Violence is the new normal. Well, not so new. Our nation was built on violence, and our history books are soaked in blood-covered pages. Violence is ingrained in our DNA, from the Battle of Gettysburg to the American Civil War. However, the actual violence was through our legislation and lack thereof.

Why is this normal? Why do Americans so freely accept this kind of behavior from our government? The executive order and the treatment of the Japanese Americans following it was a vicious attempt to scapegoat the innocent and gain political power. Our government took advantage of the Japanese Americans and the lingering fear from Pearl Harbor to remain in power. The eagle feasted on the delicate fish and left with a full belly and a damaged ecosystem. But, as I said, the real violence lies between lines of ink and paper. The blood of the innocent is in the hands of a government that allows prejudice to fester among its people. Is this it? Is this the fate of America? Will it continue to be a cycle of suffering for the minority while the majority lounge in riches? Is everyone willing to allow this to happen? 

No one should wake up and worry if someone will shoot them because of the color of their skin. But, this is the reality we live in as our government turns a blind eye. No one should wake up and find that their belongings have been stolen from them and forced to move into the unfamiliar. But we saw that with Executive Order 9066. Instead of helping these Americans, everyone alienated themselves from them. No one cared for the suffering of the families, and no one listened to their pleas for help. That is violence. The silence. The encouragement of the mistreatment. People were standing idly by while the Japanese Americans were desperate for help. Why? It all boils down to the “Japanese.” They ignore the “American.” They ignore everything and anything that makes them Americans. They weren’t even considered humans anymore—just aliens. And no one says anything about it because how could anyone look past another person’s skin color? And without any support from the government, the oppressed will stay oppressed, and the violence will continue to persist. We need to purge this poison from our system. The poison that divides the aliens from the ordinary. 

The most important thing to take away from all of this is the importance of standing up and fighting. Fight for what is right. Fight for human rights. Most importantly, fight for those who continue to suffer under the palm of ethnic tyranny. Resistance is the key to a better future for everyone. Like Pandora’s box, there will always be a glimmer of hope throughout all the strife and agony. We have seen before the responses to great injustices; to violence. We saw it in 2020, and we will see many more in the future. The powerful protests, the national unity. The passion. The passion for making this country a place where everyone is treated with equity regardless of their differences. Deep down, I believe that everyone loves this country due to our criticism of it. We do not criticize things that don’t matter to us. We see the crimes against humanity, against other Americans, due to the color of their skin. We need to continue to fight for legislation that will protect the innocent and end the violence. If our government can not fight for its people, the people must give the government a push in the right direction.