It’s Time for a Change in Status: Global Citizenship For the United States
‘The American Dream’ is certainly quite grand. Living within a ‘melting pot’ of cultures, coinciding, and learning from one another. People immigrating from all over the world to experience the great opportunity, freedom, liberty and justice for all the nation offers. These ideas of perfection support the American national ideal, except these grand ideas are only an ideal, and are lightyears away from the reality of the United States we see today, and have always seen. The U.S. has been a divided nation for centuries, resulting in much violence, and injustices. Along with the American pride, and nationalism becoming far beyond toxicity, especially as of recent with nationalists running around and invading the capitol.
Furthermore, the U.S. has an awful history that we cannot let repeat itself, the U.S must change it’s mindset, and its tendencies to be able to participate, and thrive in the beautifully diverse world we belong to. If we began to empathize with each other, and adopt a global mindset an amity could be recognized that could influence great collaboration, and acceptance, across the U.S, and across the entire globe. Although some may argue that countries thinking solely nationally is the most effective way to tackle concerns. That within global citizenship many problems would be left unattended to. The privileged and self-centered mindset of the current U.S nationalism is cause for the vitality of citizens thinking and acting globally to be able to use this privilege to help foster a better environment for our globe. Leading to great collaboration through the equitable, and empathetic thinking required. With the U.S. working, and thinking with the globe national concerns would be resolved through the sharing of knowledge, resources, and experience, not to mention the many global concerns that cannot be solved individually. Issues of impoverishment, malnourishment, disease, and crisis that more greatly affect undeveloped countries, could easily be improved with decreases in U.S. spending.
For example, in 2019 it was estimated that the U.S. spent $1 trillion on the military, it is also estimated that $30 billion is necessary to end world hunger. That’s only a 3% cut that could significantly improve life on earth. It is also estimated that the total global military spending cost sits well above 2 trillion, meaning that there are many nations beside the U.S that could decrease spending to contribute to this cause. At this point my biggest question is why are these cuts not being implemented? This type of empathy, and contribution towards other countries throughout the world would help the U.S be able to offer more acceptance, and equity within the country.
But to elaborate the U.S. spends such massive dollar amounts on the military due its drive to keep the U.S. in power; more weapons equals the more potential for power, and success if we were ever thrown into war. This spending ensures that the U.S is prepared to fight many battles simultaneously, to aid in conflict in Libya, while protecting both coasts against North Korea, or Iraq. Some may claim that this spending is a necessity to be prepared to protect the country if concerns were to arise. Including that spending during the Cold War period was 8% of the GDP, compared to the current 3% of the GDP. Nevertheless this proves the notion that if war and conflict were to arise similarly to the times of the cold war, such spending would be much more logical. If we were at the verge of conflict we could increase spending, but for the time being a 3% decrease in spending to end global hunger is so minute, for such a large accomplishment the risks seem worthy. By extension through global thinking, global collaboration, and national togetherness, ideally military threats would decrease, and international relations would increase, further lessening the need for such spending. It is common knowledge that many countries throughout the world despise, and look down upon the U.S., even more so because of the tomfoolery of a presidency that occurred throughout the past four years. We are in dire need of changing our outlook, so if one chooses to only look for the personal or national gain involved, global thinking can still be necessary. Furthermore through the reframing, and re-contextualizing of our thinking about each other and other countries to see equality, the selfish needs for gain will subside and ultimately a more peaceful globe will ensue.
Admittedly, getting everyone within the U.S to work with one another when true injustice has been present for centuries may be difficult. It is also true that out of all the citizens in the U.S, there are those who would not want to join this global perspective. By contrast I believe it is an ideal solution, increased global citizenship would encourage people to understand one another. For instance deciding to collaborate globally on such an astounding accomplishment such as ending global hunger I believe would effectively improve relations to decrease competition, and detestation. In order for us all to work collectively, for us all to be a part of something bigger, equitable, and global thinking is key.
Therefore choosing to identify globally could only positively impact our perceptions, behaviors, and actions to help us think outside of the self. Helping individuals see the world culturally inclusively, appreciatively, empathetically, and supportively. A skill that could truly lead to a more peaceful, and kind world. Global citizenship can be a way of thinking, and being that helps you approach life with gratitude for the vast, and beautiful earth that we live on. Global citizenship on the other hand, is a considerable solution to issues the world faces such as hunger, and climate change. Working together would be significantly more optimal. Global citizenship encourages the sharing of new discoveries, information, and ideas, leading to a world where global and national issues are being solved with much more efficiency. What I am saying is the U.S should change its status to global citizen. Meaning that I propose the U.S should become a part of a global citizenship network where countries in power would be involved in pooling extra resources together to see a more equitable world. The U.S using the military to end world hunger is one clear cut example of how these resources could be allocated, but there are many other issues to solve as well that other countries, and the U.S could begin to collaborate on. With all of the horror our globe faces, and think of how much we could accomplish to defeat if we simply worked together.
https://peaceeconomyproject.org/wordpress/3-of-u-s-military-spending-could-end-starvation-on-earth/
