Maya Said it Best

Great Americans come in all colors and from many different walks of life. However, the path to prosperity has been woefully unequal and riddled with strife between the races. While President Obama and many others argue the anger and resentment by blacks and whites toward one another in our nation has been troublesome and counterproductive, it may also be argued that these feelings are valid because as a famed statement by Faulkner implies, we are bound by a recent history of racism, above which we will rise, and in doing so, important cultural and communicative changes must occur in order for a trans-racial society to flourish.

Indeed we have been a nation divided by race. Historically, the laws of America once blatantly authorized the subjugation of blacks and other subgroups. As these individuals sought incremental and hard won freedoms, massive uprisings and violent revolts were followed by luminaries such as Dr. Martin Luther King exhorting a call for peaceful and meaningful protest. In the wake of each change, there were those in the white community who began to see the new changes as a threat to their treasured and traditional way of life.
The President articulated such feelings in these words “They are anxious about their futures, and feel their dreams slipping away; in an era of stagnant wages and global competition, opportunity comes to be seen as a zero sum game, in which your dreams come at my expense” (Obama, 2008, para. 33). Certainly, resentment breeds contention and although, each side may hold valid arguments for such, it is nevertheless, counterproductive and as President Obama stated “It's a racial stalemate we've been stuck in for years” (Obama, 2008, para. 38). However, anger, when focused correctly can effect great and necessary change as evidenced by the following statement in Ashford University’s text, “Managing Conflict Through Communication”, “So, anger can be used constructively when it motivates us to get off our seats and stand up for our interests, needs, and wants or what we think is right” (Cahn & Abigail, 2014, p. 189). The anger toward injustice and inequality was the motivation for necessary change in our country.
The prescient words of Faulkner resonate in a nation struggling in the mire of racial tension. As President Obama reminded the nation, “The past isn't dead and buried; in fact, it isn't even past" (Obama, 2008, para. 27). Given that Faulkner was celebrated and honored for his adroit and skillful representations of the rampant racism which inundated the South and spread across America, his words lead the reader to conclude the vile acts perpetrated upon our fellow citizens cannot and must not be easily dismissed. The ramifications of slavery and Jim Crow Laws continues into the present generations and “the paradigm persists and thrives into contemporary times” (Manby, 2014, para. 8). It is imperative to recognize and respect the divisiveness which exists in America and understand the root causes of such. The author of the class text argues,
 
“This perception of racial disparity can lead to socially constructed stereotypes and prejudice to influence interracial communication. It’s important to note that both Whites and people of color are both participants in this process. All people must challenge negative perceptions of race” (Jandt, 2013, p.21).
 
 Only by doing so, can there be meaningful change toward the goal of undermining racism, improving relations, and realizing a trans-racial society in the United States.

Certainly, there are great challenges to achieving a trans-racial society in this country. However, continued efforts by members of subgroups can make this a reality. A study of trans-racial integration found “Transracial solidarity occurs only in circumstances in which cross-racial cues of similarity, reliability, and trust are strong relative to other opportunities for social solidarity” (Molotch, 1969, p.878). This laudable and inestimable goal requires a willingness and can perhaps be best understood by the prolific writings of the Poet Laureate, Maya Angelou as she penned these uplifting truths, “Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future, and renders the present inaccessible” and “It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength” (Angelou, 2015). There are increasing numbers of Americans who identify as trans-racial and this trend can be witnessed in cities and towns across the nation. Increasingly, the archetype of power in politics, corporate leadership, and education is becoming more diverse as citizens recognize the value of a trans-racial society. By demanding continued policies of mutual respect and opportunity regardless of race, this nation can apprehend the best of our attributes and defeat those who seek to suppress the disadvantaged or marginalized in our society.
 
Change is possible. In his “More Perfect Union” speech, the President challenged the nation as he stated, “Let us find that common stake we all have in one another, and let our politics reflect that spirit as well” (Obama, 2008, para.42). Although, Americans continue to struggle with real and complex issues born of slavery and perpetuated throughout centuries of xenophobic law, the anger which fueled protests and marches also produced powerful changes, which affected blacks and whites, thus creating a climate more conducive to continued cultural and communicative changes and paving the way for a trans-racial society.





References

Angelou, M. (2015). Maya Angelou quotes. Retrieved from http://www.mayaangelouquotes.org/page/5/

Cahn, D. D., & Abigail, R. A. (2014). Managing conflict through communication (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

Jandt, F.E. (2013). An introduction to intercultural communication: Identities in a global community (7th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Manby, J. (2014). Ghosts of Jim Crow: Ending racism in post-racial America. Ethnicity and Race in a Changing World, 5(1), 86-87. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1635290946?accountid=32521

Molotch, H. (1969). Racial integration in a transition community. American Sociological Review, 34 (6) 878-89. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/2095979

National Constitution Center. (2009). Obama speech on race at the National Constitution Center [Interactive website]. Retrieved from http://constitutioncenter.org/amoreperfectunion/