Friday, January 20, 2012

Fear of Truth

        During class we discussed a few of the reasons for the riots and conflicts among the southerners and the blacks. As part of the discussion the topics that kept springing up was women. Black men were constantly accused of raping white women which caused a raise of rage through the white society but in reality it was the other way around. I find it hypocritical how the white men are out to diminish the value and pride of black men and somehow find it ok to have secret relationships and rape their women. In Hanover, we are introduced to Molly Pierrepont, a woman of black and white race and Ben Hartright, a white man of the south. As he confides to his mistress of an attack being carried out from the clan towards the blacks, she questions his loyalty to her in the event that he would have to pick between her and his men. As he does not produce the answer she desires she kicks him out. In Within Our Gates, we also view how black men are promoted as rapist through the media and in reality it’s the white men sexually abusing black women.
       Another common subject was fear. As the black race tries to progress, the whites feel intimidated and look for any excuse as to why blacks are inferior or aren’t worth the same respect as they are. In Hanover as the “The Colonel” meets with Mr. Gideon, they both encounter opposing views. As the fear of “Negro Domination” was such an issue with The Colonel, he tells Mr. Gideon he is not loyal to his race. Its funny how anyone with a different opinion from the majority is considered wrong when in fact they are more a threat to them then realize, seeing as they think for themselves.

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