March book two: freedom riders

March Blog Prompt

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As I started reading the second part of March, Book Two, I realized how much hatred was still being spread despite everything people of color have already been through. The freedom riders relied on someone to drive them in the middle of the night when it was dark. They were dropped off right at the Tennessee state line by the driver. Which was designated “Klan country.” All of the freedom riders began walking and came across a house. They knocked on the door, hoping that someone would assist them and let them in. The kind people let them in and allowed them to call Dianne. The freedom riders, in my opinion, are extremely heroic. They fought valiantly and never surrendered, no matter what. The freedom riders were subjected to verbal and physical abuse, as well as jail time. Because word had gotten out that the freedom riders were returning, they had to take a detour in order to return safely. They had returned safely.  

During the reading, the police officers took away the mattress simply because the freedom riders were singing. Even while imprisoned, the freedom riders continued to advocate for themselves. They kept singing while their mattresses were being taken away.

This, I believe, can be applied to today because people of color face racism on a daily basis, just as they did back then. The goal of the freedom riders was to put an end to segregation. Just recently, the Black Lives Matter protest was launched in order to fight for equal treatment. It’s truly tragic that our society is still like this. Segregation began around 1865. I’m just baffled as to why people still act the same way they did back then. A skin color is a skin color to me. I’m embarrassed that others behave in this manner because of their skin color. It is literally the year 2022, and people have yet to change. I support black lives matter protests, but I despise the fact that people of color have to resort to such tactics in order to be treated fairly.

 

Let Freedom Ring For All

March Blog Prompt

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The saying “Let Freedom Ring” is a metaphor that symbolizes the sound of a bell representing hope and equality. Martin Luther King Jr. used this metaphor in his famous “I have a dream” speech. This quote has been used to symbolize freedom for all Americans. At the time of his speech, freedom was not accessible to all citizens of the United States. It had to be fought hard for. Lives had to be sacrificed to achieve it and make a difference in this world. By Martin Luther King Jr. saying, “let freedom ring,” he meant it for every person in the world, regardless of race or gender.

Honestly, I do not know if I would be capable of doing what generations before us had to do to fight for equality and freedom. Many people had to risk their lives and were beaten senselessly for trying to go against the forces who disagreed at that time. I would like to believe I would have the courage to make a difference and fight for our rights, but it is hard to know for sure without being put in that position. If I was, I could only hope that I would be brave enough to take a stand and do what was needed to conquer freedom for myself and my people. 

I am not sure that today’s generation would have the backbone and be able to commit to such a hard and life-threatening challenge. Our generation can only imagine what previous generations endured through textbooks and what school teaches us. I think it is hard for any of us to understand what these struggles were because we have not had to see them, or at least not as intensely as our ancestors did. If the world was how it used to be and we saw how important making a difference was, then we could find the grit to fight; however, our lives do not compare to those of the past. 

Events like these are still important to be taught today because we need to see what occurred in history to make sure that history doesn’t repeat itself. Equality is still not achievable for everyone, and it will be many more years before our world does see humankind as a whole. These issues still need to be taught and fought for until equality is achievable for all.

 
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