In “To My People” by Assata Shakur, a former member of the Black Liberation Army, in 1973 in New Jersey, was stopped on the turnpike because of a traffic violation. Trooper Foerster was murdered with his own gun. Assata was soon convicted of first degree murder and quickly fled to Cuba. While she fled to Cuba, she delivered and developed a speech targeted towards her “brothers and sisters”. Assata Shakur utilizes a variety of rhetorical devices to emphasize her frustrations with the accusations by the hypocritical US authorities. Shakur was persuaded to believe that the United States government was extremely fraudulent. Assata makes an attempt to deliberate her dissatisfaction. The author uses parallel structure to correlate and emphasize …show more content…
She uses different forms and styles of allusion to keep the reader engaged and her writing more dominate. In the speech she states, “They say we steal. But it was not we who stole millions of Black people from the continent of Africa”. She compares and contrast the idea of being called thieves when in reality it was the Americans who generally kidnapped blacks from Africa during sixteenth century and throughout time. The purpose of this was to reassure the American leaders of the cruel act they performed on African Americans. By stating, “They call us murderers, but we did not murder over two hundred fifty unarmed black men, women, and children, or wound thousands of others in the riots they provoked during the sixties”, she provided information to remind the US authorities that they need to remember what they’ve committed as a nation and how that’s not highlighted. This portrays that the amount of time the leaders of America have accused blacks of doing such acts. Assata has valuable, detailed information that has evidence to back up her reasons on how whites committed such crimes but didn’t get accused for it as opposed to a black …show more content…
Shakur demonstrates logos to better her argument in her speech. She argues, ¨Ninety percent of the prison population in this country are black and Third World people who can't afford neither bail or lawyers¨. She provides this to inform her brothers and sister that the American leaders are evil and are trying to get rid of the black population and are capable of making this happen. ¨New York Panther 21 conspiracy case. He was acquitted on 1971, along with all the others, of 156 counts of conspiracy by a jury that took less than two days deliberate¨. Assata states that the white leaders don't let colored people state their perspective and opinions when taken to jury. They automatically have have their decisions set up and have one common goal which is to imprison colored people even if they didn't commit a crime. She trying to make people realize that the system is
The black women’s interaction with her oppressive environment during Revolutionary period or the antebellum America was the only way of her survival. Playing her role, and being part of her community that is not always pleasant takes a lot of courage, and optimism for better tomorrow. The autonomy of a slave women still existed even if most of her natural rights were taken. As opposed to her counterparts
The hypocrisy and double standard that allowed whites to bring harm to blacks without fear of any repercussions had existed for years before the murder Tyson wrote about occurred in May of 1970 (Tyson 2004, 1). Lynching of black men was common place in the south as Billie Holiday sang her song “Strange Fruit” and the eyes of justice looked the other way. On the other side of the coin, justice was brought swiftly to those blacks who stepped out of line and brought harm to the white race. Take for instance Nate Turner, the slave who led a rebellion against whites. Even the Teel’s brought their own form of justice to Henry Marrow because he “said something” to one of their white wives (1).
Four black sharecroppers (Roger Malcom, Dorothy Malcom, George Dorsey and Mae Murray Dorsey) are brutally murdered by a group of white people. The murders attracted national attention, but the community was not willing to get involved. The community was not fazed by these brutal murders but, by the fact that this incident got national attention. They were even more astounded that the rest of the nation even cared. In this book Laura Wexler shows just how deep racism goes. After reading the book I discovered that Fire in a Canebrake has three major themes involving racism. The first is that racism obstructs progression. The second is history repeats itself. The last theme is that racism can obscure the truth. This lynching, in particular, marks a turning point in the history of race relations and the governments’ involvement in civil rights. In the end this case still remains unsolved. No concept of the
This awareness does come with a social outcry, an explosive retaliation, as the stress builds and boils until the injustice cannot be tolerated any longer. The Rodney King incident in Los Angeles is a prime example of social retaliation by the masses. The injustices that occurred paved the way for a group to become enraged and provided an outlet for the social mistreatment of African-American citizens to finally be expressed. The violence that followed would force political officials to respond to an issue that had existed, but was ignored because minority groups’ issues did not fit into a political agenda. However, this form of retaliation cannot thrive and lead to a consensus where terms are fair for both parties. Counterstances stems for violence, and forces violence to become a response. As Anzaldúa expressed, “The possibilities are numerous once we choose to act and not react.” (pg.
In the book Into the Wild, Jon Krakauer wrote about Christopher McCandless, a nature lover in search for independence, in a mysterious and hopeful experience. Even though Krakauer tells us McCandless was going to die from the beginning, he still gave him a chance for survival. As a reader I wanted McCandless to survive. In Into the Wild, Krakauer gave McCandless a unique perspective. He was a smart and unique person that wanted to be completely free from society. Krakauer included comments from people that said McCandless was crazy, and his death was his own mistake. However, Krakauer is able to make him seem like a brave person. The connections between other hikers and himself helped in the explanation of McCandless’s rational actions. Krakauer is able to make McCandless look like a normal person, but unique from this generation. In order for Krakauer to make Christopher McCandless not look like a crazy person, but a special person, I will analyze the persuading style that Krakauer used in Into the Wild that made us believe McCandless was a regular young adult.
In her Fire in a Canebrake, Laura Wexler describes an important event in mid-twentieth century American race relations, long ago relegated to the closet of American consciousness. In so doing, Wexler not only skillfully describes the event—the Moore’s Ford lynching of 1946—but incorporates it into our understanding of the present world and past by retaining the complexities of doubt and deception that surrounded the event when it occurred, and which still confound it in historical records. By skillfully navigating these currents of deceit, too, Wexler is not only able to portray them to the reader in full form, but also historicize this muddled record in the context of certain larger historical truths. In this fashion, and by refusing to cede to a desire for closure by drawing easy but inherently flawed conclusions regarding the individuals directly responsible for the 1946 lynching, Wexler demonstrates that she is more interested in a larger historical picture than the single event to which she dedicates her text. And, in so doing, she rebukes the doubts of those who question the importance of “bringing up” the lynching, lending powerful motivation and purpose to her writing that sustains her narrative, and the audience’s attention to it.
This piece of autobiographical works is one of the greatest pieces of literature and will continue to inspire young and old black Americans to this day be cause of her hard and racially tense background is what produced an eloquent piece of work that feels at times more fiction than non fiction
Throughout, the documentary one can come to the conclusion that most of these African- Americans who live in this area are being judged as violent and bad people. However this is not the case, many of them are just normal people who are try...
As Elie Wiesel once stated, “I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented” (“Elie Wiesel Quote”). Michelle Alexander’s book The New Jim Crow, which discusses criminal justice and its role in mass incarceration, promotes a similar idea regarding silence when America’s racial caste system needs to be ended; however, Alexander promotes times when silence would actually be better for “the tormented.” The role of silence and lack of silence in the criminal justice system both contribute to wrongly accused individuals and growing populations behind bars.
Pollan’s article provides a solid base to the conversation, defining what to do in order to eat healthy. Holding this concept of eating healthy, Joe Pinsker in “Why So Many Rich Kids Come to Enjoy the Taste of Healthier Foods” enters into the conversation and questions the connection of difference in families’ income and how healthy children eat (129-132). He argues that how much families earn largely affect how healthy children eat — income is one of the most important factors preventing people from eating healthy (129-132). In his article, Pinsker utilizes a study done by Caitlin Daniel to illustrate that level of income does affect children’s diet (130). In Daniel’s research, among 75 Boston-area parents, those rich families value children’s healthy diet more than food wasted when children refused to accept those healthier but
“Standing as one of the most-heinous, race-motivated crimes in America’s history” (News One). This murder sparked a nation in a large way. One racist move and a movement was created.
The objective is that Jane Addam’s was able to create citizens not manage clients (Elshatin, 15). This was not an easy task during such a overwhelming era, this did not stop Addam’s from dedicating her life to help better humanity as a whole, something in which our own governement seems to lack. Jane Addam’s contributions to society were not mainstream at the time, however, if one looks back on her works it is clear to see she was just as crucial to society as say MLK. Indeed that is a large statement to make, however, it is true. Addam’s was open doors to those who were treated unequal by our own government as well as the rest of society. Therefore, it was not so much her writings or sayings she taught that created a path for others but her daily works and dedication to helping others that created such an impact on America. America is known for being a land filled with opportunity for all, a melting pot country, a constitution that promises equal rights for all. We’ve learned throughout the course that America is not always truthful to itself due to greed and self- interest. Jane Addam’s was one individual who refused to let the outside tamper her true beliefs, something most of us Americans has failed to do, not only has she done this for herself but she always dedicated her life to restoring humanity’s morals at a
Jonathan Kozol revealed the early period’s situation of education in American schools in his article Savage Inequalities. It seems like during that period, the inequality existed everywhere and no one had the ability to change it; however, Kozol tried his best to turn around this situation and keep track of all he saw. In the article, he used rhetorical strategies effectively to describe what he saw in that situation, such as pathos, logos and ethos.
The people in this country have been embedded with the idea to have power and ability to govern themselves to a life that is exceptional. This fire burns within the minds of governments, companies, average men and in this case what is considered the lowest class: African Americans. In a country where there is constant struggle for racial equality, whether in an urban or back-woods country setting, race dictates power for characters like Emmett Till in “The Ballad of Emmet Till”, by Bob Dylan, Tom Robinson in To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, and Mama in A Raisin In The Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry. All these characters vary in how they are persecuted yet are bonded by their struggle. Depicting the idea that there is a constant battle to control their own lives.
Not only does he mention the “Klan” but also KKK members, David Duke, and Trent Lott. Mentioning Wall Street as the first plantation, manifest destiny, and control of oil serve as a few examples to prove America is the “who”. Slavery made a metaphor to describe the terror induced by white America. The most common verbs in the poem are “own,” “stole,” and “killed” appearing over fifty times total. The language is charged with these slavery trigger words. Not to mention, the graphic details of, “Who cut your nuts off/ Who rape your ma/ Who lynched your pa/ Who got the tar, who got the feathers/ Who had the match, who set the fires”, are a direct life line to black America. This balance between brutal and savage descriptions and epistemological repetition of trigger words makes the target of the poem clear. For it to be any more clear, Baraka would have to name the individuals of which he speaks. Coincidently, he does. 67 individuals—mostly victims—are named by Amiri Baraka. Looking at one pair of victims, the Rosenbergs, is enough to get the picture. Although every name holds an identity and story that is important to Baraka’s portrayal of white America, the specific story of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg is enough to understand. According to the New York Times, “Julius Rosenberg and Ethel Greenglass Rosenberg were American citizens executed for conspiracy to commit