Truth Exposed in An Indians Looking-Glass for the White Man :: Synthesis Essays

Truth Exposed in An Indians Looking-Glass for the White Man William Apes, in his essay An Indians Looking-Glass for the White Man, argues that to profess Christianity and s public treasury distinguish between races is a hypocrisy not supported by the Bible. In the first contribution of his essay Apes asks several questions such as why, if God loves white citizenry so much, did he create fifteen colored people for each white one and of all the races, who has committed the most heinous crimes? He goes on to emphasize that neither Jesus nor his disciples were white skinned. He likewise questions the white persons right to control Native Ameri johns. Apes asks his predominately white, Christian audience to examine their own prejudices and concludes his essay pleading pray you not stop till this tree of distinction shall be leveled to the earth, and the mantle of prejudice torn from both American heart--then peace shall pervade the Union. Apes accurately portrays the racism that Native Americans suffer. racism exists in both the individual and within politics. During the late 1800s, when this article was written, it was extrajudicial in Massachusetts for whites and Indians to intermarry. He labels this as a clear invasion on individuals to make their own decisions. He also raises the point that many white people do not even consider the Indian to be qualified for the rights of an individual. This dehumanization allows white people to steal the Indians earthly concern and murder them with out a second thought. He calls on the whites, as Christians, to reassess these racist views. People cannot call themselves Christians and persecute others, based on skin color, in the name of Christianity. Apes says that news programs must be supplemented by actions, backing himself up with scripture such as I rump 318, Let us not love in word but in deed. Although Apes convincingly argues against the biases within the Christian community, he bases his arguments on se veral assumptions, neglecting to address problems such as the wrangle barrier and problems that near when two different cultures try to occupy the same land. When Apes uses Christianity as his legal document to dispel racism he makes several unbacked assumptions. To begin with, he forgets that whites and Indians rarely use the same language let alone cod the same religious values, therefore no one tool can be used for both cultures. Besides just the obvious language barrier, whites and Indians use entirely different words and phrases to express concepts.