You know, for all of the complaining I do about this country and its ridiculous standards and inadequate political systems, I have to say this:
Today, I feel extremely thankful to be able to sit in a classroom and participate in an open discussion about the problems with our society and government without being fearful of persecution. I’m thankful that I have the freedom to openly question the practices of our government without being detained or tortured or killed.
I’m well aware that not everyone in this country has the benefit of these liberties. Today I’d like to acknowledge my white privilege instead of taking it for granted.
I won’t waste it. I promise.
I think that that is something a lot of people in our country still don’t understand, the fact that being in those classrooms and having those discussions is not something everyone in the world gets to do, and that it is a privelage.
The only trend I see in children and young adults is that school is boring, and they hate it, and this and that, complaint after complaint after complaint. I’m not saying that I was never in that boat, but I realize now that what I had growing up is far better than most children in the world have, and that a lot of them would love to have switched positions with me. There is not enough stress put on our freedoms that we have as a country. Not enough people acknowledge their privelages and use them to their fullest. Instead, like you said, most will take advantage of them and be content with being selfish, instead of sharing their knowledge and opportunities where it is needed most.
We need to come up with a way to get young adults and children to understand that what they have is amazing, and that they need to appreciate it and use it to their best ability. If people can care so much about Conan and the Super Bowl and the World Series and what is happening in Toger Wood’s life and who is dating who in Hollywood, then there is a way to make people passionate about freedom and caring and peace and love and giving and sharing.
