Relating To Kermit The Frog

While I may not be a frog, I can very much find myself relating to Kermit the Frog with his phrase, “It’s not easy being green.” One might laugh and say, “Alana! What would you know about what it’s like as a frog?” And the answer is I don’t. But I do know what it means to be a minority, which is what Kermit is; I do not know very many talking frogs. However like Kermit, in American history people have been set back because they were different from what society deemed “normal.” If we look back to early American history, African Americans were deemed lesser than and dirty because they were a different skin color. My people, the Native Americans, were also looked down on as savages, despite what societal systems were already in place when
the Europeans arrived. If we look even more recently in history, gays were deemed wrong and unholy, because they chose to love someone other than what society had in place. These people were somehow different than what society thought was orthodox, and for that, they were often shunned and beaten. Even today there are still hate crimes occurring.
While it is important to recognize and see how being different disables us from fitting what society once thought was the norm, many people can find comfort in being who they are. African Americans are no longer segregated the way they once were and are now treated as equals, we have an African American president which is notable progress. Gays can now marry who they want, which is a huge step for America. And I as a Native American, am now happy for the debts being repaid and knowing what I and my culture stand for.