Washington's backwards ideals

Gustavo Quintero
English 48B
February 7, 2008
Journal #18 W.E.B Du Bois


Quote:
"Mr Washington distinctly asks that black people give up, at least for the present, three things,-
First, political power,
Second, insistence on civil rights,
Third, higher education of Negro youth,-"(Du Bois 906).


Summary:
Du Bois is summarizing the philosophy that Booker T. Washington advocated.



Response:
The submissive route is not the way to go when approaching civil rights. I am now further convinced that Washington was completely satisfied with being labeled an inferior person. This is definitely the wrong way to approach civil rights. In my previous blog entry I wanted to give Washington the benefit of the doubt by saying that he was not a coward, but Du Bois sums him up pretty well. He was absolutely afraid of the white communities backlash. To me I can see who the braver man was, Du Bois. Du Bois really wanted to see his race achieve racial equality. While Washington just seemed to tell all blacks to mind their business and not speak out against the wrongs. This just seems completely backwards of what a race trying to achieve freedom and equality would want to do. It would not surprise me if Du Bois had a much larger following than Washington. The above quote just shows me all steps backwards that would be made if Washington's followers, followed and applied his advice. He wanted people to give up critical things that would help the African American's quest for equality. How can a group of people give up their political voice, their future's education and their civil rights and expect to get anywhere with their struggle. I just see way to many flaws with Washington's politics. As I have said before I hate to sound like I am bashing Washington but to me his ideals just make absolutely no sense.