Olidah Equiano's account of the MiddlePassage.

"While we stayed on the coast I was mostly on deck; and one day, to my great astonishment, I saw one of these vessels coming in with the sails up. As soon as the whites saw it, they gave a great shout, at which we were amazed; and the more so, as the vessel appeared larger by approaching nearer. At last, she came to an anchor in my sight, and when the anchor was let go, I and my countrymen who saw it, were lost in astonishment to observe the vessel stop and were now convinced it was done by magic. Soon after this the other ship got her boats out, and they came on board of us, and the people of both ships seemed very glad to see each other. Several of the strangers also shook hands with us black people, and made motions with their hands, signifying I suppose, we were to go to their country, but we did not understand them."

-olaudah equiano

<http://www.wsu.edu:8000/~dee/Equiano.html>

Response: Everyone should have a chance to be able to hear the struggles of others, without knowledge of hurt and pain we ourselfs would continue to make the same mistakes/ and cause the same pain over and over again. Equiano used precise language, and descriptive imagery in order to create a tone of despair and at some times hope, thus, connecting the reader emotionally and developing a linking chain between the audience's hurt/hope/despair and his own. Equiano was denyed his education, right to make his own choices, and most importantly freedom.




Dear Diary,

Its been some hard months latley, we here aint got no food, scraps for clothes and dust as furniture. If only Leroy was able to go to school, maybe we would pull ourselves out of this here poverty we seem to have been stricken by. As a mother of four I feel as if it is my fault my children are crying from the bear eating away at their stomach, and on my daughters birthday having to give her a doll made out of straw. Is I a falling my family? - but there is nothing I can do, the white men wont allow for no black women to have a job or even learn to read. Times are hard, but they can only get better.

Signed,

Marie Smith



Essential Question: So what happens when one does not receive similar opportunities? What is the effect on individuals and on community when all are not able to realize their dream? The meaning of a slave is to be owned by another; the word in its self is a stripping of freedom. Equiano was not given the opportunity to recieve even a basic education, have a job in which he wanted, or even provide for his family. Along with many African Americans he was treated as if the color of his skin was of Satan. Community can not allow for rascism, for when rascism exsist there is no structure, no leaning on one enother, and no moral's. All things in which a community needs in order to survive.

(The artist/author of this cartoon has a member of the KKK holding a book in which says "Torture Etiquete" the author is trying to show that memembers of racsist groups such as the KKK are not able to think for them selves therefore following the writings/actions of others)

Patrick Henry & Thomas Paine

"No man thinks more highly than I do of the patriotism, as well as abilities, of the very worthy gentlemen who have just addressed the house. But different men often see the same subject in different lights; and, therefore, I hope it will not be thought disrespectful to those gentlemen if, entertaining as I do opinions of a character very opposite to theirs, I shall speak forth my sentiments freely and without reserve."

- Patrick Henry

<http://www.liberty-page.com/foundingdocs/givemeliberty/main.html>

"I have as little superstition in me as any man living, but my secret opinion has ever been, and still is, that God Almighty will not give up a people to military destruction, or leave them unsupportedly to perish, who have so earnestly and so repeatedly sought to avoid the calamities of war, by every decent method which wisdom could invent. Neither have I so much of the infidel in me, as to suppose that He has relinquished the government of the world, and given us up to the care of devils; and as I do not, I cannot see on what grounds the king of Britain can look up to heaven for help against us: a common murderer, a highwayman, or a house-breaker, has as good a pretence as he."

-Thomas Paine

<http://www.puc.edu/Faculty/Rosemary_Dibben/English11/NewNation/PaineCrisis1.pdf>

Reflection:

Patrick Henry and Thomas Paine likewise both use conitations, extended metaphors and descriptive language in order to convey a tone of determination to show the signifigance of going to war for freedom to the American people .

Dear Diary,

Our country has partaken in war. I can not rejoice for I do not find it to be a rejoiceful time. They have started the draft for all men starting at the age of sixteen. Johnathon and I recently married and now he is called to do what is supposivly "his duty" to America. Oh, how I have longed to be with him all these years, from the very first siting on the boat here. You answered my prayers, it was of your will for us to be together; so Lord why shall it be of your will to take him away? I can only pray to see my dear Johnathon again. To hell with this war, it will take us all.
Signed,

Elizabeth McGlaughlin

Essential Question: So what happens when one does not receive similar opportunities? What is the effect on individuals and on community when all are not able to realize their dream? During the draft Americans were not given the opportunity to speak/show their ideals of war. They were forced to leave families and jobs behind. Many women with children suffered for they were not able to get jobs, therefore whille their husbands were at war they had no means of income. The community as a whole has a downfall because of lack of jobs, and economic income.

Interview

Name: Cary Staton
Age: 50



(Q) When you were young what did you think that America Dream was?
(A) Home ownership and personal freedom

(Q) How did you think obtain this dream?
(A)Hard-work

(Q)Now that you are older what is your American Dream?
(A) Same thing

(Q)Have you obtained it?
(A) Yes, not so much person freedom.

(Q)Why do you think you haven't received personal freedom?
(A) Because over time we have given up our personal rights and privileges, offered by the constitution.- we no longer can bear arms- we're unduly taxed- we lack representation - the only thing that has gotten bigger is gov't- gov't should be smaller-that's the cost of every bodies freedom

(Q) What would you do to change this?
(A) Follow the constitution of the US strictly, it was written at a great time by great men- we are incredibly vain to think we know better then they did

(Q)Are their any exceptions?
(A)Personally I think their are a few, but as a society NO; we made amendments to the const. that I don't think are all great ideas

(Q)What do you think of the 2008 election/ candidates?
(A) I think we, I can't think of a worse group to chose from at a more critical time in our history, "there are no leaders, it's like watching American Idol, it's a fame game, this is why we watch American Idol"- there are no leaders in our country anymore, our country doesn't respect conviction & we have been as a society dumb down by the media to a mob mentality similar to most great civilizations were brought down from within, that is what is happening to us. Rome fell from within, not the barbarians; that is what is happening right now, to the US. We have nobody to stand up, we as people are cowards.

(Q)What needs to happen within the US for each individual to have an opportunity to reach the American goal?
(A) Far less gov't, more personal responsibility that is easy to say but it means so much, it is the key to all of us, and we have to quit blaming our problems on other things. Personal responsibility is what it is about; you can't constantly bail people out for poor decisions. Our society make people like me out to be monsters of some kind, which I’m far from I am as passionate as any if I think people are trying.

(Q)In the 1920's the called that the era of greed; what would our era called if you were to sum it up?
(A)I would say, self interest, everybody was out for themselves everyone has their own little pet project, what about us? It’s not their fault, its just they way they have been led

(Q)What is the effect of this on community?
(A) It fragments the community, society, country our greatness is our oneness, we are one nation under god "doesn’t mean we don’t have to worship god" but our oneness is a single god, I by no means am religious but I will stand up for what needs to be done, for us to discourage it to were nothing counts when our country was founded on that is ridiculous. The way to keep us at bay, the way to keep the country from rebellion basically is to fragment them. "We're worried about Mexicans" "Mexicans are worried about the black" "rich about poor" they initially divert our attention while gradually stealing our rights. They being government, media, the same...really it is all the same. What people do is they listen to main stream media and main stream media talks bad about alternative media sources, they discredit them, but they put their own spin on every story; spin journalism. We always hear about who's dying in Iraq, when we hear about schools being built, people being saved....but that isn’t sensational.

(Q)What is to come of my generation in 10-15 years?
(A) There is going to be an education crisis, especially in colleges and college education. I think we will have a weak economy for the next 10-15 years, your generation will probably be the first to feel full weight of entire baby boom gen. - people my age, between 50-65 all hitting retirement more us then you, you will have to work hard enough to support self plus pension, retirement basically you'll have to work for 2-3 people. - Short term social security will be cut, people my age wont get any, probably true. What you do get won’t be proportional as is now. We also are loosing jobs to world market, we may loose retired people to other countries where their money will go farther. If I thought a solution, bring back trade-semi skilled work. So people can make a living doing so.

(Q)Any last things you would like to say about our economy, the American dream?
(A)If I had to tell young people anything, it is don't wait to get involved in your gov't. Strive to make it smaller, don't ask what they can do for you, tell them how you are going to do it for them.

Ask yourself everyday, if I dropped off the face of the earth, would the earth miss me? If your answer is no, you need to find something else to do.

Everyday we go without fighting back, it is a battle lost. By the time you hit my age you think, what kind of world am I leaving for my children? Have we made this world better? I would have to say for my generation the answer is, we haven't.

One more thing,

The second most important rule, after do unto others, is if you do not know your history you are doomed to repeat it. If you don’t learn anything else in high school learn your rights, freedoms, and the constitution don't get wrapped up in today’s gov't get wrapped up in the gov't of 1776.
















Reflection: You never really realize how wise one is until you take a momment to sit down and just talk. My step-dad (Cary) and I tend to never get along, we don't talk to eachother, we live in the same house, but in two completly different worlds. I didn't realize until tonight how much Cary has to offer, how much we have in common and how much I can acctually learn from him. The thing that stood out to me most about this interview is the fact that Cary said "people look at people like me as some sort of monster, but really if I see you are trying I can be just as passioniate as anyone else". This stood out becuase I myself have thought of Cary as something like a "monster" but when he said this it made me acctually take a look at myself, and for once I realized it really is me, not him.