hypocrisy is very alive and well in our country .
So while Americans who were granted the privilege of not being suppressed , exploited and
treated as second class citizens can view these pledges , the flag and its anthem as images of
their freedom and independence . There are Americans , Black , Indigenous , Hispanic and Asian
who see just the opposite , for when these symbols were created we were not in mind . Our
humanity , our qualities of life , our equality was dismissed ; and to this day they still are .
In other countries that were once colonized , we &# 39 ; ve seen the symbolism and flags of those
countries get changed once they &# 39 ; ve met their independence . Once the people were able to
dismantle those oppressive , colonized policies they were able to take control and change the
symbols that represented their country to actually represent them , and not represent a history of
oppression , racism and colonization .
For example , Zimbabwe won it ’ s independence from the United Kingdom in 1980 when Robert
Mugabe won position as Prime Minister of once known as Southern Rhodesia ( named after a famous colonizer ). Zimbabweans were able to change their flag colors to represent their
country &# 39 ; s history , the people , and their land .
The same happened in Haiti , Malawi and many other countries that were once colonized and
now independent . Many countries have made changes to their country flags after winning
independence and ending their days of colonization and oppression . While those symbols were
once symbols of pride and bravery to those who colonized that land , to those who were
oppressed those symbols meant their inequality .
Symbolism means the same here in the States , the independence of America did not involve
non white Americans . These symbols of American pride and freedom did not and still do not
include us . Creation of these symbols did not include our humanity , nor does it now as we &# 39 ; ve
seen the current existence of systemic racism . This country wants us to worship it ’ s symbolism when its symbolism doesn ’ t represent us . This
country wants us to pledge allegiance when this country won , t pay allegiance to us .