The Origins Of Poverty And Inequality Essay

In Barack Obama’s speech, “A More Perfect Union,” Obama made an effort to educate the American people on the history and importance of race in America. He explained how our nations founding fathers developed our Constitution based on the idea that all men are created equal, without actually practicing this idea themselves. He used the words of the Constitution to discuss the current racial issues and to state his concern of our imperfect nation. This was all in response to the very controversial remarks Barack Obama’s pastor, Reverend Jeremiah Wright had previously stated, which created much unease among Americans. Obama felt the need to address our nation about this specific problem, since he identifies as a black man himself, and offer a solution to end this built up anger and discrimination between the American people. In his speech, “A More Perfect Union,” Obama is able to clearly convey the specific racial problem at hand that created the exigency for this speech, as well as effectively share his own personal connection with this issue, in order to help fix our country and work together to find a beneficial solution.

In response to the controversial sermon given by his pastor and the racial remarks that followed him during his 2008 campaign, then Senator Barack Obama, was inherently forced into delivering a speech that would address the comments and prove to the American people that he did in fact shared their “American Dream” and was not an Anti-America charity case. Obama gave his famous “A More Perfect Union” speech in Philadelphia, where he seized the opportunity to address the controversy as an indication of a much larger issue, race relations in America and introduce his mission of moving the country toward “a more perfect union.” His speech often coined, “the Race Speech”, had several factors play into its success, one factor being the way the speech was delivered, his speech incorporated the jeremiad form and constitutive form of rhetoric, the use of those two forms helped Obama address the issue while at the same time creating an identity that would encompass all Americans who would then come together in this identity and work toward the solution of the race issue and providing the “American Dream” for everyone.

President Obama’s, “A More Perfect Union”, speech conveyed many of his beliefs concerning racism. Obama is the son of a white woman and a Kenyan man, and just because of his race people are either with or against him. He begins his speech by talking about the founding fathers and the Declaration of Independence by saying that ‘all men are created equal’. His former pastor, Reverend Jeremiah Wright brought up some of his observations about racism which caused some unease. He continues his speech by saying that the solution to ending this unease of racism is to come together and forgive each other for all the wrongs they have done in the past. He ends his speech by saying that both races need to become united in order for a more perfect union. Barack Obama buttresses his argument about slavery and unification by using ethos, pathos, allusion, as well as repetition.

All men are created equal yet the glaring disparities between races and ethnicities say otherwise. The African American demographic of America has the lowest poverty rate and household income than all other races and ethnicities. The statistics about African American poverty are staggering in regards to more than just unemployment, food insecurity, and nutrition. In the 21st century, decades after the civil war and desegregation, and with such a diverse population, the poverty in our country still pertains to race and the color of our skin. The following paragraphs will explicate the various distinctions in socioeconomic statuses of the African American and white populations of America. It is not my intention to pit the white and black

African Americans have been systematically discriminated against since the advent of slavery over 200 years ago and still continue to be oppressed. Slavery created the ideology that Whites were superior to African Americans, because slaves were seen as property and not as human beings (O’Connell 2012). Following this sentiment, African Americans were not allowed to receive an education, let alone learn how to read. These slaves were dependent on their slave owners for the total well being of themselves, as well as their families. This dependency has created a cycle of poverty that has spiraled into the 21st century, affecting heavily populated areas of minority communities. While there is poverty among all Americans, Black Americans suffer from poverty rates highly disproportionate to White Americans (O’Connell 2012).

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” President Obama, then senator Obama, declared these words at a speech to supporters in 2008. If we are ‘the ones that we’ve been waiting for’, why aren’t things changing? Why is there still racism? Why is there still discrimination? These are crucial questions that I anticipate will remain unanswered forever. After Barack Obama secured enough electoral votes during the 2008 Presidential election, Obama became the first African-American president in the history of the United States. On January 20, 2009 Obama was officially sworn into office, commencing an extremely instrumental part of American history becoming the first black male as president. Unfortunately, still to this day many people cannot wrap their heads around the fact that slavery was abolished in the middle 1800s but yet there is still significant amounts of racial inequality and discrimination. Although it might seem far-fetched, we have the power to end racism. Despite our prejudice and disregard, racism can be significantly impacted and possibly even terminated with unity, partnership and cooperation amongst the people. Still to this day people of color are often faced with various disadvantages that can severely impact their quality of life, disadvantages such as poverty, education, and financial decisions.

Obama, however, believes that words aren’t enough to eradicate slavery and racial issues; it is the action that counts. People should take actions like protest, raise their voice against racism and struggle hard to enter the real “United States”. The problems of discrimination can be solved if everyone forms a union and works together to achieve it. Even though, everyone belongs to a different race, country, and religion, they all have a common goal—a better future.

In the United States today there are many reforms that had been made to help cope with those who are living in poverty. However, these reforms have been keeping many from being able to climb the social class ladder because the “War on Poverty” has not been effective on ridding poverty in the U.S. According to the Heritage Foundation, there are about forty six million people who are living in poverty and it is a conflict in this country because it puts people of lower class at a disadvantage because they have to choose between necessities like healthcare, child care and food in order to help themselves and their family members; therefore, many sacrifices have to be made to insure their survival. Though

In former senator, Barack Obama’s speech, “A More Perfect Union, Obama acknowledges the comments of his pastor, Jeremiah Wright, publicly. Obama’s purpose was not only to briefly address the words of Jeremiah Wright, but also discuss racial tensions that are still ever present in contemporary society. He incorporates a unifying tone throughout his speech in order to ease the American public’s unease as well as instill his patriotism and his religious beliefs.

The history of poverty in America is nothing recent by far, yet the thought and actuality of a rise in poverty levels in such a wealthy country has been alarming to notice. Levels in poverty between the 1950 and 1970s steadily decreased due to the economy boom and increases of income, however within the past three decades, primarily between the 80s, poverty became concentrated as well as increased where well over 10 percent of Americans were poor (“Poverty in America”). Those mostly living in poverty per group are Blacks and Native Americans according the 2014 US Census data (DeNavas-Walt, Bernadette)

Poverty, as discussed in my Principles of Sociology class (SOC 202), has been a debated phenomenon for years; it is hard to tell how it began. No one can pinpoint the cause of poverty, but it can continue for generations without the proper guidance of how to get out of it. In his excerpt, Johnson (2014) says that “poverty exists because the economic system is organized in ways that encourage the accumulation of wealth at one end and creates conditions of scarcity that make poverty inevitable at the other.” Public and Private Families: A Textbook suggests that in 2010, 15.1 percent of Americans lived in households with incomes below the federal poverty line (Cherlin 2013). To go deeper into this statistic, the Census Bureau says that African Americans nearly doubled this rate at 27.4 percent (United States Bureau of the Census 2010). There are many causes as to why African Americans may fall and remain below the average American percentage of poverty, one specifically being discrimination within the economy. From previous knowledge and accounts from peers, I have heard

Imagine America different from what we know. A different yet real America, which existed in the past, an American governed by hate and cruelty, fully equipped with racial segregation policies. Imagine parents, struggling for their children 's education but being denied access because of the color of their skin. Imagine constant disapproval, crime, and suspicions towards someone because of their status, or something beyond their control. Today, we find America changed, healing and progressing from its previous judgments of African-American people. As we set aside our socialized ideas of them, they have become capable of opportunities and chances inconceivable to their ancestors.

On March 18th, 2008, Presidential Candidate and former Senator Barack Obama gave a speech addressing race equality and relations in the United States of America, also in response to Reverend Wright’s controversial comments. Obama made his focus to the potential voters in the 2008 election and concluded to them that race equality is a huge issue in our country that needs to be addressed and resolved. The purpose for this address was to be a part of a “more perfect union” and to make voters want to cast him their vote.

“Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity; it is an act of justice.”- Nelson Mandela (Pinterest.com). Did you know that over 1 billion people live on less than $1 a day? Also, every 3.5

Senator Barack Obama had many issues throughout his campaign. Obama’s speech, “A More Perfect Union”, delivered on March 18, 2008, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, conveyed many issues concerning racism throughout the United States, but it starts out stating how the founders of this nation constructed the Declaration of Independence, creating all men equal. Obama then begins to talk about his pastor, Reverend Jeremiah Wright, and his racial remarks against America and Israel, as it is “divisive at a time when we need unity”, referring to the “ two wars, a terrorist threat, a falling economy, a chronic health care crisis” going on at the time. (Obama 2) Obama remarks “I am the son of a black man from Kenya and a white woman from Kansas,” (Obama 1) because there is much criticism in his campaign due to his race. Obama argues that race is paralyzing our nation, and that it is still a major issue due to white privilege, and racial inequality. In the end, Obama hopes to move past the “racial stalemate we’ve been stuck in for years,” (Obama 6) and wishes to improve health care, jobs, schools, and other social issues for the United States.