We have addressed racial and ethnic politics from many perspectives this semester. Though we have highlighted many areas of concern we have also discussed many methods used to improve the position, status, and political and economic power of marginalized groups. Although we often find it challenging to view things outside of the modern day perspective, much has changed over time. Consider the following:
1 year ago: The Supreme Court said that schools must apply strict scrutiny when using race or ethnicity based factors in admissions decisions. George Zimmerman Verdict (Trayvon martin Case)
6 year ago: the first nonwhite president was elected
7 years ago: Unemployment 4.5%, DOW at 14,000 (Today Unemployment 6.6% overall, 12.1% for African Americans, 9.1% for Hispanics, 4.8% for Asian Americans, DOW 16,450 )
8 years ago: very few of us had ever heard of Barack Obama
11 years ago: The supreme court ruled that colleges still had legitimate reasons to use race and ethnicity as factors in college admissions
13 years ago: 9/11
23 years ago: the Rodney King Case and racially charged rioting
25 years ago: prison population starts to skyrocket
36 years ago: Regents of University of CA vs. Bakke
41 years ago: Roe vs. Wade
46 years ago: modern civil rights movement ends (according to most historians), Martin Luther King killed, major riots, peak of troops in Vietnam
47 years ago: third year in a row of major racially charged riots throughout American cities
49 years ago: Voting Rights Act of 1965, new immigration laws dramatically increase immigration (especially from Asia and Latin America), Black Power movement, Malcolm X killed
50 years ago: Civil Rights Act of 1964
51 years ago: March on Washington, Birmingham protests
59 years ago: Montgomery Bus Boycott
60 years ago: Brown vs. Board of Education
69 years ago: end of WWII
70 years ago: Interment of 110,000 Japanese Americans
94 years ago: Women gain the right to vote
107 years ago: peak of immigration at turn of century
118 years ago: Plessy vs. Ferguson - separate but equal is constitutional
120 years ago: widespread lynching and intimidation
126 years ago: Chinese Exclusion Act
137 years ago: end of reconstruction, early Jim Crow Era (which lasts nearly 100 years)
144 years ago: 15th amendment - black men given right to vote
146 years ago: 14th amendment
148 years ago: 13th amendment - end of slavery
149 years ago: end of Civil War, Start of reconstruction, black codes
153 years ago: start of Civil War
205 years ago: end of slave trade
227 years ago: Constitution written including 3/5 compromise and slavery
238 years ago: Declaration of Independence
395 years ago: first slaves from Africa brought to colonies
407 years ago: first British Colony established
several thousand years earlier: Native Americans living here.
The point: much has changed, and often in a short period of time. Looking forward what do you predict will be the state of racial and ethnic politics in America 10, 20, or even 50 years from now? What can and should be done politically to help?
I predict that in about 10 years things would have changed a lot but I predict the most change happening in 20+ years. I believe that the state of racial and ethnic politics right now is just getting ready for the major change that will occur in the future. Small steps are being taken and those steps are priming the future for a massive sudden shift in America. I say this because it seems as though more and more things are happening and it seems to just be increasing with time. This is why, to me, it seems like there will be a point where things are progressing at a much faster rate then they are now.
ReplyDeleteAs immigrants come into the country, more change will have to occur. These numbers will reach a tipping point and when that happens there will be more and more policies being put in place to help counteract this and satisfy the new people coming in. Politically, I think politicians just have to be aware of the demographics in America and the needs of the people. If politicians are open to what people want and need then I think racial and ethnic politics will, without a doubt, be in a better place.
Just by looking at the timeline of events it is clear to see that major change has taken place in history. Our country has progressed greatly and we need to continue the change for the future. I think within the next hundred years we will see a new faces in politics and government. Whether it be more women in politics or Asian Americans, I think we will get to that point within the next 100 years. Changes take time and people need to understand that these issues don’t change overnight. Like Daniel stated we need to take each day slowly. With make small changes such as being more open minded to others and respect others cultures. By making tiny changes like these bigger effects will be seen later on. We should continue having schools embrace diversity and encourage students to learn about one another. This way they will feel a connection and understanding of one another instead of hesitance and fear.
ReplyDeleteI knew history has been evolving and growing but when I see this timeline it really establishes how much we've been through and how politically we have been able to conform in ways so that America had a better future. Sure times get hard, but people who believed in change persevered and succeeded in making a difference. With so much already behind us, it proves that we are capable of enriching America even more so that I feel we'll be even more accepting to change, allowing more voices to be heard. Looking forward the state of racial and ethnic politics in America, I agree with Daniel that the first 10 years will still be fairly the same, but more so will happen in 20+ years. Every several years we get new people into politics, and each year we have the variety of people who stand their ground with an opinion, and others with an open mind to change. I feel as the younger generations have been able to be more open to different opinions, taking chances, exploring different opportunities rather than the previous generations who more than likely face hardships like wars, that shaped them into who they are today. Maybe it's because I have older parents and siblings, so I have different generations to compare, but I definitely see more people in politics willing to take chances in the next 20+ years. As long as people keep an open mind to hear others out, then America will be able to adjust to the voices of there people.
ReplyDeleteJust from looking at this timeline, it is clear that a great amount has changed in racial and ethnic politics in America. I definitely believe that there will be a major change in racial and ethnic politics in the future. Only 50 years ago did they declare segregated schools unconstitutional. Imagine how much could change in the next 50 years, and it is amazing to think that will will still be alive to see it. We could soon have our first female president, and someday it may be completely normal to see a same sex couple with a family on television. I agree with my class mates that we are going to have to take this one day at a time. We need to make sure that we do not rush the process or a lot could go wrong. To help this process, I think that it is important for specialized organizations to keep advocating for their rights. I also know that media is one of the most influential sources when it comes to swaying people's decisions, so producers should continue to show same sex couples and interracial couples in their shows. Easing these issues into societal norm will be the most important way change the state of racial and ethnic politics in America.
ReplyDeleteThroughout this course, we were given many examples of how the United States has made political changes based on race and ethnicity; however, just like Joanna said when you put it into this sort of timeline it really shows how much progress the United States has actually made. That being said, I believe that the United States is about to go through a period of immense change in accordance to racial and ethnic politics. Just seeing how change has been happening faster and faster as time progresses I believe that more and more policies will start coming into effect to help the marginalized groups in the United States right now. Politically I believe that the best way they can help is by, as Daniel said, keeping in mind the demographics of not only their region but the United States as a whole so that they will be able to help the marginalized groups and put policies into place that are the better for all marginalized groups within the country and not just one.
ReplyDelete-Tyler Betancourt
Though there have been strides in the right direction to end discrimination, I think we're still quite a ways away from a truly "post-racial" society. There are many things that need to change. Having an African American president was a great thing, but he's out FIRST ONE. After more than two hundred years, we've only managed to elect one minority president, and still no females. I think that the end to discrimination will definitely take time. The United States seems to take cautious baby steps in almost everything that is important, but hopefully the events of recent years will help to kickstart something bigger. In ten years I hope that we can perhaps elect a woman president (if her politics are solid), or at the very least have a more constituent-based form of representation. In fifty years, many things will really change. I think it largely depends on what we teach our children. Perhaps if we focus less on the past, and more on the future, discrimination will end once and for all.
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ReplyDeleteI think by the next 20, 50 or 100 years there will be a big change. From looking at the timeline we can see how much things have changed and how more people have gotten more freedom. The timeline shows how we had our first nonwhite president. Who knows maybe after Obama our next president can be a woman. The only thing that I feel like would still be a problem in the future is the issue of racism. Till this day it exists and people are just using more reasons to blame others. I think that racism will take some time to get over just because people find it easier to blame others or believe everything the media says. But like Kaitlyn said it will all happen with what we teach our children. What we teach our kids is how they will act towards other people and see the world. If we teach them the wrong thing then probably nothing will change but if we are positive and teach them what’s right then our kids can be the ones making the future better. I agree with Daniel when he said, “politicians just have to be aware of the demographics in America and the needs of the people.” If the politicians start to do this first then rest of the world will follow along and do the right thing to make this world a better place. Most people agree with everything the politicians say or do so if they start off by looking at everything more carefully and positively this will help the rest of us do the same.
ReplyDeleteI believe that in the future there will be more racially charged issues that our society will no longer be able to ignore. Currently, we have major issues with segregation in our cities, hate crimes against people who are perceived to be of Arab descent, an overpopulated and unfair prison system to name a few. These are real problems with real consequences that cannot be pushed under the rug for much longer. There is a misconception between races, that one race thinks it is better than the other or that differences between people of different races are a bad thing. I believe that in the future Americans will have to accept that we are not a homogeneous nation. There is conflict that arises from this fact. If a country is divided into many subgroups that fail to understand each other, how can that country even function? How we are currently operating as a nation cannot continue for much longer. I hope that in the future Americans will explore the beauty that comes with being surrounded by different cultures and ethnicity. We have a lot to learn from one another, we just have to start listening.
ReplyDeleteIn the future, there should be better representation for minorities and their values. Having a more diverse House of Representatives and Senate is a good start to making some real changes for people who have previously been neglected by America's legislative system. I agree with Arifa, this country is on the brink of some major changes. We can't continue to operate as we currently do, where the people with the deepest pockets run our government. If our government doesn't start acknowledging the needs of its people, then what is its purpose?
Just by looking at this timeline, we could all agree on that there have been many major changes in our society. Even reading between the lines of those years, there were other changes arousing in-between. Most changes are for the better, but some might think they were negative. But regardless if they were positive or negative, it has gotten to place we are stable in today. This country is known for fighting in what they believe in and stay strong by it. Looking toward the future, there for sure will be many more changes to come but I’m not sure if they are going to be the most positive changes. This country has built an ego that if we fight for something we always get our way, even if it takes years. Now that this country is becoming more diverse, obviously there will be a lot of different ‘wants’ from everyone. And these people will fight till they get it. Our country cannot say no. We try to be as equal as possible, but sometimes the word no has to come in play. If we try to make everyone happy, this country will become unhappy.
ReplyDeleteI believe that in the short term there will be some turmoil between racial groups as the Hispanic population continues to grow. I think that some immigration reform will occur and will spur a lot of debate and large segments of the country will react unfavorably.
ReplyDeleteThat all being said, after the initial animosity passes, I believe racial politics will improve. I think Hispanic and black representation in Congress will increase to be more representative of the statistical breakdown of the country. As far as race relations go, I believe there will always exist people who judge based on skin color, but with our increasingly diverse makeup I think that over time tensions will diminish and we will (for the most part) base people on their merit instead of uncontrollable factors.
I predict much will change over the next 10, 20, 50 years. This timeline gave me a much different perspective as I noticed that only 94 years ago women were given the right to vote while today women are represented in our government. As a woman living in the United States I would like see the first woman president and I do believe this is the next big change which will occur in the next 50 years. Our first black president, Barack Obama, was a major change for the United States and I believe it represents a much more accepting and less racist country. So much other change has already happened such as legalizing gay marriage, legalizing marijuana, and welcoming our first black president in which these changes probably seemed impossible to the people who lived before us. Therefore I believe the change we want to see but believe to be impossible will happen in the future. Furthermore, minorities are predicted to be the majority in the next 50 years which I believe will bring about significant change. It will be interesting to see the way this will affect our politics and representation of the "minority groups". I cant exactly predict what is going to change in the future but I believe and hope the United States will continue to change for the better.
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