Racism and Its Effects

The essay will quotes from James Baldwin book, The Fire Next Time. It will look into close interrelationship between both individual/personal and larger social/historical factors shaping racial identity in the United States. At the individual/personal level the essay talks about Baldwin's personal experiences and families experiences. At the social/ historical level the essay talks about effects for WWII, roles of whites in society, Nation of Islam in society, his views on current society, changes occurring in boy and girls, and Christianity historical role. The essay also looks at the interrelationship between the ghetto and the individual, between black and white community, and between Baldwin and the church.

Baldwin's personal experiences show how it feels to be the oppressed. Baldwin's was told "Why don't you niggers stay uptown where you belong?" This was the humiliation that Baldwin had to go through in his youth. He was also frisked by two police officers, and they made comic remarks about him. The officers were talking about his "Ancestry and probable sexual prowess." Then they left him in a Harlem's empty lot, flat on his back. He says their is nothing that can be done to change ones situation. This was the abuse black workers, and young black kids had to go through. Imagine being the black kid on the street during this time period. This made him feel he can't get any where in his life. This type of oppression can harm anyone having to go through it everyday. Baldwin says "A gimmick, to lift him out, to start him on his way." His wanted to get way from these types of situation; he said he needs a gimmick, something to get his mind away from white oppression. He tried to find his capabilities but he almost had none. He didn't even try to decide to write because of the conditions he grew up in. He decides to join the church, starts his career their. Also his other reason to turn towards the church is because his father said he might turn out to be like the people on avenue. He refers to the avenue as where whores, pimps, and racketeers live.

His family also had their own fair share of personal experiences being oppressed for being black. Baldwin writes "He was defeated long before he died." The reason his grand father was defeated before he died is because he believed what white people called him "nigger." He says to his nephew making him realize that he can be anything he wants but never be oppressed by others. If he becomes oppressed then he will lose all hope, and think what white people want him to think about himself. Baldwin says "This is one of the reasons that he became holy." He is means, his grandfather turned holy because he was trying to get way from oppression. Baldwin writes "My best friend in high school was a Jew." When he brought his friend home his father asked Baldwin "Is he a Christian." Baldwin said "No. He is Jewish." His father smacked him across the face. He thinks of the oppression the Jews have to go through in Germany. Here it seems as he is trying to compare his own experience with the Jews in Germany. Then he answers to his dad "He's a better Christian than you are." He is giving his dad this treatment for not understanding him.

In his book Baldwin talks about what happened to the black community when world war two started. Baldwin says "Many of my friends fled into service." His explanation is, during this time their were lots of problems effecting the black community. One of the problems was pistol fights and knife fights taking place on the avenue. Children were being born into this danger, and robbers were being taken away to jail. Baldwin says "Crime became....not as a possibility but as the possibility." Even the rich black folk's knew only way to be successful is to have a gun. Negros knew they were going to be hurt by the police, so they had to use the power of the bullet. Baldwin says "Only the fear of your power to retaliate would cause them to do that." He means, if a black person wanted to be treated fairly. Then he would have to use the gun against to police to be treated fairly. Baldwin says "There appears to be a vast amount of confusion on this point." He is saying some Negros don't know if they want to be accepted by the white people or not. Only thing the black people want is not to be beaten by the whites every day. This sort of problem leads the black men wanting to grab the gun to stop the oppression that the white men are inflicting.

Baldwin also looks into the role of the whites in the society. Baldwin says "White people hold to power, which means that they are superior to blacks." For the reason white people hold power, the black people have to prepare their children to be good. The children have to learn to be good because their is white people waiting to crush the black people dreams. Baldwin says "Most of mankind is not all of mankind." He means, not all white people are looking forward to oppress the black people. There are some that are willing to help, he himself had white friends. Baldwin says "The crime of which I accuse my country and my countrymen." The white people have caused a great deal of damage. They have destroyed hundreds of thousands of lives. The white people don't know, and the worst thing is they don't want to know. This is the reason why white people are not looked up to by the blacks.

He also refers the white men as the devil. He accuses the white people of using tricknology to prevent black men from hearing the truth. Baldwin says "Truth is....there was not one white face to be found... black men ruled the earth." In the past black men used to rule the earth, their were no white men. The white scientists are trying to hide this fact by using science called phrenology and much more. He also talks about when the white man came to Africa. The white men brought the Bible, and the African had the land. The white men were so ruthless in Africa, made the African give up their land. Baldwin says "The African who is still attempting to digest or to vomit up the bible." This is extremely absurd; the white people are forcing the Africans of their own land, and then forcing them to practice a religion that they don't want to follow. Baldwin also says "What whites do not know about negros reveals...what they do not know about themselves." He is saying their are lots of things white people don't know about. The white men need an outside eye to tell them the truth. White men accuse the blacks of being over sexed and lazy. The reality is they are also that way themselves, they just haven't realized it.

Later in his book Baldwin starts to talk about Nation of Islam in the society. Baldwin says "Then two things caused me to begin to listen." He means, their were two reasons he started listening to the advocate of Nation of Islam. One was the behavior of the police. Baldwin had seen when a large crowd of black people get together they are always dispersed by the police. When the African Americans from Nation of Islam spoke nothing was done by the police to break the crowds. Baldwin explanation for this was "Because they were afraid." The reason the white police men were scared because they knew these men will attack if some thing was done to stop them. The second thing that got Baldwin's attention was the crowd was very quiet. The reason the crowd was quiet was because the crowd wanted a different approach to fight the white power. These men from Nation of Islam were giving approaches that will give them quick results. Baldwin says "Why were they hearing it now?" The reason Nation of Islam was able to do what the projects and playgrounds had failed to do. They were able to get men off drugs, make sure people come out of prison and stay out. Were able to make men chaste, and women virtuous.

Baldwin had his own views on what the current society was, and what it should be. Baldwin says the "White and the black deeply need each other if we are really to become a nation." He is referring to the Nazi party in United States and Nation of Islam. They both wanted different economies. They wanted separate things for the white, and the blacks. He is saying both race can't just go into separate ways. They both need to work together if humanity wants to rise. Baldwin says "Color is not human or a personal reality; it is a political reality." He is saying these colors we talk about are not personal, they are meant for larger political society to look at. He says if the society fails to create awareness about the races that exist, their will be consequences. Baldwin says "No more water, fire next time."

When Baldwin was little their were few changes he was noticing in girls and boys of his age. The girls didn't want to become like the people on the avenue. The only way they could do this, was by binding the guys into a marriage. Baldwin says "We were the only protection there was." This type of change led guys to drop out of the school, and get real jobs. The problem occurred when they went out for work; they were readily oppressed by the white people. Baldwin says "One did not have to be very bright to realize how little one could do to change one's situation." Their was not a lot of things these young men could do. They readily drank whiskey to cope with the problems, and were unable to talk about the things oppressing them.

The historical role of Christianity shows what the white race has perceived, and forgotten about the black race. Baldwin says "For white people, were the descendants of ham." The reason they believed in god because they feared god. The Christians have forgotten that Christ was also put to death by Romans. The architect of the first church was a sun baked Jew. This was one of the signs being disregard by the western nations. This shows the black race being account for something in the realm of religion. This needs to be reminded to the white race.

The interrelationship between the ghetto and the individual affects the racial attitudes of people living in the ghetto. Individuals living in the ghetto are in the mind set that they will perish in the ghetto, and they will not become anything. This shows them that they are worthless human being, but in reality they are not. Baldwin says "You were born where you were born and faced the future that you faced because you were black." This spelled out the blacks in the ghettos will not be worth anything; they will be just another worthless human being. From this the people can see how a big social structure can play a huge role in the individual's life shaping and molding them to perish in the ghetto.

The interrelationship between black communities wanting to integrate, while the white communities dismissing the idea. This is called integration; Baldwin is not a big fan of this topic. Baldwin says "There is no reason for you to try to become like white people." People can not just integrate with the white communities because their are less chances of whites being accepted by the black communities. The real terrible thing is, the black communities must accept them. He says people can't just accept them; they have to accept them with open arms, and also showing love to them. Baldwin says "Black men are inferior to white men." This is the reason the white men must be accepted with open arms.

The interrelationship between Baldwin and the church had a very big impact on loss of his faith. Baldwin was very devoted Christian. The reason he gives up religion is because he thinks the church is going in the wrong direction. Baldwin says "It was in a very lucrative business." He felt he was committing a crime telling children in his Sunday school to reconcile to the misery on the earth. He was very furious with the fact the ministers were acquiring houses and Cadillac's, while faithful people were scrubbing floors. When Baldwin saw this, he lost his faith in what he was doing, and looked in the other direction for a new sign.

The essay looked into three main categories. They are individual/personal, social/historical, and interrelationships. They had their own sub categories that were also talked about. From the essay people can learn about racial identity, and how it affects the black community. Their were oppressors, and the oppressed. The oppressor was always the superior one, while the oppressed were inferior one.

WORKS CITED

Baldwin, James . The Fire Next Time . 1st. New York : Vintage Books , 1993. 106. Print.