1. 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?

Due to the changes brought on by the Civil Rights movement, the dismantling of Kim Crow, BLack Codes, and segregation laws there needed to be another method where racism could still exist whilst being discreet. Southern politicians created “Law and Order” so they can keep their racist agenda socially acceptable. “Proponents of racial hierarchy found they could install a new racial caste system without violating the law or the new limits of acceptable political discourse, by demanding “law and order” rather than “segregation forever”. One interesting advantage I noted was that President Nixon took advantage of this new coined term to the point where he had made “seventeen speeches solely to the topic of law and order”. Though one of his speeches don’t include racist remarks. “it is time for an honest look at the problem of order in the United States. Let us recognize that the first right of every AMerican is to be free from domestic violence”. Labelling those who are at “fault” for the violence terrorist. Nixon himself admits that in that speech it “hit rights on the nose. It’s all about those damn Negro-Puerto Rican groups out there”.

1. Do you think the Southern Strategy is still influencing American politics? Give an example supporting your answer.

The Southern Strategy is still very much utilized in today’s politics. The most recent form of it that I can think of was during the Donald Trump Presidency. President Trump never addressed the major issue surrounding the increase of police brutality felt by the Black community. Instead he would say things such as “more white people” are killed by police than Black people.” When asked about the how people still want to wave the confederate flag though it is deemed racist he responded ” “Well, people love it, and I know people that like the Confederate flag, and they’re not thinking about slavery,” Trump said when asked whether he understood the pain it caused people because of its association with slavery.”

Site used https://www.npr.org/sections/live-updates-protests-for-racial-justice/2020/07/14/891144579/trump-says-more-white-people-killed-by-police-violence-than-blacks