Do the Right Thing

Do the Right Thing and How Bigger was Born are related based on Richard Wright's idea of multiple Biggers.  Bigger Thomas' character was developed through a seires of different "Biggers" of which Wright encountered in his life.  These different "Biggers" are found throughout Spike Lee's film.  The different aspects of Bigger are found throughout all of the country, because the inhumane treatment of Black's was occuring throughout the United States.  Wright's, "Bigger One", was a "continous challenge to others.  Atall times he took his way, right or wrong."(435).  I think that Mookie followed this similar pattern.  He was always hard to rely on.  Sal and his son's always kept an eye on him when he left to make deliveries.  Also, Tina never could rely on him to visit her and their son, Hector.  He pushed people away and this caused him to feel distressed.  He established his own right and wrong.  Tina felt that it was wrong that he skipped missing his child by going to a job that paid him nothing.  Also, Mookie thought that his sister, Jayde, should stay away from Sal's because he was hitting on her. Mookie was always right in his own mind, and this is what lead him to unhappiness. 

Do the Right Thing really struck me on a subconscious level.  It is interesting to think about how one may not appear to be racist on the outside, but on the inside that subconcious level of racisim is always present.  After realizing this, I have begun to analyze how I view others.  Am I racist on the outside? Or is it just being racist subconsciously?  Subconscious racism is always present and it will be a difficult task to remove it from humanity. The underlying factors that may set offsomeone who is typically not racist to act differently.  I think that Mookie feels accomplished.  He feels this way because he initially pretends to not care what Sal thinks of him, but as the film progresses, the way he does not respond to other Blacks begins to anger him.  By throwing the garbage can into Sal's Pizzeria, Mookie is able to release his anger and finally prove to Sal that it is not acceptable for him to ignore his customers.  He believes that Sal should be able to hang pictures on the wall of African Americans, even if it is just to please his customers, because they are all not of the white race.   Alltogther, I think that the community will suffer without the presence of Sal's, and Sal will suffer because he lost his only love.  Sal's Pizzeria acted as a community center for all of the neighborhood.  Because this was their place, Sal made a living.  Without the two, everyone will suffer.   I don't think anyone did the "right thing".  If Mookie wouldn't have thrown the garbage bin, and Sal would have placed the pictures on the wall, then there would have been peace.  Even if Sal didn't necessarily place the pictures on the wall because he felt like they were important, he should have done it to please his customers in order to keep business running.  This would have also prevented Mookie from ever throwing the garbage bin.  I think that people need to recognize how small actions will effect others.  Because this simple request from Buggin' Out was not complied with, a neighborhood riot lead to a death.  I think that the loss of Radio Reheem taught the neighborhood the importance of family.  The neighborhood, even though having many different races, was able to live together for a long time.  They didn't typically argue with each toher, and were able to maintain a level of peace.  When one person choses not to act for the welfare of the community, events like Radio Raheem's death and the loss of Sal's occur.

King's Mountaintop Speech

Martin Luther King Jr. expressed his hope for a final march on Memphis.  After a violent protest, he felt ashamed as to how it turned out, and planned to remain non violent.  King delievered this speech the evening before his assassination, which is about the hope for Blacks as they near the "promised land".  He interprets America as the promised land.  He said, "He's allowed me to to go up to the mountain, and I've looked over.  And I've seen the promsied land.   As a people will get to the promised land."  King invisioned this land for his people.  He knows it is possible not only because God has told him so, but because he is hopeful that their long fight has finally come to the place were they belong.  Blacks have been climbing their mountain, peak by peak, fighting each battle to look over and see their beautfiul land.  King assures the people that this will come if they remain nonviolent and comply with the First Amendment (freedom of speech, protest, religion etc). 

4.  What did the "promised land" stand for in his speech?  What do you think King meant when he said he had seen "the promised land"?

As I said above, the promised land is a sanctuary of peace.  It is a place were people can be who they wish to be and a place that terminates any exclusion.  This land is the opportunity to the people that have made it thus far, the one's who fought when others didn't.  It is also a symbol of older generations who paved the way for younger generations.  The promised land is not only a home, but a permanent reminder of all of past brutality that had finally come to an end.

Beloved-Memory, Rememory and Power of the Past response

After you complete your reading for today, we'd like you write your journal entry for chapter 9 as a blog post.  The focus of it revolves about the issue of Memory, Rememory, and the Power of the Past - what is the novel saying about these topics at this point?  What are the challenges and issues that arise when the past is either raised or specifically avoided?  When is it embraced - when is it hidden - why?

As Sethe begins to revist her past through her memories in Chapter 9, she begins to unfold the secrets of her past.  Baby Suggs, her mother in law, was similiar to the community leader of 124  Bluestone.  She would stand at the Clearing and preach to her people and hope that they finally become their own people.  These vivid memories allow Sethe to reflect as she revisted "Baby Suggs", "Freeing yourself was one thing; claiming ownership of that freed self was another." (112).  Sethe begins to free herself from Halle.  She slowly understands that he did not come back for her, and that Paul D. supported her and was the one she needed to spend her life with.  She believed there would never be a time when Halle would come to her, so she claimed ownership of herself.  Every part of her that she gave away to him many years earlier, now belonged to only Sethe.  Her hands were her own and she was to do whatever work she wanted too with those hands. 
Sethe's time at the Clearing also allows her to come upon her re memories that she does not seem to have grip on.  After Denver accuses Beloved of choking Sethe, the breath begins to trigger a past occurrence.  Sethe thought, "it was because the girl's breath was exactly like new milk."  This references to Beloved's breath thrusting the same pain upon Sethe as the pain she felt as her milk was taken away from her.  All of Sethe's milk was stolen moments after she gave birth to Denver, and the thought of someone else nursing her child was alarming.  She wanted to have control of her own body and she was not allowing anyone else to nurse her baby.  Aligning this, the breath of the girl who choked Sethe was taken away.  Either that breath was the spirit of her dead child, or it was Baby Suggs reminding her that she was still there.  Baby Suggs had assisted Sethe when she arrived at 124 Bluestone and helped her clean up.  These re memories will help Sethe discover her own identity, just as Baby Suggs preached years earlier at the Clearing.  Her visitation at this site was an important growing point for her because she has finally begun to understand that Paul D is in her life, her new relationship with Beloved, and her sole priority is Denver.

Emerson's Self Reliance

Ralph Waldo Emerson believed in transcendentalism.  He had an a priori view on knowledge which means,  he believed that a sole focus on the individual gives a power of limitless knowledge without prior experience(a posteriori).  During the time of this movement in philosophy, the focus was not on government like in earlier times, but the focus was on the power of the individual.  Emerson believed that in order for a society to succcessfully survive was to have non-conformists within.  The survival of the society depends on that one non-conformist to argue against the majority in order to initiate right from wrong.  The "Emerson Society" is one that depends on individuals to use their own knowledge.  Because he believed that people could be intelligent about things they have not experienced, it was important to Emerson that they speak their opinion.  An opinionated society allows for change to occur and conflicts to arise.  Conflict and change allow communities to thrive and prosper in many different ways.  These individuals who have the courage to be opinionated are the main reason for the prosperity of society.  In his essay titled, "Self Reliance", he states, "It is easy to live in a world after the world's opinion;it is easy to live in solitude to live after our own ; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude."(page 23).  It is difficult to interact with individuals of a group who have perpendicular views.  Problems arise when views are not parallel in communities.  When a person apporaches out of the crowd, they must have strength and courage to disregard the opinions of the opposition.  Opposition apposes a threat unlike any other, they are able to glare at you and immediately prove you wrong before an individual gets a chance to talk.  Here, Emerson encourages others to come out of the crowd to state their beliefs.  Society is dependent on the loud spoken, courageous individuals who understand the meaning of knowledge and the people who are able to see change in the world.

Quran Burnings in Florida: Thoughts about the first amendment and the constitution

The ninth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks is fastly approaching. It is a day of rememberance and a day of shame in the history of our nation. Yet, nine years later, there is still controversy regarding the attacks. There has been recent news of a Pastor in Florida planning to burn the Quran, the holy book to muslims. Reverend Terry Jones of Gainesville, Flordia will burn the books if he does not have a meeting with Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, one of the members of a possible Islamic Culture Center to be built at the spot of Ground Zero.
"I am prepared to consider meeting with anyone who is seriously committed to pursuing peace," Rauf said in a prepared statement. "We have no such meeting planned at this time. Our plans for the community center have not changed. With the solemn day of September 11 upon us, I encourage everyone to take time for prayer and reflection." Rauf and other leaders of the Islamic Culture center do not intend to offend or threaten anyone by constructing this facility. It is a relgious center for people of the Islamic faith, and these leaders encourage Americans to reflect on the horrific acts that took place nearby the possible building.
The first amendment of the constitution explains the personal liberties of United States citizens. The first amendment of the United States constitution states, "Congress shall not make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the freee exercies thereof." It is interpreted that anyone can practice the religion they want freely. By threating to burn the Quran, Jones not only is taking advantage of this liberty, but he is defying the supreme law of the land. Ruaf and the other members of the culture society are demonstrating the first amendment by freely practicing their faith. They are being threatened of this liberty that is guarranteed by the constitution.
To me, by practicing my Jewish faith, I am setting an example for peace. I don't believe in all of the philosophies of the religion but peace is a major part of how I practice. A muslim faith leader, al-sistani stated, "This disgraceful act contradicts the very duties of religious and spiritual leadership to enhance the value of peaceful coexistence and safeguard the rights and mutual respect among religions." Participating in a religious faith is to enhance peace and respect among all people of the world. If religious leaders are caught in offensive actions, followers may believe that this is acceptable. Jones is setting the wrong example for the world and the people of his faith. It is not acceptable in any circumstance to disrespect people of other faiths, the law states we should practice what we believe. Lastly, not only does this not follow the constitution but it interferes with the values of being an American. As Americans we respect the views of others even if ours do not coincide with theirs. It is the duty of Americans to practice and preach these ideas so people like Jones will recognize their wrong doings.

Response to Zinn Revolution

After reading and identifying the common elements of this text, I have discovered that there were many internal issues in the colonies during the American Revolution.  Zinn stated,"conflicts between non poor and poor among the Americans kept reappearing."  How can a nation fight a war over external affairs when they are dying inside? Isn't it the priority of the government to have balance internally before exploring external affairs?  Life in America today is very similiar in the sense thar we are fighting overseas in Iraq in a never ending war when issues at home are severe.  The financial recession has put many families into poverty and yet we still worry about international problems first.  Another issue addressed was the lack of all of the population being equally represented in the declaration of independence.  Various highly educated, respected, and wealthy men contributed to the document allowing their needs to only be met.  Does this provide a clear sample of all Americans?  Shouldn't a document regarding the rights of citizens apply to all of the needs of different groups of individuals?  In his piece about revolution, Zinn commented, "this serves the interest of a wealthy elite, but also does enough for a small property owner."  What about the farmer or the merchant? The guidelines of the nation should be a representative sample for all Americans. 

The American Crisis

The inability to have personal rights and liberties in America during the late 1700s was the reason for the arising problems in the colonies.  Thomas Paine wrote a pamphlet called, "The American Crisis" during this time. George Washington stated some of Paine's work at Valley Forge to his struggling troops.  Throughout his pamphlet, he stated his thoughts regarding the fight for freedom.  After learning to begin about the American Revolution, I am beginning to understand the difficult times that different types of Americans faced.  While an African American may not have any liberties or the right to fight in the war or even a white woman such as Abigail Adams, who lacks the rights that are imposed by God. All Americans living in the colonies faced oppression.    Thomas Paine believed that "Tyranny, is like hell, is not easily conquered...".  My interpretation of this is that when someone holds power, they will not surrender the wants of others unless they are literally conquered by the people.  Because tyranny is compared to hell, Paine is able to explain to the reader that it was quite impossible to sway the views of the men in power of the colonies.  The only way to conquer hell is to physically fight it, which Washington I think agreed with this.  Another thought which I think is interesting is the issue of natural rights that God gives to all of mankind.  Paine raises this issue as he wrote, "Even the expression is impious, for so unlimited a power can belong only to God...".  All individuals are offsprings of God and are the children of the world.  Washington used this to encourage the fight of his troops against the British. The meaning of the word impious is lacking respect, according to merriamwebster.com.  Respect is valued greatly and always has.  It is important to treat others the way that we want to be, although this is often said, it is often ignored and passed by.  All people are not treated with respect, individuals who don't have the right to go out and work freely to support their families isn't respect. Pain also refrences Joan of Arc in his piece when he states, "was driven bak like men pretrified with fear; and this brave exploit was performed by a few broken forces  collected and headed by a woman, Joan of Arc."  Joan of Arc was a French hero during the Hundred Years War.  I believe that Paine refrences her because she was able to lead the French army to several important victories. Not only was she a hero, but a fighter, she wanted liberty and she fought to make this happen. Additionally, I think Washington agrees with teh ideas of Joan of Arc, he doesn't want his men to stand around, he wants them to fight for freedom.   Thomas Paine was a preacher of freedom in the American colonies and he directly influenced many people of that time.