Analyse af Pharrell Williams's essay 'America's Past and Present Are Racist'

Essay - America's Past and Present Are Racist. We Deserve a Black Future - Pharrell Williams

The Unites States of America has had a troubling history since the American revolutionary war, to the civil war, the great depression and later the cold war. Building up hope for a better tomorrow. Unfortunately, today hasn’t necessarily gotten any better. Protests against social injustice that affects black lives, and protests to end police brutality. Again, building up hope for a better tomorrow. Through arguments Pharrell Williams’s article in the Time Magazine (August 2020) “America's Past and Present Are Racist. We Deserve a Black Future” showcases the similarities between what the revolutionaries fought for back then and what black Americans fight for today. In addition, by use of extensive language he references to the American history and the foundation of which USA was built upon.

There are similarities between America in the past and America today, although the perspective has changed. Rioters in the past were fighting for justice and that is the exact same thing black Americans are fighting for today. The only difference is that rioters from the past are now mentioned as patriots, while black Americans roughly fighting for the same thing are called rioters. This is evident when Williams describes The Boston Tea Party which was a riot against the British. Why is it that black people as well as white people in America today are mentioned as violent rioters when they fight for equal justice, which already is a written law in the 14th amendment of the United States Constitution of the Equal Protection Clause. History recognises white people who fought for the same equality, but they are called patriots. Law applies to all. Another example of inequality of how black and white people are differently represented is the tearing down of statues. In the BLM-protests a lot of statues of racists and white-supremacists were ripped down, but history will and has inevitably portrayed their act as treason. Williams doesn’t agree with the above. He says: “I see patriots acting in service of this country” This proves that Williams stands for a more equal America and for the prosperity of black Americans. A key factor to take from this is that black Americans are always belittled, and their value as citizens are reduced compared to white Americans.