Friday, October 26, 2012

Emancipation Proclamation -- Wartime Strategy or Cry for Freedom?


The articles you are reading for today provides two very different schools of thought about the Emancipation Proclamation.  Supporters and opponents of the proclamation saw it serving two seemingly disparate purposes--one to seek foreign alliances, and one to catalyze nationwide emancipation.  It was either celebrated joyfully or distrusted and feared.

But what was its function, really?  In this "post-racial" (no, I don't believe that we actually are, hence the quotes), country that has elected a black president, we tend to celebrate Lincoln and his Proclamation.  But we know that this 1863 decision only scratched the surface of the immense and violent racial battles that were still to come (and are still occurring today).

So what is it that we are celebrating?  What is the Emancipation Proclamation?

12 comments:

  1. According to most of these readings, the emancipation was not a proclamation due to abolition and anti slavery sentiment nor an attempt to curb racial prejudices. Lincoln's primary goal in the civil war was e simple: preserve the Union. Never did he say that he dreamed of emancipating all slaves. In fact, in prior readings, we learned that Lincoln supported slavery and did not want to abolish it. He may have thought it was morally wrong, but he realized the necessity of the institution in our country at the time. Therefore as George D. Prentice said in his article, the proclamation was a "naked stroke of military necessity". In recognizing the longevity and brutality of the war, Lincoln needed to make some kind of decisive move that would be able to preserve the Union. By emancipating slavery, Lincoln was able to wipe out the major cause of the civil war and the greatest difference between the north and the south. This notably great proclamation from "the president who freed the slaves" was therefore merely a way to get ahead of the South, win the civil warm and preserve the union.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Today, i wouldn't say that we are celebrating the complete and utter demolishment of ethnic or racial discrimination because as of now in the present century that seems to be impossible. Rather we are celebrating the stupendous amount of progress we've made in a mere 150 years. Which in itself is enough for a minor celebration because we still a long path ahead. The emancipation proclamation was not as pure intentioned as once thought. It's primary goal unbenounced to most (currently) was not the abolition of all slavery. In fact lincoln even said he did not plan to free every slave. The emancipation proclamation was meant to preserve the Union when it was conceived, nothing more, nothing less.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I believe that we have still yet to reach the goal of a non-racial community. And in the last 150 years we have made a slow progress. I think that the emancipation proclamation's function was, at the time, a way of equalizing the colored people. But it has hardly done anything. It wasn't until iconic figures like Martin Luther king that America began to see a change that was worth looking at. And for that reason, in retrospect, the emancipation proclamation didn't do much to improve our nation. So I believe that this was just the beginning to a long struggle to overcome racism.

    ReplyDelete
  4. We ae celebrating the Emacipation Proclamation because it was the first of many steps that led to a more equal society. Of course, there was a lot of racism still around after the Proclamation, like there is still racism in the US today. It is something that we will never be able to get rid of completely, but just hope that it keeps decreasing. Without the Emancipation Proclamation, there may not have been another anti-racist movement for a long time, and we would not be living right now in the society that exists today.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I think that people in of the 20th and 21st century see the Emancipation proclamation as the 1st step to creating a country where all types of people from balk to white can live in piece and harmony. even though the battles that followed and are still happening today could be seen as the resistance to a non-segregated country, the strides and bonds that we as a people have made far out number the set backs we have encountered. The lose of the great fighters for racial independence, like Martin Luther king Jr., are great and heavy loses, but the things they accolmpished for this nation can be seen today with blacks and whites going to the same schools and actually being friends and being accepted for that friendship its a huge step in the right direction.

    ReplyDelete
  6. The Emancipation Proclamation is celebrated so much because it was the start of de-segregation. I agree that we haven't reached a 'post-racial' society, but this started us moving towards one. I think that even though it was not the best start to this movement, but at least it was a start.

    ReplyDelete
  7. While there were other acts of anti-segregation prior to Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, this act was the first to make a significant difference in the lives of everybody. Lincoln's main goal of preserving the Union is why the emancipation was set forth; he got rid of the central cause of the war, and put an end to its brutality. Although violent battles still emerged after this proclamation, it was the beginning of our movement towards a "post-racial" society. However, I believe a truly "post-racial" society is unattainable; society is naturally racist, whether it is apparent or not.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Because Lincoln was a president. He has such a higher respect level than anyone else only because he has a good story with rarely any flaws...HE'S PERFECT. Other abolitionists such as slaves, had incredibly violent actions in their record. Even though they were the real difference makers, Lincoln was recognized as the man who did it "right" because he had the power to get it done. Don't get me wrong, Lincoln was a good dude who changed America for the better, but it is of course very unfair to think that it was all him. I think Lincoln himself would also be taken a-back about how little other people are recognized. The emancipation proclamation is one of the shining moments in US History, but people only pay attention to the man who signed it, instead of the men who ignited it. The idea of Barack Obama being a president in a "post-racial" society is ridiculous. In my opinion, racism is worse the ever, because their is no longer justification. I believe Obama is president in one of the most racistly confused times in America.

    ReplyDelete
  9. To be completely honest I don't really understand the point of the emancipation proclamation and why Lincoln did it. But I do know that the idea of a hyper racial 21st century is greatly exaggerated. First off, I do believe that in America, we are for the most part in a post racial world. What that means is that your race, compared to the 1800's to late 1900's, will not play nearly as large as a role as it has and will not be a limiting factor in anything you seek to do. Affirmative Action is one of the few government policies that takes race into consideration. A majority of "black" problems you find today, are really poor people problems. And if you take the attitudes and income of black and whites with the same backgrounds, you'll find they are very similar.

    ReplyDelete
  10. The Emancipation Proclamation is still revered in the eyes of politicians and most Americans, is because it was the groundbreaking document on the path to racial equality. Although most would like to think that we live in a completely racially equal society, we do not. Because of this, the celebration of the Emancipation Proclamation is often from the point of view of celebrating complete racial unity, it actually stands for the road TO racial equality. Yet, without further investigating the meaning and context of the Emancipation Proclamation, it is easy to get into this mindset. Ignorance is bliss.

    ReplyDelete
  11. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  12. The way i see it, the Emancipation Proclamation was the beginning of the official spoken for racial equality, and kind of made a preparation of the mindset for the end of the slavery industry. But, i am confused why would Lincoln made such a call towards some certain area that were not under control of federal government, he knew southerns would not let it happen ,the call for antislavery would go against his previous promise about his position about slavery and heat up the temperature of the border line. Maybe Lincoln just want to aggravate the south
    purposely just simply because the North was ready to have a critical fight at the time.

    ReplyDelete