Period 2, Final Blog Assesment on Civil Right Movement.

In the Civil Rights Movement I have been educated a great deal. We’ve gone from movements such as March on Washington, Montgomery Boycott, Freedom Rides, and many others, which led to many achievements. These successes can be classified as Brown vs. Education which overturned “Separate but Equal”, buses are desegregated which Rosa Park led this movement, and when Martin Luther King arguing that individuals have the moral right to disobey unjust laws. In this unit, I became educated on quite a few lessons. I received more knowledge by coming upon Malcolm X, and his points of view. I do agree with his realistic ways, such as to take action now. He stood up for what he believed in, and even though he saw himself, as working as an individualist and the thinking that we should be the best of our abilities so others will be forced to look up to you, I see that as very admirable belief. From him, I took away the ideology that you shouldn’t always just sit back and let yourself be pushed around, make a change and do what you think is right. Martin Luther King believed in love, and using non-violence instead of straying to the dark, hateful side, hat tells you a lot about what type of person he is. At times it is hard to not to walk the path of violence since it is easily done but approaching your enemy with open arms is very difficult. He was a strong character for always stay positive and unifying the black community together to get their people out of poverty and attempt to achieve equality. What really stood out to me throughout this whole lesson were the strategies they used. The homosexuals, disabled used confrontation, Rosa Park and Martin Luther King participated in civil disobedience, and many white activist led sit ins in popular places to eat at to show they didn’t believed in segregation and didn’t enjoy the idea of racism. Either way they got the job done, In my understanding the general lesson this unit wanted to teach us is you can make a change even if it’s just one individual. If you believe what you’re doing is moral, go for it despite what society or others try to pressure you to do or not to do.

We are far from equality and I’m sure it is quite evitable. In order to achieve equality we need to practice equity. Equity is finding out what people’s needs are and assisting them in every way possible so they’re satisfied. As we all know, many Americans are unemployed, do not have health insurance, and are close to becoming homeless. What’s even more unjust is the rich are getting wealthier. In class, we took a look at a recent survey produced in 2009. This survey told us that the middle-lower class wages are remaining the same, while the CEO’s pay have risen up by 45%. I don’t see that as very fair, we took another look at a survey and an average American who earns $30,000 a year for their income in spending at least $60,000. Where is that $30,000 going to? This is not justified; the rich should share their wealth towards the people who really need it to feed their families. The government should pay attention to the people who aren’t so rich and in power, find out what they really can use such as insurance, unemployment benefits, retirement funds, and education for prisoners so these people don’t have to remain in the horrible positions they are in. Once the government provides better education, funds towards disabled/elderly care, and health insurance to those who don’t have it we will slowly go from their to raise those of lower-middle class to higher, better positions.

Some of the events stood out to me, not only because it led a huge change but also I find it still exist in today’s times. Back in the day, White Flight was in motion, which meant that many Caucasians migrated from diverse areas into a ‘better’ area where more of their type lived. It wasn’t intentional; they just felt more comfortable being with their own race. This still goes on today, many white people have left places such as Fremont in favor for Pleasanton, Danville, and San Mateo, where a lot of white people reside. Those areas are prosperous, while places like Oakland are living in poverty. The ideas and goals of the civil rights movement was to gain equal rights, and not have so much racial discrimination going on. African Americans got the right to vote, women were seen as equal, and Mexican farm workers got better working conditions. All is well, right? We still suffer from many serious issues as of today. African Americans gained all the rights protected under the constitution yet it’s hard to explain why more African Americans are sentenced to death row, rot in prisons, and are arrested more than white Americans. It is institutional racism. Women these days are able to hold such jobs they were never allowed before such as becoming a doctor, lawyer, or head of many companies. More women go to college today, and finish school yet they’re being paid less than men and not many women are mechanics, engineers, or hold the position of a ‘man’s job’. In the Occupy Oakland Movement many American occupied the streets to have demonstrations of economic inequality, homelessness, and corporate excess. This connects with March on Washington Movement where people marched towards Washington D.C. in hopes for freedom and for jobs. It is quite similar to today where everyone is just looking for equality and jobs so they can be financially stable. All in all, in order to be a ‘city upon a hill’ we need to have better treatment of our people if we ever want to reach the goal of equality.

Civil Rights Assessment

We have learned many major lessons from the civil rights movement but one of the lessons that I learned really well is that no matter how much we fight for equality, it is never enough for this country because it seems that we can never achieve the same rights because of whether it be race or economically. As much as America makes itself look good, it is not, because of the history of violence and cruelty that it has had on innocent people like African Americans and other races . Based on what I have learned in class, I believe this because civil rights activists like Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X have been through alot of violence and cruelty because they fought for equality.

America struggles with equity and equality today because people of this country cannot resist being racist, nor can they resist discriminating others because of their economy.For example, the shooting of Oscar Grant, where the officer was eventually released was unreason- able because if that was an African American that shot a white man, maybe that man would stay in jail longer, why, because he was African American. According to the article in the SF Gate, his case was a "murder", hmm....I wonder why the court released him so quick after he murdered a man that was of a different race "unlawfully and intentionally"(SFGate). This relates to how America still struggles with equity and equality because the government cannot make just and equitable acts to reach an equal outcome, and that is exactly how we need to improve in being equitable to reach equality. We all know that equality was wanted by Martin Luther King Jr., but even though he made so many accomplishments, there are still unequal rights today in this very country. For example, in the case of Plessy vs. Ferguson(1896), they withheld "separate but equal," but that was outlawedin 1957, three years before MLK Jr., "I Have A Dream" speech, by the case of Brown vs. Education which said that there was no "separate but equal", but even though today we are not deprived of public schools or going to public stores without being told to sit somewhere else. Malcolm X also wanted equality, but he preferred it the more aggressive way to get rights of citizens, not with MLK's nonviolent protests. MLK Jr.'s Non-Violent Protest was very successful because lunch counters were desegregated. On the other hand, Malcolm X's beliefs that equal rights were possible when he saw the Nation of Islam and how they were all friendly, motivated others to follow Malcolm X for equal rights.

These events still relate to today because we fight for equal rights today, whether it be racially in some, but today, we mainly fight for economic inequality. This connects to the Civil Rights Movement because that Martin Luther King Jr. protested for equal rights on streets in his non-violent protests, people have been fighting for economic equality in the Occupy movement. Another example is Project C in Birmingham, where the city was bombed and the comparison to that is the Occupy Oakland flash bombs where people were severely injured for peaceful protesting. All these events connect to the Civil Rights movements because people are and were deprived of their rights and they were and still are fighting for it no matter how much they are injured.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SH7xc6u18Mw

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/15/MNJE15A6O2.DTL

Racism is something that people can transcend through friendship.

The past couple of weeks that we've spent on learning about the Civil Rights Movement was rather fascinating for me. I had known plenty about the events and ideas that took place back then but you can never know too much, therefore it was a very information filled chapter for me. For starters, I learned that different races and ethnicities working together in freedom in mind has brought many positive changes and ideas to our generation today. Some lessons we've learned from the Civil Rights Movement is that the push for freedom does not have any limits. Every human being is entitled to equality, and color should never be a deciding factor. Every story needs a hero, and back then there were people like Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, and many many more that saved the day and made history! I learned that the Civil Rights era was a very inspiring moment in time. Everyone that you could possibly think of participated to gain freedom and the rights that they deserve. Not only adults, or should I say men; stood up and let their voices be heard, but so did women of all ages and little kids and teens. Some people think that just one event or a single person made all these rights and freedom we have today come to be. But that's not true, it took a lot and very many people to work together for making it possible for us to go to school with other races and to just be able to do the simplest things here and there. If it weren't for the Civil Rights Movement, we probably would never be the same. We wouldn't be allowed to drink from the same water fountain as other people, use the same bathrooms, get our education at any school we desired, nor would we be able to have rights like voting or owning things like a home. The Civil Rights Movement brought many positive changes to the present, but we do still need to work on somethings. We need to think before we speak or act, we need to consider the lives of others and not be selfish and self centered. Most importantly, we need to not be ignorant. If we get educated about an issue and know what's going on in the world around us, I'm sure just then you're already on the path of doing something to help out. So everyday, you've got to think back and be thankful.

We're constantly on the verge of looking for and wanting equality. Most people think that equity is just another word for equality, but that's incorrect. Equality is what we all want and equity is how we should get there. There are many strong points that we still struggle with dealing equal and fair treatment for all. America still struggles with negative stereotypes that prevents not only African Americans but almost every other race from being treated equally to another. For example, a young black male might not be seen driving a nice automobile in the same light as a young white male is driving a fancy one, he must be doing well for himself. In contrast, if an African American was driving the very same car; people think that he must of committed grand theft auto. Now what exactly triggers our mind to think those kinds of things? It's because that's what we grew up around, what our parents grew up around or even experienced. Our mind is automatically controlled to think that way. These aren't the only things that we struggle with dealing equality and equity. There will always be those people that want more, or if you provide someone or a family with something that they need, the ones that already have it will still complain. That's how our world is built, we always want more. Also, there might not be enough of the things we need to reach equality, and if there isn't enough how will we ever spread it with equity? The concepts of equality and equity are very complex, and I hope someday we overcome it.

There are still some ideas and events from the Civil Rights Movement that connect with today, mostly positive. The Civil Rights Movement helped pave the way for every African American today. Without the movement, the majority of our athletes and pop culture icons would remain nameless. The major leaders in our country including the Commander in Chief, could not imagine the possibility of their current status. On the other hand, there are things a little on the negative side that still exists connecting to the Civil Rights Movement. For example, racial profiling is a very sensitive and common case that we witness from time to time. Racial profiling occurs by the people at airlines, by the government officials, or just your neighborhood police department. It's when the police choose to question, investigate or arrest an individual just because of their appearance. This automatically has the person considered guilty without trial and are unjustly interrogated by the police simply because of the color of their skin or their national origin. Racial profiling targets people of color for investigation and enforcement, deserting communities from law enforcement, delaying community policing efforts, and causing law enforcement to lose importance/power and trust among us; who they are sworn to protect and serve at all times. When something big goes wrong, who's the first person we look to? The police. They're there to protect us from harm and spread fairness and justice in our communities. Yet racial profiling is always caused by people like the police or any other members of the authorities, it has led countless people to live in fear and like Mr. Shawn says it causes us to be "walking on egg shells." To think, racial profiling goes against fundamental principles of our Constitution! Another thing that still exists is stereotyping, I do it, you do it, we all do it even if we don't really realize it. Stereotyping is making an assumption about someone's race, appearance or background referring to something you THINK you know about those things. For example, it's said that Asians are bad drivers, or how African Americans are rude and crazy, or how Muslims are terrorists. I hope that one day that people that we're in a war because of racial issues can become our friends. Like Vincent F. Rocchio said "Racism is something that people can transcend through friendship." I hope that I live to see the day that these things don't exist, and have my kids raised in a society better than this, a society where we're not interrogated by the police simply because of the color of their skin or their national origin.

Civil Rights Assesment

There are many lessons to be learned throughout the Civil Rights movement. This movement showed what will power is all about. The constitution of the United States of America says that every man is made equal, if that is so then why were blacks treated so unfairly?. If the Declaration of Independece was signed on the Fourth of July, 1776, then why was Martin Luther King Jr. still fighting for the rights of his people in the 1960s? What Mr. Shawn is trying to teach us is that the Civil Rights movement was something great that helped lots of people rise up and actually become someone better in life. The main lesson to be learned is that if you want something you need to take it, because that is what blacks had to do to gain their rights.

America still struggles with equality issues even today. The fact that blacks barley received voting rights in the 1960s is very bad. This does not show equity or equality in any way. It is totally not fair that whites have been able to vote for years and years and black are barley getting the right to do that in the 1960s. Even today that we are in the year 2012 there is unfairness, and inequality. The biggest issue with is Institutional Racism. Institutional Racism is why when blacks go to court they get a 15% longer sentence than a white person, because the system is wrong. The fact that in Google there is a very low number of African American workers isn't just a coincidence, there is something wrong with the system that makes this happen.

The events and ideas from the Civil Rights Movement can be connected to the present in a number of ways. Nowadays lots of nonviolent protests are organized how they were during the Civil Rights Movement. The Occupy Oakland movement is an example of a sit in. The people there just sit and they are protesting in a nonviolent way. This goes way back to the ways of Martin Luther King Jr. and other leaders of the Civil Rights Movements. Nonviolent protests are really great ways of protesting that date back to the Civil Rights. Also, making the government look bad is another way. When kids got hosed down with fire hoses they wanted something like that to happen. They wanted to make the cops look bad, but they never thought they would hose them down and do something like that. Back in November students at UC Davis got pepper sprayed. This is sort of the same idea, making the cops look bad. This is also what Rosa Parks did. She wasn't a little poor old lady that was tired and her feet hurt so she didn't want to give up her seat on the bus. She wanted to get arrested.

Civil Rights Blog

For the past few weeks we have been learning about the Civil Rights movements that went on in the past. Before we started this unit, I didn’t know much about what had happened or what they were protesting for. Honestly, I didn’t even know that Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi were fighting for the same issue. I knew about them and what they did, also Rosa Parks, but just the big picture. I never realized how big this fight for freedom was and how much it affected us and how we live today. I have learned so much about what exactly happened and more importantly why. I now know that people of color weren’t getting what they rightly deserved even though it was in the Constitution which we supposedly went by. For example, in the Civil Rights museum walk we did in class, I learned about the Freedom Summer Act that led to the access for colored people to freely vote without any restrictions. But before that act got passed the whites put so many restrictions on the colored like the grandfather clause, poll taxes, and literacy tests. There was always something stopping the colored people to have their own identity and make it in the world not being pushed around by anyone because of their past. Knowing about this made me think and realize that colored people didn’t really get freedom when they were supposed to be free men. Another movement that really stood out to me was the Children’s March. The fact that not only adults, but children and teens, went out to fight for their freedom makes me remember that no matter how old you are, you can stand up for what you believe in. It helps me realize that if there is something going on that I don’t feel is right, to an extent there is always something I can do. The big and small acts all made a contribution to the big victory of having colored and white people live in unity like we do today.

Today America still has not achieved equity or equality, but we have gotten closer to it. It is a long way before we get to equality, but equity is how we get there and how we achieve that is to give everyone the chance for equal opportunities to succeed and the help that they need. Any financial aid, sponsorship, and given the chance to do something in life is a way we can get to equity. Equality is having everyone get the same outcome, but of course that is almost impossible because in the world that we live in the richer end up becoming richer and the poorer not given any opportunities. But, if we can give everyone a chance to strive for their best without judging them on their skin tone, we can get to equity. Today, people still have mind sets that interfere with treating everyone the same way. For some people unconscious racism exists because they don’t realize that they are doing it and they are used to it because they were brought up like that. We can’t tell people to change, but in order for us to have equality we must have the mind and heart to accept people for who they are, not based on their skin color or appearance. A world like this I would love to see! But we aren’t as bad as we used to be. The fact that colored and white people are allowed to use the same bathroom or drink from the same water fountain and have had the same accomplishments in history shows that we have gotten to a point of not being completely unjust. We know that they are both capable of achieving great things, and we do acknowledge that colored as well as white people both deserve to be treated with the respect that they give.We just have to remember "separate is NOT equal."

The ideas that come from the Civil Rights movement still connect to the world that we live right now. We have learned from this movement to fight for what we believe in, and that nonviolent protests can work just as good, or even better, then a fight with violence. We have the determination that we can be a change for something that we think is unjust. Connecting the movement to the present, we see some racism that still goes on. Now when I watch the news most likely it has a colored man being charged with something that he might not even have done, but he was accused just because of his nationality. We put stereotypes on people all the time, on purpose or not. We have a certain feel for a particular race or just an attitude toward them that we can’t really change because that’s just the way we have been taught. But, if everyone can realize what they are doing and try to change their thinking we can get closer to having a community of unity. I hope one day we can get past all the racism and stereotyping and just acknowledge the fact that no matter what skin color you are, we can all do something significant for the world.

Civil Rights Reflection (Period 1)

Jessie Nguyen

Mr. Shawn

AMST History, Period 1

20 January 2012

Civil Rights Movement

Throughout the whole unit of the Civil Rights Movement, I've learned quite a lot from it. To give you a little idea about this topic, think about the slogan at this time, "We Shall Overcome." I believe that we've learned how to stand up for our rights. Just like the time of the March on Washington, millions of people protested (for high unemployment rates for African-Americans, school integration, and violence against civil rights activists). Another example would be the Gay Liberation Movement. The gays didn't care what people thought about them, they just wanted acceptance. They're proud of who they are, and strongly walked out to a Gay Pride Parade to protest. In life, when people doesn't accept who you are, you shouldn't back down from it, then. You need to show the crowd who you are NOW, and stand up for yourself NOW. It starts NOW.

Everyday, America, and everywhere else, still struggle with plenty of issues when it comes to equality and equity. One of the common issue would be racism. During the time of the Asian-American Movement, they were to being pointed at because of their race. African-American, Mexicans, and Whites would wonder why the Asian-Americans came to America living here so easily, and well-educated. Everyone would assumed every single asian was 'smart.' Nothing has changed much from this time of period. Up until today, this is still happening NOW. Asians are still being stereotyped as the smart ones (a.k.a. 'nerds'). What I believe, is that in order to put this to an end, the Asian-Americans should stand up and protest NOW. Simply that, or this stereotyped will be continued for years. If it doesn't start NOW, than certain people will never have their opportunities to show who they truly are.

There are many connections to the present, from the events and ideas of the Civil Rights Movement. Malcolm X is a perfect example in this case. In one of his speeches (in 1964), he said, "I'm nonviolent with those who are nonviolent with me. But when you drop that violence on me, than you've made me go insane, and I'm not responsible for what I do. And that's the way every Negro should get." Malcolm believed that violence was the answer, depending on the situations. This is how it connects to the present NOW. People are often getting bullied here and there, because in their mind, they think violence solves everything -- it does not. Violence happens everywhere you go. What's terrible about this is that it's not a big deal to the society anymore, because it happens so often. If only our society would think like Martin Luther King, violence would not be the answer. Our world would be one peaceful place, NOW.

People of Different Race are Friends, Not Food

I believe the Civil Rights Movement was a big influence on society. It caused the minority, to stand up and take action to get what they want. For the past century, blacks, hispanics, asians, etc, were mistreated for their skin color and beliefs. All the white people believed if the minority weren't like them, then they don't deserve as good a treatment as they do. With this said the whites were no better then the Nazi Germans who discriminated against Jews.

Nowadays, it's not just white people who are sometimes racist. But anyone

who was raised in America around their peers can be racist too. So any immigrants who just moved here in the past 10 years can be ridiculed because of any accent they have. Even their appearance can give off a bad vibe. For example a racist person can see someone else who looks clearly (insert ethnicity here) and make stereotypes about that person.

America still struggles with equality for simple reasons such as not letting someone in because of their ethnicity. University only let people of a certain race attend if there "isn't enough of them". I don't believe that America will ever attain equity let alone equality until at least this issue is resolved. At least we have come along way from enslaving "black" people. Boy, that was terrible.

The events of the Civil Rights Movement led a big impact on how many of us live currently. It allowed people to attend school just like everyone else.

It also enabled us to use public services such as riding a school bus or dining out inter-racially.

I say most of us get along well though.

Look at all these happy kids!