“The notion of the US being the greatest country in the world has become a centerpiece in the curriculum of all ‘Americans’. Whether it is through school – the pledge of allegiance, the study of US and world history, the choice of mandatory reading material, etc. Or whether it is through the media – intentionally censoring and prioritizing certain stories over others… Or whether it is through politics – the ‘right’ interweaving its identity with true ‘patriotism’. Patriotism and a sense of subtle superiority is engrained in the blood of anyone socialized in this country. It has been for as long as our nation has existed – and even longer, in fact.

Take this a step further and see that the vision of our founding fathers, of manifest destiny, of even the European colonization of this land at all, was born out of a sense of white superiority. A disease of egocentrism born out of a disconnection from other life forms and nature. As far back as one can trace, this sense of ‘whiteness’ has been the oppressive force in almost all major conflict through history.

It is hubris to call ourselves the greatest country in the world, having not yet repaid Native Americans for stealing their land, black folks for enslaving them, various countries for manipulating them, zapping their resources, and enslaving them in debt, women for devaluing their existence, other life forms for our manipulation of the environment, and future generations for the harm we are continuing to cause each day. Until we pay reparations for these atrocities, our work will not be done, and we will have no business calling ourselves the greatest country in the world.”