"White Like Me"

    Through the use of Tim Wise's documentary and novel "White Like Me," he was able to spread his views on race relations and his advocacy for the African American community. The difference between the races is that "being white is better than not being white." People of color did not receive the same amount of freedoms that those who were white did. African Americans were not citizens until the 15th Amendment, which was many years past the making of the constitution. Loans and insurance were not available for blacks as they were singled out in their professions, many of the blacks worked in agriculture and domestic housing services. By electing Obama to the executive office as the first African American president we, as a country, made history that would have been unheard of years ago.  However, I do not agree with any of his political views, it was still a move in the right direction for race relations and equality. I did feel that when Obama was elected that racism would be less of an issue in America, but situations seem to have become worse. According to Wise, the criminal justice system is the most unequal factor for African Americans. There are more black people in jail now than were enslaved in 1850.

THEN



NOW

Baltimore City Riots

      I have been following the Baltimore City, Maryland riots for the past few days now and I have to say the actions of the rioters have been quite upsetting. I understand the African Americans' frustration with police brutality and the racial bias that comes along with this situation, although I feel the actions that have been shown from this ordeal are extremely immoral and unjust. It is one thing to peacefully assemble, which is anyone's god-given right under the First Amendment, but physically harming police officers and innocent bystanders is by no means they way to get your point across. It is unfortunate for these people to be victimized for something they shared no part in. Another issue that bothers me is that, besides the violence, these rioters are breaking into local businesses and looting everything in sight. Martin Luther King Jr. was a peaceful and just protester who abided by the law and eventually his goals of integration were reached. I think he would be outraged to find that these young men and women are resorting to violence and stealing just because they feel that they are entitled to it. The most troubling instance of all was when a fire was set to an assisted living community for the elderly. To make matters worse, when firefighters tried to put out the flames, protesters cut holes in the fire hose. This is absolutely ridiculous, it is not solving anything, and now there are elderly men and women who do not have a place to live because some juveniles burned it to the ground. I hope for everyone involved sakes that these riots end peacefully without anymore innocent people being harmed in the process.

Bakke Case

      In 1973 and 1974 a white male, Bakke, applied to medical school at University of California at Davis. He was turned away because of his age, which was 35 at the time; however, his accomplishments were exemplary. He had a GPA of 3.51 and he was also a National Merit's Scholar. He sued under the 14th amendment, specifically the use of affirmative action under the equal protection clause. Black males were admitted who did not have as high test scores as Bakke. He believes he was discriminated against because of his age, which is not fair. The school claims to want, "the best and the brightest," but he was turned away. The minimum GPA requirement was only a 2.5. He was a veteran who wanted to pursue a degree in higher education, which he was extremely qualified for. The university claims that they are trying to provide a compelling interest of diversity among its students; however, does the program achieve this goal? I believe not because while the university may be helping achieve diversity with blacks, they are discriminating against other parties. Yes, Bakke may be of an older age, but he was fighting for our country while other applicants may have had the opportunity to receive their education at an early age. I feel that this is unfair because here is a man who fought for our country, he is extremely qualified to be a medical student at this university, and he is denied just because he may be a little bit older than the rest of the students. He beat out 16 other minorities, mostly African American,  in terms of qualifications, grades, and test scores. There is a discrepancy making society more "racially acceptable," by accepting more black doctors than that of picking the doctors that are going to be the best qualified for the field.

Klansville USA

    After watching this documentary, I am no aware of how the KKK started. I had no clue that it was originally just like a fraternity and meant to be a joke. They would dress up in "elaborate" costumes and go around scaring freed slaves into thinking they were ghosts of Confederate generals. Once people saw the reaction of the freed slaves, they realized their fear could allow the whites to take control over the blacks once again. In small, rural South Carolina there wasn't a lot to do in the 1960s, so people would be thrilled to go to klan rallies and participate in all the activities they had. It wasn't hard to get whites to join the KKK and many of the people found it easy, considering their children were being integrated into schools with other black children. Many parents resisted this idea. Bob Jones was the most successful Grand Dragon in the KKK, as he was a native of Salisbury, North Carolina and he had a chapter of members 10,000 strong. He gained a decent amount of members because they were uneducated and poor white men, who were angry with blacks and wanted to feel superior. He would hold daytime marches in small towns in North Carolina to show he wasn't afraid to show his views. However, wealthier people did not join the klan or openly say that they agreed with it, but they did not mind it as long as it was by the book and didn't cause trouble. Jones did not condone violence, or promote it, but it was known to happen from time to time. Mississippi and Alabama, at this time, were much worse in reference to violence.

German Woman Pregnant at 65

     In Berlin, Germany there is news of a 65-year-old woman who is now pregnant with quadruplets. This same woman is also the mother to 13 more children. The mother is a Russian and English teacher in Berlin and has been traveling overseas to receive artificial insemination for the last year and a half. These attempts worked, and now the mother is going to have 17 children before the age of 70. In my opinion, this instance is morally wrong because the woman is not a young, vibrant woman that she used to be. She may still be working and very much alive; however, it is not fair to her many children to have to grow up without a mother. I also do not understand how she can afford to feed and clothe all these children on a teacher's salary, even with millions it would be hard to support a family of 17. My father is 60 years old, but he will be able to see my graduate college, unlike the mother of these quadruplets. Also, I do not think that it can be healthy for a woman of that age to undergo a birth, much less safe for the babies.

http://news.yahoo.com/german-woman-pregnant-quadruplets-65-reports-134258349.html

Freshman Focus Group

     Yesterday, we were given the opportunity to speak with some of our other freshman peers, as well as some faculty members from High Point University. We were able to touch on a variety of topics while we sat comfortably in the Greek Village Ballroom. There was even a baked potato bar, amongst other goodies, that we became privy to and were able to divulge in. At first, many of my classmates, including myself, were unsure of what we were getting into. However, it turned out to be an enjoyable afternoon and a break from the norm. That is one reason why I really enjoy this school, especially my seminar-style classes. It is not everyday that I get to sit around with people going through the same situations I am struggling with, and freely express how I feel. I thought that I was on my own with some of the things that I felt about HPU, but I was not.
          Many people, just like me, are struggling with the transition between high school and a higher learning setting. Math has always been a struggle for me, but the services we have in place are quite remarkable. I was not alone when I mentioned that the amount of support and compassion that the faculty at HPU gives is truly a blessing, and I'm not sure that any other school could make me feel this at home. Even Beth Holder, in her southern accent saying, "Go on, honey, grab another plate," just reminds me of home and my mother. High Point really sealed the deal for me when I had my last ankle surgery during my senior year. I was laid up in bed for about a month. I was already accepted into the University, but the fact that the staff took time out of their busy day to write me a hand written note, on beautiful card stock, and send me a blanket to help provide me with extra comfort during my recovery really touched me. Knowing that the faculty really wanted me as a part of their family was an amazing feeling. One question that was asked at the end of the focus group was, "If you had to do it all over again, would you choose HPU," and everyone in the room had the same answer. We would choose High Point again and again.

Investigation over black man found hanging in a tree in Mississippi

The police investigating the matter were able to identify the victim as Otis Byrd; however, Byrd was convicted of the murder of a woman and spent 30 years in jail, and released just two years prior. He was found hanging from a tree in southwest Mississippi, covered in a sheet for a length of about two weeks. At first, the authorities were not sure if he had committed suicide or if it had been a murder and the death remains undetermined. The NAACP feels that it is a "suspicious hanging death," so they are seeking help from the Justice Department. The FBI is also investigating further into the case.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/03/19/authorities-investigating-death-black-man-found-hanging-from-tree-in/?intcmp=latestnews