Confederate Statues and Our History Response Paper

Student Name
Course
Instructor
Date
Response Paper
Eric Foner, “Confederate Statues and ‘Our’ History.”
The author reacts to a tween by President Trump. In the tweet, the President laments that the removal of the Confederate statues would tear apart the history and culture of America. Foner dismisses the tweet by examining the challenges non-white Americans faced. Before the civil war, the individual states defined citizenship CITATION Fon17 \l 1033 (Foner). While some states recognized the blacks in the territories, most of the states did not recognize them. The abolitionists called for an alternative definition of what today is known as birthright citizenship. They not only advocated for the end of slavery but also the recognition of the freed individuals as equal members in the nation. By recognizing the Confederate as part of American history and culture, Foner believes that President Trump is honoring a dark past. Historical monuments like the Confederate are an indication that whites still hold power. The author advocates that glorifying the Confederate is an effective way of excluding black people from the history of America.
In Octavia Butler's novel Kindred, Rufus demonstrates that power can corrupt. When Rufus comes into his inheritance and becomes a slave owner, he begins to believe that he control the lives of others. He abuses Alice and treats Nigel as a subordinate (Butler). In the same manner, President Trump abuses his position by advocating that slavery is something that should be celebrated. President Trump ignores the fact that monuments like the Confederate symbolize the oppression of the blacks. Such statues should be brought down to indicate the progress America has made since the abolishment of slavery. President Trump, just like the character of Rufus, takes advantage of the power bestowed to him to advocate for the oppression of the blacks.
Alex Tizon, “My Family’s Slave”
In this article, Tizon provides an insight into the life of Lola, a slave girl who worked in their home. Lieutenant Tom, his father brings Lola to his home in 1943. He promises Lola food and shelter in return for caring for the family, while he intends to enslave her. In the house, Lola has to do all the house chores in addition to caring for the children CITATION Tiz \l 1033 (Tizon). At one point, Tom punishes Lola for mistakes committed by his wife. Lieutenant Tom gets a job in America, where he relocates with the whole family, together with Lola. He promises to pay her so that she can support her family which he never does. Lola has to content with psychological torture from Tizon’s parents. As the author grows up, he realizes that Lola is a slave and that is why she has no rights in the house. Eventually, at the age of 75, Lola stays at the home of Tizon where he cares for her. The story ends when Lola dies at 86 years and the author takes her ashes to her rural home.
The story of Lola resonates well with the lives of slaves in Octavia’s Kindred. The slave owners in the novel have absolute power over their subjects. For instance, Rufus requires that all his demands be fulfilled. When the slaves fail to meet his requirements, he punishes them heavily. The white...