American Racism Exposed in Poems by Langston Hughes and...

American Racism Exposed in Langston Hughes Let America Be America Again and Sherman Alexies, Capital Punishment The issue of racial discrimination has become societal norm in America. Poems like Langston Hughes Let America Be America Again and Sherman Alexies, Capital Punishment show the injustice that still exists. Both poems speak to the prejudice that is accepted and current in Americas past and present. Alexie and Hughes, both from minority groups, have seen the ugly face of racism. Both poems have many similarities, including the obvious tone of anger. The pieces also have their differences, while Hughes poem speaks from the viewpoint of one of the oppressed; Alexies speaker is just a witness. Both writers†¦show more content†¦He changes from I am not a witness to I am a witness in line 102, Alexie changes to show that two wrongs do not equal one right. I am a witness is Alexies way of saying this is happening and is something that cant be ignored of overlooked. He asks the question, who are we to judge? Who decides someones life is over? Doesnt that make the person making t he judgment just as guilty as the killer? Everyone sins in their lifetime, Alexie says at the end of the poem, ... If any of us stood for days on top of a barren hill during an electrical storm then lightning would eventually strike us and wed have no idea for which of our sins we were reduced to headlines and ash. (Alexie) Alexie was trying to say no matter what, a sin is a sin, the terms in which the sins were committed are meaningless, and the bottom line is that a sin was committed. He is also saying as stated in the Bible, Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.(Matthew Ch.7) Judgment is also a sin so the person passing the judgment is just as guilty as the Indian killer. Prejudice is judgment therefore sinful but yet even some of the most god-fearing people are guilty of committing it. Maybe not intentionally but by allowing racism to continue everyone is accountable. Langston Hughes has become one of the leading, best known African American