Talk:Soci 370/NewtonSeale

In response to Crystal Lau's question, "Considering the present situation of racial relations, which demand, in your opinion, should be prioritized in order to uplift Black communities and move the United States towards the idyllic, post-racial society?" I believe that many of the demands should be prioritized, but primarily number 7. This demand calls for an immediate end to police brutality and murder that Black communities are confronted with. With the continued incidences of racism found in the actions of police in America, this demand seems relevant to society today. The media has had a large role in broadcasting these discriminations, and more people are becoming aware and demanding justice for these crimes. There have been too many cases where Black people do not receive the same treatment as other races, and have often had to fight or have been the victim of violence.

Your point regarding police brutality is especially poignant in the United States and I think it's well illustrated now through the creation of the Black Lives Matter movement shortly after the injustices the world saw with the murder of Trayvon Martin in 2012. It's also interesting to note how the movement can connect with the Lorde reading as it tries to embrace the notion intersectionality by recognizing the lives of LGBTQ and disabled Black folk, as well as anyone identifying anywhere along the gender spectrum.

I definitely agree with you, Vanessa! I think that if a second priority could be listed, it would likely be #8: "all Blacks freed from jail because they have not had a fair trial". Again, this follows your train of thought in the same vein of discrimination-correction. As social movements and the media have recently brought more to public attention, racial profiling is yet another indication of unfair treatment towards Blacks on the part of the law.

While I do personally have my gripes with freeing all Blacks from jail on the basis of an unfair trial – because not everyone in jail is innocent – I believe that the following rule (which argues for trial by a peer group) would effectively take care of this issue. I believe that while none of the principles of the Black Panther party should be disregarded, priorities should first be placed towards equal and fair treatment. Aspects like restitution in the form of land are meaningless if the law is twisted so that new Black land-owners are vulnerable to unjust arrest immediately thereafter, after all.

Vanessa, I agree with what you are saying, although sometimes I try to be optimistic with myself and believe that racism between black and white and also other colour may decrease a lot in the next generation since our contemporary society is becoming developed and interconnected with one another. But I have to say that with the way our society is going, especially in America with the police brutality and the way the media labels people of colour, the black community, I believe that our society is going backward and I believe that in order for the media to win everyone over, racism and discrimination between people will continue. However, lets not forget that police brutality is only happening in America when it comes to black people, it is also happening here in Canada, I have spoken to some African Canadian and the discrimination and the brutality they go through with the Canadian police and government is similar to the ones in the States but what is worse here in Canada is that it is all hidden and not mentioned in the media because we are trying to make Canada as a peaceful and multicultural nation and not show the racism that is being done here in our own country.

Not in terms of what would be the most important point to be fulfilled, but I think point 3 (40 acres and 2 mules, or a modern day equivalent) could be particularly interesting way of addressing the issue of race in America today. Although I'd doubt it to happen, reparations could (depending on the government or which president it is under) be interpreted as either placing a history of racism in the past, as something that doesn't still exist today aside from this, but certainly much more likely, it would bring light to the many effects of slavery and racism over the course of the United States' history, and how things that happened 300 years ago are still very much relevant today.