Slavery was apart of the building of the United States and though we have abolibished it does not mean it has disappeared. Like energy it has transfered from one type of slavery to another. Instead of big iron shackles on our legs, arms and neck they have placed it around our minds. When blacks were in slavery they were forbidden to be taught how to read and write so they can keep them as they saw them, as property. And today, instead of taking full advantage of the oppotunity that many slaves didn't have, we bring ourselves down by dropping out of school, getting poor grades, trying to chase an unreachable goal or living life to much in the fast lane and in the end it catches up with you. And this doesn't even just involve blacks. Teens period have not set a higher goal than to live life in the now and do what I want to do. But I think this has a lot to do with what we as teens take into our systems.
Music and pop culture has put such a thick chain around us that we don't even want to learn or at least just want to reap the benefits without doing the work that comes along with it. All tv and things of that nature shows us or we hear about is material possessions. We see the fast money, girls and cars and are brainwashed into thinking that rapping, being an athlete, actress, entertainer etc., is the only way to make it. And its not.
But to tie it all together. My point is because of the past we as a people have moved from one slavery to another. Whether it be in our culture, to the government, or even to people still, it is a state of mind that we have been set in to belittle us and keep us under control. To keep us so preoccupied by the things that aren't really important so that we can't see what's wrong with our "United" States. To keep us from asking the simple question....why?
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Monday, October 25, 2010
One Nation, Under God
When did I realize I was American? Such an easy question...you would think. But when you really examine it. The question becomes alot more complex. I mean you have to really look at what an american is. When i hear the word american i think of handworking, independent and materialistic values. But as the years go on americans have become more and more materialistic and want to be successful but don't want the work that goes along with becoming successful.
So when the question was asked when did i realize I was American? It was hard to answer because nobody wants to be affiliated with negative things. But there is some light to the story. Since America is also very diverse, not only in ethnics and race but also in ideas and mind sets, thats when i anaylized the question again. I realized that I was an american when i had a dream to be who i wanted to be. And knew that here I had the resources to live that dream out. Americans are embracive, stubborn, open-minded, traditional people. We are so full of contradictions as a people, that its hard to classify us as a specific description. We are who we want to be, if we set our minds to it, sky is the limit.
We Are Americans.
So when the question was asked when did i realize I was American? It was hard to answer because nobody wants to be affiliated with negative things. But there is some light to the story. Since America is also very diverse, not only in ethnics and race but also in ideas and mind sets, thats when i anaylized the question again. I realized that I was an american when i had a dream to be who i wanted to be. And knew that here I had the resources to live that dream out. Americans are embracive, stubborn, open-minded, traditional people. We are so full of contradictions as a people, that its hard to classify us as a specific description. We are who we want to be, if we set our minds to it, sky is the limit.
We Are Americans.
Monday, October 11, 2010
He say, She say, But what did I Say?
Arguements always either end in disaster or in solution but in the case of my story, the arguement resulted in tragedy. It resulted in the death of my stepfather. Many people would think i would be reluctant to telling this story. But i find it important to tell of how things can go for bad to worse in the exchange of words and bullets.
It was February 17th 2008, and my sister got into an altercation with our stepbrother. My stepfather always favored him more so of course she got into more trouble than he did. My stepfather whooped my sister. HE WHOOPED HER. Can you believe it?! Neither could she. So she called my father out of anger. The thing about my father is. He's a cop and had a short fuse. Plus he really didn't like the guy. But thats not even the whole story.
So my father decided to show up to the house and exchange a few words with my mother. Things seemed to be going ok. There were no voices being raised and the incident looked like it was dieing down. But my stepdad came back from dropping off his son and thats when things started to go bad. He walked up the street and they were talking, being civil, but you could cut the tension with a knife. My stepdad put his hands in his pockets and my dad got nervous. So did I. So my dad reached for his gun because you know he's a cop and thats what he's trained to do. Turns out my stepdad had his gun too. I knew things could only get worse. And they did. They took cover, my dad behind my grandmother's car, my stepdad behind a tree not that far from me. Of course i was crying hysterically wanting to just get in the car with my dad and leave but the problem escalated. My mom convinced my stepdad to put away his weappon as I failed to persuade my dad to put his away. But he was to into the whole thing to even know i existed. My stepdad could have just went in the house and not have said a word. But no. He had to threaten my dad. Who i can admit now was never the most sanist person i had ever met. And those 5 words my stepdad said, the words that changed all of our lives forever "I know where you lay", were the last words he ever said. The last threat he ever made.
And I told this story to inform you of how even 5 simple words can change your life or can result in such a big way. Offense and pride played a big part in this too. If my dad would have just backed down and not have gottten offended from wat my stepdad said then the whole sistuation could have been better. And if my stepdad just didnt have to have the last word maybe he would still be alive. Who knows? Maybe if I would have called the police like my mother asked instead of standing in shock, that could have resulted in something different. But I guess some tragedies have to happen so people can learn from their mistakes. I've learned to watch what I say and who I say it to. What can you learn from my story?
It was February 17th 2008, and my sister got into an altercation with our stepbrother. My stepfather always favored him more so of course she got into more trouble than he did. My stepfather whooped my sister. HE WHOOPED HER. Can you believe it?! Neither could she. So she called my father out of anger. The thing about my father is. He's a cop and had a short fuse. Plus he really didn't like the guy. But thats not even the whole story.
So my father decided to show up to the house and exchange a few words with my mother. Things seemed to be going ok. There were no voices being raised and the incident looked like it was dieing down. But my stepdad came back from dropping off his son and thats when things started to go bad. He walked up the street and they were talking, being civil, but you could cut the tension with a knife. My stepdad put his hands in his pockets and my dad got nervous. So did I. So my dad reached for his gun because you know he's a cop and thats what he's trained to do. Turns out my stepdad had his gun too. I knew things could only get worse. And they did. They took cover, my dad behind my grandmother's car, my stepdad behind a tree not that far from me. Of course i was crying hysterically wanting to just get in the car with my dad and leave but the problem escalated. My mom convinced my stepdad to put away his weappon as I failed to persuade my dad to put his away. But he was to into the whole thing to even know i existed. My stepdad could have just went in the house and not have said a word. But no. He had to threaten my dad. Who i can admit now was never the most sanist person i had ever met. And those 5 words my stepdad said, the words that changed all of our lives forever "I know where you lay", were the last words he ever said. The last threat he ever made.
And I told this story to inform you of how even 5 simple words can change your life or can result in such a big way. Offense and pride played a big part in this too. If my dad would have just backed down and not have gottten offended from wat my stepdad said then the whole sistuation could have been better. And if my stepdad just didnt have to have the last word maybe he would still be alive. Who knows? Maybe if I would have called the police like my mother asked instead of standing in shock, that could have resulted in something different. But I guess some tragedies have to happen so people can learn from their mistakes. I've learned to watch what I say and who I say it to. What can you learn from my story?
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