chapter 13
Describing Nonwhites as Unfit for Freedom as a Technology of White Racist Rule
Introduction to Doctrines of Discovery and Terra Nullius
The apologists who defended conquest articulated the doctrine of discovery and the principle of terra nullius, which implied that the lands of the Americas were uninhabited. However, these individuals were aware of Indigenous inhabitants and frequently addressed them, but they portrayed Indigenous peoples as unfit for inclusion in what they termed civilized humanity. This perspective facilitated the justification of conquest and control over these territories by European powers.
Enlightenment Thinkers and Racial Domination
Immanuel Kant
Kant, a pivotal figure in Western moral philosophy, argued that Indigenous peoples of the Americas were incapable of education. He posited a hierarchy of educability, suggesting that while Blacks might be educable, it would only be in the capacity of servitude.
G.W.F. Hegel
Hegel claimed that Black individuals were devoid of moral capacity and rational thought, indicating they lacked the ability for ethical consideration. He framed colonialism and slavery not as acts of European aggression, but as benevolent acts that endowed Africans with order and morality.
John Locke
Locke propagated beliefs that were deeply racist, suggesting that African women had given birth to children with apes, rendering them less than fully human. He argued that while slaves could take their lives if they found slavery unbearable, they possessed no right to revolt against their conditions. He advised his acquaintances that they should remain indifferent to the misfortunes of others, encapsulating a philosophy of inhumanity towards the suffering of Black individuals.
Justifying Racial Subordination
The sustained justification of racial subordination through claims of Black unfitness for freedom has been foundational in upholding the possessive investment in whiteness. In a notable ruling, Justice Taney dismissed the implications of economic dependency on Black oppression, arguing instead that Blacks’ inherent inferiority mandated their exclusion from rights.
Dred Scott and the Civil Rights Act
Justice Taney’s opinions in the Dred Scott case illustrated that the oppression of Blacks was rationalized through assertions of innate inferiority rather than mere economic necessity.
In the context of the 1875 Civil Rights Act, Justice Bradley ignored the systemic racism that necessitated this legislation, claiming that equal rights for Blacks could elevate them disproportionately above whites, thus questioning the fairness of the laws.
Rise of Educational Segregation
Brown v. Board of Education
In the landmark case Brown v. Board I, the U.S. Supreme Court recognized schools as critical in fostering democratic citizenship, ruling that segregation within education violated the constitutional rights of Black children.
Contrastingly, in Brown II, the Court later prioritized white comfort above the constitutional rights awarded to Black individuals, permitting desegregation to occur with "deliberate" speed, which opened pathways for continued segregationist policies.
Subsequent justifications for segregation in schools, particularly in Louisiana, revolved around fictitious narratives painting Black children as diseased and immoral.
Manipulations in Marriage Laws
Following Brown, lawmakers introduced new statutes aimed at inflating statistics of Black common law marriages and out-of-wedlock births under the guise of preserving white morals.
These laws included onerous requirements for marriage licenses, marginalizing working-class Blacks who could ill afford the bureaucratic demands and creating systemic barriers to legitimate unions.
The implementation of these laws reflected an unfair dual system where poor white couples could navigate the bureaucratic hurdles more easily than their Black counterparts, leading to disparities that falsely depicted Black Americans as socially deviant.
The Impact of Welfare and State Policies
Post-Brown state actions in Louisiana, such as removing indigent Blacks from welfare rolls due to alleged immorality, further entrenched narratives of Black dysfunction. Governor Jimmie Davis used these claims to deny welfare to thousands of Black children.
Legislation emerged allowing state officials to deny support based on arbitrary definitions of moral unsuitability for homes with unmarried parents or those previously receiving aid.
Voter Suppression Tactics
Across both Louisiana and Mississippi, systemic efforts culminated as local registrars wielded the ability to disqualify voters based on perceived moral character, continuing a cycle of suppression targeting Black electoral participation.
Local white officials maintained control over racial segregation through ideological fears surrounding shared spaces between Black and white individuals, further encapsulating the fears and prejudices about interracial interactions.
The Continuity of Lies: Historical Excuses for Segregation
The historical narratives constructed to rationalize segregation and white supremacy persist into contemporary contexts, as exemplified by incidents in Ferguson, Missouri. Here, protests against the shooting of an unarmed Black teenager unveiled ongoing policies that categorized Black individuals as deviant, thereby justifying systemic repression and neglect.
Conclusion
The examination of these practices reveals an enduring mechanism of racial subordination that remains entwined with the economic and social fabric of society. The legacy of these perceptions continues to influence policies and societal attitudes, perpetuating cycles of inequality.