St. Louis Post-Dispatch On Racial Inequality

Racial inequality is not a new challenge that we face as a country today. Throughout history, African Americans have faced social suppression and unequal opportunities that have limited their education, housing situations, and social freedom. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s editorial Answer the ‘Unheard’ with an Investment in Their Education is a call to take a step forward in providing equal opportunities for African American students in order to pave the path for equal opportunities, beginning with education. Nationwide riots protesting against racial inequality in cities such as St. Louis and Ferguson, Missouri, where eighteen year-old Michael Brown was killed by Officer Darren Wilson on August 9, 2014, has sparked a new burning revival of

In an effort to persuade Americans, especially those in the St. Louis region, the Editorial Board provides imagery to invoke a reaction from the reader. They set the tone by quoting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his use of the term “White America,” which raises questions on the word choice. “White America” provokes a feeling of surprise, striking people as to the meaning behind the phrase, as being a country dominated by white Americans who hold the majority of economic and social power. While the reader’s thoughts are still focused on how appropriate or inappropriate the phrase might be, the editor acknowledges this sense of unease and takes that opportunity to strike emotions again, with “it’s no more jarring than the image of a cop in body armor training his sniper rifle through a cloud of tear gas on young, black protestors” (Editorial Board, para 6). This imagery creates a sense of sadness and could lead to anger, as it directly targets “young black protesters” as the victims of the malicious acts of

Inequality contradicts these ideas of American identity, as it limits opportunities to select races and denotes the freedom of being able to choose what you are allowed to do. As a nation, Americans should be willing to step up to the plate and take a stand for equality as it is one of the ideals that America is known for. Implementing the necessary changes in education will then create a domino effect and allow more opportunities in jobs to become available for African Americans and further result in more equal opportunities economically as well as