America is a diverse country where
there are many different cultures and many different backgrounds that people
may come from. People want to come to America because of the freedoms that it
has and because it is safer than other places around the world. Being a
different race is hard for some people living in America because of the many
stereotypes that may go on today. Marginalized Voices is the theme that leads
to my thesis of how America should be a place where everyone is accepted, and
while we think everyone is accepted, some people are still discriminated for
their race or for who they are and what they believe.
The
general point made by Lance Jeffers in his work My Blackness is the Beauty of this Land, is that there is a love hate relationship with
being a different race and with being black.
More specifically Jeffers love hate theme suggests and American
salvation in our understandings of one another. He writes “My blackness is the
beauty of this land, my blackness, tender and strong, wounded and wise, my
blackness (p.611).” In this poem Jeffers only is suggesting that by being black
it sets him apart and makes him different from everyone else. He is proud to be
black, notice the title My Blackness Is
the Beauty of the land. The poem says that his blackness is tender and
strong, and wounded and wise. His blackness makes him wise and strong, yet it also makes him wounded. This is an
example of the love hate relationship that he has with being black. Jeffers also
writes, “While I here standing black beside wrench tears from which the lies
would suck the salt to make me more American than America…but yet my love and
yet my hate shall civilize this land, this land’s salvation (p.611).” This
quote explains that his love hate of being black will civilize the land and its
salvation. In conclusion it is Jeffers belief that the love hate relationship
of being black civilizes the land in which we live.
In
my view Jeffers is right, because at this time when the poem was written, it
was really hard to be black and be an American as well. For example many blacks
faced hardships back then and they did not let those hardships affect them and
they stood up for what they knew was right. One person that comes to my mind
when I was thinking of this was Rosa Parks.
She would not allow the person on the bus to just send her to the back
of the bus just because she was black. This probably took an enormous amount of
courage on her part to stand up for herself in a time that blacks were looked
down upon. The Jim Crow Laws were also
being enacted at this time in the early 1900’s. The Jim Crow laws said that
black Americans were separate but equal. Blacks and whites were separated in
schools, stores, and any other public setting that they might be in at the
time. Although some people might object that there was a love hate relationship
with being black at this time, I maintain that it was a love hate relationship
for many of the African Americans. Therefore, I conclude that the fact that
many blacks had this love hate relationship with being the color that they
were, this made them stronger and made them stand out as people who wanted to
be respected for not just the color of their skin, but for who they were as
individuals as well.
The
next work that I thought would be good to connection to my thesis of how some
people are and were discriminated for their race, is Growing up Asian in America. The
general arugument made by Kesaya E. Noda in her work Growing up Asian in America, is that America has come a long way as
far as accepting Japanese people into our country. Noda still says it can sometimes be hard when
people always stereotype Asians, and call her names such as an Asian woman.
More specifically Noda suggests that her parents and grandparents had to deal
with a lot of persecution, and she had to deal with different types of problems
by being a Japanese American. She says that it was hard for her to feel like
she was worth something. She felt like she was an alien in her own country.
While she was going through trying to find out who she was, Noda was able to
reminisce and find strength through what her parents and grandparents faced.
Noda writes, “ “Weak.” I hear the voice from my childhood years. “Passive,” I
hear. Our parents and grandparents were the ones who were put into those camps.
They went without resistance; they offered cooperation as proof of loyalty to
America (p.642).” She found strength in
knowing that her family was that cooperative just to show their loyalty towards
America. She also wrote, “In those circumstacnes it was difficult to say, I’m a
Japanese American. American had to do. Byt now I can say that I am a Japanese
American. It means I have a place here in this country too (p.643).” In
conclusion it is Noda’s belief that she too has a place in America now, and
that America has come a long way in accepting Japanese Americans now.
In
my view Noda is right because I too think that America has come a long way in
accepting a variety of different races and ethnicities. For example in this
passage she tells about how her grandparents were in Japanese internment camps,
and now that is looked back upon as wrong and America would never do that.
Although some people might object that Americans are still racist, I maintain
that America has come a long way and people are a lot more accepting than they
ever used to be. Therefore I conclude that America is a great country that
accepts many different types of people. All the different types of people is
what makes our country and our culture unique. We are proud to be Americans.
Next
I am going to talk about Freedom and Responsibility. The general argument made by Karl Shapiro in
his work The Conscientious Objector, is
that you can feel rage towards those who called you a traitor just because you
object to something. More specifically Shapiro suggests that the mindset of the
imprisoned objectior struggles with the rage of people calling you a traitor.
In the description of the poem Shapiro asks us to consider whther they may be
deemed heroes in their own right. He writes, “Yet wou who saved neither
yourselves nor us are equally with those who shed the blood the heroes of our
cause. Your conscience is what we come back to in the armistice (p.765).” One
who objects and voices their opinion can be equally just as important as heroes
who shed blood for our country. In this passage Shapiro is suggesting that one
who always objects may get criticized for objecting but they are can be
considered heroes for actually standing up for what they think and not being
afraid to tell everyone their opinion. In conclusion it is Shapiro’s belief
that an imprisoned objector can just as well be a hero for not just letting
certain issues slide. They may be a hero if what they stand up for is justly
right.
In
my view Shapiro is right because I think that if someone has an objection
because we live in a country where we have the freedom of speech. I think that
it takes a lot of courage for someone to object to something and then to have
to deal with all the criticizing of the people telling them that they are a
traitor and they are wrong. I think if the person who objects and stands up for
what they think, can be considered a hero. Although some people may say that
someone who always objects are not considered a hero, I maintain that someone
who has the courage to object can be considered a hero. Therefore I conclude
that people always have a certain view on something and when someone or
something tries to contradict that view they get upset and try to make the
person feel wrong for voicing their opinion, rather than trying to see how they
view it and being respectful towards their views.
The
general argument made by Vonnegut in his work Harrison Bergeron is that you can’t have government forced equality.
More specifically forcing equality on people would make people rebel and cause
a lot more problems in the society. He wties, “They were equal every which way.
Nobody was smarter than anybody else. Nobody was better looking than anybody
else (p.778).” In this passage Vonnegut is suggesting that if everyone were to
be equal that it would take away the significance of being who you are.
Bergeron is a character that decided to rebel against being equal with a
ballerina. They danced and took off their handicaps. They were then shot for
rebelling against the government. In conclusion, it is Vonnegut’s belief that
if we were to have a equal society there would be a lot of trouble and a lot of
problems in the society.
In
my view, Vonnegut is right because if everyone were to be equal then nobody
would be unique and it would make a very bland society. People would get
frustrated about being equal and would rebel. I know I would absolutely hate
living in a society that was like this. The fact that Beregron stood up for
himself and wouldn’t be viewed as just like everyone else, amazes me. For
example he had courage to show off who he really was in a society where
everyone was hiding under ugly masks and handicaps. He was very brave to show
off his skills at dancing as well.
Although some people think we should all be equal, I think that it is
our difference that makes us all unique. Therefore I conclude that I am glad
everyone is different, because if everyone was the same it would be very
boring.
I
conclude from all these passages that the color of our skin does not define who
we are, and we need to accept people for whatever cultural background they may
come from. I conclude that we need to think of the people who have a different
opinion on something, and try to see where they are coming from before we
ridicule them. We also need to realize that in this world everyone is different
and that if we were all equal there would be no joys. Being different sets you
apart as an individual. I think it is to important to remember that we do have
voices that we can speak up if we don’t agree with something. I also think it
is important for us to reflect upon the many freedoms that we have living in
America. We are free to be different without being ridiculed. We are free to
speak when we want to. We are free to worship how we want to and when we want
to. We have so many freedoms and I think we need to stop and be grateful for
all of those freedoms, and be grateful for all those people that made it so we
can have a wonderful country to live in. I think it is amazing that we can look
past all the different colors of peoples skins, all the different backgrounds,
and all the different personalities, and be unified as one, we are unified as a
country, and we are a part of United States of America.
Citations
Jeffers, L. (1970). My blackness is the beauty of this land. That is the Question. (P. 611)
Noda, K.
E. (2007). Growing up Asian in America. That is the Question. (Pp.
641-645)
Shapiro, K. (1944). The conscientious objector. That is the Question. (P. 765)
Vonnegut, K.
(1961) Harrison Bergeron. That is
the Question. (Pp.778-781)
