What do you think is good about the world?
My Dad: Most people -- because I believe that, generally, people are good, and want the same things-- love, community, acceptance, worthwhile accomplishment
What do you think is bad about the world?
My Dad: A small, vocal (or sometimes quiet) group of people-- they are committed to things that help no one + almost everyone--their values are extremism, greed, unchecked power, hypocrisy
I thought that it was interesting to get my dad’s full viewpoints and answers to two very challenging and unspecific questions. I think that my dad more focused the people creating the injustice, oppose to the actual injustice being done. I think obviously if you break down every unjust situation, it comes down to the person’s mindset and their set of morals so that is why I agree with what my dad is saying. It’s hard to pinpoint an action when there is a legitimate person who caused it. I think also, as my dad states, that more often than not, the “bad” people are the ones who speak out the most about it. Since it is a smaller group of people, they have to be vocal but them saying certain things may spark conflict among other people. I think overall, my dad essentially pointed out that the bad and the good in our world comes from people, and who you are will choose how you affect our world.
Citation: Wilner, Barry. "Ray Rice Wins Appeal vs. NFL, Is Reinstated." - The Denver Post. The Associated Press, n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2014.
The article that I chose was about how Ray Rice overturned the NFL’s ruling that he should be indefinitely suspended, because there was leaked footage of the previous Baltimore Ravens running back punching his then fiancee, but they are currently married. There has been many incidents similar to this in the past of the NFL. I think that Ray Rice should not have been given a second chance in the NFL, because it wasn’t that his fiancee made accusations against him, but there was literal video footage from an elevator of him beating her. I think that the NFL had too many conflicting opinions in this case, like they might have said they wanted to keep Ray Rice because he was a superstar, but that would give the NFL a bad image in the situation. I think in a situation like this, the decision is largely influenced by people and the most popular opinion.
In my life, I have thankfully never experienced abuse, but a couple of times I have witnessed harsh, even slightly abusive parenting on the street. For example, I was on the Upper West Side in Manhattan with my brother once, on a nearly empty street, but my brother and I witnessed a father freak out, grab and violently shake his 3 year old son, who was helpless at the situation (very similar to the fact that a small woman was being beat by a professional football player-- helpless). I think that what Ray Rice did was an injustice but was not treated like one. He wouldn’t ideally have to be indefinitely suspended, but at least a longer suspension for Ray Rice.
If you turned on the TV and went to a sitcom, you would likely see a white, well-off family who lives in the suburbs. Most likely it would be two straight parents, the housewife and the working dad, and probably two children. If there are teenagers, they usually go by the classic American teenager stereotypes: rebellious, loud, obnoxious, and occasionally awkward. Even though there are cases of teenagers acting like this, there is a spectrum of possibilities among teenagers. And of course, everyone in the family must be attractive to fit the whole scenario. This lifestyle was once the American ideal for a family. Essentially, this familiar family setup was and still is in some cases the “American Dream.” In a typical episode, characters face a certain problem but overcome it in a small period of time and bond over it. Even though it hasn’t fully changed, you might see a gay couple or an adopted child or a working mother in television nowadays. But regardless, there are endless shows that revolve around the kind of family just described.
One show in particular, The Donna Reed Show, really shows this “ideal” family. The show, which ran from 1958-1966, has a pretty, middle-class white housewife, a husband doctor, and two teenagers- Mary and Jeff. A majority of these stereotypes are being perpetuated by these television shows because even though it may be changing in the near future and now, there is a certain standard of the basis of a sitcom.
How do you change the world everyday -- even if it may be in a small way?
Alyssa (My cousin): I change the world everyday by teaching elementary students with special needs. I work at a school in Bed-Stuy that serves students from low-income homes, predominantly African American, and all boys. Our public schools are currently failing students who look just like my boys spectacularly: African American males in New York are just as likely to be incarcerated as they are to graduate from a four-year college. In light of the recent events in Ferguson, MO, it seems even more important to me that I prepare my boys for what they will face as they enter a world that is already stacked against them. I consider my work with boys who have autism and learning disabilities to be targeting the “gap within the gap.” The typical “achievement gap” refers to the discrepancy between high school and college graduation rates, test scores, and other educational outcomes between students from low- and high- income families (and, often, between students of color and White students). This gap is compounded for students who have additional disabilities that make it hard for them to learn in a typical classroom. I change the world by equipping these boys with both the academic and character skills they will need to succeed in and change the world one day themselves.
I think that what my cousin was saying is really strong because when you think of people who are changing the world, a teacher probably wouldn't come to your mind first. I think that adding on to that, she is also dealing with boys with learning disabilities, so the impact she makes on them will make an indefinite change in these boys lives. I think that there are so many people change the world, but we don't acknowledge all of them.
There are numerous situations that people come across everyday, that I would classify as social injustice. Some of them are:
♦ Catcalling
♦ People avoiding homeless
♦ People smoking exposing it to young children
♦ People randomly getting called out on the street for something they are wearing/doing
The one problem that I am going to focus on is the fact that a lot of people avoid homeless people. I have also felt uncomfortable before when I’m on the train, and a homeless person approaches me and gets all in my face asking for money. Obviously, that puts me a little off guard or uncomfortable, but i don't walk away. I have sympathy for them because I can’t imagine what it is like to have spend all day asking for money, especially considering everyone that turns you down is human. If you were in the position of being homeless, I think that you would perceive humans in a much different way that the rest of us. I think you would generally dislike these people because they have so much to give, yet they can’t even spare $1 to you. This isn’t me trying to say that I always give to homeless people and have friendly embraces with them, but you should acknowledge their presence because you have to imagine yourself in that position. And if you dont have money, inform them- but don't just walk away and ignore. Homeless people are people, but most people forget that.
"Be Free" by J. Cole
And I'm in denial
And it don't take no x-ray to see right through my smile
I know, I'd be on the go
And it ain't no drink out there that can numb my soul
No, no
All we want to do is take the chains off
All we want to do is break the chains off
All we want to do is be free
All we want to do is be free
All we want to do is take the chains off
All we want to do is break the chains off
All we want to do is be free
All we want to do is be free
Can you tell me why everytime I step outside
I see my n***** die,
Ooh, I'm letting you know
That it ain't no gun they make that can kill my soul
Oh, no
This song by J. Cole is very appropriate to the project because he is addressing Michael Brown’s death, which is him as an artist informing and spreading his opinion about the injustice. He is one of few artists (all kinds of artists) who still inform their listeners on social injustices in our modern day society. I think that more artists should speak their opinions on injustices through their art because that is where their voice is most powerful and can make an impact on what people think about the injustice. Overall, I think that this song is one example of how artists can speak up on a social matter within their art.
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