America was never great. And if the picture above depicts the America you know as “great”, we have a problem.
i’m a huge proponent for constitutional rights. As a Political Science major, I believe in what America can achieve and ideologies it was founded upon, but what I don’t believe in are the small details that prevented my people from being apart of what “can” make America great. The idea that we aren’t “worthy” to be apart of “greatness”. But little do people understand, what can make this country “Great” are diverse group of people who work toward a common goal of protecting the lives of each other and living in peace. Sadly, that world i think about seems to hard to accomplish. No matter how easy it seems to be.
In Mississippi, the above billboard is placed for people to see. Its regarded as “Bloody Sunday”, a sad day in Selma, Alabama on March 7th, 1965. Ironically, it was over voter rights for African Americans, a right we are still battling to this day. Across the picture it is defaced with the words “Make America Great Again” a slogan used by Donald Trump during his presidential campaign. Trump has used racial, sexist and bigot remarks during his run, so its no surprise he’s encouraged people like him to emerge into the public freely without fear of criticism.
The billboard in question will not be taken down due to the 1st Amendment, the right of freedom of speech. Lamar Advertising and Governor Phil Bryant, have agreed the billboard is protected by the first amendment and neither had anything to do with it. While I agree that people should be free to say what they want, it’s time we put restrictions if it promotes hate, murder and an even more divided country.
For Freedoms who does provocative artwork to spark political discussion shows the two fold message of the photo.
Some will see it (the racists) as what they want while minorities we see it as a reminder what our President Elect might want our future to be and how while some things have changed for the better, we still have a long way to go.
While For Freedoms might wanted to spark discussions, having a billboard up like this will only firing up Trump supporters who want to hold us down. It is a hurtful image and will only fuel more hate especially in a state like Mississippi.
It’s time to change this country for the better so it can become the “great” we all know it can be.