Racial Discriminations in all parts of the world has become part of our society, and very little is being done to realize that racial difference is indeed a strength rather than a weakness for any country. The United States has long struggled with issues of race, and several unions have developed to fight for individual racial rights. The paper shall analyze the argument of race based on the White Student Union documentary.
The Central Argument
The documentary features a former Towson University student Matthew Heimbach, who fights for fair a treatment of the European American community, which he belongs. He claims that the American community has neglected the significance of the white culture and the importance of preserving it for the next generation. He is saddened by the idea that multiculturalism has consumed the minds of the white race; hence making them forget their true identity, their culture and also their beliefs. He advocates that the society has to be governed by rules and norms. He believed that forming the White Student Union on campus would help reduce crime against the white students and advocate treatment of the white race like any other single group.
The black students saw the Union as discriminatory, and they advocated for its disbandment. Their argument was that the union was fighting for the rights that were already in existence and that the Union gave a wrong impression of the black community. The black students claimed that all races have equal rights since they breathe the same air, bleed out the same blood, and die the same death. They claimed that there was nothing special about being white. Heinbach associated criminal activities with black male students, and they went ahead and planned a night patrol in the campus. His argument is that though everyone is equal; fighting for one's race was not a crime.
The Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
One of its strength is that it fights for the rights of the white race because they deserve equal rights as their counterparts. It cannot be ruled out that the traditional European culture has been discriminated because of the intercultural associations since the 1880s. The other strength is that the union seeks to protect the white race, and it does so through patrols hence lowering crime rates in campus and its environs. The union also believes and advocates for a society where there are set of rules that govern behavior; hence, curbing immorality that has strangled ethics, values and code of conduct.
Weaknesses
Heimbach views and opinions are considered racial by the majority of people especially the African Americans. His views look down upon the minority groups, for instance, the Muslims, homosexuals, and the blacks. They believe that the white race cannot fight for their rights, yet they created the very foundation of the American Constitution. Even if his actions are directed towards a positive course, few people believe it and. Thus, it might not have a significant impact in the country.
How Does It Fit In With or Challenge Issues we have discussed In Class and Throughout the Readings?
The issues surrounding racism in the United States featured in the documentary conquer with those in various works of literature discussed in class. People are still judged by the color of the skin other than the content of the character; the documentary features the blacks being associated with crime in the campus (Bonilla-Silva 92). In the American community, the minority groups are likely to be associated with crime than the white community. The whites still insist that minority groups still dwell on the past rather than concentrating on their current situation. The same scenario is seen in the documentary when Heimbach, is challenged by a black citizen who insists that the very foundations of the American nation discriminate against the minority population because the majority of them do not work in the government.
As Heimbach also puts it, the blacks and other minorities should find other places to settle; as it is evident in the American society that the minorities have lower access to decent housing, and they are less likely to be given preference in a white dominated community (Bonilla-Silva 94). In addition, the minority populations in the US such as blacks and Latinos are still viewed to be less superior than the whites regarding reasoning capacities compared to the whites; hence, it attributes to the social problems they face as Heimbach puts it. This is evident in that the majority of the minority groups are not considered in the high profile jobs compared to their white counterparts (Bonilla-Silva, 95).
Works cited
Bonilla-Silva, Eduardo. Racism Without Racists. Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield, 2003. Print 91-98.
"White Student Union (Documentary)." YouTube. N.p., 2016. Web. 15 Mar. 2016.
