Warriors Don't Cry...Some More

Sooo, my group and I were having a very interesting conversation, because that is just how we do. Anyways, we got to talking about some of the mental effects of racism. We got to talking about internalized racism and the way that the concept has presented itself in the book Warriors Don't Cry. We came to the conclusion that many Blacks within the Little Rock community during the time of the Central High segregation did not feel that they deserved to integrate.

Many Blacks during this time felt that they didn't deserve to integrate because they belonged in their community, with their own people, and the shabby schools. They feel like they have come as far as they possibly can as a race and have achieved the most that they can. They do not want to strive for more because they have been made to feel inferior for so long that some started to believe it. Throughout history many Black people internalized the racism that was inflicted upon them. It reminded me of the story of Uncle Tom that made a slave feel that all he could be in life was a slave and that it was his obligation to be a slave to his master and it is saddening how throughout history this happens.

Warriors Don't Cry

    Warriors don't cry is the honest story of Melba Patillo, one of the first Black students to integrate into an all-White school in the American south. It tells a story of her bravery and selflessness while integrating into Central High in Little Rock, Arkansas. 

When Melba first signs up to be enrolled at Central High she is naive and doesn't realize the seriousness of the situation that she was getting herself into. She had hopes of the Whites that strongly supported segregation would realize that she just wanted the same quality education that they received and would eventually be fine with it, she was very wrong.

On her first day at Central High she is chased by an angry mob who threatened and chased both she and her mother, she was blocked from entering the high school by the Arkansas national Guard, and made to feel fearful for her life and well-being. She does not realize that she is no longer just a child fighting for her education but she is actually a representative for her race; fighting for their equality. 

Although she is trying to help Black people progress and stop being treated like second-class citizens but many individuals within their community. She brings restlessness and danger to her community and many people don't appreciate that, not knowing that n the years to come this little girl would pave the way for amazing things to happen for Blacks. 

I understand that many of the people in her community think that she is doing more harm than helping them because of the way that white segregationalists acted when she attempted to integrated. They were haters 

-_-

Rap Music Today

I was browsing through the blogs feeling uninspired until I cam across a blog that Stan wrote who, by the way, is an amazing rapper y'all. I agree with a lot of the things that Stan is saying in this post, rap music has definitely been looking sorry for the past couple of years. We lived through the "ringtone artists" of 06' and 07', the coming and going of the so-called "hyphy movement," and numerous songs that were accompanied by easy-to-do dances that all came out of Atlanta. In the last couple of years we haven't seen a lot of quality rap music, but I think that a lot of the new artists that are coming up right now show that there is a very promising future for rap. San said:

If rappers would spend a little bit more time on their lyrics, then the whole flow of each song would sound smoother. I notice in many different songs that there could be words replaced that would not only rhyme, but also make more sense. Or I hear some songs that have absolutely no purpose or content at all. For example the rap group young money, as individuals they make more meaningful music, but you put them together as a whole and all they ever sing about is sex, drugs, and money.

I would like to say that I see a lot of very promising artists focusing more on the musical aspect of their raps rather than trying to get the most endorsements or the most notoriety. I think that many rappers and many famous musicians forget that their music is art and are too focused on pleasing their fans or maintaining an image. I see artists like J Cole, Wiz Khalifa, Wale, Kid Cudi, and even Drake doing new and innovative things with their music that I have really come to enjoy (and to add onto Stan's point I like Drake's solo/mixtape music way more than I like his stuff with Young Money). Anyways, rap is starting to get back to the point where artists are using obscure samples, getting back to a more bohemian style, and overall just allowing artists more freedom to try new things.

For me, I listen to music that makes me feel something, whatever that may be.  Sometimes I listen to music like Waka Flocka, Gucci Mane, or Lil B; because that is what I'm feeling at the time. Artists like them, although they might not be the most intellectually stimulating, make me want to sing along to their music and dance. Artists like Kanye West, J Cole, and Blu make me think and make me want to create art of my own. It is really whatever I am feeling at the moment. Sometimes I just want something loud with heavy bass that talks about violence and money and sometimes I want to listen to music that tells a story with sophisticated vocabulary.

The Rap "game" is constantly changing and I'm interested to see how many of this years new artists are going to grow and create in the future. I see originality and musicality becoming important once again within the rap community. It pleases Gina. Yes it does.


















 This is the link to Stan's post, something is wrong with the link when I tried to put it on the other way.

      http://standerson96.blogspot.com/2010/11/musical-artists-need-to-spend-time-more.html

Things that irritate me

This blog is inspired by a post written by Kaila.

So many things have been getting on my nerves this week, I just haven't been in the mood for anyones nonsense this week (or any week, come to think of it).


Group Projects-This week we have been working on THREE different group projects and the teachers need to cut the s*** with their whole "we make you work together to learn how to cooperate with others," speech. We all know that you just don't want to grade a bunch of work right before the holidays and having us work in groups cuts down the number of projects that must be graded, substantially. I really hope these teachers know how difficult it is to work with these people. For some reason it is like pulling teeth to get people to participate and just work in a group, it isn't brain surgery, and it is not that hard. Group projects, in all actuality, are never completed by the whole group. In groups, one or two people end up doing a majority of the work, if not all. Since I am one of the individuals who ends up doing most of the work, I am bitter. Very bitter.


Math- Math hates me, I don't know why, I just want to be frienzz! Numbers make me cringe. That is all.

That One Overly Played Katy Perry Song- I didn't write the name of the song because all of her songs sound exactly the same and I think she's garbage. Every time I turn on the radio its some obnoxious Katy Perry song that has the same exact beat as all of her other songs. Its always this DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN pulsating techno beat, it makes my brain turn to fried eggs.

People who ask me what Rugby is- just go away.

I Hate AC Transit- Ac Transit plays with my emotions. If the bus schedule says that the bus is coming at 7:21, guess when I expect the bus to come!? 7:21! But nooooooo! The bus never comes on time which means that I never arrive at my destination on time. Then when I finally get on the bus the bus driver wants to be extremely rude while she pops her gum and tells ME to hurry up because SHE has better places to be! I swear, I looked around me because I couldn't believe that she said that to me with a straight face. She must have lost her mind and I don't physically attack the mentally disabled soooo that is the sole reason I didn't just hit her.

The New Noise Facebook IM Makes- Like, what is that...why? Just why?

People- I hate it when I say something and someone who is not even in the conversation has to make some rude side comment.. You know you just want to be involved in what I'm doing. I understand. Just worry about yourself, Boo.