Humanities Homework Help

Please look over the following:

BLM List of Demands:

1. End the war on Black People: We demand an end to the war against Black people. Since this country’s inception there have been named and unnamed wars on our communities. We demand an end to the criminalization, incarceration, and killing of our people.
2. Reparations: We demand reparations for past and continuing harms. The government, responsible corporations and other institutions that have profited off of the harm they have inflicted on Black people — from colonialism to slavery through food and housing redlining, mass incarceration, and surveillance — must repair the harm done.
3. Invest-Divest: We demand investments in the education, health and safety of Black people, instead of investments in the criminalizing, caging, and harming of Black people. We want investments in Black communities, determined by Black communities, and divestment from exploitative forces including prisons, fossil fuels, police, surveillance and exploitative corporations.
4. Economic Justice: We demand economic justice for all and a reconstruction of the economy to ensure Black communities have collective ownership, not merely access.
5. Community Control: We demand a world where those most impacted in our communities control the laws, institutions, and policies that are meant to serve us – from our schools to our local budgets, economies, police departments, and our land – while recognizing that the rights and histories of our Indigenous family must also be respected.
6. Political Power: We demand independent Black political power and Black self-determination in all areas of society. We envision a remaking of the current U.S. political system in order to create a real democracy where Black people and all marginalized people can effectively exercise full political power.

Black Power List of Demands:

Discussion Questions:

1: Which list do you think is most effective? What can these lists tell us about racial progress (or lack of) in America?

2: Why do you think the United States is still grappling with issues of racial discrimination today . . . and what can be done to reduce racial prejudices and discrimination in America?

Please post your first post by Thursday and respond to at least two of your classmates as well as answering their questions.

Response to two reflections.

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1: Which list do you think is most effective? What can these lists tell us about racial progress (or lack of) in America?

These are tough questions. Mostly because both of these lists are essentially demanding the same thing but are expressed differently because of the time. During the Black Power, it was a lot more militant, the Black Panthers were prominent and it showed on the list of demands. It was a call for more immediate specific action. The BLM reflects more recent times, more broad demands. Looking for more long-term systemic change and investment more into black infrastructure. Overall though both were saying the same thing. We demand equality and the same opportunities as everyone else.

2: Why do you think the United States is still grappling with issues of racial discrimination today . . . and what can be done to reduce?

This is an impossible question to answer in one post but overall I would say we’re still grappling because not enough people want to admit that racism and issues of race do actually exist and that it exist in every facet of life. So many do things that are blatantly racist and see nothing wrong with it. That’s a problem. In reality, racism is something that will never be completed eradicated sadly but to reduce racial prejudices and discrimination in America, the country has to educated on the history of racism and that the county was basically built on racism. Also, people that are in power positions need to put the proper infrastructure in place. It has to be fixed systemically. Changing people’s hearts and minds is one battle but we need policies in place.

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Which list do you think is most effective? What can these lists tell us about racial progress (or lack of) in America?

I would have to say a lot of these demands would be effective considering most of the issues have been ongoing for years with no solid solution. Economic Justice stands out the most to me. Statically black communities are unable to afford nice housing or find high paying jobs compared to other races, but why? I’ve always wondered why it has been much more difficult to build a solid foundation in the black community, the government should take blame to start by not providing the proper shelter, funds, or care to help communities struggling the most. It shouldn’t have to come down to demands, protests, or violence to achieve equality.

Why do you think the United States is still grappling with issues of racial discrimination today . . . and what can be done to reduce racial prejudices and discrimination in America?

I think there has been a lack of education about different cultures/races, educating our youth at a young age is a good way to start. Also being accountable for realizing when you or even someone else is being racist, a lot of people take it as a joke no days which is a huge problem.