Just as you will not find food when there is famine, water when there is drought, health when there is plague, you will not find peace when there is inequality. Inequality is corruption of our peace and unity, and cannot be eradicated without action. While every citizen can make a difference, being President of the United States gives an amplified ability to create such change. If I were President of the United States, I would reflect equality in my own leadership, promote social tolerance, and decrease hurtful messages to promote peace and unity.
One cannot ask others to follow in their footsteps unless they have paved the road themselves. As President or any other leadership position, one cannot ask the people to treat one another as equals while they have an imbalanced group of people within their own life. If I were in that position, I would check if my own Cabinet and White House staff represented everyone, with people of different sexualities, races, religions, genders and more. Besides the fact that it is beneficial for the people to see a wide variety of citizens, it also brings many more ideas to a discussion that would otherwise be unrepresented. To promote unity as a leader, one must reflect diversity in their own office.
Secondly, showing the population that little other than character defines a person, would promote social tolerance, a key step to national unity and peace. Typically, the fear of difference leads to intolerance, which in turn leads to unrest. To change this, I would discuss people of different backgrounds’ talents or life stories, similar to Franklin Roosevelt’s Fireside Chats, but focusing on social justice rather than political aid. Opportunities for self and cultural expression lead to many open doors of opportunity for a better country, which is something I would aim for as President.
Lastly, all proactive measures against inequality become ineffective if people still face oppression in their daily lives. A lack of diversity in media, reminders of past discrimination, and common slurs still exist. While some of these cannot be removed without violation of constitutional rights, many of them can be prevented by simply asking people to rethink the effect of their words. However, materialistic things, such as statues, serve as a reminder to those who were hurt by inequality. They are simply outdated and no longer beneficial in the daily lives of Americans. Encouraging employers to hire those of a different race or gender, watching the products of women producers, or being careful to buy culturally appropriate products. As President, I would encourage the awareness and removal of all things provoking inequality.
Overall, while everyone has the ability to do these things independently I would promote unity in many ways. I would start by modeling the change I would like to see, by employing and surrounding myself with a diverse group of individuals with many different backgrounds. Secondly, I would begin breaking down the barriers between people and explaining the capabilities of those who are oppressed by society for simply being different. To solidify my objective, I would attempt to devalue hurtful messages, whether materialistic or simply implied by a lack of differences. In conclusion, as President of the United States, I would encourage equality to promote unity and peace.