Chapter 5: Civil Rights

1. The issue of race - does the government do too little or too much to reduce the instances of racial discrimination?  Why or how so?

Following the civil war, slavery was ended but it still did little to reduce discrimination. People in southern states found ways to go around the law and still discriminate. Blacks still could not vote, own land, or sometimes could not even leave plantations. The government did step in with the Civil Rights Act of 1866, but discrimination was still a problem. Organizations such as the Ku Klux Clan killed black people and were convicted, but their cases were later overturned. I don’t think the issue was necessarily that the government wasn’t trying, but that they weren’t doing enough by allowing loop holes in the law. Since then, the government has been doing more and more to try to make our country equal by breaking down voting barriers, public discrimination, and private discrimination. Though discrimination will always exist, I believe the government has made great progress in trying to eliminate it as much as possible.

2. The issue of gender - same question as #1.

In the earliest days of America, women had no rights independent of their husbands. They couldn’t own property, sign contracts, or keep their own wages. Women were only allowed to vote if they lived in New Jersey and met property requirements, but even that privilege was eventually taken away. Women such as Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton lobbied for the right for women to vote. Still, it wasn’t until the elections of 1920 were women all over the country allowed to exercise the right. Still, there are many other areas that women were treated differently in. Congress passed the Equal Pay Act in 1963, prohibiting employers from paying different wages on the account of gender. Even now, there are hot button issues such as women in the frontlines of battle. Though it isn’t something I would ever want to do, I’m sure there are women who are very capable and willing to fight for our country. Keeping that in mind, gender discrimination is on the downfall, but our government still has a way to go.

3. The issue of sexual orientation - same question as #1 and #2.

Of the three issues discussed in this blog, sexual orientation is definitely relevant to the current times and is ongoing. Up until 2003, many states banned any type of homosexual activity. Homosexuals in the military have also been an extremely controversial issue. Prior to the Clinton administration, simply having homosexual tendencies was enough to be discharged. Congress enacted the don’t ask, don’t tell policy, which changed the policy to only discharging for engaging in homosexual relationships or discussing sexual orientation. Current U.S. President Obama has asked Congress to change the policy so that lesbians, gays, and bisexuals can serve openly in the military. With those issues somewhat moving forward, gay marriage is still a big controversy. Without being legally married, the ban causes gay couples to be ineligible for rights that come along with being a married couple such as visitation rights, the right to make health-care decisions for a spouse, inheritance rights, and tax benefits. Many people look at the issue based on religious beliefs, which is understandable, but in a country that has taken so many steps toward equality, it seems unfair to prevent homosexuals to have the same rights as anyone else. Based on the idea of equality, I believe the government is trying to take steps in the right direction, but at the moment there is so much controversy that it is hard to do so without also creating violence.