Civil rights in America today
I'd like to hear your opinion on this.....do you think that, in general, there is a greater respect for the civil rights of Americans today than there was 50 years ago? You can provide any evidence that you would like and share any opinion provided it is respectful and tasteful. I am interested in hearing your thoughts.
I think that in general there is a greater acknowledgement of civil rights for a larger population of people. I think that the the rights of the LGBTQ+ community have become much more widely acknowledged and respected, as seen through the legalization of gay marriage in 2012. I think that Gen Zers and Millennials are definitely much more tolerant of people of all colors, genders, sexual orientations, etc, mostly because we are more used to it and it has become a part of our culture. I think that as the years go on we as a society will become more and more understanding of all types of people.
ReplyDeleteRacism and sexism are still very present in our society - I think that there is a greater respect for civil rights overall by young people, but I think that there are many harmful beliefs that have become "factual" to certain groups of people because they have been passed down from one generation to the next. I think the biggest reason that we still have these issues is because people are uneducated - they are either innocently ignorant about the history of a group of people or they refuse to consider the truth when it's not what they want to hear. An example is the fact that young (white) kids on the internet still say the "n" word. This can be because they don't understand the historic use of this word to oppress African Americans and they think it is cool to say, while in reality it is offensive and harmful. I think that young people need to be educated on the history of different groups of people and how they have been oppressed to understand the racist and sexist undertones that still linger in our culture. In 50 years, people have definitely grown to have a greater respect for the civil rights of all people, but inequality still exists - socially, economically, and politically.
^^ Louise Adillon
DeleteI think there is generally a greater respect of civil rights in America than there was 50 years ago. Today, people are more educated about civil rights and our history so there is a better understanding and a greater respect of civil rights then there was in the 1950s through the 1970s when people still had stigma towards African Americans. In the past people still were very racist because people closer in their family, like their parents or grandparents would have been alive for slavery or right after it was abolished and passed that stigma to their children. There is a greater respect for LGBTQ+ rights and most people are generally more tolerant of all types of people then they were in the last 50 years. That being said, there are definitely still some people who are not as educated or are stuck in their old ways of thinking and are not as respectful of other people. This is shown through people saying derogatory words such as the “n” word through social media videos which obviously causes a lot of controversy, since it is such a hurtful word to say. Therefore, there has been some major improvement of being tolerant of all types of people but inequality is still prevalent, like sexism and racism, so Americans can still have some improvement to have a greater respect of civil rights.
ReplyDeleteI think that in a general sense, there is a greater respect for the civil rights of Americans as a whole. There are a lot of cases that indicate more and more different types of people receiving treatment at attempts to be equal rights. As a whole, racial minorities are much more integrated into society than they were 50 years ago. Not to mention that same sex marriage was legalized across the United States, allowing for the respect of LGBTQ+ civil rights. Saying that this respect has expanded is not the same thing as saying that everyone in America is treated equally, however. This is far from true. There is still much violence charged by hate for the "other," instead of seeing everyone as human beings that are equal to all other human beings. With that being said, we as a whole have come a long way from where we were 50 years ago, with new legislation and just generally more respectful attitudes towards all people. There is still a ways to go, but we are consistently making progress in the right direction.
ReplyDeleteI do think that there is a greater respect for the civil rights of Americans today. Through the legalization of same-sex marriage and the greater integration of racial minorities in many communities, this respect is demonstrated. Like Louise says, it appears that the younger generations are more tolerant of civil rights, and I would say social media has played a role, especially about saying the "n" word.
ReplyDeleteHowever, while I think that their is greater respect for the civil rights of minorities today, there are still a lot of unique issues that minorities face, for example, police brutality. Additionally, when Colin Kaepernick kneeled for the national anthem, it became a huge debate because people were not respecting his right to peaceful protest. Obviously, racism and homophobia are still very much present in today's society as well.
Generally, I think that there is a greater respect of civil rights now than 50 years ago. There has been more education about civil rights, so there's more respect. People nowadays are more tolerant, respectful, and accepting of the LGBTQ+ community for example. Over the last 50 years respect for African Americans has increased as well. While there is more respect for civil rights now, it is not perfect. There are still people who are racist, sexist, and homophobic. An example is the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando. In this shooting a man targeted a gay night club, killed 49 people and injured 53 others. Some young people are accepting of civil rights, because it is what they are taught and grew up learning. While others do not understand that certain things they do are incorrect and can harm and offend certain groups of people. Another example of this is white people saying the "n" word, on social media and in real life. People need to be taught that this is not acceptable and that it is incorrect because the word is deeply rooted in the oppression of African Americans. It does not matter if it is in the words to your favorite song, it is not okay to say. While all of this is still prevalent, most people have a greater respect for civil rights now, then 50 years ago, and hopefully more Americans can have that same respect.
ReplyDeleteIn general, I think America has a greater respect for civil rights today than we did 50 years ago. Our society has changed dramatically over the last 50 years, and the interpretation of civil rights has had to change with it. The respect that Americans have for civil rights is by no means perfect, but there has been some major improvements over the years. Women, people of color, and other minority groups such as the LGBTQ+ community have become more respected and offered more opportunities across various industries in recent years than 50 years ago. New laws have been created to protect civil rights in today's society, such as the Electronic Communications Privacy Act and the legalization of same-sex marriage.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea why this is my username and I can't change it but this is from Taylor Phipps:
ReplyDeleteI think that there is a greater respect of civil rights today but it has not grown at the rate that it should have. Obviously various groups, like minorities and women, did not have many rights 50 years ago. We have gained more respect for civil rights today by applying them to all groups, as we can now have equal freedoms like voting and have been offered more opportunities. However, there are still barriers that need to be overcome. Additionally, considering how advanced we hold ourselves as a country, I believe this respect should be more advanced than it is today and should have grown more than it did in the last 50 years.
Overall I believe there is more respect and awarness of civil rights today than 50 years ago. With LGBTQ+ and the legalization of gay marriage allowed for more awareness of all civil rights. More people have grown a great respect for all people.
ReplyDeleteI do believe that it is better than 50 years ago but racism, sexism and stigma towards minority groups are still in today's society. Some people are not properly educated and still have hate towards certain groups of people. Minorities have a greater chance of violence happening to them and still face much hate like police brutality and hate crimes still occuring. Hopefully in the future, Americans will gain more knowledge and respect towards minorities.
Generally, I do think that there is a greater respect for civil rights in Americans today than there was 50 years ago. Especially in regard to race and gender, there have been major advancements in the rights of African Americans, as well as women and they are now accepted in society more than fifty years ago. Similarly, 50 years ago, the LGBTQ+ community was not respected by society as they are today, which can be seen by gay pride parades, as well as the acceptance of same sex marraige. I also think that today, Americans are generally more accepting of all kinds of people than they were 50 years ago, which allows for a greater respect for the civil rights of Americans. However, this does not apply to all citizens; discrimination still exists, such as racism and sexism. For example, in the professional sports world, women are still not paid as much as men, even in cases where they bring in more revenue than the men’s team such as the U.S. National Soccer Teams. With this being said, considering that women were rarely allowed to play professional sports fifty years ago, our country has come a long way and are now more respectful of civil rights than ever before.
ReplyDelete^^ Julia Acevedo
I think that in general there is a greater respect of civil rights today than 50 years. 50 years ago gay marriage was not accepted generally. With more acceptance in our country when it comes to civil rights, issues like racism, discrimination against the LGBTQ+, and sexism are much less common. Movements like Black Lives Matter and Me Too have also helped in spreading awareness. However, we still do not have complete acceptance of everyone's civil rights. Sexism is still a major issue in our country and women are still getting paid less for the same work. Racism has also become more common with the Corona Virus because some people are discriminating against the Chinese. Similarly, President Trump blaming the country in the media is effecting the public. Discrimination around immigrants from Mexico and South America are also being portrayed negatively in right wing media. Overall, although there is greater respect for civil rights today than 50 years ago, we still have a lot of improvements to make when it comes to equality.
ReplyDelete^^ Eva
DeleteGenerally speaking, I believe there is greater respect for civil rights and liberties than there was 50 years ago, and I think the major catalyst for the change is our media. Newspapers, movies, social media platforms, TV shows, and even music has had a huge impact on reforming societal perceptions to be not only tolerant but welcoming of different perspectives. The shows like Queer Eye and Making a Murderer, the songs like “This is America,” the tweets and posts from the #MeToo and March For Our Lives movements, and even the rapid dissemination of information about Ahmaud Arbery’s shooting demonstrates that nowadays, with so many forms of expression, the average American can wield great influence over how civil rights are ensured and protected in the United States. However, in spite of more Americans believing in equality, I think we still have too many people in positions of authority that don’t reflect the concern for human rights that many of their constituents show. With support from the media, our nation definitely is shifting in favor of civil rights but the transformation is as slow as it is because of stubborn, ignorant officials who don’t recognize that everyone is deserving of basic rights. Consider today’s polarized climate, where wearing a mask can be construed as a sign of weakness, where an armed white supremacist can protest at their state’s capitol but an African American out jogging can be shot to death, where GOP congresspeople refuse to allocate funds necessary for health safety to states that predominantly vote blue. Ultimately, the United States could progress so much faster if the people in charge could put aside their personal prejudices and political rivalries and simply focus on the welfare of their people.
ReplyDeleteI think compared to 50 years ago there is a greater respect for civil rights. Today there is more education regarding civil rights which allows more people to learn things and have knowledge of things. Today's activists and groups campaigning for civil rights are given more of a voice and platform in which they are listened to. Since the Civil Rights Era, the Black Community as well as other ethnic and racial minorities, women, the LGBTQ+ community, and the disbaled community have been given more respect and opportunity. This change is very present in television and movies. More and more films and shows include people of different racial and ethnic backgrounds, as well LGBTQ+ people, women and other groups of people who were not given the respect they deserved. I think that there is definitely room for improvement as we continue to move toward a more respective and harmonious future.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, the rate of respect and opportunities has not grown at the speed some have desired. However, it is not surprising that change and progress takes time. Even tough laws may change, it does not always mean people will. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin and required equal access to public places and employment, and enforced desegregation of schools and the right to vote. However even with the passage of this Act, there was no automatic respect granted to people who had been discriminated against. The Act did not initially change people’s opinions but it created a manner in which groups were legally protected and paved the way for those in minority groups to influence society.
Today, especially in the younger generations, there is more acceptance and respect regarding civil rights. I think another reason that acceptance and respect is such a slow process is because as a society and as a country we are attempting to dismantle systems that were created to disenfranchise and exclude specific people. The lack of education and understanding regarding these systems create difficulties when attempting to dismantle them. Too many times, especially on social media, I have seen people deny that White privilege exists. The issue is that many people do not understand what White privilege means or even Male or Straight privilege. Many people I have seen on social media think that having White privilege means by being White they are not susceptible to poverty, hardships, or health issues. Then they further comment that they are White and in poverty so they do not have privilege. But that is not what the premise of White, Male, or Straight privilege is. These groups' historically dominated society creating a system of power granting them privileges. For example, for a few years after same sex marriage was legalized, parents in some states were not allowed to adopt children. Straight couples had no issues regarding adoption when it came to the sex of their spouse, while same sex couples did. The lack of understanding continues to hinder the progression of civil rights and respect toward it, but time has proven that things can change.
I think there is generally more of a greater respect for civil rights and liberties than there was 50 years ago. However, from a legal or economic standpoint, there has not been much change for minorities. The social taboos surrounding different races, religions, and sexualities have lessoned, and if someone was to openly discriminate against another person, it would be a much bigger deal that in past years. On the other hand, laws are still in place that can systematically oppress minorities. The Thirteenth Amendment allows for slavery if a person is incarcerated. African Americans and Hispanics are more heavily incarcerated which means that can still be affected by what is essentially slavery. People of color still have the highest rate of poverty. 50 years ago, housing discrimination was a thing. Black home ownership has declined in recent years. There are many ways that minorities are oppressed through economic or legal ways that many people do not know. People are not as openly racist as the past, but that does not mean civil rights have expanded in every way possible.
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