What Does The American Flag Stand For: Real Justice and Equality

Introduction

When asked 'What does the American flag stand for?' for an essay, it is important to recognize that the flag represents justice and equality. However, does America exhibit these characteristics? America's history of racial discrimination in the court system and inequality in rights suggest that the country has not yet achieved genuine social and racial equality.

Struggling of America

America normalizes racism in the form of racial criminal injustices. The U.S. has a history of racism in American courts. Although it is not directly implied, discrimination peaks through almost all court cases. In the United States, two black men were wrongfully convicted of murder in 1976 and were freed after 43 years, in 2019. Clifford Williams and Nathan Myer were present at a party when the shooting took place. Aside from dozens of people being there, they were the only ones arrested. Many pieces of evidence determined that they were not guilty. The victim claims she saw two guns firing, when in fact ballistic testing proves that only one gun was present (Meghan Keneally '2 men wrongfully convicted of 1976 murder freed after 43 years behind bars' March 29, 2019). Although the newscast about the men's release is recent, it has never been widely broadcast because the American media does not take much interest in the topic. This portrays a message that discrimination does not take up much attention in the States and it took 40 years just to justify their innocence. A similar experience is told in To Kill a Mockingbird, where Tom Robinson is falsely accused of rape. In the story, the whole town of Maycomb is quick to assume Tom is guilty because of the colour of his skin. Although there is no proof of the crime, hatred boils in people’s skin when they hear the story. Robinson’s case is an example of how racist views can not overpower a jury and can cost an innocent person their life. Atticus explains the bias ways of the courtroom to his children, “The one place where a man ought to get a square deal is in a courtroom, be he any colour of the rainbow, but people have a way of carrying their resentments right into a jury box” (Lee 295). A person can be of any race, but every trial will always be partially biased. It is then the person’s role to accept the truth and strive for justice. Today, the courtroom continues to lead faultless lives in jail and at times, death. This is not fair to the innocent people that believe the judge and jury and their false accusations because of their bias and racist views.

America is seen as a leading global player in health inequality. Not only are people treated differently by race in the United States, but also by their financial status. Low-income families are not able to access necessities such as; insurance, grocery bills, rent, and most importantly, health care. Between 2011 and 2013, 38% of those in households making less than $22,500 a year reported being in poor or fair health. Only 12% in households making more than $47,700 a year reported being in poor to fair health (Kimberly Amadeo 'Health Care Inequality in America' June 25, 2019). The rich can afford all the needed medicines and drugs that are able to keep them healthy and worry-free, while the poor are struggling just to live and maintain to stay healthy because of the high costs of these treatments. This signifies that the States are more concerned about their economics than the health of people. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Tom Robinson is shown as a poor man with a family to care for. In the novel, Robinson’s arm was injured in a cotton gin accident which resulted in his left arm muscles being torn and his arm unable to function. If this was a wealthy man, he would have easily gotten it fixed and would be able to have two functioning arms. But in Tom’s case, he can not afford the operation. Another example is the Ewells. They are a white family who lives by the dump and are affected by poverty, and are considered “poor white trash”. Near the beginning of the novel, Burris Ewell is seen covered in mud and lice. He is filthy and unkempt due to his living standards at home. If his family was of a higher class, he would be hygienic and tidy because they would no longer live close to a dump and have to live in foul conditions. Scout further explains the effect poverty had on the Ewells health:

Every town had families like the Ewells. . . .

(they) lived as guests of the county in prosperity as well as in the depths of depression. . . no public health officer could free them from congenital defects, various worms, and the diseases indigenous to filthy surroundings. (Lee 227)

The diseases and sicknesses of many people are getting more severe, but sadly it is common and not taken as a threat in America. Economic separation is affecting the health of most Americans and many live a life similar to the Ewells and Tom Robinson, in which they cannot access the right medical care due to pricing issues.

America fails to treat women like they treat men. In To Kill a Mockingbird, the women in the novel are expected to carry feminine behaviours. In the story, Harper Lee demonstrates how women are (supposedly) supposed to dress and act in the time period. Aunt Alexandra continuously scowls Scout for not acting ‘lady-like’:

Aunt Alexandra was fanatical on the subject of my attire. I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches; when I said I could do nothing in a dress, she said I wasn’t supposed to be doing things that required pants. Aunt Alexandra’s vision of my deportment involved playing with small stoves, tea sets, and wearing the Add-A-Pearl necklace she gave me when I was born; furthermore, I should be a ray of sunshine in my father’s lonely life. I suggested that one could be a ray of sunshine in pants just as well, but Aunty said that one had to behave like a sunbeam, that I was born good but had grown progressively worse every year. (Lee 108)

People often assume that women are supposed to be tenderhearted and caregivers. It is common for women to stay at home and take care of house chores and their children while men go out and work. If a woman does not meet those expectations, she will be labelled as masculine and faulty. In the novel, the only time you see a woman working is when Tom Robinson’s wife, Helen is in desperate need of a job to support her family after the death of her husband. This implies a message that women are not encouraged to enter the workforce unless in desperate needs. Although women have the right to work today, society has never fully accepted it into existence. An example of this is seen in the pay gap between women and men. In 2019, studies showed that women earn 79 cents for every dollar earned by men (“The State of the Gender Pay Gap 2019” 2019). Men are still seen as superior to women and have more rights than them. Years later women still lack equal pay because of stereotypes that were created hundreds of years ago. America has seen incredible changes and advancements in their country but yet women are still seen as less than men.

The novel To Kill a Mockingbird highlights America’s significant problems in the 1920-30s, which still exist today. The States is seen as a futuristic country of vast improvements, but racist views, social injustice, and unfair rights for women seem to be repeating in history. Ultimately, there will everlastingly be some form of social and racial discrimination in America. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, while the American flag stands for justice and equality, the country is still struggling to achieve these characteristics. Racial discrimination in the court system and inequality in rights suggest that the country has not yet achieved genuine social and racial equality. America normalizes racism in the form of racial criminal injustices, and low-income families are not able to access necessities such as insurance, grocery bills, rent, and most importantly, health care. Moreover, women are not treated equally as men. These issues, present in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, still persist in the United States today, and they need to be addressed in order for the country to truly embody the values of justice and equality that the American flag represents. Only by working towards a more just and equitable society can America live up to the ideals embodied by its flag.