Reflection Paper 2 for my African American Literature Class

On Monday, August 24, 2009 a little after midnight on TNT A Time to Kill came on the television. I had seen previews for it, being that TNT’s slogan is “we know drama,” but I never really purposefully tried to catch it, to sit down, and watch it. I had just gotten back to campus driving from my parents’ house because I left my car there before my father and I embarked on our trip the previous weekend. I had missed a little bit of the beginning but I started watching the movie in time to see a great chunk of it. A Time to Kill was directed by Joel Schumacher and released on July 24, 1996. The costars are Matthew McConaughey, Samuel L. Jackson, and Sandra Bullock. To summarize, the story takes place in Canton, Mississippi and centers around Carl Lee Hailey (Samuel L. Jackson), an African American man, taking the law into his own hands by killing Pete and Billy Ray, the two white men who brutally beat and raped his 10-year-old daughter Tonya. Hailey remembered that two years prior in the nearby town of Delta, four white men got acquitted for raping an African American girl. The NAACP wanted Hailey to take one of their high class lawyers, but instead he chose his friend, Jake Tyler Brigance (Matthew McConaughey), to represent him. Ellen Roark (Sandra Bullock), a law student who had experience with death penalty cases assists Brigance in making his case. Billy Ray’s brother elicits the help of the KKK in order to seek his revenge against Hailey, so throughout the movie, as different parts of the trial go on, the KKK terrorizes both blacks in the town of Canton as well as whites helping on the defense side of the case. I found myself identifying and responding emotionally to this movie on three different levels: as an African American, as a victim, and as a woman.

I initially related to A Time to Kill as an African American just because of the prevalence of the KKK throughout the movie. I believe it was a matter of coping with the fact that certain human beings hate me just because of the color of my skin. Although today the KKK cannot carry out its own agenda and get away with it from the law, but the racist mindset still exists within individuals. By showing the characters Pete and Billy Ray brag about what they did to Hailey’s daughter in the beginning of the movie established that during that time period in that part of Mississippi, white men were getting away with raping black girls and women. This immediately made me begin to think of how in the beginning of the summer, the Free Republic website attacked Malia Obama with less of the obscene comments being “a typical street whore…wonder when she will get her first abortion.” Honestly when I think of the Republican Party, to me it contains the connotation of rich white males, and this resonated with me because it was another example of white men attacking an innocent black child and getting away with it. Had it been a group of black men bashing Bush’s oldest daughter while he was in office, it would have been a whole other story, which shows the power difference between white and black in this country.

Additionally, I felt that I identified with the movie on the level of victimization from the crime that the basis of the whole plot was about, the rape of Tonya Hailey. Having innocence ripped away at such a young age without a choice is a very heartwrenching experience. Furthermore, there was a specific scene in this movie involving Sandra Bullock that made me respond emotionally just from identifying as a woman in America. Bullock was pulled over by a cop who was a part of the KKK and they ended up kidnapping her. She was able to be kidnapped so successfully just because men are physiologically stronger than women. Had she been a man, a man would have had at least a fighting chance, but she was taken advantage of just by brute strength, kidnapped, beaten, and left tied nearly naked to a tree. I believe that it is instances like that in which a man would never, ever understand what it is like to be a woman, to be both helpless and hopeless just because you are naturally physically weaker and at the incredulity that human beings are capable of being so cruel as to take advantage of this fact.

Reflection Paper 1 for my African American Literature Class

On Saturday, August 22, 2009, I attended the union of my first cousin Jillian and her then-fiancé Jason. My cousin is half African American and half Italian American and her husband is Italian American. My cousin’s father is my father’s oldest brother. I chose to reflect about this event based on the sub-cultural differences between African Americans and Italian Americans. The wedding took place outside on a small part of the field next to a pond at Wayside Inn, one of the oldest operating Inns in the country, in Sudbury, MA.

Being that the wedding was outdoors, I heard a few remarks from my Italian American family about getting tans. I personally do not think I will ever understand the need that some Caucasian Americans feel they have for getting and maintaining a tan, especially since tanning has been linked to skin cancer. However, this statement is not to say that I am passing judgment on them, I am just simply saying I do not understand this phenomenon in their subculture. Throughout western history, if a European had a tan, it was a sign of being “common” or of poverty, yet now pop culture is sending the message that everyone rich has this “perfect” tan. Hearing women at the wedding mention their tan made me think of all the times young women here at Meredith complain about how “pale” they are, and I never see how being “whiter” makes them look any less better, yet I never feel comfortable entering into those conversations of Caucasian skin complexion because I do not want to come off as judging. Although it had been raining all day, the sun did come out in time for the wedding, and I suppose everyone got tanned a little.

Next, the reception of the wedding followed immediately after the thankfully short ceremony under a tent nearby. Another cultural difference occurred through the choice in music of the traditional groom/mother and bride/father dances. Jason and his mother danced to a country song that I had never heard before—not that I listen to country music—while afterward my cousin and my uncle, William (who we call Butch) danced to an African song. Uncle Butch always was and is really big about getting in touch with his “roots.” He and my father did one of those blood/DNA trace test things and somehow figured that through their mother’s side their ancestors—my ancestors—can be traced back to the Sierra Leone area on the continent of Africa. The final difference I noticed between the African American side and the Italian American side of my family happened on the dance floor after dinner was finished. I started the electric slide to Before I Let Go by Frankie Beverly and Maze. Eventually most everyone joined in, but my African American side of the family already knew how to do the electric slide; the ones on my Italian American side had to be taught. I almost feel as if it is unwritten rule that if you are black in America and get together with your family for some sort of festivity, you cannot part without having someone initiate the electric slide.

Finally, hearing some of the Italian Americans perpetuate a particular stereotype stood out to me. I remember certain women saying with laughter, “come on, show us how to dance, you know white people can’t dance.” In general, people constantly complain about stereotypes, but here they were perpetuating their own, which made me think that they assume that all black people can dance, and also made me go as far as to think that they assume all black people are good for is dancing just because that is a stereotype of African Americans in this country. I wonder if they even realized what they were doing when they made those statements because it makes me think that to them white people who can dance or black people who cannot are “exceptions” to the rule, when really dancing is a matter of talent. Some have that gift, and some do not, and it is not based on race.

Leadershape 2009

Wow! It's been 2 months since I've been up here!!! The end of the school year was maaadddd crraaaazzyyyyy!!!!! But I'm back now, and will be on the regular for the summer and that's all that matters.....not that anybody really follows this thing anyways haha

So today I just got back from Meredith College's own chapter of Leadershape 2009. It was at Fort Caswell on Oak Island, NC near Wilmington--so there was some pretty sweet scenery.

At first I was some kinda bummed that I would be missing the Color Purple at the Durham Performing Arts Center but all is well in my world because I said to myself, "self, there will always be musicals, but opportunities to meet new people never come again," so i was fine....My mom and Sis said it was awesome btw, I hope to see it in NY someday....

anywho....back to Leadershape

on the way to leadershape, we met some Marines at the rest stop in Warsaw, NC and omg, those were some pieces of men, and there was this one mixed dude in particular--Ramirez. Now my homegirl Traya is claimin him as her future husband, so if any of you know this dude, or have any info, feel free to hit me up on my blogspot profile or on facebook--like for real lol



Like I mentioned, I met a lot of great new people who were just really cool and chill and genuinely want to make a positive impact in the world. Although there were some ignorant people there, I'm glad that Meka and Traya were there b/c just their presence alone really reminded me that the trivial, ignorant people just don't matter, nor are they worth having my breath wasted upon them. I think what I enjoyed most was the "Family Cluster" time--just having a chance to get to know who were mostly to me virtually complete strangers--except for a few--on a deeper level. The women in my cluster were really great and at some points I did feel like we were a make shift fam. Throughout the week we all had the task to come up with a "vision" and I honestly already had one--so I kind of feel like the only "reason" I was there was to meet new people b/c I think there's a reason for everything, and where ever I am, that's where I need to be, ya know. But I hope and pray that everyone's vision will come into fruition b/c it's all for the better, and if not, that we all come pretty darn close!



Overall, I had a blast, even though it wiped me out, and Day 6 (today) felt like Day 21 I genuinely had fun. I just wish the days weren't just so jammed packed--I mean we were literally busy alllllll daaaayyyy looonnngggg, it was insane!!! But I don't regret one ounce of it, it was very eye opening to me for a lot of things, and for that I am appreciative.

Women's Empowerment

Yesterday my homegurl Shae and I went to Women's Empowerment 2009! Shout again to THE best big sis in THE whole world C-note for hookin is up with floor seat tickets!!!



Anywho, it was really good and informing and all that, but I'm sure you've heard about all that by now. But what I want to comment on is (almost) completely off the subject. I've made it a habit lately to walk around with some sort of journal or sketchbook at all times. This is what I wrote down on 03-14-09 at approximately 7:30ish p.m.:



"what if people chased after Jesus the way women did raheem devaughn? Women rushing, pushing just to touch him. there's no life in the hem of his garments. the words coming out his mouth defile him. it's disheartening to see so many people go crazy over this carnal, mortal, merely-of-a man. where's their thirst for God? if only they were this fervent with their prayers. if only they cried out to God the way they cried out to him, this ashes-to-ashes, dust-to-dust man. And he thinks his music frees them? empowers them? what is wrong with him? with them? i'll tell you what it's their fleshly sin!"

***on a side not, there was this lady who was yelling her head off (face turnin all red and er'thing) at this security guard who was standin on the steps to the stage in front of mary mary b/c she could not see them...



i guess she was not listening to the lyrics of it's the god in me...she really, really wanted to see mary mary, so much so, i saw no god in her

this be the sign off

kay rich, out

Williams-Sonoma Hot Chocolate

OMG Williams-Sonoma Hot Chocolate=New Addiction



And it's kinda crazy ya know because it all started because of a FACEBOOK CONVERSATION that was sparked by one of my status updates:
"KayRich is thawin' out yooooo.....who got hot chocolate??? haha"
Ms. Jay:I lovvvvvvvvve hot chocolate and actually am enjoying my 3rd cup of the day. Williams-Sonoma has the best around!
Me:welllll once i get williams-sonoma money, i guess i'll know hahahahaha.....until then, i'ma be on that swiss mix lol
Ms. Jay:I got you. See me Sunday. :)
Me:oh word??? that's what's up!!! :-))

Now, you would think that I would pause and wonder to myself, why is she enjoying her THIRD cup of the DAY??? I had know idea what I was getting myself into. I mean, if you never experience any type of euphoria, you'll never know what you're missing. Well, I experienced my first cup of Williams-Sonoma Hot Chocolate, and oh man, whenever my budget forces me to go back to simple Swiss Mix Hot Chocolate, it will be like eating fat free peanut butter--I mean, you just cannot do that. It's so smooth, so creamy, so good til the last drop! And it's not just any chocolate mix, it's rich bittersweet chocolate--not any of that powder mix--but chocolate SHAVINGS! OMG It is like crack for my taste buds.

Fortunately my original addiction to Twizzlers is in my budget, but oh man, when my chocolaty-goodness gift runs out, my taste buds will go into withdrawal symptoms of shock. Once I'm finally done with the school scene, I already know what I'll be drinking on cold days--and possibly hot--once I'm finally into my career.

Kay Rich, out

Special Thanks to Miss Jay for the Hot Chocolate :-))
Generosity=Gateway Drug

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