The 2004-2005 Essay Contest Winners:
Honorable Mention
The public is beginning to ask the question, "Can the news media be trusted to tell the truth anymore?" Plagiarism, exaggeration, and lies have become part of the everyday news, and it is hard to tell the fact from the fiction. Journalistic integrity used to be what the media was all about; however, it seems that, through the years this has faded away as its main objective.
In 2002, a young reporter for the prestigious New York Times was caught exaggerating stories and lying in print. Jayson Blair misled readers for many weeks, and, as a result, the Times faced a low point in their impressive 152 year history. He made up comments, lifted material from various newspapers and wire services, and created the impression that he had been somewhere or seen someone when he hadn't.
The Washington Post first reported the Jessica Lynch story shortly after her escape from an Iraqi hospital in April of 2003. Instead of giving the readers the truth, the Post decided to make the story a little more interesting, with the hope of attracting a larger audience. the Washington Post reported that the nineteen year old "fought fiercely and shot several enemy solders after Iraqi forces ambushed [a convoy of] the Army's 507th Ordinance Maintenance Company, firing her weapon until she ran out of ammunition." Other media outlets quickly jumped on the story and fabricated it even more. Even though this version of the Jessica Lynch escape is indeed more interesting, it did not happen.
Perhaps the most recent example of how journalistic integrity no longer exists is the Dan Rather case. Rather delivered a story about President Bush's service in the National Guard during the Vietnam War and ha various documents to back it up. What the public did not know was that the documents were indeed forged.
Because of the lack of honesty in our news, it makes it difficult to make intelligent, informed decisions. However, reading two different newspapers or watching two different news channels can help those questioning the media. Viewing foreign news channels can also prevent confusion, and it shows a completely different aspect of the story.
Journalistic integrity has been the goal of every media outlet throughout history. However, especially during the past few years, it has faced a major decline. Watching, reading or listening to the news is no longer about wanting to learn the facts or wanting to know the truth about a specific story. It seems that the public today is more concerned with the entertainment aspect of it all. The media outlets would rather produce a story that attracts a larger audience than a story that we can count on to be true. Journalistic integrity is something that the media now must re-discover; otherwise, the world will never really know the "real" story.
Bibliography
Shafer, jack. "The Jayson Blair Project: How did he bamboozle the New York Times?" 8 May 2002
Brasch, Walter. "Dissolving Journalistic Integrity: Lies and Profits in the Media." Nov. 2003
I believe that journalistic integrity still exists; however, I also believe that many journalists are reporting for fame and fortune, or to create a biased opinion in our society. The problem of journalistic integrity exists at many levels, from the journalists themselves, who slant their stories in order to paint a picture or create a biased opinion, to the media stations, who take the stories their journalists are to report on and add in false information or take out important details.
An example of a journalist reporting solely for fame and fortune is Dan Rather, a CBS Evening News anchor. In September 2004, Rather reported on a story claiming that President Bush had received special treatment to get into the National Guard and stay in the United States during the Vietnam War, and had failed to satisfy the requirement of his service. The story was immediately questioned by critics, who said that a document allegedly written by Bush's late squadron leader appeared to be a fake. Rather then apologized, saying, "We made a mistake in judgment, and for that I am sorry." He claimed that he was misled by his sources. Dan Rather has also been accused of liberal bias. "Dan Rather has been a legend in media for more than a quarter-century to many people around the world, but not to me," Rep. Bill Shuster said. "For the entirety of his career, Rather has allowed his liberal bias to shape the news rather than report it." Dan Rather recently announced that he was going to resign as CBS news anchor, but denied the rumor that he was doing so because of the slanted National Guard story.
Another example is Geraldo Rivera, a reporter in Iraq who often divulged details that were not supposed to be released. Rivera was finally expelled when he sketched a future military operation on live TV. Rivera was on television, live in the Iraqi desert, when he told the photographer to tilt the camera down toward the sand in front of his feet so he could draw a map. Rivera proceeded to outline a map of Iraq, as well as the approximate location of Baghdad and his location, which was with the Army's 101st Airborne unit. He continued by drawing in the sand where the 101st would be going next. "He gave away the big picture stuff," one stunned senior military official told CNN. "He went down in the sand and drew where the forces are going." Rivera was expelled from Iraq for providing crucial details of a future military operation.
With all the underreporting, slanted stories, and tabloid sensationalism in our news these days, how is it possible to make intelligent and informed decisions regarding important subjects, such as those that come up in our political system? One way is to watch live interviews. In a live interview, there is no way to leave out important facts or details about the topic. You will get the full information, with nothing left out or slanted. It allows us to make intelligent and informed decisions about the subject without worrying about biased information.
Unfortunately, some of the information we get from news stations is biased and slanted. Although it can be difficult to differentiate the truth from the lies, there are ways to make sure the information you're getting is unbiased. If people continue to use these methods, journalistic integrity will soon return, and we can feel comfortable knowing that the information we receive on important and controversial subjects is accurate and true.
The Lord of the Rings:
A Tale of Breaking Stereotypes
I learn a lot from books and movies. Things like "Stand up for yourself;" "Believe and it can happen." You know the type. Those are the fairy tale morals that all children know. However, there is one book-turned-movies that has taught me more than all others, and that is The Lord of the Rings.
"What critical message is there in a story about an unexpected hero saving his world?" you may ask, which is, I admit, slightly cliched. There are many. I could go on about them all day, and still not have covered half. The message I bring to your attention today, however, is simple. Don't judge by appearances, be it height, as it is in the movie, or gender, skin color, or anything else.
Here I am going to pause to explain the basic plot for people who haven't seen the movies. Frodo Baggins is a hobbit. He has inherited a golden ring from his uncle. He lives peacefully for many years, until Gandalf, a wandering wizard, and friend of Frodo, comes and tells him that his ring is, in fact, the One Ring. The most terrible weapon of the Enemy, who was defeated many centuries before, it had disappeared from history. The Enemy is now aware that it has been found, and is seeking it. Frodo realizes that he must leave his home. With his friends Merry, Pippin, and Sam, he travels through many perils, until at last he reaches Rivendell, one of the last strongholds of the Elves. There is held the great Council of Elrond, in which Frodo decides to take the Ring, and, if he can, cast it into the fires of Mount Doom, in the land of Mordor, stronghold of the Enemy.
Aragorn, who helped the hobbits get to Rivendell, comes, as well as Legolas, an Elf, Gimli, a Dwarf, and Boromir, a Man from Gondor, the kingdom in the south.
Gandalf is lost on the journey, Boromir dies, and Merry and Pippin are captured by Orcs, servants of the Enemy. Frodo and Sam go on to Mordor alone, as Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli pursue the Orcs. Aragorn and Company meet Gandalf, who has returned, and go with him to defeat another of the Enemy's servants, and then go to Gondor, to help defeat the Enemy himself.
The people of Middle-Earth, the land of The Lord of the Rings, judge others frequently. They say that the hobbits can't do anything. Some, like Aragorn and Gandalf, say, "They may surprise you!" But as a whole, most don't believe in them. There are several instances when a person who knows about the quest says, "To send this thing in the hands of a witless Halfling, that is madness!" or something like that.
Frodo succeeds, which proves that, as a very wise Elf said, "Even the smallest person can change the course of the future."
These movies definitely pointed out to me that, no matter how unlikely the person may appear, there's value in all. These are movies everyone should see, eventually. They are PG13, which means some will need to wait, but, when old enough, should go see it. The values in these movies are so important to life now, that it would make the world a better place.
The Lord of the Rings will survive through the ages. It is timeless. It's up to us, though, to make the values have meaning. After all, if the smallest person can change the future, why can't we?
The Memory of Ann Frank
"It's a wonder I haven't abandoned all my ideals, they seem so absurd and impractical. Yet I cling to them because I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart." These were the brave words that Anne Frank wrote in her diary while in hiding from the Nazis. Since then, they have inspired millions of young people from all over the world.
Hitler and the Nazis came to power in Germany during the peak of Germany's economic crisis in the 1930s. The Nazis blamed all of Germany's social and economic problems on the Jews. Their propaganda convinced the Germans that all the Jews were the cause of the problem and that they had to be eliminated. This was the beginning of the Holocaust.
Anne Frank was a German-Jewish teenager who was forced to go into hiding for twenty-five months during the Holocaust. After being betrayed to the Nazis, Anne and her family were arrested and deported to Nazi concentration camps. In March of 1945, nine months after she was arrested, Anne Frank died at a concentration camp in Germany. She was only fifteen years old.
Her diary was found after the war ended and was published by her father in 1947. In her diary Anne had recorded down her thoughts, feelings and the horrors of the Holocaust. She described how frightening it was to see many of her friends brought to concentration camps, and to think that any day they might be found by the Nazis. She has shown many people how it feels to be discriminated when you can't help being the way you are. Today, her diary has been translated into many languages and is one of the most widely read books in the world.
Anne Frank was one out of millions of victims that did not survive the Holocaust. What made her stand out so much? She makes a difference in our lives even when she is gone. I didn't know about the Holocaust before I read Anne's diary, I found it hard to understand that millions of people were killed because of it. But when I read Anne's diary, it all became real. I felt what she felt, and then I realized she might only have been a thirteen-year-old girl, but she still found a way to make a difference in the world.
Anne's courage and optimism during the war has inspired and motivated me to look at my own attitude. Now whenever I feel like being mean or nasty, I just think of Anne and all the other victims of the Holocaust and then I see how much harm hate can cause. It was hatred that drove the Nazis to discriminate against Jewish people and to inflict so much pain and suffering on them. Many people might look at Anne's diary as a good read, or an interesting story, but it's actually so much more, it is an example of the horrendous consequences of prejudice based on stereotyping.
Surprising as it may seem, many forms of discrimination, including stereotyping, still exist. Stereotyping is common because it is a convenient way to explain social problems, many people who discriminate against others really just feel bad about themselves. They look for others to blame their problems on so that they will feel superior. We should try to understand this and do our best to help people like them understand that it is acceptable to be different, and that everyone is really the same in the inside. These are small steps that we can take to eventually create a free and desegregated world.
Prejudice in our World
Prejudice. I wish I could say that I didn't know the meaning of this word, but the world we live in has taught me more about the word than I guess any of us want to know. It exists in everyone's life at some point. Whether it be because of the way you live, the faults your may have, or the differences you believe in.
Imagine if we could live in a world where prejudice had no meaning. Imagine if we could all love one another without judging each other. Imagine if we could all have different beliefs without accusing others of being wrong and support each others' ideas. Imagine living without anger towards others, no matter the color of their skin, the gender of their body and the religion they have chosen. Imagine finding the wisdom, in someone, despite the number of years to their life. Imagine not measuring a life's worth by the value of its riches, but by the value of its contribution to others. If you can imagine these things, then you can imagine a world without prejudice. My question is, " If we can imagine it, then why can't we live it?"
The song I've chosen to base my thoughts on, if you don't already know, is Imagine, by John Lennon. The message of this song was for all of us to live life in peace and for the world to live as one. He wanted everyone to set aside their differences and create a world with no prejudice. The words to this song are simple, but have a strong message.
The fact that this song was written so many years ago, but the world has not learned from it yet, is sad. There have been some changes. Black people are no longer considered slaves, but still face troubles of inequality. Women now have the right to vote, but still fight to be heard and respected. Different religions still battles over what beliefs are right. The older generation is being replaced by younger employees. The wealthy society looks down on those who have not been as fortunate in life.
As long as there are people who are unwilling to change, prejudice will continue to be a part of everyone's life at some point. We need to make a change for our future.
Remember the Titans
After watching the movie, Remember the Titans, I have learned that you can be white or black and still have similarities with a person of a different race. This movie is about a high school team that is ordered to put blacks and whites on the same football team during a time when there was a lot of racial tension. At first, the white and black players split into two, not willing to cooperate with one another. This all changes when the coach takes them to a football camp where they build fundamentals. While they were at the camp, they did more than build fundamentals. They learned all about each other. Most of them bonded and became good friends. Although the media refuses to give the other race a chance, the team sticks together. The Titans go on to be an undefeated team and win the championship.
After watching a non-fictional piece about members of two races bonding and becoming one, I have learned that no matter what a person looks like on the outside, we're all the same on the inside. A person can look totally different from someone else and still have a lot in common. All people have similarities and differences, but two people of different races can share things in common. It doesn't matter what's on the outside. What matters is what's on the inside.
Some people don't feel that blacks and whites are equal. I can definitely say that this movie has helped me understand the similarities between different races. I feel that anyone who watches this movie will change the whole way he or she looks at things in life. It will change the way an individual looks at another person of a different race and shows the disadvantages of racism.
I would recommend this movie to anyone. It is very educational, but it is also a great movie. It shows how, when one person struggles, everyone else must pitch in and help that person out. It sets an example for us as this one team slowly, but surely, made their way to the top defeating not only all the other teams in the league, but defeating racism in the process.
Ruby Bridges
This was the name of a remarkable girl who showed the world what it really meant to confront prejudice. She did so boldly and bravely, making history that would forever be taught to our children.
The story of Ruby Bridges was later displayed in a movie and, upon watching it, my views and thoughts about the stereotyping and prejudice our world sadly contained, changed immeasurably.
It was February, and my school made each grade watch this movie in honor of Black History Month. As we sat in the auditorium and watched the movie, we looked in shock as anger and sadness rose up in our hearts. We watched this young girl walk to school each day with throngs of angry white people screaming at her. Some were giving her death threats, others calling her terrible names. We watched as she sat in the classroom alone, but happily learning. We watched as this little girl was unfairly treated each day of her life, and how her family had to suffer along with her. This girl's belief in God was so strong she prayed for those people each day, she prayed for people who had threatened to hurt her and made life a lot harder. But we saw in the end how she beat the odds and succeeded, and later schools were integrated. Her story began the long process of understanding others. Individuals changed their beliefs very slowly, but Ruby's courage paved the way for her race to have greater opportunities. She had won the heart of a nation; she had led people away from the hatred of prejudice, but into the love and respect for each other.
After the movie finished, many of us talked about it. We were all thankful that the world we live in was nothing like that, that something like that would never happen in our lives.
Our school principal proceeded to tell us the movie was based on a true story. We were astounded. We were shocked. We were traumatized beyond all belief.
From that day on, I realized what prejudice was, and what it could do to people. I learned a lesson from that little girl. I learned how to confront prejudice, why it was really wrong, and if Ruby Bridges, a 6 year old, could confront prejudice in its worst form, why couldn't I stand up to prejudice and stereotyping each day, little by little?
My friends and I decided to take action. We thought that maybe, maybe if people knew about this kind of incident, they would know more about confronting prejudice, and with the knowledge, action would follow. So, each one of us stepped into the world with a different point of view, a new sense of knowledge, and a will to make a difference.
I encouraged all to watch the movie, and so many times I was asked why someone should watch such a movie. My response? Through the movie, a valuable lesson would be taught to those who watched it; the message conveyed would be so powerful it would touch your heart forever. The movie gives you the knowledge and courage to fight prejudice and stereotypes. We see how prejudice and stereotypes can really hurt a person, and why those things are bad. However, prejudice and stereotypes sadly still exist in our world today. But we have the choice to stand up to these terrible things. This movie teaches us how to confront them together, and together we can make a difference in the lives of people.
Seriously, What Happened to the Love?
"What's wrong with the world mama?" This is the first line of the song Where Is the Love? by the Black Eyed Peas. You should be asking yourself this question, because the world is starting to be full of hate, and it seems as if peace has disappeared. Most of the lyrics in this song are true; they talk about things such as racism, how the world is going to war, and terrorism, which is something we must change.
This song summarizes literally everything that has happened with discrimination and violence in the past and present in American history, such as the war with Iraq, terrorism, and much more. They also mention the KKK, which was an ethnocentric organization that discriminated against people of color. Another thing they talk about in this song is how the media is always giving the wrong information to the younger generation, which causes them to copy all the violence in the movies. In my perspective, the first part of the chorus means if you say you really want something, would it change your point of view about it. And the second part means if someone could just direct people in the right direction, not the wrong.
The lesson I learned from this song is to never judge a person, or think that their lower than you. And to never discriminate because that would only turn into more hate, and the world doesn't exactly need that right now. Another thing I learned was that the media is really the minds of innocent children, and the younger generation. Something I noticed from this song was that some people are really trying to hide the truth from others, and others are so greedy and selfish which causes them to only think about themselves, not others. The one thing I really learned from this song is that the world isn't perfect, as some people say, there is hardly any peace anymore, which means hate is left, which is a terrible thing.
The way that this song connects to my life is that, as an American, you can see a lot of things on the news, such as the terrorist attacks of September 11th, and the live coverage in Iraq during the war. So this song summarized about terrorism and hatred very well to me. Another thing is that I love to watch movies, but the things you see in there, you want to do yourself. But in one part of the lyrics, it talks about how children and teenagers are infected by the wrong information, which is usually a bad thing.
I would definitely recommend this song to everyone because it is a great song and it has a good powerful purpose to it. Maybe for some, if you heard it, you would have a different outlook of things differently than before. And the majority of the lyrics in this song are true in my perspective.
Where Is the Love? is an awesome song that talks about discrimination, racism and terrorism to be more exact. It is true that hate is starting to fill the world, so we have to fight it and restore peace in its rightful place. If you haven't heard this song, you should. Like I said, it's a great song, and everyone should listen to it, because it will definitely change your outlook on the world. Well, it did for me.
A Face First
"God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things that should be changed, and the -wisdom to distinguish the one from the other." Reinhold Niebuhr
Stereotyping is a problem that happens everyday. When it goes unnoticed, how can we do anything about it? A typical scenario at school would be the popular girls sitting at a certain table, the geeks getting the broken table, the jocks sitting at the table next to the popular girls. There's stereotyping right there! When we fail to notice what's happening, it becomes very hard for us to do anything about it. If we do notice, sometimes we are too shy or frightened to say anything. Racism is also another issue today. A black person may not get served in a restaurant because of the color of their skin. Even a religion, like Judaism, could be discriminated against. We need to open our eyes and see what is happening in the world, and see what we can do about it.
A Face First by Priscilla Cummings was written about a girl named Kelley, whose life was changed forever by a car accident. Her mother was driving her home one day when their car was hit by a lumber truck. Kelley was severely burned on her face, arms, and legs by a fire that erupted from the engine of the car. In the hospital, she learns to overcome her fears of how her life is changing forever. She learns to cope with her differences and ignore the severe stereotyping that she will endure.
"Anytime there is an abnormality-something different-people react. They're afraid. Not that you're a monster or anything like that. They're afraid of what they don't understand. A lot of times they don't know what to do or say." Anita tried to explain. "What you've got to do is direct attention away from the burn, away from the mask, to you to the person within. Let that personality shine through."
Kelley's physical therapist, Anita, was trying to explain that whenever something different happens that is slightly out of the ordinary, people don't know how to deal with it. After Kelley's mother has a breakdown about the pressure and changes she's caused Kelley to experience, Kelley shows her, even though she is different on the outside, she is still the same on the inside. Religion, race, or anything that sets you apart from anyone else, anything that makes you different on the outside, can be the opposite of what lies on the inside.
Would the world be perfect if all the people you hated were gone? I don't think so. Why can't we all just accept that we're different and that no one's going to be exactly the same as you? If everyone was the same and we all loved the color orange and rap music, the world would be extraordinarily boring. Sometimes being different can be the most amazing thing that has ever happened to you. That's why we all dress differently everyday. If someone is wearing a green t-shirt, are you going to ignore him or her? If someone wore sandals, would you make fun of them? Dressing differently expresses your personality and style. You're religion shows what you believe in and where you come from. You're ethnicity shows who you are and if we accept that, the world would be better. If we just looked at everyone and thought of how much we have in common, maybe we could realize how trivial our differences are. Just accept the differences and embrace the similarities. Remember that we all live on the same planet, we look at the same moon and sun, and we all dream under the same starry sky. If we can't accept that, then I don't know what's going to happen next.
Prejudice. A small word that means so much. So much is classified under the word prejudice. This word can mean so much pain to some. But it can make up amusement for others. On different shows or in different movies and books. One book is a perfect example of both ends of prejudice. Esperanza Rising is a novel about a Mexican girl that is forced out of her home when her father dies and poverty strikes her family. As Esperanza's family is forced to immigrate to America, she is forced to change completely. In Mexico, due to her wealth, she was used to being treated specially. Friends groveled for her attention and everyone tried to please her. But in America, in the migrant camp, she was teased because she was rich. People thought that she was snobby and spoiled without meeting her. Esperanza was discriminated for something that she couldn't help. She was treated unfairly because people passed judgment without meeting her. Esperanza and her family were also discriminated against by the rest of America due to the fact that they were Mexican. The migrant camp that Mexican immigrants were sent to was run down and old. The toilets were outdoors and the labor was harsh. These citizens of America were treated unfairly because of their heritage. Why were they treated unfairly? Is it human nature to discriminate against those who are different than us? Whatever the reason is, it caused terrible hardships to immigrants and citizens of many races no matter when or where. Prejudice is always out there and it mostly likely will be for a long time. Every day people's prejudice affects another person and opens up a wound that is shared by the rest of the world no matter what race you are in books or media. The only way I see that we can bind this wound is to open our hearts and look beyond our walls that we have built around ourselves. They only way to start destroying these walls is to learn from books like Esperanza Rising and to never repeat the injustices to mankind that happened before. And the walls will come down one brick at a time.
The world would be so much better if we took the time to know each other. There is prejudice everywhere, in the movies and in real life.
In the movie Pokemon: Mewtwo Returns, Mewtwo (a cloned pokemon) thinks that all cloned pokemon are outcasts, shadows, and inferior. But the other clones think otherwise. They think they should be free like other pokemon. When cloned pokemon and born pokemon fight against evil, Mewtwo realizes it's not how you were born or created. It just matters that you're here and that you can live a good life.
I think that means a lot. It's like judging blacks and whites. There is no difference between them, they are all people (or pokemon). There's no point in discriminating against them. So why make such a big deal over it? In South Africa they judged blacks like outcasts, shadows and inferior just like Mewtwo did to clones. Clones as blacks, non-cloned as whites. I think I know why the world thinks this way.
Like Mewtwo, I judged Koreans when I first came to China. I thought they had something BIG to hide about their county that only Koreans knew. Because they always talked in Korean, they could use it like a secret code. At lunch they always sat together, like the table that they were sitting at was the "Korean table". But now that I sit next to Young Ho in class, I have lost that stereotype. I know they are not strange, they just don't know very good English, and so they speak Korean, and it is hard to make friends because they can't speak very good English.
I learned about discrimination by knowing Korean kids at school. Other children could learn by watching this movie. The clones and the borns had to get to know each other to work together to defeat evil. I would recommend this movie to the whole family. This is a way for little kids to learn about stereotypes. If you catch your kids spreading stereotypes and causing prejudice, get them to watch this movie and ask them what they learned.
Clones vs. born, blacks vs. whites and Koreans vs. Americans, they are not that different. We have to learn how to dropt our own prejudices to accept others.
Prejudice and Courage in To Kill a Mockingbird
Set in small town Alabama in the 1930's, the novel To Kill a Mockingbird provides a window into the dark shadows of racism and prejudice. Focusing on the dramatic events of a local trial, author Harper Lee explored the deep roots of hatred and fear in human nature in a community of decent people. The story is told from the perspective of Scout, a nine year old whose vision was not clouded by fear and ignorance. She was an innocent and honest witness of events and people.
The villains in the story were both cruel and weak. The abusive Bob Ewell falsely accused an innocent black man, Tom Robinson, of assaulting Ewell's daughter Mayella. Even though the prosecution's testimony was teaming with inconsistencies, the all-white jury voted to convict Robinson. The jury was afraid to publicly accept the word of a black man which contradicted that of a white man. Robinson knew that a white jury would never free him, and he was shot to death when attempting to escape.
Scout's neighbor Bo Radley was another victim of prejudice in society with his unstable family and mental illness. He was shunned by the community, which conjured up an image of a violent monster. In fact Bo was a shy, frightened man, who had been scarred by his abusive family. He became a nonexistent phantom in town and was punished even further by cruel rumors. In the end Bo emerged from his reclusive life to save Scout and her brother from the attack made by a drunken Bob Ewell. He then faded back into the shadows, never forgotten by Scout's family.
Scout's father, Atticus Finch, was the protagonist of the story battling at racism's heart. A respected lawyer, Atticus accepted the job of defending Tom Robinson and risked sacrificing his reputation and family's safety. He had the wisdom to recognize the taboo of the community but was courageous in his defense of Tom. He was not only brave, but also an intelligent and moral man, which distinguished him from the other men in town. Though Atticus fought a losing battle he succeeded in setting an example for his children.
Harper Lee's beautiful novel illustrates how otherwise good and responsible people could be warped by racism and prejudice. Only extraordinary characters like Atticus and his children could look beyond the barriers of intolerance and cruelty. After Bob's Ewell's death, others were willing to follow through the door that Atticus opened with his example. Harper Lee showed how the courage of one person could change society in spite of hateful "time honored codes."
It's Time To Love
You're walking down the street and you see violent interaction with people of different races surrounding you. You glance around ignorantly and keep walking, thankful it's not happening to you. Suddenly, someone pounces on top of you and whacks you on the head. He then starts blabbering in gibberish. You are now regretful that you didn't help other people that were discriminated. But now, you're here being discriminated for your race, and there's nothing you can do about it.
...But if you only have love for your own race
Then you only leave space to discriminate
And to discriminate only generates hate
And when you hate then you're bound to get irate, yeah
Madness is what you demonstrate
And that's exactly how anger works and operates
Man, you gotta have love just to set it straight
Take control of your mind and meditate
Let your soul gravitate to the love, y'all
This song Where Is the Love?, by Black Eyed Peas, expresses the feelings of being discriminated and proves prejudice wrong. It explicates all the hate shown in the world and how we learn from bad reputations. It tells us that there's no reason to treat us differently because of your race, gender, age, religion, etc. The lyrics are like a prayer or a life manual written in a song format. It evidently proves that love is needed, everywhere and for everyone.
At my international school, students from all over the world study with each other. We're all introverted initially, but after getting to know one another, you understand what it's like being in the other person's moccasins, and you become excellent friends. This is because we've captured the hatred and shared the love.
I would indisputably recommend this song to everyone. The main criterion is explicit. The lyrics show examples of how we all discriminate without even knowing it. It talks about the violence in the world and the bad reputation that is spreading rapidly. You'll get a deep understanding of prejudice and you'll definitely agree that it's wrong. There is a strong, powerful lesson to it and you'll absolutely disagree with prejudice. Well, at least I did. So c'mon y'all, show some truth and you'll show some love!
People killing, people dying
Children hurt and you hear them crying
Can you practice what you preach
And would you turn the other cheek
Father, Father, Father help us
Send some guidance from above
Cause people got me, got me questioning
Where is the love?
If we succeed in educating everyone of how important love is, people might change their perspectives. Who knows? A discriminator may even turn into a hero because of it! You must accept the way you are, and be proud of it! So find that love and always keep your faith alive.
