Critical Response to Theme 1; Freedom, Responsibility, and Justice
The theme Freedom Responsibility, and Justice, that we’ve been discussing all semester long, has truly opened my eyes to ideas, concepts, and events that I had no idea existed, or were taking place around the globe, past or present. I’ve gained a greater understanding of people, cultures, nationalities, ethnicities and countries. But I believe what I’ve learned most of all, is how utterly upset I am; agonized, angry, appalled, disgusted, horrified, livid, offended, revolted, repulsed, and absolutely pissed at how poorly mankind, the United States in particular, has responded. They, and we all, have failed miserably. Here, I will examine music, writings in the forms of poems and letters, as well as film and other discussions that have taken place, that have contributed to my greater understanding of what we call the Humanities, or what might be better referred to as the inhumanities of our day.
(Each category will answer the first 3 questions of step 3 separately, with question 4 being answered in one collective statement).
Song: “Stand By Me”
1. The song/musical piece which I have chosen to draw from is “Stand by Me” which we saw adapted into a cover entitled “Playing for Change”. "Stand by Me" is a song that was originally performed by Ben King in 1961, who was assisted in the making of the song by Jerry Leibler and Mike Stoller. They received inspiration to write the song from a religious hymn entitled “Lord Stand by Me”, as well as text derived from Psalms 46 in the New Testament. I’ve known about and love this song for a long time. It serves as the feature song for one of my favorite movies from the 80’s, which also happens to be entitled Stand by Me.
2. The song opens with a man named Roger Ridley, the first performer in this adaptation of the song, saying “This song says no matter who you are, no matter where you go in life, at some point you’re going to need somebody to stand by you”. Then we’re swept off our feet and into a wonderful, heart wrenching experience. Although this song has elements of all 3 categories within this theme, I felt personally that it had the most to do with responsibility. Stand by me. A phrase, a plea, a call for help. Do we not all have the responsibility to stand by one another? I only was able to catch the following idea once I had listened to the song yet again as I write this response; the version and verse of the song we hear NEVER says bad things won’t happen. In fact it affirms that they indeed will. It states that even when the very stars that we look upon shall fall from the skies, and the land goes entirely dark, and perhaps the moon is the only light remaining, inferring some apocalyptic event or anything that could be devastating in our lives, yes even if and when those terrible things happen, as long as you and I, and we all, stand by one another, we’ll be alright. We will be ok if we stand united, and can rely on one another. If we can all take the responsibility upon ourselves, to stand by each other in times of need, much of the inhumaneness that we see in the world would go away. And I’m in no way referring that it has to be world ending events like the stars falling from grace in order for us to become united as a human race. I’m saying, connecting to Freedom and Justice, that when there are wars abroad, social justice issues, human rights violation, people or groups being denied justice and stripped of freedom, it is in these times that we must stand up. No matter how grand or insignificant the occasion may appear, we must help. If it is one person being mistreated, don’t they deserve to have someone stand by them just as much as the 500,000 that were slaughtered in Rwanda? Or the millions of Jews in WWII? The Declaration of Independence, AND the UN Declaration of Human Rights both have to do with preserving the QUALITY of life, not the quantity. Therefore, the number of people affected shouldn’t matter, it should be the social, moral, or ethical injustice taking place that should be addressed. It is the principle of the matter. Stand by those, ALL OF THOSE, who need you. This song reverberates that clearly.
3. There is a deep connection between when the song was originally written in 1961, and when it is performed for this segment in 2008. In 1961, we barely had WWII and Vietnam in our rear view mirror, and the Civil Rights movement was poising to make its climax. We were bombarded with opportunities to stand by the oppressed, the down-trodden and the weakened. Yet irrational excuses and unjust reasoning was lobbied to try and rid ourselves of the responsibility to stand for justice. We first off refuse to become involved in WWII, yet condemn the Nazis for their actions against Jews, but then intern the Japanese on our own soil….then continue with racism against Blacks in the 50’s and 60’s. I mean the scene was set for us to make a moral stand. But few did. The rendition performed here in 2008 was striking because if you look at the settings and locations of where the performers were (New Orleans, South Africa, Brazil, Italy, Spain, Venezuela, Amsterdam and more) I mean, come on! We have places all of the world recently stricken by natural catastrophes or suffering from starvation, illness, bondage, poverty. You name it, the opportunities exist and are out there for us to make a stand against the injustice and bondage (absolute absence of freedom) whether it be physical, economical, or social, that is taking place daily around the globe. It is unfathomable for me to comprehend why such demonic, heartless things happen. Yet it is even more painful to know that not enough is being done to stop it. Too many of us are silent. In closing, I refer to a Martin Luther King Jr. quote that firmly places responsibility upon our shoulders, uttered right in the middle of the Civil Rights movement, in which he himself was imprisoned and robbed of his freedom. It states, “We, this generation, will have to repent for… the appalling silence of the good people.” When I read this quote, another one comes to mine which perfectly summarizes its meaning, “Your silence is deafening”. For us to not know what is going on is naïve and makes us somewhat innocent. But to know that such atrocities took place, and are still taking place around the globe, and we, for the larger part of the time, abstain from ‘standing by them’, is ignorance; ignorant in the sense that we think by not getting involved is a good thing because it is not our business. Yeah, tell that to yourself when you come to terms with a hard time in our life and you’re looking around, shouting ‘STAND BY ME’…yet nobody answers. Perhaps that is because you neglected your responsibility to stand for what is just: their freedom. Trust me, at that place and time, the silence will be deafening, because the condemnation coming from within your own conscience will be so loud you won’t hear yourself scream.
(Each category will answer the first 3 questions of step 3 separately, with question 4 being answered in one collective statement).
Song: “Stand By Me”
1. The song/musical piece which I have chosen to draw from is “Stand by Me” which we saw adapted into a cover entitled “Playing for Change”. "Stand by Me" is a song that was originally performed by Ben King in 1961, who was assisted in the making of the song by Jerry Leibler and Mike Stoller. They received inspiration to write the song from a religious hymn entitled “Lord Stand by Me”, as well as text derived from Psalms 46 in the New Testament. I’ve known about and love this song for a long time. It serves as the feature song for one of my favorite movies from the 80’s, which also happens to be entitled Stand by Me.
2. The song opens with a man named Roger Ridley, the first performer in this adaptation of the song, saying “This song says no matter who you are, no matter where you go in life, at some point you’re going to need somebody to stand by you”. Then we’re swept off our feet and into a wonderful, heart wrenching experience. Although this song has elements of all 3 categories within this theme, I felt personally that it had the most to do with responsibility. Stand by me. A phrase, a plea, a call for help. Do we not all have the responsibility to stand by one another? I only was able to catch the following idea once I had listened to the song yet again as I write this response; the version and verse of the song we hear NEVER says bad things won’t happen. In fact it affirms that they indeed will. It states that even when the very stars that we look upon shall fall from the skies, and the land goes entirely dark, and perhaps the moon is the only light remaining, inferring some apocalyptic event or anything that could be devastating in our lives, yes even if and when those terrible things happen, as long as you and I, and we all, stand by one another, we’ll be alright. We will be ok if we stand united, and can rely on one another. If we can all take the responsibility upon ourselves, to stand by each other in times of need, much of the inhumaneness that we see in the world would go away. And I’m in no way referring that it has to be world ending events like the stars falling from grace in order for us to become united as a human race. I’m saying, connecting to Freedom and Justice, that when there are wars abroad, social justice issues, human rights violation, people or groups being denied justice and stripped of freedom, it is in these times that we must stand up. No matter how grand or insignificant the occasion may appear, we must help. If it is one person being mistreated, don’t they deserve to have someone stand by them just as much as the 500,000 that were slaughtered in Rwanda? Or the millions of Jews in WWII? The Declaration of Independence, AND the UN Declaration of Human Rights both have to do with preserving the QUALITY of life, not the quantity. Therefore, the number of people affected shouldn’t matter, it should be the social, moral, or ethical injustice taking place that should be addressed. It is the principle of the matter. Stand by those, ALL OF THOSE, who need you. This song reverberates that clearly.
3. There is a deep connection between when the song was originally written in 1961, and when it is performed for this segment in 2008. In 1961, we barely had WWII and Vietnam in our rear view mirror, and the Civil Rights movement was poising to make its climax. We were bombarded with opportunities to stand by the oppressed, the down-trodden and the weakened. Yet irrational excuses and unjust reasoning was lobbied to try and rid ourselves of the responsibility to stand for justice. We first off refuse to become involved in WWII, yet condemn the Nazis for their actions against Jews, but then intern the Japanese on our own soil….then continue with racism against Blacks in the 50’s and 60’s. I mean the scene was set for us to make a moral stand. But few did. The rendition performed here in 2008 was striking because if you look at the settings and locations of where the performers were (New Orleans, South Africa, Brazil, Italy, Spain, Venezuela, Amsterdam and more) I mean, come on! We have places all of the world recently stricken by natural catastrophes or suffering from starvation, illness, bondage, poverty. You name it, the opportunities exist and are out there for us to make a stand against the injustice and bondage (absolute absence of freedom) whether it be physical, economical, or social, that is taking place daily around the globe. It is unfathomable for me to comprehend why such demonic, heartless things happen. Yet it is even more painful to know that not enough is being done to stop it. Too many of us are silent. In closing, I refer to a Martin Luther King Jr. quote that firmly places responsibility upon our shoulders, uttered right in the middle of the Civil Rights movement, in which he himself was imprisoned and robbed of his freedom. It states, “We, this generation, will have to repent for… the appalling silence of the good people.” When I read this quote, another one comes to mine which perfectly summarizes its meaning, “Your silence is deafening”. For us to not know what is going on is naïve and makes us somewhat innocent. But to know that such atrocities took place, and are still taking place around the globe, and we, for the larger part of the time, abstain from ‘standing by them’, is ignorance; ignorant in the sense that we think by not getting involved is a good thing because it is not our business. Yeah, tell that to yourself when you come to terms with a hard time in our life and you’re looking around, shouting ‘STAND BY ME’…yet nobody answers. Perhaps that is because you neglected your responsibility to stand for what is just: their freedom. Trust me, at that place and time, the silence will be deafening, because the condemnation coming from within your own conscience will be so loud you won’t hear yourself scream.
Poem: Let America Be America Again
1. This profound and moving poem was authored by Langston Hughes in 1935, but not published and made available to the public until it was published on a wide scale to a large audience in magazines from 1936-1938. Hughes was a prolific writer who inspired his own kind, African Americans, through very aggressive and forward-thinking/challenging writing. His works dealt primarily with the topics of justice, both social and political, finding inspiration through both American jazz music, and real life experiences of Blacks in the United States. This poem, in particular, deals with the concept of idealism within America, or the ‘American Dream’, versus the reality of the life still lead by many African Americans in the 20th, and now, 21st century.
2. Hughes’ poem is a riveting piece that fearlessly addresses the themes of Freedom and Justice from the oppressor’s side of view. Perhaps then to say that the theme of his poem is the lack of freedom and injustice still rampant today is atrocious. Where did the ‘American Dream’ become lost along the way? If it, the dream, is such an ‘American Ideology’, why then are so little of those who’ve helped build this country just as much as the next man, those whose ancestors fought just as hard to get here, or do still fight in such a manner, never receive their shot at the price? This poem enlightens us to the fact that this so-called dream has never been further from the grasp of so many people. Hughes asks that the dream revert back to its former self – one that can be realized. He condemns subservience and asks that we all enjoy America for what it is SUPPOSED to be, the Land of the Free. But, unfortunately, for so many, America never was ‘America’, in the sense that they truly weren’t afforded the same opportunities for success, for independence, education, privilege of owning land, equality in the eyes of the law etc. You name IT, equality for IT didn’t, and in some forms still today doesn’t, exist. And with “slavery’s scars” upon the Negro still visible today upon the face of America, are we not confronted with the question why haven’t we tried to heal the blemish? No, I’m not saying cover up or hide the blemish, as we’ve tried to do with legislation that never fully achieves its ‘claim’ or intended design. I’m referring to healing it, picking up those who, after having been beaten down their whole life, are still trying to stand back up. This connects perfectly to Stand by Me. That is how we heal the scars of the past in this country. Yet so many deny and refuse to give the cure, saying what has been penned is enough. Yet the penned words are never a guarantee are they. Are they really? I don’t believe so. Our own Declaration of Independence states FROM THE BEGINNING that all men are created equal, with unalienable rights, among them liberty. Yet then we enslaved a race to be our “farmer, bondsman to the soil…worker sold to the machine…servant to (us).” So you see, from the beginning, that which has been penned does not hold much sway with me. They’re just words in the end. But not much action is there to back them up. And the age old cliché still holds true that ‘actions speak louder than words’. We didn’t give these unalienable rights to all. We didn’t preserve their equality. We held back the America that we all enjoyed, away from them. We never gave them the realization of The Dream, in this the claimed “Homeland of the Free”. Those still living, and furthermore those who are still filibustering from their graves for equality, should not have to continue on in this terrible isolation and marginalization. As Hughes so perfectly put it, their blood, sweat, faith and pain, built this country. Yet they’re not allowed to enjoy it. When will we change this? Will we ever? Yes, sure slavery has been outlawed, but in what forms does it still exist? I’m not asking if it still exists. I’m saying it does still exist. I’m asking you, in what forms?
3. As I learned about the background and history surrounding this poem, and the context in which it was written, I realized that Hughes is not just representing the African Americans in the United States, he’s representing all those who are impoverished or otherwise economically disadvantaged and oppressed NOT by choice, but rather by blatant disregard and obvious abuse by those more fortunate than they. The time and place associated with the poem is post-WWI and pre-WWII, right in the middle of the Great Depression. So for Hughes to make an appeal to all those considered to be in the lower-class of American Society, makes this poem all the more pertinent, relevant, and imperative. It shows us that we aren’t just stripping freedoms and justice away from one race, but from an entire CLASS of people. That starts to venture into Marxism. Parts of Hughes’ work had nothing to do with skin color or heritage, but, rather, only with social and economic status. He states that the poor of America are being further driven into their misfortune by those above them. Opportunities for escape from the poverty are not being provided, rather the hatred, oppression and economic-class bias only bred more and more inequality. It’s sickening to know that America is allowing such appalling and ghastly tyranny and subjugation to replace our once great ideals. The “American Dream” was designed as an achievable goal, not one to be looked at from a great distance, like the stars, wondering what it would be like to reach the destination. Unfortunately, for many, their dreams will remain in their unrealized state because of the racial, social, and economic confinement they’ve been placed in. This is not freedom, this is not equality, and this is not justice.
1. This profound and moving poem was authored by Langston Hughes in 1935, but not published and made available to the public until it was published on a wide scale to a large audience in magazines from 1936-1938. Hughes was a prolific writer who inspired his own kind, African Americans, through very aggressive and forward-thinking/challenging writing. His works dealt primarily with the topics of justice, both social and political, finding inspiration through both American jazz music, and real life experiences of Blacks in the United States. This poem, in particular, deals with the concept of idealism within America, or the ‘American Dream’, versus the reality of the life still lead by many African Americans in the 20th, and now, 21st century.
2. Hughes’ poem is a riveting piece that fearlessly addresses the themes of Freedom and Justice from the oppressor’s side of view. Perhaps then to say that the theme of his poem is the lack of freedom and injustice still rampant today is atrocious. Where did the ‘American Dream’ become lost along the way? If it, the dream, is such an ‘American Ideology’, why then are so little of those who’ve helped build this country just as much as the next man, those whose ancestors fought just as hard to get here, or do still fight in such a manner, never receive their shot at the price? This poem enlightens us to the fact that this so-called dream has never been further from the grasp of so many people. Hughes asks that the dream revert back to its former self – one that can be realized. He condemns subservience and asks that we all enjoy America for what it is SUPPOSED to be, the Land of the Free. But, unfortunately, for so many, America never was ‘America’, in the sense that they truly weren’t afforded the same opportunities for success, for independence, education, privilege of owning land, equality in the eyes of the law etc. You name IT, equality for IT didn’t, and in some forms still today doesn’t, exist. And with “slavery’s scars” upon the Negro still visible today upon the face of America, are we not confronted with the question why haven’t we tried to heal the blemish? No, I’m not saying cover up or hide the blemish, as we’ve tried to do with legislation that never fully achieves its ‘claim’ or intended design. I’m referring to healing it, picking up those who, after having been beaten down their whole life, are still trying to stand back up. This connects perfectly to Stand by Me. That is how we heal the scars of the past in this country. Yet so many deny and refuse to give the cure, saying what has been penned is enough. Yet the penned words are never a guarantee are they. Are they really? I don’t believe so. Our own Declaration of Independence states FROM THE BEGINNING that all men are created equal, with unalienable rights, among them liberty. Yet then we enslaved a race to be our “farmer, bondsman to the soil…worker sold to the machine…servant to (us).” So you see, from the beginning, that which has been penned does not hold much sway with me. They’re just words in the end. But not much action is there to back them up. And the age old cliché still holds true that ‘actions speak louder than words’. We didn’t give these unalienable rights to all. We didn’t preserve their equality. We held back the America that we all enjoyed, away from them. We never gave them the realization of The Dream, in this the claimed “Homeland of the Free”. Those still living, and furthermore those who are still filibustering from their graves for equality, should not have to continue on in this terrible isolation and marginalization. As Hughes so perfectly put it, their blood, sweat, faith and pain, built this country. Yet they’re not allowed to enjoy it. When will we change this? Will we ever? Yes, sure slavery has been outlawed, but in what forms does it still exist? I’m not asking if it still exists. I’m saying it does still exist. I’m asking you, in what forms?
3. As I learned about the background and history surrounding this poem, and the context in which it was written, I realized that Hughes is not just representing the African Americans in the United States, he’s representing all those who are impoverished or otherwise economically disadvantaged and oppressed NOT by choice, but rather by blatant disregard and obvious abuse by those more fortunate than they. The time and place associated with the poem is post-WWI and pre-WWII, right in the middle of the Great Depression. So for Hughes to make an appeal to all those considered to be in the lower-class of American Society, makes this poem all the more pertinent, relevant, and imperative. It shows us that we aren’t just stripping freedoms and justice away from one race, but from an entire CLASS of people. That starts to venture into Marxism. Parts of Hughes’ work had nothing to do with skin color or heritage, but, rather, only with social and economic status. He states that the poor of America are being further driven into their misfortune by those above them. Opportunities for escape from the poverty are not being provided, rather the hatred, oppression and economic-class bias only bred more and more inequality. It’s sickening to know that America is allowing such appalling and ghastly tyranny and subjugation to replace our once great ideals. The “American Dream” was designed as an achievable goal, not one to be looked at from a great distance, like the stars, wondering what it would be like to reach the destination. Unfortunately, for many, their dreams will remain in their unrealized state because of the racial, social, and economic confinement they’ve been placed in. This is not freedom, this is not equality, and this is not justice.
Letter: MLK’s Letter from a Birmingham City Jail
1. This famous letter written on April 16, 1963 by Martin Luther King Jr. during his unlawful incarceration in an Alabama Jailhouse serves as one of the most influential written pieces of literature not only during the Civil Rights Movement, but the entire century. The letter addresses an audience of passive religious leaders who aren’t taking the responsibility upon themselves to stand for civil liberty and equality, as well as Blacks in the South who are either demonstrating violently in Black Nationalist groups, or those who don’t know how to convey/demonstrate their discontent with the situation.
2. The obvious theme of this letter from MLK is to denounce the religious leaders complacency in the area, and instruct other African Americans how and when to properly demonstrate and protest the racial injustice being carried out in the Americas. I believe what made his letter so powerful is the manner in which he delivered it; from a state of absolute humility and sincerity. He was a man unjustly imprisoned, his freedom not being properly protected. And yet he said that they must not be violent, must be responsible in protesting with a purpose against immoral laws or actions, and in order to preserve and expand their freedom, they must, in a responsible way, exercise the system of justice (which even at this very moment was working against them) in their favor. For someone to have their rights and freedoms so openly violated, yet still have so much composure and resolve amidst the frustration, is truly inspiring. A segment of King’s letter, which deals directly with Responsibility as a theme, states, “Human progress never roles in on the wheels of inevitability. It comes through the tireless efforts of men….and without this hard work, time itself becomes an ally of the forces of social stagnation”. This quote is so eye-opening in its message of responsibility. If we do not take it upon ourselves to change or challenge or circumstance and demand more freedom and justice, then we must, to an extent, blame ourselves that things are not changing. This statement is supported by yet another from MLK. “Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor, it must be demanded by the oppressed”. If no effort is made, you’re as much contributing to the problem as the ones who are actively warring to provoke it. And you can claim that laws, actions, events, or groups/governments are unjust, and they may certainly be, but that is not the issue. The issue, MLK successfully argues, is that there are people, generally good people with good intentions, who stand by and do nothing. That is unjust. For, in regards to justice, MLK said, “Justice too long delayed…is justice denied”.
3. The setting and circumstances surrounding the time of MLK’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail coincide directly to, and it is not coincidence, the events taking place in the south. During this time segregation was a major issue. The whole idea of ‘separate but equal’ was a load of garbage. This pathetic idea was created to maintain and legalize bias and discrimination. To argue that Blacks were still afforded an EQUAL opportunity at education, and homes, and jobs is bologna. By insinuating that ‘separate but equal’ is fair, one denies the very definition of each word. To declare something separate, they are in turn; not together, distinct, different, disconnected, and not unified. Equality, or being equal means; fair, united, unbiased, absent of discrimination, no limitations, and the same opportunities for ALL. You can’t look at these 2 definitions and tell me they’re the same. MLK was so upset at the idea of segregation, that it is no wonder why he supported PEACEFUL protest against it. He was the protagonist, the leader, of the Civil Rights Movement to support desegregation. He said, “Segregation is not only politically, economically, and sociologically unsound, it is also morally wrong and sinful… (therefore)…disobey segregation, for it is morally wrong”. This clear, easy to interpret statement tells us exactly how MLK views the situation. The setting and scene at this time was centered on Segregation. MLK stood against that. And so should we.
1. This famous letter written on April 16, 1963 by Martin Luther King Jr. during his unlawful incarceration in an Alabama Jailhouse serves as one of the most influential written pieces of literature not only during the Civil Rights Movement, but the entire century. The letter addresses an audience of passive religious leaders who aren’t taking the responsibility upon themselves to stand for civil liberty and equality, as well as Blacks in the South who are either demonstrating violently in Black Nationalist groups, or those who don’t know how to convey/demonstrate their discontent with the situation.
2. The obvious theme of this letter from MLK is to denounce the religious leaders complacency in the area, and instruct other African Americans how and when to properly demonstrate and protest the racial injustice being carried out in the Americas. I believe what made his letter so powerful is the manner in which he delivered it; from a state of absolute humility and sincerity. He was a man unjustly imprisoned, his freedom not being properly protected. And yet he said that they must not be violent, must be responsible in protesting with a purpose against immoral laws or actions, and in order to preserve and expand their freedom, they must, in a responsible way, exercise the system of justice (which even at this very moment was working against them) in their favor. For someone to have their rights and freedoms so openly violated, yet still have so much composure and resolve amidst the frustration, is truly inspiring. A segment of King’s letter, which deals directly with Responsibility as a theme, states, “Human progress never roles in on the wheels of inevitability. It comes through the tireless efforts of men….and without this hard work, time itself becomes an ally of the forces of social stagnation”. This quote is so eye-opening in its message of responsibility. If we do not take it upon ourselves to change or challenge or circumstance and demand more freedom and justice, then we must, to an extent, blame ourselves that things are not changing. This statement is supported by yet another from MLK. “Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor, it must be demanded by the oppressed”. If no effort is made, you’re as much contributing to the problem as the ones who are actively warring to provoke it. And you can claim that laws, actions, events, or groups/governments are unjust, and they may certainly be, but that is not the issue. The issue, MLK successfully argues, is that there are people, generally good people with good intentions, who stand by and do nothing. That is unjust. For, in regards to justice, MLK said, “Justice too long delayed…is justice denied”.
3. The setting and circumstances surrounding the time of MLK’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail coincide directly to, and it is not coincidence, the events taking place in the south. During this time segregation was a major issue. The whole idea of ‘separate but equal’ was a load of garbage. This pathetic idea was created to maintain and legalize bias and discrimination. To argue that Blacks were still afforded an EQUAL opportunity at education, and homes, and jobs is bologna. By insinuating that ‘separate but equal’ is fair, one denies the very definition of each word. To declare something separate, they are in turn; not together, distinct, different, disconnected, and not unified. Equality, or being equal means; fair, united, unbiased, absent of discrimination, no limitations, and the same opportunities for ALL. You can’t look at these 2 definitions and tell me they’re the same. MLK was so upset at the idea of segregation, that it is no wonder why he supported PEACEFUL protest against it. He was the protagonist, the leader, of the Civil Rights Movement to support desegregation. He said, “Segregation is not only politically, economically, and sociologically unsound, it is also morally wrong and sinful… (therefore)…disobey segregation, for it is morally wrong”. This clear, easy to interpret statement tells us exactly how MLK views the situation. The setting and scene at this time was centered on Segregation. MLK stood against that. And so should we.
Film: Hotel Rwanda
1. This heartbreaking film, created in 2004 and directed and written by Terry George and Keir Pearson, with Don Cheadle as the main character, focuses on the Rwandan conflict, and ultimate genocide, that took place in the 1990’s. Nearly 1,000,000 people were killed in 3 months. But the saddest part was, in the day and age of modern technology and communication, almost nobody among the general public throughout the world knew it was happening until it was already over.
2. The overarching theme of the film (besides dehydration, because that is what you’ll suffer from after having cried your eyes out watching it) easily includes all 3 of the categories under consideration. Freedom is addressed in the form of Tutsi refugees no longer having the ability to live freely in Rwanda, safely. Responsibility is heroically represented by Paul Rusesabagina (played by Don Cheadle) who manages a Hotel in Rwanda. When the Tutsi/Hutu conflict begins, he welcomes and shelters over 1,000 Tutsi refugees to keep them safe. He took the responsibility upon himself to not only protect his family, but also innocent civilians who had families of their own. The most impressive thing about his brave and courageous act that few know is, this conflict involved Hutus killing Tutsis yes, but Paul himself was a Hutu, and opened his door to shelter Tutsis and protect them. Paul’s wife, Tatiana, is a Tutsi. This constantly made me wonder how the dynamics of their marriage work. And perhaps the differences between the two weren’t so great. I’m just assuming (with my limited knowledge of the Tutsis and Hutus (portrayed conflicting) lifestyles) that it must have been a marriage that required deep commitment, love, and compromise. Truly inspiring. Justice makes its appearance, like in most the topics I’m discussing (not only with Hotel Rwanda but all my writing) as a form of non-existence. The U.N. didn’t step in and help in the way that they were capable of doing, the U.S. didn’t do squat, and the other governments around the world just left them there. France contributed to the problem by supplying Hutus with weapons. So I mean, you look at the politics of the situation and it is baffling and infuriating. There is no justice, nor will there ever be in this life, for the dead Tutsi men women and children whose dead bodies and blood filled the streets of Rwanda. There is no justice in the film, and no comfort is found in the fact that we didn’t do anything to prevent or assist the situation. All the glory (and there is nothing glorious about what happened) in the film belongs to Paul, the brave Tutsis who defended themselves and found a way to survive, and the few humanitarian aid workers who were stationed there. Other than that, no government, no power strong enough to go in and drastically affect the situation and try to stop or limit the violence, took the responsibility upon themselves to defend the freedom of the Tutsis. The Tutsis’ freedom was taken from them with lead and steel. Their freedom poured out of the bullet holes in their bodies, and their blood serves as a stark image that we let genocide prevail, injustice reign, and irresponsibly people have their way. It’s revolting that such tragedy and animosity was allowed to conquer so many lives with so little resistance. We did nothing.
3. The obvious setting and scene of the movie is Rwanda, with the problem or circumstance being genocide. But what few know is why it happened. When Belgium colonized Rwanda, they split the country in 2. Tutsis were favored because they looked more elegant and favorable. Hutus were looked at as inferior. When Belgium’s presence was dwindling and predominantly absent, the Hutus sought revenge on their ‘unfaithful’ countrymen who were so easily swooned by a foreign power and who so easily gave up their national identity. This is not portrayed in the film. The director focuses on the satanic acts of genocide and the complete destabilization of the country politically. No governing body was present to take over the situation, foreign or domestic. The colonization and departure of Belgium does play a major role in what influenced the anger and vengeful attitude of the Hutus, but revenge in the form of murder and genocide never was, never is, and never will be the proper response. The manner in which Rwanda unfolded had to have had MLK spinning in his grave. He wanted non-violent demonstration and protest if you have a disagreement with the situation. He did not advocate bloodshed and reckless abandon. Very contradicting stories here involving the same race of people.
1. This heartbreaking film, created in 2004 and directed and written by Terry George and Keir Pearson, with Don Cheadle as the main character, focuses on the Rwandan conflict, and ultimate genocide, that took place in the 1990’s. Nearly 1,000,000 people were killed in 3 months. But the saddest part was, in the day and age of modern technology and communication, almost nobody among the general public throughout the world knew it was happening until it was already over.
2. The overarching theme of the film (besides dehydration, because that is what you’ll suffer from after having cried your eyes out watching it) easily includes all 3 of the categories under consideration. Freedom is addressed in the form of Tutsi refugees no longer having the ability to live freely in Rwanda, safely. Responsibility is heroically represented by Paul Rusesabagina (played by Don Cheadle) who manages a Hotel in Rwanda. When the Tutsi/Hutu conflict begins, he welcomes and shelters over 1,000 Tutsi refugees to keep them safe. He took the responsibility upon himself to not only protect his family, but also innocent civilians who had families of their own. The most impressive thing about his brave and courageous act that few know is, this conflict involved Hutus killing Tutsis yes, but Paul himself was a Hutu, and opened his door to shelter Tutsis and protect them. Paul’s wife, Tatiana, is a Tutsi. This constantly made me wonder how the dynamics of their marriage work. And perhaps the differences between the two weren’t so great. I’m just assuming (with my limited knowledge of the Tutsis and Hutus (portrayed conflicting) lifestyles) that it must have been a marriage that required deep commitment, love, and compromise. Truly inspiring. Justice makes its appearance, like in most the topics I’m discussing (not only with Hotel Rwanda but all my writing) as a form of non-existence. The U.N. didn’t step in and help in the way that they were capable of doing, the U.S. didn’t do squat, and the other governments around the world just left them there. France contributed to the problem by supplying Hutus with weapons. So I mean, you look at the politics of the situation and it is baffling and infuriating. There is no justice, nor will there ever be in this life, for the dead Tutsi men women and children whose dead bodies and blood filled the streets of Rwanda. There is no justice in the film, and no comfort is found in the fact that we didn’t do anything to prevent or assist the situation. All the glory (and there is nothing glorious about what happened) in the film belongs to Paul, the brave Tutsis who defended themselves and found a way to survive, and the few humanitarian aid workers who were stationed there. Other than that, no government, no power strong enough to go in and drastically affect the situation and try to stop or limit the violence, took the responsibility upon themselves to defend the freedom of the Tutsis. The Tutsis’ freedom was taken from them with lead and steel. Their freedom poured out of the bullet holes in their bodies, and their blood serves as a stark image that we let genocide prevail, injustice reign, and irresponsibly people have their way. It’s revolting that such tragedy and animosity was allowed to conquer so many lives with so little resistance. We did nothing.
3. The obvious setting and scene of the movie is Rwanda, with the problem or circumstance being genocide. But what few know is why it happened. When Belgium colonized Rwanda, they split the country in 2. Tutsis were favored because they looked more elegant and favorable. Hutus were looked at as inferior. When Belgium’s presence was dwindling and predominantly absent, the Hutus sought revenge on their ‘unfaithful’ countrymen who were so easily swooned by a foreign power and who so easily gave up their national identity. This is not portrayed in the film. The director focuses on the satanic acts of genocide and the complete destabilization of the country politically. No governing body was present to take over the situation, foreign or domestic. The colonization and departure of Belgium does play a major role in what influenced the anger and vengeful attitude of the Hutus, but revenge in the form of murder and genocide never was, never is, and never will be the proper response. The manner in which Rwanda unfolded had to have had MLK spinning in his grave. He wanted non-violent demonstration and protest if you have a disagreement with the situation. He did not advocate bloodshed and reckless abandon. Very contradicting stories here involving the same race of people.
Discussion/Reading in Class: A Fable for Tomorrow
1. A Fable for Tomorrow, written by Rachel Carson in 1962, examines the environmental destruction that we as a society often wreak upon ourselves. It addresses who is to blame for such fault, why it happens, and how it is interconnected to the rest of humanities issues.
2. The theme behind Carson’s piece is overwhelmingly about responsibility, but does contain elements of freedom and justice as well. She opens with a compelling narrative, vivid with detail, about this wonderful utopia where everything is green, everyone is nice, the birds sing etc. This ‘village’ or what have you, then is overtaken by some dark ‘brooding’ evil veil. Everything goes brown, everything dies, the singing stops. While some of our minds would jump to the conclusions of perhaps some cataclysmic event that wiped out this once lovely town, the truth is when you look deeper into the text, it says nothing about an apocalypse, nothing about some natural disaster, no pandemic illness. No… what happened was the actions, and poor decisions of the people. Their moral decay led to the absolute devastation of their once prized home. This is a gross violation of what we deem ‘responsible’. They were extremely irresponsible in the sense that they let everything they had that was beautiful and pure go to waste. They threw away their opportunity, and ultimately, their freedom to live in a world free from despair. They brought the consequences upon themselves, and that is a form of justice. “They got what they deserved”, would seem to be the perfect phrase to highlight the presence of justice in this piece. Carson states near the end of the text that there was no witch, nor evil action had struck this upon the people, but rather, “The people had done it to themselves”. This concluding phrase is simple, yet powerful. It tells us about the inevitable truth; that we are ultimately responsible for what happens to us, good or bad. Yes good and bad things will happen to us, but it is what we make of them that matters. This also makes me think of the discussion we had in class about economics and forces of nature/geology at work in the world. We’re a very large force that is absolutely destroying the world we live in. Deforestation, starvation, sexual-slavery, racism, poverty, and many more things are happening in this world as a result of OUR actions. There is no evil, mind controlling entity that strips us of our agency to do what is good and right. We bring this upon ourselves, and we’re responsible for when things change, or not. You and I have the power to change any circumstance that we don’t like. We may not be able to bring about a revolution or some historical change by ourselves, but we can get the wheels in motion. Every plan, every life changing event, and every ideology has started with only one voice.
3. The history and setting surrounding the publishment of Carson’s work starts in the late 1950’s and progresses into the early 60’s, when there were great concerns involving environmentalism, and the way pesticides were being utilized. Preliminary research had shown how harmful the pesticides could be, and the havoc they were wreaking on marine life, and other life forms. This struck a chord with Carson because she was heavily involved with environmental conservation as a Marine Biologist. Her work enraged the chemical industry, but sparked a change in America that led to the ban of many harmful pesticides. Her example serves as a perfect Segway into how all of the texts, films, and music that I’ve discussed above, are connected. We see that everything good and bad that happens in our history, whether it be from war, revolutions, genocides, crime, famine, pestilence, racism, unlawful confinement, and a plethora more of topics we’ve examined this semester, happen as a result of our actions. Nothing ‘just happens’. Everything happens because we took steps and implemented practices, good or bad, that allowed for such circumstances to be born, and come to fruition. Remember, all things come about, not from witches or evil forces, but because, “The people (do) it to themselves”.
All topics and categories aforementioned culminating to one common, connected principle:
As we pick up the pieces of literature, art, film, and music, and examine their context and purpose, we begin to see that all of these events of the historical past culminate into one common thread which, woven together, creates the inhumanity that we know today. And I’m not saying their connected JUST because of their commonality regarding themes of Responsibility, Freedom, and Justice. No, it is more than that. They follow common patterns. When we look closely enough, we begin to see elements of Marxism, interwoven with Post-colonialism, manifest themselves in small, and great amounts.
Marxism suggests that we evaluate or judge people or circumstances based specifically on class and economics. Race, ethnicity, culture, religion, sexual-orientation, language, history, ancestry, and all other forms of “othering” do play a role in Marxism. We see Marxism present in many of the works I discussed. The song “Stand by Me” showed many people singing in areas of absolute poverty, being supplanted by the superstructures around them. These people were victims of the colonialist ideology in that they were sub-alterns. They weren’t afforded equality. They weren’t given the same opportunities. And it didn’t have to do with the color of their skin. These people were impoverished in their respective countries, where their same race or ethnicity was the dominant governing body. Look at Hotel Rwanda as well. It was a common ethnicity warring among themselves. The Hutus hated Tutsis yes, but it wasn’t for color of skin or language. It was, in large part, due to their (at the time of Belgium Colonialization) superior economic status in which they were favored. So we see in the song, and in this movie that Marxism and Post-colonialism are huge factors that play into and greatly influence the situation. The Anti-colonialist attitude of the Hutus fueled their retaliation against the Tutsis who were accepting of foreign involvement. This contributed, the Hutu felt, to the loss of their national identity. They felt as though appropriation had been at foul play, and they wanted to change that. As a result, we see extreme suffering, and genocide.
Looking at MLK’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail, it is more difficult to see concepts of Marxism at play, but they are there. Some may argue that it was a completely racist movement. But if we delve more deeply into segregation, we begin to see that it did have a class structure woven into it. With segregation, more jobs and better education would be made available to white middle and upperclassmen. Segregation may stem from racism, but the end goal did contain elements of Marxism in that Whites wanted to economically supplant Blacks. They wanted to disguise their racism as a monetary issue in that only they (Whites) could afford the better…everything. And with segregation in place Whites would be favored, and Blacks would be disadvantaged. The idea reinforces racism yes, but it subverts classes. And in this way Marxism does play role, however minor. You cannot deny class structure, and class warfare at play here. Post-colonialism makes its entrance in MLK’s address as well in that Blacks were being “othered” by the Whites in the form of segregation. African Americans were viewed as subservient, and therefore sub-altern. For the most part, Blacks did not want to be colonial subjects, and in that sense we see their rebellion and resistance. MLK spoke out against violent demonstration and instigated peaceful protest.
With Let America be America Again we see this false sense of a utopia is suggested, a false sense of security and harmony if you will. Langston Hughes vehemently denies this by stating that the American Dream is still far out of reach for many Blacks, as well as poor (appeal to Marxism). And in a post-colonial sense, Hughes suggests that if America is going to become the America is was intended to be, for ALL, then it needs to fulfill the ideology of equality. It needs to be the home of the free for all, not just privileged W.A.S.Ps. On a smaller, yet still as principally significant, scale, African Americans were being treated as though they owed allegiance to the government in the form of sacrificing their right to own land and have liberty. America, which started out as a collection of colonies itself, desired to colonize the very people which built this country. It is of little wonder why African Americans never bought into subjugation and desired to be colonial subjects. They wanted to, like the poem suggests, fulfill their own dreams. In order to do so, they must too personify an Anti-colonialist attitude.
Lastly, a Fable for Tomorrow ties everything together, at least for me. It weaves a common thread between all the stories and topics. Carson states that anything and everything that happens, does so because of elements within our control. We let things get out of control, we breed bias, we support inequality, and we let things spiral into their current, inhumane state. We all like to complain about the events of Rwanda, of the Civil Rights Movement and the violation of said rights with MLK, the truth behind Hughes’ poem, and the inspiring lyrics that fall on deaf ears with “Stand by Me”, yet when push comes to shove too many of us stand by and watch events unfold. We like to learn about history and condemn the past, without realizing that many of those same tragedies are taking place presently. Look what is happening the Russia and Ukraine, the genocide taking place in Korea, the civil wars in Africa, the religious wars in Jerusalem, Palestine and Syria, and the recent conflicts in Venezuela just to name a handful. All of these things are going on, coupled with crippling starvation and poverty. We all boast that we want to help, we want change…but what is being done?
There is no simple cure, no simple resolution. We must take a complex approach. We must realize that these tragedies aren’t just racism. It is about class warfare, superstructures, colonialism, religious differences, poverty, starvation, gender inequality, indifference, economic inequality, and so many more things. Ignorance begets more problems, and stagnation fuels conflict. If we do not acknowledge the elements of Marxism and Post-colonialism that contribute to the issues on a global scale, and continue to say that it is just racism, or just a ‘color-of-skin thing’, then we will continue to experience the spiral downward into our own destruction. We will “have done this to (ourselves)”, when all is said and done. One thing I remember from our discussion in class was, “Salvage the present by savaging the future”. This dog-eat-dog and every man for himself mentality only undermines our chances at a successful future. We cannot and will not experience Freedom and Justice as it is meant to be enjoyed FOR ALL if we do not take the Responsibility upon ourselves to confront the inhumane issues that face us. To build a bright future, we must begin shedding the darkness that envelopes us today.
1. A Fable for Tomorrow, written by Rachel Carson in 1962, examines the environmental destruction that we as a society often wreak upon ourselves. It addresses who is to blame for such fault, why it happens, and how it is interconnected to the rest of humanities issues.
2. The theme behind Carson’s piece is overwhelmingly about responsibility, but does contain elements of freedom and justice as well. She opens with a compelling narrative, vivid with detail, about this wonderful utopia where everything is green, everyone is nice, the birds sing etc. This ‘village’ or what have you, then is overtaken by some dark ‘brooding’ evil veil. Everything goes brown, everything dies, the singing stops. While some of our minds would jump to the conclusions of perhaps some cataclysmic event that wiped out this once lovely town, the truth is when you look deeper into the text, it says nothing about an apocalypse, nothing about some natural disaster, no pandemic illness. No… what happened was the actions, and poor decisions of the people. Their moral decay led to the absolute devastation of their once prized home. This is a gross violation of what we deem ‘responsible’. They were extremely irresponsible in the sense that they let everything they had that was beautiful and pure go to waste. They threw away their opportunity, and ultimately, their freedom to live in a world free from despair. They brought the consequences upon themselves, and that is a form of justice. “They got what they deserved”, would seem to be the perfect phrase to highlight the presence of justice in this piece. Carson states near the end of the text that there was no witch, nor evil action had struck this upon the people, but rather, “The people had done it to themselves”. This concluding phrase is simple, yet powerful. It tells us about the inevitable truth; that we are ultimately responsible for what happens to us, good or bad. Yes good and bad things will happen to us, but it is what we make of them that matters. This also makes me think of the discussion we had in class about economics and forces of nature/geology at work in the world. We’re a very large force that is absolutely destroying the world we live in. Deforestation, starvation, sexual-slavery, racism, poverty, and many more things are happening in this world as a result of OUR actions. There is no evil, mind controlling entity that strips us of our agency to do what is good and right. We bring this upon ourselves, and we’re responsible for when things change, or not. You and I have the power to change any circumstance that we don’t like. We may not be able to bring about a revolution or some historical change by ourselves, but we can get the wheels in motion. Every plan, every life changing event, and every ideology has started with only one voice.
3. The history and setting surrounding the publishment of Carson’s work starts in the late 1950’s and progresses into the early 60’s, when there were great concerns involving environmentalism, and the way pesticides were being utilized. Preliminary research had shown how harmful the pesticides could be, and the havoc they were wreaking on marine life, and other life forms. This struck a chord with Carson because she was heavily involved with environmental conservation as a Marine Biologist. Her work enraged the chemical industry, but sparked a change in America that led to the ban of many harmful pesticides. Her example serves as a perfect Segway into how all of the texts, films, and music that I’ve discussed above, are connected. We see that everything good and bad that happens in our history, whether it be from war, revolutions, genocides, crime, famine, pestilence, racism, unlawful confinement, and a plethora more of topics we’ve examined this semester, happen as a result of our actions. Nothing ‘just happens’. Everything happens because we took steps and implemented practices, good or bad, that allowed for such circumstances to be born, and come to fruition. Remember, all things come about, not from witches or evil forces, but because, “The people (do) it to themselves”.
All topics and categories aforementioned culminating to one common, connected principle:
As we pick up the pieces of literature, art, film, and music, and examine their context and purpose, we begin to see that all of these events of the historical past culminate into one common thread which, woven together, creates the inhumanity that we know today. And I’m not saying their connected JUST because of their commonality regarding themes of Responsibility, Freedom, and Justice. No, it is more than that. They follow common patterns. When we look closely enough, we begin to see elements of Marxism, interwoven with Post-colonialism, manifest themselves in small, and great amounts.
Marxism suggests that we evaluate or judge people or circumstances based specifically on class and economics. Race, ethnicity, culture, religion, sexual-orientation, language, history, ancestry, and all other forms of “othering” do play a role in Marxism. We see Marxism present in many of the works I discussed. The song “Stand by Me” showed many people singing in areas of absolute poverty, being supplanted by the superstructures around them. These people were victims of the colonialist ideology in that they were sub-alterns. They weren’t afforded equality. They weren’t given the same opportunities. And it didn’t have to do with the color of their skin. These people were impoverished in their respective countries, where their same race or ethnicity was the dominant governing body. Look at Hotel Rwanda as well. It was a common ethnicity warring among themselves. The Hutus hated Tutsis yes, but it wasn’t for color of skin or language. It was, in large part, due to their (at the time of Belgium Colonialization) superior economic status in which they were favored. So we see in the song, and in this movie that Marxism and Post-colonialism are huge factors that play into and greatly influence the situation. The Anti-colonialist attitude of the Hutus fueled their retaliation against the Tutsis who were accepting of foreign involvement. This contributed, the Hutu felt, to the loss of their national identity. They felt as though appropriation had been at foul play, and they wanted to change that. As a result, we see extreme suffering, and genocide.
Looking at MLK’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail, it is more difficult to see concepts of Marxism at play, but they are there. Some may argue that it was a completely racist movement. But if we delve more deeply into segregation, we begin to see that it did have a class structure woven into it. With segregation, more jobs and better education would be made available to white middle and upperclassmen. Segregation may stem from racism, but the end goal did contain elements of Marxism in that Whites wanted to economically supplant Blacks. They wanted to disguise their racism as a monetary issue in that only they (Whites) could afford the better…everything. And with segregation in place Whites would be favored, and Blacks would be disadvantaged. The idea reinforces racism yes, but it subverts classes. And in this way Marxism does play role, however minor. You cannot deny class structure, and class warfare at play here. Post-colonialism makes its entrance in MLK’s address as well in that Blacks were being “othered” by the Whites in the form of segregation. African Americans were viewed as subservient, and therefore sub-altern. For the most part, Blacks did not want to be colonial subjects, and in that sense we see their rebellion and resistance. MLK spoke out against violent demonstration and instigated peaceful protest.
With Let America be America Again we see this false sense of a utopia is suggested, a false sense of security and harmony if you will. Langston Hughes vehemently denies this by stating that the American Dream is still far out of reach for many Blacks, as well as poor (appeal to Marxism). And in a post-colonial sense, Hughes suggests that if America is going to become the America is was intended to be, for ALL, then it needs to fulfill the ideology of equality. It needs to be the home of the free for all, not just privileged W.A.S.Ps. On a smaller, yet still as principally significant, scale, African Americans were being treated as though they owed allegiance to the government in the form of sacrificing their right to own land and have liberty. America, which started out as a collection of colonies itself, desired to colonize the very people which built this country. It is of little wonder why African Americans never bought into subjugation and desired to be colonial subjects. They wanted to, like the poem suggests, fulfill their own dreams. In order to do so, they must too personify an Anti-colonialist attitude.
Lastly, a Fable for Tomorrow ties everything together, at least for me. It weaves a common thread between all the stories and topics. Carson states that anything and everything that happens, does so because of elements within our control. We let things get out of control, we breed bias, we support inequality, and we let things spiral into their current, inhumane state. We all like to complain about the events of Rwanda, of the Civil Rights Movement and the violation of said rights with MLK, the truth behind Hughes’ poem, and the inspiring lyrics that fall on deaf ears with “Stand by Me”, yet when push comes to shove too many of us stand by and watch events unfold. We like to learn about history and condemn the past, without realizing that many of those same tragedies are taking place presently. Look what is happening the Russia and Ukraine, the genocide taking place in Korea, the civil wars in Africa, the religious wars in Jerusalem, Palestine and Syria, and the recent conflicts in Venezuela just to name a handful. All of these things are going on, coupled with crippling starvation and poverty. We all boast that we want to help, we want change…but what is being done?
There is no simple cure, no simple resolution. We must take a complex approach. We must realize that these tragedies aren’t just racism. It is about class warfare, superstructures, colonialism, religious differences, poverty, starvation, gender inequality, indifference, economic inequality, and so many more things. Ignorance begets more problems, and stagnation fuels conflict. If we do not acknowledge the elements of Marxism and Post-colonialism that contribute to the issues on a global scale, and continue to say that it is just racism, or just a ‘color-of-skin thing’, then we will continue to experience the spiral downward into our own destruction. We will “have done this to (ourselves)”, when all is said and done. One thing I remember from our discussion in class was, “Salvage the present by savaging the future”. This dog-eat-dog and every man for himself mentality only undermines our chances at a successful future. We cannot and will not experience Freedom and Justice as it is meant to be enjoyed FOR ALL if we do not take the Responsibility upon ourselves to confront the inhumane issues that face us. To build a bright future, we must begin shedding the darkness that envelopes us today.
Application:
If I were a Tutsi and my family was being hunted as prey, and I knew the U.N. was refusing to help after having published the Declaration of Human Rights, I’d have this to say;
You hypocrites. You snakes. You liars and evil men. You say that we all have the right to freedom, justice and peace, yet you leave me to die here. You condemn disregard for ‘barbarous acts’ that violate ‘unalienable human rights’, yet you left me to die as though I were an alien. You made me feel as though I had no home.
I watched my people ravished, beaten and murdered. I watched you walk away. Not run away as though you were defending yourself, for I may have respected that a little more. But you walked away, you walked away from me. You didn’t “Stand by Me” when my skies were dark, and my stars were falling. You left me alone. You didn’t stand against the immorality of these unjust actions as Dr. King would have condemned. You didn’t do anything.
Our dear brother Martin told us that, “The time is always right to do right”. Yet you were a traitor to time. You had months to come to our aide, and instead you watched us be slaughtered. You are bad men. Our brother also told us time is neutral and is either used to help or hurt, and in your abandoning us, you hurt us, you maimed us, and made our escape impossible.
The injustice that happened to my people was wrong, and it must be exposed. Things must change so this never happens again. But I’m afraid it will and is happening again because your excuses, your empty reasoning not to become involved. You think that ‘sanctions’ will stop the murders and genocides. But what you seem to fail to recognize is that my oppressors don’t care for your laws, or any law. How can you not see this? Why would they obey your laws if they’re so willing to violate or own, and the inherent morality in all of us to do kind and love one another. If they are willing to abandon that, then they certainly will ignore your petty sanctions.
And I’m sure that some of you cowards will say that time will heal our wounds, and that with time everything will be ok. How can you say this? You’re an instrument of our destruction. Your unwillingness to help is just as contemptible as those who pull the trigger. Dr. King said that those who knew about the sufferings and were silent to help, must repent. I pray for your God-forsaken souls that repentance is still available to you. We will not simply claim freedom with time. Freedom must be demanded and taken from the oppressors for the oppressed (MLK).
Mr. Hughes said that everyone deserves to have their dreams fulfilled, yet you let mine die with my family and country-men. You let my dreams of having a life, a secured and happy life, with liberty, freedom and justice, die. Let my dreams have the same chance to survive as yours. Don’t send me and my people away so readily, when you’ve just said we all deserve the same rights.
You say that tyranny and oppression must be fought against, and our rights protected by universal law. But I watched you rip up that promise and through it at my feet. I watched you drive away, leaving me with nothing. You did not promote any peace or any friendliness. You only promoted your own well-being. You are selfish.
Ugly is your broken promise to, “pledge (yourself) to achieve….the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms”. After making this promise, you were willing to deny all responsibility to hold yourself faithful to it. I’m ashamed of you.
You then passed 30 articles, or so-called guarantees of rights that you’d protect and ensure for all men, women and children everywhere. My weary, aching body, still in agony from the trials I’ve endured with my family, are too great for me to continue, and I cannot address every article here now. But I do say that those articles that you wrote, THEN broke, should EACH serve as one of the damnations that your vile behavior warrants. You made 30 promises. You lied 30 times. Your lies cost 1 million lives. You are a disgrace to the human family.
END
All images in this posting were selected from the Weebly Free Image database.
If I were a Tutsi and my family was being hunted as prey, and I knew the U.N. was refusing to help after having published the Declaration of Human Rights, I’d have this to say;
You hypocrites. You snakes. You liars and evil men. You say that we all have the right to freedom, justice and peace, yet you leave me to die here. You condemn disregard for ‘barbarous acts’ that violate ‘unalienable human rights’, yet you left me to die as though I were an alien. You made me feel as though I had no home.
I watched my people ravished, beaten and murdered. I watched you walk away. Not run away as though you were defending yourself, for I may have respected that a little more. But you walked away, you walked away from me. You didn’t “Stand by Me” when my skies were dark, and my stars were falling. You left me alone. You didn’t stand against the immorality of these unjust actions as Dr. King would have condemned. You didn’t do anything.
Our dear brother Martin told us that, “The time is always right to do right”. Yet you were a traitor to time. You had months to come to our aide, and instead you watched us be slaughtered. You are bad men. Our brother also told us time is neutral and is either used to help or hurt, and in your abandoning us, you hurt us, you maimed us, and made our escape impossible.
The injustice that happened to my people was wrong, and it must be exposed. Things must change so this never happens again. But I’m afraid it will and is happening again because your excuses, your empty reasoning not to become involved. You think that ‘sanctions’ will stop the murders and genocides. But what you seem to fail to recognize is that my oppressors don’t care for your laws, or any law. How can you not see this? Why would they obey your laws if they’re so willing to violate or own, and the inherent morality in all of us to do kind and love one another. If they are willing to abandon that, then they certainly will ignore your petty sanctions.
And I’m sure that some of you cowards will say that time will heal our wounds, and that with time everything will be ok. How can you say this? You’re an instrument of our destruction. Your unwillingness to help is just as contemptible as those who pull the trigger. Dr. King said that those who knew about the sufferings and were silent to help, must repent. I pray for your God-forsaken souls that repentance is still available to you. We will not simply claim freedom with time. Freedom must be demanded and taken from the oppressors for the oppressed (MLK).
Mr. Hughes said that everyone deserves to have their dreams fulfilled, yet you let mine die with my family and country-men. You let my dreams of having a life, a secured and happy life, with liberty, freedom and justice, die. Let my dreams have the same chance to survive as yours. Don’t send me and my people away so readily, when you’ve just said we all deserve the same rights.
You say that tyranny and oppression must be fought against, and our rights protected by universal law. But I watched you rip up that promise and through it at my feet. I watched you drive away, leaving me with nothing. You did not promote any peace or any friendliness. You only promoted your own well-being. You are selfish.
Ugly is your broken promise to, “pledge (yourself) to achieve….the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms”. After making this promise, you were willing to deny all responsibility to hold yourself faithful to it. I’m ashamed of you.
You then passed 30 articles, or so-called guarantees of rights that you’d protect and ensure for all men, women and children everywhere. My weary, aching body, still in agony from the trials I’ve endured with my family, are too great for me to continue, and I cannot address every article here now. But I do say that those articles that you wrote, THEN broke, should EACH serve as one of the damnations that your vile behavior warrants. You made 30 promises. You lied 30 times. Your lies cost 1 million lives. You are a disgrace to the human family.
END
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