ECONOMIC EQUALITY
America was known for black people being oppressed in the society dominated by the whites. Black people suffered under the rule of the whites leading to them having worse economic situations. They had bad education systems and ended up working as menial labor for the whites. That led to the rise of people who talked about the issues affecting the blacks. Hence the arguments of Bayard in “from protest to politics: the future of the civil rights movement.” Also, the argument by Martin Luther King in “The Other America.” This paper will focus on the economic issues that affected black people in America since many black people were unemployed, and the few that were employed got low wages. Leading to many black people living in poverty and unable to meet there needs. Therefore, there was a need for black people to have equal rights that enable them to be employed for them to have a better life.
The issue of justice had been raised by people who were suffering from the cruelty of the white government. Racism was the primary source of the suffering of many black people in the United States (Blackpast, 2007). Many focused on the issue of race relations and forgot to survive in America was more than race relations. Bayard argues from the perspective of black people winning access to public accommodation and yet lacking the money to use to the things they fought to get. The question he asks is, “What is the value of winning access to public accommodations for those who lack money to use them?” (Blackpast, 2007) Hence there was a need for the affected parties to change the perspective on how they will handle their issues.
According to Bayard, there was a need for movements to start focusing on the issues of economic relationships and the role of education in modern society. Having an education was the main key to help the minority in society to achieve their dreams. They needed to get jobs in the economy to help them in accessing the things they want. How will they educate their children without money? How will they afford things they want without money? Therefore, the only solution is for them to get opportunities to enable them to have a reasonable income.
Bayard believes that the only way change will happen is through government actions or politics. He gives an example of the southern people who get rid of the local sheriff to handle the issue brutality they suffered from the police (Blackpast, 2007). Changing the leadership of the government was the only way the minority in society will be able to get access to better education and improve their economic status. He is against the people using demonstration in getting the solution on major issues he is outlining.
Bayard also argues on the issue of Negroes unemployment, which was a huge problem during that period. The unemployment gap between the races was wider than the years before. He says, “The median income of Negroes has dropped from 57 percent to 54 percent of that of whites.” (Blackpast, 2007) The main cause of such differences is caused by the high unemployment rate among the negroes. That was the main cause of the increasing growth of racial slums that were spreading over the central cities.
He believes that the challenges that the Negro community was facing were the main cause of riots that were being experienced. They were protesting against class aggression in a society where people were defined depending on class and color (Blackpast, 2007). Bayard also argues that the little employment positions that the negroes were being employed to work, are being taken by technology. Hence, technology has the main cause of unemployment among people of color. According to Bayard, “We need to propose alternatives to technological unemployment, urban decay, and the rest.” He believed that will help in creating opportunities for the Black people (Blackpast, 2007).
Martin Luther King describes America as being divided into two the rich and mighty who are America and the poor who represent the other America. Martin Luther King believes that America would be closer to the victory of eliminating poverty and injustice if there was the existence of the labor movement. He says in his speech “our Poor People’s Campaign, our campaign for jobs or income which will take place in a few weeks . . . and I want to deal with all of this by using it as my subject tonight, “The Other America.” (Beacon Broadside, 2018)” In this statement, he tries to show the problem the minority in America was going through.
He narrates the hard life people in other America go through and the suffering they face. The people in other America live in inadequate, substandard, and bad housing conditions. The students in other America are forced to attend inadequate, substandard, inferior schools (Beacon Broadside, 2018). That makes it hard for them to get a better education, and hence many end up not completing their studies. The minority population goes through this not because they not intelligent, but the society has forced them to go through such sufferings.
Martin Luther King also talks about the economic problem in other America. People are suffering in poverty. They are unable to get their basic needs, and because of the problems they were going through, they end up having mental health problems. He argues that “…black man in the United States of America is facing a literal depression (Beacon Broadside, 2018). Now you know they don’t call it that. When there is massive unemployment in the black community, it’s called a social problem. But when there is massive unemployment in the white community, it’s called a depression.” That showed the magnitude of stereotyping that existed in America towards the blacks.
He talks about the issue of black people doing menial work and getting inadequate salaries leading to an increase in poverty. Martin Luther believed that the only way America would fight poverty is through them working together for a better world. According to him, “the riot is the language of the unheard.” That is the main reason why black people were rioting for them to have better lives where their rights were being infringed. He believes that for a better future for everyone, there is a need for people to be treated equally and justice to prevail. If that is not done, riots will continue being experienced because the other America is tired of being oppressed. As he says, “The fact is that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor. It must be demanded by the oppressed” (Beacon Broadside, 2018). Therefore, if the black oppression continues, then the only option they have is to fight for their freedom.
Bayard and Martin Luther King both talk about the need for black people to be employed. The main problem why black people are suffering is because they don’t get the job opportunities the Whites get. They have been oppressed until they are living in poverty, and they are unable to sustain themselves. They also urge the need for black people to get a good education. Since most of them are not able to get a good education because of the bad economic situation, they are facing. Hence, the common thing both Bayard and Martin Luther King want the black people to have is fair employment opportunity because it is the only solution to a better economic situation. However, in their arguments, they differ where Bayard believes that the only way blacks will win the war against economic inequality and injustice is through changing of the leadership. Martin Luther King, on the other hand, believes that freedom can only be demanded by the oppressed.
References
Beacon Broadside. (2018). Retrieved from Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “The Other America” Still Radical 50 Years Later: https://www.beaconbroadside.com/broadside/2018/03/martin-luther-king-jrs-the-other-america-still-radical-50-years-later.html
Black past. (2007). Black past. Retrieved from (1965) BAYARD RUSTIN, “FROM PROTEST TO POLITICS: THE FUTURE OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT”: https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/1965-bayard-rustin-protest-politics-future-civil-rights-movement-0/