Choice

Tom Robinson tries to flee from jail, and is shot in the back  17 times as he tries to escape. Rewind. Robinson was a black man living in Maycomb county AL during the 1930's. He had his own family, a job, and children. He was accused of raping white girl Miss Mayella Ewell, and after being tried by a white jury, was found guilty. He awaited his court appeal and then faced penalties of death. Why did he flee, a man with only one good arm, trying to climb over a wall to freedom with armed guards waiting above like silent birds of prey? Did he really have any other option?
At this point in history, blacks are heavily discriminated against, especially in the deep south. Males especially were viewed as sexual predators. A well built man like Tom Robinson walked into his own hearing as a dead man, with a wild chance of being resurrected. For a jury to have reversed its claim, would have been a miracle. Not only would the jury have been going against a white woman’ cries, they would be turning against all the expectations and societal positions that had been placed upon the south by generations worth of  racial discrimination.
Robinson was well aware that the cards weren't  stacked in his favor. He had gone all in; he still had the appeal, but had virtually zero chance of coming out of it with a pardon. His family was suffering along with the highs and lows of his case, and he knew when left to the legal system he could not survive. Could anyone blame him for taking his life into his own hands? What other choice did he really have? He could die in the hands of the court, wait for his appeal and get lynched in the meantime, or he could try and escape and get shot down in the process.
A man like Robinson could not, and would not be content to sit around and wait for his death to arrive, at whatever time was deemed fit by the public. No- he chose to end his life on his own terms, when he was ready, and in a way, threw it back in the systems faces. he let the public see a brutal murder, and ended his own suffering in the most noble way he could, a desperate bid for his freedom.
Because in real life, which would you choose? Its not really much of a choice... Would you sit and wait for you own death? Or would you walk straight to it with as much dignity as you could muster, and never let them know they had won. Because they wont have- you wont give them the satisfaction of killing you.   

MCR CONCERT!!!

All of you our there with awesome musical taste- 

amazing news!!!!!!!!!

MCR is Going on a us tour!!!!!!!!!

killjoys, Make some noise!!!!!

OMG! ITS COLD! (finally!)

well I thought I might just take the time to say: Why on earth do bus drivers drop people off as far as possible from the actual stop? Do they enjoy watching people suffer thought the miserable wind to get to the building for as long as possible? Or is this some bus driver code of ethics?file:///Users/kyle/Desktop/images.jpeg

IMPORTANT UPDATE!!!!!!!!!!!

10 DAYS UNTILL NEW MCR ALBUM IS REALEASED!!!!!!
DANGER DAYS: THE TRUE LIVES OF THE FABUOLUS KILLJOYS
CHECK IT OUT

Information: a Network

With the millions of ways of communication with other people available today, the method that is the oldest and most common during the time period of Jacobs' and many other slaves is now rendered useless with our new faster methods of communication across the country in matters of minutes.
The letter.
            Dead.
                   Extinct.
When we think of the time it takes to send, receive, and respond to a letter we realize that there is more than plenty enough time to lay a trap for a slave. When Jacobs talks of, "receiving this brief letter from Ms. Bruce" the reader realizes how much room for action the time it takes to send a letter allows(206). If the slaves of the time period were aided with modern methods of communication, the more efficient methods theoretically could have created an entire network of information to aid slaves going undetected in their escape, like the Under Ground Railroad, but with more people across the country connected and so much more efficient methods of communication that a slave could have left the state days before the master arrived looking for her there. when several people, "came to inquire about (Jacobs)" living with the Bruces, she narrowly avoids being caught there and being brought back to slavery under the fugitive slave law(202). If she had been at home she would have certainly been brought back against her will. Yet if she had been aided by modern communication, she would not have had to worry about the risk of being found at her house. She simply would be forewarned of peoples' inquiring about her house and would have known not to arrive back at the Bruces' house or would have gone into hiding, depending on the case. With modern technology at their aid, the slaves of the past would have avoided detection and many more would have escaped. The very same ones that were killed in their attempts to escape. The same ones that would have become the societal leaders of today.

Betrayal

When I found out that Mr. Sands has sold Ellen into slavery instead of freeing her I was amazed at the portrayal of white men in the course of the novel. The one man that seemed to be more eloquent and with better moral judgement has betrayed the woman he bore children with! Even though Jacobs claims that there were some kind masters it seems unreal the unfortunate circumstances that one person could have so many betrayals to her. Was this the norm for the time period? Did no one keep their promises to, "emancipate (others)"(172)? This helped reveal to me why she had such a lack of emotion while writing, since this fact was so hard to believe, even with a knowledge of the hardships of the time period. to whites in the north, her story would have seemed so unrealistic it would be tossed aside as a ploy for attention, one that was greatly exaggerated. It continually amazes me to see the trials that Linda Brent goes through with,"daggers into her heart" and her ability to gather her wits and persevere for her childrens' sake(171).

Selfless, or Selfish?

During the course of Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Jacobs and those around her are found to say things, and share opinions and desires that appear to be questionable in judgement. Jacobs sees her child crying herself to sleep on the plantation, trying to survive with out the loving care that a mother gives a child. She sees the heart-wrenching sight and gazes down on her child thinking, "how well it would be for her to never wake up," and never have to endure the trials of slavery as a young woman(89). To someone ignorant to the hardships presented to slaves both on a plantation or in the household, wishing a child to be dead sounds like the most cruel and self-centered thing a mother could say. However, when the reader places themselves in Jacobs' shoes, it is easy to sympathize with Jacobs in her wishes for her children. One would rather see there child dead than suffering the same perils as themselves. This is even reflected in modern society. A parent that regrets something in their own life, will do anything to have their children avoid making the same choice as themselves, and thus avoiding the consequences. When Jacobs first starts to plot on how to escape from slavery without her children, a person ignorant to her circumstances would find her being incredibly selfish, trying to escape to freedom while leaving, " her little, helpless children," in the chains of slavery(93). However when one examines her unique situation, it is easy to side with Jacobs on that as soon as her children are not seen as bargaining chips for Linda Brent herself, they will more likely be released legally, since Jacobs is the one that the Dr. Flint so desperately desires.  As a reader examines the text at a closer look, it's easier to see a little accepted and surprising truth ; in a time of such atrocities, a selfish thought can actually be the selfless path of action

incidents 1:

Linda Brent. Harriet Jacobs.  Go by either name and a reader can find an inside look at the truth and hardships of slavery, especially for women during this time period. But more particularly than just hardships, Jacobs' style of writing conveys a closer look about the actuality of the power between whites and blacks, without claiming that her people were stepped on to the point of abandoning their dreams of freedom. It is striking to read a work written by a slave that places blame not on inability to fight back due to harsh laws and codes from slave holders, but also to the sheer ignorance that many blacks were living in. Because of the stories of poverty and toil that slave owners create for their slaves, many thought it would not be worth while, "to exchange slavery for such a hard  kind of freedom"(43). Jacobs goes on to tell stories of how a woman thought that, "America was governed by a queen to which the president was a subordinate"(45). The ignorance of the people as a whole is shocking, due to no fault of their own, but rather due to the painstaking efforts made by the slave holders to place false views of freedom in their slaves' minds. Jacobs' style of cutting straight to the truth, without emotions to distract from the information she conveys about slaver also sheds new light on the harsh punishments distributed on the slaves. They were jailed, they were hung so scalding fat would drip on to their bare skin. Slaves were murdered blatantly, whipped without clothes, and bloodhounds would literally rip the flesh from their bodies. Most surprising is that of the punishments that women slave holders inflicted on their slaves. Some of the women masters whipped more cruelly than the the men, and would sell slaves across the coast to split apart families. Jacobs' emotionless style of writing reveals a surprising, and harsh reality to slavery that was otherwise unknown.

from beyond the sprinkles

hey world! so you know how every thing has sugar coating on it? And i don't mean actually sugar (although that would be nice)... I'm talking about reality. like everyone thinks one thing but are completely oblivious to the truth? like how rumors get started about one kid and then the whole school turns on them, but the kid had nothing to do with it, and the rumors are entirely untrue? well life really needs to be looked at a little closer by a whole lot of people... its like sprinkles (if you have the same weird obsession with them as i do... if not is more like frosting...) you can have a cardboard box and if u put enough sprinkles on it ( or frosting) it some how becomes edible. for example, take immigration through Ellis Island... yea literature describes America as being able to give everyone an amazing opportunity in life. but very few few people really know what happened there. millions of people's family's were split or turned away because  they couldn't read, or draw a triangle, or they were sick, or even had a limp. the officials there would give the literacy test in Chinese so people couldn't pass, and if someone came through sick they were "taken care of" in the hospital there, but many died in "treatment". the stairs are long gone but when Ellis Island was first operational, the immigrants would have to stand up straight and walk up and down the stairs at the back of the main hallway with out any baggage(so they couldn't disguise a limp). those who didn't pass inspection of  who was going to help sustain American society were turned back and many did not have enough money for the passage back to their homes.

Does This NOT Bother Anyone else??

okay, amazing revelation here!
elementary school: We used GIANT paper with a middle dashed line to help trace letters. We wrote about little Sue sharing with little Johnny. Blah blah blah.
middle school: WE used wide lined paper, and all tried to have giant, preppy, bubbly handwriting. (don't deny it) We thought our sentences were awesome, but they really weren't.
high school: Small lines. (finally) We start to conserve paper and our writing no longer sucks. Our handwriting is just whatever, it's no longer that competition it used to be, and the teachers either can read it or not. 
College: ( I'm seriously starting to suspect a lack of lines on paper... What, do they actually expect our work to be straight on paper like that?)
Life: Hence begins the elimination of all paper....
Parenthood(later life): Here dawns the era of obnoxious sticky-noting things. Like, "Honey please remember to take this with you" or, "oh you left this here at home" and best of all," ______ please remember to flush the toilet!" Best of all, they are all singed, Mom.


America: I charge you. DONT BE STICKY- NOTERS!!!!!!

Education, A System

So our school system is supposed to be one of the best in the state. And maybe that's true. But it defiantly doesn't live up to the standards we have created. Ever since the no child left behind act in 2004, its been our schools' duty and responsibility to provide the support and care that will allow every student to succeed. Yes, we have magnet and CAP, and all kinds of special programs that boost those kids that want to take on the challenge before college. But what about those kids with learning disabilities? They deserve that same level of support as those who want to push themselves. They are kids too, and just as important. Yet most schools refuse to accept that they are REQUIRED BY LAW to provide for these kids. Whether its testing accommodations, smaller classes, or tutoring and computer privileges, or even just understanding and support. Yet, teachers have NO PATIENCE for these kids. Half the teachers in the county don't even know what these disorders are! And the other students? Almost any person you meet will be completely ignorant to those people with learning disabilities hardships, calling them stupid, or messed up behind their backs. It's those kids who sit alone with no one to talk to at lunch, and the students are ignorant to their pain, but they are not the only ones to blame. The teachers and administration make virtually NO EFFORT to inform their students and staff of the real hardships. imagine this: you are only 8 years old and have been told you have ADHD, and barely know what this means except that it makes you different. Your parents want to help you, so they switch you to a new public school, one of the only ones in the county with smaller classes and a special ed program. well you get really excited but then a week before school starts, you call to find out the school supplies list and the school informs your parents that you were never registered in their program, your file has been completely lost, and they refuse to take you  back into the program as a late entree because, "they simply cant find teacher willing to expand their class size". So you, the innocent and confused 8 year old don't get to go to your older siblings school like you always wanted to. You don't start school like all your friends. 2 months later you are enrolled in a private school an hour away from your house. You never see your friends because they live so far away. And this is your new routine, because your county refuses to accept you back into the system. THIS IS A REAL LIFE EXAMPLE!!!! This is happening all over the state. AND IT'S NOT THE KIDS FAULT!!! In an ideal world, schools would embrace this part of diversity, not just heritage. In an ideal world, kids wouldn't put that kind of peer pressure on each other to shun those kids born with learning disabilities. In an ideal world, teachers would modify assignments to reflect the students capabilities. And in an ideal world, the administration would accept these kids that may not help the schools test scores, and may not be the easiest kids to teach, because its the right thing to do. Because, by the way county board leaders, THIS IS REQUIRED BY THE LAW!!!!

Welcome people of earth, saturn, mars, and anyone else who can read and use a computer!!