https://padlet.com/carolynhoerth/eh3wm66f4hn4 Honors English III: Research Project en-us 2017-12-05 13:17:22 UTC 2023-08-24 17:05:24 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/icons/Brightnessdown.png carolynhoerth https://padlet.com/carolynhoerth/eh3wm66f4hn4/wish/213662289 The author, Toni Morrison, of this article forced me to view the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn a different light. I found it extremely interesting to hear the different ways she sees the novel throughout her life as different ages. Age is an important factor when discussing race and discrimination and you can clearly see her stance of the book developing as she grew older. I also find it interesting trying to understand how an African American my age felt while reading this book. She describes feeling "uncomfortable" and "muffled rage" which I believe white Americans can never fully understand. I agree that Huck and Jim have a paternal bond but never thought of their relationship in the way that Morrison did. She states "Only a male black slave can deliver all Huck desires," (157-8 Morrison). She explains that Jim, being black, can be easily controlled by Huck which is what he was looking for and missing in a father. I understand that they are codependent but never saw to the extent that Huck silenced Jim and in some ways took advantage of him. ]]> 2017-12-06 12:35:54 UTC https://padlet.com/carolynhoerth/eh3wm66f4hn4/wish/213662289 carolynhoerth https://padlet.com/carolynhoerth/eh3wm66f4hn4/wish/213665849 The videos I watched covered many different aspects of the n-word. One specific video that stood out to me was "Dineytra and Jeff on the word becoming everyday language". Dineytra is African American and Jeff is a Filipino American. They discussed their personal experience of growing up and hearing the n-word as a child and teen. They grew up in different parts of America, in different cities, and neighborhoods which greatly impacted their use and connotation of the word. Jeff states that due to not being around many African Americans or adults to tell them that the use of this word is bad, he would hear it in hip hop music and in everyday life. Contrasting to that, Dineytra grew up around African Americans and stated that in her experience, "it was never okay [to use the n-word]". These two people, both in minority groups, mostly due to environment they grew up in, had completely different views of the same world. I feel this is very important to apply to the rest of America and even in our school today. What percent of Marshwood High School is black? Very little, which greatly impacts the students of Marshwood use of the word. Many people in this school not only hear the word in songs but see and even use it on social media. This could be largely due to the fact they have never been taught the correct terminology of the word and when and where is should be used. This stressed the important factor African Americans play in shaping communities and how much the environment one grows up in changes an individual. ]]> 2017-12-06 12:49:20 UTC https://padlet.com/carolynhoerth/eh3wm66f4hn4/wish/213665849 carolynhoerth https://padlet.com/carolynhoerth/eh3wm66f4hn4/wish/213669181 After reading this article, it statistically proves the inequality and unfairness within our country. I understand that African Americans are discriminated against in the US but had never seen specific statistics. One statistic stated that of the African Americans polled, one third of them personally experienced racial discrimination when going to the doctor or health clinic. I never would have thought that blacks would be discriminated against in simply in a doctors office for seeking medical care.  This showed how much society has to grow and change. I found it very interesting that among the people polled, 55% white Americans feel discriminated against. I personally feel that I have never been discriminated against because of the color of my skin unlike majorities in America that often face discrimination every day. ]]> 2017-12-06 13:01:14 UTC https://padlet.com/carolynhoerth/eh3wm66f4hn4/wish/213669181 carolynhoerth https://padlet.com/carolynhoerth/eh3wm66f4hn4/wish/213678944 This TED Talk was about a native women named Matika Wilbur who went up and down the east coast finding different native tribes and people. The Native Americans in this country face discrimination in many different ways. One specific story that she told about a man named Rex that live in the Grand Canyon. He told her that in 2000, surveyors took their blood and stated that they were going to help them with diabetes. Instead, they used their blood to try to prove that they were not from the Grand Canyon. This year in history we learned about the history of Native Americans in this country and I have found it extremely eyeopening and useful. To learn about a specific example that goes so far beyond discrimination is unbelievable. Native Americans should not be facing any discrimination almost 400 years after Europeans took their lands and caused them to resettle. In many ways, the story that Rex told is alike the laws that were enforced in the national government in the 1700 and 1800s. People were trying to force the Natives to leave their land by invading their privacy and lying to them. This story also reminded me of the Dakota Access Pipeline which made many news headlines in 2016 and even still today. I am angry that our national government is not doing more to protect the Natives of this land and the fact that they still face discrimination today. Rex told Matika he wants others to know "we all come from the same mother earth," (TEDTalk).

]]> 2017-12-06 13:28:28 UTC https://padlet.com/carolynhoerth/eh3wm66f4hn4/wish/213678944 carolynhoerth https://padlet.com/carolynhoerth/eh3wm66f4hn4/wish/214612915 This video was extremely eye opening. I believe he answers the question perfectly with his first statement, "words don't having meaning without context." After watching the video completely and even reading some of, both understanding and ignorant, tweets back to the video, I googled "why the n-word is bad". I found an article that helped me to better understand what Coates had just explained. I think that society needs to grasp the idea and realize that there is a double standard when using the n-word. We need to learn that blacks are allowed to say it while whites cannot. And like he said in the video, it is very hard to get society to see and teach this.  ]]> 2017-12-08 18:51:44 UTC https://padlet.com/carolynhoerth/eh3wm66f4hn4/wish/214612915 carolynhoerth https://padlet.com/carolynhoerth/eh3wm66f4hn4/wish/215256577 The man being interviewed for this article has taught two college courses on the n-word. He explains that the n-word, no matter how it is used, even between friends, is still derogatory. "The poison is still there," he states. I think that this is extremely important when teaching the history and use of the word. Regardless if the word is used in a rap song written by an African American, the n-word is disrespectful and abusive in its nature. He states that the class he teaches is about "self-education and self-critique, not trying to control others by telling them what to say or how to think, but rather trying to figure out how we think and how the words we use mirror our thinking." This is a different approach of teaching when, where, and who can use the n-word. The key aspect of what he stated was not telling others what to say or how to think. Like Coates explained in the video, many white people believe the word belongs to them and does not understand why they would not be able to use it. Rather than flat out saying they are not allowed to, he stresses to teach evaluating yourself and understand the power of words. He even references the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and explains that "any conversation about the n-word has to be about language and thinking more broadly."]]> 2017-12-12 00:31:40 UTC https://padlet.com/carolynhoerth/eh3wm66f4hn4/wish/215256577 carolynhoerth https://padlet.com/carolynhoerth/eh3wm66f4hn4/wish/215775333 The last thing stated in this article was, "This is the most dangerous idea in American history, that power comes from race." This is an extremely meaningful and true statement that correctly sums up how I view race in our society. As a white person, I have personally experienced this, mostly without even understanding it. In our society, whites hold the power. Like the stereotype today, I can easily walk down the street and not be fearful. There are a multitude of places I can get my haircut. I easily have bandaids that are the same color as my skin. The Black Lives Matter movement I believe can easily be connected to power. White cops fatally shooting African American males and often being acquitted is what the movement is surrounding. This strengthens the dangerous idea that power comes from the color of your skin, an idea that needs to be shut down through the power of society. The article explains how both whites and blacks have developed different definitions of the same word- racism which has resulted in conflicts throughout our country. As stated in the article, we need to acknowledge that throughout history and today, blacks have been receiving the racism that whites put out. Going forward, instead of placing blame on whites, "get them to see racism's impact in shaping both the individual's and the society's behavior". I find it interesting that statistically many white Americans feel they are discriminated against due to their race. Clearly, racism is a very sensitive and controversial subject for society but talking about the role it plays in society could be the key to helping the problems it causes.  ]]> 2017-12-13 13:39:29 UTC https://padlet.com/carolynhoerth/eh3wm66f4hn4/wish/215775333 carolynhoerth https://padlet.com/carolynhoerth/eh3wm66f4hn4/wish/216459766 This article was published the summer of 2016 and I am beyond surprised I have never heard some of the very racist details of what our governor has stated. The seacoast, including Maine, has been dealing with an opioid problem for the past few years. While discussing this drug problem, Paul LePage said that "the enemy right now... are people of colour or people of Hispanic origin". He then went on to say that he is not racist. Among the many more comments that he made suggesting that people of color are the criminals in the state, he stated that "90-plus per cent of those pictures in my book, and it's a three-ringed binder, are black and Hispanic people". He has created a binder, keeping track of people arrested for drug crime in Maine and claims that, in a state that is 95% white, 90% of drug crimes are people of color is beyond racist. To think that our governor of the state of Maine has stated such a racist comment and then insisted that he was not racist is sickening. It is up to our political leaders to battle this inequality and discrimination minorities face, not to do the opposite. ]]> 2017-12-15 12:58:26 UTC https://padlet.com/carolynhoerth/eh3wm66f4hn4/wish/216459766 carolynhoerth https://padlet.com/carolynhoerth/eh3wm66f4hn4/wish/216827120 This article was very informative for me. A couple months ago, I saw on twitter a Confederate statue in a city in America that was torn down by protesters. I began reading different view points about this story and had difficulty making a decision about the incident. After reading this article, I now have a better understanding about the impact memorializing racist historical figures really has. The author writes about several Ivy League schools that have dorms or arenas named after racist American figures and students that have asked them to change it. Most teachers responded that changing the name would be "downplaying the lasting effects of slavery" and keeping it forces students to learn. The author makes a parallel to this by comparing this to the fact that America does not have any prominent buildings dedicated to their enemies. He questions, "Can you imagine New York University having a building named after Osama bin Laden?" I found this question very interesting and intriguing. I believe it answers and almost attacks the question perfect. Americans would never name buildings after their enemy, regardless of how much we have to "learn" about them. By glossing over students wishes of changing the names it is playing into racism, not using it as a teaching tool.]]> 2017-12-18 01:19:45 UTC https://padlet.com/carolynhoerth/eh3wm66f4hn4/wish/216827120 carolynhoerth https://padlet.com/carolynhoerth/eh3wm66f4hn4/wish/216828312 I watched a series of these videos featuring multiracial Americans. It states that about 17 million adults in the US identify as multiracial. I really enjoyed watching these videos and learning about different experiences each person had. The majority explains what they have learned from being different races and how talking about race among others when they do not look like the "traditional" Native American or Asian. I believe a lot can be learned from mixed race Americans. One man explains how it can be very difficult, especially growing up, trying to fit into a certain racial identity. He is black, but has lighter skin than most black people due to being biracial. When asked "What are you?" and he responds "Black" most black people ask "Yeah, but what else?" This occurrence happens to many multiracial people showing how it can be very difficult to identify with either racial backgrounds they have.]]> 2017-12-18 01:37:58 UTC https://padlet.com/carolynhoerth/eh3wm66f4hn4/wish/216828312