Thursday, September 29, 2016

Exploration Four From John Link

In viewing "Ain't Scared of Your Jails" I observed a peculiar yet familiar theme through the documentary. The motivation of fear has a powerful presence throughout the the 60's time period. This fear of change was a major motivating factor for the large opposition that faced the civil rights movement. The fear of change and difference is an underlying fear most humans share. I believe with the rise of active protests the white communities of the south began to fear of the change that the protests were fighting for would change over 200 years of tradition in the south. This fear led to violent responses in some communities which ironically pushed the movement farther along. However the motivation of fear was not only present in the white communities but also with the black community and the protests who were fighting for change. Although trained in non-violence the threat of violence against them instilled fear within the protester. They used and overcame this fear to propel themselves forward in their beliefs.



Z. Alexander Looby was a well educated man originally from Antigua in the  British West Indies, he moved to the US in 1914. He attended several colleges and was a professor at Fisk University. In 1929 he began to practice law and became a strong local leader for the African-American civil rights movement. Most known for defending the SNCC students who participated in the sit ins local retaliatory whites dynamited his house. Miraculously, he and his wife survived with little to no harm despite the power of the blast. He continued to push for equal right especially after the Brown v. Board of Education Case. He passed away in 1972 the age of 73


In The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien The authors describes many quick stories as well as a few longer ones in order to describe the scene as well as create a sort of gateway for the reader to develop an emotional connection. The short stories develop the scene so that the reader can understand the atmosphere, while the longer stories create the emotional connection.

4 comments:

  1. It is crazy to think that nobody wanted change because they were scared of it. You are right fear of change is big reason the civil rights movement was so difficult. Even though it was the obvious right thing to do it when you stopped and looked at it. Looby is an interesting guy as well. He was a silent hero in the movement, and his job was one of the most important. With everyone in jail there couldn't have been a movement.

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  2. It is crazy that his house was bombed and no one got hurt, they were lucky in that situation.

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  3. Do you believe the theme of fear was due to the shear idea of change and how people would view another persons character or because the fear of what change could bring?

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  4. Great to hear about people that continue to stand up for what they believe, even in the face of direct retaliation and violence.

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