James+Reflection+on+inability+to+change

Sadly, although Americans often claim to be progressive and forward looking, there is ample evidence that we remain a narrow minded and bigoted nation. From the time of the Puritans until the 1960s (and beyond), Americans have shown a passion for casting people out and finding reasons to hate others and hold themselves superior. Women, blacks, gays, and other minorities have all felt the power of American hatred. Dispite a great tradition of protest and revolution, we remain very much the same nation that we were in the late 18th centrury.