September Pundit 3

Jamelle Bouie

Blackface Is the Tip of the Iceberg ( https://nyti.ms/2UDc2A3 )

The structural problems we need to solve lie at the roots of American society.

The New York Times

February 4, 2019

Jamelle Bouie begins his article stating that racism is too often seen in American politics. He then elaborates on this statement by including racist incidents of several lawmakers, such as Steve King, Michael Ertrel, and Ralph Northam. All of this lawmakers seemed to be tied together by one thing: the use of blackface. Bouie argues that these lawmakers should be condemned and resign, but society gives them a pass every time. He continues on to illustrate the racist history behind blackface by including the forms of entertainment that used it. Bouie’s goal is not only to expose these racist lawmakers, but to argue that racism and segregation still linger in our society. 

The tone of this article remains very accusatory, concerned, and blunt throughout this whole article. Bouie, as seen in my previous blogs, is an extreme advocate for black rights in America. He ties in the history of racism with the recent racist incidents effectively. Bouie appeals to both pathos and logos throughout this article. He frequently mentions the horrific racism tied to blackface and how it represents black people. This allows the audience to get a sense of the gravity of blackface and the actions of these lawmakers. He includes specific facts about these lawmakers past that make this article seem more reliant and the audience more unforgiving to these men. The intended audience of this article seems to be those who side with Steve King or Ralph Northam and see not wrong in their actions, as his tone is very angry throughout this article.