Hate is The New Black
Kiara Esparza
Opinion Writer
"This is MAGA Country!"
It is all around us. It's in our schools, in our workplace, in our streets. Hat
has been spreading like wildfire. Attacks on the innocent. There is no direction
hate takes. Male or female, old or young, rich or poor. As many have read, Empire
actor, Jussie Smollett, was attacked earlier this week in Streeterville, IL due to his
sexual orientation. There were racial and homophobic slurs thrown at him. This
was not just a verbal attack. He was hit and a rope was tied around his neck. His
attackers wanted to make him feel inferior. They wanted to cause harm. An
unidentified chemical was poured on him. And not surprisingly enough, his
attackers yelled to him that "This is MAGA country."
Prior to this attack, it has been reported that there was a powder delivered to
Chicago Film studios, where the show is filmed. Fire crews confirmed it to not be
hazardous, but there was still this immense threat to a set of individuals that later
turned into Smollett getting attacked. Can we tie acts like this into the recent divide
in the country due to our current president? There has not been a sense of support
for the LGBTQ community or even to those of color. Smollett is part of both these
communities. Communities filled with love, good people and support for one
another. But this hate crime goes to show that no matter how good a person is, if
the world is against them, things like this will continue to happen. We have a
president that has not enforced love. He has enforced hate and divide. He does not
run things according to unity.
Many other actors in the Hollywood spotlight have come out to support
Smollett and show him that he is not standing alone. The Riverdale cast, Zendaya,
Halsey and many more have made social media posts showing their stand on how
horrendous this act was.
We should act with love and respect to all. Once those in power learn to lead
in unity, then the world will see peace. Jussie Smollett is not a criminal. He is not a
bad man. He simply was a man of color who was open about his sexual
orientation- he was simply being himself. We should all stand behind Smollett and
others who have been attacked this way. Turn to your neighbor and seek the to find
goodness. We are ALL human...let's not forget that.
When Did We Become So Heartless?
June 28th 2018
By: Kiara Esperza
CKWN Opinion Writer
We have all seen the recent news involving Trump's immigration policies. It brings into question the morality of our US government. How can someone be so intolerant towards immigrants when this country was built because of immigrant labor. They are the backbone of this country.
Are really even the land of the free anymore? I am quite certain the families being ripped apart at the Mexican border do not think so.
The Trump administration has caught many eyes recently due to their outrageous acts. They have especially shone a light on families coming into the U.S through the Mexican border.
The "zero tolerance" policy says anyone crossing illegally will be prosecuted and jailed. Prior to the Trump admin, there was exceptions for adults crossing with children, but under his lead the government gives zero exceptions.
New policy separates kids from their parents once they have crossed. Thousands of kids were ripped apart from their parents between the months of April and May. These children were beingheld in places with limited space, limited resources and oh, I can't forget the cages. When did children become animals? People all around the world have become outraged by this inhumane act.
Celebrities have taken action via all their social media outlets to tell the world "not my president!" Can you blame them? Toddlers have been put away as criminals. They cry out for their mothers and fathers. Imagine being a three-year-old or even a fifteen-year-old and being surrounded by scary guards who are detaining you...can you feel the tightening of your chest from fear? I can.
After much backlash, Trump decided to graciously sign an order to keep migrant families together, as they should be. But what about the families already separated? How will they manage to put these families back together? It is thousands of families. How do they know the parents haven't died or the kids haven't? They don't. It is still very unclear if these families will get the reunion they deserve. It amazes me how people can still be for this. It is inhumane and needs to come to an end.
These migrants are voluntarily risking their lives and their families to find a better life. They are fleeing their homes where there is mass poverty, violence and drug warfare. And let's not forget our first lady, Melania trump, who may I add is an immigrant herself.
She decided to show her face at the holding places for the children, but had an interesting choice of attire. She was photographed getting on her jet in a jacket that said, "I really don't care, do u?" Well since you're asking, yes Melania we ALL care. What happened to the grace and elegance a First Lady was supposed to bring to the White House?
Trump has also placed a ban on five Muslim majority countries and says it's about national security. Can we take a step back and realize that not all Muslims are terrorists? That not
all Spanish speaking immigrants are a part of the drug cartel? WAKE UP AMERICA. We are supposed to be the land of the free. The statue of Liberty stood for freedom and now stands as a representation of the United States as a whole. It stands for the millions of immigrants that crossed there years ago searching for a better life, hoping to live the American dream. This 'American dream' has turned into people's worst nightmare. We are ALL human and we should treat each other as such.
As a Mexican-American it pains me to see these hard-working Mexican parents fight for the safety of their children. They risk everything. I could not imagine the heartbreak they feel when they have to kiss their babies' goodbye and don't know if it's the last. The thought of ever having to look my mom and dad in the eye and have it be the possibility of forever brings a painin my chest and tears to my eyes. Let's make America great again without treating people, specifically immigrants, as if they are strangers to this country.
The Oreo's And The Tall Glass of Milk: Modern Day
A Different Perspective
By: Bright Agyarko
CKWN Staff Writer
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People act the way they act for a reason. So why was it usually always the black kid who acted up in school? It is because we unconsciously did whatever our peers wanted us to do so we can feel more liked and accepted. When a white child who does not get to encounter many people of color, turns on the TV and sees blacks portrayed as good athletes, rappers, thugs, hooligans and uneducated clowns, that is exactly what they want to see from us. Everyone wants the things they learn in the past to stay consistent, so we can relate to it at all times. If a white kid see's the typical big, loud and aggressive black woman on TV, the last thing they expect or even want, is to meet a calm, loving and peaceful black woman. If you do not ID correctly to these expectations, you will be disliked or ignored, essentially exiled from the community.
Unfortunately, in many cases black female students do not even get to audition for a spot in the community. A lot of white students cannot relate to these students whatsoever that they just act as if black female students do not exists. If you are white and have a hard time believing this, go back to your high school days and try to name one female black student. I bet you can't! I'm sure some of you can name one, two or even three, but the sad reality is that most of you cannot name one. If you can, do you only know her because she was subject to your jokes that you only made when she wasn't around? The same three expectations I discussed earlier that white students hold black students to, are generally portrayed as exclusively male characteristics or abilities. So because our minds have a difficult time picturing a girl dominating the basketball court among all guys, or making the entire lunch table crack up with the punchline of the year, and how often is a girl the class clown? White students essentially have no use for black females in the community, so more or less, these female students are ignored and alienated. These unconscious psychological effects have a toll on us growing up. We suffer identity loss from day 1. We spend so much time playing into a roll, that we find very little time for ourselves and consequently, never finding ourselves or reaching our true potential. Everyday is the same day. Wake up, go to school, play into a role, go home and repeat. On top of that, it is no secret that many African-Americans live in poverty. Meanwhile, in the same exact neighborhood 5 miles south, white students own big two story homes, cars, tree houses, cool toys and dads. Many black students have none of these fundamental necessities to work with. It is almost feels as if growing up black in the suburbs is unconscious programming to feel less than, limiting ourselves and resulting into becoming a meaningless piece of society.
Every high school had that one top dog black guy that was accepted and loved by the entire community that us blacks would always stare at, but never talk to. The requirements: smooth, funny or athlete. We always envied their position, we always wanted to be "The Black Guy", but at the time we did not realize how submissive being "The Black Guy" actually was.
"Do I get the Card?" "What exactly is the card?" "You know, the black card.." "And that is?" "I heard if you get permission from a black guy you get to say the N word." "Okay, you can have the card" (insert fake smile and laugh here). This is the life we went through. White students asking for permission to use a word that keeps us below and was used to demean our ancestors that were owned, beaten and killed for over 400 years. We grew up as the rarity in an all white community. People want to know all about our culture, our world, but not about us as people. Pop culture makes black men appear cool, smooth and saucy, so white students tend to try and keep that around for their own self validation, but they only need one guy to fill that void. Once that void is filled, the rest of us are different and exiled out of the community, left to make and govern our own community within.
We are the Oreo's next to the tall glass of milk. We are dipped into the milk just enough the community to get a little taste of us, and vice versa, but the last thing anyone wants is for the Oreo to completely fall into the Tall Glass of Milk. We are the Oreo's next to the tall glass of milk.