My eyebrows furrowed as I stared at the news article that glared back at me: “Jewish Cemetery Vandalized; Anti-Semitic Acts On The Rise.” Perhaps because I grew up in the west for a majority of my childhood or because my parents fortunately never displayed any acts hinting to race superiority, but I never dreamed in the twenty-first century occurrences like this would ever happen.

World War II and the inhuman acts that occurred: torture, death, internment camps are all things that left a black mark in the history of modern humans. But now events are occurring that suggest these instances might crop up again. And all people have to say is that they blame the newly-elected president for these events?

While the antics and reassurance of the president do not help the situation at hand, a hate more deeply rooted in our society than we think is beginning to germinate.

We live in a world so technologically advanced that logic and reasoning at the tip of nearly everyone’s finger tips. So why does this hate and distrust and defilement of human rights continue?

During the Second World War, Japanese Americans were taken from their homes, labeled and corralled into camps to be watched. World War II ended more than 70 years ago; an entire life time for many people. Americans that were targeted, and stripped of their rights because of a country that they or their parents were born in. Now, a registry is in play for Americans that belong to a specific religion with the same intent of stripping away their freedom and any rights they justly possess as citizens.

Sacred places meant to celebrate and respect the life of those who have passed have been defiled based on the idea that the color of one’s skin, the religion or the heritage of someone makes them more or less than deserving of being an individual.

Individuals with no prior criminal record nor ties to criminal associations are being removed from planes because of their name.

How could our civilization come so far, but yet have progressed so little?

Civil rights activists claim that others should be belittled because they don’t support their cause; that if you don’t support the same thing they do, that you’re wrong.

Not everything needs to be categorized as black or white, but as human.

I will never say that I am ashamed of being an American nor will I patronize you if you say that very phrase. But I implore those that do believe that being an American or being associated with America in any way is shameful, to think about their family. To think about their childhood growing up and to think about all the good times with friends and family. To think about their school and the opportunities they were given. Because that is why I love America. The opportunities, the freedom and ability to pursue both of those.