Speech of Barack Obama on March 18th, 2008 - The Inequalities in the 21st Century in the United States

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Speech of Barack Obama on March 18th, 2008 - The Inequalities in the 21st Century in the United States

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Barack Obama, US United States, inequalities, candidacy, electoral program, american history, freedom, slavery, Declaration of independence, black community, civil rights, education system, public authorities

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Abstract

This speech, pronounced at the Constitution Center, a highly symbolic place for the history of the USA by the Senator and candidate to the primary election of the Democratic party, and transcribed later in the New York Times of that day, has a particular meaning if we consider that it mainly talks to the necessity to reduce historical inequalities between the Black community and the rest of the American population, while for the first time, the USA voters might elect an African American president.

The American History and its Weaknesses, Heart of the Speech
1. The Paradox of a Nation Built on Ideals of Freedom
2. Behind the Glory of Freedom, the Sin of Slavery
3. From Abolition to Civil Rights, a Long Way Against the Discriminations
A History that Explains Most of the Current Inequalities
1. Years after the Segregated Schools, Education Keeps Inequalities
2. Long Legalized Discriminations, the Explanation of Current Economic Inequalities
3. Communities Forgotten by the Public Authorities, the Reason of Many Revolts
Despite the Mistakes of the Past, the Necessity to Build a Different Future
1. Overcoming the Past Rather than Staying Locked in it
2. The History Justifies the Social Program
3. A Justified Candidature

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[...] Here again, the present disparities are then a continuation of what was observed in the past, and the state has the duty to solve it, as the only way to build a national united community. Despite the mistakes of the past, the necessity to build a different future Overcoming the past rather than staying locked in it Having talked about the past, and especially about its weaknesses, during several minutes, Obama however suggests his audience to not only apologize it, but to try to remember it for building the future, while he calls for "embracing the burdens of our past without becoming victims of our past". [...]

[...] History also explains why education still the same quality in schools does not have welcoming African Americans, why there is an economical gap between families and why many districts still do not have the same access to public services. By putting the history at the heart of his speech, the candidate to presidency Barack Obama is aware he will call the attention of many Americans who respect their national history, and particularly of the African American community that has suffered for long. However, if the history justifies his social program, it does not mean that Barack Obama does not want to address all American. [...]

[...] The history is long and takes time but the future is full of opportunities; we can reasonably hope that, after the success story of Barack Obama, future historical events will continue reducing the inequalities between communities in the USA - and the World. [...]

[...] The call for unity is also at the heart of his speech, as anyway Obama will need all voters to win the election. After two terms of Obama administration, not everything has been solved. Racism and discriminations remain, as the George Floyd affair reminds us. But the "Black Lives Matter" movement also shows that people are getting more and more involved in the change they want to see. And the USA have definitely sent a signal to the world after electing and reelecting a Black president. [...]

[...] The past and the present are put together on his sentences when he explains that "segregated schools were and are inferior schools", insisting that "we still haven't fixed them years after Brown v. Board of Education". According to Barack Obama, even if there are no more schools for White and schools for Black people like in the past, the education actually continues to not hold the same quality in the schools with an important African American community. By mentioning the Brown v. [...]

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