Author Archives: al160500

Sane Or Insane?

by al160500

Travis Bickle, an ex-marine, lives in an era that was revolved around prostitution, crime and garbage. He is left alone to battle his own physiological thoughts of what society should really consist of. Being mentally challenged, he comes to the conclusion that there must be a hero to stop the corruption of the society happening in the 1970’s. Bickle believes he is the designated one. Designated one to help Besty and Iris get away from their supposedly “sorrow”, designated one to erase the corruption done by the government, and the designated one to cleanse the sidewalk of the trash.

A scene that depicts this idea was the scene where Bickle decides that it is time to go rescue Iris from her misery. Bickle shoots Sports along with the other two gangsters and gets severely injured in the process. But is it morally right to do so? In his perspective, he is acting as a hero that is trying to protect Iris and lead her down the right path. But in other peoples’ perspective, he might be portrayed as an insane man that is fed up with the chaos of the society and becomes a madman killing people.

New York Times, from The Late Convention of Colored Men (1865)

by al160500

“..yet when you and our immediate oppressors met in deadly conflict upon the field of battle, the one to destroy and the other to save your government and nationality, we, with scare an exception, in our inmost souls espoused your cause, and watched, and prayed, and waited, and labored for your success.”

Despite the hardships and the discrimination that the slaves had to endure from the whites, the slaves were undoubtedly still willing to help the federal government and with two hundred thousand colored troops as evidence it was clear that the slaves were willing to put their lives on the line to help. In return for helping, it is only obvious that the slaves should be granted “freedom”, however this freedom wasn’t exactly the type of freedom the slaves were looking for. Disregarding the slaves’ devotions and their sacrifices, they were left at the mercy of the “subjugated but unconverted rebels.” The only thing the blacks asked for was equality between them and the whites and having acknowledgement of their presence and the right to vote. It is only right to grant them their wish and pass down laws that will be able help them protect themselves.