As an online course, the writing that we do in English 305 is substantially different from a face to face course. As such, it is imperative that you understand the course style from the start. Nearly all of your work in this course will be posted on the course blog.
EACH WEEK YOU WILL HAVE THREE BLOG ASSIGNMENTS:
1. A BLOG ENTRY,
2. A READING, AND
3. A WRITING ABOUT THE READING. Your reading and writing on the blog must be completed by the Friday (by midnight) of the week in which the reading falls. You have all week each week to complete the reading and writing for that week, but there are no late assignments accepted, so be sure to be disciplined about the work from the start. Let me re-state that point; if you do the assigned work before or during the week it is due, you will receive full credit. If you do the work after the Friday of the week it is assigned, you will get zero credit for that week.
Monday, February 27, 2012
WEEK EIGHT WRITING ABOUT WHAT YOU READ
Is there someone today who seems similar to Robinson? What is the importance of Robinson's story?
I am sure that there are many people like Robinson today. Racism is still a big problem in our society. A few months ago, I saw a movie entitled, "God Grew Tired of Us". It is a documentary about a few Sudanese who were continually fleeing their home in Africa under a corrupt government. Under a program with the U.S. some of them were able to come to the United States and have opportunities to improve their lives. It is amazing how much they accomplished in so little time! When they arrived in our country, they were treated kind of mean by people. They were not allowed allowed to walk in public together, because people complained that they looked "suspicious", even though it was through each other how they survived all the violent acts of genocide, starvation, and what not. They few men who could cope with the racism, language barriers, and other problems became great people and even became advocates to bring an awareness to the American people about the persecuted Sudanese by their own country. I think Robinson's story is important because it shows that even though sometimes the odds can be way against you, if you persevere, the rewards can be great and everlasting.
In today’s world, there is still racism which is a big issue. Robinson’s story brought to my attention that racism is never going to fade away. I don’t quit remember what the movie was called but I seen a movie almost similar to Robinson’s story, where African American people had to sit in the back of the bus so the whites can sit in the front and if they did not listen the African people were beaten by the police men. Some were not even allowed to walk by certain place or even talk to certain people or else they will get punished. It was harsh but the African people could not do anything about it because the white’s ruled the towns. Any where the African people went; they were treated different and beaten for no reason. Robinson’s story is important because it brings a great message to society and has a profound meaning to racism; even though there still is a lot of hatred again people, we should always remember, everyone should be treated equally.
Racism is still present in today’s society which is unfortunate, but true. I have heard stories from some of my friends who have experienced some type of discrimination and it made me angry that people can be so ruthless. Though in their experience it was more subtle than what Robinson had to endure, it was still wrong. I think the importance of Robinson’s story allows readers to understand that to overcome a barrier, you must be strong and lead by example- not join what you fought so hard to avoid. It shows that doing what’s right may not always be easy, but you do it anyways because of why you’re doing it.
The biggest story out of the sports world today dealing with desegregation is Danica Patrick’s venture into NASCAR. She recently made the move from the truck races to the car races. She is to women what Jackie Robinson was to blacks in the 40's. She is paving the way for women everywhere to join male dominated sports. She is opening doors for women in NASCAR, which could possible lead to women joining and mainstreaming sports like MMA, football and so on. The sky is now the limit with Danica racing. She could become the first women to win a NASCAR title. Jackie’s story is important because it shows us that no matter who or what is holding you back, with enough hard work and dedication anything is possible. It is a tale for reflection and inspiration.
What a GREAT example! Danica has had an uphill fight, and she does it with grace and dignity. I love how she plays a man sport, but is still beautiful and dignified away from the track!
Jackie Robinson’s story is important because it tells a part of history and allows for people to understand what truly happened. Racism is still alive and well in the twenty first century but it has now become more covert than before. I think that President Obama is a lot like Robinson in the sense that he is paving the way for the future minority generation. Although he has been confronted with racism and prejudice on his path to the white house as well as after he was elected, he has yet to let that make him bitter or negative. He, like Robinson, has “guts enough not to fight back.” Both men were faced with the problem of being the face of the black population. The black race has many expectations for President Obama and he holds theirs the dreams along with his. Robinson was influential and important because he faced the harsh realities of the color barriers that once existed in the South so other s would not have to.
Sometimes people are blinded simply by what they see. They have an inability to see a person for what they truly are without their skin color, eye color, etc. The lesson I believe everyone learned from that particular experience was that anything is possible and we can never truly know the limits of a person until we give them an opportunity to prove themselves an opportunity which will best glorify all they dream to show that is the lesson one must take from Robinson’s past. There are many people who have undergone the same experiences as Robinson. Jesse Owens is four gold Olympic medalists and, at one point, the fastest man in the world. Jesse Owens had gone to Germany for the Olympics during the reign of Adolf Hitler. When Jesse owns arrived to his hotel in Berlin, there were posters on his wall comparing his African American background to that of apes and it was found out that Hitler had told his people that his “true Aryan” race will wipe the floor with these inferior species which do not even deserve to be on the same place as Germans. When the Olympics finally started, Jesse Owens won every single one of his events with no one coming in close with second place, and Hitler was so angry to the point where he did not even step into the ceremony to give Jesse his medals. Another example is Jeremy Lin from the New York Knicks. Jeremy had been in the last couple of months been on a couple of different teams and nobody had given him a chance to prove himself and show everyone how good he was. When first starting out his NBA season, he played for the Warriors but they simply gave him no chance and he would only get a couple minutes of playing time which is simply too small of a time for a player to do anything, but when he moved to the Knicks and he was given a proper amount of minutes he blew up the charts by having 38 points against the Lakers and leading the Knicks on a winning streak even without their superstar Carmelo Anthony. I honestly believe the Warriors coaches are astonished on how a great player could have escaped their eyes. Jeremy Lin is now being offered several deals just because of the one chance he received.
There are many nameless people that have stories similar to Robinson's. Peoplein situations where there race, ethnicity, class, sex,or religion results in prejudice or discrimination. In today's society President Obama's political career bears resemblance to Robinson's story. President Obama is the first black President of the United States of America and sometimes I think he has been scrutinized more because of his skin color. Why has his birth certificate and religious beliefs been such an issue? Why is President Obama constantly defending his faith and something as silly as the validity of his American citizenship. One has to wonder if his African American descent is the real issue. Jackie Robinson opened the doors for Black Americans to play in the MLB similar to President Obama opening the door for those of color who will one day become President. Robinson's story is important because it brings to light the mistreatment of blacks in our nation's history. Jackie Robinson didn't give and perserved through the prejudice and discrimination he received. Because of his perservence he went on to become one of the greatest baseball playeres ever to play the game. His determination opened the door for minorities to play at the professional level. Futhermore, his actions broke down racial barriers in a time where racial tensions and racism were rampant. We must always remember the significance and importance of Robinson's story.
In the present, racism still is a deplorable issue that we are experiencing in our society. The Robison's encountered numerous distinctions and humiliations for the color of their skin. They were victims of discrimination by the white community. However, this lamentable situation opened a new living style for the African America community. The story of the Robinson's reminds of me of the controversial racism case that involved two of the best international soccer players in England. In this case, Patrick Evra, the captain and defender of the French national soccer team and player of the Manchester United club was another victim of this distressing epidemic of racism. Evra was discriminated by a Uruguayan soccer player before starting the soccer match. The players from each team were shaking their opponents’ hand, and when it came to the time of shaking Evra's hand, Luis Suarez one of greatest footballers of the moment, skipped Evra's colored hand. Additionally, during the soccer game, Suarez insulted Evra verbally several times with offensive words and many labels. The humiliations that Evra received will pay off and might bring rewards in sports competitions. The bravery that Evra had to denounce his aggressor will help to reduce and possibly eliminate racism from professional sports competitions. This, in the long run, might avoid similar cases and perhaps everyone would be seen with equality no matter our nationality, culture, and skin color.
In today's society there are still many stories of people breaking into a sport or career where they may be a minority. I recently saw a story about young urban african americans who joined a polo team and became some of the first to compete. Polo has always been known as a upper class white activity. The teens stated that at first they notice the looks and reactions of the audience as well as their opponents, but once they saw their ability there thoughts changed. So I love to hear stories that a positive impact on a sport, especially from younger people. This story is similar to Robinson in that he knew he wasn't going to be intially accepted and it wasn't going to be a easy road, but he wasn't goin give up. He took the abuse and kept on pursuit of his dream. I believe he knew once people saw his talents he could maybe changed their outlook on colored athletes and on the flip side he would encourage other blacks athletes take the risks and follow in his footsteps.
I'm sure that racism and the consequences that accompanies it still exist today. It might not only be towards the African American population, but of all other races, most especially, those who are coming from Middle Eastern countries. I've heard on the news, several occasions, where a US citizen man was accused as a terrorist just for being Middle Easterners. I do not recall when it was, but i think it was when I took a flight from Phoenix to Salt Lake City, about a year ago . I was going through the check in process, when I saw a man a head of me in the line, which I'm not exactly sure what his exact race was, but he was Middle Eastern. His bag was put through the scanner three times before he was pulled aside for his baggage to be search. None of the ones ahead of him and after him was done this way, so I can only assume that the securities were profiling. I don't think that a cure will ever come anytime soon, but one can only step up and take action to begin the process of improving. I'm sure that there are many individuals who have similar story as Robinson; doing something to fight for what they believe in. It is really aspiring for others to see individuals taking action towards eliminating racism in this country. After all we are a country known for its diversity.
I'm pretty sure that there are still many people who are similar to Robinson. Whether we like it or not, racism and sexism is still a big issue today. The importance of Robinson's story is that the only way to advance in racism or sexism, we have to take action and fight peacefully to eliminate the racism or sexism in today's society. The actions we take cannot contain violent behavior because that will only create an outrage in society.
I am sure that even in today's society where things are suppose to be different pepole of a different race are still being treated badly. It is sad to think that even after all the lives lost to fight against this people still act the way they do. We are in a new day in age and mindsets should be different. Robinson is someone to look up to. A very couragous man who did not give up on his dream given the curcumstances he went through. We should all think like him and never give up for what we think is the right thing to do. We all have dreams that we could acomplish no matter our race, color, or background.
Jackie Robinson indured much pain and suffering to accomplish something great. Standing up for yourself and for others for freedom and equality and what you believe is right is a selfless act. Many people today continue to stand up for what they believe, even though they know they will be ridiculed and made fun of. It is the 21st century, and still we struggle with "gay marriage". Marriage is marriage. Lets all just get over it and let people love. There is still a daily struggle of tension between minorities, races, gangs, and sex. Women are breaking barriers today and doing things that were once considered a "man's job". Good for them! The thing about these people is that they are strong, and they know they are setting an example and paving the way for those that want to follow. When I was in seventh grade I decided that I wanted to be on the wrestling team. I remember telling people at school and some would laugh and tell me I wasn't strong enough, and that wrestling is only a boy's sport. Did I listen? No. I joined the wrestling team. I wasn't a great wrestler, but I was pretty good. I ended up getting two pins and 2 more wins that season. And as I began to improve, more people, including my team, began to believe that I could do it. People would come out to watch because they couldn't believe that a girl would actually want to wrestle. There were times when I did want to give up because it would get to be too much, but I knew that I couldn't let people see me quit. I came out for practice everyday and worked hard to get better. I finished out that season, and played again my 8th grade year. The sense of accomplishment was great, and I can imagine that is something like how Jackie felt, knowing that he was fighting against the grain for something he knew was right.
There still are many people of different races and genders that suffer from intolerance today. In 2001 at the height of patriotism following the attacks on the twin towers, me and buddy had just graduated Marine Corps boot camp and wanted to celebrate freedom and a steak joint. We were in Florida waiting to class up for our special job training. We took the bus into town and found a place to eat, it was only half full but when we said table for 2 they told us they were full and couldn’t take us. My buddy was black and he tried to warn me it would happen, I being from California and never came across such outright discrimination didn’t believe him. The saddest part was all the white personage that came after us was seated right away. Robinson’s story is important on so many levels, who was a first for many things, he ushered in a new era, as well as endured the pain of a nation on his shoulders. I admire him for his steadfastness, the world was on his shoulders and he never buckled. If I was in his shoes I’m not sure I could have refrained from fighting back against such injustice. But for him, his passive resistance seemed 1000x more effective than attacking back.
There has been many Americans who have been targets of racism even today. One person in particular has been my mother, she has been looked down on for not knowing perfect English. One day she was called upon by a white woman, who was standing in line at a RiteAid store, my mom saw a woman she knew and she didn't think nothing of it and began to direct the conversation to her friend in Spanish, the white woman became annoyed by their Spanish conversation and called the police and told him my mom was being disrespectful to her because she was speaking Spanish! I was amazed of what the white woman was declaring and my mother in tears gave her statement with the police officer that she wasn't directing the conversation to her, but to her friend she saw in the store. Moreover, the importance of Jackie's story is that one will encounter racism anywhere, but one should be a bigger person than the one who is committing the racism.
Today people tend to believe that racism does not exist anymore, and we live in a world of equality. The reality is that racism still exists in our society. People judge individuals from their skin color and don’t give people the opportunity to show their talents and abilities. Robinsons is remembered for being the first black person to be part of the Major leagues, but people don’t realize that this took a lot pain and suffering. Jackie Robinson is considered a legend. We do have people like Robinson today and president Obama is a great example. President Obama became the first black president of the United States, and this opened the doors to future black individuals who peruse this position. We all have dreams and our skin color and eye color does not define our talents and abilities. When we are given the opportunity to demonstrate what we can do we can accomplish wonderful things for a nation.
There's a couple people that come to mind that still deal with racism in my eyes. The first person that comes to mind is Tim Tebow, a infamous football player that gets criticized due to his religious beliefs. Another can be Jeremy Lin, now a famous basketball player who dealt with the stereotype of Asian American players are not athletic enough. This showcases that even today we deal with racism at all levels, but we must walk the course so others can benefit from our struggles. Sometimes we must be the first to break the barriers for future generations to rejoice.
Well, I don't really know a specific person, but what comes to mind is gays in the military. Those who are in the military and are gay can be pressured and humilated. Even though they are fighting the same fight as everyone else, people are hateful about them standing on the front line defending out country. I give all gays in the military a ton of support because they are secluded from their family and still have the strength to overcome diversity and make a change!
Unfortunately, we still have in our society people like Robinson. These people are Native Americans. Until these days, American Indians still suffer discrimination. Even the federal government still does not resolve indigenous' situation, and they are not considered as citizens. Some youngest Indians are going to college,and they are not accepted by their own classmates. Is it discrimination or not? People continues judging others from their skin color. Part of the American society are obviously rooted prejudicial and racism against the minority racial group. Robinson's story is very important because he never give up until reach his dreams. We can be like him no matter what skin color we have.
This is a long stretch but I think President Obama is similar to Robinson, like Robinson, he is the first African American to be in his professional field. Obama and Robinson are much alike, Obama has to travel around the world where racism still occurs, what he does and says is going to set an example for his whole race. The importance of Robinson's story is to show people that if you have courage to walk the path that hasn't been taken, you can set the precedence and open opportunities to others who would of never had a chance.
In todays's world one would think there would be no racisim issues, but there is . There is someone today that had to face some racism to get to the top. For instance, Barack Obama the first black president of United States had to face some stereotypes such as, he cannot handle presidency because of the color of his skin. Some people just plainly did not want to vote for hime because he was not white. Too bad for them Barack Obama became president. Furthermore, there is still alot of racism in the world, for exmaple after 9/11 people that wore turbans that were not muslim and were indian were targeted because of their appearance. Furthermore, the importance of Robinsons story is that it outlines what Robinson had to go through to get to the top and makes you think of all the racism that still exists in the world.
We like to think racism is over and like to close our eyes instead of admitting or doing something about it. In this new age and era we still see the ignorant things people say and do things against others due to their race, skin color, ethnicity and language they speak. Many great heroes like Jackie Robinson have made great changes in this world, like many have already mentioned these individuals have made a drastic move that have allowed us to benefit from. As many would agree these people have struggled to obtain what we now enjoy, in the reading Mr. Robinson had to take much racism and criticism from many.
People like my self and loved ones have experience racism at one time or another. One example, I've been pulled over at gun point because I happened to match the description of the suspect who stole a truck similar to mine. I am Brown, young, with a shaved head but it does not make a thug. I am probably more involved in my community, school, and church than the officer who had his knee on my back while I laid on the ground handcuffed. Check the plates next time Mr. Officer, because your actions are no way to build relationships. Like Robinson, we just got to get up, get through it, and get to work. Robinson was a brave man. His courage to participate in an all white membership league was dangerous, life changing, and defied the Eurocentric attitudes in our society. It was Pioneers like Robinson that set the example for others to persevere through institutionalized barriers. His actions were important because it shine the light on one of the ugliest issues in America for the world to see.
As history has shown us, racism has been tool of destruction. In my opinion, Barack Obama, now the president, was ridiculed extremely while running for presidency. Even in high school (as a Senior), kids and teachers would express their "disgust" over how Barack Obama wasn't "American enough." I think the most important thing about this story is how Robinson took the risk. He knew about the consequences; however, he decided to give it a try. Courage.
Racism continues to be an important issue. Although the level of racism is different from Robinson, Jeremy Lin is an athlete that appears to be subjected to racism. Due to his outbreak this year, many individuals have made racist, stereotypical comments regarding Lim. Other athletes, journalists, and even the New York Knicks have made racists remarks. I find it difficult to make comments about his race when it is apparent that his talent is what caused this so called "linsanity" today. But as far as Robinson's story, it is extremely important for individuals to endure these situations because they pave the way for others. If no one has the courage to follow through, everyone would sit back.
i honestly do not see anyone the same way as i seen Jackie Robinson, his importance to break the barrier for blacks in baseball was outstanding and also i could not compare this strong man from what he did in his life to anyone now, maybe marin luther king for standing up for his rights and what he believed in during his time, but Jackie would play in front of crowds that would throw stuff at him and yell racist things, this man was strong and had to stay strong for what he believed was right.
I am sure that there are many people like Robinson today. Racism is still a big problem in our society. A few months ago, I saw a movie entitled, "God Grew Tired of Us". It is a documentary about a few Sudanese who were continually fleeing their home in Africa under a corrupt government. Under a program with the U.S. some of them were able to come to the United States and have opportunities to improve their lives. It is amazing how much they accomplished in so little time! When they arrived in our country, they were treated kind of mean by people. They were not allowed allowed to walk in public together, because people complained that they looked "suspicious", even though it was through each other how they survived all the violent acts of genocide, starvation, and what not. They few men who could cope with the racism, language barriers, and other problems became great people and even became advocates to bring an awareness to the American people about the persecuted Sudanese by their own country. I think Robinson's story is important because it shows that even though sometimes the odds can be way against you, if you persevere, the rewards can be great and everlasting.
ReplyDeleteIn today’s world, there is still racism which is a big issue. Robinson’s story brought to my attention that racism is never going to fade away. I don’t quit remember what the movie was called but I seen a movie almost similar to Robinson’s story, where African American people had to sit in the back of the bus so the whites can sit in the front and if they did not listen the African people were beaten by the police men. Some were not even allowed to walk by certain place or even talk to certain people or else they will get punished. It was harsh but the African people could not do anything about it because the white’s ruled the towns. Any where the African people went; they were treated different and beaten for no reason. Robinson’s story is important because it brings a great message to society and has a profound meaning to racism; even though there still is a lot of hatred again people, we should always remember, everyone should be treated equally.
ReplyDeleteRacism is still present in today’s society which is unfortunate, but true. I have heard stories from some of my friends who have experienced some type of discrimination and it made me angry that people can be so ruthless. Though in their experience it was more subtle than what Robinson had to endure, it was still wrong. I think the importance of Robinson’s story allows readers to understand that to overcome a barrier, you must be strong and lead by example- not join what you fought so hard to avoid. It shows that doing what’s right may not always be easy, but you do it anyways because of why you’re doing it.
ReplyDeleteThe biggest story out of the sports world today dealing with desegregation is Danica Patrick’s venture into NASCAR. She recently made the move from the truck races to the car races. She is to women what Jackie Robinson was to blacks in the 40's. She is paving the way for women everywhere to join male dominated sports. She is opening doors for women in NASCAR, which could possible lead to women joining and mainstreaming sports like MMA, football and so on. The sky is now the limit with Danica racing. She could become the first women to win a NASCAR title. Jackie’s story is important because it shows us that no matter who or what is holding you back, with enough hard work and dedication anything is possible. It is a tale for reflection and inspiration.
ReplyDeleteWhat a GREAT example! Danica has had an uphill fight, and she does it with grace and dignity. I love how she plays a man sport, but is still beautiful and dignified away from the track!
DeleteJackie Robinson’s story is important because it tells a part of history and allows for people to understand what truly happened. Racism is still alive and well in the twenty first century but it has now become more covert than before. I think that President Obama is a lot like Robinson in the sense that he is paving the way for the future minority generation. Although he has been confronted with racism and prejudice on his path to the white house as well as after he was elected, he has yet to let that make him bitter or negative. He, like Robinson, has “guts enough not to fight back.” Both men were faced with the problem of being the face of the black population. The black race has many expectations for President Obama and he holds theirs the dreams along with his. Robinson was influential and important because he faced the harsh realities of the color barriers that once existed in the South so other s would not have to.
ReplyDeleteSometimes people are blinded simply by what they see. They have an inability to see a person for what they truly are without their skin color, eye color, etc. The lesson I believe everyone learned from that particular experience was that anything is possible and we can never truly know the limits of a person until we give them an opportunity to prove themselves an opportunity which will best glorify all they dream to show that is the lesson one must take from Robinson’s past. There are many people who have undergone the same experiences as Robinson. Jesse Owens is four gold Olympic medalists and, at one point, the fastest man in the world. Jesse Owens had gone to Germany for the Olympics during the reign of Adolf Hitler. When Jesse owns arrived to his hotel in Berlin, there were posters on his wall comparing his African American background to that of apes and it was found out that Hitler had told his people that his “true Aryan” race will wipe the floor with these inferior species which do not even deserve to be on the same place as Germans. When the Olympics finally started, Jesse Owens won every single one of his events with no one coming in close with second place, and Hitler was so angry to the point where he did not even step into the ceremony to give Jesse his medals. Another example is Jeremy Lin from the New York Knicks. Jeremy had been in the last couple of months been on a couple of different teams and nobody had given him a chance to prove himself and show everyone how good he was. When first starting out his NBA season, he played for the Warriors but they simply gave him no chance and he would only get a couple minutes of playing time which is simply too small of a time for a player to do anything, but when he moved to the Knicks and he was given a proper amount of minutes he blew up the charts by having 38 points against the Lakers and leading the Knicks on a winning streak even without their superstar Carmelo Anthony. I honestly believe the Warriors coaches are astonished on how a great player could have escaped their eyes. Jeremy Lin is now being offered several deals just because of the one chance he received.
ReplyDeleteThere are many nameless people that have stories similar to Robinson's. Peoplein situations where there race, ethnicity, class, sex,or religion results in prejudice or discrimination. In today's society President Obama's political career bears resemblance to Robinson's story. President Obama is the first black President of the United States of America and sometimes I think he has been scrutinized more because of his skin color. Why has his birth certificate and religious beliefs been such an issue? Why is President Obama constantly defending his faith and something as silly as the validity of his American citizenship. One has to wonder if his African American descent is the real issue. Jackie Robinson opened the doors for Black Americans to play in the MLB similar to President Obama opening the door for those of color who will one day become President.
ReplyDeleteRobinson's story is important because it brings to light the mistreatment of blacks in our nation's history. Jackie Robinson didn't give and perserved through the prejudice and discrimination he received. Because of his perservence he went on to become one of the greatest baseball playeres ever to play the game. His determination opened the door for minorities to play at the professional level. Futhermore, his actions broke down racial barriers in a time where racial tensions and racism were rampant. We must always remember the significance and importance of Robinson's story.
In the present, racism still is a deplorable issue that we are experiencing in our society. The Robison's encountered numerous distinctions and humiliations for the color of their skin. They were victims of discrimination by the white community. However, this lamentable situation opened a new living style for the African America community. The story of the Robinson's reminds of me of the controversial racism case that involved two of the best international soccer players in England. In this case, Patrick Evra, the captain and defender of the French national soccer team and player of the Manchester United club was another victim of this distressing epidemic of racism. Evra was discriminated by a Uruguayan soccer player before starting the soccer match. The players from each team were shaking their opponents’ hand, and when it came to the time of shaking Evra's hand, Luis Suarez one of greatest footballers of the moment, skipped Evra's colored hand. Additionally, during the soccer game, Suarez insulted Evra verbally several times with offensive words and many labels. The humiliations that Evra received will pay off and might bring rewards in sports competitions. The bravery that Evra had to denounce his aggressor will help to reduce and possibly eliminate racism from professional sports competitions. This, in the long run, might avoid similar cases and perhaps everyone would be seen with equality no matter our nationality, culture, and skin color.
ReplyDeleteIn today's society there are still many stories of people breaking into a sport or career where they may be a minority. I recently saw a story about young urban african americans who joined a polo team and became some of the first to compete. Polo has always been known as a upper class white activity. The teens stated that at first they notice the looks and reactions of the audience as well as their opponents, but once they saw their ability there thoughts changed. So I love to hear stories that a positive impact on a sport, especially from younger people. This story is similar to Robinson in that he knew he wasn't going to be intially accepted and it wasn't going to be a easy road, but he wasn't goin give up. He took the abuse and kept on pursuit of his dream. I believe he knew once people saw his talents he could maybe changed their outlook on colored athletes and on the flip side he would encourage other blacks athletes take the risks and follow in his footsteps.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that racism and the consequences that accompanies it still exist today. It might not only be towards the African American population, but of all other races, most especially, those who are coming from Middle Eastern countries. I've heard on the news, several occasions, where a US citizen man was accused as a terrorist just for being Middle Easterners. I do not recall when it was, but i think it was when I took a flight from Phoenix to Salt Lake City, about a year ago . I was going through the check in process, when I saw a man a head of me in the line, which I'm not exactly sure what his exact race was, but he was Middle Eastern. His bag was put through the scanner three times before he was pulled aside for his baggage to be search. None of the ones ahead of him and after him was done this way, so I can only assume that the securities were profiling. I don't think that a cure will ever come anytime soon, but one can only step up and take action to begin the process of improving. I'm sure that there are many individuals who have similar story as Robinson; doing something to fight for what they believe in. It is really aspiring for others to see individuals taking action towards eliminating racism in this country. After all we are a country known for its diversity.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure that there are still many people who are similar to Robinson. Whether we like it or not, racism and sexism is still a big issue today. The importance of Robinson's story is that the only way to advance in racism or sexism, we have to take action and fight peacefully to eliminate the racism or sexism in today's society. The actions we take cannot contain violent behavior because that will only create an outrage in society.
ReplyDeleteI am sure that even in today's society where things are suppose to be different pepole of a different race are still being treated badly. It is sad to think that even after all the lives lost to fight against this people still act the way they do. We are in a new day in age and mindsets should be different. Robinson is someone to look up to. A very couragous man who did not give up on his dream given the curcumstances he went through. We should all think like him and never give up for what we think is the right thing to do. We all have dreams that we could acomplish no matter our race, color, or background.
ReplyDeleteJackie Robinson indured much pain and suffering to accomplish something great. Standing up for yourself and for others for freedom and equality and what you believe is right is a selfless act. Many people today continue to stand up for what they believe, even though they know they will be ridiculed and made fun of. It is the 21st century, and still we struggle with "gay marriage". Marriage is marriage. Lets all just get over it and let people love. There is still a daily struggle of tension between minorities, races, gangs, and sex. Women are breaking barriers today and doing things that were once considered a "man's job". Good for them! The thing about these people is that they are strong, and they know they are setting an example and paving the way for those that want to follow. When I was in seventh grade I decided that I wanted to be on the wrestling team. I remember telling people at school and some would laugh and tell me I wasn't strong enough, and that wrestling is only a boy's sport. Did I listen? No. I joined the wrestling team. I wasn't a great wrestler, but I was pretty good. I ended up getting two pins and 2 more wins that season. And as I began to improve, more people, including my team, began to believe that I could do it. People would come out to watch because they couldn't believe that a girl would actually want to wrestle. There were times when I did want to give up because it would get to be too much, but I knew that I couldn't let people see me quit. I came out for practice everyday and worked hard to get better. I finished out that season, and played again my 8th grade year. The sense of accomplishment was great, and I can imagine that is something like how Jackie felt, knowing that he was fighting against the grain for something he knew was right.
ReplyDeleteThere still are many people of different races and genders that suffer from intolerance today. In 2001 at the height of patriotism following the attacks on the twin towers, me and buddy had just graduated Marine Corps boot camp and wanted to celebrate freedom and a steak joint. We were in Florida waiting to class up for our special job training. We took the bus into town and found a place to eat, it was only half full but when we said table for 2 they told us they were full and couldn’t take us. My buddy was black and he tried to warn me it would happen, I being from California and never came across such outright discrimination didn’t believe him. The saddest part was all the white personage that came after us was seated right away.
ReplyDeleteRobinson’s story is important on so many levels, who was a first for many things, he ushered in a new era, as well as endured the pain of a nation on his shoulders. I admire him for his steadfastness, the world was on his shoulders and he never buckled. If I was in his shoes I’m not sure I could have refrained from fighting back against such injustice. But for him, his passive resistance seemed 1000x more effective than attacking back.
There has been many Americans who have been targets of racism even today. One person in particular has been my mother, she has been looked down on for not knowing perfect English. One day she was called upon by a white woman, who was standing in line at a RiteAid store, my mom saw a woman she knew and she didn't think nothing of it and began to direct the conversation to her friend in Spanish, the white woman became annoyed by their Spanish conversation and called the police and told him my mom was being disrespectful to her because she was speaking Spanish! I was amazed of what the white woman was declaring and my mother in tears gave her statement with the police officer that she wasn't directing the conversation to her, but to her friend she saw in the store. Moreover, the importance of Jackie's story is that one will encounter racism anywhere, but one should be a bigger person than the one who is committing the racism.
ReplyDeleteToday people tend to believe that racism does not exist anymore, and we live in a world of equality. The reality is that racism still exists in our society. People judge individuals from their skin color and don’t give people the opportunity to show their talents and abilities. Robinsons is remembered for being the first black person to be part of the Major leagues, but people don’t realize that this took a lot pain and suffering. Jackie Robinson is considered a legend. We do have people like Robinson today and president Obama is a great example. President Obama became the first black president of the United States, and this opened the doors to future black individuals who peruse this position. We all have dreams and our skin color and eye color does not define our talents and abilities. When we are given the opportunity to demonstrate what we can do we can accomplish wonderful things for a nation.
ReplyDeleteThere's a couple people that come to mind that still deal with racism in my eyes. The first person that comes to mind is Tim Tebow, a infamous football player that gets criticized due to his religious beliefs. Another can be Jeremy Lin, now a famous basketball player who dealt with the stereotype of Asian American players are not athletic enough. This showcases that even today we deal with racism at all levels, but we must walk the course so others can benefit from our struggles. Sometimes we must be the first to break the barriers for future generations to rejoice.
ReplyDeleteWell, I don't really know a specific person, but what comes to mind is gays in the military. Those who are in the military and are gay can be pressured and humilated. Even though they are fighting the same fight as everyone else, people are hateful about them standing on the front line defending out country. I give all gays in the military a ton of support because they are secluded from their family and still have the strength to overcome diversity and make a change!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, we still have in our society people like Robinson. These people are Native Americans. Until these days, American Indians still suffer discrimination. Even the federal government still does not resolve indigenous' situation, and they are not considered as citizens. Some youngest Indians are going to college,and they are not accepted by their own classmates. Is it discrimination or not? People continues judging others from their skin color. Part of the American society are obviously rooted prejudicial and racism against the minority racial group. Robinson's story is very important because he never give up until reach his dreams. We can be like him no matter what skin color we have.
ReplyDeleteAs you said, skin color doesn't define a person. Robinson's story is a great example that success is all about hard work and never about giving up.
DeleteThis is a long stretch but I think President Obama is similar to Robinson, like Robinson, he is the first African American to be in his professional field. Obama and Robinson are much alike, Obama has to travel around the world where racism still occurs, what he does and says is going to set an example for his whole race. The importance of Robinson's story is to show people that if you have courage to walk the path that hasn't been taken, you can set the precedence and open opportunities to others who would of never had a chance.
ReplyDeleteIn todays's world one would think there would be no racisim issues, but there is . There is someone today that had to face some racism to get to the top. For instance, Barack Obama the first black president of United States had to face some stereotypes such as, he cannot handle presidency because of the color of his skin. Some people just plainly did not want to vote for hime because he was not white. Too bad for them Barack Obama became president. Furthermore, there is still alot of racism in the world, for exmaple after 9/11 people that wore turbans that were not muslim and were indian were targeted because of their appearance. Furthermore, the importance of Robinsons story is that it outlines what Robinson had to go through to get to the top and makes you think of all the racism that still exists in the world.
ReplyDeleteWe like to think racism is over and like to close our eyes instead of admitting or doing something about it. In this new age and era we still see the ignorant things people say and do things against others due to their race, skin color, ethnicity and language they speak. Many great heroes like Jackie Robinson have made great changes in this world, like many have already mentioned these individuals have made a drastic move that have allowed us to benefit from. As many would agree these people have struggled to obtain what we now enjoy, in the reading Mr. Robinson had to take much racism and criticism from many.
ReplyDeletePeople like my self and loved ones have experience racism at one time or another. One example, I've been pulled over at gun point because I happened to match the description of the suspect who stole a truck similar to mine. I am Brown, young, with a shaved head but it does not make a thug. I am probably more involved in my community, school, and church than the officer who had his knee on my back while I laid on the ground handcuffed. Check the plates next time Mr. Officer, because your actions are no way to build relationships. Like Robinson, we just got to get up, get through it, and get to work. Robinson was a brave man. His courage to participate in an all white membership league was dangerous, life changing, and defied the Eurocentric attitudes in our society. It was Pioneers like Robinson that set the example for others to persevere through institutionalized barriers. His actions were important because it shine the light on one of the ugliest issues in America for the world to see.
ReplyDeleteAs history has shown us, racism has been tool of destruction. In my opinion, Barack Obama, now the president, was ridiculed extremely while running for presidency. Even in high school (as a Senior), kids and teachers would express their "disgust" over how Barack Obama wasn't "American enough." I think the most important thing about this story is how Robinson took the risk. He knew about the consequences; however, he decided to give it a try. Courage.
ReplyDeleteRacism continues to be an important issue. Although the level of racism is different from Robinson, Jeremy Lin is an athlete that appears to be subjected to racism. Due to his outbreak this year, many individuals have made racist, stereotypical comments regarding Lim. Other athletes, journalists, and even the New York Knicks have made racists remarks. I find it difficult to make comments about his race when it is apparent that his talent is what caused this so called "linsanity" today. But as far as Robinson's story, it is extremely important for individuals to endure these situations because they pave the way for others. If no one has the courage to follow through, everyone would sit back.
ReplyDeletei honestly do not see anyone the same way as i seen Jackie Robinson,
ReplyDeletehis importance to break the barrier for blacks in baseball was
outstanding and also i could not compare this strong man from what he
did in his life to anyone now, maybe marin luther king for standing up
for his rights and what he believed in during his time, but Jackie
would play in front of crowds that would throw stuff at him and yell
racist things, this man was strong and had to stay strong for what he
believed was right.