Mahatma Gandhi once said, “No two leaves are alike, and yet there is no antagonism between them or between the branches on which they grow”(Gandhi). The universe is put into a balance, a “ying-yang” method on which early Chinese Confucianists would focus on. Today nature still focuses on a balance and this balance is shown everywhere else but in one species only, being humankind. Why is it that the human species only inflict discrimination on one another? Animals and plants which are factors that make up the planet sustainable for life don't conflict with one another because of the color of fur or leaves. For all the human rights movements in history, there has been bloodshed and hate which trigger it, that's what Gandhi witnessed with his own eyes. The human species is the only kind to do such a thing. Martin Luther King Jr. who led the American people of color and gender to equality during the civil rights movement based a lot of his work off of Gandhi's methods of peaceful protest.
MLK said,"Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed”(MLK). In this case in the history of mankind as far as there were the first written documents founded as well as in present-day parts of Africa and the Middle East, freedom is something people fight for from tyrannical leader which is never easily handed out like a Christmas gift. When compared to egalitarianism, there is the belief that human equality should be promoted upon society. Whether it be race, gender, social status, or sexual orientation no one should be discriminated in the four major institutions. In “White Woman of Color” written by Julia Alvarez she would understand the struggles with heartache put upon her due to the discrimination and the hate in the Dominican Republic shifting over to American Society where the idea of Egalitarianism is not present at all. Freedom was never given to her, even as Alvarez shifted to another country where the mindset of having the “American Dream” came to mind. As she climbed her way into the ranks of society going to college making a career, she started to realize what freedom is with events revolving around her. As she listened to Martin Luther King Jr. speak during the Civil Rights movement, she started to obtain this freedom from these oppressors above her by being proud of where shes from.
Alvarez describes “Even so, at the local school, we endured the bullying of classmates “Go back to where you came from!” they yelled at my sisters and me on the playground. When some of them started throwing stones, my mother made up her mind that we were not safe and began applying to boarding schools where privilege transformed prejudice into patronage”(Alvarez). Another scene described in the piece “White Woman of Color” as well as,“So where are you from?” our classmates would ask. “Jamaica Estates,” I’d say, an edge of belligerence to my voice… “I mean originally” And then it would come out”(Alvarez). Both parts of the story indicate how suppressed the Alvarez family was due to where they were from. The suppression was due to the lack of egalitarianism that wasn't shown in society and as modern society looks at these examples, it's truly horrifying. Connecting to a modern hip-hop artist known as Logic, he looked at the discrimination around him in society. In one of his songs known as “Everybody” in the album Everybody, he describes racism inflicted upon on him as a child. “White people told me as a child as a little boy playing with his toys I should be ashamed to be black and some black people look ashamed when I rap like my great granddaddy didn’t take a whip to the back. Not accepted by the black or the white I don't give a f***, praise God, I could see the light. Everybody talkin' 'bout race this, race that, I wish I could erase that, face facts”(Logic). Compared to Alvarez had to deal with was traumatizing, the sense of isolation she felt when she was asked where she was from as well as the racial discrimination while just playing as a kid evolved her. reflecting Dr. MLK's quote, over her life she demanded that freedom she wanted evolving, pursuing the goals that the people “above her” had but this time it's someone who wants to show freedom to everyone else being Alvarez.
MLK said,"Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed”(MLK). In this case in the history of mankind as far as there were the first written documents founded as well as in present-day parts of Africa and the Middle East, freedom is something people fight for from tyrannical leader which is never easily handed out like a Christmas gift. When compared to egalitarianism, there is the belief that human equality should be promoted upon society. Whether it be race, gender, social status, or sexual orientation no one should be discriminated in the four major institutions. In “White Woman of Color” written by Julia Alvarez she would understand the struggles with heartache put upon her due to the discrimination and the hate in the Dominican Republic shifting over to American Society where the idea of Egalitarianism is not present at all. Freedom was never given to her, even as Alvarez shifted to another country where the mindset of having the “American Dream” came to mind. As she climbed her way into the ranks of society going to college making a career, she started to realize what freedom is with events revolving around her. As she listened to Martin Luther King Jr. speak during the Civil Rights movement, she started to obtain this freedom from these oppressors above her by being proud of where shes from.
Alvarez describes “Even so, at the local school, we endured the bullying of classmates “Go back to where you came from!” they yelled at my sisters and me on the playground. When some of them started throwing stones, my mother made up her mind that we were not safe and began applying to boarding schools where privilege transformed prejudice into patronage”(Alvarez). Another scene described in the piece “White Woman of Color” as well as,“So where are you from?” our classmates would ask. “Jamaica Estates,” I’d say, an edge of belligerence to my voice… “I mean originally” And then it would come out”(Alvarez). Both parts of the story indicate how suppressed the Alvarez family was due to where they were from. The suppression was due to the lack of egalitarianism that wasn't shown in society and as modern society looks at these examples, it's truly horrifying. Connecting to a modern hip-hop artist known as Logic, he looked at the discrimination around him in society. In one of his songs known as “Everybody” in the album Everybody, he describes racism inflicted upon on him as a child. “White people told me as a child as a little boy playing with his toys I should be ashamed to be black and some black people look ashamed when I rap like my great granddaddy didn’t take a whip to the back. Not accepted by the black or the white I don't give a f***, praise God, I could see the light. Everybody talkin' 'bout race this, race that, I wish I could erase that, face facts”(Logic). Compared to Alvarez had to deal with was traumatizing, the sense of isolation she felt when she was asked where she was from as well as the racial discrimination while just playing as a kid evolved her. reflecting Dr. MLK's quote, over her life she demanded that freedom she wanted evolving, pursuing the goals that the people “above her” had but this time it's someone who wants to show freedom to everyone else being Alvarez.
Work Cited
“Logic – Everybody.” Genius, 30 Mar. 2017, genius.com/Logic-everybody-lyrics
“Gandhi's First Act of Civil Disobedience.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, www.history.com/this-day-in-history/gandhis-first-act-of-civil-disobedience.
No comments:
Post a Comment