What role did racial discrimination play in the New rights movement and how is it related to the old rights movement? Why was the alteration of traditional cultures significant in influencing the New Rights Movement?

 

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Racial discrimination, played a role in the New rights movement. One of the biggest reasons as to why this was the case, is because the New rights movement, was coming off the heal of the Civil Rights movement. In other words, even though African Americans still had their free, they still faced discrimination, by those who did not feel like they had a rightful place in society. Moreover, although African Americans had gained more rights, by the time the New right movement came along, they were still frustrated. One of the biggest reasons why, is because they felt that whites did not hear their oppression.

This is why during the New rights movement, in the era of Ronald Reagan, blacks used their voice even more than before, to expression how their oppression should not be forgotten. As Edgar (1981) states, "Movement of sexual liberation that emerged in the very late 1960s, and early 1970s, defined themselves in language made by the black movement: the first to create a vocabulary, to describe and counter the oppression of groups, not solely defined by class" (p.221). This is an example, of how concepts of racial discrimination and oppression, played a role in the New rights movement. However, the New rights movements, is also related to the old rights movement as well.

The old rights movement, was defined by African Americans suffering a much more oppressive level, than they did in the New rights movement. However, a similarity between both eras, is that when it came to the oppression of African Americans, they often felt like they were alone in their struggle. In other words, because whites could not relate to the struggles that African Americans were going through at the time, since they did not live the horrific experiences of oppression, African American had to keep reminding them, to never forget about supporting their black brothers and sister.

However, based on the fact that in both eras, African Americans felt like they were not recognized (though on different levels), their voices were seemingly being drowned out, to their allies. However, going off of that, another similarity in both eras, is that although African Americans felt like they were not being heard enough at the time, they still took the necessary steps, to ensure that they were being recognized. For one era, it was taking action through the Civil Rights movement, and for another era, it was creating sexual liberation movement, that would further allow the voices of blacks to be heard. This is how both eras are similar. Lastly, the alteration of traditional cultures, was significant. in influencing the New Rights Movement.

Traditional cultures in society at the time, were built on aspects of class/worth in society, through skin color. However, the New Rights Movement, sought to purge this mindset, through Reagan. The goal of Reagan, was to change the very foundation of the mindset of America, through taking aspects of events like the civil rights movement, protests, sexual liberation, etc, and use them to unit people under a common goal, of unity. By taking these events, Reagan could show people why America was plagued by aspects such as racism and war, how it got there, and what can be done to fix it.

This is how Reagan ensured that the alternation of traditional cultures in society (or what was considered the norm at the time), would be shifted. As Schmultz (2018) states, "On the domestic side, the civil rights movement, anti-war protests, a new feminist movement, the sexual revolution, legalized abortion, and the increasing implementation of a liberal political agenda were all fueling a massive change in culture. It was in this environment that a new political community rose to popularity called the "new right", and brought with them a fearless leader: Ronald Reagan" (p.1). Reagan set to make things right.

I arrived at my answer, through doing research on the subject matter, was well as my own knowledge of history as well. One of the ways, in which I made sure that I arrived at my answer, is that when it came to each answer, I answered in depth. This would help the student, to better understand the "how" and "why" to my responses. For example; when it came to the first questions, I explained how when it came to new rights, there were many African Americans, who did not feel like there voices were being heard by white (despite the fact that by that time, racism had gotten since the 1960's).

This helps to add an extra layer of depth, because it shows that although there were whites who supported African Americans in their fight for freedom, it was easy for them to forget, because they do not know what it is like to face discrimination, due to one's skin color. I then tied these themes, in the second questions, discussing differences between the old and new rights movement, while also talking about the similarities, in relations to African American voices not being heard. Lastly, I tied these themes in, with the alternation of traditional culture in the New Rights movement, via Ronald Reagan. I made sure to cite my sources as well. This is how I arrived at my answer. Moreover, I also arrived at my answer, through reading over my own answer twice, ensuring that my discussion lined up with the themes presented in the questions themselves.