After reading about the patterns of “white flight”, the bettering of public services in Five Points because of the mere presence of whites and racism being boiled down to a science as displayed by Foner’s example about the claims about Italian immigrants, it can safely be established that racism and unwarranted prejudices are a social problem. I think we can all agree on that. However, I am seeing doubts and questions as to whether it is a federal problem also. That the actions of the government can clearly help to remedy the dangers of the slums and by helping out economic situations, can also help social situations. I think a popular question that is being asked is, “where was the government in all this? Why don’t they do something about it?”
Honestly, I think the answer is very clear. It’s not that the government is accidentally overlooking these problems of our nation, but that it is intentionally neglecting them. No matter what time period, it seems that the world has the same old problems just with new names. The Interstate Highway Act was an effort to suburbanize America, but it also divided Chicago racially. The 6 or 7 massive lanes literally acted as a divider between white Chicago and black Chicago. It is no coincidence that also the presence of whites in Corona led to the bettering or at least the maintenance of decent public works such as schools and transportation. The government also allowed a segregational restricted covenant take place in its cities, allowing white home owners to refuse to sell to blacks or latinos. The government just stood by. The government also allowed the emergence of gated communities which didn’t even pretend to be under the pretense that it enforced social rules. Since gated communities were private developments, they couldn’t easily segregate and discriminate. And even though, yes, the government did have money flow into the restructuring of Five Points by making living conditions more…livable, it was very ineffectual. Of course, this was intentional. The government has the power to gentrify red-light districts such as Times Square into a world-famous entertainment and tourist hotspot yet they can’t help the slums get on their feet to at least, make their lives tolerable? I don’t believe it for a second.
