The United States is no better than any colonialist empires of the past. We continue to pave a path that allows for colonialism throughout the world. It is time we own up to our failures as a nation. I implore you to recognize the historic and ongoing role that the United States plays in perpetuating colonialism across the globe. Colonialism is stealing people’s ability to practice self-determination, exercise a representative government and insulate themselves from racism and various forms of cultural misconception. It is widely thought in today’s world that colonialism is a problem of the past, but that is not the case. Not only are countries still actively colonizing, they are upholding systems that keep colonialism structurally intertwined with society as a whole.
Americans choose to overlook many aspects of our historybecause they are simply too embarrassed. We extrapolate this mindset to the American enslavement period, the displacement of Indigenous populations in North America and Japanese-American internment camps during World War II. These abhorrent actions by the government are blatantly pushed to the side when discussing the horrors of American history with high school students. However, something that is less acknowledged is the legacy that this country’s colonialism has left on the world. Colonialismis the oppressive domination and exploitation of one country or region by another more powerful state. Americans choose to ignore the fact that we are colonizers; we are the problem. One way is by exerting control over people or would-be states that are not considered American citizens. Another is by using our status as a wealthy, developed nation to manipulate other states. It is disappointing and devastating that we are too self-centered and ignorant to break our ties. Instead, we should be using our status in the world to assist, with permission, in restoring the culture and autonomy of these used and abused places.
One glaring example of where colonialism is free reigning is in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico was taken over by the United States during the Spanish-American War. It has limited powersin the U.S. government and is unable to vote in the presidential election. People in Puerto Rico pay most federal taxes, yet they do not have the ability to vote on the legislation that affects their tax rates. They are allowed to vote in the primary elections but cannot participate in the electoral process. They are being taxed without representation, which is incredibly ironic because one of the major catalysts for the American Revolutionary War was England’s taxation of the American colonies without representation. James Otis, a firebrand lawyer of Massachusetts at the time coined the phrase, “Taxation without representation is tyranny.” It is abhorrently ironic that the United States is replicating the very actions that we once fought so hard against in order to win our liberation.
Puerto Rico has voted in several referendums to decide their own political fate. The United States did not authorize a binding vote in Puerto Rico until last year, which is set to occur in November 2023. Most advocates against Puerto Rican statehood argue that the United States should not allow statehoodfor Puerto Rico because of the potential shift in the balance of power in the U.S. Congress. The imbalance of power originates from the fear that Democrats would get both Puerto Rico’s Senate and House seats in Congress, leading to a potential loss of political power for Republicans. Yet politicians blame their refusal to grant Puerto Rico independence on the white man’s burden, arguing that the territory would not be able to survive without their support. This same colonialist attitude can be observed in other U.S. territories, such as Guam and American Samoa.
An alternative way colonialism is practiced in the U.S. is through exerting control over other countries’ domestic politics for our own benefit. For example, when the U.S. intervened in Iraq in the early 2000s, the U.S. claimed to bring democracy when the true motive was to secure resources like oil. The declared objective of the intrusion — to oust the regime dictator Saddam Hussein — was met within a few weeks. Yet the U.S. stayed in the country for eight years. It is morally corrupt to interfere in another country’s internal affairs the way that the U.S. does. We went into Iraq and caused civilian deaths simply because of our greed. It is essential to clarify that Saddam Hussein, who terrorized his own people, was not a better alternative. However, it is not the job of the United States to interfere at every chance it gets. If humanitarian organizations were called into action by the United States in Iraq, it is possible that our actions may have been more understandable. But this was not the case, and we continued to occupy land that did not belong to us for fear of losing access to natural resources. If another country were as involved and manipulative as the United States, we would have a dramatic and aggressive reaction. I do not understand why it is the consensus of the nation that our behavior is appropriate. Americans and the American government should be better than this.
Americans are not morally superior. Americans are not intellectually superior. Americans are the same as their neighbors and those on the other side of the Earth. We have no right to control or manipulate other potential states’ autonomy and livelihood. We are not better than England, Spain or other colonizing states.
Break this continuum of coloniality. Acknowledge that so many of our societal, political and economic disparities can be attributed to colonialism. Channel your anger and frustration into making electoral changes in the United States so we can counteract and reverse the colonialistic past we have molded. I call on Emory University students to recognize the wrongdoings of the government and to raise awareness within their own communities. From there, I urge us to be vocal beyond the Emory student body. We can contact our congressional representatives and lobby them to take action in pushing for Puerto Rico’s independence.
From this point forward, we need to be more intentional about our actions in the international sphere. The United States does not need to interfere at every opportunity it gets to do so. We are in a position of privilege and have the chance to be a good big sister to other countries in the world rather than a bully. We must model just behavior. We must strive to be the light of hope and peace. We must do better.
Lola McGuire (26C) is from Nashville, Tenn.
