Politics Of Respectability

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The politics of moderation and politics of respectability are two interesting notions, because they highlight the ways in which both Black and White people attempt to address political/social issues. The politics of moderation is a concept adopted by Whites (specifically in Greensboro), enacted in attempts to avoid conflict over political issues; many White progressives felt that in order to move forward with issues, there must be a total consensus between both Whites and Blacks. By pretending that Greensboro, North Carolina was more moderate on issues of race and equality, progressives could push forth a political agenda which ultimately strained racial justice. This agenda was mainly aimed at people outside of Greensboro; by convincing others …show more content…
The politics of respectability is an ideology widely adopted by Blacks which was based on the notion that racial equality could only be attained if Black people could successfully prove that they are worthy of equality and respect. Ultimately, the politics of respectability requires Black people to behave in ways which would elicit respect and sympathy from peers of other races. Unlike the politics of moderation, respectability politics were adopted and enforced by Black people. Although, these guidelines are set in hopes of advancing the Black community, they ultimately work to hinder race relations and create tensions within the Black …show more content…
While the politics of moderation hinders advancement on racial policies and issues, the politics of respectability places the burden of fixing these issues on the Black community. Both policies skew the conversation on racial issues – the politics of moderation silences the Black communities’ viewpoints on issues by requiring total consensus on issues which does not stimulate meaningful action. On the other hand, the politics of respectability places the burden of improving the Black communities’ condition on the shoulders of Black people; the reason this ruins conversation on racial issues is because it completely ignores the impact of systematic policies which disadvantage the Black community. One difference between the two politics is that while the politics of moderation explicitly works in favor of Whites, the politics of respectability implicitly absolve White people of any Blame for current race relations and ultimately benefits the agenda of White
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