Speak For What You Believe In

http://www.good.is/post/a-13-year-old-s-slavery-analogy-raises-some-uncomfortable-truths-in-school/?fb_ref=rightrail

This article is called A 13-Year-Old's Slavery Analogy Raises Some Uncomfortable Truths in School by Liz Dwyer. It is about a thirteen-year-old (eighth grade) girl named Jada Williams- who wrote an essay of The Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass. Jada wrote about how Douglass heard his slave owner (Mr. Auld) tell his wife, "'If you teach that nigger how to read, there will be no keeping him. It will forever unfit him to be a slave. He would at once become unmanageable, and of no value to his master."' This was after Mr. Auld found his wife teaching Douglass to write. After that- supposedly- Jada connected this to today by saying that "overcrowded, poorly managed classrooms prevent real learning from happening and thus produces the same results as Mr. Auld's outright ban." She wrote how most of the students at her school were Black and Hispanic while very few teachers are of color, allowing them to be in a "position of power to dictate what I can, cannot, and will learn, only desiring that I may get bored because of the inconsistency and the mismanagement of the classroom." As a result, both teachers and administrators became offended and started harrassing her.

Just like with my science current events, I expected the article to be very dull and hold no interest for me. It reminds me how everyone at school always jokes about people being racist and just about races in general. Most people don't take it seriously. People's nationalities are nothing to joke about. In history, there were many issues involving people of color and all people do now is make a joke out of people's struggle for rights. Not just politically, but also just rights of being a human. I can assure none of it is a joke. It gives the sense people neither understand nor say what they believe anymore. They don't stand up for what they believe in.

Jada Williams was brave for writing such an essay when she knew everyone would see it since it was for a contest. If harrassment is a joke, go on a laugh! I see many people laugh away all the time. Do they ever wonder if it's more than just something to laugh at?! To push aside carelessly?! Does anyone take anything seriously anymore?! Many people, I know, care very much about everything, but they pretend not to. They focus on what they believe is worth their time. Often, whatever it is isn't. Think about what is worthwhile: having fun all the time or doing something that will be meaningful?

All the time people at school will do things like pretend to steal someone's pen or will lie to a teacher about honework. It just makes me wonder: Do they ever have any shame. Don't they ever feel terrible when lying to someone? For me, I lie and the second I say it, I feel bad. In general, whenever I do something I feel is wrong.... I know before I do it, it is wrong, but I do it anyway and feel sorry right away. Sometimes, I feel like I can never even bare to be seen by the person I'm so sure I did wrong to. I try to forget and years later, you know above all my happy memories I wanted to hold on to.... I remember my most embarrassing and humiliating moments. I'm not afraid to say them either. To be honest, I know no one will want my long list.

No one should be afraid for saying what they believe in. I have a huge gift in being able to write all my feelings out on paper. Most people would never want to voice their thoughts and problems or write them down where they can be seen by anyone. My opinion now is that I don't care! I want people to read my writing- even if it is personal. I mean, yeah, I'm not just going to lay out my diary for the whole world to see, but you know? Speak for what you believe in, because then not only are you not alone, but you are letting people understand.