Jayden+V’s+Final+AmEx+Speech+2017

__**What's Wrong With America? **__ Ok so for my final speech I decided to do a fifth predestination blog (Just kidding).

So, after hearing everybody’s vision of the America they want, it’s made me wonder, “Why does everybody have at least one problem with this country?” Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying America’s this completely flawless country; in reality I think it’s incredibly flawed and there are some things better off not existing in this world, but I’m fine living in a country with these flaws, because these flaws are a part of what makes this country what it is. So before I say my overarching thesis, I’ll give you a hint using a quote from my John Brown blog. Tsk, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ “Now, I wouldn’t personally go to John Brown High School because I’m happy here at Foothill”. But to make it crystal clear, here's my thesis: No doubt, the America I want to live in doesn't have to have all these changes such as everyone being happy, or nobody walking slow in halls. Sure, I'd love for that to happen, but either way the America I want to live in THIS America.

Before I get into the conceptual cultural aspects of why I appreciate this America, let’s just start with some empirical evidence ;). While we do have people in the country suffering from extreme poverty, our average annual income per person of roughly $50,000 is actually nothing compared to other countries- the average in Mexico is roughly $800, and even in countries such as Great Britain, the average income is roughly $27,000. Put simply, our financial issues pale in comparison than that of others. And the best part of the economic system here? It's relatively easier to move up and down the financial ladder. We have underdog stories as well as fallout stories. One is not forever changed to their class- most people can take their academic, athletic or artistic talent and find a way to reach the pinnacles of success (with a bit of luck, of course).

And just to clear any misconceptions, when I say this America, I don’t mean I want to freeze time and live in this country as it is. The United States’ dynamism is part of what makes it so interesting to live here. What I do mean is I want to move forward with our constitutional values, culture, and way of life. Of course I don’t want teenagers to have sleep deprivation, nor do I want people to be so attached to their phones, and I certainly wish discrimination was nonexistent, but issues like that are not confined to specific governments and borders. They are a part of life we have to live with and work to resolve. And I wouldn’t pick any other country to try to fix them in.

See, I’m one of those firm believers in the fact that hardships shape one’s character. I also think too much stability leads to complacency; that it makes one weak. Remember the awesome Roarin’ 20’s? Daily life shifted from international politics and war to American culture, with parties at Gatsby’s house every weekend. But do you remember what came after? A Great Depression. Out of the hardship of the 30’s rose strong figures such as FDR, who brought along some powerful revolutionary legislature, some of which still sticks around today, such as Social Security. And as Fitz repeated way too many times, what ultimately got us out of the depression? That’s right. A world war.

All this shaped America’s character today. As did the Revolutionary War. As did the Civil War. As did the Civil Rights Movement. Today? There’s no war regarding them at the moment, but our controversies include Black Lives Matter, LGBT Rights, school shootings, travel bans, etc. Frankly, I’m glad we’re arguing over this, because if not, things would be stagnant and we’d be content with not moving forward. We could be content with all of these prejudices and inequalities that remain prevalent in the states. But that’s a hypothetical situation. We’re not. Instead we disagree- not dissent ;)- with one another, allowing for a debate to ensue, which brings forth arguments and facts that can help the country find the best decision on topics that are less important nationally such as whether or not photography tells the truth ;) or defining what is considered cheating in an AP class ;) to whether or not minorities’ rights are not only protected, but equal to those of all others. This disagreement, this contention, which is protected under the Bill of Rights, breeds the concepts of good and bad, success and failure, happy and sad.

And call me crazy, but I want bad things to happen to this country as a whole as well as to its individuals personally. The same goes for failure and sadness. Because without it, it’d be harder- if not impossible- to appreciate goodness, success and happiness. One must have light to cast a shadow. Not only does it help us appreciate the good aspects of life in this country, but I believe it helps us better ourselves. I’m positive that almost- no, that everyone in this room, and everyone watching this video has gone through some sort of hardship in their life and changed because of it. That hardship can be as simple as falling down when learning how to walk. I can guarantee that you’re all better at walking now than you were when you were toddlers. Or at least I hope so. This idea of improvement is not limited to the individual, either. There’s a reason the constitution can be amended- there are certain rights or laws that generations have left out, certain adjustments that must be made to fit the country that is not the same 230 years later.

Of course, you are all free to say I'm naive or too lazy or inconsiderate to realize the gravity of the country’s issues, that I'm an idiot for saying I'm fine living with them, and that they should hold no spot in the future of the nation. But we can argue about that later. We are, after all, allowed to disagree. But remember, this is just the America I want to grow old in. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯