Talking Points #7

Charles Lawrence: "'One More River to Cross' - Recognizing the Real Injury in Brown: A Prerequisite to Shaping New Remedies"

Premise:

~ Brown vs. Board of Education
~ children
~ America
~ struggle
~ equality
~ segregation
~ desegregation
~ race
~ Blacks
~ 14th amendment
~ school
~ labeling
~ Northern vs. Southern
~ rights
~ separation

Argument:

Lawrence argues that the Brown vs. Board of Education was a failure in the way that segregation still exists in schools today. According to Lawrence, he believes that this trial was just a "band aide on a broken leg".

Evidence:

1. "Out enslaved forbears recognized that the white masters would not easily give up their preferred position, and that the struggle for freedom would not end quickly. There would be no final victory in their lifetimes. Each step forward was just that, a step. There would always be 'one more river to cross'." (53)

2. "If one views the Brown case narrowly, ... , history has proven it a clear failure." (53)

3. "The Court's failure to recognize and articulate the true nature of racial segregation was more the product of an intentional, knowledgable decision than the result of any inability to comprehend. This intentional misunderstanding had its roots in Brown, and has jusicial, political, and social attitudes which are crucial to Blacks today." (54)

4. "The Court's refusal to recognize and articulate the real nature of segregation in Brown and its progeny has fostered an attitude and approach to the elimination of segregation that necessarily be unsuccessful." (58)

5. "... unless we being by being clear about the direction of the far shore, the depth, speed of current, and the physical properties of the water, we will never reach the other side." (65)

Other Stuff:

I found this article extremely difficult to read. I had a lot of trouble staying focused. I feel as if maybe he could have worked it out in a more reader-friendly way. I know this is impossible because he is a lawyer. On the other hand, this reminds me of my political science class. We are talking about civil rights with Martin Luther King and making our way into segregation. One of the books we had to buy was "Brown vs. Board of Education". That is our next book. I am really hoping our class discussion will help me to understand a little bit more about this article and clarify whether or not I am on the right track with my argument.