No Simple Answer

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Today, as we sat in the pews of the First Congregational Church, Andrew Young shared his perspective on history's relationship with modern times, as well as the future. Naturally, the discussion shifted to Donald Trump pretty early, and Ambassador Young talked about the President's lack of respect for history, especially with regards to Haiti's defense of America, and his potential to impact the future. The Ambassador also referred to the President as providing too many "simple answers" to appeal to his base. However, as Ambassador Young argued, it's hard to find simple answers in today's world. From what we have experienced this far on the trip, I absolutely agree with this statement, especially concerning race and civil rights. The complexity of race has become even clearer to me over the course of the last two days. Last night, we had a tantalizing conversation on the bus about the portrayal of people of different races, the complicated political and economic hierarchy, and the overall nature of race in America. The depth of opinions and perspectives that I heard assured me of the complexity of the subject, and I know that as much as I would like them, there will be no simple answers to the many questions I have about the civil rights movement and its effect on my own life.

 -Gabe Samuels

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