The impact of salient political issues concerning civil rights and liberties: race

Question 1

Background information?

Answer 1

• Slavery legal in southern states until 1865 when the anti-slavery North won the civil war
• 13th Amendment ablished slavery and the rights of former enslaved people and people of colour were expanded further by the 14th and 15th amendments
• However southern states responded by passing Jim Crow laws that ensured racial segragation
• US’s history of endemic racism has meant that its modern politics are heavily influenced by race and civil rights

Question 2

The Civil Rights movement?

Answer 2

• The movement demostrated the power of pressure groups, campaigners and religious groups to produce meaningful change
• Events such as the murder of Emmet Till in 1955 demomstrated the dangers faced by African Americans and the failings of the CJS
• Direct Action was used to gain support for the cause e.g sit ins
• The brutality of the police and many other white citizens was exposed by the widespead use of violence against civil rights campaigners
• Brown v Board of education of Topeka abolished segregation in the south
• Voting rights act passed in 1965
• 24th amendment, ended discrimination in voting

Question 3

Affirmative action?

Answer 3

• The practice or policy of favouring individuals belonging to groups known to have been dicriminated against
• 20th century saw an ongoing argument about ‘equality of opportunity’ and ‘equality of results’
• The only way to overcome racial disadvantage was by introducing racial advantage through such policies such as busing, quotas
• Dems have been in favour of positive discrimination
• Affirmative action was meant to lead to diversity and multicultralism
• Most conservative groups came to believe that affirmative action programmes were both patronising to minorities and unfair to majorities

Question 4

Voting rights?

Answer 4

• 1965 - makes it much easier for African Americans to vote by removing restrictions in the south
• Turnout among AA’s grew rapidly, particularly in states where they faced extreme discrimination
• They became a key voter group
• More than 20 states have introduced voter registration, including stricter voter identification requirements. Hispanic and AA turnout has fallen in states with these laws
• Both more likey to vote Dems, so voter identification lwas have the net effect of making it easier for reps to be elected

Question 5

Incarceration rates?

Answer 5

Modern civil rights campaigners point to the difference in incarceration rates for AA’s and white Americans as evidence that the cjs is failing to provide equal rights
* 2016 = AA’s made up 12% of the adult population in the USA but 33% of the prision pop
* Incarceration rates for AA’s is 5 times higher than of white Americans
* 12 states where AA’s make up more than half the prison pop

Question 6

BLM?

Answer 6

• social movement that began in 2013 after the aquittal of George Zimmerman who shot Trayvon Mrtin
• Subsequent police shootings of unarmed AA’s resulted in protests and riots such asafter George Floyd
• His death led to one of the biggest protest movements in history and this did have some impact - Derek Chauvin convicted of murder, police reform plans, crowds toppled statues

Question 7

The rise of the Alt-right and domestic terrorism?

Answer 7

• A political movement made up of individuals who hold a range of far right beliefs, eg neo nazis and neo confederates
• Far right extremists and white supremacists responsible for 2/3 of terrorist activity in the us in 2020
• Far right extremism also a grave threat to other minorities, e.g. hispanics
• Hate crimes against Asian Americans rose by 150% in large cities in the US in 2020