Or Does it Explode by Howard Zinn - Essay Example

This paper illustrates that Zinn’s main thesis is that while the government made civil rights reforms they predominantly did so not out of human interest, but out of a need to reform their international image. Zinn further argues that in large part the United States government failed to enforce these new civil rights reforms. This essay functions by analyzing Zinn’s thesis in ‘Or Does it Explode?’. While ‘Or Does it Explode?’ is primarily concerned with the events of the Civil Rights Movement, Zinn demonstrates the United States duplicity as early as the 1930s.

In these regards, Zinn notes that while the nation denounced racism, it nevertheless “maintained segregation in the armed forces and kept blacks in low-paying jobs”. Zinn goes on to argue that the as the United States failed to adequately provide solutions to the race question, African Americans became increasingly aligned with Communist movements. With the volatile political climate of the late 1940s – the country had just survived World War II – it was essential that the nation demonstrate internationally that it was making a substantial stand against Communism.

Zinn argues this started with African American ties to Communism. It follows that the United States government’s original motivation for enacting Civil Rights legislation was as a means of presenting a strong image abroad. In response not to human rights, but to the need to improve the United States international image, Zinn argues that the 1950s witnessed an increasing amount of Civil Rights legislation. One major piece of legislation passed during this period was the striking down of the ‘separate but equal’ doctrine.

While it had defended this doctrine since the late 19th century, the government took a sudden shift in opinion. Zinn argues that basically this legislation constituted a significant international public relations move and the United States did not put nearly the true effort behind it that was required to enforce the law. In these regards, Zinn indicates that as late as 1965 “more than 75 percent of the school districts in the South remained segregated”2 Still, Zinn does not entirely negate the significant strides the Civil Rights Movement made, as he indicates the great strength and poetry leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr.

used to enact social reform. It seems that Zinn’s main contention in these regards is that the government was primarily concerned with its international image over significant human rights concerns. As the Civil Rights era carried on Zinn demonstrates that even in the face of rampant violence in-large part the United States government failed to enact and adequately support significant human right’s measures. In one such instance, a number of Civil Rights leaders were arrested in Philadelphia and later released.

Upon their release, they were beaten with chains and then murdered by the Sheriff and his deputies. It was only after international response to such instances of violence, Zinn argues, that the United States enacted further Civil rights laws. Still, the government neglected to adequately enforce these measures.