The Feminine Mistique by Betty Friedan

This text discusses the issues women of the mid 20th century were faced with. Most importantly it discusses the plight of women that wish to branch out of the housewife position into strong independent figures that deserve respect. The author brings up the fact that many women of the time (when this was written) were satisfied with marrying earlier, bearing children, and being supportive to their dominant husbands. While others, wished to have an education, experience life and not be tied down by societies boundaries for women. Many times those who did not want a family, but instead opted out for an education were described as homely, unfeminine, and selfish. As if the only way to be feminine was to be a housewife, mother, and more concerned about the happiness of others than your own. Although many women of the time became housewives at early ages, the author addresses the point that many of them reached a point in their life where they questioned the decisions that they made, and were feeling unfulfilled by the life they chose. Although the excerpt of this book was written many years ago, these issues are still apparent in today's society. During college and even in high school (in some cases) girls look for fulfillment through starting a family at a relatively young age. Although now I believe this choice is more of a personal one than societal one, outsiders looking in don't condone the behavior as much because times have really changed. Today women have such great opportunities for educations and careers, and in some girls ruin their chance to achieve it before they even realize it.

The Most Dangerous Place fo Black Children...

The author of this blog entry brings up some good points about racial inequalities that black children encounter. There is no doubt that the world has changed alot in the past 60 years for black people. Although there have been a lot of advancements in the reatment of black people, there have also been many hardships in black communities. Violence, gang involvement, prison, and many other things are pleaguing black communities across the U.S. This article does a good job of addressing the issue, but it doesn't present solutions for the problem.

"Rodney King Broadcast"

The idea of police brutality is nothing new to Americans. Especially for minorities in the U.S., racial profiling and excessive police violence has been an all too real fear. In the 90s the opinions of police were at an all time low, particularly in Los Angeles and surrounding cities. All of these mixed feelings about police officers came to a head when the 1991 beating of Rodney King was broad casted around the U.S., this instance of police brutality was not the first and definitely not the last, but it was one of the most publicized. Although not all police officers or even a majority of them abuse their authority, the idea that some do, causes more harm then help for officers in public opinion.

"Strange Fruit." Abel Meeropol and Billie Holiday

"Strange Fruit" is an important poem/song in American history. It gives historical insight to a legitimate fear that most black people had in the south, the fear of being lynched. I reflects on the murders and lynchings of Thomas Shipp and Abram Smith, two men hanged in Indiana by a mob of both civilians and police officers without ever being given a fair trial for their suspected crimes. Although the practice of lynching was nothing new to many southerners, the publicity and attention the song/poem brought to the issue made many people see it in a different light. By comparing fruit to rotting bodies was an eye opening realization for many people that no matter the skin color, people are people, and deserve better treatment than that.

Panther Power by Tupac Shakur

Although some may see Tupac Shakur's "Panther Power" in a negative light due to some of the violence that the Black Panther movement caused in its history, I view it in a different light. Instead of asking for violent action to those who are oppressive, Tupac more or less criticized the idea that everything was equal when there were outstanding evidence that minorities were still treated worse than their white counterparts. Tupac also criticizes the minorities that choose to settle for what they have, they should stop insisting that its as good as its ever going to get, and instead of strive to be better. Overall, I didn't see Tupac's title "Panther Power" as a direct endorsement of everything that the Black Panthers did, but more as a suggestion that minorities need to attack the social issue with the same energy and purpose as the Black Panther movement. The pretext to Tupac's Black Panther, makes a reference to Tupac's song "Changes", I base most of my opinions about Tupac's political and social beliefs off of that song. Shakur more or less, tried to light a fire under minorities in America, saying that there is no reason in complaining about your situation if you can be the solution your own problems. Claiming to be a product of one's environment can only go so far, we as a people need to stop making excuses and blaming others and start making social changes.

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs

Jacob's narrative deals with her struggle of being a slave in hiding. Her where-abouts are unknown to most people, except her grandmother. She must even keep her location a secret from her two children, Ellen and Benny. Jacob's goes to all of these extremes in an attempt to hide from Dr. Flint, her owner. From Harriet Jacob's narrative, it goes to show the determination and persistence she was willing to exert in order to escape the horrible fate that many slaves had to deal with. It also goes to show the mindset people in that time period had about the life a slave, they were purely property and objects to be used, abused, and thrown away at will. I took particular interest in the way Jacob's structured her writing; taking the audience into the small prison like room she confined herself to, detailing her daily struggles as they progressed through the seasons, then relating it to the congressman's quote about slavery being a social and political blessing. It is both very interesting and sad the way some people viewed the lives of slaves.