by Ayianna Maddox

Being a civilian in America can be exhausting — constant propaganda, death, and injustice. America is portrayed as a “haven” for all who enter. The “Pledge of Allegiance” is known as a symbol of integrity, loyalty, and respect for America. Still, the shimmering mirage of our Pledge is fading, revealing that the words and their meanings are untrue.

Throughout the U.S. at the beginning of the school day, students are expected to recite the Pledge of Allegiance with their heads held high, standing tall, and their right hands over their hearts. Then, we carry it with us throughout our lives, because we have been conditioned to do so from an early age. We know the words, but have we comprehended the meaning?

The first line states, “I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America.” As we recite this line, we are making a promise to ourselves and our country to uphold important documents, such as the Constitution.

The second line states, “…to the Republic for which it stands.” The Republic is a form of government where supreme power is held by the people and exercised through elected representatives, rather than by a hereditary ruler or dictator. However, currently in our country, our executive and judicial branches of government have forgotten this important detail. The people elected those in power, yes, but those in power are not listening to the people’s cries.

The third line states, “…one Nation under God, indivisible…” This could be interpreted as we’re all equal as a people beneath the “protection of God,” but how I wish in my core that this were true. If we’re all “One Nation under God, indivisible…” then why is oppression still active today despite our history?

The last line states, “…with liberty and justice for all.” Once an eternal promise, that line is now a plea for help. Inside the “land of the free,” the civilians of America are pleading for justice for their loved ones, a rescue through liberation. Citizens of a “justified nation” should not have to beg for something that should have been given beforehand; that’s not what was taught.

With the never ending unlawful acts of President Donald Trump and his administration, the number of nationwide protests against their policies increases.

According to The Guardian News, “There were more than 10,700 protests in 2025, a 133% increase from the 4,588 recorded in 2017, the first year of President Donald Trump’s first term.” 

The significant leap in protest participation from 2017 to 2025 justifies America’s cries. The combined protests of 2017-2025 (15,288) are for different reasons, but they are all aimed at the same variables: justice, peace, and hope. The population affected by injustice and constant conflict is rallying together and using their voices to strive for a better outcome. 

Recently and more frequently, ICE agents are wreaking havoc to no end – targeting and assaulting defenseless protesters, bystanders, and families. Not only that, but they are attacking schools. Women, men, and children are being taken away, harassed, and attacked with no explanation. No one is safe. In Minneapolis, Minnesota, ICE agents have not only terrorized but also killed people. 

On Jan. 7, 2026, ICE agents stormed Roosevelt High, a school in Minneapolis. Reports from MPR News states, “Armed U.S. Border Patrol officers came on school property during dismissal Wednesday and began tackling people, handcuffed two staff members, and released chemical weapons on bystanders.” This incident occurred just a few hours after Renee Good was killed, approximately three miles away from Roosevelt High School.

Seventeen days later, on Jan. 24, 2026, ICE fatally shot an ICU nurse named Alex Pretti. The New York Times breaks down video footage from a witness at the scene.

The United States of America has become inverted: Rights are being constantly violated, humanity is a myth, and safety is no longer a luxury.

As a teenager in America, I’m watching the colors of my home turn red with bloodshed and the skies grow dark with despair, blocking the hopeful light.

People of America, we are our own light; bendable, but not breakable.