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?

“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”?

Although some see evil as commonplace and slavery a “natural” phenomenon, this simple is not true. Evil can change from one location to another; in some societies eating the dead is a religious experience however for others it is a great evil. Yes, there is evil and yes, it is common, but what is evil? Is slavery truly evil? Are not all humans slave to some job? Without performing their job they would die from lack of sustenance.

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?

“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”?

Although some see evil as commonplace and slavery a “natural” phenomenon, this simple is not true. Evil can change from one location to another; in some societies eating the dead is a religious experience however for others it is a great evil. Yes, there is evil and yes, it is common, but what is evil? Is slavery truly evil? Are not all humans slave to some job? Without performing their job they would die from lack of sustenance.