How Past Acts of Injustice have Affected Our Present
by Zara Ahmed How can we live so freely? Today, we live in a country where we have the freedom to speak, vote, and be our own person. We have a vast amount of diversity through perspectives, cultures, religions, interests, skills, and lifestyles. However, the ability to live like this was not originally implemented. The aftereffects of wars and protests have bettered our country and the world, but there are acts of injustice still happening worldwide. War is a state of armed conflict between different nations, states, or different groups within a nation or state. These violent acts are influenced by competition for land, resources, and wealth and the demand for power, respect, and sameness between people. World War I and II affected lives in different ways and changed societal views of women. People believed that men were the stronger gender, as they were thought to be intelligent, courageous, and determined. Women, on the other hand, were not acknowledged and represented as individuals. During and after the war, people viewed women differently because at that point most countries allowed them to vote, work outside the home, all while also taking care of their whole household while the men went to serve in the war. Women also had a part in almost all wars, which brought a new level of respect and perspective: a woman can do anything a man can do. We are still learning that today, but war created a new demographic and view that women have options for education and lifestyle. The freedom to speak has been a powerful tool, in particular when it comes to protests and standing up for what we believe in.
Protests have been an act of solidarity to causes that we support or actions about which we disapprove. The purpose of protests are to publicly make their opinions heard in an attempt to influence public opinion or government policies. Protests are meant to be peaceful, but at times, they can get out of hand. Over the past two years, there have been many protests regarding multiple different issues. In late May of 2020, a man named George Floyd was killed in police custody in Minneapolis. This started a series of “Black Lives Matter” protests taking place in different places in North America. Earlier this year, there were also protests regarding the Israel and Palestine conflict after there was an explosion in Gaza and people were getting bombed. Protests have brought a lot of recognition and support throughout the years and it has been a great act of union for people who stand against the same causes. Past injustices have caused a lot of changes both directly and indirectly, but there are still many conflicts happening today. Israel and Palestine are still in conflict, which has caused more refugees and deaths. The Taliban has taken over Afghanistan again and this has also increased the refugee crisis. Although parts of the world will always be in conflict, one by one, we can fight these injustices with the support of each other and education. Protests and wars are all different and each one has had its unique consequences. We live in a world that has been made better because of all the brave acts of justice fighters.
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