I would suggest either watching this video or reading the
article. If you do both, you may get a little too worked up to focus on the
rest of your exams.
In case you have not been following this story on the news,
Cliven Bundy is a rancher from Nevada who has recently appeared in the media
contesting the government’s attempt to fine him and stop his cattle from
grazing on public land. Somehow, this led to a New York Times article (based
off of a video of him) of his opinion that blacks were better off during
slavery than they are now. This morning, Mr. Bundy appeared on CNN’s “New Day”
in hopes of setting the record straight and further explaining his thoughts to
the American people. There is so much wrong with this situation and this video
that I don’t know where to start.
Firstly, Mr. Bundy needs to look up the dictionary
definition of the word prejudice. He claims that prejudice is not being able to
express ones feelings and say what one wants. In reality, prejudice is defined
as “a preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience.” These
are two very different things.
However, there is one small part of this interview that made
me think and want to dig deeper. When discussing Martin Luther King Jr. and
Rosa Parks (or Rosa Park as Mr. Bundy likes to call her), he claims that their
goal of achieving civil rights was not completed. I was perplexed for a moment
when I heard him say these words because I believe this as well. From there,
Mr. Bundy discussed how he thinks that if the Civil Rights Movement had been
successful, than we would be able to use words like “negro, black boy, or
slave” without offense to others. I’m not sure that I agree with this
statement, but I found it very thought provoking and a different way to see things.
What do you all thing? What are your opinions on the article
and video? How would you define prejudice in today’s society? How would you
define a successful achievement of civil rights? What are your feelings about
still having words that are considered offensive in today’s society? Also, this
can lead to a discussion about whether or not Martin Luther King Jr.
accomplished his goal of achieving civil rights and whether or not the Civil
Rights Movement is over.
I was shocked when I read the NY Times article on Bundy. It is amazing what people will say if you let them talk long enough. In another class of mine, we discussed how he assumed that if black people are sitting on their porch, then they are unable to support themselves financially. On the other hand, if you see white people on their porch, that would not be the first thought that comes to mind. The fact that he lives in Nevada reminds me of what Professor McKinney was talking about in our final class. While people primarily focus on what happens in the South, these kinds of racist comments are present everywhere. While I'm appalled at Bundy's comments, I'm glad news sources like the Times are writing articles about it, especially considering he is from Nevada. I hope demonstrates that racism and bigotry are still problems nationally and not only in the South.
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