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Racial inequality in our police system
Racial inequality in our police system
Racial inequality in our police system
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I propose to take our countrymen’s claims of American exceptionalism seriously, which is to say I propose subjecting our country to an exceptional moral standard.” I think this passage is really powerful and direct to those who ignore the black. Another thing that stands out to me is that Coates refers to the white American as dreamers living in the dream, which is "perfect houses with nice lawns," "ice cream socials," "the Cub Scouts," etc. It’s interesting to see how Coates portrays the American Dream in this passage. The Dream, to him, is tied to those “who believe themselves to be white”.
Coates leaves little space to talk about slavery but instead talks about black reparations. He doesn’t really demonstrate this throughout the essay. He gives us a long list of slavery victims and their stories, but no overall
Ta-Nehisi Coates writes a letter to his son explaining innocence. He tells him how the destroyers of his black body will hardly be held accountable for their actions. He explains how the people who have the authority to protect and serve this country are also capable of harming innocent people. Coates uses the Middle Passage, Trail of Tears, Michael Brown, and the Civil War to explain about innocence.
“On Pins and Needles Defending Artistic Expression” What would one expect the viewpoint of an American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts’ (also known as ACLU) lawyer and journalist to be regarding tattoos as a form of artistic expression? Carol Rose is the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts. Being a lawyer and journalist, Carol has spent her career working for and writing about human rights and civil liberties, both in the United States and abroad”(Rottenberg 36). Because of her eminent profession, one would naturally assume that Rose leans more towards a liberal point of view. In regards to tattoos, that assertion would be correct.
This made me think of Malala, as both share similar beliefs. Malala also believes that education is the most powerful tool. She also believes in God and prays to Him for help when needed. I think that everyone should have these same beliefs (except the last one, because of religious conflicts). If everyone did have them, I believe that most of the problems in the world would be solved.
Many people forget that African Americans in this country have been enslaved for longer than they have been free. Coates reminds his son to not forget their important history and that they will continuously struggle for freedom over their own bodies. They must learn to live within a black body. These struggles can be seen in the racial profiling and brutality among police officers in cases such as Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, and countless of others. He goes on to describe his childhood and how fear was the root of black existence.
As a black person in America, I have come to realize that there are many other people that see my race as inferior. It is often difficult to consider this thought in my everyday life and after reading Between the World and Me, Ta-Nehisi Coates has demonstrated that I am not the only black person in America who feels this way. The most powerful message that I encountered in this story is the fact that I come into this world with the world already against me and I am constantly trying to find who I am versus what others perceive of me. Being black in America forces individuals to change their natural being to try and live up to the standards of others. The American standard or the “American Dream” is described by Coates as a goal that cannot
“You were born into a society which spelled out with brutal clarity, and in as many ways as possible, that you were a worthless human being. You were not expected to aspire to excellence”. His letter also discussed the idea of discovering one's self not through the sentiments of others, but rather through the conclusions of oneself. I feel like he is not just cautioning his nephew, but the black community in general of such society. I believe that his letter was a plea to the black community to “accept the whites with love” for “they are, in effect, still trapped in a history which they do not understand”, while in the same token, not giving in to their stereotypes of black identity like his father did.
The notion of Utopia means “no place”, where the perfect view makes people yearn for an ideal and magical land, but simultaneously it can be satire on real life. As a literary tradition, utopia always has the double functions of criticism and construction of a new, better world. Dr. King’s courage enabled him to face the difficulty and dangers inherent in his quest to establish a more equal and peaceful world, which he created a vivid, passionate and beautiful vision for. The nonviolent resister has deep faith that justice will eventually win. For Ta-Nehisi Coates, the post-Civil Rights racial utopia society exists only in a dream where white people live, so it is actually no more than an illusion about the US where Utopia is just for certain
Following this faultily used statement. Another statement that stood out was when he mentions his son’s mother living in close proximity to the dreamers. Coates says, “Perhaps it was because the people who thought they were white told her she was smart and followed this up by telling her she was not really black.” This is another phrase used to justify biased feelings. Consequently, it makes the person
His entire experience at the hotel is a representation of the struggle African American have in a white society. Just to get the approval of whites, African Americans have to work ten times harder and be ten times better. Although he feels honored when awarded the brief case and scholarship the harsh reality of it is he was humiliated, used as entertainment, and degraded just to get that prize. He is reminded that although he is well-spoken and smart like the white male he will never be superior,
Although he believes that this question is unanswerable, Coates’ purpose is to express his deepest concerns for his son and to help him understand his personal experiences as a black man. He achieves his purpose by incorporating rhetorical skills such as ethos, pathos, and logos. Coates has been a successful journalist and writer for several years. He previously worked for The Atlantic, The Washington Post, and O
Pico Iyer’s “The Joy of Quiet” article in the New York Times begins with the awareness of the effects of Internet infested electronics. Acknowledging that the technology available to individuals today can be helpful, he also mentions the effects of it can be quite dramatic. For instance, Iyer explains how a night at Post Ranch Inn will charge customers extra just to receive a room with no television. Individuals have to force themselves to peel away and distract themselves from their devices with things that may not even pertain to their interests. While being so preoccupied with what’s going on in the world or with what friends are doing, individuals overlook the fact that they are not focusing on the essential– living life.
This tells blacks are trying to act like whites but are really not white. Acting white, and trying to fit into this dream is the destruction of the blacks. I know this because when Coats says ¨Deathbed¨. Also on page 152 coats tells his son Samori, ¨Struggle for your grandmother and grandfather, but do not struggle for the dreamers.¨, and how the Dreamers must reap what they do. When coats talk about the dreamers, and what they do he describes them negatively. I know this because Coats repeats the word ¨Plunder¨ multiple times which means stealing or taking things aggressively.
Today, money has made many people believe that you need to have a lot of money to live a great, happy life. People in the world, especially the people who don’t have as much money as the ones that do, look up to people like popular idols, because they have money. People think they have a great living life with all the money they have earned during their lives. In the short story “Why You Reckon?” by Langston Hughes, the author uses diction, colloquialism and dialect to express the fact that just because people have the money to go out to eat somewhere expensive or buy the newest clothes, does not mean that a person is happy all the time and expresses how people in the town talks. Money is what makes the world goes round and everyone has come
