Race and Politics
Study Questions
US History on Race
How does slavery run counter to American principles? What about segregation? How
about racism?
If there are significant differences between blacks and whites in public opinion polls,
where do you think blacks stand on the need for government services—for or against?
How about the position of whites on the need for government services—for or against?
(not in the lecture)
Are any other countries haunted by their histories, as America is?
Political Culture and Race
Who is more vulnerable to the charge of racism—Democrats (liberals) or Republicans
(conservatives)? Why?
Race and Politics Today
What recent events have set back the progress we have made on improving race relations
in America?
Why is empowerment an important indicator in our culture’s struggle to heal our issues
with race?
Discrimination/Racism
In which conflict did the term “ethnic cleansing” originate?
What was discriminatory about the massacre in Rwanda in 1994?
What was discriminatory about the genocide in Darfur (2003-2009)?
What is ISIS doing in Syria and Iraq, and in Libya, that would be considered extreme
religious discrimination/violence? (current event not in lecture)
Controversial Racial Statements
After making racist or racially insensitive remarks, what penalty did Jimmy “The Greek,”
Howard Cossell, Al Campanis, Rush Limbaugh, Don Imus, and Don Sterling suffer?
Why is the name “Redskins” problematic (offensive), while the name “Chiefs” seems not
to be?
What did Craig James, former NFL football player and ESPN college football announcer,
say that resulted in his being fired from ESPN?
What happened to Dr. Laura after she said the n-word on her radio program?
What happened to Paula Deen, a food chef, after it was revealed that she had used the nword some 30 years ago?
What happened to the Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) fraternity at Oklahoma University
after it was revealed that its members sing a racist song?
What did the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) conclude about the Ferguson (Missouri)
police department and municipal justice system in the wake of the Michael Brown
shooting?
In the 2008 presidential campaign, what penalty did Geraldine Ferraro suffer, after
making a comment that some people construed as racist?
In the 2008 presidential campaign, how did Barack Obama respond after it was revealed
that his pastor of 20 years, Reverend Jeremiah Wright, had made anti-white and antiAmerican comments? Is Wright still Obama’s pastor?
What did Obama say regarding an incident in which a white police officer arrested a
black Harvard professor, thus sparking a race controversy and prompting conservative
commentator Glen Beck to accuse Obama of being a racist?
Why didn’t the Obama administration wait an extra day to investigate the Shirley Sherrod
controversy, to determine if the allegations against her were true, before administration
officials fired Sherrod?
Who was the white conservative blogger (now deceased) who tried to expose Shirley
Sherrod as a racist? On the issue of race and racism, what did he think about the
NAACP?
On the issue of race and racism, what does the NAACP think about the Tea Party
movement?
Why did Obama sort-of lose his cool when giving a speech to the Congressional Black
Caucus (CBC)?
What did the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) conclude about the eyewitnesses who
claimed Michael Brown put his hands up and surrendered, after which he was gunned
down by Officer Darren Wilson? In other words, is the “hands up, don’t shoot” narrative
about Michael Brown’s death accurate?
Conclusions
Your professor seems concerned about violations of 4th Amendment rights involving
some of the cases of racism highlighted in this lecture—which cases might they be?
(hint: think about cases where racist sentiments were expressed in private)
Suppose our culture changed such that it tolerated free speech, which would include
racist commentary—how then would we combat racism?