America is not the perfect country. I know that this may be shocking to some people. Don’t get me wrong, I love this country, and I think that this country is great when it comes to certain things. But I am just trying to say that we are not the perfect country.

The main reason I decided to write this article is because of certain comments that I have been hearing about America being the perfect country and that Americans are perfect altogether. I believe that comments like these are the reasons that other countries aren't a fan of Americans.

I just don’t see how a country can be perfect when it is engulfed in corruption, violence, disrespect and discrimination.

Our country, at the highest level, is led by pure corruption, most of which stems from the mindset that money and power are the greatest satisfaction you can receive.

Since I was born and raised in the Bible-belt, I feel the need the throw in the Bible quote that “Money is the root of all evil.”

A prime example of this is the pharmaceutical industry, where large companies hike up the cost of drugs to outrageous prices. Even if you have insurance, you are still paying a large amount. I recently heard a story about a woman who is suffering from terminal cancer, who has insurance and is now having to choose between paying her rent or buying her pain medication.

How can a country be perfect when their citizens cannot even afford medications that are basically keeping them alive?

Over the past couple years, our news has been full of stories of police violence, but there is also an increase in citizen on citizen violence. The perfect country would be peaceful with no violence.

A story of violence that hits extremely close to home is one from 2015. In Knoxville, Tennessee, my hometown, the murder of Zaevion Dobson rocked the entire city. This high school football star was hanging out with some friends on his neighbor’s front porch when gunshots rang out in the air. This teen hero jumped on top of two girls to shield them, but in the process of protecting them, he was shot himself.

How can a country be perfect when their young citizens are more concerned with not being caught in wreckless crossfire than with their own education?

Maybe it is due to my southern roots, but what is so wrong with a simple smile or nod, especially when someone else smiles at you? To me, this is just a simple sign of respect. I think that Americans are so wrapped up in their own lives, that we seem to not care about others.

It takes us no time and no money to simply smile at someone, and you never know, that one smile may make their day. I know that when I am having an extremely bad day, a simple smile from a stranger changes it all around for me. I always try to smile at every person I pass because I never know what kind of day they are having, so just maybe my smile makes their day a little bit better.

How can a country be perfect when their citizens are more consumed with their own selfish needs than others around them?

The biggest reason I think that America is not perfect is because this country is still home to many that are ignorant and heartless, who seem to think that it is okay to discriminate others based on something that they cannot control. This goes for race, gender, ethnicity, disability, and any other uncontrollable characteristic.

If those Americans who discriminate against others really knew about our country’s history they would understand that this country is a melting pot, a home to all different kinds of people.

How can a country be perfect when their citizens don't understand that discriminating against anyone, no matter what is completely unnecessary?

Like I said earlier, I love this country as much as the next person. The only reason I wrote this article is to hopefully inform others that there are changes that need to take place. I think that these changes would make this country better for everyone. I think people would be amazed by how simply changing our mindset and minor actions can make a world of difference.