George Washington Farewell Speech Analysis

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Pages: 3

It comes as no shock that the growing culture in both the United Kingdom and the United States reflects that of a xenophobic and isolationist nature. This irrational fear of what is foreign permeates the history of the world, infused in the annihilation of Native Americans, the ethnic cleansing and the Tutsis in Rwanda and the Jews during the Holocaust, and the violence inflicted upon African Americans by the Ku Klux Klan and like-minded organizations. The relentless oppression of these groups stems from the inherent belief in ethnocentrism, the belief in the superiority of one’s own ethnic group or culture. This divisive principle runs rampant through the privileged nation of the world, allowing them to oppress others without fear of retribution. Until this abhorrent practice comes to an end, political, economic, and cultural relationships around the world will suffer the consequence. In George Washington’s farewell address, he made a commitment to neutrality, a suggestion to avoid alliances with other nations, but Washington failed to consider the lasting importance of foreign relations. The isolationist policy that Washington proposed fosters contempt similar to that of modern xenophobic culture. Without mutual …show more content…
For centuries, institutionalized bias has colluded against those not found in the highest strata of the hierarchy, undermining their given right to equal opportunity and treatment under the law. And though there has been progress towards parity despite diversity, the growing xenophobic culture allows the hierarchy to persist through society, maintaining an unspoken pecking order of value and worth. Until those privileged individuals at the top of the food chain remove themselves from the pedestal and make conscious efforts towards unification, the systemic bias with continue to flourish in modern