"Open Letter" - My View

  The lack of enforcement protecting the adopted Amendments and all citizens covered by them since the Civil War ended was the main issue during the last quarter of the 19th century. With violence and discrimination running rampant throughout the south during that time African Americans were forced to stand up for their newly acquired rights. As stated in the "Open Letter to Pres. Mckinley" By the Colored People of Massachusetts, "the Colored National League (CNL) arose to combat the discrimination and violence against freed slaves" (44). The CPM state, "we ask for the enjoyment of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness equally with other men" (45). The plea and argument which was so righteously bestowed upon President Mckinley for his viewing pleasure pointed out several malicious acts carried out by local mobs against helpless black individuals and how they were strategically ignored. This brings light to how society was during that time and how the effects of racial discrimination stemmed even to the top of the executive branch.

  Civil equality seemed like nothing but a dream to those suppressed by their white counterparts, but the willingness to fight for those rights and the hope that future generations can benefit from these efforts is what motivated organization such as The Colored People of Massachusetts. The CPM expressed that even after all the barbaric tactics had been done by mods across the south specifically, they still somehow had faith that these issue will be addressed at the state of the union. However, as stated by the CPM, "But not one word did your message contain on this subject, although it discussed all sorts and conditions of subjects" (48). Also, the facts that Pres, Mckinley and the rest of the Legislative branch supported the act on liberating Cubans during the Cuban Revolution, but did not act on a similar conflict back home in the south were the issue at hand were effecting African Americans was argued as well. The CPM did state and argue that the President "wished to terminate and did terminate" (51) the Spanish influence on Cuba with Federal forces, but did not see the actions in the south as "injurious and menacing to our interests and tranquility, as well as shocking to our sentiments of humanity" (51). This information clearly states as evidence that Pres. Mckinley and the Legislative branch did contradict themselves to an extent based off of what the Amendments stood for and why the constitution was in place. 

  The Legislative, Judicial, and of course the Executive Branches all should have imposed their power to enforce the laws that passed through the system. The same federal military forces that handled the Cuban liberation instead should have been mobilized for domestic purposes in the south to establish security and fortify the proper insertion of the current laws for all American Citizens. The prejudice sprinkled throughout each branch should have been overruled by the constitution which does not see color, but an individual born of this opportunistic soil who should enjoy all rights equally with his or her fellow man. The change in mindset of an already established by a politically white post Civil War generation would not change in any scenario, but having laws passed during the reconstruction era acknowledging African Americans as citizens was the seed that will eventually grant the future generations their rightful place amongst equal Civil Rights.        

  

  Work Citation: 

The Colored People of Massachusetts. "Open Letter to President Mckinley" Mercury Reader. Boston,
   MA: Pearson Learning Solutions. 2012. Pg. 44-51.