Tolerant

"Illustration" courtesy of:  https://www.craiyon.com "mowed grass"

"They" unequivocally assert that:

• "The country has become more "free" or "open" or "tolerant" than it was "before".

"We" hesitantly un-assert that:

• "Our nation will only get worse before it becomes worse or better."

Backward or "'they' aren't wrong, 'they' are backward".