Civil Movements: Discrimination and Its Consequences

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Synopsis of the Problem
Achievements of Civil Movements
Problems Encountered
Conclusion
Works Cited

Introduction

Since time in memorial, different groups of people in human history have received varied treatment based on their gender, race and ethnicity. This means that some injustices and inequalities exist in various parts of the world. In this regard, human rights groups and civil movements have emerged to challenge the existing social structure and social arrangements that segregate some members of society.

By definition, civil liberties are those rights that a person should be allowed to exercise without restriction. In other words, they are natural and granted naturally. The UN charter states that individuals must exercise their rights without state intervention.

Conversely, state sovereignty is incompatible with individual freedoms and rights. In the United States, the constitution allows people to participate in public activities without discrimination based on either race or gender.

The constitution was amended to suit the desires and wishes of the majority. After the American Civil War, the US government came up with laws that would bar some states from exercising political injustices as regards to voting and electioneering process in general. Various groups have stood up firmly to demand for their rights, including the 1960s civil groups.

Even though the US constitution and various acts of congress condemn discrimination and injustice, various groups are still faced with a problem of domination and sub-ordination in key sectors of the economy. Few people control the means of production while men own the majority of societal wealth. Some groups such as women and the youths are not incorporated in political processes as equal partners.

Their roles are not clearly defined, which leaves something to be desired. This article addresses the problem of discrimination and its consequences. This would be an attempt to explain the existing injustices in various sectors of the economy and in the society generally.

Synopsis of the Problem

The main problems that breed injustices in the American society are male patriarchy, unequal economic relations (capitalism), political participation and racial discrimination. The three problems are closely related in that one affects the other. The black race and women are more affected because their culture is never respected.

Furthermore, they are the proletariat meaning that the bourgeoisie uses them in acquiring power and material possessions. Women are always relegated to the private domain of the home while the black race is forced to work for the white race in order to make a living (Azevedo 54). The unequal relation between men and women and between the blacks and whites is a major problem that concerns the civil movements.

In fact, the majority of civil groups are formed to address the problem of unequal distribution of wealth and the position of women and the blacks in society. It is noted that the blacks were shipped from Africa in the 16^th to 19^th centuries to work for the white race. This implies that they were treated in the same way as stocks.

Human beings were elements that could be used in trade, just as gold, silver and coffee. Slaves went through unpalatable conditions while in the hands of white masters. They could be beaten, overworked, harassed sexually and in extreme cases, exterminated.

Africans could not tolerate these conditions, which forced them to engage whites and the government in conflicts in order to free themselves. They formed various civil groups that would liberate them from the house of bondage. The civil movements were formed in various places within the country but the major ones were created in 1960s. The civil groups gave Africans and other neglected groups a chance to articulate their issues.

Through the groups, various reforms were made, including constitutional amendments. The civil organizations were first controlled by the government but were later on allowed to operate as private entities. Most groups were controlled by religious organizations and faiths.

Maulana Karenga observes that the major aim of civil groups was to break down impediments that affected socio-political and economic participation within the US society (185). The organizations intended to remove penalties and societal barriers that segregated people based on race and gender. Africans in America had tried to gain political and economic freedom for over a century, being traced back to the Civil War.

This means that in American history, blacks have never enjoyed their freedoms as regards to political participation such as voting for preferred candidates, being voted for, being appointed to key government positions and being involved in governmental decision-making. In the economic front, they were included in the financial system as underdogs.

Though Africans were making some progress pertaining to their rights and freedoms, the southerners had formulated stricter rules and regulations that could not allow blacks to interact freely in society. The southerners perpetually subjugated and oppressed the civil society. This means that people were not allowed to assemble or move freely.

In the south, Africans could not access equal opportunities in terms of education and social interaction. Public services such as schools, hospitals and other recreational facilities were not available to Africans. Racial discrimination was practiced in all parts of the country. For instance, those individuals who escaped from the south encountered similar problems elsewhere.

The society had an issue with the black race because no one appreciated the fact that each person has an equal opportunity in life. The south implemented unpopular laws, which were oppressive in nature. They were referred to as Crow’s laws. It is evident that the society disliked the black race. The police implemented the law separately. Strict measures were applied to Africans while the whites were favored in many occasions.

In the labor market, blacks never feared any better. They were allocated inferior jobs and were subjected to poor working conditions, without proper housing policies. White citizens harassed blacks but the law enforcement agencies never acted to avert the situation. Blacks were subjected to public beating or were arrested without proper reason in case found intermingling with the whites.

Achievements of Civil Movements

Africans in America managed to change some policies that infringed on their rights and freedoms. Unity is one of the factors that helped Africans since they would act as an entity but not as individuals. This ensured that they were not victimized and harassed. The first break through was witnessed in 1909 when the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was formed.

The organization was formed in response to the 1908 riots that occurred in Illinois State. The organization aimed at improving the lifestyles of Africans by condemning racial segregation. However, as Maulana Karenga puts it, the movement was ineffective because it was controlled by the white race. This means that it could not apply techniques such as violent rioting meaning that it was not militant.

To some extent, the movement managed to put off repressive Crow’s laws that permitted the lynching of Africans in public places. The activities of blacks were boosted in 1950s when the high court decided that laws discriminating blacks be put off.

In the education front, the court rejected the south’s move to have a separate educational curriculum for white and black students. It can be concluded that NAACP managed to convince the government to allow Africans to vote. This played a key role in abolishing segregation and racial violence.

Another important achievement was witnessed in 1956 when rioters stormed the streets demanding for equal representation and freedom of movement. The protests took place at Montgomery Bus station where the blacks decided to change the seating arrangements, which was also racially segregated. For a long time, the rights of blacks had been infringed because they were not allowed to decide where to seat when travelling.

Africans decided not to use bus services and opted for other means of transportation for over a year. This was a blow to the whites. Whites had no option but to grant independence to black passengers. The achievements at Montgomery encouraged other blacks to take part in the same inconsistencies hence granting Africans more powers all over the country.

Civil movements were transformed with the emergency of leaders such as Martin Luther king Jr. The leader was very dynamic as regards to political activities in the entire US. Luther King ensured that blacks made a progress in the political field. The activist was involved in the Montgomery bus strike and other important activities that followed. In particular, he contributed in the establishment of the southern Christian Leadership.

In 1963, he participated in a peaceful demonstration that serves as an icon to the activities of the civil groups. It was at the same time that he gave a famous speech titled ‘I have a dream’. The contents of the speech inspired so many people in the entire US. Luther King was one of the best orators since he commanded a high respect among both whites and blacks.

During the Washington demonstration, he led a group that consisted of over 250, 0000 people. The 1963 demonstration wanted the government to check on police brutality, segregation in public schools and provision of an effective job program.

Africans had no jobs, apart from being harassed by the police. It is unfair to mention civil movements in the US without describing the efforts of Martin Luther King Jr. He was rewarded with a noble peace prize due to his incomparable contributions to the activities of civil organizations. Martin Luther King ensured that each person was allowed to exercise his or her right without state intervention.

Problems Encountered

One of the major problems was resistance from whites and government. The activities of blacks were interpreted as a direct violation of law. The police could frequently corner African leaders and harass them thoroughly. Whites ridiculed Africans, terming them as failures. It was very difficult for Africans to convince other races that each person had a right and a role to play in society.

During the development of the movement, Africans were perpetually denied services such as shopping. This implies that whites could not sell anything to Africans. In other words, the civil movements had no government support. They had to fight it alone, which proved to be tricky.

Furthermore, Africans had no resources to be utilized in coordinating their activities. Calling for mass action demands capital. However, Africans soldiered on with their efforts despite lacking enough capital (Jacob 90).

For feminist civil movements, the major problem was unity. Women were not united because their objectives were not uniform. Black women were much concerned about living standards and improvement of social services such as healthcare, medication, childcare services and food security. On the other hand, academic feminists wanted the state to recognize academic literature formulated by women.

They proposed that feminist courses should be incorporated in the national curricula. In this field, feminine courses are currently offered in various institutions of higher learning. White feminism wanted the government to institute laws that could provide them with equal opportunities.

They were also concerned about domestic violence where women were forced to have sex with their male counterparts. Conflict of interests could be singled out as the major problem encountered by women in their quest to freedom (McPherson 89).

Conclusion

Overall, the civil rights movements have helped black people and other minorities achieve their dreams and goals. The civil groups insist that an individual has the right to do as he or she wishes as long as he or she does not violate the law. In this regard, each person has the potential to fulfill his or her wishes. The state should only act as a means to individual fulfillment. This has seen many blacks participate in elections actively.

It is not surprising that the current US president is a black. This is highly attributable to the activities of civil movements since independence. However, racial and gender discrimination is still eminent in society. However, more needs to be done to eliminate the problem.

Works Cited

Azevedo, Joaquim. Africana studies: a survey of Africa and the African Diaspora. 3rd ed. Carolina: Carolina Academic Press, 2005. Web.

Jacob, Harriet. Incidents in the life of a slave girl. Harvard: Harvard University Press, 2007. Print.

Karenga, Maulana. Introduction to Black studies. 2nd ed. Michigan: University of Sankore Press, 2010. Web.

McPherson, James. Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era. Oxford: Pulitzer Prize, 2003. Print.

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