A Literary Review of Allen's Wages of Sin

Despite attempted leaps and bounds made in progressing beyond racial discrimination throughout American history, the fact is that biases and stereotypes remain a prevalent components of US society. Although a large part of the overt discrimination has now receded into an implicit and subconscious form, this has not caused for an easing in racial tensions, nor an equal playing field for African-American citizens. Rather, these biases, as outlined in the text by Peter Lewis Allen and others, are taking more damaging form through the application in institutions, and the rhetoric falsely spread by rumors and folklore surrounding the black community. “Wages of Sin”, provides a foundational insight into the extent to which these very tales and rumors have gone beyond their use of storytelling, and have taken form in the subconscious minds of citizens in the modern day. In other words, the legends which were never meant to be taken for serious or actuality, are now starting to form the perceptions held by whites in painting African males as lustful, uncontrollable, and inherently sexually violent creatures. Allen provides evidence for how these folklores and narratives have played a large part in the mentality held in the modern day, and as a result has greatly crippled any progress of race relations in the United States today.

Perhaps the primary argument made by Allen in his piece, is the extent to which rumors and folklores, which were initially meant to be humorous, did not only further aggravate the race relations between whites and blacks throughout history, but continue to hold an implicit relevance even in contemporary times. In doing so, Allen begins by outlining the history of sexual stereotypes against African Americans, starting with the narratives that a slave revolt would lead to the widespread rape of white women by black males, and further into the 20th century as rumors purported that black men would have affairs with married white women when soldiers were off at war. Allen outlines that the narratives surrounding the inherent nature of African men, would later transform with the changing times. Through these stories and rumors, black men were described to have an excessive and insatiable sexual drive, one that would essentially dominate their better judgment and morals. Through these stories and lores, and as times changed and mainstream media became a primary factor in the lives of individuals, it became clear that the rumors would start taking form in a different, more consequential form. One example made by Allen is in that of the OJ Simpson trials that ensued in the mid-1990s, as news broke of the superstar NFL running back being the prime suspect in the killing of his wife and Ron Goldman, the man she was with at the time. Upon becoming the center stage character for what would become the “trial of the century”, news publications and other media outlets would play a prime role in taking the racial rumors mentioned throughout the text, and solidifying them into the personality and traits of Simpson. Despite being a seemingly admired individual during his reign as a professional football player, the views surrounding Simpson immediately took on the rumors and stereotypes that were commonly spread about black men. By using these examples, and others throughout the specific section, Allen is able to show the extent to which rumors can become far more than that, and when it comes to real-life factors, can begin to have immense social consequences among a given population.

In the broader context of the text, it is clear that the rumors and legends outlined by authors in previous sections would now become a part of social reality. However, Allen’s section seemingly brings to light the point in which these narratives would take form of reality, specifically through the OJ Simpson trials at the onset. In the same way that the other authors provide evidence that rumors of institutional and governmental conspiracies would have negative impacts on the perception of black citizens, Allen provides insight into the ways that sexual folklores damage the already unstable race relations in the country. The rumors specifically used by Allen throughout the section depict an almost ludicrous and excessively racial perception of African Americans, one that, although is not spread in modern times, is still echoed through subconscious and implicit biases. One example of how the author proves his point is seen in the story of the African-American woman who was well-dressed, going to downtown Cleveland in order to go shopping, and was ultimately caught in an elevator with two large black men who proceeded to urinate on her. This portrays the author’s point quite accurately, in that even the slightest beliefs that such a thing would be true is not only outrageous, but sheds light on how such rumors can cause hysteria and fear among the white population. As Allen states, “even if this story represented a rare event, it served to warn women that shopping downtown was the equivalent of visiting a dangerous and exotic land, a realm filled with dangerous primitives who behaved like animals.” (Allen, 154) With such stories targeting specific demographics, it further influenced and allowed for various rumors to erupt surrounding the sexual aggression of black men, and would only serve to deepen the divide between blacks and whites in the nation. Through such rumors and false narratives, black citizens have been demonized and oppressed throughout American history, and continue to suffer in an implicitly biased population.

When analyzing Allen’s piece, and reviewing the various rumors that he uses as evidence to depict the perception of African Americans in the United States, it is clear that his argument is not only grounded in historical roots, but is able to relate this to contemporary depictions of racial bias. In making his argument, Allen begins with the rumors and legends that surrounded blacks throughout history, from the days of slavery in America, all the way to current contemporary times. By going through this timeline of rumors and legends, it is evident that such stories play more of a role than simply storytelling, but become a means of determining and stereotyping the beliefs about certain people. This is a primary reason why racial angst and tensions continue to exist in American society, despite the fact that supposed “progress” has been made throughout the decades. The author makes a valid and relevant point, in claiming that the humorous legends and folklores that are disregarded as being mere storytelling, can go beyond simple fun and games and in reality, have disastrous effects on the lives of those who are victimized. With this in mind, it is clear how the legends of the past, although having had the context of their stories changed to fit the attempted “progress” in modern race relations, have only changed and altered in order to remain relevant. Perhaps the foremost culprit of this can be seen in the bias and false representation of the black community in the mainstream media. In doing so, news stories and television broadcasts of major news outlets tend to depict impoverished and run-down neighborhoods alongside African American citizens, only furthering the rumors and folklore of criminality and violence as purported throughout history. These have been the cornerstone for a long-held and continued implicit bias among American citizens regarding the perceptions of the black community, despite the fact that many believe the United States to be a place where overt racism and discrimination are no longer prevalent. Through these rumors, as well as the reality of what is seen on institutional and mainstream outlets, it is evident that folklores have erupted to far more than mere storytelling, and continue to have detrimental and negative impacts on the current and future race relations within the country. As such, the media biases are a primary problem in what is happening in the modern day, and perhaps serve as an example of the things that need to change, in order for American society to attempt to take any form of forward steps in regards to bias and discrimination.

The article by Allen sheds light on the broader context of the book in question, as the further discussions surround how various rumors and legends have contributed to the differences in mentality among different sects of the American population. The authors of the novel make a point that these rumors are a primary foundation of the implicit bias that is prevalent in society today, and that only by deconstructing such narratives can race relations ever hope to improve. Allen’s argument is a means of portraying how these rumors can easily be misrepresented and become an aspect of daily life, as they serve to strike fear against a given group of people. Not only in the sense that the dangers pose, but specifically in regards to how rumors of sexual aggression can attack the very morals and ethics of an individual, and further can be represented as disdainful and outright sinful. Although other rumors also serve to be a negative impact on the social dynamic in American society, attacks which are directed at a specific population, and in turn demonize a specific demographic, turn out to be far more detrimental than others that are aimed at institutional or societal aspects. Through such rumors, the reader can see how, what some believe to be innocent storytelling, ultimately turns into something far more malicious and detrimental. As the authors of the book shed light on the dangers of rumors and legends, it is vital for the factors and components that further promote these false narratives to be pointed out and addressed. Only then can the social fabrics of American society ever hope to establish a society that is not governed by stereotypes and bias, but rather one of clear ideological thought processes and equal treatment.