The segregation suffered by African-Americans left wounds that still have not been healed by time. Although the Civil Rights Act was signed in 1964, the fight for racial equality is not over yet. Almost fifty years later there are still traces of discrimination.
During the American Civil Rights Movement there were some crucial turning points. The Supreme Court decision in 1954 which buried the "separate but equal" precedent was a trigger in the American Civil Rights Movement. Another monumental event was the "I Have a Dream Speech" made by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Washington D.C., on August 28, 1963. And, of course, the signing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964 granted African-Americans the right to vote which was a milestone in American history.
But, the fight was not over with the signing of the Civil Rights Act. The election of President Barack Obama in 2008, for instance, can be added to the list of major turning points in the effort to end segregation.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the "I Have a Dream Speech" said that the Emancipation Proclamation "came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves" but he realized that one hundred years later African-Americans were not free yet, they were "still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation." The same can be stated about the Civil Rights Act or about the election of President Obama. Those were milestones, but that does not mean that the fight for an equal society is over.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
A New Reality
During the 20th Century, the United States became the world's strongest economy as well as a political and cultural influence to other countries. America's economic growth labeled it as the land of opportunity. This reputation seemed indestructible.
America is still seen as a land where hard word and dedication leads to prosperity but the current economic crisis weakened this notion. The crisis lead to a new perspective towards the social reality of American people.
Certainly, this is not the first hit the American economy has suffered, but its amplitude brought up the question of whether this could be the end of the American dream. The middle class is suffering like never before and this has demanded an effort to restructure the economy. Also it brought up the need to set new priorities to the American government regarding delicate social issues.
Although it might be tempting to bury the concept of the American dream in a time of crisis, what needs to be realized is that throughout history the chain of economic and social events is constantly changing perspectives and creating new challenges. The crisis weakened the notion of America as the land of opportunity but also created a chance to build a new goal towards adjusting social differences that were overlooked during a period of great economic growth. This chance cannot be overlooked.
America is still seen as a land where hard word and dedication leads to prosperity but the current economic crisis weakened this notion. The crisis lead to a new perspective towards the social reality of American people.
Certainly, this is not the first hit the American economy has suffered, but its amplitude brought up the question of whether this could be the end of the American dream. The middle class is suffering like never before and this has demanded an effort to restructure the economy. Also it brought up the need to set new priorities to the American government regarding delicate social issues.
Although it might be tempting to bury the concept of the American dream in a time of crisis, what needs to be realized is that throughout history the chain of economic and social events is constantly changing perspectives and creating new challenges. The crisis weakened the notion of America as the land of opportunity but also created a chance to build a new goal towards adjusting social differences that were overlooked during a period of great economic growth. This chance cannot be overlooked.
An Overwhelming Passion
Soccer is by far the most popular sport in Brazil and almost everyone since childhood loves to play it. It is more than a sport to Brazilians but a way to stregthen patriotism. It makes people forget their differences and creates a shared desire between the rich and the poor.
Brazil is a country with a tremendous gap between the rich and the poor and although it is celebrated for its cultural diversity it is not rare to see a slum next to a mansion. However, in spite of these social differences, soccer is a common passion to Brazilians which can unite the country.
Soccer is seen by many as a resort to escape poverty. Kids in Brazil dream about becoming a soccer player to provide a decent life for their families. It is a passion that goes beyond the field and represents the hope for a new life.
Whereas this passion for soccer is so enthusiastic, it can also obstruct the development of other sports. Many talents go to waste because Brazilians are not stimulated to play volleyball (despite its national team's recent success) basketball or any other Olympic sport.
As a whole, soccer is a beautiful yet potentially jeopardous passion in Brazil. While many believe it is an escape out of poverty, in reality it is an area in which very few can achieve greatness. All things considered, if Brazilian people had the same commitment towards more sensitive issues such as politics or daily social problems, the country would certainly develop at a faster pace.
Brazil is a country with a tremendous gap between the rich and the poor and although it is celebrated for its cultural diversity it is not rare to see a slum next to a mansion. However, in spite of these social differences, soccer is a common passion to Brazilians which can unite the country.
Soccer is seen by many as a resort to escape poverty. Kids in Brazil dream about becoming a soccer player to provide a decent life for their families. It is a passion that goes beyond the field and represents the hope for a new life.
Whereas this passion for soccer is so enthusiastic, it can also obstruct the development of other sports. Many talents go to waste because Brazilians are not stimulated to play volleyball (despite its national team's recent success) basketball or any other Olympic sport.
As a whole, soccer is a beautiful yet potentially jeopardous passion in Brazil. While many believe it is an escape out of poverty, in reality it is an area in which very few can achieve greatness. All things considered, if Brazilian people had the same commitment towards more sensitive issues such as politics or daily social problems, the country would certainly develop at a faster pace.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Heinz History Center Excursion
This Week's Question: Compose a blog entry of four to five paragraphs in lenght about your experience at the Heinz History Center. Please include a general overview of the museum as well as information about the settlers in Pittsburgh, the main industires of the area, and products that originated in Western Pennsylvania. Next, move into a description of a specific exhibit you found interesting. Your blog entry should provide basic information that one can gather from the Heinz History Center along with your personal interaction with anything specific that you encountered there.
Response:
When one arrives in an unknown city it is normal to make assumptions based on first impressions. Thus when I arrived in Pittsburgh I made my assumptions about the city based on what caught my atention at first: its astonishing passion towards football (specially towards the Pittsbugh Steelers) and its very cold winter. However, a visit to the Heinz History Center revealed interesting facts about Pittsburgh that can not be discovered through a superficial interaction with its daily life.
The Heinz History Center features exhibitions covering remarkable events that occurred in Pittsburgh, such as a crucial battle during the French and Indian War, up to the history of sports in the city. The museum has six floors and the exhibitions are usually followed by videos that explain what is being exposed to the public.
The second floor of the museum displays an exhibition about the French and Indian War that reaveals very interesting facts about George Washington. In 1953 a young George Washington came to the area of the present day Pittsburgh to lead the colony's troops in a battle against the french. He eventually surrendered by signing a controversial document written in french that admitted the assassination of a french officer, claiming afterwards that this statment was not changed due to an error in the translation of the document. This shows an unusual side of Washington, closer to a soldier than to a statesman.
Another amusing section of the museum portrays the history of sports in Pittsburgh. It is amazing to realize that the passion for the Pittsburgh Steelers is as intense as the one felt by brazilians towards their soccer national team. It seems like each Super Bowl won by the Steelers contributed to create a legacy of pride to live in Pittsburgh.
All things considered, while first impressions can be confirmed (like Pittsburgh's love for football) they can also be only a superficial understanding of a place. The visit to the Heinz History Center made me realize that there is a lot to unveil about Pittsburgh's history and its way of life.
Response:
When one arrives in an unknown city it is normal to make assumptions based on first impressions. Thus when I arrived in Pittsburgh I made my assumptions about the city based on what caught my atention at first: its astonishing passion towards football (specially towards the Pittsbugh Steelers) and its very cold winter. However, a visit to the Heinz History Center revealed interesting facts about Pittsburgh that can not be discovered through a superficial interaction with its daily life.
The Heinz History Center features exhibitions covering remarkable events that occurred in Pittsburgh, such as a crucial battle during the French and Indian War, up to the history of sports in the city. The museum has six floors and the exhibitions are usually followed by videos that explain what is being exposed to the public.
The second floor of the museum displays an exhibition about the French and Indian War that reaveals very interesting facts about George Washington. In 1953 a young George Washington came to the area of the present day Pittsburgh to lead the colony's troops in a battle against the french. He eventually surrendered by signing a controversial document written in french that admitted the assassination of a french officer, claiming afterwards that this statment was not changed due to an error in the translation of the document. This shows an unusual side of Washington, closer to a soldier than to a statesman.
Another amusing section of the museum portrays the history of sports in Pittsburgh. It is amazing to realize that the passion for the Pittsburgh Steelers is as intense as the one felt by brazilians towards their soccer national team. It seems like each Super Bowl won by the Steelers contributed to create a legacy of pride to live in Pittsburgh.
All things considered, while first impressions can be confirmed (like Pittsburgh's love for football) they can also be only a superficial understanding of a place. The visit to the Heinz History Center made me realize that there is a lot to unveil about Pittsburgh's history and its way of life.
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