1. Draft: How can America ever make up for the betrayal of black lives? They have been enslaved, mistreated, and many other things since the beginning of this country’s time. The HR 40 has a start to what could be done. The HR 40 bill is the “the Commission to Study Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act. (Coates)”  This is just the thought of reparations, not the action until it is settled on what to do exactly. This is a fantastic idea; studying the idea of reparations towards black people could help build this country better and take responsibility for their actions. But, as Coates explains in “The Case for Reparations”, “HR 40 has never…made it to the House floor suggests our concerns are rooted not in the impracticality of reparations but something more existential. (Coates)” What does this say about America? Our government is refusing the idea of restoring what has happened to black people in our own country. This is the definition of white supremacy being upheld in this country. There is nothing that can be done to be forgiven for all things done, but at least looking at how to begin, could be a good start for this country. This is not seen, sadly, and our country continues to be ignorant.
  2. Revised: How can America ever make up for the betrayal of black lives? They have been enslaved, mistreated by authority, looked at as lesser humans, and that is just a start to how black people have been mistreated in America. The HR 40 has a start to what could be done. The HR 40 bill is the “the Commission to Study Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act. (Coates)”  This is just the thought of reparations, not the action until it is settled on what to do exactly. This is a fantastic idea; studying the idea of reparations towards black people could help build this country better and take responsibility for their actions. By accepting these reparations, we could pay those affected by slavery and much more, money that they deserve. This will never make up for what has been done, but it would be growth for America. Instead, as Coates explains in “The Case for Reparations”, “HR 40 has never…made it to the House floor suggests our concerns are rooted not in the impracticality of reparations but something more existential” (Coates). What does this say about America? Our government is refusing the idea of restoring what has happened to black people in our own country. This is the definition of white supremacy being upheld in this country. There is nothing that can be done to be forgiven for all things done, but at least looking at how to begin, could be a good start for this country. This is not seen, sadly, and our country continues to be ignorant.
  3. Draft: As we have seen that many in America have fixed mindsets, that does not mean that underprivileged black people show the same. For any given situation, black people have to work at least 2 times as hard to get the same credit. Coates uses a specific example that can be generalized to others. As we all know, Barack Obama was our first non-white president. Although he was the president, this doesn’t mean he already had the privilege or has as much privilege as others. The telling sign is the children of the Obamas vs. the Bushes. Coates explains “Whatever the Obama children achieve, it will be evidence of their family’s singular perseverance, not of broad equality.” The Obama’s have achieved everything by working a lot harder than everyone else. Yes, their children have more privilege than most, but not compared to the Bush children’s ongoing privilege. Even in the most respected position, the white privilege is obvious. We can relate this to how The Obama’s and many other minority families have a growth mindset. Not saying all,  but a lot do because of all of the challenges faced. According to Dweck, a growth mindset is when people “understood that their abilities could be developed” (Dweck). This means that someone with a growth mindset won’t shy away from a challenge, but welcome it. To me, that’s exactly what the Obama’s did by becoming the first non-white people as the leaders of our country.
  4. Revised: As we have seen, many in America have fixed mindsets. which does not mean that underprivileged black people show the same. For any given situation, black people have to work at least 2 times as hard to get the same credit. Coates uses a specific example that can be generalized to others. As we all know, Barack Obama was our first non-white president. Although he was the president, this doesn’t mean he already had the privilege or has as much privilege as others. The telling sign is the children of the Obamas vs. the Bushes. Coates explains “Whatever the Obama children achieve, it will be evidence of their family’s singular perseverance, not of broad equality.” The Obama’s have achieved everything by working a lot harder than everyone else. Yes, their children have more privilege than most, but not compared to the Bush children’s ongoing privilege. Even in the most respected position, the white privilege is obvious. We can relate this to how The Obama’s and many other minority families have a growth mindset. Not saying all,  but a lot do because of all of the challenges faced. According to Dweck, a growth mindset is when people “understood that their abilities could be developed” (Dweck). This means that someone with a growth mindset won’t shy away from a challenge, but welcome it. To me, that’s exactly what the Obama’s did by becoming the first non-white people as the leaders of our country. It is also what many black citizens have done in their lives even with all the odds against them. Even without a say, they have fought to have their minds heard and the progress has come a long way through the growth mindsets that they have shown.