This Blog is a resource tool for the students taking the "FACING HISTORY AND OURSELVES" elective at Westborough High School, Westborough, Massachusetts.
Friday, October 2, 2009
"The Children's March" - Period 1
Today, you watched the film, The Children's March. Please post any thoughts you have about the film and comment on at least one other student's post.
26 comments:
DROWEe
said...
In the scene where all the black people were getting sprayed by the fire hose, I really liked when the group of 10 people stood strong together and started chanting "Freedom", it even gave me chills. Also when the girls and boys in jail were singing freedom songs, I really liked that.
I believe that the film, so far, is a very fair view of how the time period really was. There is obviously two perspectives that the film deals with, one being the white perspective and the other being the black perspective. I believe that the film does a good job of clearly presenting each case and it makes it extremely apparent how ignorant white people could be during the time period (even now). The interviews with the people who took part in the march were also very helpful in representing the event. First hand accounts are always better sources than stories passed down/in history books. I thought it was great how some of the people who participated in the march were so positive about fighting something so negative. Instead of letting the fire hoses hurt them, some viewed it as being cooled off during the hot summer. Also, the woman who said that "growing up in Alabama and being black meant that you were eventually going to be hurt" really portrayed how desperate the situation was for them which made the kids potentially putting themselves in danger seem like an intelligent idea. One last thing, the representative guy (the old white guy) for Alabama was a total racist, i couldnt believe that someone that ignorant could appear intelligent enough to someone for them to vote for him.
I agree with Dave that the girls and boys singing in jail was very moving and inspirational, as well as the 10 people holding hands while being hosed down. To me it was another excellent example of the people involved in the march taking something extremely negative and creating a very positive experience out of it.
The children of Birmingham and the surrounding area that participated in the protests against segregation are probably the most courageous kids I have ever heard of. Imagine the guts that it must take for someone who is 9, 10, 11 years old to face a fire hose, dogs, and jail. The way that they must have felt going up against all of that is simply incomprehensible to me. It is incredible to think that people who were so young could have such a large impact on the civil rights movement. It really proves the point that you can change the world no matter who you are. It doesn’t matter how old you are, what your race is, or what social class you belong to – if you want to, you can make a difference.
I agree with Justin that the movie made it apparent just how ignorant white people could be during that time. I feel that some people are just as ignorant about gay rights issues these days. People don’t think it’s the same thing because it’s about sexual orientation and not about race, but it really is. I just wish that we could learn from our history: that we could look back at how society acted back then and learn to not discriminate against other people just because they are different.
I thought that the film "The Children's March" really shows that you have to stand up for what you believe in. If there is injustice you must fight it. Don't be a bystander or a victim. No matter how old you are you can make your voice heard and eventually can change the world. These kids did that in the march. This idea really took hold when you saw the four year old kid in jail, who couldn't even say the word freedom, but he was there helpinf the cause.
I agree with Rowe about the scene where the 10 kids stood holding hands chanting freedom was very inspirational. It's amazing the strength they had to refuse to backdown from the agressor. They knew what they believed in and wanted and they went for it with everything they had. It's a lesson that many people could learn from.
i thought the film was very moving, and did a great job showing the reality of the situation in Birmingham. i can't believe how people could be so cruel, especially to children. in a peaceful march/protest, bringing out the fire hoses was entirely unnecessary. what dave said about getting chills at the group singing "freedom" happened to me too, and it made me wonder what many of the firemen were thinking. even if every one of them were racist, theres got to be some point at which you realize somethings not right.
i agree with chris in that people of any age can make a difference, and that these children certainly did for their community, or at least, helped to start changing it. for their movement to get all the way to the president, is impressive and encouraging. this in turn gives me hope for the human race, as we are gradually becoming more accepting, and more equal in every aspect.
I thought that the film "The Children's March" was extremely inspiring. I was very impressed how eager the children were to help out. I agree with Sam when he said how courageous these kids were. They were ready for anything that the white people could throw at them. I also agree with Justin. The white people were ignorant. Obviously there was a reason for "the jail plan" but all the white people could think about was physical violence, jail, and the comfort of the white race. If i was the parent of any of those children at the time, I would be extremely proud of them for standing up for what they believed in and standing up for what's right.
I thought that "The Children's March" was an accurate depiction of how racist and discriminative our country used to be. I think it's pretty crazy to think of how we live today and that we have an African American President and see how black people were treated just 40-50 years ago. I think it is absurd how America used to treat people just by the color of their skin. I think some sort of racism and discrimination still exists today but I'm just glad that it isn't to the extent of how it used to be represented in the movie. Hopefully someday racism/discrimination will not exist.
This was a really poerful film and it amazed me that the firemen could be so heartless and spray the water on the children. I thought that it was a really good idea for the kids to turn the whole situation into something that was fun. they put on their bathing suits and went out to play in the water. This was a good idea because it could discourage the firemen because they're trying to inflict pain on the children but if they are having fun, the firmen would be more apt to stop. Therefore, the kids had a really good idea to make this march and going to jail something that was wanted. I agree with what eric said about how far we've come and how amazing it is that now we have an African American president. I also agree that racism still exsists but I am glad that it is more toned-down than it used to be.
In the move "The Children's March" I was very much impressed with the will the African Americans had. They never gave up on freedom. The thought of going to jail was exciting to them, even for the young ones. I love how every one try for they freedom.
I think the film so far, it is really inspirational. The kids standing up for what they believe in, some as young as 8 years old, shows that even the children, as young as that age, felt and understood the racism and discrimination that was going on. I liked that kids from surrounding towns marched to Birmingham, AL which showed unity within the black community.
From what we've seen so far in the film, I find it to be an incredibly powerful one. In many of the scenes, it gave me the chills, just like the one Dave described. I knew that white people were extremely ignorant at that time but while watching the film I began to feel just as much rage as the black people must have felt. I think the film is extremely successful at this. I also, adding to Justin's comment, couldn't believe that man had been ELECTED into office where he was given power, he's the LAST man I would ever want to give any ounce of power. Someone as racist and ignorant as him does not deserve that privledge. I really like this film. I think that the Children's March is an incredibe moment in history that should be praised for the courage and strength it took to do what those children did. I could never imagine doing something like that in this day and age and endure the hardships that they had to live and suffer through. This film is successful in that too, showing the viewers the pain of this group of people who knew they deserved more and seized every chance to obtain the rights they deserved.
I agree with Chris about how no matter how old you are, let your voice be heard. It is always said that "todays children are tomorrows future" and these kids were making a better world for themeselves
So far I think this film is very moving. I think it's amazing how these kids had so much hope, courage and will to do what they did. Some of the scenes I couldn't believe how the white people could be so insensitive and ignorant. First off, lets not forget these were kids at the march, the police were hosing them them down as if they were fully grown adults (not that anyone should be hosed down)! The amount of pressure the hose has can injure some one in terrible ways. I thought that the fact these kids had done this to make a better America makes them people that we can look up to. I agree with Rebecca on how the kids wore bathing suits to turn the situation into a positive one. It lets them enjoy what they are doing as well make a meaning out of it.
Well, I could say I know what it feels like to be discrimnated against, put back depending or your color or where you're from. I could say that, but I won't because it would honestly be stupid to compare the scale of racism that exists today compared to the time when the Children's March happen. It took a lot of courage and will, will to be equal from all of those who marched- especially because they knew what it was coming, or had a certain idea. The fact that this happened in the United States should in fact chock every person who has a heart. I could not believe that the whites at that time were sooooo racist, enough to hose down children, little kids starting at least with 3 years of age like that. The pain must've had been like millions of knifes stabbing them all at the same time. Those kids, who stood up for their beliefs and their will, unlike their parents should seriously have a moral made for them like the veterans do. I had seen a few parts of this movie my sophomore year but seing the whole thing chocked me even more. I really don't know what to say anymore, there are no words to describe something like that.
I totally agree with Joy. How could white people at the time be so unsentive and ignorant? I mean, doing that to kids who can't even get dressed by themselves. The fact that they made that happen, that huge change in everybody's life, forever. It takes a lot of hope and we should really look up to them and contribute as much as we can to carry the change, a good change.
I found it amazing how much the children were able to unite, and then to perservere. I have seen the shocking images of the children's march, but never knew that the march lasted multiple days, and that in the end they succeeded in their goal. I can't believe I have never been taught the significance of this event before.
I found that the most powerful seen of the film, as DRowe said, was when there were ten children who stood strong and cheered "freedom" against the hoses. This shows how such a small group's corage can inspire so many others to be brave.
I think the children in this film were incredibly brave and strong both physically and emotionally to deal with the consequences of speaking out against what they knew was unfair and wrong. The scenes that showed people being bitten by dogs and sprayed by hoses made me sad because it's unreal to know that black people were allowed to be treated like they, just because they were black. I agree with dave and chris that the kids who were singing and holding eachother up when being sprayed by the hose were inspiring. I also agree with Sam that some people are still unaccepting of others for things they can't/shouldn't have to change such as sexuality and religion.
I thought this film was a great representation of that period in history and especially that specific event. It was amazing to see how many kids took part in the childrens march and how dedicated they were. I agree with Justin that because there were people speaking on the film that took place in the march, it gave us a better understanding of the event. It also was a good way of representing both the white perspective and the black perspective by having both races and both perspectives shown on the film.
After seeing the video, i just find it absurd and ridiculous about how african americans were treated by the whites during the time period. It wasn't just one or two people but almost every single white person in Little Rock believed that these black students had no right to enter the schools.
I agree with Silverman that the movie just shows how ignorant people are during that time period. The strength some of these people must have had is incredible to me. This movie just shows how stupid and single minded white people were during this time. It also shows how scared the white race is of anything different. Anything different in this movie to the white race is shown as being bad to them. This movie has overall made me realize how far and how many changes we have made from this time period.
i like that the film presents the white supemecist view of the conflict as well. simply repeating the same view points of civil rights movements will teach you that racism is bad, but in order not to be manipulated by similar influences is to understand what causes the people who believe these theories to do so. U cant beat what you dont understand.
26 comments:
In the scene where all the black people were getting sprayed by the fire hose, I really liked when the group of 10 people stood strong together and started chanting "Freedom", it even gave me chills. Also when the girls and boys in jail were singing freedom songs, I really liked that.
I believe that the film, so far, is a very fair view of how the time period really was. There is obviously two perspectives that the film deals with, one being the white perspective and the other being the black perspective. I believe that the film does a good job of clearly presenting each case and it makes it extremely apparent how ignorant white people could be during the time period (even now). The interviews with the people who took part in the march were also very helpful in representing the event. First hand accounts are always better sources than stories passed down/in history books. I thought it was great how some of the people who participated in the march were so positive about fighting something so negative. Instead of letting the fire hoses hurt them, some viewed it as being cooled off during the hot summer. Also, the woman who said that "growing up in Alabama and being black meant that you were eventually going to be hurt" really portrayed how desperate the situation was for them which made the kids potentially putting themselves in danger seem like an intelligent idea. One last thing, the representative guy (the old white guy) for Alabama was a total racist, i couldnt believe that someone that ignorant could appear intelligent enough to someone for them to vote for him.
I agree with Dave that the girls and boys singing in jail was very moving and inspirational, as well as the 10 people holding hands while being hosed down. To me it was another excellent example of the people involved in the march taking something extremely negative and creating a very positive experience out of it.
The children of Birmingham and the surrounding area that participated in the protests against segregation are probably the most courageous kids I have ever heard of. Imagine the guts that it must take for someone who is 9, 10, 11 years old to face a fire hose, dogs, and jail. The way that they must have felt going up against all of that is simply incomprehensible to me. It is incredible to think that people who were so young could have such a large impact on the civil rights movement. It really proves the point that you can change the world no matter who you are. It doesn’t matter how old you are, what your race is, or what social class you belong to – if you want to, you can make a difference.
I agree with Justin that the movie made it apparent just how ignorant white people could be during that time. I feel that some people are just as ignorant about gay rights issues these days. People don’t think it’s the same thing because it’s about sexual orientation and not about race, but it really is. I just wish that we could learn from our history: that we could look back at how society acted back then and learn to not discriminate against other people just because they are different.
I thought that the film "The Children's March" really shows that you have to stand up for what you believe in. If there is injustice you must fight it. Don't be a bystander or a victim. No matter how old you are you can make your voice heard and eventually can change the world. These kids did that in the march. This idea really took hold when you saw the four year old kid in jail, who couldn't even say the word freedom, but he was there helpinf the cause.
I agree with Rowe about the scene where the 10 kids stood holding hands chanting freedom was very inspirational. It's amazing the strength they had to refuse to backdown from the agressor. They knew what they believed in and wanted and they went for it with everything they had. It's a lesson that many people could learn from.
i thought the film was very moving, and did a great job showing the reality of the situation in Birmingham. i can't believe how people could be so cruel, especially to children. in a peaceful march/protest, bringing out the fire hoses was entirely unnecessary. what dave said about getting chills at the group singing "freedom" happened to me too, and it made me wonder what many of the firemen were thinking. even if every one of them were racist, theres got to be some point at which you realize somethings not right.
i agree with chris in that people of any age can make a difference, and that these children certainly did for their community, or at least, helped to start changing it. for their movement to get all the way to the president, is impressive and encouraging. this in turn gives me hope for the human race, as we are gradually becoming more accepting, and more equal in every aspect.
I thought that the film "The Children's March" was extremely inspiring. I was very impressed how eager the children were to help out. I agree with Sam when he said how courageous these kids were. They were ready for anything that the white people could throw at them. I also agree with Justin. The white people were ignorant. Obviously there was a reason for "the jail plan" but all the white people could think about was physical violence, jail, and the comfort of the white race.
If i was the parent of any of those children at the time, I would be extremely proud of them for standing up for what they believed in and standing up for what's right.
I thought that "The Children's March" was an accurate depiction of how racist and discriminative our country used to be. I think it's pretty crazy to think of how we live today and that we have an African American President and see how black people were treated just 40-50 years ago. I think it is absurd how America used to treat people just by the color of their skin. I think some sort of racism and discrimination still exists today but I'm just glad that it isn't to the extent of how it used to be represented in the movie. Hopefully someday racism/discrimination will not exist.
This was a really poerful film and it amazed me that the firemen could be so heartless and spray the water on the children. I thought that it was a really good idea for the kids to turn the whole situation into something that was fun. they put on their bathing suits and went out to play in the water. This was a good idea because it could discourage the firemen because they're trying to inflict pain on the children but if they are having fun, the firmen would be more apt to stop. Therefore, the kids had a really good idea to make this march and going to jail something that was wanted. I agree with what eric said about how far we've come and how amazing it is that now we have an African American president. I also agree that racism still exsists but I am glad that it is more toned-down than it used to be.
In the move "The Children's March" I was very much impressed with the will the African Americans had. They never gave up on freedom. The thought of going to jail was exciting to them, even for the young ones. I love how every one try for they freedom.
I think the film so far, it is really inspirational. The kids standing up for what they believe in, some as young as 8 years old, shows that even the children, as young as that age, felt and understood the racism and discrimination that was going on. I liked that kids from surrounding towns marched to Birmingham, AL which showed unity within the black community.
From what we've seen so far in the film, I find it to be an incredibly powerful one. In many of the scenes, it gave me the chills, just like the one Dave described.
I knew that white people were extremely ignorant at that time but while watching the film I began to feel just as much rage as the black people must have felt. I think the film is extremely successful at this. I also, adding to Justin's comment, couldn't believe that man had been ELECTED into office where he was given power, he's the LAST man I would ever want to give any ounce of power. Someone as racist and ignorant as him does not deserve that privledge.
I really like this film. I think that the Children's March is an incredibe moment in history that should be praised for the courage and strength it took to do what those children did. I could never imagine doing something like that in this day and age and endure the hardships that they had to live and suffer through. This film is successful in that too, showing the viewers the pain of this group of people who knew they deserved more and seized every chance to obtain the rights they deserved.
I agree with Chris about how no matter how old you are, let your voice be heard. It is always said that "todays children are tomorrows future" and these kids were making a better world for themeselves
So far I think this film is very moving. I think it's amazing how these kids had so much hope, courage and will to do what they did. Some of the scenes I couldn't believe how the white people could be so insensitive and ignorant. First off, lets not forget these were kids at the march, the police were hosing them them down as if they were fully grown adults (not that anyone should be hosed down)! The amount of pressure the hose has can injure some one in terrible ways. I thought that the fact these kids had done this to make a better America makes them people that we can look up to. I agree with Rebecca on how the kids wore bathing suits to turn the situation into a positive one. It lets them enjoy what they are doing as well make a meaning out of it.
Marisa Gaspar says:
Well, I could say I know what it feels like to be discrimnated against, put back depending or your color or where you're from. I could say that, but I won't because it would honestly be stupid to compare the scale of racism that exists today compared to the time when the Children's March happen. It took a lot of courage and will, will to be equal from all of those who marched- especially because they knew what it was coming, or had a certain idea. The fact that this happened in the United States should in fact chock every person who has a heart. I could not believe that the whites at that time were sooooo racist, enough to hose down children, little kids starting at least with 3 years of age like that. The pain must've had been like millions of knifes stabbing them all at the same time. Those kids, who stood up for their beliefs and their will, unlike their parents should seriously have a moral made for them like the veterans do. I had seen a few parts of this movie my sophomore year but seing the whole thing chocked me even more. I really don't know what to say anymore, there are no words to describe something like that.
I totally agree with Joy. How could white people at the time be so unsentive and ignorant?
I mean, doing that to kids who can't even get dressed by themselves. The fact that they made that happen, that huge change in everybody's life, forever. It takes a lot of hope and we should really look up to them and contribute as much as we can to carry the change, a good change.
I found it amazing how much the children were able to unite, and then to perservere. I have seen the shocking images of the children's march, but never knew that the march lasted multiple days, and that in the end they succeeded in their goal. I can't believe I have never been taught the significance of this event before.
I found that the most powerful seen of the film, as DRowe said, was when there were ten children who stood strong and cheered "freedom" against the hoses. This shows how such a small group's corage can inspire so many others to be brave.
I like how the kid in this film never lost hope. When they were in jail and being strayed by water they never lost faith.
I think the children in this film were incredibly brave and strong both physically and emotionally to deal with the consequences of speaking out against what they knew was unfair and wrong. The scenes that showed people being bitten by dogs and sprayed by hoses made me sad because it's unreal to know that black people were allowed to be treated like they, just because they were black. I agree with dave and chris that the kids who were singing and holding eachother up when being sprayed by the hose were inspiring. I also agree with Sam that some people are still unaccepting of others for things they can't/shouldn't have to change such as sexuality and religion.
I thought this film was a great representation of that period in history and especially that specific event. It was amazing to see how many kids took part in the childrens march and how dedicated they were. I agree with Justin that because there were people speaking on the film that took place in the march, it gave us a better understanding of the event. It also was a good way of representing both the white perspective and the black perspective by having both races and both perspectives shown on the film.
After seeing the video, i just find it absurd and ridiculous about how african americans were treated by the whites during the time period. It wasn't just one or two people but almost every single white person in Little Rock believed that these black students had no right to enter the schools.
I agree with Silverman that the movie just shows how ignorant people are during that time period. The strength some of these people must have had is incredible to me. This movie just shows how stupid and single minded white people were during this time. It also shows how scared the white race is of anything different. Anything different in this movie to the white race is shown as being bad to them. This movie has overall made me realize how far and how many changes we have made from this time period.
i like that the film presents the white supemecist view of the conflict as well. simply repeating the same view points of civil rights movements will teach you that racism is bad, but in order not to be manipulated by similar influences is to understand what causes the people who believe these theories to do so. U cant beat what you dont understand.
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