Kneeling during the National Anthem?

The most controversial conflict prevailing in our country today is what is considered the right thing to do. Colin Kaepernick is a perfect example. Those of you, who don’t know about Kaepernick, he is a famous football player for the NFL team, the San Francisco 49ers. Around the globe, he has been known as the football player who knelt down during the national anthem. The reason for kneeling down was because of the inequality and the injustice oppressing the colored people. At that explicit moment, the right thing to do in his mind was having the strength to kneel down during the national anthem to stand up for what he believes in which is equality for all. He wanted to make a political statement and the only way he could think of was at a stadium where thousands of people can watch and witness his power to make a change in this world. The right in this situation was standing up and protecting what you love.

So what’s considered the right thing to do in our country? No one thinks alike and if we did then we would not be considered one of the greatest countries in the world. Everyone has different opinions on what is considered the right thing. It all depends on the person’s morals and values. We are all unique which is what makes us all special in our own way. But these differences have also caused many conflicts between us.

So what is the true story behind the kneeling down of Kaepernick? As you may know racial injustice has been spreading around the country like a virus. The battle between blacks and the police has been an uproaring conflict. The trust and respect for the colored people has always been questioned no matter who they might be. A victim who has suffered of this injustice and police brutality was Terence Crutcher. He was an unarmed man when he was shot by the police while his hands were up in the air. A thirteen year old boy named, Tyre King, was also shot several times because of a $10 robbery. These two victims are perfect representations of what our world is becoming into. Black people have suffered and are continuing to suffer because of the lack of value and trust that is being placed on them. The brutal violence and hatred that is being repelled onto them has caused tension between us and rising objectives on how to deal with this situation.

With every conquest there comes challenges. Kaepernick’s protest to the inequality in this world did not turn the way he expected it to go. There were many controversies to him kneeling down during the national anthem during an American favorite sport. Many thought it was a disrespect to America and to those who are sacrificing their lives to protect this country. But the only thing he was trying to do was make a political statement for those that he loves. As a leader he wanted to make a stand to his beliefs and because of this decision many other leaders around the country are also following in his footsteps. For example, Michael Bennett knelt during the anthem as well since he assaulted by the police for just looking suspicious. Many believed he was not doing the right thing. I myself, believe that Kaepernick did do the right thing as a well known person. The power and fame that he has will help him better to make a difference in the world. If he didn’t take advantage of the power he has then what would it make him as a person. If he was a stranger in the streets making the same political statements then nobody would ever notice him. So as the someone who actually has the courage and voice to convert the injustice to the just, he was doing the right thing for the people.

Everyone has different perspectives of what is considered to be the right thing. You should respect the actions and words of those who are just trying to make a change on those who are oppressed. We must respect others' decisions of "doing the right thing."At the end of the day doing something is better than just sitting in silence.

Even Former President Barack Obama respected Kaepernick's decision of doing the right thing!

Do The Right Thing

Lisette Pelaez
English 1101
September 7, 2017
Prof. Young

In the Script, Do the Right Thing, by Spike Lee it demonstrates the tension between the different racial groups. During the 1980’s and even before that time, many citizens who were not considered Americans, experienced stereotypical issues. Specifically, the African Americans suffered more from political brutality than any other ethnic group. The blacks were treated unequally by the police. For example, in the script, Radio Raheem died because the cops began to kick him like a sack of potatoes while he laid on the ground, which caused his life to be taken away. When this occurred, the police became the public enemy and riots started to burst out towards the community. Causing the disproportion of peace, within the town, to be destroyed. Like what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Violence destroys the community and makes brotherhood impossible.” This quote perfectly sums up the aftermath of the boycott that occurred in the script. When the fight between Sal and Radio Raheem began, the cops showed up and they only initiated action towards the Radio Raheem and Buggin' Out. But the strength of six cops was not enough to stop Radio Raheem from killing Sal, so one of the cops decided to choke hold him which ended up killing him. After the death of Radio Raheem everyone’s anger exploded towards the community. Specifically, the black people went against others who were not considered the same as them, like the Koreans and the Italians. Mookie decided to hurl a garbage can through the glass window of Sal’s Pizzeria, which is where he works. The rest of the crowd followed in his footsteps and destroyed the entire business by putting it up in flames. They did not stop there, instead they decided to go against the Korean Store Owner. The black community was tired of getting unequal treatment and for once they decided to defend their honor. Since the police never seems to touch the other racial groups, they decided to take action in their own hands. By taking these actions they thought they were doing the right thing, which is defending what they love. But all this aggression and violence is just destroying the community rather than uniting it together. One thing that Dr. Martin Luther King said, that stood out to me was, “Violence creates bitterness in the survivors and brutality in the destroyers.” The survivors in this script is the community, who witnessed the killing of Radio Raheem and the destroyers are the policemen who allowed this to happen. With all the rage that expanded in the black community, the police enforcements decided to use violence to stop them. They sprayed them with fire hoses, to silence the crowd instead of finding another solution. The characters in the script like, Mookie, Radio Raheem, and Buggin’ Out thought violence was the answer but it did not solve anything. Specifically, at the end of the script, Radio Raheem did think violence was the only answer. When Sal broke his most prized possession, the boombox, he went all crazy and put his hands around Sal's neck until he wasn't breathing anymore. I think when it comes too protecting something you love, in this script, violence seems to be the first thing that pops into their heads. At the end of the day, violence is never the answer to anything. No matter how hard the situation may be, there is always a better solution to resolve it. In my opinion, violence is not doing the right thing. Like what Dr. Martin Luther King says, violence comes from hatred and these characters fought because of their disgust towards police brutality and the unequal treatment of the people.

First Week of College

Lisette Pelaez
English 1100
September 3, 2017
Prof. Young

My first week of college was a great experience. There were some bumps throughout the journey but overall I am enjoying the classes, especially since it is benefiting my career as a nurse. The first three days were rough. When I was alone in my room with nothing to do, my eyes would just start watering and I just could not hold back the tears. Transitioning from high school to college was obviously not an easy process for me. I miss the friendly relationship I had with my English teacher and the similar faces I would see everyday in the hallways, even if I did not know them. It is difficult for me to open up to someone new and I think this flaw has stopped me from blossoming in college. One good thing about going to Fairleigh Dickinson is that I have some friends from high school going to the same university. Some of them have also experienced some troubles fitting into college so it is nice knowing someone who has similar feelings about college as me. It is a comfortable feeling that I can talk to someone freely and burst out my feelings and worries. But I know that as time goes by I will be much more content and happy about school. One thing I love the most about college are my classes. I especially like my anatomy class because I find it so interesting learning about the human body and the way it works to keep us alive. College is an exciting experience because I will

be able to finally study what I like since it will be helping my career. Hopefully, as I mature into a better and wiser person, I will be able to call this place my second home.