States of being

Emmy Jansen
MSMU Class of 2023

(6/2020) We celebrate more than just a flag. It is the union of different peoples and states to fight one common enemy.

Today, we have a different common enemy. We can’t see it, we don’t know how to stop it, and we don’t really know how it started either. In 1776, the rebels took on an enemy they didn’t know if they could beat. They risked their lives to fight for what they believed in and the world was shocked when America was independent. They were probably more shocked when the thirteen rag-tag states became a unified country. It’s shocking that thirteen quickly became fifty and we are more diverse than ever.

America has always been known for its individuality. We stand apart from other countries in our culture, customs, and the structure of our nation. Going to school out of state, I’ve been able to see the regional differences firsthand, which is one of our unique American features. When I talk to students and professors at the Mount, sometimes it feels like they’re from a different country. Even with the globalized culture we have today, there are still things that are strikingly different. In Virginia, Old Bay isn’t sitting on restaurant tables next to the saltshakers. We aren’t raised to know the proper way to eat a crab. I’ve never worn socks, scarves, or sweatpants with my state flag on them. These are all distinctly Maryland things.

I drive too slow compared to Boston drivers. I talk too much compared to anyone above the Maxon-Dixon line. Because I grew up right outside of Richmond, I was surrounded by history and have come to realize I know more American facts than most teenagers do. I’m not used to winter lasting as long as it does in Emmitsburg. I’d never seen a lake frozen over until I traveled to Maine. A friend told me that in New England, they say "Happy Holidays" only and it was odd to hear me wishing everyone "Merry Christmas." I put barbecue sauce on my French fries, like good Southern people do. My roommate puts an extra ‘r’ in "water". Bagels aren’t that popular where I’m from. These are small differences, yes, but they reflect an important American characteristic. Our state identity defines how we view ourselves and others. It’s more than just stereotypes; we are different people in our values, cultures, and quirks. This is an aspect of the United States that has always been enjoyed. We can drive a few hours and experience something almost entirely new. We know our differences and can laugh about them, but at the end of the day we know that we’re all Americans.

State identity is more important now than ever. With each area of the country being impacted by COVID-19 differently, we are going through fifty different pandemics at the same time. My quarantine life in Richmond, Virginia is strikingly different from someone in Missouri and someone in New York. We have always been a country of multiple experiences. It can be hard to deal with the spectrum of the pandemic as we compare our situation to others. For example, I don’t have to wear a mask when I leave my house but residents in other states do. Some states are opening faster than others. It can quickly become an "us versus them" scenario.

We’d be kidding ourselves if we said it hasn’t always been that scenario. Our identities have always been different. Even on I-95, you can tell by the surroundings that you are in an entirely different state without needing a welcome sign. Our state identity is one of the most important things about us when relating to other Americans. Each state has their stereotypes, good or bad. Each region has their accent. There are fifty birds, flowers, mottos, and flags that comprise the United States of America. But there is only one that we are united behind.

In times like these, it’s easy to see our differences. Some of us are deemed essential, others are not. There’s those in the high-risk population and those with little risk at all. The group of people infected with the virus are separated from those that aren’t. We differ in our economic, social, and mental responses to this pandemic. Everyone seems to have a different opinion on how the crisis should be handled and when, but no one really knows who’s right. In the end, our differences, while striking, should not become barriers. There is not one person in this country that is unaffected by COVID-19. There was not one person who wasn’t impacted by the decision of the Founding Fathers to revolt. The flag that unites us has fifty stars and thirteen stripes. It is symbolic of who we are as a country, where we started and how far we’ve come. It would be a shame to let the work of the past two hundred years be undone by an outside enemy, one that none of us can control.

When the forgers established this nation, they didn’t know that in 2020 there would be a pandemic that froze time. What they did know was that America would be founded as a country of united states, bound by their differences to a common goal of liberty and freedom. We are still that country, although our numbers have expanded greatly. The sentiment remains the same; when there is a common enemy, you can be sure that these here united states will band together, across their borders and divides, to face the world.

As we sit locked away in our homes, we feel more apart than ever. But this isn’t the case. COVID-19 is a thread that links all of us together. This will become clearer once it’s all over and we can share stories of our quarantine. Until then, we shouldn’t look outside for reasons to stay in but looking inside for reasons not to go out. We have always been a nation of individuals, with differences and dissimilarities aplenty. This didn’t stop the country from being founded and it shouldn’t stop us now.

Read other articles by Emmy Jansen