sociology – Linda Nelson

Confederate monuments are statues of the past. A different life, a different time. Those statues are what keeps the southern society locked into their past with constant reminders of what came to be a horrific event. The Civil War which was fought on the grounds of slavery and the southern landowners didn’t want to give up their free farm labor. The industrial revolution took place and lessened the need for extra farm hands. Cotton was picked by machinery, tractors plowed the fields, and textile mills introduced manufacturing.

Individuals could make more money providing for their self vs. employing someone to do all their work for them. Europe noticed this trend first and decided to release slaves from bondage.

In the article, Tempers Flare Over Removal of Confederate Statues in New Orleans, posted in the New York Times, Mr. Suber’s perspective is, ““let everybody take a whack — just like the Berlin Wall.”” (FAUSSET, 2017)

The argument is made about the statues belonging to history, but many believe that this part of history will be forgotten or wiped clean by the removal of their long treasured reminders of a time long past. These statues are being moved to a history museum where they fit properly in today’s society. The museum would be a better place, offering preservation from the elements of weather, and society could benefit from them being placed in an establishment meant for learning.

Another perspective mentioned by Fausset in his article is by Mr. Stewart, an 81-year-old business man, and civic leader. ““I ask you, Mitch, should the Pyramids in Egypt be destroyed since they were built entirely from slave labor?” he wrote.” (FAUSSET, 2017)

Some people are angry by the fact that the statues still stand as a horrific reminder of the past. Many would love to obliterate the memory. Mr. Stewart is from a different era. He was born in 1936. That says a lot right there about his beliefs. Times have changed, many opinions are changing, though apparently not quickly enough. The same racial mentality still exists in the United States even to this day.

Times are changing, and the beliefs of White Americans need to change soon because soon European white Americans will be the new minority living in the land of opportunity for some. According to the article, It’s Official: The U.S. is Becoming a Minority-Majority Nation, posted by Wazwaz, “They may not know it, but for kids under the age of 5, the day the United States became a minority-majority nation has already arrived.” By 2060 the minority population is projected to rise to 56 percent making no majority groups turning the United States into a plurality nation. (Wazwaz, 2015)

Some factions believe that whites are superior to others. A belief that passes from one generation to another taught from parent to child. Such belief continues the problem of the color line which is the relation of the darker to the lighter races. Society is still plagued by color lining which is noted by the demonstrations taking place to this day in the United States. Over 100 years have passed since slavery was abolished. Why are Americans stuck in the past?

Just the other day there was another demonstration taking place in Charlottesville, Virginia and people died because of the violence taking place over the removal of the statue of Robert E. Lee. A car with an Ohio license plate plowed down over 34 people in a crowd of people injuring several and killing a woman. Many of the activists believe they are acting on Trump’s words of taking back America. The protestors said they were, ““going to fulfill the promises of Donald Trump” to “take our country back.”” (STOLBERG & ROSENTHAL, 2017)

We could compare the statues to the Roman Colosseum or the pyramids of Egypt, but they only remain because they were able to weather the ages of time. A statue is more likely to crumble to pieces if left to battle Mother Earth. The Roman Colosseum and the Pyramids both have other benefits keeping them precious to mankind, being the architectural designs involved with the structures. Yes, they have history, but their design is more important than their history. And a slave revolt did take place by one of the gladiators of the Roman Colosseum. (10 Amazing Facts about the Roman Colosseum, 2017)

After this last demonstrative exhibit of violence, statues that are tied to hate should be removed from the public eye. People have become too passionate about objects to the point that they believe you are taking a statue of their God away. An idol they have put higher than themselves. Christian faith commands that no idols be created. The violent nature of the demonstration demonstrates why the commandment about idols made the top ten of what not to do and society has once again not followed the rules.

If the European nations can accept those who do not look alike and accept other peoples beliefs and cultures, why is America, the melting pot of the world, the least likely to accept anyone who is different from themselves?

Americans once called Native Indians barbaric, look who is barbaric now. US!

References

10 Amazing Facts about the Roman Colosseum. (2017). Retrieved August 13, 2017, from Roman Colosseum: http://www.romancolosseum.org

FAUSSET, R. (2017, May 7). Tempers Flare Over Removal of Confederate Statues in New Orleans. The New York Times. Retrieved August 13, 2017, from https://www.nytimes.com

STOLBERG, S. G., & ROSENTHAL, B. M. (2017, August 12). Man Charged After White Nationalist Rally in Charlottesville Ends in Deadly Violence. The New York Times. Retrieved August 13, 2017, from https://www.nytimes.com

Wazwaz, N. (2015, July 6). It’s Official: The U.S. is Becoming a Minority-Majority Nation. US News and World Report. Retrieved August 13, 2017, from https://www.usnews.com

Go, feminists! Treat everyone like you would want yourself treated.

Feminist – The belief of equal rights for both men and women. The term that began in 1895 as an organized movement for women’s rights and interests. (Feminism)

Image courtesy of creative commons license by … juliejordanscott Feminism, VDay 2007 and Me | by juliejordanscott via flickr.com and google images

“I need feminism because all the heroines in my stories are feminists. They are not only strong individuals, but they will stand for what they believe in and not back down regardless of the odds.” – Linda Nelson

I guess you would say that I would call myself a feminist. I believe in equality for the most part and women are not as weak as some would like to think. Women have internal strengths that even men can’t touch. That which lacks for in physical form is made up on the emotional and intellectual level and also the psychological level

I may not have the physical strength of a man, but I have my inner strength. Feminism is a balance between genders bringing about equality across the scale. Imagine what the world would be like if both genders worked harmoniously together with equal responsibilities.

An article written in the New York Times during 2014, Who is a Feminist Now? Featured actresses and other Hollywood stars arguing over what feminism meant. Many had no clue to even the origins of the women’s movement. The feminist movement brought about women’s rights and began in 1895. If it hadn’t been for that movement, women would still be staying home having baby after baby, no right to vote, and no rights to an education. Several women in the article fear to call themselves feminists, thinking it means to not like men or they have to do everything themselves or bring about a power trip. (MELTZER, 2014)

Feminism is more of a social problem that has a political and economic impact of equality between the sexes. Women do want representation. If they must pay taxes, then they should have voting rights. They do many of the same jobs that men perform. Not every job is designated to a gender role these days. There are men nurses, women politicians, women mechanics, and even women driving race cars such as Danica Patrick. So, should women seek equality socially, politically, and economically with equal wages?

Even men and boys can be considered feminists. Some men chose to stay home and raise the children while the mother goes to work. Why do men need to miss out on the first steps of their children and the women witness it all?

In many countries such as Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden there are family leave policies in place that promotes family life. These parents receive multiple forms of paid family leave in the kind of social-insurance which lowers the employer’s resistance to hiring young workers such as women who would probably be leaving for periods of time to tend to family life like child care. Social policy is in place to help everyone not just lower-income workers. These European nations are caring for their people equally.(Gornick, 2010)

The statement made by Ellen Page, in the article, Who is a Feminist Now, “we still live in a patriarchal world when feminism is a bad word,” does bring to mind the reluctance of the United States to accept equal rights. Knowing how many strides made in Europe showing the United States behind the times socially and economically. The world is changing slowly, and America, unfortunately, is still in the dark age. (MELTZER, 2014)

In response to the #YesAllWomen social media hashtag, violence against women is common around the world. Did you know that many women are raped by their husbands and never report the incident?

But women are not the only victims of domestic violence and rape. Men are also victims too.

When it comes to murder, some countries still live in darker ages than the United States where honor killings still go on, or women are sold like cattle for marriage purposes. (Henslin, 2017)

So, why do we need feminism?

I don’t think I would want to be sold like a farm animal for breeding purposes and I certainly would not want to be a victim of murder. I also like learning so without feminism I would not be able to have a college degree or work outside the home.

Everyone should have equal opportunities to find and experience prosperity and happiness.

References

Feminism. (n.d.). Retrieved August 6, 2017, from Merriam-webster: https://www.merriam-webster.com

Gornick, J. C. (2010). Atlantic Passages: How Europe Supports Working Parents and Their Children. In D. S. Eitzen, Solutions to Social Problems (pp. 101-103). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Henslin, J. M. (2017). Sociology: A Down-To-Earth Approach. Boston: Pearson. Retrieved August 6, 2017

MELTZER, M. (2014, May 21). Who Is a Feminist Now? Retrieved August 6, 2017, from The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com

We need Feminism Because. (2013, July 9). Retrieved August 6, 2017, from University of Cambridge: https://www.cam.ac.uk