- Why do think Southern racist politicians chose to frame their defense of racial segregation through the language of “law and order”? What special advantages was this choice of words going to give them?
As M. Alexander states, “The rhetoric of “law and order” was first mobilized in the late 1950s as Southern governors and law enforcement officials attempted to generate and mobilize white oppositions to the Civil Rights Movement”. This meaning the language of law and order allowed them to present segregation as a legal and necessary aspect of society. Also, to pass discriminatory laws and policies that enforced racial segregation. In the passage it states, ” some segregationists went further, insisting that integration causes crime, citing lower crimes rates in Southern states as evidence that segregation was necessary”.
- Do you think the Southern Strategy is still influencing American politics? Give an example supporting your answer.
The Southern Strategy wanted to gain support of the southern united states in the 1960s because it appealed to white conservative voters. I believe Southern strategy is still influencing American politics through the Republican Party’s use and emphasis on social issues like abortion and same-sex marriage. They tend to be more significant to conservative voters in the South than in other regions.
