I think we all understand that each of this weeks readings dealt with the theme of conflict within a community. Like many stated in their posts, many of these conflicts have to do with differences in color, social class, “turf”, political views…the list is nearly endless. I read in horror as Anbinder described the brutal riots between the Dead Rabbits and the Bowery Boys. I could not believe that people couldn’t even put aside their differences in order to let others even vote, and I especially could not believe that some of the women and children got themselves involved as well! I mean really, hurling bricks off of rooftops, collecting possible weaponry…I felt as if I was reading about animals! It was a refresher to see that in Brownsville, the government and related programs such as the BCC stepped in to stop the violence.
I would love to agree with some of my other classmates who said that we don’t really deal with such problems of violence and rioting now-a-days, but I’m afraid I don’t believe that is quite the case. Just look at the war going on overseas, or the troubles in Egypt. I feel like the news broadcasts a new riot outbreak too constantly! I guess some people just don’t want to learn from the past and put aside their differences. This goes back to the readings, in the fact that many of the people/groups who were fighting did not seem to want to reconcile. They wanted to overcome the other group or peoples, no matter what the cost. Sometimes, though, I think it’s better to “turn the other cheek”, in a sense, in order to maintain the peace.
Since so many others have touched upon Susan’s question, I suppose I will put in my two cents as well. I must say that I completely agree with Eden on this one. I am torn. If the blacks are put into educational institutions, it might be seen as a form of racism. Targeting one group in order to make them the same as everyone else. However, it would greatly benefit them and allow them to advance in society. Maybe it would be best to have such institutions easily available, but not make the people educate themselves if they had no interest. And since everyone else worded their motivational blog endings so much nicer than I ever could, I will simply just say that I, too, hope that one day, we may all put aside our differences and see the bigger picture. For then we may have a chance at peace.
