Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Did We Truely Secede?


For more information about the secession, please refer to this article:

The re-election of President Obama has left the country in array. Closely following the re-election, riots were reported at Ole Miss. Though it is surprising that college students would behave in such manners, an even more shocking situation has taken place. In the United States, over 36 states have petitioned to secede from the United States government. Among the states included  were Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
Are we faced with an issue similar to that of the Civil War? The issue is states desiring for secession from the United States certainly is similar; but, what is the reason that is so devastating to make states want to disband the United States? As a country, we have voiced our decision for the president of our nation. We, the people, have spoken by voting. Why is there so much chaos from one election?
To me, this seems to be more of a racial issue than anything. Since Abraham Lincoln’s tenure, there has never been any talk of secession in the United States. However, the secession during Lincoln’s term was caused by the issue of slavery. Our country has “seemingly” overcome the boundary of skin color and allows equality for all. Yet, the country wants to disband when the first African American president is reelected for an additional term. The recent events only demonstrate how little we have progressed since slavery.
President Obama has been the only African American elected to be president in the history of the United States. Of course, there are many people in the United States, particularly the South, that are prejudice. Instead of showing their ignorance by reacting to the re-election by seceding, they should focus on the candidate that can resolve the issues of the United States. Personally, I voted according to the candidate that I knew would handle the issues that I saw most important. Although I am an African American, I did not allow skin color to be a factor in my decision. I wanted the candidate that desired to help me with my education. President Obama’s stance on this issue appealed to me the most, therefore he received my vote.
Our country must understand that there is skin color has nothing to do with the person on the inside. If we were color-blind and only heard how each candidate would resolve the issues, would we be so upset that an African American was allowed a second term to be the President of the United States? Do you think that this recent secession concerns the skin color of the President or are there actual concerns for the resolution of the issues?

5 comments:

  1. I saw this story and really did not take this seriously because I saw it as ignorance and just racial intolerance. States have passed laws that are far more controversial such as legalizing marijuana and gay marriage, yet no one seemed to riot or secede based on these new laws. Many of the states that are petitioning to secede actually helped President Obama get re-elected, so I am wondering if the voters from these states feel that there was foul play concerning their votes or if they were simply unhappy from being out-voted by Democratic voters. Either way, I personally see no reason for these states to petition to secede. For me it just shows that our country is static in changing racial ideologies. However, at the end of the day, we live in America, and the right to petition is ours and these states are simply utilizing their rights.

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  2. I think that although many people who are signing these petitions may have racial prejudices contributing to their unwillingness to accept the man who we elected to be President, many may not. I also believe that those people signing the petitions to secede may be doing so to prove a point more so than to fight for their particular state to formally leaving the United States. However, we are privileged to see why the creator of the petition, a different US citizen for each particular case, is choosing to petition to secede. Although their specific reasons may be different from those who choose to sign their petition, it sheds some insight into why they may be disgruntled with the President, AND the United States Federal government as a whole. For the sake of example, the petition from my home state, Texas, was created more from an economic perspective. The creator of the petition states that under the current President and the federal government Texas continues “to suffer economic difficulties stemming from the federal government's neglect to reform domestic and foreign spending.” Whether or not secession would fix this, and from my opinion definitely not, at least we are allowed to see that this particular petition deals more with an actual issue than the color of our President’s skin.

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  3. I do not think that the recent support for secession is strictly driven by President Obama’s race. Race most definitely played a role in how citizens voted in the past two elections, and recent events and backlashes involving the issue of race give evidence that suggests that matters of race are still unresolved in the U.S. (Our reading for this week supports this conclusion.)
    However, I do not think that our president’s race is the real reason behind the support for secession. It is arguable that the reason many have petitioned to secede and to form their own government is that the current federal government has overstepped its bounds. The government has demonstrated in many circumstances that its powers are not limited and that states and citizens are not as “free” as they think they are. Some assert that when “the underlying government becomes tyrannical,” “the dissolution of a political union,” through secession, is justified. The roots of this notion can be traced to the Declaration of Independence, which lead some to assert that “the principals of self-governance and voluntary association are at the core of our founding” (Paul). Although some supporters may be racially intolerant, there’s overwhelming evidence that the motives behind the petitions are sound and are not related to the race of our president. Like Peter said, these states may not truly wish to secede, but they most certainly want to hold the government accountable for its actions and to balance state and federal power.

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  4. Whether we admit it or not, people either voted or did not vote for Obama because he is African American. I agree with you, the color of the candidates’ skin should not impact the election. However, it does because this is American – the country that was founded on slavery. I have heard people make statements like “I do not see color; I see people” or “I do not pay attention to race.” Unless they are colorblind, they are lying! Race is a factor, always has been and always will be. The problem I have is when race is the only factor. I disagree with the people who voted for Obama just because he is African American as much as I disagree with the people that did not vote for him because he is African American. While I personally believe that Obama’s blackness did significantly contribute to his campaign victory, it was not the sole reason for his victory. History has proven that African Americans do not support all African American candidates. Just ask Herman Cain, Allen West, or Alan Keyes. To answer your question, I honestly do not know if Barrack Obama would have been elected or even re-elected if he was not African American. I have heard a lot of African Americans claim “I voted for Obama because he was the better candidate.” Regardless of who would have ran against Obama in the election, a huge percentage of African Americans would have voted for Obama because of his skin color. Don’t believe me? Ask those who say Obama was better why they think so. A lot of them would not be able to state at least five reasons to back up their claim. Of course they will not admit it and they will attack anyone (black or white) who did not vote for Obama. Excuse me if I seem as if I am attacking African Americans who voted for Obama but because he is black, I am not. I am simply trying to make the point that it is hypocritical to get upset with someone for not voting for Obama or trying to secede from the United States of America because he is African American, if you are someone who voted for Obama because he is African American. By voting for Obama because he is African American, you are not voting for Romney because he is Caucasian.

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  5. The re-election of President Obama and the reaction to it bring attention to a problem and a reality that will be a part of America for a long time to come. The call for secession is clearly a cover and a pathetic one at that, and it hides the reality that race is still an issue in this country, but the dialogue about the issue is non-existent. Hiding behind political views when the real issue is race related might makes it easier for those people to stand behind their ideas, but unfortunately takes the conversation away from the real issue and so the actual point of contention is never addressed. While issues are certainly part of what separates the country and voters, it is not as if the US has not had a shift in power from one ideology to another before, and these transfers of power are marked by a generally peaceful transition. When you consider that, the answer to what has changed must be race. A sad reality, because as much as President Obama's election and re-election indicate progress, it simultaneously reflects the lack of change in race thinking within the United State.

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