Settings in the 1950's

The play Fences by August Wilson took place in the 1950's in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The play took he setting of a time where it was difficult to be of a dark skinned color. 

Political views
In 1953 Dwight D. Eisenhower became president. In 1952 the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1952 removes racial and ethnic barriers to becoming a U.S. citizen. And in 1953 the war with Korea ended Which brought thousands of young servicemen back to America to pick up their lives and resume.. During 1954 the famous case of Brown vs. Board of Education was being tried, with the winning case this made segregation to be ruled unconstitutional. In 1955 Rosa Parks refused to give her seat on a public bus in Montgomery, Alabama.

Economical views
Population in the U.S. according to the Bureau of the Census was 151,684,000. An estimate of the unemployed was 3,288,000. Life expectancy in woman was 71.1 while in men it was 65.6. Cost of a loaf of bread was $0.14, car were up to 6,665,800 and the average salary was $2,992. Labor force male/female were to 5/2. bomb shelter plans became widely available. We were just beginning to rising out of the Great Depression.

Sport views
Sports were adored  since people had more leisure time and a greater prosperity that led to greater participation in athletic activities. Athletes were a diverse group, and where popularity was not based on social status but on the ability of the individual. All american sports such as baseball and football gave opportunities for the rise of the great stars such as, Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, Henry (Hank) Aaron, Juan Marichal, Jim Brown, and Frank Gifford. Meanwhile great women athletes played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. 

As seen in the movie, "A League of Their Own." Where the U.S. are in the second world war which lead to sports being under maned. This lead to the women to lead a head in sports and entertainment for the public.

Entertainment views
West Side Story premiers in 1957 and influences violence. Science fiction became more popular with the actual possibility of space travel within literature. The television became the dominant mass media as the number of people who bought a television set increased each week. At first it began with sitcoms which then evolved into what people considered as the 'eye witness' which encouraged people to do live broadcasts of events happening at the time of viewing. This was made possible in 1951 with the development of coaxial cable and microwave relays coast to coast.

Technological views
The production of the hydrogen bomb and it was all utilized by the air force and the navy in war with Korea. The first U.S. satellite, successfully orbits the Earth. The first domestic airline passenger service began by National Airlines between New York city and Miami. Music could become more accessible and heard in any location because it became portable.

Alive to Witness

The understanding of young peoples race is vague, they don't typically see the judgement that's passed upon them or the judgement that they pass upon others. They don't see the difference between genders on how each experiences race and racism. The young people of today are the result of racist parents, of whom were taught to criticize others and to view the white's as a more superior race. The young people of today are blinded of their world around them, the limits and stereotypes that they are burdened with, the prejudice that they must endure.

Any race that are not of the white race feels as though they must do something to their physical appearance to give off the impression that they're one step towards being white. These girls will go beyond towards changing their appearance, and its not even the girls! It is the entire non-white population that hate their own race. Point in case, I had a neighbor who was, of course, of brown skin color. He was arranged with a light skinned woman, and together they had a child. Their first child was born with dark skin, and so the man would give his son a bath every hour hoping that his son's skin would lighten. It is obsured what people would do for the shame of their skin colors. Its nothing to be ashamed for!

Also the difference on how different genders experience race and racism is another factor. I grew up being taught the white's version of stereotypes. Each race was given an offensive comment that pointed out their difference from whites. For example, Asians were usually short and always squinted. I always questioned on who decided what was an appropriate height stature, or who determined how big your eyes should be to deemed acceptable. That of course belongs to the whites, they believe that they are perfect and everyone else is below them, that everyone else who are different from them are not defined as humans and are not allowed to be given equal rights. Women goes through the concepts of beauty and what makes them ugly to the eye of whites. And men goes through many criticisms about their strengths and intelligence.

The young people are blinded with the world around them, the world built by whites. The young ones are to be burdened with the stereotypes that harm their beings and makes them wish to change what they look like and how they act. They must endure the prejudice from other brainwashed people telling them that they are not good enough, that they are ugly because of where they come from and what they are. The young ones must live the stereotypical lives, and I think that, that will never change. The trauma that we have suffered now that were taught to us by the past generations will be taught to the next generations and to the next and next. Like a never ending cycle, this one cannot be broken, not now and not tomorrow. It will come a time where the young ones will not suffer from what we suffered but it is in a time that I cannot see being alive to witness.

Open-ended Inauguration

Through John F. Kennedy's inauguration he discusses the role of science shaping our world for the better and away from the worst.When Kennedy says, "We offer not a pledge but a request... before the dark powers of destruction unleashed by science engulf all humanity in planned or accidental self-destruction." He was implying that as of then the only uses that we used science for was for destruction and for weapons of war such as the second world war where many innocent lives were taken by the usage of these science based machines. The two ways that Kennedy believes that science can positively affect the future were to explore the stars and eradicate diseases. He stated in his speech, "Let both sides seek to invoke the wonders of science instead of its terrors. Together let us explore the stars, conquer the deserts, eradicate disease, tap the ocean depths, and encourage the arts and commerce." This means that Kennedy believed that science is not only capable of evilness but for goodness, though it depends on morality of humans for the purpose of science. In my chemistry class, the first thing we ever did was to find how science was in our everyday lives, and the results were that science was literally everywhere. From the toothpaste you use in the morning, to the foods you eat, the things you drive, to the knowledge you absorb everyday.

President Kennedy believed that true progress only results from nations working together for change. In Kennedy's inauguration he stated, "Finally, to those nations who would make themselves our adversary, we offer not a pledge but a request: that both sides begin anew the quest for peace before the dark powers of destruction unleashed by science engulf all humanity in planned or accidental self-destruction." This means that he is encouraging and supporting peace, if a nation is willing to let go of all evilness to embrace and spread peace then soon others will become affected and awed by it too will become peaceful. Kennedy also says, "To those people in the huts and villages of half the globe 'struggling to break the bonds of mass misery, we pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves, for whatever period is required  not because the Communists may be doing it, not because we seek their votes, but because it is right." In this he is saying that a nation can make a difference in the world by granting and helping other nations in the world. That no matter if the entire world isn't changed, one step at a time will be progress nonetheless. This reminds me of Atticus from the book, "To kill a mockingbird.", where Atticus tried to change his town's views of equality even if it meant that his ideals were to be rejected. He felt as though both the truth and righteousness was to be told, that if he was different from the others they would see his logic and follow in his example.

The Irish Day.

The celebration of Saint Patrick's day has been celebrated for over a thousand years! The day was celebrated in remembrance of a man in who was kidnapped as a child from the Wales -England-. And was then sold onto slavery in Ireland, where he served as a slave for about six years. As the legend goes he dreamed of having seeing God and was lead by god to escape on a getaway ship. He escaped to Britain then to France where he studied under Saint Germain and became a Bishop within 12 years. When suddenly he had a dream that the Irish were calling to him.

He went to Ireland and converted many people. But what was most important about Saint Patrick was that he spent twenty years converting people to Christianity across Ireland and building schools and churches that would help him further in his quest. Later in his life he put the curse of God into all the snakes in Ireland and sent them to the sea to drown.

In essence he baptized all of Ireland. He died, and the day became a saint's day to celebrate the universal baptization of all Irish people. But the festival became more of a holiday celebrated everywhere for the special Irish people. As to the modern day we celebrate with parades and the Irish families would feast on the traditional Irish bacon and Cabbage. 

Outside the Box.

 We've been practicing open-ended responses and today you are responsible for explaining how Don Haskins was another individual with the immense capacity to THINK DIFFERENT.

• How do people generally react to those who are willing to step outside the box of comfortability and normalcy and behave in a way that is considered unconventional or unacceptable?
• Why was it so important for Don Haskins to think different?

People generally react to those who are willing to step outside of the box of normalcy and comfortability with great prejudice, concern, and hate. In the movie, Glory Road, Don Haskins was treated with disrespect and disbelief when he added 'negro' players onto the basketball team. This shows that when humanity is faced with something that they consider to be abnormal then they would react in a sense where they'd put the aberrant person down.

It was important for Don Haskins to think different because he needed to make a team that would save the school and win for the sake of basketball. In the movie, Don Haskins showed that he didn't care about skin colors he only believed in potential, he needed to view the players equally as human beings. This demonstrates his dedication to the sports of basketball, and his ambition to fully utilize whatever he has in his grasp despite the negative feed back and hatred. Don Haskins reminds me of the character Atticus from the book 'To Kill a Mockingbird'; where Atticus a lawyer defended a black person in a white time and white town. Atticus tried his best to defend Tom from being persecuted for a crime he didn't commit, Atticus viewed the accused man with indifference a quality just like Don Haskins to neglect the difference with people and to treat them as equal.

A Father's Gift.

Everyone has their own "marlin", the great challenge, the big fish in the sea. Though they might seem trivial to some and important to others, all battles are significant and conquered.

I was a child, almost new to the world, ignorant of the worlds pain and evil. Not saying that I ever suffered greatly, this is a tale of determination not angst. My father was an artist, he'd sit outside beneath the sunlight, his back faced the house and faced the tall trees that laid behind the property. He stay in his chair for hours, his hand gripping a charcoal pencil and he'd sketch the world he saw with his bright blue eyes. His black hair would look golden brown in the sun's light, and he would sit hunched over his sketch pad. He was my role model, I wanted to become an artist like him one day.

"Dad, teach me to draw."

"I can't teach you to draw, you must learn for yourself."

"But can you help me?" He let out a long sigh then looked at me.

"Get a piece of paper." He showed me a few tricks but it wasn't there where I was challenged to draw, no it happened later in life. Years passed, and I found myself sitting in the living room floor, sweltering in the blazing heat of summer. It was my last summer before I would find myself attending middle school. My father didn't draw anymore, claiming that he had lost the time, patience, and the 'feeling' needed to draw. Art isn't all about technique and details, its about feelings and emotions. In the mist of my boredom I looked around the room to find a picture of a woman staring at the camera. It was then that I had the 'urge' to draw.

I ran to my room to grab a light lined pink sheet of paper and a chewed out pencil. I ran back and began to draw the woman on my pink paper. I don't remember why I started drawing realistic people, perhaps I saw it as a challenge, a worthy opponent. About an hour later my drawing was finished, I ran over to my father and showed him my drawing hoping for his appreciation and applaud. He looked at it for a moment before criticizing it harshly. Deep down I knew he was right, the drawing of the woman was horrible. Everything was off, it didn't even look like the woman, far from it. 'It' looked like an alien who's face was reconstructed with fire and metal.

Realizing that my father was right only angered me. I was furious and I was determined to show him that I will out beat him. The next night I held the picture of the same woman and another sheet of paper. I drew her again, only this time I was concentrating on everything and anything. After I was finished, again, I ran to my father to show him my work. And again was it mocked off, he pointed out everything that was wrong with it. His words didn't hurt me, it only strengthen me.

I was fully determined to one day make him give a good comment on my art. And so every night for a week I would draw the same woman then go to my father for approval but never getting it. Though at one point he said that with each drawing I was getting a bit better. I began to notice things when I kept drawing the woman over and over again. I realized the definition of art, I awoke my real abilities in the artistic world. I gained patience and the 'feeling' that my father would often describe of so fondly.

Years passed from then where I had increased my abilities in the drawing area, but even then my father criticized my work but to the minimum. He now gives me the applause that I wanted and I see the pride in his eyes. I realized that my father has in a way helped me, he gave me a gift. A profound gift but a gift non the less. He often gives me advice on techniques that are used, I remember the words that he'd say ripple inside my head. Though it's taken years to catch my 'marlin' I've seen it's head in the ocean. It just broke the surface and started to circle my boat. The heavy tugging reeled it near my boat, and the harpoon is in my hands, ready to strike. This is the tale of my greatest challenge, so far.

Valentixes Origins

Valentines: Origins.
The origin of modern Valentines day originated from Christian and Roman traditions, mainly to the Roman celebrations of Lupercalia. The festival of Lupercalia were celebrated on the 15th of February. The festivals were to include the paring of young men and women. The men would draw the woman's names from a box, and each couple would be paired until the next year's celebration. These festivals were passed down from generations to generations and the day of modern Valentines was created. Though before it wasn't named Valentines day, the day was named after a Christian priest of the name Saint Valentine. Whom was under the emperor Claudius II, and during a time of war Claudius made sure that no soldier was to be married for fear that they would be distracted. But Valentine being a heartless romantic secretly married soldiers with their loved ones. When the emperor found out of Valentines defiance he had Valentine killed on February the 14th.

Advice Column.
It seems that the time where there are the most break-up's are in spring and a little before Christmas. And to offer advice I would say to limit meeting with your partner at times during the spring. People are crazy during those times, the stress getting to them and they're eyes are set on spring break. If you set them off, they will end it off with you. Advice to those times, give them space, send them ice-cream by mail - preferably vanilla - and don't complain. Stress is one thing but pressure is another.
As for the other, the little time before Christmas, it's supposedly the "most wonderful time of the year, there'll be much mistltoeing, and hearts will be glowing when love ones are near." but due to the fact that it's also the "most desperate time of the year, where there'll be much death and moaning, and hearts will be broken when money is sparse."
People are cheap, money is tight, don't lie to yourself. People are so broke that they'll rather be alone for the holidays than to get a 'special' gift for their partner. Also due to the fact that Christmas is a time for the family. Either one partner doesn't want to meet the other's parents or they're hiding terrible secrets from their own parents. None the matter, Christmas is a time of greed and us humans tend to ruin everything.
Heed my warning, when times seem to be hard, duck, roll, stand, and cower in fear behind the sofa with a bowl of ice-cream, regardless of the gender.