When asked
to write a blog about two major lessons in American history since 1940 my mind
began to ponder over the multiple events that made up its history. America
since 1940 shows a progressive shift towards cultural liberation for many
Americans who for ages felt that they were still in the dark-ages especially
when it came to family dynamics i.e. father putting in a hard days work at the
factory and a stay-at-home mother preparing her best casserole; and the role of
African-Americans in culture and politics i.e. racial inequality expressed
through Jim Crow laws . During the seventy year span of history one thing is
certain the dynamics of politics and culture shifted to reflect the growing
population and awareness of world events. The two lessons I think that are
important during this time in history: (1) Never forget that all men are created
equal; and (2) Never promote war over peace.
The United
States according to history served as a
model to the world, provided inspiration to numerous national declarations of
independence throughout the world, and expressed its views on equality infamously
decreed through its Declaration of Independence. The document announced to the
world the new republics thought on human rights: "We hold these truths to
be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their
creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty
and the pursuit of Happiness.[1] However,
there is a distinct difference between writing such a gracious decree and
enforcing such a decree. How is it possible that the very nation that drafted
such an elegantly written appeal be accused of some of the most heinous acts
concerning human/civil rights issues? According to Wikipedia a popular online
resource, "civil rights are a class of rights that protect individuals'
freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations,
and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the
state without discrimination or repression."[2] The
Civil rights movement sought to ensure the physical and mental integrity, life and safety protection
from discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity,
national origin, color, ethnicity, religion, or disability,[3] and
individual rights such as privacy, the freedoms of thought and conscience,
speech and expression, religion, the press, assembly, and movement.[4]
African-Americans faced hostilities and sometimes death attempting to secure
the very rights that by declaration belonged to them.
 |
| 1964 Veterans of Civil Rights Movement |
"The
African American struggle for freedom and equality is one of the most important
and defining events in post war America"
according to Griffith and Baker[5]. What
made this event in history so defining is that for more than two centuries
African Americans were in constant dialogue and often times physical conflict
for the enforcement of those unalienable rights described in the Declaration of
Independence bestowed on all Americans. This significant time in history is
also important because it was the first time in American history that the
culture of racism perpetuated through laws court decisions, and public policy would
began to be seen as inhumane. Of course it was not until the world was exposed
to the physical brutality of racism in America
through video footage chronicling the issue that America
took notice.
Articles such as a "Murder in Georgia, 1946" published
by The New York Times offered a glimpse into the dilemma that most African
Americans faced during these intricate and hypocritical times in America. The
article accounts the murder of four African Americans in Monroe,
GA, one of which was an army veteran who had
served his country honorably during the second world war. According to the
article, Roger Malcolm, George Dorsey and their newlywed wives had just secured
employment on a farm when they "were lined up last night near a secluded
road and shot dead by an unmasked band of twenty white men," the account
goes on to describe how the mob then "dragged the shrieking women from the
automobile" and shot them: there bodies were eventually found in a pile of
brush, unrecognizable from the multiple bullet holes in their upper bodies.[6] This
is just one of thousands of reports about the racist mob mentality that
dominated American culture. It is important to revisit this aspect of history
so that all Americans remain mindful of the brutality that racism invokes.
The second
lessons that Americans should take away from this historical period is Never
promote war over peace. From 1941 until 2013, America
has been involved in more than one-hundred wars, some of which, were only meant
to manipulate and gain control of resources such as oil, gold, silver, copper
and other commodities.[7] Using
subversive methods such as COINTELPRO (Counter Intelligence Program 1956-1971),
many of which have been denied by politicians and military leaders, the United
States has intentionally been paying for activities to overthrow or undermine
established governments while also using some of the same techniques at home
against organizations fighting for equality and justice.[8]
However, prior to 1964 poverty rates in the United States were steadily climbing
with rates above 22% being reported in 1959 and as of 2009 the United States
has more than forty-five million citizens living below the poverty threshold
yet the Military Industrial complex has consistently swallowed up more than 4.2%
of the annual federal budget since the 1940s--these figures do not include
defense spending in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The United
States currently spends more on defense and
defense related issues than on pensions and health care. What is very alarming
is that currently the United States
spends less than 4% on education.[9] War
is costly-- and foremost cost is the millions of hungry Americans that do not
know where their next meal is coming from. In fact, poverty continues to experience
explosive growth in the United States
and the middle class continues to shrink.
Sadly, the truth is that things are not getting better for most
Americans. With each passing year the
level of economic suffering in this country continues to go up, and we haven't
even reached the next major wave of the economic collapse yet. When that strikes, the level of economic pain
in this nation is going to be off the charts. How can you toot your own horn
and establish yourself as a developed nation that other nations should mimic with
such alarming rates of poverty and homelessness? The American way: Bullying!
In closing, the two most important lessons we as Americans should take from our History since 1940 is to Never forget that all men are created equal; and Never promote war over peace. Both of these lessons are important because they can be costly if we are not paying attention. We should always treat each other with respect-respect for the life that has been granted to all. In the eyes of the creator all men are created equally and when we attempt to enslave others it only shows our lack of compassion and ignorance. Promoting War over Peace only leads to innocent live being exchanged for commodities or national pride. Currently, we have too many Americans trapped in the vicious cycle of poverty and millions more from the middle class are joining the ranks especially after the economic downturn of 2008. As Americans we should cry out to our politicians so that their decisions actually echoes those that put them in office. Our schools are suffering and our children are missing out on valuable gains in education because instead of giving them books, computers, and tutorial services we are generating bullets to take human life.
[1] The Declaration of Independence,
July 4, 1776
[2] Wikipedia, Civil and
Political Rights, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_and_political_rights.
[3] Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, accessboard.gov.
[4] Summary of LGBT civil rights protections, by state, at
Lambda Legal, lambdalegal.org.
[5] Griffith
and Baker, The African American Struggle
for Equality. Major Problems in American History Since 1945. p 173.
[6] Griffith and Baker, The
New York Times Reports a Murder in Georgia, 1946, Major Problems in American
History Since 1945. p. 175.
[7] David King: Iraq
was the first 'resource war' of the century. The
Guardian. 2009.
[8] Griffith and Baker. "The
FBI's Secret Campaign Against the New Left., 1968-1971." Major Problems in
American History Since 1945. p. 252.
[9] United
States Census Bureau. Poverty Rate timeline,
1959-2009
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