My Thoughts About the Investigation

Brian has been doing a great job at filling you all in about all of the places we have been. It has been a really amazing three weeks and now we are approaching the end of this part of the adventure. Its been a really interesting time so far, with a lot of experiences that really make you reflect on the world and your place in it.

One of the biggest themes for me has been my identity as a United States citizen, travelling throughout Central America. During the past year especially, I have become more and more educated about the US´s involvement in other countries and the tactics they use to manipulate and exploit U.S. citizens and the people all over the world for resources and money. This happens so much throughout Central America. As I learned more and more about this it became much harder for me to be proud of where I come from- of course I don´t mean my family or friends. there are so many amazing people in my life and throughout the US, it is the corporations and the politics that protect them that give us a bad name.
When I was in highschool I travelled to Argentina and I always felt really proud when people would ask me where I was from and I felt it was an honor to be able to have the USA as my reply. I was from this amazing country where everyone was equal and free, where we all had the best of everything because our government was for us and by us which meant that they took care of us. I was proud to be a part of the biggest and best democracy.As time has gone on and I have become more aware of the reality of our country, I have realized these beliefs are false when put into practice.
During our time in Michigan, we spent a lot of time in Benton Harbor and Detroit and I could see first hand the contradictions of my old beliefs. Here we are in the richest most powerful country where certain individuals make billions of dollars and we have whole cities of people living without running water, without heat in the bitter cold of the winter months, without access to food and education. They are living in a third world life within a first world country. These experiences really shook me, and continue to do so. I, a person living in the US my entire life, couldn´t really comprehend the reality of these peoples lives until I saw them for myself so its no surprise that when I speak to people from other countries they have the same false perceptions as I did.
I also learned a lot through books and documentaries about the US´s dirty deeds when dealing with the Central American countries- economic hitmen, coups, "wars on drugs", and so so so many more. Now I am travelling in these countries seeing the effects of my country´s actions first hand, and it is devastating.Of course I am not blaming all of the poverty in the entire world or even in all of latin america on the US. there are many factors that play into every situation, and nothing is black and white. However, the more I learn the more I realize that the part the US plays in maintaining poverty throughout these countries is a huge one. I have talked to people from every country we have visited and discussed a variety of subjects but when it comes to their opportunities, to rights as human beings- US involvement is mentioned every time, without an exception. I have heard people say that they used to hate anyone from the US, some that still do. I have talked to people who are fighting to have a simple but good life where they can work to feed their families, provide their children with basic education and security and who are torn down because things like NAFTA and corporations with their maquiladoras exploiting the people and the land for a little more profit.
Now, I know for some who read this it may be hard to swallow- it was for me as well because what I am saying from my experiences contradicts everything we are taught to believe about our country and when you have believed something for your entire life it is really hard to suddenly hear that it isnt true. But this is the reality. We must see the truth and aknowledge it for what it is so that we can do something about it.
Now when people ask me where I am from I dred having to to tell them. I either feel shame because I know they are equally disgusted, or I feel guilt because they are so impressed, because they still believe the lies we are told even though they are living the consequences of them every day. I want to be able to be proud again. I want to show the world that we as the real people of the United States are people who love all people, who believe in equality for all. That we are a group of people that want to be united with all of the people of the world and that we are willing to fight side by side until that equality exists. That we will no longer sit down and be represented by the decisions and actions of those in power and allow them to continue to steal, murder, lie and do nothing about it. We have this fight in our history, in our blood. We have done so, many times in the past and its time we bring it back. This is the USA that we can all be proud of.