Slide #1

In the past, America as with many countries in the world was once a place where Racism was common. America is and has been on a move. Its move is knocking down “walls and barriers” of intolerance and un acceptance in society. With these barriers coming down America is becoming a more open culturally. Now with a recognized motto as the land of the free and home of the brave, you would think that anyone who would come here is not the case. Yet we are on the verge of ending this unnecessary discrimination with our progressing edification that we are all the same.

Slide #2

Q:What is Race?

A:Race by definition is “b. an arbitrary classification of modern humans, sometimes, esp. formerly, based on any or a combination of various physical characteristics, as skin color, facial form, or eye shape, and now frequently based on such genetic markers as blood groups.” I prefer the definition in the dictionary that says Race is “any people united by common history, language, cultural traits, etc”.

So let me ask you this? Wouldn’t we all be of the same race? American. I mean don’t we all go to similar schools, live in the same neighborhoods, have the same goals, speak the same language?

Slide #3

America has always been see as a land of freedom and opportunity. Yet has that always been the case? No, not unless you were “pure white”. Why is that?

Slide #4

Native Americans were the original inhabitants of America. They met and greeted the pilgrims with open arms as peaceful people. They were greeted with discrimination, sickness, bloodshed. The first true genocide. They were seen as heathens. It’s ironic though don’t you think? The pilgrims came

here to escape persecution and inadvertently persecuted the Indians here.

Slide #5

The Revolutionary War was fought in order to gain “freedom” and “independence” from the British, who ruled. America won the war, and with that freedom they imported even more slaves, and took more land from the natives. The Declaration of Independence was written as well, stating, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to affect their safety and happiness.” Which is ironic since everyone that was not of true English descent was not viewed as a man or really a human.

Slide #6

Abraham Lincoln once said, “We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic cords of memory will swell when again touched as surely they will be by the better angels of our nature.”

The Civil War was fought in order to stop the onset of slavery in the North, not to “Free The Slaves” which is what apparently occurred. Yet even with their freedom were they really free? Did they receive the same recognition and rights as others have when they fought for their independence? I don’t believe so.

As well the statue of liberty was presented to America in recognition of its Abolishment of slavery. The concept was created by Laboulaye, an ardent supporter of the Union in the American Civil War, he’s quotes as saying, "If a monument should rise in the United States, as a memorial to their independence, I

should think it only natural if it were built by united effort—a common work of both our nations."

Slide #7

The Statue of Liberty says; "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door." I’ve personally never seen a sub context where it states exactly whom its talking to. It is speaking to everyone.

Slide #8

IRISH NEED NOT APPLY. When America experienced its Industrial Revolution, and a huge migration of people to America, The statue of liberty on Elis island was a symbol of their arrival to a new world and life’s. Yet the people who immigrated here were discriminated against, and disrespected, treated as thought they were unwanted.

Slide #9

During world war 2, Yes we went to Germany to end the oppression/tyranny/eradication of the Jewish people. Yet back at home we placed the Japanese into “concentration camps”, and were not looked at again as equals. How is that fair or even tolerant? As well we were trying to say that people should be treated fairly, yet the Military was segregated, and even the Marine Corp. did not allow people of color to even enlist. Where is the equality there?