Promoting Gooodness: Minorities and civil rights have arather interesti...

Promoting Gooodness: Minorities and civil rights have arather interesti...: Minorities and civil rights have a rather interesting history, but it's a story about our future hope. In the 1960s, the Civil Right...

Minorities and civil rights have a rather interesting history, but it's a story about our future hope. In the 1960s, the Civil Right Act as passed when the American Congress made it possible for some notable changes to occur in American society that had far reaching implications. Through this act, it was now possible to inspect voter registration rolls, prohibit discrimination on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin. It also tried to ensure there was no discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of housing.

However, some black persons like Gwendolyn Brooks (1917 – 2000) who was an American poet, teacher, and the first black person to win the Pulitzer prize for poetry in 1950 thought, “When you use the term minority or minorities in reference to people, you're telling them that they're less than somebody else.” For a Christian, love is the greatest virtue, and there ought to be no distinctions between persons of different races. Whether we like it, or not, many Americans are still classified as belonging to a particular minority.

Media and Civil Rights

The Civil Rights Movement (1955 – 1968) was in full swing and its aim was abolishing discrimination. Many of its successes were made possible to the sights and sound of TV, church groups, protesters, and other sympathizers. Viewers were able to witness brutality against the demonstrators, sit-ins, freedom riders, marches, and clashes with the national guards. These depictions impacted the national conscience. The Black Power Movement (1968 – 1980) endeavored to counter stereotypes about blacks, while trying to instill dignity in the black race, by pushing for economic and political parity.

During the late 1960s, came the 11-member Kerner Commission appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson (1908 - 1973) in response to the riots in American cities during the summer of 1967. A national Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders attempted to find out what really happened. What caused these riots? What must be done to prevent future occurrences? What was mass media's role in these unrests? How well did the media serve blacks.

The Kerner Commission concluded that the mass media failed in its mission to the black community. It was felt that America was moving towards two societies, one black, and the other white. They were separate and unequal. The media failed to report the underlying problems that led to the riots. There was a predominant presentation of while images to the detriment of blacks. The culture, history and activities were ignored, and the white media was considered shockingly backward in its coverage of these issues.

America's Diversity

Whether we like it or not, Americans share a common destiny. Ron Kind (b. 1963) who served as the U.S. Representative for Wisconsin's 3^rd congressional district and a member of the Democratic Party felt, “For as long as the power of America's diversity is diminished by acts of discrimination and violence against people just because they are black, Hispanic, Asian, Jewish, Muslim or gay, we still must overcome.”

In many quarters with much prayer and perseverance, America has come a long way since those days. Now they are examples of blacks being more visible, having a voice in government, business, the world and national affairs. Since the election of President Barack Obama (b. 1961) to the White House, some conditions have changed for the better, but blacks are still viewed disproportionally to whites as perpetrators in drug and criminal offenses. Black leaders are often seen criticizing government and pointing out police brutality.

Window Dressing

It's true we've passed the stage of being “window dressing” alluded to by the United States Commission for the Study of Civil Rights (1977), but women and minorities still have a way to go to be equal in America. It was Mahatma Gandhi (1869 – 1948) the preeminent leader of Indian independence movement in British-ruled India who observed, “You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.” Christians must continue promoting the goodness of all people. Our spiritual future depends on the efforts of each of us.