Factors contributing to United States strength and national development

Evolving Diversity: Packs a Punch

This is a speech which suggests that the evolution forces and the diversity of nations are the forces that have made America the superpower it is today.

Evolution was described as a blasphemous theory when it first emerged. Men had been condemned for less. When America first gained freedom it based the concepts on democracy. The nations around the world frowned on such radical areas. Yet, America thrived, as did Darwin's theory. The basis of such success can be explained through the concept of the 'survival of the fittest.' The Evolutionists claimed that in order to survive the different races combine their dominant traits and get rid of the weaker ones. Only those traits, which are necessary for survival in the best way, remain. America went forward in the same manner.

Made of a nation of immigrants the social classes were divided and social stratification apparent. Irish, British, Spaniards and Africans were but a handful of races that made the colony. Each had their own culture and each had certain advantageous factors that they could give to the nation. The best of the nations began to make America. The number of immigrants in America rose and the nation developed.

Initially it was a colony of the British with other European nations making their claims. However, when the British monarchy decided to exploit the people through excessive taxes Americans began to rebel and this rebellion was the first step of the evolution.

Gaining their freedom they began to associate freedom with their politics. Through the first step they had allowed the separation of powers and thrown out the weak facets of their political structure and had gained strength.

As time passed different nations began to make their contribution. The people that made this New World were from a variety of sects, races and political cultures. The Native Americans too, had a part to play. The Native Americans taught the nation the role of the environment in life. They learnt how to survive against the odds. The people who could not survive dies and each generation were stronger than the other.

The African-Americans who were enslaved contributed to making the economy of the nation. Through their exploitation they helped build the economic structure. Once the Northern states had developed they began to realize that in the race to develop they had been undermining their own values and so began the Civil War. The Civil War helped free the African-Americans and gave the nation the capacity to associate progress with equality. African-American culture gave America amazing music; jazz, the blues all helped create America.

Immigrants came to this New World in search of freedom and the American Dream. Irish, Slavs, Africans, Portuguese, Mexicans and Asians all made their way here. Each brought the best and worst of their nations and through their assimilation America was made. By taking the best of each and discarding the worst we were able to create a stronger nation.

When we think of America we usually believe that it is one nation. Yes and no. We are one nation but we contain a diversity of nations at the same time. Where do we get the power. From the people. Our constitution states this and we reinforce this thought every time we speak. Our thoughts are the strength of the nation.

Consider this, America is a diversity of nations. More than three fourths of the world contributed in its making. We have the best of every nation and so we thrive. No other nation can boast that it was made with the help of the world at large. No wonder we have the power to reign over the world.

Our politics and culture developed through the immigration of other nations to America. This created a multi-cultural society. As the nation progressed the racial and societal barriers began to break down. Where there was initial conflict further assimilation took place and the people began to live together more peacefully and aimed towards one goal. Individuals became more progressive. Sure conflicts still remain but when compared to the past our means of overcoming the conflict have been phenomenal. Intercultural marriages meant a combination of genes and a variety of genetic pools. Slowly the weak alleles began to be removed and a more superior gene pool arose. What Hitler tried to achieve through the annihilation of a race we have achieved through simple acceptance. We assimilated and thus thrived.

Coming to the contemporary times we must once again reassemble our notions. So far in the past we have seen conflict and then resolution. Sociologists will tell us that this is a usual state of affairs. In a changing society conflict arises and then certain forces act to resolve that conflict. When we decided to abolish slavery the Southern States believed that their monetary advantages far outweighed the rights of the African-Americans. The Northern states believed otherwise, and thus we saw a conflict. As the war ended Africans were freed and with time and education and better fiscal circumstances the Civil Rights of this nation was granted. Similarly we see another conflict arising.

In the wake of the September 11, 2002 attacks on the World Trade Center we are again seeing chaos. Such tragedy is forcing America as a nation to reevaluate its theories. Though our very foundations are based on the concept of immigration it seems that this freedom of entry to our land is causing deviant personalities to take advantage of our land. The people we welcome are going against our policies. The global world seems to find a lot to criticize about us.

Here we must analyze what we have become. We are a strong nation but have we become too big for our boots? Is it time that we step away and find a size that fits our strength? How can a nation that the world helped built, arise such derision and hate in the hearts of the people. We have citizens from the Arabian nations, European world and African land and yet, their families seem to condemn the progress that we have earned. Is it simple jealousy or is something more involved. If for a minute we put aside our emotions we will realize that there is something missing in this whole scenario. We have evolved through the decades and are today a superpower. Logically we cannot have made it so far without stepping on a few toes. That those toes deserved it is not in question here that we stepped on them is. What we see today is the price of our progress. Though we have taken the valuable assets of the nations around the world and we accept that we are powerful we fail to acknowledge the contribution and sacrifice of others. We cannot say that the polices of the East are suppressive because we have citizens who are from the East and who have made a healthy contribution to our nation. If we ignore that contribution we are in fact ignoring our very foundation. The attacks have divides the American nation much like the Civil War had, lets hope the resolution is as acceptable in the long-term.