The chapter Smith, (2006). Heteropatriarchy and the Three Pillars of White Supremacy: Rethinking Women of Color Organizing, tries to focus on the social aspect of the United States structure in addressing the state surveillance, violence and the suppression of the people of color, by detailing the aspects of movement and resistance building. It is a chapter which attempts to shift the narrative from sexual assault and domestic violence.
The article by Anderson, (2017). Why the Myth of Meritocracy Hurts Kids of Color explores how the educational system in the United States is based on white privilege and social, economic status. It explores the idea that being oblivious to the racial and economic discrimination in education can result in the development of social problems especially from the students of color.
The article by Newkirk II, (2018). The End of Civil Rights explores how racial profiling by the United States Law enforcement agencies, has led to the loss of innocent lives, voter enfranchisement and the contribution of Jeff Sessions in the Department of Justice in stifling the progress done by Civil Rights groups especially on people of color. Newkirk II, (2018) stresses on the need for a review of contributions of Jeff Sessions in the Justice Department, where his past actions have indicated his extension of Jim Crow policies rather than creating social equality and equity among all social groups.
The article by Hanks, Solomon, & Weller, (2018) explores how wealth in the United States is unequally divided into racial lines, with white majority enjoying high wealth allocation, employment opportunities and using white privilege in entrepreneurship. The author traces the path of economic equality from the great recession and suggests several policies which can be used to reverse this dire situation.
The article by Pitner, (2018) explores the extent of racism in the country, and how people of color have been victims of racial profiling by law enforcement, business people and their prejudices on the criminality. The author traces policies and strategies used by the government to oppress the gains of people of color regarding civil rights and freedoms.
The theme addressed in these articles is the need for black liberation and emancipation from the oppressive white-dominated society in the United States. They stress the prevalence of discrimination of people of color in education, gaining employment in a white-dominated society, racial profiling by the law enforcement agencies, and the failure of the department of justice in curbing the social anomaly. Education is seen as the platform for developing responsible and productive citizens in society. However, Anderson, (2017), observes that the educations system in the United States disenfranchises adolescents and thus motivating them to develop social defiance and social delinquency. This is because they reject the unfair system, the social inequalities, and stereotypes which target youth of color.
As a result, the educational system fails in its primary objective of equipping children with the knowledge and skills which can lead to the progress of humanity towards social equity, equality, and harmony. The implication is that society continues in a perpetual state of racial tensions because of different economic status and abilities. Inability to have better education has made many people of color have economic immobility due to the systematic barrier they face in wealth building. However, whites who have little wealth are better off than other races because they enjoy white privilege and higher social status which can be converted to financial security (Hanks, Solomon, & Weller, 2018).
When this skewed racial, national philosophy becomes prevalent in the society, it creates a segregated human race which is based on the race, and on this matter, white supremacy. Smith, (2006) argues that the notion of white privilege and supremacy has enabled white prestige where black people have been associated with labor, the East is seen as the Oriental and thus justifies war and threat and justifying the acquisition of land from the vanquished native societies. Therefore, the implication is that the united states government believes in its right to impose its culture and system to the people. Democracy is seen as the justification of white supremacy to invade other nations, and wage war on the precept of protecting and preserving the interest of the people (Smith, 2006). The country preaches in advocating equality for all but is a superficial inclusion of other races in the name of multicultural representation.
Pitner, (2018) and Newkirk II, (2018) share the same idea that over the years, the United States policies have been designed to stifle the development of minority races in the country. this has led to the development of civil rights movement which attempts to advocate for the liberation, and freedom of the minority in the country. The criminalizing of people of color by racial bias has created resentment because it has been used to justify the killing of innocent people of color. On the same script is Hanks, Solomon, & Weller, (2018) who believes that racial segregation of minority groups over the years made them have less access to better wages, stable jobs, and better retirement benefits. Therefore, they become victims of racial profiling that they are poor and cannot access luxury. Many people of color have been questioned of their wealth, and ability to own luxury products, due to the racial bias that they are poor and cannot afford them (Pitner, 2018).
According to Newkirk, (2018) secondary marginalization of the people of color in the wake of civil rights movements has been protected by the justice system. In this case, the misappropriation of the black liberation strategies and African American Civil Rights has led to the development of societies construed on divisions and hierarchies. This why Smith, (2006), believes that the United States cannot exists without the three pillars (Slavery/Capitalism, Genocide/Colonialism, Orientalism/War) all of which naturalizes the essence of white supremacy and domination. When the Department of Justice operates to protect the status quo, the ethical perspective of the nation becomes eroded. This provides the white majority with the racial prejudice of demeaning and commodifying other races, delineation in employment and the ability to have access to social services and amenities (Pitner, 2018).
I concur with the authors especially on the issue of white supremacy in the United States and how white privilege has resulted in the creation of a divided society. The current political system in the country is largely taunted by pundits as racially charged, prevalent racial prejudices especially on white people calling the police on innocent people, or the shooting of unarmed or innocent people of color. The Americans are always at war, spewing the democratic rhetoric to other nations even without considering their culture. However, much the United States has been the guardian of world peace; it has contributed to many injustices around the world and destabilizing of societies. For example, its alliance with NATO to attack, depose Libyan president and install democracy and resulted in the creation of the failed state, a country which previously had high living standards than the Americans themselves.
What made me melancholic while reading the articles is that the American DoJ does little to alleviate the racial aspects of the society. this is especially with education which can create responsible and patriotic citizens. However, the education system builds angry citizens against the state, resulting in disruptive children behaviors and social defiance. Economic empowerment is one of the cornerstones of creating a socially harmonious society. However, the education system widens the achievement gaps and unfair allocation of educational resources. This leads to many students dropping out of school, failing to graduate and attend colleges, after which they can earn decent wages. Such aspects lead to the development of racial prejudices regarding the self-fulfilling racial bias against people of color. Therefore, there is a need for a review of the nationhood model which reconceptualizes liberation and social acceptance for all.
References
Anderson, M. (2017). What Happens When Poor Kids Are Taught Society Is Fair. The Atlantic. Retrieved from https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2017/07/internalizing-the-myth-of-meritocracy/535035/
Hanks, A., Solomon, D. & Weller, C. (2018). Systematic Inequality: How America's Structural Racism Helped Create the Black-White Wealth Gap. Center for American Progress. Retrieved from https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/race/reports/2018/02/21/447051/systematic-inequality/
Newkirk II, V. (2018). The End of Civil Rights: Across immigration, policing, criminal justice, and voting rights, the attorney general is pushing an agenda that could erase many of the legal gains of modern America's defining movement. The Atlantic.
Pitner, H. (2018). Viewpoint: Why racism in US is worse than in Europe. BBC News. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-44158098
Smith, A. (2006). Heteropatriarchy and the Three Pillars of White Supremacy: Rethinking Women of Color Organizing. In A. Smith, B. Richie, J. Sudbury & J. White, The Color of Violence: The INCITE! Anthology. South End Press.
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