What has been in the news recently about Ferguson is something that has been there since the very beginning but now lives under a new name; racial profiling. This issue, in line with affirmative action is proof that the words spoken by Martin Luther King more than 50 years ago have lost focus. Although segregation is no longer a legal issue, it is still a social issue, a gap that everyone sees but no one knows how to fill. King never believed that equality was going to be straightforward, but he provided America with a perspective, a common understanding and a (peaceful) plan of action. The violence comes from raw emotion and frustration, but if this keeps going, the violence will lose track of its purpose and only create a larger gap.
If there would be a movement, how would you think this would happen? Is a 21st century MLK possible? Has social media created too many voices, or could it make one voice heard, so that those people that share those same feelings can unite and get back on track?
And what would do you think could/should be achieved by a movement? Could anything (legislation, Supreme Court case) prevent these occurrences from happening on a short term basis?
In response to what you write Pauline and what we discussed in class Wednesday. I believe that the protesters, and the black community in general, desperately need a voice. Not just the face of a young boy that has been killed by a white police man, but a real voice. They need somebody to articulate their issues in order to become a well organized and successful movement. Only in doing that they can become a topic on the public and political agenda. I also believe that the Democrats should take this opportunity and adopt the issue. If they are able to get the support of a large part of the black community by taking them and their issues seriously, their electorate would grow significantly. I think this issue can be a real game changer in the elections. If we remain in the polarizing situation we are in today, mutual incomprehension will only grow, which is to the advantage of the Republicans and their politics.
ReplyDeleteSo yes, America needs a new Martin Luther King. But is there somebody out there bold enough to speak up? To become the voice of so many angry Americans? I doubt it.
I agree with what Pauline has written; but I think the new voice has to come from your generation. You don’t have the racial baggage of my generation and you are better connected with your generation and will have far better skills at reaching a broader public. There are at least three key issues here: downright racial prejudice which is still very much present in U.S. society, related to prejudice are police and justice issues. (The white policeman who shot and killed the young black man acted in an exaggerated and unjust way; and the recent court decision in support of the policeman further demonstrates an equal “justice” system that immediately penalizes blacks.) My third point is that black anger – I understand it and share in the anger -- has to be channelled first of all by blacks into socially constructive and reforming action plans.
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I also want to compliment the students who have established this blog!
J.A.Dick
I definitely agree that per generation the perspective changes. I found it interesting to see that our parents generation suffered a significant generation gap with their parents, but that we generally do not have that to the same degree with ours.. That might be along the lines of: 'I grew up like that and I don't want my children to grow up like that.' If so, then it would definitely be more likely that our generation, or the next, could be detached enough to see that things need to change from the way were in the 1960's(our parents' generation). While I think that racial relations will never completely change and societies will always suffer from racial and cultural differences- whether offensive or not - I think that, in light of police brutality and the lack of understanding which results in violence and deaths, something will need to be done, and someone will need to take the lead.
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