However, what about the classics written by whites, that detail the beauty and the pain of being an American. For example, Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn would be incomplete without telling the story of Jim. (Ellison, p. 392). The world would not have the amazing coming-of-age story to Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee if blacks had not been part of the fabric of America. While that contribution may seem insignificant, many modern lawyers trace their desire to work in the law, especially in public interest law to their exposure to Lee's fictional Atticus Finch. In fact, Finch may be the most respected lawyer of all time, and he was a fictional construct. For those with a less serious bent, America would never have had Gone with the Wind if there had been no blacks in America; without a Civil War backdrop, Rhett and Scarlett would have had no turmoil in their relationship and the issue of whether they would have lived happily ever after could have been resolved in 50 pages, rather than 500.
Even with the election of a black American as President, it is clear that the United States continues to struggle with racial problems. Americans of all colors and all political affiliations have wondered if those racial problems would go away if America was rid of blacks. However, blacks are an integral part of American...
Whether America would be better or worse without blacks is an impossible question to answer.
After all, for those Americans with deeply-held racist beliefs, the country would undoubtedly be better without blacks. For those white Americans with black family members and friends, the country would undoubtedly be worse without blacks. For those in the middle, the impact of a black-free society might be unpredictable. What is clear, however, is that an America without blacks would not be America. Whatever it is that makes this flawed country so tremendously wonderful and appealing is inextricably wrapped up in its complicated racial history and its continual struggle to try to bring freedom and equality to all of its inhabitants. Those who want to whitewash America's history, literally or figuratively, want to destroy the very essence of America.
Works Cited
Elizabeth Cady Stanton." Women's Rights National Historical Park. 2009. National Park
Service. 15 Mar. 2009 http://www.nps.gov/wori/historyculture/elizabeth-cady-stanton.htm.
Ellison, Ralph. "What America Would be Like without Blacks." Book Title. Ed. Editor's
Name. City of Publication: Publisher, Year. 390-396.
Mikkelson, Barbara. "Life without Black People." Product Origins. 2006. Snopes.com. 15
Mar. 2009 http://www.snopes.com/business/origins/blackinv.asp.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. 42 U.S.C.S. 2000e et seq.
