Anyone who thinks that American history contains only stories of “liberty and justice for all” is reading redacted history, or fiction, or mythology. Most other countries aren’t better. Every nation’s history contains terrible episodes. However, part of our American self-image is that we are different, that we are exceptional. We aren’t. Not yet.
The truth of how Native Americans and Black Americans have been treated for hundreds of years belies our claims to be better than other countries. It hurts to face truth, but it is necessary. We can’t be exceptional if we don’t see the ugliness in our history and work to overcome it. Truth comes before reconciliation. Anglican Archbishop Tutu taught that.
We owe to our Native and Black sisters and brothers — “owe” in that we’ve gained from their cultures, and “owe” in that they’ve been denied for centuries. Therefore, reparations? Yes! Voting rights protections? Yes! Teaching complete history, including how the past still affects the present? Yes! Appointments and elections to high places? Yes!
Black women to the United States Supreme Court? Yes! Oh, yes! And next, Native American women! We can be exceptional.
