Sunday, April 29, 2012

We are free, aren't we?

So, Sartre focused on freedom. What would he say on political freedom? I am not talking about the right to say what you want or the right to vote I am saying freedom from the political. We allow politics to govern our lives which is all fine and dandy if your rich white and powerful. Yes women and blacks can vote and we all have due process under the law, technically. Remember learning about Jim Crowe laws? They were the laws that didn't SAY you cannot vote if your black but they said you need to be able to read and we will test you before you can vote. These tests were run by white males, usually who didn't want blacks to vote. The white male who wanted to vote would read, see dick run while the black male would read, the United States Constitution. Thats fair isn't it? Today these laws aren't there however there are people who think this way. There are stereotypes and misconceptions and while people will not say they are racist, they secretly are. They walk on the other side of the road to avoid a group of black teenagers. What would Sartre say about this?

I know that everyday people are not the government so when they discriminate, its not that bad. Unfortunately everyday people make up the establishment. They are law enforcers, lawyers, doctors and teachers. These people give preference to those who are like themselves. This is where society has gone wrong. While Officer Bob down the street isn't part of  the KKK he sees a young black male walk into a convenience store with a hoodie and his hand in his pocket and he unconsciously puts his hand closer to his radio or gun until the boy leaves. He gives this same young man a speeding ticket for going over the speed limit by 5 miles when he lets his white counterpart speed by. Why would he do this? He sees the white male and assumes hes speeding to go to class or work. He sees the black male and sees a trouble maker. These unfortunate results of our country and it's systems makes some of us more free than others. Some groups can get away with crimes while others cannot. The issue of laws and making some thing illegal is not an infringement of our freedom. Special treatment of some and the preferences law makers make and the enforcers act upon are what is the issue.

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