When a stranger is asked on what they think of America, the most common answer is the freedom it has to offer. There has been many rights and laws that protects almost every group of people and there is freedom in choice almost in anything and everything. But the truth is, is there?

“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which its stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” — The Pledge of Allegiance.

The word “under God” is added by President Eisenhower in 1954, passed, of course, by congress. So, is there really freedom in America? Freedom to believe in… whatever? What about those individuals who do not believe in God? How can they pledge in stating that America is a nation under God, while at the same time believing that God does not even exists?

Looking through the many leaders throughout history in America, Christianity is the one strong belief that many of these leaders hold. Then, let’s look at few teachings of Christianity: to disallow divorce, to view sex as sin, that murder is sin and that revenge is useless. Sure, at a glance, America certainly does not hold any restraints to divorce, sex, murder and revenge (i.e. the war). But look closer between the streets and behind the written pledge. The so called “God” is behind it all.

It is a fact that sex education has been very limited in many schools across the United States. Although it is, in fact, a very important aspect of education, especially among teenagers, many parents and boards of education deny the importance of sex education. These people believe that promoting sex education will only promote sex. That sex education is in line with sex itself, and therefore is against the teachings of the religion.

Sadly, across the globe, the United States is listed as the number one country with the highest number of under-age pregnancy and one of the lowest user of contraception. A coincidence? I don’t think so.

Then, the so very appraised “rights” of people which, sadly, is poorly taught. Let start with the Civil Rights, to free slaves and promote equal rights to those of African heritage. Look around. Do you see equal rights between those of the African heritage? The fight between whites and blacks are long from being over. It has been embedded in the culture itself, in the very talk of everyday and in the hearts of the Americans. Racism will always exist, and equality could never win.

Then the Women’s Rights, again, to give equal opportunity to women in all aspects of humanity. Sure, slowly women are taking the bigger work, becoming CEO’s and head contractors, even taking over positions in the parliamentarian. But look closer, and see that many of these women still are unable to be given the total and absolute respect that the rights is supposed to promise. Again, it has been embedded in the culture.

My explanation to this? Perhaps the celebration of rights and freedom is being promoted a little too much. Black History Month? How about White History Month? Or Chinese History Month? or Immigrants History Month? How can we find equality this way? How can we mark the calendars in celebration of one race, and one race only? Morgan Freeman, a famous celebrity, even stated on December of 2005 that Black History Month is “ridiculous… You’re going to relegate my history to a month?… I don’t want black history month. Black history is American history.” Touché.

Every single changes that happens in America is, in fact, the American history. I would say that focusing on any one type of rights and even mark the calendars with these celebration will not only cause a tiresome in preparation of the celebration itself, but it will only dis-promote equality.

So maybe our future generations will realize, that freedom and equality does not exist in written form, but it must exist in reality. Signatures and documentations of various rights will not succeed without the 100% belief from every single American individual. To unite America as a whole, I would say that we should look back into the history of America, up until this very day, and see which means the most to all of Americans, not just a group, but to all.

No partial history deserves a celebration of its own, the whole history should be celebrated together. No freedom should only be written in words and documentations, but is should be believed and act out in reality. Dear, free and equal America: you are not so free and equal, after all.