The Most Striking Idea in the Chapter
The ninth chapter, “Voting Behavior and Elections,” in the textbook American Politics and the African American Quest for Universal Freedom by Walton Jr. et al., dwells upon the connection between race and gender and the electoral preferences of the population of the US. The differences in voting patterns of different races are historically grounded. Thus, before the Civil Acts of 1957 and 1960 were adopted, many Afro-Americans were banned from exercising their electoral rights, which made this group distinct in their voting behavior in later periods.
However, while the ideas of enfranchising the Afro-American population have been thoroughly studied, the belief in ‘white dominance’ on American land has been given considerably less coverage. These ideas of ‘white dominance’ and their impact on election results impressed me the most since I have never considered that such beliefs persist in today’s American society. The chapter states that Trump’s election to the presidential post was primarily conditioned by the support of people who believed in white nationalism. Indeed, with the rise of the ideas of equality and the worsening economic situation within the US, many whites began to think that Afro-Americans and Latinos took their jobs.
The growing resentment made Trump’s slogan “Make America Great Again” especially attractive to the white race, as it was seen as a reference to those times when the white race enjoyed dominance on the American land. Many people began to believe that the whites would get certain advantages under Trump. Such ideas conditioned the substantial support for Trump’s candidacy in the US presidential elections and allowed him to win, though by a small margin. What is striking about this situation is that Afro-Americans, initially seen as an oppressed group, in this paradigm began to be seen as oppressors or, at least, the ones who succeeded in stripping the white population of their benefits. The level of support that Trump managed to summon on exploiting the ideas of ‘white dominance’ is more amazing still, as his overwhelming support shows that American society, to a certain extent, remains divided on racial issues.
The Most Pressing Question After Reading the Chapter
The most pressing question I have is how it is possible in a democratic country where the ideas of freedom penetrate all corners of human life, for a president to be elected based on racial issues he exploits. American society has long ago put the ideas of dominance and segregation behind it, creating an environment friendly to people of all colors, races, and ethnicities. Indeed, many civil rights movements, such as Black Lives Matter, promote equal opportunities for people of all colors. Still, as the chapter shows, not all Americans are ready to adopt ideas of the brotherhood of people of all races.
The presidential election is one of the most important political events in a country, a choice that should be made based on a candidate’s economic and political platform. However, according to the text, many people want a candidate not only to be of the same race as them but also to give preferences to this or that racial group. How this practice agrees with the proclaimed ideas of racial equality and justice goes unanswered. Moreover, it raises concerns about whether America has genuinely managed to defeat segregation practices that once flourished on American land or whether they have just been successfully concealed. If the latter proposition is true, efforts should be made to eliminate the legacy of the past to build a society with equal opportunities for everyone.