The Expectations We Hold for Our Country
BY ERIN TOBIN '23
On January 6th, 2021, an act of domestic terrorism occurred in our nation's Capitol building, resulting in horrific violence, arrests, deaths, and trauma. Ultimately, though, Joe Biden was confirmed as the next president of the United States. Later that night, Trump was banned from several social media platforms, including Twitter, and many of his Cabinet members resigned. Just a week later, House Democrats and ten Republicans voted to impeach Trump. Finally, President Biden’s inauguration on January 20th proceeded without calamity, and our country's once chaotic situation seemed to de-escalate. However, this new sense of hope does not prevent other similar incidents from happening: the attack on the Capitol was not random or unexplainable; rather, it was rooted deeply in the worsening expectations we hold for our country.
Over the past few years, there has been a sense of impunity regarding police brutality and other racial violence. As violence erupts around our country and no repercussions follow, this hate becomes normalized. Just a few months ago, Berlinda Nibo, a 25-year-old Black woman, was harassed by a group of forty pro-Trump demonstrators in California. They pulled her hair out, pepper-sprayed her, hit her with a metal pole, and yelled racial slurs at her. Yet, none of her attackers were arrested. More recently, a nine-year-old Black girl was forcibly detained in the back of a police car and pepper-sprayed in Rochester, New York. The officers, who have since been suspended, were supposedly responding to a report of a family issue at the girl’s house. In response, another major Black Lives Matter protest was orchestrated, drawing attention to the pressing need for reform in the police department.
If the US government takes little accountability and puts minimal effort into solving these systemic problems, this hate will only accelerate and become the new normal. When Biden stepped into office with promises of an anti-racist future, much of our country that blamed Trump’s administration for the rise in hate crimes started to hope that conditions might improve soon. Yet, even after Trump left office, the hate in our country has not diminished. Anti-Asian assaults have surged, and discrimination against Black Americans persists, indicating that the problem cannot be fixed solely by a change of president.
Indeed, these hate crimes arise from low standards of conduct in the US, as the current system’s inefficacy only punishes innocent people like Berlinda. Raising our expectations as a whole will ensure that victims receive the justice they deserve and help us build an equitable country in the long run. We must realize that we can create a better America by simply setting a higher bar for ourselves.
These same standards should apply to our school district. In the past few months at AB, our community has watched in disappointment as school committee members were racially attacked. Disappointed community members maintained that other incidents have occurred with no real improvements intended to prevent future hate incidents. However, change begins with taking accountability and addressing the systemic issues in our school district. We can fix similar problems of racism that have plagued America by beginning here. Denouncing hate from our peers and even our teachers will create higher expectations for ourselves outside of school. We have tolerated hate for too long. It is time to stand up and create a better, antiracist world for ourselves and the people around us.
In an interview with The New York Times, Mike Bradley, the mayor of Sarnia, Canada, compared America’s current environment to “watching the decline of the Roman Empire.” As the world watches us fall into a state of chaos, we all start to lose hope. However, democracy is not broken. The ideals that our country was founded on still ring true today. While the system has failed many, the American spirit holds strong. With some reflection, a new set of beliefs, and higher expectations for ourselves, we can create an inclusive nation where everyone can prosper.
Over the past few years, there has been a sense of impunity regarding police brutality and other racial violence. As violence erupts around our country and no repercussions follow, this hate becomes normalized. Just a few months ago, Berlinda Nibo, a 25-year-old Black woman, was harassed by a group of forty pro-Trump demonstrators in California. They pulled her hair out, pepper-sprayed her, hit her with a metal pole, and yelled racial slurs at her. Yet, none of her attackers were arrested. More recently, a nine-year-old Black girl was forcibly detained in the back of a police car and pepper-sprayed in Rochester, New York. The officers, who have since been suspended, were supposedly responding to a report of a family issue at the girl’s house. In response, another major Black Lives Matter protest was orchestrated, drawing attention to the pressing need for reform in the police department.
If the US government takes little accountability and puts minimal effort into solving these systemic problems, this hate will only accelerate and become the new normal. When Biden stepped into office with promises of an anti-racist future, much of our country that blamed Trump’s administration for the rise in hate crimes started to hope that conditions might improve soon. Yet, even after Trump left office, the hate in our country has not diminished. Anti-Asian assaults have surged, and discrimination against Black Americans persists, indicating that the problem cannot be fixed solely by a change of president.
Indeed, these hate crimes arise from low standards of conduct in the US, as the current system’s inefficacy only punishes innocent people like Berlinda. Raising our expectations as a whole will ensure that victims receive the justice they deserve and help us build an equitable country in the long run. We must realize that we can create a better America by simply setting a higher bar for ourselves.
These same standards should apply to our school district. In the past few months at AB, our community has watched in disappointment as school committee members were racially attacked. Disappointed community members maintained that other incidents have occurred with no real improvements intended to prevent future hate incidents. However, change begins with taking accountability and addressing the systemic issues in our school district. We can fix similar problems of racism that have plagued America by beginning here. Denouncing hate from our peers and even our teachers will create higher expectations for ourselves outside of school. We have tolerated hate for too long. It is time to stand up and create a better, antiracist world for ourselves and the people around us.
In an interview with The New York Times, Mike Bradley, the mayor of Sarnia, Canada, compared America’s current environment to “watching the decline of the Roman Empire.” As the world watches us fall into a state of chaos, we all start to lose hope. However, democracy is not broken. The ideals that our country was founded on still ring true today. While the system has failed many, the American spirit holds strong. With some reflection, a new set of beliefs, and higher expectations for ourselves, we can create an inclusive nation where everyone can prosper.
