I Do Not Hate America

Today someone told me that they hate America. I sat there shocked, not knowing whether I wanted to stand up for the U.S.A. or agree with them. I chose to do neither. Maybe my silence was a disservice to my values or to America herself, but it seemed the only fitting response. At the time, I couldn’t craft an answer that would do the topic justice. I was held back by my disbelief in the possibility of black and white explanations for ideas so complicated. Hating America seems to be a complete rejection of such a huge and complex concept. It can’t be that simple to describe how one feels about something so immense. At least for me, my feelings on all that is America can’t be summed up in three words.

I was always taught that you don’t hate people but their actions. This careful distinction appears necessary in a society where the word hate has been given such a powerful, all-encompassing negative connotation. To hate arguably includes all parts of an existence. Therefore, I’d like to make something clear: I do not hate America. So why couldn’t I say that as I sat there shocked? Why did I consider the possibility of agreeing with them? The conclusion I’ve arrived at is that it has become increasingly easy to find myself overcome with a blinding rage in regard to the United States of America.

I think of this place I call home and the first things that come to mind are far from idyllic. I think of the wage gap between women and men. I think of the silencing of victims of sexual assault. I think of police brutality. I think of persecution and judgment based on characteristics such as race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, or religion. All of these come down to hate. I find it odd that the reason why I consider hating America is all of the hate that runs rampant in her streets. Some believe the answer to this hate is love and education in an attempt to conquer ignorance, and while I am a full supporter of spreading kindness and enlightenment, I’m not oblivious to the fact that these practices are still not enough.

The infuriating reality is that there are thousands of reasons to hate America. I feel the list growing longer every day as more victims of hate are reduced to blue light on the news. While we become saddened and baffled by the monotony of hostility that we see on our TV screens, we can take some comfort in knowing that we’re not alone in our vexation. It’s quite impossible to understand why the horrors of this country exist. The easy route would be to accept these horrors as the identity of America, but our country is so much more.

Our country is a place where its citizens have the right to vote. It’s a place where same-sex marriage is legal, a truth that can’t be said for many countries in the world. It’s a place where freedom of speech is a right that will always be fought for by its inhabitants. It’s a place where people have a chance to climb their way to economic success. But most importantly, it’s a place that will always take steps forward at the end of the day. I recognize that this is a daring statement in our current political climate, but it’s also one that can’t be forgotten.