The article that I selected is Rights and Slavery: An African American Voice. This source expands my understanding of the virtues that individuals demonstrate through their actions. Human beings actions determine the morality of an activity. This is because an action defines the character of a person. This means that if a person engages in evil deeds, the action is demoralized due to the outcomes of such activities. This essay will therefore focus on the analysis of the article Rights and Slavery: An African American Voice.
In the United States, Africans faced discrimination and unequal treatment in all public sectors. For example, the writer poses a question to the readers about the meaning of April 4th. The day symbolizes the plight of all workers in the world who goes through harassment as they carry on with their day to day activities. This insinuates that the celebration of this day rekindles the pain that workers go through. To the masters or the rest of the individuals in the population, it is a celebration that brings people together. African American forms the largest group of workers in the informal sector. In addition, those who secure employment in the formal sector go through challenges such as discrimination and social injustices. This means that a country such as the United States that brags of great achievement in economic growth and leadership fails to honor and respect their African citizens who have contributed immensely to the development of the nation. Some of the ways through which African American experience discrimination include: inequality in employment, social injustices and discrimination. Therefore, the hypocritical natures of the deeds that the state engages in are evident through social inequality prevalent in the community. It is at this point that the writer denotes that all mortals are equal and what make us look different are the virtues that we demonstrates and pursue in life.
Being born in a black family does not make a person less important than an individual born in a white family. The reason behind this is that the whites have used social and cultural background to discriminate against the Africans. This is socially wrong because Africans never chose to be born in the family that they find themselves in.
Slavery forms the epitome of discrimination, where African Americans co-exist with other communities in fear, demonstrates the height of hypocrisy prevalent in the state. Slavery continued in America even after independence where some communities suffer due to discrimination while other thrives in riches. The United State government has overlooked the negative effects of modern slavery that is marred by massive inequalities in employment and accessibility to social amenities. For a very long time, Africans have fought for justice and equality and social issues. However, strong forces have hindered and limited the efforts of the activists from seeing the light of the day. Some have died in their quest for equality and freedom for the Africans. The theory of independent that is widely celebrated in America hypocritically turns a blind eye on the suffering of African Americans in the country. Therefore, celebration of independence is a mockery to the suffering of the wider majority who goes through discrimination, police harassment and social mistreatment daily.
Moreover, changes have occurred in the world due to the use of technology and globalization. This means that the economic systems have been affected in a great way where goods and services move from one country to the other with no limitation to borders. At the same time, technology has made the world a small village where people communicate and send information on real time basis (Douglass, 1994). This has restructured the traditional economic systems that were regulated through building of walls and economic barriers that hindered interaction between individuals in the community. The military power has been neutralized by the system of leadership that allows democracy to prevail between nations and regions. Thus, the economic state of a nation determines its control and bargaining power in the world leadership. United states have embraced most of the features that comes with globalization. This puts it at an advantageous position where it attracts investors and workers to flock in the country.
Despite making huge strides and progress in the technological field, United States still lags behind in terms of social equality. This is because communities have not embraced and practiced the fact that all mortals are the same. However, having elected a black president, United States showed that things are changing and the bond between communities is getting narrower as individuals celebrate their diversity. Therefore, the level of inequality differs across the board and from one state to the other. This article therefore broadens my knowledge on the sole issue of slavery (Douglass, 1994). However, modern slavery takes diverse approach from the previous or the traditional slavery where people were taken into custody. In the recent past, slavery has changed to the form of discrimination where freedom of movement and rights to vote took the centre stage. Africans Americans were not allowed to vote in United States, this was changed upon consistence and persistence protests against the amendments. This is because such amendments created a gap in the voting system where Africans were denied to participate in the most critical rile of electing their leaders.
In conclusion, the article reminded me of the modern form of slavery that divided communities along ethnic lines. The situation needs to be tackled by the state in a way that all parties or communities get involved in the change process. It would be grievous mistake where the state involves one party and leaves the others. This is because the blunt of social inequalities is more felt and experienced among the African Americans than in other social set ups. The author appreciates the diversity that exists in the community and state that if well utilized by the community, it can lead to positive effects. The black or colored people feel neglected by the state and they fight back through protests.
References
Douglass, F. (1994). What to the slave is the 4th of July?: Rochester, New York, July 5, 1852. Pa.?: Historical Documents Co.