Political Activism in the Period between the 1960s until Mid-1970s - Assignment Example

Download file to see previous pages America globally involved itself in numerous actions where its sole mission was reputed by other states as aiding them to attain freedom from their former colonial masters. Conversely, within its boundaries, America’s freedom was only evident among the whites who severely segregated others in all facets of their lives besides the denial of voting rights, hence inequality. Marginalized Americans retaliated by employing severe and unequaled efforts to regain their dignity, which encompassed students’ movements comprising of daring youths like Young Americans for Freedom (Young Americans for Freedom) besides others (Foner 1046).

The period between the 1960s until mid-1970s marked the most decisive era in America’s history that yielded the start of marginalized recognition, which the current natives are enjoying. This was an explosion of what the then parents were experiencing due to “want” (deprivation), which prompted them to bow to the white man’s orders for survival, though, teaching their children to defy. Hence, the child’s advice, though accompanied by a contradicting parents’ action, “My Dad taught me never to bow my head to nobody.” But sometimes Daddy’s head was bowed: frequently Daddy was destroyed (p. 268).

Marginalization, inequality, and continuous call for white rule defiance by the parents besides other rights activists and pioneers, prompted the students to demand their recognition tirelessly. Consequently, surprising Americans who kept wondering what has “got into” the students. They are not the first Negroes to face mobs: they are merely the first Negroes to frighten the mob more than the mob frightens them (p. 269). The youth’s action signified utter determination coupled with courage meant to attain equality, which the state had denied them via elevating their white counterparts’ class in all life’s facets. Primarily, this was via limiting Nonwhite access to some selected quarters in the same state. For illustration, in hotels and even public transport buses where the whites used to assume the front seats.

Besides, the people’s realization regarding the state’s mandate to intervene and improve its natives’ lives, fueled numerous uprisings, owing to the contrary to its dealings. They contended, that when the government interferes with the work of the market economy, tends to reduce the moral and physical strength of the nation; that when it takes from one man to bestow on another, it diminishes the incentive of the first, the integrity of the second and moral autonomy of both (p. 271). Unfair treatment and favoritism based on racialism prompted the marginalized to declare and believe that, liberty can exist only when free citizens can concertedly defend their rights against all enemies (p. 271).

Civil rights activists like Malcolm X and other like-minded who deemed that the oppressor can't grant equality to the oppressed, also fueled severe uprisings to demand what was due to the segregated people. Consequently, continuing to the late 1970s when the American regime not wanting to tarnish its global reputation yielded to the diverse uprisings’ demands regarding equality. For instance, the initial sign was Birmingham’s events in May 1963 that overwhelmingly forced Kennedy to ban discrimination in public where its related Act attained legality during Lyndon Johnson’s regime. America by having internal wrangles entailing inequality among its natives could not declare itself the champion of freedom.

The feminist movement (Redstockings) that emerged in 1969, though, short-lived had an immense influence that is evident presently. Redstockings identified male supremacy as the primary reason for female inequality and called on women to unite against “male privileges” (p. 299). All women demanded equal say and involvement in all facets of life and declined the norm of being inferior besides being utilized to enhance men’s lives (p. 300). This marked the start of the sex revolution era in America since; it encompassed women irrespective of their backgrounds or race where they jointly demanded equality as the oppressed class in the society. Women identified males as agents of subjugation whereas all other forms of exploitation and oppression (racism, capitalism, imperialism, etc) are extensions of male supremacy: men dominate women a few dominate the rest (p. 300). Inequality among genders dawned on women where all through the 1970s to the present the weaker gender has continued to regain its dignity and recognition, which has even extended in other states.

These entailed delicate decisions that affected their “quality of life” owing to the environmental degradation by the chemical and other manufacturing corporations (Foner 1070). Primarily, environmentalism’s members were youths who heightened the essence of quality surroundings, especially among the natives. This yielded to the keen observance of the environment with the necessary implementations adopted by the regime of the day.  

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