Dominant discourses enable both the perpetuation and transformation of established perspectives, as inherited ideologies can only be changed by the powerful few. Henry Reynolds’ Why Weren’t We Told? combines historical fact and autobiographical perspective to bemoan the perpetual discrimination of Australian Aboriginals that occurs as a result of latent racist tendencies enforced by the White Australian government’s education system. Similarly, Frederick Douglass’ speech What to the Slave is the Fourth of July? acts as a scathing reprimand of American history’s construction, revealing the underlying perpetuated discrimination in antebellum America. Both texts lament the perceived racial discrimination imposed by the powerful through education
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Reynolds’ Why Weren’t We Told? laments the influence of a homogenous education system that preserves dominant discourses through the reinforcement of inherited racism towards Australian Aboriginals. Through Reynold’s extensive use of personal anecdotes that reinforce his participation in public education QUOTE? , he positions himself with his readers as a victim of systemic educational lapses. However, Reynolds laments the intentional proliferation of dominant views resulting from the Australian education system’s “innocence”, as his education created “Little awareness of Aborigines,” the inherent diction within “little awareness” highlights the marginalisation of Aboriginal Australians and ignorance of Australians to their plight as a result of homogenous education. Consequently, inherited apathy breeds intense aversion, as Reynolds’ historical allusion to the “Aboriginal Question,” compares Aboriginal Australians to Jews in Nazi Germany’s holocaustal plans, the government’s educational power constructs criticised for developing latent racist tendencies amongst the Australian population. Similarly, Douglass’ What to the Slave... condemns the latent racial prejudice that existed within his time, in order to challenge hypocritical views amongst the unthinking masses. Through the
Reynolds’ Why Weren’t We Told? laments the influence of a homogenous education system that preserves dominant discourses through the reinforcement of inherited racism towards Australian Aboriginals. Through Reynold’s extensive use of personal anecdotes that reinforce his participation in public education QUOTE? , he positions himself with his readers as a victim of systemic educational lapses. However, Reynolds laments the intentional proliferation of dominant views resulting from the Australian education system’s “innocence”, as his education created “Little awareness of Aborigines,” the inherent diction within “little awareness” highlights the marginalisation of Aboriginal Australians and ignorance of Australians to their plight as a result of homogenous education. Consequently, inherited apathy breeds intense aversion, as Reynolds’ historical allusion to the “Aboriginal Question,” compares Aboriginal Australians to Jews in Nazi Germany’s holocaustal plans, the government’s educational power constructs criticised for developing latent racist tendencies amongst the Australian population. Similarly, Douglass’ What to the Slave... condemns the latent racial prejudice that existed within his time, in order to challenge hypocritical views amongst the unthinking masses. Through the