Anthology of Ideas

The United States of America has a long history of inequality, from its treatment of Native Americans to women’s rights, it has tended to favor one group over others, but it has attempted to repair the damage it caused. However, even though America is the “land of opportunity,” its formerly oppressed peoples are not equal, but what does it mean to be equal? Is equality the government saying you must have the same number of employees from each arbitrarily defined “race?” Does equality mean that people should be forced to be equal? In examining this issue, one must define equality itself.

There are three forms of equality: equality of outcome, of opportunity, and of perception. Equality of perception is the most basic: it dictates that for people to be equal, each person should be perceived as being of equal worth.

In the course of this article the ending of the story and many other spoilers will be revealed. This is your only warning.

“I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” shows many examples of racism but what it does not say is that the basis of racism is equality, when one person thinks of himself as better than another person based on the color of their skin it is racism. But what is equality? Is equality the government saying you can not deny this person a job for this or that reason? Is equality saying you must have as many “black” or “Asian” employees as you do “white”? Is equality saying that anybody should be allowed to do anything? Is equality forcing everybody to be the same so no-one is “less” than the others? Is equality any of these? No, none of these are what true equality is.

Equality is not saying that all people are totally physically and mentally equal, no “sane” person would bet against a professional basketball player in a one-on-one against a toddler, nor would anyone say that Einstein has the same mental capacity of the average six year old.

Maya Angelou’s “I Know Why The Cage Bird Sings” is a wonderful look into the mind of a girl in her battles with racism, sexism and coming to terms with herself. Her story begins at the age of three on the way Momma’s store after her mother put her on a train and ends years later after the birth of her son. Through out this time Maya must learn to live with others perception of her and even more difficultly herself.

Maya’s rape set the stage for the rest of her life. It starts off for Maya as just searching for affection and she begins to look at Mr. Freeman as a father figure, however Freeman takes advantage of this and after two smaller incidents rapes her. Freeman not only rapes her but rather than being a so-called crime of passion plans it specifically.