There are certain figures in our culture that express how certain social factors influence their life. People mainly celebrities and politicians are worried about how the media portrays them and their views. News outlets all have directors and those directors can wish to present stories that support and push their own agendas, most notable is Fox news' accusation of supporting conservative ties and MSNBC's accusation of promoting liberal policy. One very prominent figure in America, that many news outlets discuss, is Supreme court judge Clarence Thomas. Clarence Thomas' views on issues such as affirmative action, his book My Grandfathers Son and other Supreme court rulings along with being an African-America (whom is also conservative) makes …show more content…
They might seem to skew towards a liberal agenda. Clarence is quoted saying "Although cloaked in good intentions, the University’s racial tinkering harms the very people it claims to be helping”. What he is referring to is affirmative action and to the media he has been praised differently. MSNBC has considered his views on race issues as ironic. “it has been called into question by some who argue that he was the beneficiary of a subtler form of affirmative action” (Morgan Whitaker, MSNBC). One of the biggest host of MSNBC, Al Sharpton, has taken Clarence's view as hypocritical. Mr. Sharpton has argued whether or not Clarence Thomas is looking out for the people, specifically African-Americans. Clarence’s fundamental belief that government should not be involved in forcing diversity surprises Mr. Sharpton. Why? Clarence sees himself as a man of self success. Sharpton views some aspects of Clarence's life as getting government assistance. Clarence is using the example of “if I can do it, anyone can do it”. This is a view of a vast amount of people all over the world. Why is it so controversial for Clarence Thomas to say? One aspect is that he is a supreme court judge and rules on the law of the land. However when Al sharpton criticizes him or almost anyone is is due to a possible racial issue. Al sharpton is viewing an African-American man who is against affirmative action as one of the most appalling things that he can do for his own race in America. Mr.Sharpton is automatically believing that African-Americans will want what ever the NAACP might propose, or a new racial equality law, but there are some African- Americans whom do not believe in what all of equality groups say. A lot of people see it in their own lives. One might be surprised that an African- American did not vote for Obama. Why does a black man have to vote for another black man. Unfortunately, many African-Americans are expected to vote a certain way,
Members of the association were able to come across a speech Parker had made back in 1920, published in the Greensboro Daily News, which would have a great impact on Black opinion of him, and subsequently become the main reason for the battle against his nomination. In the speech in question, Parker was quoted as saying that "the Negro in politics is a source of evil and danger", and that they were "not desired" by the Republican party in North Carolina. In light of such comments, the NAACP felt it could not possibly allow the nomination to pass through the senate unchallenged, as they considered it would be a severe disadvantage to have someone who they considered a Southern racist sitting as a justice. The positive steps, in terms of legal battles it had made in the years leading up to the Parker nomination were now under threat in having a Justice who had publicly stated his opinion that there was no place for African Americans in politics. Should the nomination be allowed to pass through the senate, the association felt it would not be able to trust his vote when it came to matters involving Civil Rights, which would be a step backward in its pursuit of the ultimate goal.
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas was born in 1948 in Pin Point Georgia. He is now a conservative and controversial judge although initially he had wanted to pursue a religious life as a priest. He was one of the first African American students to attend St. John Vianny’s. The assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. was a turning point in Thomas’ life as he left the seminary and attended Holy Cross University, after overhearing another student make racist remarks about MLK. After graduating with a BA in English, Thomas was admitted to the Missouri Bar on September 1974 and shortly after began work in the office of the Missouri Attorney General.
Al Sharpton was stabbed by a white man and then harassed by the police and then decided to help out the black community get what is deserved and what the constitution said they get (biography.com). Al Sharpton’s work is prevalent because he is helping blacks get the rights deserved and stated by the 14th and 15th amendments to the United States constitution back in the 19th century. The 14th amendment states that blacks are citizens and the 15th grants them the right to vote, but many whites are treating them like they are slaves just like they were in the 19th century and prior. “He has been a tireless advocate for everything from police reform and accountability to the protection of voting rights rights and education equality” (nationalactionnetwork.net). Al Sharpton meets with police to have them try and fix the harassment of blacks while in cuffs and he holds protests and other meetings to get everyone to help support him and the black community because says they are just as good as men are
Jesse Jackson, A Hero. How would you react if you were ever told you couldn’t sit in a specific place on the bus, or you had to drink from a different water fountain? What if you were bullied for having only one parent, or for your skin color? You’d probably be infuriated, or extremely sad or disappointed.
John Lewis is trying to get people to get on his side, he is using the cry “one man one vote” as his own too, to make his speech sound better and hook people in with a sympathetic feeling behind it, crying out “ ‘one man one vote’ is our cry too” gets the crowd going and makes the law enforcement think about what they’re doing. John Lewis reminds the audience that colored people need voting rights, and that they are human too, just like white people used to fight for their voting rights colored people are willing to fight for them as well, Lewis also states that many colored people want to vote and want their voices and opinions to be heard. In other words, the government claims to be helping all the people with their phrase “separate but equal”,
He states in his speech “Both read the same Bible and pray to the same God, and each invokes His aid against the other.” By saying this, he establishes that both whites and blacks are equal and the only difference between them is the color of their skin. This creates a very valid point and establishes his morals and ethics. This also shows his ability as a leader to put aside racial, ethical, and religious differences in the ability to treat everyone fairly and just. In this day and time, blacks, as well as women, were treated not as citizens of the united states, but as just residents will less than acceptable rights for human beings.
Pap’s virulently negative reaction to the African American professor is ironic because Pap is an abusive, alcoholic, ignorant thief who would definitely fall under the category of the scum or scourge of society and yet he finds the idea of this intelligent, responsible, African American professor voting repugnant, calling him a “prowling, thieving, infernal, white-shirted free nigger,” (27). Pap himself was “too drunk to get there [the polls]”(27) but now Pap “[he]’ll never vote ag’in”(27) which will most likely better the voting population. Pap’s feeling of superiority and juxtaposition of Pap and the African American professor shows the unfounded claims of racism throughout America, questioning the ethos of its perpetuators and their own
They later had a son named Oliver White Hill Jr. in 1949. Oliver Hill Jr. recalls how emotionally moving and inspirational King’s ‘Dream’ speech was to his father, who was at Washington to witness it himself along with 250,000 people of all diversities. It wasn’t until Hill’s deceased uncle’s law books were given to him that Hill got the interest in equal rights and law. “That’s when I read the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments, and I couldn’t understand why they didn’t include segregation laws,” states Hill while looking back on why he became so intrigued by segregation. He then knew he wanted to be a lawyer when he realized the best way to fight for African Americans to have equal rights is through the law.
When arguing for racial equality, James Farmer Jr. quotes St.Augustine, “An unjust law is no law at all.” He claims that just laws are meant to protect all citizens; whereas, unjust laws that discriminate Negroes are not laws to be followed, thus raising awareness of racial discrimination by using emotional and logical appeals. In The Great Debaters, Henry Lowe appeals to the audience’s emotions during a debate about Negro integration into state universities. To challenge his opponent’s claim that the South isn 't ready to integrate Negroes into universities, he affirms that if change wasn’t forcefully brought upon the South, Negroes would “still be in chains,” which is an allusion to slavery. With this point, he is able to raise awareness of
His experiences with stereotyping and prejudices are eye opening and help create a sense of sympathy for him, as well as other African Americans facing such biases. Modifying the way you go about your daily activities, trying to ease tension in others, and attempting to avoid conflict whenever possible is not a comforting way to live. We Americans need to look outside of our comfort zone and welcome what we may fear. This may not be as perplexing of a task as some may think, and it will initiate change in how we view people different from
Name: Instructor: Course: Date: Why is it that African Americans vote Democratic? The Africans Americans have a history of being associated with both the Republican and Democratic Parties in the United States.
Let’s begin with John Lewis as he is the primary focal point. John Lewis is known to be a great contributor and influence on the civil rights movement. He faced much tribulation alongside those whom stood up for their egalitarian communal beliefs. Thus, defending
Dr. King also included definitions and examples of unjust and just laws, and how they are not right. He included an example of these “laws” by talking about the things Adolf Hitler did was allowed but supposedly helping someone was not allowed. He writes and uses the letter to show the white Americans that are unaware of what is happening around them. Even, though Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is best remembered for his powerful voice and pathos in this letter is a thoughtful logical argument. Rhetorical Situations: Writer:
Not racism in a bad way, but in a way as if it does not exist. Duke says, “When you speak of problems between blacks and whites in the U.S.A. you are referring to categories” (Martin 13). Duke wants nothing to do with racism. Anytime it is brought up he talks about how everyone should be seen as equal, not as different. A song of his, Take The A Train, speaks a lot about Harlem.
This includes Dr. King and Atticus. As you know, they both fight for equality and justice, but how they do this is what separates them. Atticus Finch does it because, “…every lawyer gets at least one case in his lifetime that affects him personally. This one’s mine, I guess.” This means he would most likely not actively fight for a black person if they were not a case of his.