Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired - Research Paper Example

? Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired Fannie Lou Hamer is one of the best known personalities in promoting the recognition of the rights of African-Americans as citizens of the United States. Her testimonial during the Democratic National Congress of 1964 is well-known and gave a vivid picture of the inequality and oppression of African-American people in the farthest parts of the southern counties. The strength of her speech relied on her sincerity, honesty, how she delivered her speech, as well as to how the speech was formed. While the speech was unable to help her and her party gain recognition from the congress, it was able to empower as well as to enlighten other members of the minority in their cause, and that itself is its success. Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired The need for equality among all citizens in the United States have been addressed by the 13th, the 14th, and the 15th Amendment, but a century after the three were issued, there were still strong discriminations lingering in the country. In some counties, it can be seen that regardless of the Declaration of Independence stating that “all Men are created equal”, the laws still favor one group of people over others (Wright, 2005). Legislatures that passed on Black Codes cut off the rights and privileges of the African Americans, and the persistence of the Jim Crow laws, which placed greater favor to whites over blacks caused the rift to become great enough that the equality of all men under the law was never realized for a very long time (Loevy, 1997). The years preceding the 1960’s showed that many African-Americans still did not enjoy equal rights that they were supposed to have, and segregation in facilities are documented in detail (Skog, 2007). Signage were hung or posted in order to make sure that the populations of whites and the minorities were properly separated. These segregations also showed the differences between the services offered to the two groups of peoples, with the whites having as much as 10 times better services compared to those given to African-Americans (Wright, 2005). If it were not for the rise of civil rights activists such as Fannie Lou Hamer, there might not have been drastic changes in the laws regarding discriminations, particularly in the treatment of African-Americans. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 In 1957, a proposed draft of the Civil Rights Act was formed to study the extent of racial discrimination that is still proliferating in the country. The Civil Rights Commission hoped that by doing so, they could generate enough data to further add arguments for the civil rights supporters as well as in the succeeding legislative fights (Loevy, 1997). The draft also adds the argument of the freedom fighters that the need for changes within the prevailing society must be initiated and the intervention must come from the United States government itself. Such a move would not only ensure the proper implementation of the law, but also to fully end the violations being done against blacks in the southern parts of the state (Loevy, 1997). The northern parts of the U.S. had not much problems with the implementation of the bill, and in fact was able to remove overt discrimination because of it (Grofman, 2000). However, the bill had a hard time to take into effect in the south, and the rise in numerous violence towards African-Americans recorded prior to its implementation showed how the bill did not give any immediate help to the oppressed (Skog, 2007). There were also many senators that were known to oppose the implementations of civil rights as well as destroying all bill of civil rights that are handed to them (Loevy, 1997). For others, they argue that the content of the new bill is very much similar to the content of the 1875 Civil Rights Act (Grofman, 2000). However, for those that support the new bill, they argued that the only time that the older bill was able to work was during the Civil War, but after that many state legislatures in the south made counters in the prevalence of the old bill, and this returned the blacks to their former positions before the implementation of such laws (Loevy, 1997). Therefore, in order for the newer bill to push through, additional amendments were added to address the needs of women in the workplace as well (Wright, 2005). The successful implementation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 had eventually opened new opportunities for the minorities. Under the law, the blacks were no longer second-class citizens, and all overt forms of discrimination that were legally sanctioned previously had ended (Grofman, 2000). Hamer and the Years before the 1964 Bill was Implemented The struggle for recognition came with the rise of African-American freedom and equal rights fighters around the 1950’s, and one of the most well-known movements is the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, or SNCC, which consisted of African-Americans students, which later left school to become full-time members of the group. While the movement was not able to live well beyond the 1970’s due to the increase in individualism and capitalism, it is recognized to have ignited the modern African-American freedom struggle (Carson, 1981). One of the famous people that were associated with the SNCC was Fannie Lou Hamer, whose testimony during the Democratic National Convention (DNC) has been one of the most powerful speeches that empowered many African-Americans to fight for their own true freedom under the American flag. Mrs. Fannie Lou Hamer was from Ruleville, Mississippi, and during those times regardless of the Emancipation Proclamation by Abraham Lincoln, many black Americans were still working for plantations such as cotton fields, and were being treated as lower than low-class citizens (Bracey, 2011). Working for a cotton farm for at least 18 years, Hamer seemed to be quite content with what she has for the moment, since she would also need to bring in some money to feed her family. But several changes in her life would prove that she was more than just a worker in a cotton farm. While not being far along in being fully educated, she was quite knowledgeable with regards to the continuous oppression of the whites to the blacks. She was also aware of her own strengths and weaknesses, and these made her very transparent and likeable among people who knows her or just got to know her (Bracey, 2011). While Hamer was not really an activist from the beginning, after attending a voter registration meeting in 1962, going for registration to become a voter, and getting the negative consequences for doing so gave her the spunk and strength to push on a make changes in the system in Mississippi and the entire United States (Forman, 1972). Her strong will and determination was able to keep her alive despite the injustice that she herself experienced, aside from her thoughts and aspirations of uplifting the impoverished lives of her people (Bracey, 2011). Tired of being sick and tired of the poverty, of the inequality, and of the oppression to black Americans, Hamer joined the SNCC in 1963 and since then has been an active member, giving speeches and words of encouragement to all those who needed it (Carson, 1981). The March for Recognition of the Congress The Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP) has been formed due to the need for African-Americans in Mississippi to become rightfully recognized in congress, and to have their voices be heard by the government. The creation of a political organization was in order to address the needs of the minorities around the Mississippi delta, and soon after numerous supports from different liberal parties from the north came pouring in (Carson, 1981). The party’s argument during the time was that none of the regular delegates of the Democrats of Mississippi could properly represent most of MI’s population not only because of the fact that almost half of the entire state’s population has been excluded from the entire political process due to the lack of voting rights, but also because the entire delegation itself was formed from a racist basis (Forman, 1972). Because of such premises, the Democratic Party is not seen as a savior of the black people but rather as a controller that thinks its people are just blind followers. In order to further show the people of the relevance of the party’s cause, Hamer was invited as one of the representatives that would air the sentiments of the party in public (Forman, 1972). She was selected as a congressional candidate, alongside another civil rights worker, Victoria Gray (Carson, 1981). Upon delivering her speech, Hamer and other people from MI were greatly insulted after being told to go home and leave the politics to the professionals (Forman, 1972). They still stayed regardless of being told off, due to their convictions. However, regardless of the strong optimism within the whole party, they were unsuccessful in unseating the all-white delegation to the DNC (Carson, 1981). The 1964 Testimony during the Democratic National Congress One of the main reasons as to why Fannie Lou Hamer has been so well-known is because of her unwavering voice in speaking for her people. The content of her speech during the DNC in Atlanta, GA has been transcribed and uploaded to several websites not only because of the strength of the speech, but also because the speaker herself is very earnest with what she has to say to everyone who wants to hear her. The speech is divided into a few parts, and the majority of it recalls her experiences from the time that she registered as a voter (American Public Media, 2012). She was forced to leave her family in the cotton farm in Ruleville, MI after her boss learned that she left to gain rights to vote, which is not something acceptable in her county or even her state (Bracey, 2011). During her travel to fully complete her registration, Hamer witnessed other horrendous attacks which by today’s standards would be very unjust. Aside from seeing how other fellow African-Americans brutally treated both inside and outside the county jail, she was also given the harsh punishment of getting both physical and verbal abuse from the City Police. Her tormentors almost permanently debilitated her, and being a polio victim did not make things any better (Forman, 1972). These were some of the experiences that she took with her as she made her testimonial in 1964. Her vivid descriptions of these major events caused a stir among the viewers, and combined with her plain and simple choice of words had a strong impact that then President Lyndon Johnson preempted her speech half-way in order to suppress it (American Public Media, 2012). However her speech was not easily silenced and it was later aired in many networks later in the same night. The road to a life without any limitations was opened for Hamer after that (Bracey, 2011). An Analysis on the Rhetoric of Hamer’s Testimonial Unless one is also an individual that has experienced oppression and discrimination first hand, Hamer’s speech during the 194 DNC may not have that much depth and substance. It would just be seen as a collection of words, describing in full detail events that happened at some part of her life. For people who do not have any ideas on the implications of such choice of words, these would just go on unnoticed. Also, the fact that her skin color would instantly separate her from most of her audiences added to possible obstacles in her having her voice heard. These were only some of the possible setbacks that would have made or broke her chance of not only airing her grievances to the public, but also in the success or failure of the MFDP in getting recognition from the congress. While some obstacles can be seen even before Hamer is able to deliver her speech, to those who were willing to listen, in what she has to say, her strong voice and confidence during her testimony had the abilities to bridge the gap between her and her audiences. Her speech had such resonance especially to numerous people due to the blatant and sanctioned oppression of the African-Americans that has been going on for as long as they all could remember at that time. It is known that these people are close-knit, and are more often than not able to gauge the truth about such matters since these are things that are close to their hearts, and other memories of being treated harshly have been passed down to each succeeding generation. The representatives of the democrats also perceived the strength of Hamer’s speech to sway the populations of African-Americans, and by having it stopped mid-way could attest to the possible impact of it (American Public Media, 2012). The overall content of her speech greatly describes the injustice that is prevailing in society, and her last words made sure that anyone who heard it fully would also start to think more about its truth or the lack of it. If the actual speech is heard or listened to, it is noticeable that Hamer puts stresses on words that she wishes to emphasize. She also tends to lengthen the pronunciations of words that she wants the public to hear. The duration of the whole speech by itself is rather brief, so in order to maximize her time allotted to testify, she put most efforts of pronunciation to several keywords only. Most of these words are what she might be referring to as oppressors, and in order to add drama and emotion on her testimony, she made sure that these words were carefully pronounced out loud (American Public Media, 2012). She also made use of varying the tone of her voice in time with her speech, to add further weight on what she has to say. With regards to the form of the speech, it can be seen in the transcription of the whole speech that Hamer’s language is very typical of those from the southern regions. It is very recognizable due to the choice of words, as well as to how these words were spoken in public (American Public Media, 2012). However, it is these kind of words that made her a person that is close to the hearts of the people, and that there are no pretentions whatsoever on her part (Carson, 1981). Also, due to this kind of honesty on her part, the people that were able to listen to her perceived her not just a warm and likeable person, but also an earnest one that fights for a common goal (Bracey, 2011). Hamer’s honestly has been her strength not only during the time that she had to make her testimonial, but also during the rest of her life being a strong advocate for freedom. Had she tried to be someone whom she never really was, not only would her audiences not listen to her, but also her genuine feelings would be seen as just for show. This would greatly affect her credibility as well, since she would not be successful in airing the problems that her own people were suffering if she herself was not true to herself. She also had a strong sense of not complaining so much, which she learned while being in the cotton field, which gave her an image of having a strong persona to everyone that she meets (Bracey, 2011). She also had enough self-respect but without making other people seem bad. While her speech contains many words that are able to make heads turn, Hamer was also careful enough not to put down others blatantly, and not using harsh, vulgar or inappropriate words. Even if she was grossly beaten not just by the blackjack but also by the demeaning words that the high way policemen, she chose not to follow suit and instead described her experiences in the most viewer-appropriate forms as possible. By doing so she has maintained not only her dignity during her speech but also of the policemen that harassed her. Compared to other speeches that put down others or make fun of their weaknesses, Hamer’s speech maintained the dignity of others while at the same time giving others empowerment and at the very least, making others feel that they have someone they could sympathize with, without any judgments. The timing of Hamer’s speech also added to its strength. During the time that she had to deliver her testimonial, there was mass violence being committed to blacks in MI (Carson, 1981). These events lead to deaths, imprisonments and injuries of large numbers of African-Americans, which lead to the urgency of being able to convince the congress that there should be a change in the delegates from MI from being all-white to all-black (Forman, 1972). Unfortunately, due to the president’s need to reclaim control over the southern counties, Hamer’s pleas were not listened to, and were instead brushed aside. Eventually the MFDP was not given a chance to have seats in congress (Carson, 1981). However, Hamer did not stop giving out speeches but instead continued in her fight for freedom and equality. She also believed that it was a fight worth fighting for, with everything to gain and nothing to lose (Bracey, 2011). Conclusions Before the Civil Rights Act was implemented in 1964, many fighters for freedom, equality and justice were being active in the scene. Among them was Fannie Lou Hamer, a former cotton field worker that became an activist after she got “tired of being sick and tired of the system” (Bracey, 2011). Her speech during the DNC in 1964 had an impact so strong that it was cut midway before it was fully broadcasted, and was preempted in order to hush down the voice of the MFDP. Her testimony was not successfully suppressed, and while it was not able to attain its original goal of getting the MFDP to get recognized by the congress, it was able to give empowerment to those who needed it the most. That in itself is the true success of Hamer’s 1964 speech. The strength of Hamer’s speech lay not just on the person who delivered it, but also to its form, the way it was delivered, and the time that it was given. Her careful choice of words, combined with how she naturally speaks, her sincerity as well as her own personal integrity made sure that aside from gaining the trust of her audience, she was also able to impart her thought even to those who were not familiar with the situation that she has been through. In the context of the time when the speech has been delivered, the relevance of her topic helped in giving voice to the needs of the minorities not only in Mississippi but also in other southern states as well. Hamer is well aware of her strengths and her weaknesses, and this awareness helped her to deliver her message not only during the time that she was an activist but well beyond the days of her life. References American Public Media. (2012). Fannie Lou Hamer (1917-1977) - Testimony Before the Credentials Committee, Democratic National Convention, Atlantic City, New Jersey - August 22, 1964. Retrieved from Say it in Plain - American Radioworks: http://americanradioworks.publicradio.org/features/sayitplain/flhamer.html Bracey, E. (2011). Fannie Lou Hamer: The Life of a Civil Rights Icon. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, Inc. Carson, C. (1981). In Struggle: Sncc and the Black Awakening of the 1960s. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Forman, J. (1972). The Making of Black Revolutionaries. Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press. Grofman, B. (2000). Legacies of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Charlottesville, VA: University of Virginia Press. Loevy, R. (1997). The Civil Rights Act of 1964: The Passage of the Law That Ended Racial Segregation. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press. Skog, J. (2007). The Civil Rights Act of 1964. Minneapolis, MN: Compass Point Books. Wright, S. (2005). The Civil Rights Act Of 1964: Landmark Antidiscrimination Legislation. New York, NY: The Rosen Publishing Group. Read More