That’s why we have the Declaration of Independence to much more persuasively remind us that “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.”
That’s why we have great leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr. to more eloquently inspire us when he says, “even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.”
That’s why we have artists like Sam Cooke to more authentically give us hope when he sings, “It’s been a long time comin’ but I know a change is gonna come. Oh, yes it will.”
That’s why we have activists like Malcolm X to more clearly speak the unvarnished truth when he orates, “We are oppressed. We are exploited. We are downtrodden. We are denied not only civil rights but even human rights.”
That’s why we have writers like Zora Neale Hurston to more honestly disquiet and warn us when she says, “If you are silent about your pain, they’ll kill you and say you enjoyed it.”
And, that’s why we have schools to educate us to be more purposefully diverse, equitable, and inclusive. Frankly, though, we can all do better.