Author Archives: KEVIN

Inequality is Rubbish

by KEVIN

“The law cannot do it for us. We must do it for ourselves. Women in this country must become revolutionaries. We must refuse to accept the old, the traditional roles and stereotypes…. We must replace the old, negative thoughts about our femininity with positive thoughts and positive action…”

Shirley Chisholm was a black Congresswoman during the 1970s, when she decided gender inequality could no longer be tolerated. It was no longer acceptable for women to be treated merely as housewives, trophies or human beings without the ability to decide what she can do. If men were able to do whatever they desired, then why shouldn’t women do the same? Due to the unequal treatment, many women fought for laws to be written in order to equalize the playing field for both genders. But, Chisholm believed that actions speak louder than words and that in order to change how women are treated, women must defy the stereotype that society has created for them and create a new view for women.

To further the push for female equality, English suffragette Christabel Pankhurst said:

“Remember the dignity
of your womanhood.
Do not appeal,
do not beg,
do not grovel.
Take courage
join hands,
stand beside us.
Fight with us. …”

Before women could fight for equal treatment, Pankhurst believed that they should start by fighting for their bodies. Men would view young women as “sex plaything”, pregnant women as “helpless”, and middle aged and old women as discardable items that were no longer beautiful. In order to change this view, Pankhurst believed that women should stand up for themselves and have confidence in themselves no matter what situation they face. By doing so, they will be able to break free from the “biological prison” that had been created by men and society in order to keep women as caged helpless creatures that were reliant on men.

Zinn includes these individuals because like the others, they demonstrate that it was time for the inequality that women had to face to be abolished. Zinn includes these women because they come from different ethnic backgrounds and yet they both fought for the same belief; the belief that although women were biologically different from men, their thoughts and actions were just as powerful as those from a man. If they were just as capable as a man, then they should be treated the same and so they demanded change.

 

Square or Just Another Polygon?

by KEVIN

“God, you’re square.”

After listening to Travis’ lecture on what the correct thing is, the only reply that Iris has for Travis is one sentence stating that he is a four-sided polygon with no interesting features. Through her one line reply, we can tell that Iris thinks of Travis as a boring man and that he has no authority in deciding what is best for her. For someone who believes that she is independent and capable of doing whatever she wants, Iris refuses to listen to anything he says. But, what does a twelve year old prostitute and runaway know about real independence and the true nature of life in the city? Certainly after running away from her parents and dropping out of school, she believes that she has demonstrated independence, but she is sorely mistaken.

By running off to the city, Iris wants to demonstrate her newfound independence by taking care of herself and finding a better life than the one she left. But, there isn’t much that a twelve year old girl can do in a big city like NYC that was filled with drugs, junkies, and other scum in the 1970’s. In such a corrupted society, Iris falls victim to the Sports, a man whose only concerns include money and sex, and uses prostitution as her own method of earning some pocket change. She genuinely believes that Sports loves her and that he does everything he can for her own good, but he is actually limiting her independence and corrupting her soul and body.

During the final scene, Travis decides to take away Iris’ false sense of independence and she returns to her family. After leaving the corrupted society, it is unclear what exactly has happened afterwards, but through her parents’ letter, she seems to have changed for the better and have become truly independent.

Jourdon Anderson, Letter to My Old Master (1865)

by KEVIN

“Our earnings would amount to $11,680. Add to this the interest for the time our wages been kept back and deduct what you paid for our clothing and three doctor’s visits to me, and pulling a tooth for Mandy, and the balance will show what we are entitled to. “

After the Civil War had ended, the idea of paying for what used to be free labor was too absurd for former Confederates to accept. But, for these ex-masters, who have grown accustomed to having others work for them, work seemed like an impossible task. So, masters like Colonel P.H Anderson would attempt to coerce their former slaves with promises that they would be treated better than how they were treated in the past. But, how much of their old master’s words are true? Probably none.

The Blacks were humans and not “property”, so they do not deserve the same treatment that they received in the past. For Jourdon Anderson, his ex-master pointed a gun at him and if it weren’t for the neighbor, Jourdon would not have been able to write this reply. So, it is hard imagining someone like Colonel P.H Anderson to be able to offer a better life to someone who he almost killed. Naturally Jourdon Anderson suspects this offer and decides that he will not answer until Colonel P.H Anderson shows that he is sincere by paying off the debt that he owes Jourdon and his wife. So, if the former Confederates are truly sorry for what they have done in the past, then such steps are necessary as an apology.