Recently in class we discussed the Black Lives Matter movement. This discussion lasted the entirety of class, being based on what the movement was and what it hoped to accomplish. The discussion also addressed what was going on at other college campuses around the country, specifically those involving evidence of racism, and what should the solutions include. The biggest problem the class conflicted about was how to solve the problem of racism without racism itself. For instance, designating a place for minorities to go on campus to discuss race issue includes racism as it is meant to be into place to hear issues of a specific group. Periodically, Mills was brought into the discussion to bring up hypotheticals in what he might think about to situation or what the solution should be. Mill is the author The Racial Contract, which goes into how the well known social contract is at its core, based on racism. This shows and has shown in our society as African Americans are and have been suppressed in almost all areas of life.
This is a link of then presidential candidate and now current President Barack Obama campaigning in 2008 on the platform that he is a “Change We Can Believe In”. This change was not only based on his political views but also on the fact that he was the first African American candidate to be nominated from either major political party. Many believed that by becoming elected there would a significant change is race relations, as America had just chosen an African American to its highest elected office. However, in recent years this has shown to not entirely be the case. With several murders seemingly based on race, Trayvon Martin, Freddie Grey, Michael Brown and many more, racism does still exist in America. Although it was thought that Obama’s election and presence in office would be a “change” and while it did make enormous strides politically, it is not the change we thought it was would be. The true change, relating to what Mills went into, is changing the cores of all the American people. We can not expect race relations to reside in one man and his accomplishments, as it does not fix the complete problem. What will fix the problem, is trying to change the core of the social contact. Obama showed that one person, even the most powerfull one of the country is not enough to do this. What will accomplish this is we the people, working together with one another, working against the basis of the core Mill describes in The Racial Contract. The problem is not one that can be fought by few or small groups, by one that needs to support and backing of all those that believe it in.
You mention 'the core of all people', do you you mean the core of each individual or the core of society as a collective?
ReplyDeleteAnd many have stated that there has been a racist backlash against Obama in certain circles. Do you think this is the case? Does someone like Donald Trump tap into the fears of certain voters that white people are losing their place?
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DeleteThe core of each individual that make up the society. As this makes up society, this is how to change the problem. When Obama was elected, the "change" that he brought with him was directed towards society, not the individual. As a result, you still have individuals that were racism and conducted themselves as such. This is why the problem can only be changed by individuals making up the society. I think at the start of his presidency there was backlash against him and the fact that he was African American. However, I also think that as political correctness has grown enormously since his inauguration, it was partially subdued most of backlashed he faced on the basis of racist. Now it would seem that the vast majority of backlash he faces is over liberal polices. Someone like Donald Trump has the polls success he does because he is able to gain ignorant support that is responsive to yellow journalism and controversial statements on the basis that they are controversial. As he has yet to explain any of his polices, what they entail,how they would work,why they would work, it is clear that his supporters value his claims for the wrong reasons.
DeleteDo you think there are any countries that we could use as a model for our own eradication of racism?
ReplyDeleteNo every country suffers from some type of systematic racism. Wherever you go there will always be a marginalized group a specific scapegoat or black sheep.
DeleteNo because for two reasons. One is that some form of racism is found everywhere all across the world. This means that every other model has the same problem. Two, America for the most part, although still consisting of racism, has a much more accepting society than a large number of other cultural across the world. Although we still have the problem, we are working to end it which is again much more than other cultures can say about themselves.
DeleteI think some heightened tensions in race relations due to Obama's elections. I've heard comments that suggest he only became President because the minority communities voted for him due to the color of his skin and not his political ideals.
ReplyDeletethat same statement could be said for the past elections
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DeleteAs the white population accounts for 72% of America's total, I don't think this would be possible. In addition, the voter turnout was up only 2% from the 2004 election. This means that it is highly likely that most of the same people voted. As 2004 consisted of two white men, George Bush and John Kerry, I don't think you could say that this was the case
DeleteThat is really interesting. Do you think that the reason for our frequent witnesses of racial inequalities in nowadays society is because Obama’s winning had brought those problems under more attentions but not because the racial problem is not getting better in the United States? Also, you mentioned that people should strive together to solve this kind of institutional supremacy, what is the best way that you think people shall use to fight against this grand state power?
ReplyDeleteI think that the racist problem the United States has faced in recent months have always been there and perhaps have been worse in recent years. I think the difference is now that with technology everyone has a smart phone and is able to record it thus broadcast it to the entire country. In addition, sites such as Facebook and Instagram are able to spread these event to massive amounts of people in a matter of hours. I think the best way to fine an issue like this is having as much awareness about the issue as possible. By doing this, you not only influence others to help the cause but also make people fully understand why these actions are wrong and that they need to be fixed.
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