CLAIMSMAKING
What is the definition of a social problem? According to Joel Best, a social problem is anything that takes place within a society that is considered an issue and affects people as a whole. It isn’t recognized as a problem unless society feels the need to acknowledge it as one. Therefore, it is a condition that harms society that must be acknowledged in order to be an issue. As I began to research what I wanted to do my paper over, I reflected on the multitudes of things happening in the United States of America. There were several issues I felt I could have talked about such as the war on terror, degrading view on women and even job discrimination, however, I decided to write my paper on police brutality amongst minorities. I chose to do my topic on police brutality because there has been a multitude of killings and beatings that have been taking place lately and for the most part there hasn’t been any consequences or repercussions for those abusing their power. Granted if someone breaks the law they definitely deserve to be punished but when “excessive” force is being used, the line of plausible correction has been crossed. This is considered moral rhetoric. Rhetoric is anything that can be used to provide justification as to why something is a social problem. Therefore, one of the biggest forms of rhetoric that can be used is the law. When Philando Castile was shot four times at point blank range by a cop after he was getting his open carry license, he wasn’t being disobedient to the cop. He was obliging to what he was told and his life was wrongfully taken. Afterwards the cop wasn’t charged with any criminal act but merely acquitted. Therefore, morally this is completely unjust and detestable. Religion can also be used as rhetoric because the Bible talks about loving thy neighbor as thyself and not murdering people. …show more content…
However, this isn’t new to society only because police brutality spans from the roots of cultural oppression which is racism. Racism has been a social problem that has wreaked havoc on the entire world for many years. Specifically, if we want to talk about the United States, racism has affected this country for over 400 years. This all began with slavery. However, I didn’t want to start with slavery for this particular paper. I figured talking about slavery would only focus more on the direct racism that slaves felt back then. Though policing was quite relevant back then I wanted to fast forward and talk about things that have happened within the last century to prove my claim that police brutality is a social problem that needs to be corrected. When it comes to the time period in which I felt police brutality first took a major effect, I would have to say the 1920’s. The 1920’s was considered to be one of the most extravagant times in United States history. The Harlem Renaissance had just started, businesses were skyrocketing out of nowhere, fashion was becoming a very big deal and a new era of music was being introduced. Even though all these great things were occurring throughout the country discrimination and violence was still occurring regularly. The city of Tulsa, Oklahoma was really benefitting from the renaissance and many business owners were beginning to settle in. However, these weren’t just white business owners, these were black business owners as well. As a matter-a-fact Tulsa is known for the most renown “Black Wall Street”. During the summer of 1921, the Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma, which was known as Black Wall Street, was utterly destroyed by a multitude of race riots because a white woman accused a black man of sexually assaulting her in an elevator. …show more content…
As sickening as this was, the Tulsa Race Riots were not the only race riots that affected African American communities. During the Red Summer of 1919 many people of color lost their lives all over the united states, especially in Chicago, Washington D.C., and Elaine, Arkansas (Lewis, 1). It was as if the nation declared an all-out war on black people and therefore it looked as if mini genocides were occurring across the country. Therefore, with all the violence taking place a changed needed to happen as soon as possible. The first people that started really making claims about police brutality were the
What is the definition of a social problem? According to Joel Best, a social problem is anything that takes place within a society that is considered an issue and affects people as a whole. It isn’t recognized as a problem unless society feels the need to acknowledge it as one. Therefore, it is a condition that harms society that must be acknowledged in order to be an issue. As I began to research what I wanted to do my paper over, I reflected on the multitudes of things happening in the United States of America. There were several issues I felt I could have talked about such as the war on terror, degrading view on women and even job discrimination, however, I decided to write my paper on police brutality amongst minorities. I chose to do my topic on police brutality because there has been a multitude of killings and beatings that have been taking place lately and for the most part there hasn’t been any consequences or repercussions for those abusing their power. Granted if someone breaks the law they definitely deserve to be punished but when “excessive” force is being used, the line of plausible correction has been crossed. This is considered moral rhetoric. Rhetoric is anything that can be used to provide justification as to why something is a social problem. Therefore, one of the biggest forms of rhetoric that can be used is the law. When Philando Castile was shot four times at point blank range by a cop after he was getting his open carry license, he wasn’t being disobedient to the cop. He was obliging to what he was told and his life was wrongfully taken. Afterwards the cop wasn’t charged with any criminal act but merely acquitted. Therefore, morally this is completely unjust and detestable. Religion can also be used as rhetoric because the Bible talks about loving thy neighbor as thyself and not murdering people. …show more content…
However, this isn’t new to society only because police brutality spans from the roots of cultural oppression which is racism. Racism has been a social problem that has wreaked havoc on the entire world for many years. Specifically, if we want to talk about the United States, racism has affected this country for over 400 years. This all began with slavery. However, I didn’t want to start with slavery for this particular paper. I figured talking about slavery would only focus more on the direct racism that slaves felt back then. Though policing was quite relevant back then I wanted to fast forward and talk about things that have happened within the last century to prove my claim that police brutality is a social problem that needs to be corrected. When it comes to the time period in which I felt police brutality first took a major effect, I would have to say the 1920’s. The 1920’s was considered to be one of the most extravagant times in United States history. The Harlem Renaissance had just started, businesses were skyrocketing out of nowhere, fashion was becoming a very big deal and a new era of music was being introduced. Even though all these great things were occurring throughout the country discrimination and violence was still occurring regularly. The city of Tulsa, Oklahoma was really benefitting from the renaissance and many business owners were beginning to settle in. However, these weren’t just white business owners, these were black business owners as well. As a matter-a-fact Tulsa is known for the most renown “Black Wall Street”. During the summer of 1921, the Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma, which was known as Black Wall Street, was utterly destroyed by a multitude of race riots because a white woman accused a black man of sexually assaulting her in an elevator. …show more content…
As sickening as this was, the Tulsa Race Riots were not the only race riots that affected African American communities. During the Red Summer of 1919 many people of color lost their lives all over the united states, especially in Chicago, Washington D.C., and Elaine, Arkansas (Lewis, 1). It was as if the nation declared an all-out war on black people and therefore it looked as if mini genocides were occurring across the country. Therefore, with all the violence taking place a changed needed to happen as soon as possible. The first people that started really making claims about police brutality were the