The constraints described in "The Invisible Man" imply we live in a
country that is divided by race, ethnicity, religion and class (prejudices
towards differences). A person's life is then heavily shaped around these
perimeters. Some in the minority unfortunately try to deny these barriers to
entry of the American elite by ignoring warnings and repressing past and present
disparities and replacing them with hope. This behavior is brought forth by the
natural defiance of a human to not be made believe that he is inferior, and from
the confusion between the meanings of the laws of desegregation and social
integration. The story of the Invisible Man describes the hardship and reality
this path leads an African American, and in reality to many Minority-Americans.
The first thing our reading points out is how divided Americans are and the
reasons. The most basic fact is that the majority of American citizens are white
of European ancestry. As in any other country, the majority rules. In this
country the majority also enjoys the contributions of their minority (from
slaves to modern sweat shops, to the front lines of war, music, sports, etc). To
keep receiving these benefits laws are set that enable for such activities to
occur. Americans will bend over backwards when some economic or political
interest is made relevant to them (WTO's real intentions for example). However,
it is taboo for a white person to assimilate into a minority culture making
minorities non-American. Since 1607 whites have been melting together and have
homogenized the American way of life. The laws for the American way of life
place the Northern Europeans on the top with all other whites under them, then
all other minorities and last the black man. This can be seen throughout all of
our business and political establishments. Minorities are still urged to give it
their best, but their best in never respected. Even when blacks or other
minorities make it into political positions of prestige, they must always watch
their backs and be careful not to be discharged for not conforming. If
minorities, especially blacks, do decide to conform, whites ridicule them
further. They are not treated with the same comradery or given access to
memberships of facilities that foster the most successful of Americans. They are
psychologically abused by being made feel that they are doing the right thing
but not good enough. Examples of achievements by other blacks are hung before
them. But when they make it, they realize that there is nothing for them. All
other races also ridicule the conformant. They label him a sell out and a
hypocrite. The African-American is then put into a no-win situation. Unlike
other minorities blacks born in America do not have a culture to fall back on,
be proud of, and call their own. There is a missing link between the African and
the black born in America. White Americans do not have a culture, but they
pretend to have one by flaunting their power, money and possessions. The African
American was denied the practice his own African culture during the time
Africans first arrived in this country. Then there were hundreds of years of
attempts to assimilate into the American culture, which increasingly burned the
bridge to Africa. Today they are told that they do not have a culture unless
poverty is considered one, or that what they do practice is not a socially
acceptable culture (by whites of course). This leaves blacks in America nowhere.
All blacks in America have to call their own is the horrifying memories of their
ancestors within the last three hundred years. All they have to look forward to
is the continual destruction of their race in America. In the end, the black
middle class is made to feel invisible, as if they do not exist. And the poor
black class is looked at as the enemy of our America. Our forefathers tried to
warn blacks, but the passages of the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments have
confused many into thinking that whites do want to assimilate ( just not all of
them). Unfortunately there is a misconception about these laws. These laws are
desegregation laws, not social integration laws. But because they did not say,
they were viewed as the ticket to being American. But recent hate crimes tell
the truth. Many whites today do not consider themselves racist. They feel that
they are equal and fair. But they are blind. Their upbringing has systematically
taught them that they have unspoken privileges and that they must always protect
them. Until they are willing to admit that they are racist and that they must do
something, the equal distribution of power to all races and ethnicity's will not
occur. The United States tells the world it stands for freedom and equality. But
we know that the unspoken truth is that their will always be a barriers to
education, access to capital and economic freedom for blacks and minorities.