Racism Runs Wild

In response to: Zootopia

The movie Zootopia was released in 2016, it’s about a “mammal metropolis where various animals live and thrive. When Judy Hopps becomes the first rabbit to join the police force, she quickly learns how tough it is to enforce the law. Determined to prove herself, Judy jumps at the opportunity to solve a mysterious case. Unfortunately, that means working with Nick Wilde, a wily fox who makes her job even harder.”(1). The movie focuses on racism and makes several points about the prejudices between the relationship of ‘predator and prey’. It tells a story to a young audience, putting forth the way people, or in this case animals, are treated unfairly based on their race/species. Zootopia is a play on words saying that ideally it would be a utopia where everyone, even predator/prey can co-exist in peace.

There are many instances that prove this to be true.They address slurs, “Judy Hopps: [Approaches reception desk where Clawhauser is munching on cereal] Excuse me... Down here... Hi.

Clawhauser: O. M. Goodness, they really did hire a bunny. Ho-whop! I gotta tell you, you're even cuter than I thought you'd be.

Judy Hopps: Ooh, ah, you probably didn't know, but a bunny can call another bunny 'cute', but when other animals do it, that's a little...

Clawhauser: [Mortified] Hoo, I'm so sorry! Me, Benjamin Clawhauser, the guy everyone thinks is just a flabby donut-loving cop stereotyping you.”(2). They mention prejudices people face due to their race, “Young Nick: [Undergoing cub-scout initiation by flashlight] I - Nicholas Wilde - promise to be brave, loyal, helpful, and trustworthy!

Beaver Cub-Scout: Even though... you're a fox?

Young Nick: What?

[Flashlight goes out and Nick is tackled to the ground]

Young Nick: No! NO! What did I do wrong, you guys? Help! Please, what did I do wrong? What did I do?

[a muzzle is forced onto him]

Young Nick: NO!

Beaver Cub-Scout: You thought we could ever trust a fox without a muzzle? You're even dumber than you look!

[Nick rushes outside and hides behind the steps of the building]

Beaver Cub-Scout: Aww, is he gonna cry?

[Nick struggles to remove the muzzle, finally succeeding and throwing it away

from him, struggling to hold back his tears]”(3). The creators even said that they based the film around oppression and racism, “During research, the filmmakers learned that, in nature, prey mammals outnumber predators, despite the latter group generally being considered the dominant species. In response, the story was tailored to center the relationship between the "predator and prey" group, while reflecting modern day society by having the story serve as an allegory for racism and prejudice.”(4).

When doing research for the movie, the makers looked at the way animals react in  predator/ prey relationships and compared them to human events like the Civil Rights Movement and dehumanization of POC. “Many of the events in the movie reflect events that occurred during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s:

• Gazelle's protest to return Zootopia to its ordinary state reflects the various nonviolent protests that occurred throughout this era.
• The prejudice that the ZPD (particularly Chief Bogo) had against smaller and 'weaker' prey mammals (until Judy Hopps' triumph for the ZPD) is similar to the racism against African-Americans during this era.
• At the beginning of the film, Jerry Jumbeaux Jr. states that his establishment has the right to "...refuse service to anyone." "We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone" was commonly found in public areas such as restaurants during this era.”(5)
  

They show characters that are in perpetuating the racism that is happening at hand and has malicious intent with her plan, Bellwether for instance, “Bellwether: Think of it. 90% of the population united against a common enemy. We'll be unstoppable!”(6). There are characters who are protesters who show their morality in actions and are avid supporters of equality. Gazelle, a pop-star in Zootopia, is well known for her ideological views, “Gazelle: Zootopia is a unique place. It's a crazy, beautiful, diverse city, where we celebrate our differences. This is not the Zootopia I know. The Zootopia I know is better than this. We don't just blindly assign blame. We don't know why these attacks keep happening. But it is irresponsible to label all predators as savages. We cannot let fear divide us. Please, give me back the Zootopia I love.”(7).

In the movie the main character Judy Hopps is a small farm bunny who became a big city cop, she faces ridicule for being ‘prey’ in a stereotypical predator position. Animals of prey have a reputation of being weak, but in her tough times of being the new cop on the block she shows how strong she is. Throughout the movie she faces hardships when things don’t go to plan, at first she is denied the cases because of her 'race' but after she proved what she is capable of the police chief, Chief Bogo, dubiously assigned her the case. Later on in the movie she has to face repercussions of media reacting to her claims, ”Judy Hopps: I came here to make the world a better place, but I think I broke it. Chief Bogo: The world has always been broken. That's why we need good cops.”. The saying “The world has always been broken”(8) is a really powerful line, the world we know is based on broken bones and broken rules. We need good cops and leaders to keep things in the best shape they can be in. There have been many instances where the police aren't doing what is best for the people, they respond in a hostile manner and when people respond with the intent of self- preservation, it ends badly for them. There have been huge social moments (Black Lives Matter) in the last few years around the police brutality and treatment of POC. The implication of these movements in this movie are strong and they do a good job of summing up the complexity of these to a younger audience.

In the end, there’s one quote that stands out, “Judy Hopps: I thought this city would be a perfect place where everyone got along and anyone could be anything. Turns out, life's a little bit more complicated than a slogan on a bumper sticker. Real life is messy. We all have limitations. We all make mistakes. Which means, hey, glass half full, we all have a lot in common. And the more we try to understand one another, the more exceptional each of us will be. But we have to try. So no matter what kind of person you are, I implore you: Try. Try to make the world a better place. Look inside yourself and recognize that change starts with you.”(9). In this quote she comes to the realization that the world isn't perfect. But she acknowledges the fact that we can still make the best of what we have, that means that we have to try, try to treat each other with equality and try to make the world the best it can be.

Work Cited:
1: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2948356/plotsummary
2: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2948356/quotes
3: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2948356/quotes
4: http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/Zootopia#cite_ref-Imagining_23-1
5: http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/Zootopia#cite_ref-Imagining_23-1
6: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2948356/quotes
7: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2948356/quotes
8: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2948356/quotes
9: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2948356/quotes

Unstable Structures Come Crashing Down

In response to: Let It All Fall Down by James Taylor

“Sing a song for the wrong and the wicked and the strong and the sick, as thick as thieves.

For the faceless fear that was never so near, too clear to misbelieve.

Well the sea is jumping salty and the porpoise has the blues,

my recollection's faulty and I cannot find my shoes.

And my wiring is misfiring due to cigarettes and booze,

I'm behind in my dues, I just now got the news.

He seems to tell us lies and still we will believe him,

then together he will lead us into darkness, my friends.”

In this section of the song the artist talks about how everything is mixed up and nothing makes sense, this seems to be referring to world in general but also the government. It talks about how his “wiring is misfiring due to cigarettes and booze” which is talking about people’s reactions to mind altering substances and other addictive recreational drugs how that can change how our bodies works in certain circumstances. “He seems to tell us lies and still we will believe him, then together he will lead us into darkness, my friends.” refers to the government, the president in particular, and states that the government lies to us and could be leading us down a dark path.

“Let it fall down, let it fall down, let it all fall down.

Let it fall down, let it fall down, let it all fall down.”

This passage is saying to let it all fall down, let the corrupt infrastructure fall down.

“The man says stand to one side, son, we got to keep this big ball rolling.

It's just a question of controlling for whom the bell is tolling.”

This is referring to government, and our party system, to stand to one side, and vote to keep our government in it's best condition and keep “the ball”, America, rolling. “It's just a question of controlling for whom the bell is tolling”, this passage could be talking about a few things, one of which could be controlling the american people and who that consists of.

“Let it fall down, let it fall down, let it all fall down.

Let it fall down, let it fall down, let it all fall down.”

“There'll be suffering and starvation in the streets, young man.

Just where have you been, old man? Just look out of your window, man.”

This section seems to be reaching out to people from different generations. To the young man, saying that if they elect the wrong choice there could be bad outcomes like suffering and starvation. To the old man, saying that this has happened before and to learn from the past, saying where have you been, is them saying we’ve been through this haven't you been paying attention? And “just look out your window man ensues that everyone, regardless of age, needs to wake up and see what's happening around them.

“Let it fall down, let it fall down, let it all fall down.

Let it fall down, let it fall down, let it all fall down.”

“Well, it ain't nobody's fault but our own,

still, at least we might could show the good sense

To know when we've been wrong, and it's already taken too long.

So we bring it to a stop then we take it from the top,

we let it settle on down softly like your gently falling snow

or let it tumble down and topple like the temple long ago.”

By saying in the first part of this verse that it's our own fault, the artist is talking about how our actions heavily impacted the events at hand and how we can take blame for it.It says “we might could show the good sense

To know when we've been wrong, and it's already taken too long.” and that's talking about how we are partly to blame and we should have come clean and taken the responsibility but we have taken too long to come to that conclusion. For the second part of that verse it's saying that when we try to fix our actions we do it one of two ways, we either take is slow and gently or we blow the whole thing up out of proportion and everything goes poorly. With the choice of either option, we end up with one result, the decimation of our 'unstable structures'.

“Let it fall down, let it fall down, let it all fall down.

Let it fall down, let it fall down, let it all fall down.“


Work Cited: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/jamestaylor/letitallfalldown.html

Heaven Is Only For Followers

 In response to: The Harder They Come by Jimmy Cliff

“Well they tell me of a pie up in the sky

Waiting for me when I die

But between the day you're born and when you die

They never seem to hear even your cry”

In this section of the song it’s talking about heaven and how according to some religions you go to heaven when you die. But “between the day you’re born and when you die they never seem to hear even your cry” tells about how once you're alive people never seem to care about you or justice for people who have been wronged.

“So as sure as the sun will shine

I'm gonna get my share now of what's mine

And then the harder they come

The harder they'll fall, one and all

Ooh the harder they come

The harder they'll fall, one and all”

I’m gonna get my share now of what’s mine,meaning justice and freedom from oppression placed upon them, they are going to confiscate what is theirs. And for “the harder they come

The harder they'll fall, one and all” says the more force they put into keeping people oppressed the worse the outcome for the oppressors will be.

“Well the oppressors are trying to keep me down

Trying to drive me underground

And they think that they have got the battle won

I say forgive them Lord

They know not what they've done”

When the song says “the oppressors are trying to keep me down, trying to drive me underground” it means they (the oppressors) are trying to keep him quiet, get him to stop, surrender, get him to ‘go underground’. And when it says “they think they have got this battle won, I say forgive me Lord, They know not what they’ve done” it's talking about when the oppressors think they have ‘won’ but in reality they have made the initial problem worse with their actions.

“So as sure as the sun will shine

I'm gonna get my share now of what's mine

And then the harder they come

The harder they'll fall, one and all

Ooh the harder they come

The harder they'll fall, one and all”

This verse is just repeating the chorus

“And I keep on fighting for the things I want

Though I know that when you're dead you can't

But I'd rather be a free man in my grave

Than living as a puppet or a slave”

This section talks about how how he’s going to keep fighting and rebelling even though the outcome may not be positive. He would rather die fighting for freedom than live “as a puppet or a slave”. He would die for a cause he’s passionate about,than live the oppressed life of a grunt.

“So as sure as the sun will shine

I'm gonna get my share now of what's mine

And then the harder they come

The harder they'll fall, one and all

Ooh the harder they come

The harder they'll fall, one and all

Yeah, the harder they come,

The harder they'll fall one and all”

Work Cited: 

How Long Will It Take Us To Realize We Are Fighting Ourselves?

In response to: How Long by Jackson Browne

“When you look into a child's face

And you're seeing the human race

And the endless possibilities there

Where so much can come true

And you think of the beautiful things

A child can do”

Introduction of the song talks about the endless possibilities of children, children are untouched, Innocent, and capable of great things. They represent us as a race and what we as humans can do. The beauty that comes from an innocent child is in unable to be matched by adults. No matter what side of the war the child happens to lie on.

“How long would the child survive

How long if it was up to you”

These children have the potential to live a better life. And that potential life depends on other people whether that be parents, politicians, or you.

“When you think about the money spent

On defense by a government

And the weapons of destruction we've built

We're so sure that we need

And you think of the millions and millions

That money could feed”

The stance of the song is talking about how we waste our money on war. On something that is unavoidable to an extent, something that causes so much harm and so little good. “The weapons of destruction is built, we're so sure that we need” does anyone really need weapons of destruction? We spend so many of our resources, whether that be money, people, or time, on war. The song says think of the millions and millions that money could feed. Reminding us of the starving/children in need stated earlier and yes, starving children is a good prompt for people to realize that war is bad but there are other reasons that should prompt you too. Those resources that are going into weapons and if you mission and propaganda could all have been put to better use.

“How long can you hear someone crying

How long can you hear someone dying

Before you ask yourself why?

And how long will we hear people speaking

About missiles for peace

And just let it go by

How long will they tell us these weapons

Are keeping us free

That's a lie”.

We're looking at this from a very emotional and human perspective in the song. How on can you handle the thought of someone crying or die before you stop and think why are we letting this happen. These children that are dying, aren't always American, they're not always on “our side” but does that change anything. Did describing the child's race change the fact that this child is starving. In the end we’re all just people. People fighting people. “ how long will they tell us weapons are keeping us free that's a lie” We tell ourselves that we're at war to keep ourselves free. Free from what, who? Those change the fact that we're just fighting ourselves doesn't.

“If you saw it from a satellite

With its green and its blue and white

The beauty of the curve of the earth

And its oceans below

You might think that it's turning

But it's turning so slow”

We are fighting ourselves and we're destroying our planet in the process. From faraway you see beauty, you see the earth, “with it's green and it's blue and white” you see the simplicity of the complexity all at once; the same thing you see when you look at a child. “You might think that it's turning but it's turning so slow” this is the same as children growing and learning also slow but inching along all the same.

“How long can you hear someone crying

How long can you hear someone dying

Before you ask yourself why?

And how long will it be 'till we've turned

To the tasks and the skills

That we'll have to have learned

If we're going to find our place in the future

And have something to offer

Where this planet's concerned

How long?”

What's That Sound? Oh It's a Quiet Rebellion.

In response to: For what it's worth by buffalo Springfield

“There's something happening here

What it is ain't exactly clear

There's a man with a gun over there

Telling me I got to beware”

This song seems to be talking about how when the war started people kind of gazed over it and then when people became aware protest broke out from the young people who were getting enlisted in the war. But then they butted heads with people who were supporters or sympathizers of the soldiers/war. It talks about paranoia and the riots between the two and how if you “step out of line, the man come and take you away”.

“I think it's time we stop, children, what's that sound

Everybody look what's going down”. This is the artist kind of pointing out  that they’re enlisting people who are more than not, children. Children who need to know what's going on.

“There's battle lines being drawn

Nobody's right if everybody's wrong

Young people speaking their minds

Getting so much resistance from behind”

This stanza of the song is talking about it from the young people's point of view, the protesters, the ones seeing that the war isn't the answer and nobody's doing right if all everybody is doing is wrong. And the resistance from behind is the backlash to get you for protesting against something that has always been the norm.

“ it's time we stop, hey, what's that sound Everybody look what's going down” by saying it's time we stop, everybody look, it's saying stop what you're doing and look what's happening. Look at what's going on around you, the lives people are living. “What's that sound”could be interpreted a few ways, maybe it's the sounds of the protesters or the sounds of the rallies  in the streets, maybe it's the sounds of the war.

“What a field day for the heat

A thousand people in the street

Singing songs and carrying signs

Mostly say, hooray for our side”

The lines of thousand people in the street singing songs and carrying signs mostly saying hooray for our side, are talking about the people who are for the war movement. The ones rallying in favor of the soldiers, the ones opposite of the protesters from the last stanza.

“It's time we stop, hey, what's that sound Everybody look what's going down” this part repeats throughout the song, maybe it's to fit the structure of the song, or maybe it's to draw attention to the statement, to your attention to the fact that people need to wake up and look around and see what's happening.

“Paranoia strikes deep

Into your life it will creep

It starts when you're always afraid

You step out of line, the man come take you away”

This talks about the paranoia that people experienced from always being afraid, afraid that if they speak out or “step out of line” they'll be taken away.

“We better stop, hey, what's that sound

Everybody look what's going down

Stop, hey, what's that sound

Everybody look what's going down

Stop, now, what's that sound

Everybody look what's going down

Stop, children, what's that sound

Everybody look what's going down”

Silver Spoons Can't Save Them All

In response to: Fortunate Son by Creedence Clearwater Revival

The song Fortunate Son by Creedence Clearwater revival is about when draft season for the Vietnam war came around people could avoid being drafted by being in school. Anyone who wasn't in college was drafted and the song is talking about how not everyone is fortunate enough afford that.

“Some folks are born, made to wave the flag

Ooo, they're red, white and blue

And when the band plays "Hail to the Chief"

Ooo, they point the cannon at you, Lord”. This part of the song talks about how some people were happy to fight in the war and when asked were willing to go out and fight for their country.

The song says “It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no senator's son, son

It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no fortunate one, no” thus stating that the person of which the songs point of view is told from isn't someone who wants to go to war, but since they're not in school and they can't afford to do that they have no choice. The line, I ain't no senator’s son, Talks about how senators and politicians had enough money to where they could pay off their child’s enlistment or pay for them to go to school to avoid being enlisted.

“Some folks are born, silver spoon in hand

Lord, don't they help themselves, y'all

But when the taxman comes to the door

Lord, the house looks like a rummage sale, yeah”. This section of the song talks about how the people who are fortunate enough to have their enlistments basically paid off are born expecting that. They are born “ Silver spoon in hand” meaning they are used to privilege. “They help themselves” meaning they take and they take for granted. They don't have to worry about their freedom being taken away because they have money.

“ But when the taxman comes to the door Lord, the house looks like a rummage sale” this part means everything is for sale and at cheap value, similar to how in America they could enlist the people's against their will and get ‘cheap’ soldiers/foot men.

“It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no millionaire's son, no, no

It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no fortunate one, no” This is once again stating that the person is it fortunate enough to be a “millionaire’s son” meaning they don't have thousands of dollars to put towards college to stay out of the war.

“Yeah, yeah

Some folks inherit star spangled eyes

Ooh, they send you down to war, Lord

And when you ask 'em, "How much should we give?"

Ooh, they only answer "More! More! More!", y'all”. The section talks about people who are enlisted as a second-generation, whose fathers fought before them and being a military man is seen as a tradition or family trait. And even with the generational enlistments that's not enough and they're asking everyone to give their all whether they want to or not.

And/Or: 1920’s

In response to:  Roaring 20’s or The Lost Generation?

The 1920s was a time in America where many things changed. Sometimes those changes were for the good of the American people and sometimes they were not. There's arguments that the roaring 20s or the lost generation were a time of regression for American Society, and that may be true for some parts but overall the 20s was a time of progression, even if it was in the slightest way. In the 1920s many things were going on, for example there were the Women Suffrage Acts, Prohibition, and everything that was happening with the African-American people and how they accomplished so much during the Harlem Renaissance.

In 1918 the 19th amendment (women’s suffrage) was being addressed by the Senate. At the time women were not treated equally (and still aren't fully) according to document 2 Woodrow Wilson address the Senate about these issues brought up points like “We have made partners of the women in this war; shall we admit them only to a partnership of suffering and sacrifice and toil and not to a partnership a privilege and right?”(document 2), “The tasks of the women lie at the very heart of the war, and they know how much stronger that heart will be if you do this just thing and show our women that you trust them as much as you in fact and necessity depend upon them.”(document 2). The women's suffrage movement was an example of a huge progression in American society.

Another example would be prohibition, the war on alcohol, although this plan didn't fall through to today the reasoning behind it is in favor of the American people. Congressman Richard P Hobson argued for prohibition and document number 3, he brings up points on how alcohol is “ A habit-forming drug” That keeps undermining people's willpower, keeps people tied to a metaphorical ball and chain, can bend a person's judgement, and make them do/act on things they wouldn't usually do. Hobson brings up that alcohol is a poison, not only literally, but in a way that it's poisoning America; he believes that by eliminating alcohol from America, one generation of the time that it will make America become better one generation at a time. Prohibition didn't succeed, alcohol is still prevalent part of our culture, but the movement for it was a step in the right direction, it was an attempt to try and better America although the way they went about it wasn't the necessarily best.

The 1920s was a time of major accomplishment for the African-American people of America, they made a huge impact in music that lasts all the way to today. In document 5 you see examples of this with the performances put on at the Apollo theater and the cotton club where black music and culture were celebrated by both African-Americans and whites alike. Although there are many points of regression for African-Americans during this time, there were also points that were giant steps forward for those persecuted by racism. For example later in document five it shows an advertisement for “The Back to Africa” campaign where members of the Universal Negro Improvement Association were given the chance to go to “Liberia and west Africa to settle to help the industrial, commercial, and cultural development of the country” (document 5), this was put on by Marcus Garvey, an African-American and active contributor to the Harlem Renaissance. It was things like this that persuade people to think of the 20’s as a Progressive time in history.

As stated earlier many things changed in the 1920s some not for the best, but some things changed for the right reasons, and shaped America into what it is today. Some of those things being women suffrage and how the 19th amendment change the way women are treated, or the attempt at Prohibition when they had good intentions in mind even if they didn't go through, and the Harlem Renaissance, with The advancements that happened for African-American people in that time. All of these things combined are an example of why the roaring 20s was a time of progression.