ethics and literature

Running head: Option three 1

Option three 8

Option Three Comment by GRETCHEN JOHNSON: In MLA format, you don’t use a cover page. To see details about MLA format, you might want to visit Purdue Owl’s website (owl.purdue.edu). Comment by GRETCHEN JOHNSON: Come up with a title for the essay.

By

[JENIS PRAJAPATI]

April 25, 2021

The fight against racial discrimination and prejudice in America is as past the country itself. Clashes between superior and inferior regions of society because of skin color affect society's social, economic, political, and legal position. At that time there were systematic racial discrimination exists in every institution racism has been entrenched within it. Despite the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights' imposition, "all men are created equal," American society still failed to impose equal standards for everyone. Similarly, at that time, the concept of democracy has been violated. Democracy means that every individual can equally participate in decision-making, but there was nothing such rights available to African Americans and racially depressed people. There were numerous reasons behind racial injustice and discrimination, such as a flawed justice system, unequal resource distribution, cruel government, inequality in social institutions, and unequal policing practices. Comment by GRETCHEN JOHNSON: The intro needs a thesis statement that relates to the assignment prompt. Since you are supposed to compare the state of racial equity today with MLK’s speech, you should keep the intro focused on his speech, and include a thesis statement that states the main argument of the essay (relating to the assignment). Comment by GRETCHEN JOHNSON: reword in order to clarify Comment by GRETCHEN JOHNSON: confusing wording Comment by GRETCHEN JOHNSON: wrong word choice

Numerous fighters against racial discrimination and slavery emerged, such as Langston Hughes and Martin Luther King were two prominent figures who raised their voices against racism and racial inequality. Writings and movements against racial prejudice played an essential role in highlighting the issue. Hughes played his part in raising African Americans against the inequality they are facing. Through his poetry, plays, novels, and essays, he promotes equality and convinces African Americans to stand for their rights. Apart from this, Luther King's role in motivating people through his words and speeches like "I have a Dream." Comment by GRETCHEN JOHNSON: This is just background information and doesn’t argue anything. Cut out all the background info, and keep the body of the essay focused on the assignment prompt question.

Racism as the hierarchy of white and black people along human lines creates numerous complications in society. For decades American society still lacks equality and justice. Westernized elites from the first world have recreated racial injustice and ethical violation at a significant level. All the efforts made to eliminate racial injustice and slavery from American society years ago fail to influence American society for a long time. Because today, the difference between African Americans and White Americans in social, economic, political, and legal institutions still exists and exploits African Americans' lives at a considerable level. Comment by GRETCHEN JOHNSON: Cut this since it is background info. Keep the essay focused on what is going on today, and compare it directly to the speech.

King and Hughes's work aimed to eliminate systematic racial inequality from society and allow racially minor people to speak for their rights. King's speech regarding American society shatters his vision to see Americas as equal and just for everyone. Both Hughes and King were Negros, which is why they understand the pain of Negros and racially depressed people. Their work reflects the pain of African Americans and their vision for a just and equal America where no one will face discrimination and injustice. For example, Hughes's poem "Negro" is an appeal to understand their position in society. The poem's purpose is to highlight that the difference between white and black Americans is vital that never let black Americans exercise their interests (HUGHES, 2018). Comment by GRETCHEN JOHNSON: Only write about poems we looked at in this course.

The word Negro is associated with oppression, and they are considered as people to be a slave. Throughout the poem, Hughes reveals his identity as being slave, poor, oppressed, and negatively exploited in every situation. Along with his identity in the poetry, Hughes is explaining the history of African Americans. He also highlights the type of discrimination they face in society. Such as he talks about, employment is a form of discrimination they face. African Americans fail to establish their identities on social, political, and legal grounds because of their race. This is the form of racial inequality that still exists in the 21st century. In the 21st century, legal institutions are corrupt that fail to maintain a just social system. Employment discrimination is in practice regarding compensation, prestigious positions at work, management responsibilities, and retaliation (Mz Sincoff, 2006). Despite the developments and advancement in every field, racial injustice still exists that is questioning the future of American society.

In his speech "I Have a Dream," King’s words, “But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty amid a vast ocean of material prosperity,” that are relevant even today. When he addressed this speech and today, the status of Negro is still the same. Like the day when the speech was addressed Negro’s are segregated and suffering even today. The existence of systematic inequality is widening the gap between white and black Americans. For example, research highlights that the median wealth for black and Hispanic families was allocated as $17,600 and $20,700, while during the same year, the wealth given for white Americans was $171 000. The reason for the massive gap between the allocation of funds and income to families is their race and the prevailing systematic injustice. Research from 2016 also indicates that African Americans indicate 1/10th of the total wealth than white Americans (Hanks, Solomon, & Weller, 2018). Black Americans are less likely to own their houses than whites because of having less wealth and affordability power. These statistics show that Martin Luther King's words were accurate, and our society is still there without making any further progress for racial inequality. Comment by GRETCHEN JOHNSON: This paragraph is the first time in the paper that you are on-topic with the assignment prompt. Everything in the body of your essay needs to focus on comparing what is said in the speech (or the Hughes poems we looked at in class) to what is going on today.

In his speech, he further argues that "I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood, (King, 2018)" but sadly his dream didn't come true yet. Instead of widening the wall between them over time, beliefs and perceptions about racial inequality become strong, and people, instead of coming on the table of brotherhood, scattering away by accepting race as a measurement scale. African Americans are still deprived of their rights to liberty, freedom, justice, and equality. An example from the current society indicates that we have not achieved the desired America of King. The existing legal system of our country is not addressing punishments and legal decisions based on fair laws and principles, but one's racial and ethnic identity shapes decisions. For example, the country's criminal justice system takes punishment cruelly for African Americans while using a leniency when it comes to punishment decisions for white Americans. Researchers say that in 2014, 72% of prisoners were black Americans while 16% were white, which shows a massive gap between the practice of the criminal justice system. Statistics show that African Americans are not free and liberal in the state. They are legally bound based on wrong standards (Bertrand, Mullainathan, & Abrams, 2001).

Whether it is about healthcare benefits or social security benefits, policies implemented over the state clearly define a gap of opportunities for African Americans or racially depressed people. The purpose of Hughes, King, and numerous other influencers in history was to raise a voice against racial discrimination to eliminate it from society and establish a just and equal system. But despite their innumerable efforts and concerns regarding American culture, we are still there. The race is a more vital element in the United States that exploits millions of lives every day. It is ironic that even after decades of struggles and sacrifices, African Americans fail to achieve an equal social, economic, political, and legal system. The writings of Hughes and the speech of Kings reveal their higher expectations from American society that it will grow one day out of all inequalities and discrimination as an equal territory protecting everyone regardless of race. But unfortunately, their perceptions and expectations didn't come true. Everything same, and Negro's are being exploited at a similar level. Struggles of centuries to eliminate inequality and the injustice-based race go waste because superior white people still believe that African Americans deserve to be a slave. Employment, education, healthcare, social welfare, government sections, legal institutions, and everywhere race dominate the system. Thus, we have not moved so far in racial equality in American society.

References Bertrand, M., Mullainathan, S., & Abrams, D. (2001). Discrimination in the Judicial System. Randomized Evaluation, https://www.poverty-action.org/study/discrimination-judicial-system. Hanks, A., Solomon, D., & Weller, C. E. (2018). Systematic Inequality. Centre for American Progress, https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/race/reports/2018/02/21/447051/systematic-inequality/. HUGHES, L. (2018). The Negro Speaks of Rivers. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44428/the-negro-speaks-of-rivers. King, M. L. (2018, January 10). 'I Have A Dream' Speech, In Its Entirety. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/2010/01/18/122701268/i-have-a-dream-speech-in-its-entirety Mz Sincoff, M. Z. (2006). Retaliation: The Form of the 21st Century Employment Discrimination. 1-8.

The main issue with the essay is that it lacks a thesis statement (the sentence at the end of the intro that states the main argument of the essay). The thesis needs to specifically state how things today compare to either the dreams MLK speaks about or the Hughes poems we looked at (make sure to only write about the Hughes poems that were assigned for this course).

Eliminate any background info about the history and the authors’ bios in the body of the essay (as stated in the assignment instructions). You may include a bit of this in the intro, but it is unnecessary in the body of the essay.

In order to make the main argument of each body paragraph clear, it’s a good idea to use topic sentences. Since you should be comparing either the speech or the poems to what’s going on today, the best way to do this is to use each body paragraph to focus on one specific part of the literature, and then compare that to today. If you’re focusing on MLK’s speech, you could use each body paragraph to discuss one dream or aspect of the speech, and then discuss how we are doing today.

The paper needs some editing to fix grammatical issues. I’m not allowed to edit student papers for grammar, but you can make an appointment with the writing center to have someone go through the essay with you.

Additional comments are above.