Literature & Language Essay About The Book Democracy in Black

Democracy in Black
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Democracy in Black
For years, the United States has been showcasing itself as the true embodiment of liberty and democracy. The leaders of the country always speak highly of the country’s values and principles, which they seem to indicate maintains the fabric of the nation. However, Dr. Glaude attacks America’s idea of liberty and democracy, noting that the country has been living a lie. While the U.S. has been trying to propagate matters of justice and liberty all over the world, Glaude shows that it has been failing to reciprocate the same within its borders. In his claims, Glaude alludes to the plight of the African Americans who, for years, have been considered second-class citizens. As the country continues to propagate the façade that it is indeed making progress to curtail racial inequality in the country, more African Americans are finding it difficult to attain the American dream. The American dream continues to elude them, and Glaude indicates that the reason for the above is that the odds have never been in their favor. He writes that the American idea of a “nation committed to liberty, freedom, and the unfettered pursuit of individual dreams ran up against the stark reality that black people were valued less than others” (2016). Glaude dissects the value gap ideology reiterating that the American idea is distorted and that the country will not overcome the problem of racial inequality if it does not confront the past truths.
According to Glaude, the value gap is the notion that White Americans are valued more than Black Americans. Apparently, this gap is part of what America is today and thus impacts or dictates what happens in the country. Glaude writes that the value gap rigs the outcomes of whichever efforts are made to fight racial inequality in the country. He writes that “if the American Idea shapes our democracy, and that idea is in turn informed by the value gap, then it hardly matters what form our laws and politics take.” The above statement is quite heavy in that it carries with it more than meets the eye. In essence, it means that the African Americans have been trying to have the value gap narrowed down but keep falling short because the existing system predetermines the results. In his article, Graham (2016) offers his take on the value gap and agrees with Glaude that, indeed, the system considers African Americans as second-class citizens. Graham offers the details of the shooting of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. Both men were carrying guns when they were shot and killed. However, none of them was reaching for their weapon. The surprising bit of these killings is that the National Rifle Association never spoke on their behalf. Also, wh...