Response One Poll 8-Note Three Or Four References For Your R
Response One Pol 8note Three Or Four References For Your Responseherb
Response One Pol 8note Three Or Four References For Your Responseherb
Response one –pol-8 Note_three or four references for your response Herbert Hoover once stated, the business of America is business, and the best business practice would be to ensure that all its people have a chance to participate in the American Dream. America’s business is the people’s business; full participation in the nation’s economic life, business, or government. The American Dream consists of tenets about achieving success, about material well-being, religious freedoms, membership in elective office, and a successful family. The American dream is being inclusiveness in the melting pot. I remember “at least for me,†growing up in the deep south during the 60s and 70s.
As a young child our community was black, we shopped at black owned businesses, we ate dinner at black owned restaurants, we even went to drive-theaters in the mid-60s as a form of social entertainment. I was old enough to remember when schools were first integrated due to the 1954 Supreme Court decision “separate but equal†being ruled unconstitutional. If I can remember, so can a lot of others, and not just domestically. The United States Constitution was written with a focus on race and gender. The men who wrote the constitution were escaping persecution as well.
America was founded on race and gender issues, wars, aristocratic oppression, and religious persecutions. They developed a government system for the people, and by the people. Individuals we elect bring regional biases to the federal government. They been adjudicating or legislating racism since the first congress convened. Take the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime, or the Civil Rights Act of 1866, which guaranteed citizens’ rights (only selected few) to make and enforce economic contracts, and to purchase, sell, or lease property.
Women were not even given a public voice either. The 14th Amendment declared all persons born or naturalized in the U.S. to be citizens. The 15th Amendment forbade State’s to deprive their citizens of their right to vote because of race, color, or previous condition of servitude, and one last example, the “First Ku Klux Klan Act (Civil Rights Act of 1870), prohibited discrimination in voter registration based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude, etc. Several States adopted Black Codes, and Jim Crow laws to suppress their minority populations. Frozen in time, once proclaiming “I have a Dream†during his historic march on the nations capitol, Dr.
Martin Luther King’s speech has been endlessly reproduced and selectively quoted over the years and, yet, his speeches retain their majesty of justice, but seem to have lost their political effectiveness over time. Today, we hear very little of the King who believed that “the real racial issues in America were not regional ones like in the south, but a national one.†But America’s history teaches, that it was the States that resisted, not all, but some, States. Gone is the King who attacked segregation in the North, when African Americans became internally displaced individuals fleeing the searing oppressions of the South. Erased is the King who opposed the Vietnam War, and effectively linked racism domestically, to America’s military industrial complex abroad.
Gone is the King who advocated unionization, planned the poor peoples’ campaign, and was assassinated in 1968 while supporting a Sanitation Worker’s Strike (Hall, J.D., 2005). Our history is filled with the struggles of federalism. States’ rights opposition to equality of minorities despite the national effort to legislate race and gender inequality in a global world. If all policies were fair, then economics would be fair. By confining the civil rights struggle with a one month “label†out of twelve, or only to the ascription of black skin color, is to diminish its true narrative.
Racial capitalism has persisted for decades, and not just in an ethnic nature. Physical segregation, and disenfranchisement also entails economic practices that specifically targeted groups and will continue to do so until capitalism is not racially motivated, like the current debate over immigration/migration. The right balance in todays global environment is at the State level. Federalism as we once knew it is out of balance because of foreign policies and national security interests. Politics is conducted on the local, county, state, federal, and global level because of treaties with international governments and international organization like the World Trade Organization.
Paper For Above instruction
The history of race and gender in United States politics reveals a complex and often turbulent struggle toward equality and inclusion. From the founding of the nation, issues of race and gender have been deeply embedded in the political, social, and legal fabric of the country. Understanding this history is essential to grasping the ongoing challenges and efforts to achieve a more equitable society.
Herbert Hoover’s assertion that “the business of America is business” underscores a view that national prosperity hinges on the participation of all citizens in economic life. Historically, however, this participation has been marred by systemic racial and gender discrimination. The civil rights movement of the 1960s and the subsequent legislation, such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, aimed to combat segregation and discrimination. Yet, despite legal progress, disparities persist, exemplified by institutionalized racism, economic inequalities, and social exclusion.
Growing up in the Deep South during the 1960s and 70s, I personally witnessed the impact of segregation and the slow process of integration. Black-owned businesses, churches, and restaurants thrived in our community, demonstrating a resilient but segregated society. The landmark Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education (1954), declaring “separate but equal” unconstitutional, was a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement, signaling a constitutional push toward racial equality. Still, enforcement and societal acceptance remained uneven, especially at the state level.
The founding fathers’ focus on race and gender issues is evident in the Constitution itself, which contained provisions that, intentionally or not, perpetuated discrimination. Amendments like the 13th Amendment abolished slavery but left room for racial discrimination under the guise of criminal punishment. Women's disenfranchisement persisted until the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920. Additionally, Black Codes and Jim Crow laws further reinforced racial segregation and disenfranchisement well into the 20th century.
Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech remains a powerful symbol of the civil rights movement. His advocacy for racial justice, economic equality, and opposition to the Vietnam War linked domestic racial issues to broader international conflicts. Yet, over time, King’s prominence has waned, and his messages are often quoted without the full context of his broader vision of social justice and economic equality. His efforts to unite people across racial and economic divides continue to inspire but also reveal the ongoing resistance to meaningful change in certain regions.
The evolution of federalism has played a significant role in the persistence of racial and gender inequalities. States have often resisted federal mandates aimed at promoting civil rights, using claims of states’ rights to undermine national efforts. This conflict exemplifies the ongoing tension between local autonomy and federal intervention. For example, the resistance to desegregation and voting rights legislation in various states impeded progress for decades.
In recent decades, the concept of racial capitalism underscores how economic practices have historically targeted minority communities, perpetuating disparities. Segregation in housing, employment, and education continues to limit opportunities for marginalized groups. Debates over immigration and immigration policies also reflect racialized concerns, often intensifying tensions between majorities and minorities.
Looking toward a more equitable future involves balancing race and gender considerations at both the federal and state levels. While race-neutral policies are designed to promote fairness, critics argue they often overlook the historical disadvantages faced by minorities and women. As Kahlenberg (2013) emphasizes, protecting minority rights is vital to maintaining a balanced and democratic society, echoing Tocqueville’s views on minority rights protecting the societal framework.
To achieve this, policymakers must recognize the importance of addressing systemic inequalities directly, rather than relying solely on race- or gender-neutral policies that may ignore existing disparities. Effective strategies include targeted affirmative action and social programs that uplift marginalized communities, ensuring that the principles of equality are not just ideals but realized realities (Madison, 2013).
In conclusion, American politics continues to grapple with race and gender issues rooted in its history but evolving through ongoing social movements, legal reforms, and policy debates. Upholding the principles of justice and equality requires navigating the delicate balance between protecting minority rights and respecting majority preferences, all within a federal system that historically has both advanced and hindered progress.
References
- Featherstone, Lisa. (2002). Wal-Mart Values. The Nation.
- Harris, David. (2012). Flying While Arab: Lessons from Racial Profiling Controversy. Civil Rights Journal, 1, 8-13.
- Hochschild, J. L. (1995). Facing Up to the American Dream: Race, Class and the Soul of the Nation. Princeton University Press.
- Chua, Amy. (2018). How America’s Identity Politics Went from Inclusion to Division. The Guardian.
- Just, Aida. (2017). Race, Ethnicity, and Political Behavior. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics.
- Indivero, Tori. (2016). Focus on Research: What We Need to Know about Race-neutral Policies. Research Matters.
- Kahlenberg, Richard D. (2013). Race-neutral Policies and Programs for Achieving Racial Diversity. University Business Magazine.
- Majority Rule and Minority Rights: Essential Principles. (2013). Democracy Web.
- Madison, James. (2013). The Federalist Papers.
- Tocqueville, Alexis de. (2013). Democracy in America.