1. Southern Politicians used the justification of maintaining “Law and Order” in order to mask their racism in neutral and legalistic language. After the civil rights victories of the 50s and 60s, overtly racist language wasn’t publicly acceptable. Rather than risking their careers southern politicians decided to rebrand resistance to civil rights as a fight against “Crime,” “Anarchy,” and “Lawlessness.” This gave the politicians plausible deniability, they could claim to be protecting communities from crime and drug abuse instead of their true goal of targeting Black activism. It also gave a broader appeal to those who were uncomfortable with the Civil Rights Movement but weren’t overtly racist, making it sound much more appealing.

2. Yes, the Southern Strategy continues to influence American politics, especially in the use of race-coded language to appeal to white voters’ fears without explicitly mentioning race. The recent use of “Law and Order” in the previous Trump campaigns mirrors this, using reactionary ideology such as the “Cats and Dogs” outrage which hid the targeting of Haitian and Black individuals behind false claims of abuse of beloved household pets.

Comments on Discussion Board 2.2

Hi Mark,

I like how you answered the questions and the examples you gave. Very good work.

Best Regards,

Ronald Hinds

Ronald C Hinds May 31, 2025

POL 100 A0506

Discussion Board 2.2

1. Why do you 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?

They thought that “law and order” was more palatable or politically correct than their previous demand of “segregation forever” and that it was formally “race neutral”. They thought that, by saying law and order, they could use it as a weapon to foist social control over the black population and to continue their defense of racial segregation. This term is still bandied about as a code to fight opposition to their bourgeois rule.

One special advantage was that they think that this choice of words would give them political cover to mask their appetites. One specious argument they voiced was that “law and order” was a call to mobilize the junking of MLK’s philosophy of civil disobedience which, in their warped minds, was a “leading cause of crime”. The law and order rhetoric did not tear down the Jim Crow system but it had an appeal to poor whites who opposed integration and they thought that they should not be ignored. This was another weapon that the southern white racist politicians had in their arsenal.

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

The Southern Strategy still influences politics in America in the form of the “Dog Whistle Effect”; the use of coded language. Some Republicans tout the term, “States Rights” by which they mean leaving states to make decisions without interference from the “meddling” federal government, in Washington, DC. Its use was an appeal, by Ronald Reagan, for the continuation of a policy promulgated by his predecessor, Richard Milhous Nixon. Reagan made a speech at the Neshoba County Fair in Mississippi, at the same site where three (3) young civil rights workers; James Chaney, Michael Schwerner and Andrew Goodman, were murdered during the Freedom Summer of 1964, while registering African Americans to vote.

In 1996, during a campaign speech by Hillary Rodham Clinton, the Democrat First Lady of the United States (FLOTUS), in her support of a crime bill, she evoked a reference to young male offenders as “super predators”. Many suggested that Clinton’s reference was a deliberate dog whistle, for young black offenders.

1)Southern racist politicians used the language of “law and order” because it allowed them to promote their racist ideas without sounding openly racist. After the Civil Rights Movement gained support across the country, it became somewhat less acceptable to be openly racist in public speeches and policies. So instead of directly attacking African Americans, politicians began to use phrases like “law and order” to make it sound like they were simply trying to keep peace and protect communities. This gave them several advantages. First, it helped them gain support from people who might not consider themselves racist, but who were scared of change or upset by protests. It made their message seem neutral or like reasonable, even though it targeted Black communities. Second, it gave them political power by making people feel afraid of crime and more willing to accept harsh laws and policing. By using “law and order,” these politicians could continue segregation and discrimination while pretending they were only trying to stop violence or keep things under control.

2) Yes I do think the Southern Strategy is still influencing American politics today. The Southern Strategy was a plan used by Republican leaders to gain support from white voters in the South by appealing to their fears and racial tensions without using openly racist language. Even though it started decades ago, some of the same ideas and tactics are still used in modern politics. For example, some political campaigns today still focus heavily on fear of crime, strict immigration enforcement, or complaints about “inner city violence.” These messages often suggest that people of color are dangerous or responsible for problems in society, even if they don’t say it directly (some of them). Politicians may talk about “cracking down on crime” or defending the police, especially when there are protests about racial injustice. This shows how the ideas behind the Southern Strategy using coded language to gain support while targeting minorities are still being used to influence public opinion and win elections.

1. Southern politicians used “law and order” because it sounded fair and neutral, but it actually helped them defend segregation without openly saying they were racist. It made their message more acceptable to white voters who might not want to support outright racism but cared about crime and rules. So, it seems as “law and order” became a code to keep racial control while avoiding direct accusations of racism.
2. Yes, I think the Southern Strategy still influences politics today. For example, some politicians use a firm langauge on crime or focus heavily on policing issues. Politicians use ideas that make people feel worried and scared about crime or safety and then offer themselves as the ones who will fix those problems. This can influence people to support them because they want to feel protected and secure.

Southern racist politicians strategically framed their defense of racial segregation using the language of “law and order” in order to disguise their true motives. By avoiding openly racist language and instead emphasizing crime control and public safety, they were able to appeal to a broader audience and make their agenda appear more legitimate. This rhetoric allowed them to distance themselves from an explicitly racist platform while still targeting communities of color through policy. It also helped them rebrand their political movement in a way that felt acceptable to moderate or conservative white voters, particularly after the civil rights movement made open racism less socially acceptable.

I do believe that the Southern Strategy continues to influence American politics today. One clear example is the ongoing use of dog whistle politics coded language that signals racial attitudes without stating them outright. Terms like “urban crime,” “illegal immigration,” or even “welfare reform” are often used to stir racial anxieties without direct reference to race. In Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow, she explains how the War on Drugs was not just about drug use, but about controlling Black and Brown communities through mass incarceration. Policies that claim to be “tough on crime” often result in the over-policing and over-incarceration of people of color, reflecting the same logic used by politicians during the civil rights backlash.

This shows that while the language may have changed, the underlying goal of maintaining racial control through the criminal justice system remains deeply rooted in American political strategy.

1. Southern racist politicians framed their defense of racial segregation by using language of “law and order” in order to “distance themselves from an explicitly racist agenda.” Allowing them to de-stigmatize their movement and garner support. 
2. I do believe the Southern Strategy continues to influence American politics today, particularly through the ongoing use of dog whistles and voter suppression tactics. Michelle Alexander even highlights voter suppression in her article, showing how these strategies disproportionately impact communities of color

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?

The southern politicians decided to frame their arguments for their policies in the form of law and order because outright racism is politically unattractive. In the 1960 election between JFK and Richard Nixon the strategy was to go former southern Democrats to convince them that the policies of civil rights was going to be adverse to their way of life.  A way of life that is left from their remnant of slavery and the continuation of reconstruction era. The phrasing of law order is an ability to whitewash your words so that they come off in a certain way, but truly you mean a completely different thing. This gives you a great advantage because not only can you speak to your main demographic, but you can also speak to those who fall victim to a message.

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

Yes, the southern strategy is still influencing the American political system. A main component of this would be the right leaning states versus left leaning states.  These right leaning states typically tend to be more conservative rural and southern.  Typically with a larger base of a white majority.  I think that the southern strategy to focus on “the silent majority” is a powerful thing because the left seems to be very loud and makes a lot of noise, but doesn’t seem to have much power where the right who’s typically the ones part of this “southern strategy” is typically quiet (until the 2020 and 2024 elections) they had the ability to appeal to the “normal people” of America. 

1. I feel that southern racist politicians frame their defense of racial segregation through the language of “law and order” to hide racism in plain sight. They are trying to neutralize racist agendas behind the terms that they use. They usually try to make it seem like their goal is to protect the well being of the public. Some advantages I feel this gives them is being able to be racist but being able to avoid openly racist language that would be considered offensive and also create fear amongst the public.
2. Yes, the southern strategy is still influencing American politics today. Some examples would be voting laws and restrictions. Including felons not being able to vote or gain certain employment after serving their time. Also the language used today to describe immigrants. They use terms like “dangerous criminals” to describe those who have immigrated to America to create fear in the public so that they agree with mass deportation.