Race and rights Flashcards
How ethnically diverse is the US?
40% non-white, many identify as Asian/African American
By 2045 white people are projected to make up less than 50%
Why is ethnic diversity an issue in the US?
Differing political and ideological traditions. Characteristics of size and diversity have important political implications (size-decentralisation, diversity-need for differing laws and approaches)
What type of system does the US have and what has this allowed?
Federal
Some states proud of their racist history e.g confederate flag. Codified constitution and bill of rights (resistance to change, req super majority)
1857 Supreme court ruling
Denial of citizenship and constitutional rights to black people, est race legally as ‘subordinate, inferior being-whether slave or freedman’
1896 Plessy v Ferguson
Separate but equal facilities
Allows segregation but facilities must be of equal quality
Jim Crow Laws (1870s-1965)
State/local laws that enforced racial segregation in southern states. Mandated racial segregation in all public facilities and schools
1954 Brown v Board of Education
Plessy v Ferguson overturned. Est that separate was inherently unequal but only ordered states to desegregate ‘with all deliberate speed’ (not immediately-take as long as poss, still allowed states to do what they want)
1967 Loving v Virginia
Laws banning inter-racial marriage violate 14th amendment
1960s: civil rights act 1964
Prohibited discrimination on race and sex-JFK endorsed it before his death (seen as his legacy). Cold war led to US wanting to appear as best country in world (Russia can criticise that its racist and un=)
Rise of media promoted awareness of actions done to people of other races
Too many people supported it to ignore
Support dwindled as seen as bare minimum
Post 1960s civil rights
Wage gap still existed into 90s
Some areas still ‘segregated’ as couldn’t afford to move elsewhere/not offered opp
Methods, influence and effectiveness of racial rights campaigns and impact on current domestic policy
Using courts, particularly Supreme (can adjust law. can rec limits e.g states can ignore like Jim crow laws, depends on justices as they have dif views)
Civil disobedience e.g BLM-use media, rallies, little impact on politics, vague on aims (e.g BLM too unfocused)
Murder of George Floyd
Action through ballot box-vote for candidates who will make it equal. Hasn’t created true equality as only 1 black president
Affirmative action
Affirmative action
e.g picking people from minority backgrounds over majority backgrounds
Justified on 4 grounds:
Compensation-people faced years of discrimination, reparations for past
Continuing discrimination-nothing has changed, still discrimination
Diversity-imp for some institutions to be diverse and reflect characteristics of country
Efficiency-range of people w/ dif exp and backgrounds more productive. More likely to integrate and have progressive attitudes
Voting Rights Act 1965
States cannot change their voting laws w/o federal govt, allowing President to protect ethnic minorities (Sec 4)
Ruled unconstitutional in Shelby v Holder (2013)
Voting rights post-2013
Able to create voting laws that discriminated against African-Americans
Included photo ID laws and denying people right to vote passed on previous criminal convictions (felony disenfranchisement)
4 states-Kentucky, Virginia, Florida and Tennessee have disenfranchised 20% African-American felons whilst only disenfranchising 10% felons of all races. 1980-only 2 disenfranchised >10% of African-American felons (2022-8).
Trump-AA would probably vote democrat so deterred 54% BAME, 3.5mn black Americans e.g collapse of 19% in Wisconsin.
Representation in Congress 2017 compared to population
80% white, 60% pop
10% African A, 15% pop
>10% Hispanic, <20% pop
3% Asian, 5% pop
1-2% native american, 5%
20% women, 50%
11/535 LGBTQ+ (2%). 7% openly LGBT pop
