FREE ESSAY ON BIGOTRY IN AMERICA

BIGOTRY IN AMERICA

In order to stop racism you must first star at the home. Bigotry and racism are the types
of beliefs that are brought up through families. If a child is raised in a racist home
than that child is likely to carry those beliefs with him or her and eventually on to
their children. In order to stop this cycle you must start with the children. It is
easier to implement your ideals on a child than to change the opinions of an adult. Then
you must give it time. It is only over time that any results will take place. 
Martin Luther King Jr. was a pacifist that would not stand for physical confrontation.
Instead he repelled bigotry with "soul force." This meant that he would use his spirit to
overcome anyone that stood in his way towards equality. It was through his belief in God
and his self-determination that allowed Dr. King to carry on with the movement. Dr. King
felt that a violent retaliation would only harm the civil rights movement. To give in to
the hatred would mean you are sinking to the same level of the people who are repressing
you. 
Through Dr. King's language from the bible he is able to reach a common ground that many
people can identify with. This is especially evident in the 1960's because there was a
deep-rooted sense of religion. Also, with this approach Dr. King adds a wholesome appeal
to his speech. By using religion he isn't ranting, but rather preaching. His words and
his passion seem as though God guides them. The religious factor also appears to add
importance to his speech.
Both of these men base their religious backgrounds for each of their social beliefs and
the paths they have chosen in life. They portray these aspirations through the quotes
they use. Mr. Feuerstein say's, " In a situation where there is no righteous person, try
to be a righteous person." He means when there is a situation like his where hope seems
lost you should never lose faith. That you should be the person to step forward and take
responsibility. Dr. King states, " With his faith we will be able to hew out of the
Mountain of despair a stone of hope." This reiterates the point being made by Mr.
Feuerstein. Both of these men inspire hope for a better life and use scripture and their
faith in order to prove this.
Dr. King's vision is of a day where a person isn't judged based on the color of their
skin or on their religious beliefs, but on who they are inside. We, as a society, have
come a long way since Dr. King's day. Today black and white people attend the same
schools, black people are able to obtain the same jobs as white people, and some hold
positions in the United States Government. On the other hand some privately owned golf
courses are still white only, many black people are at a disadvantage in the work place,
and black people are greatly outnumbered in our government. As you can see great progress
has been made, but the fight towards equality is not over. 
I can not cite a specific example of an issue I would demonstrate in a public way. I can
say that I would stand for anything that that I truly believed in. I would also partially
base my decision on whether or not this issue affected me personally. This may seem a
little pretentious, but let me explain. Elephants are being hunted everyday for their
ivory tusks. There is no question that this is wrong. There is also no chance of me going
out and joining the fight against these hunters. It is not based on the fact of whether
or not it is right or wrong. It is based on the fact that I don't care enough to stop
it.
I have interests in both history and morality. History allows us to reflect on the past
to learn for the future. Morality is something I personally hold close. I have always
been the type of person that does what is morally correct. I rarely lie, I don't steal, I
don't cheat, I never go behind the back of a friend, and I have always been faithful to
every girl I have ever been with. I don't think of any of these as ever being difficult
choices. I believe the type of person you are morally is a direct reflection of your
upbringing.
The views of the American Dream shared by both of these men are not quite the same. Dr.
King's dream is to one-day not see any racial boundaries set upon any man or woman. To
see a time when black people and white people are not seen as black people and white
people, but only as people. Mr. Feuerstein's believes the American Dream is not to trade
profit for his workers. He understands that downsizing and decreasing his wages is not
the way to conduct business. These ideals may appear different, but the both contain the
same vision of people being treated fairly.
The person I admire the most in my life would be, without question, my mother. She is the
kindest and sweetest soul I have ever met. They say a mother would go to the ends of the
world for her children. If this statement is true then my mother would go twice. She
spent most of her life being a full time mom raising eight children and then she would
work the graveyard shift at work. She wouldn't complain and she wouldn't break. She kept
on doing what needed to be done. My mother is the emotional backbone in my family. If
anyone ever has a problem in the family she is the first person to talk to. I owe my life
to her. Everything I am today is because of what she has instilled in me. She is my
inspiration and my role model.