https://padlet.com/nelsons2021/expyz1wl9xaxsnds en-us 2021-04-21 11:58:08 UTC 2021-04-26 11:45:58 UTC hello@padlet.com nelsons2021 https://padlet.com/nelsons2021/expyz1wl9xaxsnds/wish/1442137983 In this poem, Blount explains how a truck driver almost hit him in his hometown of Detroit. The truck driver had a grin on his face when he almost hit Blount. The truck driver smiled because he was relieved he did not kill a black man. Black people often feel invisible in a society where white people are eager to have all power and control. The truck driver did not see Blount, but Blount saw him. This is significant because too often in society white people do not see how hard people in the black community work and how much they contribute to the world. Black people do not have as many opportunities as white people and their worth is not valued by everyone in society. The idea of black people not trusting the police in America is also seen in the poem when Blount states he should not bother with the police and feels nothing good will come out of it because an officer could end his life. ]]> 2021-04-21 12:04:08 UTC https://padlet.com/nelsons2021/expyz1wl9xaxsnds/wish/1442137983 nelsons2021 https://padlet.com/nelsons2021/expyz1wl9xaxsnds/wish/1442181783 In this poem, the idea of people living in America, prominently white people, wanting everyone to love this country is seen throughout the country. However, the black community struggles with this because they have been mistreated throughout history and still are to this day. The black community cannot forgive enslavement and the cruel punishment they have received in the last 400 years. Michael Kleber-Diggs also explains how citizens ask him and the black community who are they fighting for when a black person has died, but in reality they are fighting for every black person who feels invisible in society. ]]> 2021-04-21 12:19:10 UTC https://padlet.com/nelsons2021/expyz1wl9xaxsnds/wish/1442181783 nelsons2021 https://padlet.com/nelsons2021/expyz1wl9xaxsnds/wish/1446706559 Throughout this poem, Smith compares and contrasts a black boy to a bullet. The fact that Smith gives human qualities to the bullet and objectifies the black boy is significant because that is how both are seen in society. Some people in America care more about gun rights than black people's lives. The line in the poem, "one's whole life is a flash" indicates how short a person's life is, especially how short a black person's life can be with gun violence and police brutality. Smith also mentions that a black boy constantly is trying to find a place to call home. In society, black people are not seen at an equal level to white people when it comes to opportunities and living life in general. The black community struggles to find America to be their home because every day they are discriminated against. Smith also states the bullet and the black boy are controversial topics in society but should treating a certain group of people fairly really be a topic to be debated? This where Smith leaves the reader to think because the poem signifies that the black boy and bullet are one when they should not be related to each other at all. ]]> 2021-04-22 11:41:10 UTC https://padlet.com/nelsons2021/expyz1wl9xaxsnds/wish/1446706559 nelsons2021 https://padlet.com/nelsons2021/expyz1wl9xaxsnds/wish/1446775547 When this painting is first looked at, the multiple paint layers stand out. This painting is in the Smithsonian American Art Museum which is significant because this piece of art is based upon the Eighth Amendment which states that "excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.” In society, the black community is constantly mistreated. Throughout history, cruel and unusual punishments have been inflicted upon the black community such as enslavement. In today's world, black people who are not a threat are being killed by police officers. The layers in this painting represent that an Amendment painting about cruel and unusual punishment upon the black community is being displayed in the Smithsonian. This is a heavily layered topic to talk about because people do not like to face the fact that this happened and continues to happen. The colors of red, black, and white in the painting display how black people are being killed and mistreated by white people, resulting in the Eighth Amendment not being upheld. The different colored paint layers are not organized, but closely together which indicates black and white people are living together, but the legal system is not organized and nothing is being done to solve the problem of racial inequality.]]> 2021-04-22 12:05:14 UTC https://padlet.com/nelsons2021/expyz1wl9xaxsnds/wish/1446775547 nelsons2021 https://padlet.com/nelsons2021/expyz1wl9xaxsnds/wish/1451235492 This photograph captures the view of a person that is lying on the ground staring at birds resting on a line pole. However, the point of view of this person lying is not just any ordinary person, but someone who was shot multiple times. This picture is pulled from a group of photographs that capture homicides in New Orleans. The view of the person that is lying face up after being shot is very blank and white with just birds watching. All the birds can do is watch the person that has been shot which is what America is doing after an innocent person is killed especially when a black person is shot by an officer. The difference here is that people living in America can step up and make a change, but sadly people are hesitant to do so. This picture captures the idea of when a person is shot and lying face up on the ground the view for him or her is blank and all of the beauty in life is taken away from them. Black people are constantly being murdered when they are innocent and have done nothing wrong. After they are shot, they end up lying on the ground, often dead and staring into a blank empty space. ]]> 2021-04-23 11:27:08 UTC https://padlet.com/nelsons2021/expyz1wl9xaxsnds/wish/1451235492 nelsons2021 https://padlet.com/nelsons2021/expyz1wl9xaxsnds/wish/1451296783 This music video displays how many parts of society in America are corrupt. In the beginning of this video,  a black man is sitting in a chair playing guitar. He is not armed and not nearly a threat to anything. However, he is still shot and dies for no reason. After he is shot he or she pulled away which represents how America wants to look like the best country and covers up the unjust acts people consistently commit. Instead of fixing the problem, society often tries to cover it up. After this, a group of black school children begins dancing while ongoing violence is occurring behind them. Rejoicing and dancing while people are being shot contradict each other, but often this is what happens in society. Many people do not care about gun violence when it is a massive issue. Arguably the most significant clip in this video is when a group of people in a church choir are all murdered. This is a reference to the Charleston mass shooting where nine black people were shot in a church. Many people watching this video might think all of the events that are happening are fake and are for media, but in reality, these are real-life events that happen too often. This video brings awareness to the mistreatment and violence of the black community, ]]> 2021-04-23 11:56:01 UTC https://padlet.com/nelsons2021/expyz1wl9xaxsnds/wish/1451296783 nelsons2021 https://padlet.com/nelsons2021/expyz1wl9xaxsnds/wish/1456987979 As the narrator starts his new life in New York he tries to interview with white businessmen using Dr. Bledsoe's letters of recommendations in hopes of finding a job. However the secretary of Mr. Bates who is the first man he tries to meet states, " 'I'm very sorry, ' she said. 'but Mr. Bates is just too busy to see you this morning and asks that you leave your name and address' " (Ellison 167). The narrator trying to meet with white men who are high in power and societal rank is near to impossible because he is black. The idea of black people being invisible to white people who are in control which leads to black people not having equal opportunities is seen in both poems. ]]> 2021-04-25 20:48:43 UTC https://padlet.com/nelsons2021/expyz1wl9xaxsnds/wish/1456987979 nelsons2021 https://padlet.com/nelsons2021/expyz1wl9xaxsnds/wish/1457027230 "I began to accept my past and, as I accepted it, I felt memories welling up within me. It was as though I’d learned suddenly to look around corners; images of past humiliations flickered through my head and I saw that they were more than separate experience. They were me; they defined me" (Ellison 507-508). This quote displays how black people including the narrator have accepted past history. They have accepted how their community has been mistreated and force to undergo cruel and unusual punishment for so many years by citizens of the country that claims to have "justice for all". This past history has defined this community which makes it so hard for them to forgive this country and the people of this country.]]> 2021-04-25 21:17:49 UTC https://padlet.com/nelsons2021/expyz1wl9xaxsnds/wish/1457027230 nelsons2021 https://padlet.com/nelsons2021/expyz1wl9xaxsnds/wish/1457057256 "He was standing and he fell. He fell and he kneeled. He kneeled and he bled. He bled and he died...It's an old story and there's been too much blood to excite you" (Ellison 456). The narrator was giving his speech about Tod Clifton's death. Clifton was shot and killed by a police officer when he was unarmed and his actions did not deserve him to end up dead. This unjustifiable act is seen through Gambino's music video when a black man playing guitar is shot for no reason and a mass shooting of black people in a church occurred. This also relates to the photo of the birds sitting on a line pole. This displays the view of a person who was shot by an officer like Clifton was and shows how their entire life is taken away from them after being killed for being black. ]]> 2021-04-25 21:41:17 UTC https://padlet.com/nelsons2021/expyz1wl9xaxsnds/wish/1457057256