The Causes Of Racial Violence In America

Imagine walking through a town plaza and suddenly spotting a bust depicting Adolf Hitler, or a statue of a Nazi Swastika. A passerby may stare in horror upon its recognition, and wonder why a symbol of such hatred and violence is displayed prominently in a town. These statues would incite an uproar and immediate demands to remove such offensive monuments. Thankfully, such a situation would never arise in modern America; however, a similar plight is unfolding across the country concerning the removal of Confederate statues. Confederate statues should not be displayed in public areas because they are reminders of a time when racial violence went unpunished, they are honoring people who wanted to keep other

“‘A great nation does not hide its history, it faces its flaws and corrects them.”’ George W. Bush spoke these words at the grand opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture (Nelson). He said this in hopes of keeping monuments reflecting slavery and segregation standing so people today could learn from mistakes in the past. Most monuments dealing with the topic of slavery are Confederate monuments, but they are causing controversy over their true meaning. Some people believe Confederate monuments are about southern pride, but many think they are symbols of racism (Ingraham). The debate over these monuments has caused violent protests like in Charlottesville, Virginia, where a Robert E. Lee statue was removed. Although Confederate monuments anger many people because of the history behind them, they provide lessons that can be taught to help end racism and make a better country. Confederate monuments and statues need to stay to preserve the history of the United States so it is not repeated, but the meaning to them should be altered to show segregation is immoral.

Hear the Northern thunders mutter! Northern flags in South’s winds flutter! To Arms, To Arms, To Arms in Dixie! Send them back your fierce defiance! Stamp upon the cursed alliance! To Arms, To Arms, To Arms in Dixie! Advance the flag of Dixie! Hurrah! Hurrah! For Dixie’s land we take our stand, And we live or die for Dixie! To Arms! To Arms! And conquer peace for Dixie! To Arms! To Arms! And conquer peace for Dixie! –Confederacy chant. Many people praise it, display it, and chant it, yet others view it with pure disgust. Once again, the Confederate or “Rebel Flag has been shoved onto the table of debate due to the raising of the flag in front of the South Carolina State House. So much debate has arose that President Obama was questioned where this flag should be placed? President Obama replied with a very considerate answer. His answer was, “In a museum.” But why would he want to take down the flag and retire it? Many have applauded him upon the issue, yet others are left confused as to why? Many people fly the Confederate Flag with pride and none of which are racist. In fact, the flag does not even represent

Quite possibly the most controversial topic in America right now is Confederate statues, and whether or not they should be removed. Confederate statues honor the Confederate war heroes and soldiers with buildings, statues, plaques and other forms of commemoration of the Confederacy; and now those buildings and statues are causing violence and arguments throughout the United States. Many people believe that these statutes should be removed while others think they should remain, which has caused confrontation between the two sides. Controversy started due to the strong opinions of both sides, the people who wish to preserve the statues started to act violently against those who want the statues to be removed. The violence caused by these statutes has widened the division between the two sides, and has now caused more controversy over the statues. Despite the fact that many people believe that the Confederate statues should remain, they should be removed because they glorify anti-abolitionists and are now symbolic of white supremacy.

The idea of violence is instilled in everyone’s head in some way or another. From the time we are born we are equipped with the idea that we must react when we are upset. When someone affects us in a negative way, there is an idea in our minds that urges us to fight back or cause harm to that person. This idea of causing harm stays with us from childhood until we take our last breath. Since 2013, there have been 242 school shootings within America. Even worse, there have been over a thousand mass shootings in the country resulting in mass casualties. Most recently, one single man murdered fifty-eight people at a concert in Las Vegas, Nevada and injured over 240 others. Although the motive may have been different between these shootings, one thing remains the same for all of them, the act of violence.

Nonetheless, BLM does receive a great number of criticisms. Some people point out that it wouldn 't last. The movement is blamed for its having no coherent structure and no powerful leadership that it will eventually fail. Opponents said that Black Lives Matter actually worsened race relations in America, pointing to the polls that show Americans opinions about race relations being worse in recent years, but BLM supporters asserted just because they have pointed out racism in America doesn 't mean the group was to blame. Republican candidate for President 2016 Chris Christie has turned up his criticism of the Black Lives Matter movement and support the police. He also accused the group of calling for the deaths of police officers. BLM has

51 years after the ending of the Civil War, you’d think that conflicts regarding Confederacy would be over. However, Confederacy issues just continue to get worse. Many Americans still believe and honor Confederate ethics. While many Americans strongly oppose the Confederacy. They believe that the Confederacy is responsible for destroying families, taking lives, and causing the bloodiest war in American history. Those Americans feel like we shouldn’t honor Confederacy and don’t want monuments or statues representing Confederacy here. Especially after hate crimes like the attack on an predominant African American church in South Carolina. It’s easy to understand why these people feel this way, as slavery and discrimination shouldn’t be represented on the “Land

With the many conversations about the African-American communities and their issues with gang violence, government assistance, and the lack of jobs in their communities it is clear to say that the American Dream or even a moderate lifestyle was not created for all African Americans and Minorities and since we found a way to be noticed, heard, and felt like they’re rightfully a part of something America wants to now label it “war or Drugs” and “gang Violence” thus creating Gang Injunctions in those predominantly of color communities. Now I am not stating that the violence is not present, innocent lives are not being taken, nor are drugs consuming our communities, but what I am saying is that they act as if there is no other approach that could help clean up the streets, provide piece and harmony among all communities, and solve issues for the betterment of the community. Instead they are removing them from their communities, threatening them from going to their neighborhood, and as a consequence they get jail time, an institution that already houses half if not more than half of our black men. The gang injunction initiative is set up to tear apart the minority communities through driving up the prices and making them move, especially if they have a family member who is under the injunction’s rules. Its ironic how they put them in such enclosed space, while they make suburban home for the economically fit causing them to commute and now they are systematically removing them

Is America more racist now than it was 60 years ago? Of course not, yet America is more polarized than it’s ever been. Even on issues that are mere trifles, Americans cannot seem to agree upon anything. One of these seemingly pointless issues is whether the rectangular Second Confederate Navy Jack and the Battle Flag of Northern Virginia, or as many people call the “confederate flag”, should be banned. It is difficult to discern what exactly set off this movement, the fact of the matter is that the confederate flag has been used for years with no apparent backlash, but has become an issue of controversy. This debate has raised legitimate concern especially in regards to its use amongst federal institutions such as South Carolina flying it over the State House. However, this movement has pushed its way past that into the personal realm. Many have come to the belief that it must be banned on all accounts. Certainly, believing in something enough to fight for it is admirable— something that truly defines what the USA stands for; however, when emotion is used to wrongfully conclude, and in this case, ban a flag without true factual evidence, there becomes a problem. The basis of this argument is that the flag inherently represents racism due to the Southern United States’ history of slavery. This thesis, although noble in motive, neglects the facts of history and logic. The “confederate flag” should not be banned on a personal basis because it would wrongfully and fictitiously

Americans are still debating this issue of the confederate flag 150 years later because it still reminds people of the past. This flag has caused so much harm for majority of African Americans ancestors, which is a constant reminder for us. When this debate first came into play last summer it caused a major rift in our society because it made a lot of supporters for the flag express their position more, and likewise with the opposers. These types of debates can break a job environment. You never truly know where someone stands until a big issue like this comes to light. Also, I believe it's still being debated is because people truly do not discuss the topic of slavery and the hardships associated with it.

One of the biggest controversies of the summer that I saw on the news and heard about was the taking down of the confederate flag. Many called for the removal of the confederate flag on many of the state buildings that were public, even top retail stores such as Wal-Mart and Amazon pulled images of the confederate flag from their stores and websites. However, in my opinion yes the confederate flag should be taken down from public state buildings but the flag should not be taken down from Civil War related museums or other things such as that. The flag has a very strong history behind it, and in this world today I feel like people would rather be politically correct on issues rather than teaching the actual history behind things such as the

Recently in the United States there has been an uprising in backlash due to the growing knowledge of the issues facing African Americans. The issues have existed for a very long time, but recent events such as fatal encounters with police officers have made this more present in the media. I believe it is more of people realizing they aren’t getting what they deserve and then people still denying those rights. Ever since the Civil War, member of the southern states have hung up the confederate rebel flag as a reminder of their place in history. Today, the battle for this flag to be taken down has received much media attention. The flag is viewed in some minds as a symbol of rebelling against oppressors instead of a representation of the support

“Violence as a way of achieving racial justice is both impractical and immoral. I am not unmindful of the fact that violence often brings about momentary results. Nations have frequently won their independence in battle. But in spite of temporary victories, violence never brings permanent peace.” This is a quote by the infamous civil rights leader Martin Luther King Junior. Even though social issues like racism and feminism have changed since the 1930s like in the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, there are still many similarities in how individuals were treated then and now.

The problem is whether or not confederate statues should be taken down or be left standing in their original places. According to the Washington post Barbra Lee stated that these confederate statues are hate symbols. I disagree that they should be removed but rather kept in their original place. These statues are not supposed to be interpreted as hate symbols, but rather they are our country’s history. These confederate soldiers and commanders are the stepping stones for America to be what it is now. Without these confederate individuals America would not be the same.

Around the world, people build statues to commemorate heroes that marked their history forever; at the square of London, for example, a monument dedicated to Horatio Nelson who was considered the greatest sea warrior in British history, and a monument in commemoration of Nelson Mandela in South Africa who helped bring an end to apartheid. In the United States, we have more than 1,500 confederate statues of history figures who fought in defense of slavery and the preservation of white supremacy. In the past few years, the debate over whether to remove or keep these confederate symbols has been causing controversy and trouble in our country, some argue it would erase a part of history but being out there in the public makes others uncomfortable, therefore, Confederate Symbols should be placed in more appropriate places like museums this way both sides would be target in a way, they would be removed but never forgotten.