Racial+Tension+and+Immigration+Issues+-+Kyu,+Taeyoon,+and+David+(Jinseok)

Racial Tension and  Immigration Issues -Taeyoon Kim -David Kim -Kyu Park //**What is wrong?**//


 * The African Americans are being suppressed economically, politically, and socially.
 * The educational opportunities of the African Americans are far less than those of the white Americans.
 * Excessive immigration is hindering the growth of unions and the overall working condition of workers.
 * The vulnerability of workers to major corporations is gradually increasing to unmeasurable degrees, so much that workers have increasingly less possibility of recuperating their previous stature.

//**What can be done?**//


 * Racial equality can be achieved through long term education and the success of the African Americans.
 * Racial tension can be relieved as the reputation of blacks rise and minimum wages are installed.
 * Certain people can be restricted from immigration (1882 - 1943 - Chinese Exclusion Act)

//**What can't be done?**//
 * Suddenly change the stereotypes and affinities of people.
 * Expect the white Americans to appreciate the African Americans simply due to a change in policy.
 * Assimilate the differences of races in a short period of a time.
 * Eject existing immigrants.

__ **Analysis of "Atlantic Exposition Address", "Of Booker T. Washington and Others", and "Chinese Exclusion Act"** __

__**Booker T. Washington, Atlanta Exposition Address (1895)**__

__Pros__.

Refrains from usual pushes for clearly unachievable demands. Instead, Washington pursues slightly less goals but therefore has reasonable chances of passing his demands.

By bringing education to all (blacks), Washington hopes to give the population that has lived in slavery for so long a glimpse of reality and the competitiveness that surrounds (especially) low-class people. With even a minimal knowledge in education, blacks will become that much more of a potent population in the labor pool when competing against other, cheaper alternatives.

A true comprehension of reality.

__Cons__.

Admits the inferiority of the Negro races.

Withdraws many of the high demands of Negros as men and American citizens.

__Analysis__

In his address in front of a predominantly white audience at the Cotton Sates and International Exposition, Booker T. Washington brought great attention to race relations of the period. It has hence been recognized as one of the most important and influential speeches in American history. Washington emphasizes the fact that the sole reason behind the consistent substandard treatment black people receive is due to continued ignorance and inexperience. Made impulsive by the sole goal of achieving freedom, blacks have embraced a “chicken with its head cut off” method to achieve what is so dear to them: freedom. Blinded by indignation originating from injustice and racial tensions, blacks have thoughtlessly pursued a seemingly hopeless path. Thus, if the so eagerly sought freedom were to finally be achieved, what were to happen to blacks then? Through slavery, blacks have tolled in thoughtless jobs, ones that didn’t require any process of thinking or intelligence. Superior in nothing but physical ability, blacks would be hopeless in a society where people must prosper in proportion to common labor. Thus it is only logical that blacks start out from bottom up. As Booker T. Washington states in a particular portion of his speech, “It is important and right that all privileges of the law be ours (blacks), but it is vastly more important that we be prepared for the exercise of these privileges.” In the end, the speech served as the basis for the Atlanta Compromise - an agreement between African-American leaders and Southern white leaders where Southern blacks would still work and submit to white political supremacy, but Southern Whites would in turn guarantee blacks basic education and due process in law.



__W.E.B. Du Bois, Of Booker T. Washington and Others (1903)__
__Pros.__

Points out the evident weaknesses of Washington’s argument.

Swift development of efficient leaders.

Efficient management of funds for black people - able to focus capital on those with conspicuous talent and potential, not spreading what little money in possession for those who might not have as much skill or talent.

__Cons.__

Stays in line with, similar to previous demands, impossibly unlikely goals for black people.

Exactly what Booker T. Washington warned black people against.

The embodiment of the “black dream.”

Lacks the insight of Washington’s proposed solution.

His views revolve largely around his background - Du Bois, the first African American to receive a Ph. D from Harvard, advocated the necessity of a educational caste system within black society.

__Analysis__

**"The Negro Race, like all races, is going to be saved by its exceptional men. The problem of education then, among Negroes, must first of all deal with the "Talented Tenth." It is the problem of developing the best of this race that they may guide the Mass away from the contamination and death of the worst.**"

Thus was Du Bois’s philosophy concerning African American inferiority - a topic that he conflicted with Booker T. Washington in numerous instances. Unlike Booker T. Washington who advocated a continued but gradually improving sense of inferiority under the political rule of whites, Du Bois planned to give the most exceptional of negro intellectuals the privilege of becoming equivalents of white individuals. On one hand, this may be advantageous as those who are ambitious enough to become intellectually superior to all other black individuals will be further motivated to study harder, become considered as a equivalent of a white man, and possibly even proceed to success. However, W.E.B. Du Bois failed to consider that very few conspicuous individuals that fit the high standards of Du Bois’s philosophy can actually arise from such a dire state where black people usually were.



__Chinese Exclusion Act__
__Pros__

Regulated the previously uncontrollable masses from entering the country

Limited the growing ‘exotic’ society within America

Reduce conflicts that arise from anti-Chinese

__Cons__

Racism

__Analysis__

The Chinese Exclusion Act was the first significant law that restricted immigration into the United States. This act provided a 10-year moratorium on Chinese immigration, because the Federal law justified the act by saying that the influx of Chinese workers disrupted the order of certain societies. It was very difficult to immigrate to America during the 10 years moratorium. Even after the exclusion act expired, the Congress extended it with the Geary Act, which later extensions added restrictions by requiring Chinese immigrants to register and obtain a certificate of residence. After the 1943 congress nullified all the exclusion acts, it limited the annual number of Chinese who can come in a year.

// **Comprehensive plan against racial tension and immigration issues** //

Racial Tension
 * In order to lessen the racial tension that exists today and build African American’s reputation, we first propose that a scholarship foundation be created by the rich African Americans. With the money funded by willing rich African Americans, this foundation would start a scholarship program that funds selected students with money and opportunities. African American students will go through a selective process where only a handful of bright minds will be given money and opportunities to study at prestigious colleges. In years to come, the selected students would become prosperous scholars and show to the whites that blacks also have the ability succeed and do well given the opportunity. The works of these scholars would also receive recognition by the whites and gradually improve the reputations of African American.
 * The second part of our proposal is that the federal government funds money to improve the already existing black schools and increase their number to provide education to a larger population of blacks. Only education can truly get rid of racial tension as it will give the power to fight to the blacks. Making laws that protect the blacks will do no good if the blacks cannot fight for themselves. Through the better education of a larger population, the blacks will know of how and when to fight for their rights.
 * We also propose that a minimum wage be installed. The cause of conflicts between different races are often because of jobs and wages. For example, fights often broke out because the Chinese would replace original workers for lower wages. However, if the minimum wages were installed, all races would have to be paid at least a certain amount of wages which would prevent any races from replacing other workers by getting lower wages. As a side-effect this will also raise the average life level of lower class workers.
 * We also propose that gerrymandering be forbidden by forcing elections to occur based on predetermined geographic boundary. Gerrymandering has been used to limit the black’s influence in politics, and by forbidding it, the election would more reflect the interest of the blacks. This will allow for potential black leaders to get elected and this will also help the black’s reputation and gain respect.

Immigration Issues
 * We propose that the Chinese Exclusion Act be extended to include all immigrants, thus being renamed to Total Exclusion Act. This Act involves a 10 year moratorium on all forms of immigration. In other words, immigration of non-skilled workers would be limited for 10 years and only the skilled workers who are scouted by corporations would be allowed. Although this may sound extreme, we suggest this for a few reasons. First, the cities are already overpopulated with immigrants. The overpopulation is causing serious problems like sanitation issues and racial disputes. Second, the new wave of immigration these days are bringing down the wages of workers and therefore worsening the already poor life of low class workers. Third, we also feel that we need to limit immigration as to provide job opportunities to the native citizens who have been paying taxes for years.

//**Citation:**//

"African Americans During The Progressive Era." //Learn Social Studies and American History//. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Feb. 2012. .

//An act to execute certain treaty stipulations relating to the Chinese, May 6, 1882; Enrolled Acts and Resolutions of Congress, 1789-1996; General Records of the United States Government; Record Group 11; National Archives.// Web. 4 Feb. 2012

"Booker T & W.e.b | The Two Nations Of Black America | FRONTLINE | PBS." //PBS: Public Broadcasting Service//. WGBH Educational Foundation, n.d. Web. 4 Feb. 2012. .

"Get Rid of Gerrymandering ." Breaking News, Current Events, Latest News and World Events at [|allvoices.com]. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Feb. 2012. < [] >.

Louis R. Harlan, ed., //The Booker T. Washington Papers//, Vol. 3, (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1974), 583–587. Web. 4 Feb. 2012.

//"III. Of Mr. Booker T. Washington and Others. Du Bois, W. E. B. 1903. The Souls of Black Folk." //Bartleby.com: Great Books Online -- Quotes, Poems, Novels, Classics and hundreds more //. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Feb. 2012. . //Web. 4 Feb. 2012

Teaching With Documents: Using Primary Sources From the National Archives//. [Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1989.] pp. 82-85.// 4 Feb. 2012

//Washington, Booker T. "Atlanta Exposition Address." Speech. 1895.//Http://www.milestonedocuments.com/documents/view/booker-t-washingtons-atlanta-exposition-address/audience//. Web. 4 Feb. 2012

W. E. Burghardt Du Bois, //The Souls of Black Folk// (Chicago, 1903). Web. 4 Feb. 2012