Hemna Hypothesized

      Oftentimes in my life I have to ask myself the question, “Am I doing the right thing?” I feel like I'm either doing too little or too much. I don't know why it works this way but ever since I developed a sense of morality, I’m constantly questioning myself this way. This question became strong again after reading Thoreau say, “I say, break the law. Let your life be a character friction to stop the machine.” It’s just that if a white guy who had an unpopular opinion of fighting oppression back in the olden days, why can't I speak up about unfair things to those closest to me? It’s a struggle between choosing to be liked and avoiding conflict and calling out wrong behavior. But doesn’t choosing to serve your own interests despite having these morals undermine those so called morals you believe in?  I make it my goal to keep fighting to make the world more tolerable for myself and others through questioning authority and starting conversations. It’s in my his...

       Patriotism is supposedly the devotion or deep love a person holds for their country. It is sort of the glue that holds communities or the nation together during hardships. During tragedies or victories in the United States, people celebrate to show the greatness of America and that we’re all there for each other. Why does this feel different for me?      Ever since I was little I knew I wasn’t the dictionary definition of a patriot. I viewed them as flag-waving, facepaint-covered, and nationalistic (most of them). So many of the tragedies or victories that Americans and the government honor like 9/11, Vietnam, and Pearl Harbor, are events that show bravery but are also very upsetting as we lost those brave people. However, does the government ever acknowledge how they ruined the lives of many minorities through their foreign interference?      Whether people like it or not, patriotism is now a political statement. Someone is alway...

Memorials pay tribute to a person or a group of people, they are to preserve a memory. People go to the memorial site to grieve or to spend time reflecting on the situation and their own lives. In the US there is an abundant amount of memorials dedicated to honor the soldiers lost in wars. Supposedly these are morals to memorialize but does history tell a different story? From Mount Rushmore to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial to the Confederate Memorial in Arlinton National Cemetary, war memorials always recognize the soldiers being honored as someone people should aspire to be like or to think about when living their own lives. However, they completely ignore the negative impact soldiers had and how detrimental their actions were to people of color. The lives of non-white people go completely unrecognized. This brings up a prominent issue of whitewashing history in order to preserve ideals that come from a time when lives other than white weren’t seen as worthy or of significance. Me...