William Faulkner used his prominence and status as a public figure in order to speak out against perceived injustice. Faulkner’s work also highlighted the disparity between rich and poor, black and white. This awareness of how social standing is affected by income and race would lead Faulkner to some troubling conclusions on American society today.
While civil rights have come a long way since Faulkner’s time, there are still efforts under way today to suppress minority rights. States have crafted laws seeking to exclude minority groups from voting in hopes of limiting the growing political power of these minority groups. Some of these same states have laws enforcing “English only” or allowing people to be detained on the basis of their race as “suspected illegal immigrants.” Faulkner envisioned himself as a person who spoke out against ignorance and injustice; two accurate descriptors for the suppression of minority representation in politics.
The NAACP plans to present a case to the UN high commissioner on human rights on the systematic attempts to discriminate against black and Hispanic voters. The co-founder of the NAACP, W.E.B. Du Bois, once challenged William Faulkner to a debate. Faulkner declined, citing that they already agreed on the issue of race and discrimination in America, specifically the South, in a letter to Du Bois. I believe Faulkner would be similarly sympathetic to the NAACP’s reaction to the string of legislation aiming to suppress minority voting.
In commencement speeches and other public speaking venues, Faulkner implored those around him to speak out against perceived injustice. In a speech to a graduating class from University High School, Faulkner once said -
“So never be afraid, never be afraid to raise your voice for honesty and truth and compassion; against injustice, lying and greed. If you, not just you in this room tonight, but in all the other thousands of rooms like this one today and tomorrow and next week will do this, not as a class or classes, but as individuals, men and women, you will change the earth.”
“So never be afraid, never be afraid to raise your voice for honesty and truth and compassion; against injustice, lying and greed. If you, not just you in this room tonight, but in all the other thousands of rooms like this one today and tomorrow and next week will do this, not as a class or classes, but as individuals, men and women, you will change the earth.”
(From William Faulkner’s Facebook page)
