The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same
Overlooking existing prejudiced ideologies of authority and oppression that had been “resolved” in the past.
History is taught because it allows us to understand our past, which in turn allows to understand our present. Studying history provides an insight for problem solving and it is suppose to help prevent making the same mistake twice. In the case of US history, there are patters of authority and oppression that have been repeated. However, these patters have NOT reoccurred by mistake. With every new law, citizens are promised change and equality, but there is always a loophole that opts certain individuals out. When it comes to polices of “equality” for social roles and authority, US history continues to repeat itself.
This pattern of promises for equality and change can be traced back to 1776 when the Declaration of Independence was signed. It introduced a new lifestyle and claimed freedom and independence from a monarchy. “We the people”; giving the right to the citizens based off of a fair democracy. In reality, the change in power was happening from the king to a select group of people. In this text, I will refer to the state’s control over mankind’s biological aspects of life as biopower. Mitchel Foucault first introduced this definition to power in his book “Society Must Be Defended.” He justified his definition to biopower by comparing it to the Classical Theory of Sovereignty, which was system that had given people power in the past. The most notable and relevant attribute of the Classical Theory of Sovereignty was that it gave the sovereign the right to assign basic rights of life and death. In other words, the sovereign would literally chose who got to live and who got to die. When the US signed the Declaration of Independence, they offered their people more rights other than life or death. However, two-hundred and forty-one years later this ideology still exists in society. The idea to “make live and let die” is manifested among genders, racial and minority groups. Every time that a bias policy is approved, it affects a certain group yet it benefiting another. Take for instance laws that add restrictions to access for abortion or contraceptives. In just this year, eleven states (AZ, AK, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, TX, UT, WV and WY) have established extreme laws that will add restrictions in reproductive health care. These barriers target and will mostly affect head-of-household women who are making under $20,000 a year with 2 or more dependents. The purpose is to keep these low income women on the “let die” side of the expression; while at the same time, maintaining the “make live” group alive and in power. The laws that are being passed by the state today are no different than those of the Classical Theory of Sovereignty. New policies are literally targeting individuals in order to hold power over their lives.
A second example of Classical Theory of Sovereignty in today’s world is seen in the US’ lack of action on women’s rights. Although it seems to be a trending topic of our contemporary time, the fight for women’s rights and equality has been ongoing for the better part of a century. Activist, Alice Walker, delivered a speech on women’s rights on May 22, 1989. In her speech, she covered a list of human rights violations that were inflicted on African American women by the White slave-owners. It clearly demonstrates how the system of oppression continues. Even though slavery was abolished, African American women still suffer daily due to reproduction laws that target them to give birth to children while other women have the resources to carry out an abortion.
“Abortion, for many women, is more than an experience of suffering beyond anything most men will ever know; it is , an act of mercy, and an act of self-defense. To make abortion illegal again is to sentence millions of women and children to miserable lives and even more miserable deaths.”
-Alice Walker, 1989
This speech was given twenty-eight years ago and as of today nothing has changed. We still have laws that restrict safe abortions causing stress and damage to the lower class.
As you can see, this pattern of injustice is continuous and roots from ideas of prejudice and hate. The main reason as to why this patter is dangerous is because it its hidden and easily sneaked into our daily lives. It is easy to miss because the promises of equality are very convincing. We must open our eyes and see the policy makers for who they are.
#EndTheCycle