As I sat in my 2nd period class- AP English Lit- I was thinking about what Miss Hill asked us.
"Is war the only way to fix a WORLD WIDE issue?". We were discussing speeches made by W. Churchill and by Ghandi. Churchill being the "warhog" and Ghandi (of course) the "nonviolent".
I swiftly made up my mind, YES. War fixes the world's problem. Look at the American Revolution, the Civil War, and many of the numerous of wars during the 1900s- all those wars eventually served as a greater good. Right?
However, what we too are in the middle of, in that AP class, is a novel by Richard Wright, "Native Son". "Native Son" deals with the life of Bigger Thomas, a young black male whom does not know how to deal with the fact that (during the early 20th cent.) as a black person, he WAS considered as unequal.
This of course brings me to the Harlem Renaissance, and this is what truly made my mind change. no, war is not ALWAYS the answer. I'd actually argue, that 9 out of 10 times, war IS inevitable.
The Harlem Renaissance was not merely a "renewal of life" (dicitonary.com) for the Negroes and other minorities of America, goodness, it was a movement which shifted- or began it's way towards shifting- an entire nation's identity Black and White, together. Yet, the weapons which allowed this shifting to take place, were NOT weapons of physical destruction such as: guns, tanks, ships, planes, bullet, and such. The Generals and Lt.s of this emotional war- that is the people whom fought against an enemy- Langston Hughes, Billie Holiday, Abel Meeropod, Richard Wright, etc., fought with their intangible ammunition.
A civil war had already been fought in order to "free America of slavery, and racial prejudice" (as much of Americans would say), but in the end, it was not a war with an eventual greater good ending. The Civil War (1860s) is today considered a war, by many historians and myself, which was about state's rights (North v South), power and greed. NOT FOR THE MORALITY OF SLAVERY. (Moreover, that war was what sparked the high emotions in a people who killed one of America's most promising President, Lincoln). Though the conclusion of the war did leave the South economically, emotionally, and politically shattered, and thus the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments were made law. Which abolished slavery, gave the freedmen and freedwomen citizenship, and granted the male freedmen the right to vote.
The overall effect of those amendments were (I hesitantly say this, but whole-heartedly believe it), worhtless. The government, the Constitution can "change" the way America behaves politically, and economically. (Yet, the Jim Crow South and Black Codes enacted to continue the oppression even after those amendments) However, the government CAN NOT control or "change" the way America behaves, psychologically/emotionally. (in the mind of a white supremist)- just becuz my govinmnt saiz I can not enslave them negroes, that dont mean I have to view dem as equal, either! (Ughh, forgive me I sometimes fall victim to stereotyping as well, I AM HUMAN TOO!).
As I was saying, the Government can only control the tangibles in one's life: money, laws one follows, and things in like fashion. Yet, no government can ever make one not be racist- it could enact anti-racist legislature, but passion to hate will always find it's way around through loop-holes.
Thus, the individuals of the Harlem Renaissance had to be innovative in order for their voices to not only be heard, but to be followed. Another war, physical, would not solve anything, two wars do not make a right. Hence, the novels, poems, songs, and art that came out of that most paramount event in American History.
The Harlem Renaissance is a perfect example of why sometimes, war is simply not the answer and only adds fuel to the fire. Langstog Hughes, among many, took the mighty pen in hand and proved that a sword is but a mere sign of weakness and tyrancy. For if one wishes to change or "swift" a part of the world, the most powerful weapons are the ones which come from with in.
I wrote an essay on this topic, well more about the Harlem Renaissance, will post later.
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