We implies a collective of people in your statement, does it not?
If so, then your statements are false. And sorry, but “it” has a lot to do with racism, white supremacy (I’m sick of sugar coating this with the word “privilege”), and authoritarianism.
To read that into John’s statement requires a high level of extra-sensory perception. If you have that, please do something useful with it and tell us what Google will be selling at a year from now.
We, as a whole people, are not equally “blessed.”
John’s use of the word “blessed” means “living under the US Constitution”. The notion that we all have equal resources is neither stated nor implied.
We, as a people, are prevented from succeeding by forces outside of ourselves.
I quite agree that it is easier for some than others. That is the way it has been for the six thousand years of human history, and I doubt it will change any time soon.
As a white (I’m assuming, so please correct me) male, has the police ever stopped you from walking down the street because you “seemed” suspicious? Has a person ever harassed you in the grocery line to the point of leaving because you came here recently from a different country? Has a person ever prevented you access to something you need because of the color of your skin or the accent in your voice?
I am a headscarfed Muslim woman of (half) Middle Eastern origin married to a man named Muhammad who sports a rather lovely (to me) but very obviously religious beard. I have had plenty of incidents like you describe. Yet, I agree with John’s sentiments wholeheartedly.
To believe in a document as so “perfect” that it would negate every possible “evil” is quite naive to me, nor is it far from the nature of many of today’s religions.
Agreed in principle. However, I believe that a person can argue two points here rather convincingly:
ONE is that the US Constitution is the best document ever written in defense of civil liberties, which in essence are anti-authoritarian. That is not to say that it is perfect, defends liberties perfectly, or opposes authoritarianism perfectly. It, however, is the best hope we have of retaining and attaining liberty.
TWO is that any attempt to replace with something better would likely end up in failure.
Please re-think your statement. A major percentage of our actually population doesn’t exist within your fantasy of the USA.
It’s not a fantasy; it’s an objective. Obviously, some have it easier than others in reaching that objective. See above. But unless you’re arguing that, for example, a Black man could never ever become President (rather hard to argue that now, eh?) then you should rethink your use of the term “fantasy”.
The system is broken. It’s been repurposed for an agenda that truly cares only about those running it, and those who are like them. And they’ll employ any form of systemized oppression to reach their goal.
Disagree. The system is imperfect. There are those of us who would like to see it improved.
“Like racism, misogyny, homophobia, sexism, you name it. They’ll use it. They already are.”
Yes. Both parties.
