Prejudice, racism, discrimination. These things have been with us ever since we walked the Earth. It was and is part of our human nature. Today, the United States is not free from prejudice, despite claiming to be a “free country.”

So, how can we stop it?

Empathy: the ability to understand and the feelings of another. This simple and easy idea may prove to be a solution to our problem. But it would take a lot of effort to make it happen since many Americans struggle with empathy. Many are quick to judge and slow to listen, undervaluing empathy.

But what they fail to realize is that, with empathy, they could help increase the rights for everyone, such as the LGBT community, women and immigrants. The power of empathy could help decrease number of people living in the streets and unemployment rates. The power of empathy could decrease violence and increase the amount of love being shared among Americans. This small idea could help America be a “city upon a hill” and famous for its welcoming and caring characteristics. As he left the White House, Barack Obama leaves us with this: “We cannot withdraw from global fights to expand democracy, and human rights, women’s rights, and LGBT rights-no matter how imperfect our efforts, no matter how expedient ignoring such values may seem.”

These next four years will be quite different, with a president who doesn’t appear to value empathy as much as the former. However, through our actions and ideas, we can indeed make America great again.

As Atticus Finch, from To Kill a Mockingbird, once said: “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view…until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”


<Daniel Hwang Rancho Cucamonga HS 11th Grade>