It seems that in our society there are circumstances where injustices are practiced and often it is not opposed: And if it is, the opposition is usually shut down. I firmly believe that we can learn something from the blacks and their circumstances....
Newspapers where suppose to be a great democratic tool where opinions could be heard and at the same time welcomed. But often it was controlled and dominated by one opinion. But nonetheless that was the strength of the oppressor, where the media, and in this case the newspapers, at the time neglected to write on the conditions of the blacks. In fact to raise any discontent, particularly about how society operated, it was often treated like it was blatant treason. (“The Race Beat,” Roberts: p. 53,67)We should be able to see the parallels in that the natives and their circumstance are often neglected, and if discontent should rise its seen as being anti-social, in terms of going against mainstreams’ objectives/the status quo.
Also, it should be noted that, “the white press ignored the grievances of the blacks, (however) confining itself to the usual reporting of black crime.” (Goodwin: p. 18) It moreover seemed that by keeping (black)people away from opportunities of advancing, it never dawned on them (whites)that this was the main reason for the (black) discontent. And so a large part of the race problems in the states was largely because of the segregation that was kept in place.
And hence the means in which to oppose this injustice was to seek equality, a fundamental in democracy. “(D)emocracy has become an immediate goal to the negro. His rumblings for equality in every phase of American life will reverberate into a mighty roar in the days to come.” (And how true that became)
Equality is the biggest grounds by which any movement can progress!
Segregation served two purposes; unfortunately some have tried to keep it reduced to one objective, and thereby forcing one result.
To elaborate, one of the first things the whites did to meet these new public demands/black discontent was to legitimate a way of dealing with the race problem. Under the rubric, “separate but equal,” it was of all things, suppose to legitimate segregation. On the other hand, to the blacks, it seemed that if they were to have any success, however limited, it would come by way of an all black environment. Some people tried to keep segregation in place, and for a moment it seemed to be a good objective.
However the blacks would settle for nothing less than full equality. Besides blacks came to believe that “separate but equal,” was a ploy “used by whites to justify all phases of segregation with its inevitable train of discrimination, oppression, brutality and petty chicanery,” (Roberts: p. 45) On the other hand segregation to the whites seemed the best way to hold on to what they had. Segregation was the essence of life in the south. (Roberts: p. 37) Even though separate but equal contravened “the equalitarian spirit of the American Heritage,” perpetuating inequality, and institutionalizing social disharmony.” (Ibid., p. 38) If anything segregation was going to be an issue where things were going to get even more heated.
It seems that the only explanation stems from a European system where the order of the day was to look down on others because of a system that sanctioned superiority. And so in such a system where there were lower classes of people there were also inferiors. And so domination and keeping advantages in place culminated into segregation.
On one level, segregation stretched through every aspect of a black person’s life. Boxing videos were prohibited if there was a black person boxing with a white person, blacks and whites couldn’t publically play checkers. The Jim Crow laws were astounding. The cry of the day was, “if we can legislate we can segregate.” It would be in this arena of law were the true battle began.
Laws eventually were passed that tried to address the issue of segregation. But by now segregation had become a full blown issue of race. It would be a case in 1947, Brown v. Board of Education, where things became more heated. But before that, something else happened that would ignite more unrest, in terms of white backlash.
A civil rights committee recommended the government adopt a sweeping program. The report called, “to eliminate all forms of legally sanctioned segregation and discrimination. It asked for new, “laws requiring states to end discrimination in education.” (Roberts: p. 38) It wasn’t that these people (blacks) were inferiors but to an obdurate group of people, the last thing they wanted to give up was their superiority, their position of dominance. Non-blacks balked at the idea, “that anyone would seek to institutionalize in the law any concept of equality for a race they felt was clearly inferior.”
Never in their mind could they reconcile the truth that they had kept people out of opportunities and this was by far the biggest set-back, rather than them being inferior. James Eastland, a Mississippi senator, could not reconcile that, “organized mongrel minorities control the government. I am going to fight it to the last ditch. They are not going to Harlemize the country.” (Roberts: 40)
But an assault continued at every level that was going to lay the foundations for a new social movement.
And because segregation was so wrong it was inevitable that it would not stand before the greater good/truth. Since all men are created equal, the systems of men or injustices will inevitably succumb to the everlasting truth.
It is hard not to be insulting, but it is better to gulp down every bit of truth and let education takes its course. “Who is more contemptible than a civilization that scorns knowledge of itself?” (Saul: p. 3)
It is here that I must now change from the central theme of this article that of being one on the blacks to an article on native people.
I am amazed when I see and hear of the ignorance that exists in mainstream and the dominant majority when it comes to natives and their issues. There have been times were I have been regulated to being a representative of my people. My history class was one such instance. I was asked a question on why natives did such and such, and incidently the year this occurred was in the 1600’s. I wondered and was amazed, because essentially I knew just as much as they did; I was living today and had no relation to the past, never mind the fact that these were eastern natives. Then there was the issue of the treaties, I wrote an article in the local paper on the treaties. I was again surprised that I was talking about something that most people didn’t have the foggiest idea about, an issue that was so central in the making of this country. I was told, we were never told anything like this in school, and as a result they were genuinely thankful for what I had written.
How does not allowing or for that matter giving people knowledge of others help in the grand scheme of socialization. Is Canada not multicultural, of all things? Canada needs to allow knowledge of others (and that goes for every aspect of their lives) if it is to see greater relations, and a stronger nation. Obscurantism does nothing for the cause of liberation.
Moreover and rather synonymous in Gunner Myrdal’s book, An American Dilemma, (a fascinating account of the black’s condition in America) he observed that there existed ignorance in America: “The result (of his study) is an astonishing ignorance about the negro on part of the white public in the North. White southerners, too, are ignorant of many phases of the negro’s life.” (Roberts: p.6)
You see there are things we can learn in similar circumstances and the issue of the blacks in the south is a clear example of seeing that relevance.
From the wiles of segregation, which is manifested in the Indian Act and the reserve system, we know that segregation has been instrumental in our lack of opportunity, and yet the majority refuses to acknowledge this simple fact. From being Neolithic to being inferior in need of civilization, natives have had to overcome an attitude that has tried to keep us on a lower scale of evolution.
In the Indian Act, natives were not allowed to leave the reserve without a pass; they were not allowed to sell their livestock, they moreover basically needed the Indian agents permission to sell anything; natives could not take whites to court; they were forbidden from gathering; they couldn’t enter a pool room. After reading the laws in the south, more specifically the Jim Crow laws, if anything a person is astounded. There is no time to be bitter, but one can only shake their head in disbelief.
It seems that the civilizers had a little problem with their intent, in that obviously or rather sadly; it was never about benevolence but control and domination.
The battle ground today is in the media, even though we should relish our country’s freedom of the press, yet circumstances say otherwise. Just as the blacks inability to have their grievances and discontent heard: So likewise natives are still silent citizens. Democracy is about giving people an opportunity to express their true feelings. Democracy is about opening up a window where debate is meant to bring us to a better place in society. Democracy recognizes the ability of the common people that they can indeed hash out issues and come up with sound solutions. Knowledge is clearly not confined to experts, politicians, or bureaucrats. Essentially if anything the press or media seems to be about polarization, never about pulling down ignorance.
Is this about rebelling, about the system, no, it is about the fact that, people know better. And that given the opportunity we can come up with a better circumstance.
Are we going to reach a better way or are we going to face stubborn opposition. Time will tell! But truth is going to prevail!
When you think about people, you know they are limited when it comes to change, in fact often it is feared. So to put it plainly, this is not about adding or giving an unreasonable burden, but that in the essence of man there lays a competence, that staggers the imagination. It is the ability to be great, and it leaves out no man or woman.
Some people say this is about sedition, about rebellion, about getting even. Is this just about ranting and raving and raising a fist? Or is this the real thing, that we are nearer to rising, to becoming a great nation. That once again man can reach heights that show us there is more to us than just the elements of degradation. We must start by believing that no matter what position we hold in society, that each of us has the capability to become that better person. That in the depths of our souls, there is a godliness that wants to lift us above the confines of our humanity.
If we strive for good, and earnestly seek it we will find a good path.
