The Real Reason Why the Civil Rights Movement is Dead

By akrypti | Friday, June 22, 2007 | 8 Comments

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College-level activists know how invaluable their leadership experiences with student organizations become once they graduate and enter the professional world. Managing an office staff or working as part of a Board of Directors seems strikingly similar to serving as president of an undergraduate student association. For instance, the hierarchies and interpersonal relationships of corporate America eerily resemble participation in a social fraternity. These extracurricular activities prepare a young professional for her career more effectively than how seriously she took her academic major or that un-compelling internship she landed sophomore year where her most important duty each day was to present hot coffee to the boss. Yet academic studies and internships are the very activities that a professional resume emphasizes, meanwhile allowing no room for the activities that actually matter.

Large conservative corporations may be impressed by high GPAs or college degrees, but rarely do these same companies value zealous efforts in, say, the Asian American Student Union. Who cares that one published dozens of widely disseminated articles on human rights in China or spoke out against the political apathy of Diasporic Asians? In this entry, I want to raise an issue I see many APAs struggle with, but rarely has it been addressed in isolation with the attention it deserves: the professional stigma attached to being a political activist in one’s ethnic community.

As one who just graduated from law school and about to enter the legal profession, I notice that my colleagues who were social activists in their college days are also the most competent, passionate, and most impressive employees. Those who got the job because of their 3.9 GPA in electrical engineering turn out to be quite bland and utterly incapable of adapting to high-pressure social situations. I wonder if maybe these same individuals had gained foundational experiences as a member of a student organization e-board, they might have come out to be better prepared for the real world. As an employer, social activism would be the first thing I look for on a resume, since it shows initiative.

Recently, though, a mentor advised me to omit many institution names and position titles from my resume that may suggest “extremist views on race, gender, or other politically sensitive subject matter.” In other words, wipe out any traces of work I have done for Asian-interest and feminist groups.

You could call me a sell-out for taking my mentor’s advice, but I justify it to myself by saying I want to be in a position of power, where one day I may effectively contribute to those civil movements near and dear to my heart. I want to make enough money to donate to the charities I care about. I want to attain a high enough social standing in the community so my voice will be heard. How can I do any of the social work I want to if I cannot even get my foot in the door? If certain personal information on my resume closes that door of opportunity, then, balancing the costs and benefits, I would be imprudent to not follow the advice…right?

With that said, one deeply unsettling thought remains. What if all I am doing is rationalizing myself into passivity? Resistance is discouraged by the conservative mainstream. I want to be a resister. Work I did once upon a time shows my commitment to resistance. This newly revised resume of mine, however, reveals nothing, except the welcomed notion that I will likely be another cookie-cutter model minority citizen.

Handfuls of Asian Americans—quite possibly the most promising individuals from our community—will inevitably do the same as I have and cloak their passions. No wonder the civil rights movement is dead. Those APAs with the greatest potential for igniting social change end up conforming anyway, forbearing on those ambitions for social change because, frankly, they need to eat, too. Civil rights work doesn’t put food on the table. Investment banking, on the other hand, certainly does.

Regrettably, I am not resistant enough to refuse conformity. However, I hope at least one APA with the heart for social change is. I hope for at least one activist reading 8Asians, activism won’t end with college. The resistance of these activists may be our only chance at reviving the civil rights movement.

(Note: Thanks to Claire and John for the links and references. I felt better knowing I haven’t been struggling with these issues alone.)

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Keith Kamisugi

When we say "dead" and "selling out" we are inadvertently subscribing to a two-dimensional view that dominates too much of our social discourse.

The civil rights movement has certainly changed. GenX and Millennials have not as generations faced life-and-death decisions caused by the WWII and Vietnam War drafts -- and forcing young people of those times to think about life values more closely.

But the immigration marches of last year marked the beginning of a new phase of the civil rights movement and continuation of our struggles.

Instead of worrying about the fire dying, we need to find ways to add more fuel -- even a little stick helps.

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Warren

I would like to make a plug for the book, "Disciplined Minds: A Critical Look at Salaried Professionals and the Soul-Battering System That Shapes Their Lives". It goes over how professionals, who seemingly should be the most liberal due to their education, become conservative, just as your delisting of radical affiliations from your resume. My friend who spends a lot of time with the old civil rights leaders who were prominent in the 60s and 70s comments that he was born in the wrong area. It is as if the civil rights movement is a victim of its own success. I remember my aunt telling me that she was on of the first Asians to buy a house where she lives now in the Richmond district of San Francisco. Before then Asians weren't allowed to buy houses there. I think the biggest area that needs work is how the media depicts Asian Americans, but that has been slowing improving due to Asian American sports stars like Ichiro. Yul Kwon, Dr. Ken, Bobby Lee (even though he seems like a step in the wrong direction) increase awareness of Asians in popular media. I see more and more colored (yellow) men fulfilling the American dream, marrying a white woman.

For consulting jobs, candidates with leadership positions are highly desirable. Although those positions usually consist of Greek societies, which happened to be the same ones that the hiring manager was associated with during their heydays in college. GPA doesn't mean much when you can't deal with people or have people listen and do what you tell them.

Oh, I should mention that I am a person with a 3.9 GPA in electrical engineering, who is quite bland and utterly incapable of adapting to high-pressure social situations.

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Akrypti

Mr. Kamisui,

I've heard of your work before, and I'm really honored you read 8Asians.

To answer your question, throughout law school, I attended many social justice law conferences where law professors from all over the country gathered together to talk about gender and law, race and law, poverty, globalization, and other topics of great interest to me. I recall sitting in the audience and hearing them in the round tables lament about the death of the civil rights movement. They would look out into the audience at the students and implore of us to revive the movement.

I guess it's from hearing their tales of how it used to be compared to my observations of how it is now that induced me to conclude the civil rights movement is "dead." Perhaps, though, "dead" is too strong a word. I don't personally know how it was in the 60s and 70s because, well, I wasn't alive then. But from what I hear, it sounds like people then were a lot more engaged than they are now. I see so much apathy from my peers, it's really hard not to think differently.

I agree you do not need to be active full-time to be a part of the movement. What I meant by "selling out" had less to do with where you work as it did one's mentality. Knowing one could make a difference, knowing it is within one's personal power to effect positive change, and yet choosing not to and instead pursue what advances the self rather than what advances the community--that is what I am really complaining about.

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Keith Kamisui

What kinds of experiences in your life qualify you to say that the civil rights movement is dead?

I have a small, modest role in the movement and can tell you for a fact that many people of all different colors work everyday to improve social justice and opportunity in this country.

I do not blame the person who decides to take a well-paying Fortune 500 job instead of a lower earning nonprofit position. You don't have to be to be engaged in civil rights full-time in order to be part of the movement.

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