As I was reading today's section of Loewen, one particular passage seemed to jump out at me. In reference to race relations he writes, "Money can be used to buy many things in our society, from higher SAT scores to the ability to swim, and African American, Hispanic, and Native American families lag in their access to all those things. Ultimately, money buys life itself, in the form of better nutrition and health care and freedom from danger and stress." (170) I am not sure if I fully agree with this statement. Doesn't an individual's access to quality education have more to do with overall success in "life itself" than these enumerated issues? He states this matter of opinion as matter-of-factly as if he is citing a primary source. His writings have proven primarily that opinion stated as fact is not to be trusted!
Earlier Loewen notes how whites acted towards blacks during the Reconstruction following the Civil War, "Attacking education was an important element of the white supremacists' program. ... 'mobs of the baser classes at intervals and in all parts of the South occasionally burned school buildings and churches used as schools, flogged teachers or drove them away, and in a number of instances murdered them.'" (160) These white supremacists knew how to effectively stifle the black population and prevent them from achieving any measure of success. The key was education.
Emily,
ReplyDeleteI think your 2 paragraphs actually agree w/ Loewen. I think what he means in the 1st paragraph is "quality of life." And, I think that that is hard to argue w/. I think that is, too, what you're talking about in your 2nd paragraph.