Research paper on Investigating and Analysing Ideological separations in #BlackLivesMatter and #AllLivesMatter Movements’ Discourse within the U.S
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Investigating and Analyzing Ideological Separations in #BlackLivesMatter and #AllLivesMatter Movements’ Discourse within the U.S.
Introduction
In recent years, the hashtags #BlackLivesMatter and #AllLivesMatter have emerged as prominent social movements within the United States. These movements have sparked intense debates, highlighting the ideological separations that exist in their discourse. This research paper aims to investigate and analyze the ideological divisions between the #BlackLivesMatter and #AllLivesMatter movements, focusing on their differing perspectives, goals, and implications for racial justice in America.
Background
The #BlackLivesMatter movement originated in 2013 as a response to the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s killer. It seeks to address systemic racism and police violence against Black individuals. The movement emphasizes the need to acknowledge and address the specific struggles faced by Black people in the United States. On the other hand, the #AllLivesMatter movement emerged as a counter-narrative, arguing for a universal focus on all lives regardless of race or ethnicity.
Ideological Divisions
Focus on Structural Racism: The #BlackLivesMatter movement places a significant emphasis on acknowledging and dismantling structural racism. It highlights issues such as racial profiling, mass incarceration, and socioeconomic disparities that disproportionately affect Black communities. In contrast, the #AllLivesMatter movement tends to downplay or dismiss the existence of structural racism, arguing for a colorblind approach to justice.
Specificity vs. Universality: The #BlackLivesMatter movement centers around addressing the unique experiences and challenges faced by Black individuals. By focusing on Black lives, they strive to bring attention to historical inequities and systemic biases. In contrast, the #AllLivesMatter movement argues for a broader perspective that encompasses all lives, advocating for equality without recognizing the specific struggles of marginalized communities.
Protest Tactics: The #BlackLivesMatter movement has often utilized protest tactics such as demonstrations, marches, and civil disobedience to raise awareness and push for change. These actions aim to disrupt the status quo and draw attention to systemic issues. Conversely, the #AllLivesMatter movement has been criticized for its limited activism beyond social media engagement, with some arguing it is more reactive than proactive.
Implications for Racial Justice
Awareness vs. Denial: The #BlackLivesMatter movement has successfully brought issues of systemic racism and police violence into public consciousness. By centering the experiences of Black individuals, it has challenged societal norms and forced conversations about racial injustice. However, the #AllLivesMatter movement’s emphasis on universality can undermine these discussions by denying or deflecting from the specific experiences faced by marginalized communities.
Solidarity vs. Division: The ideological separations between these movements can contribute to societal divisions. The emphasis on Black lives in the #BlackLivesMatter movement is seen by some as exclusionary or divisive. Conversely, some argue that the #AllLivesMatter movement undermines the urgency and importance of addressing specific racial disparities in society.
Policy Change: The #BlackLivesMatter movement has been instrumental in shaping policy conversations surrounding police reform, criminal justice reform, and equitable resource allocation. By highlighting systemic issues, it has pushed for tangible changes at local, state, and national levels. The impact of the #AllLivesMatter movement on policy change remains less clear due to its broader focus and perceived lack of specific actionable demands.
Conclusion
The ideological divisions between the #BlackLivesMatter and #AllLivesMatter movements reflect contrasting perspectives on racial justice in America. While the former seeks to address systemic racism and specific challenges faced by Black communities, the latter argues for a more universal perspective that encompasses all lives. These divisions have implications for raising awareness, fostering solidarity, and influencing policy change. Understanding these ideological separations is crucial for engaging in constructive conversations about racial justice and working towards a more equitable society for all.
