHR 'S 2003 report states that 1700 Arab Americans, Muslim Americans, Sikh Americans, and South Asian Americans were victims of hate crimes. Underrepresentation and demonization of Muslim Americans has led to the murder of completely unrelated racial, ethnic, or religious groups. If Americans are killing off innocent people, American innocent people, is this truly the land of

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