At the request of Steven Woods, he wanted me to post the essay I recently wrote for the following scholarship: Submit (250 words or less) for the question: "Which superhero or villain would you want to change places with for a day and why?"
If I could change places with a superhero for one day, it would be Captain America. In the comic, Civil War, Captain America said to Spiderman, it “doesn't matter if the whole country decides that something wrong is something right. This nation was founded on one principle above all else: the requirement that we stand up for what we believe, no matter the odds or the consequences. When the mob and the press and the whole world tell you to move, your job is to plant yourself like a tree beside the river of truth, and tell the whole world, No, you move." In light of all the concerns facing our country recently: racism, socio-economic disparity, violence, etc., people need to be reminded that standing up for justice is everyone’s responsibility.
As Captain America, I would use my image and influence to help everyone: politicians, educators, law enforcement, civil rights activists and other community leaders see the importance of compromise. Deep down, we all have bias about other people, genders and cultures, but working together, we can accomplish so much. My day would be spent being the facilitator for all these warring sides to sit down and truthfully acknowledge each other’s issues and work out solutions.
In my mind, Captain America inherently represents the notion that although struggles will occur, our fundamental belief in democracy will lead us to peace. As the Captain would say, “AVENGERS…. ASSEMBLE!!!”
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