I read a graphic novel called They Called Us Enemy. This graphic novel centered around the incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII and focuses on a Japanese family. From the perspective of the Japanese family, I noticed that they were family similar to mine. They kept to themselves, avoided conflict, and tried to follow the rules. Despite this, their own government turned on them and prosecuted them without due process. Their land was seized violating the constitution and Japanese Americans were scape-goated. To me, for a country that has uplifted the values of freedom, equality, and due process, it poses one question: What went wrong?

What I believe went wrong was the cowering to the mob and the fear to stand up. Throughout history, the majority has not always been right. This is true when we look back at slavery, Nazi Germany, etc. America’s success and its ability to persevere and right its wrong has been due to two simple factors, checks and balances and its values.

America has the White House, Congress, and the Supreme Court. These institutions flow with the will of the American people and were designed to force gradual change. This gradual change was aimed at combatting a popular fad that might be popular. Gradual and sometimes painful to both sides of the political spectrum who wish to see their ideology consume America is good. It prevents the heat of the moment from being all consuming and reminds us to stick to the Constitution.

The Constitution upholds and articulates America’s value of equality, due process, federalism, and etc. It offers equal protection no matter who you are and is a document that’s ideals, America has not always lived up too. No one expects America to be perfect, and the Constitution is a symbol of a perfect union we’re continuously striding towards. That is something to be proud of.

These checks and balances and America’s values can combat covering to the mob and the fear to stand up. It is hard to get things done in government without bipartisan support and the Constitution forever symbolizes our commitment. The Constitution stands the test of time and is the standard by which we judge history. American exceptionalism never seems to fail as long as we stand strong and protect the rights we were born with. And remember, no one can take it away from us.