This Blog is a resource tool for the students taking the "FACING HISTORY AND OURSELVES" elective at Westborough High School, Westborough, Massachusetts.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
PERIOD 3 - LITTLE ROCK
Today you watched the documentary "Little Rock High School" in class. Please share your thoughts about the film with the class.
43 comments:
Laura Hetherman
said...
The film, "Little Rock High School" made me feel disappointed in the history of my race. During that time period, white's thought the best way to become superior to every other race was to kill them or to torture them. Even though I have known about what whites did to other races in the past, it still bothers me every time I see it. Also, these nine colored kids who started the desegregation of schools must have been very brave kids. These nine kids started a revolution of civil rights in America.
I thought that this film was very disturbing. The fact that people assembled in front of that school, and were ready to jump those school children just because of their skin color. All those kids wanted to do was go to school.
I agree with Laura that those children were incredibly brave to face those angry racists. I also agree that this is one of the events that started the civil rights movement in the US
I agree with matt when he said that all those nine colored kids wanted was to go to school. It makes me think how lucky our generation is today because we do not go through racial hate and segregatukn like many races before us did.
I feel so angry that crowd of white people in front of the school yell and did aggressive action to the students just because of skin color. It is very absurd that people who opposed the students go to school. Every student should go to the school for studying. And there are no segregations in education. Every people has right to educate and learn.
Whenever I watch films on this time period I am disgusted. My mind doesn't comprehend such fierce, mindless hate. These PEOPLE were being beaten, lynched, raped, killed; all over something as trifle as the color of their skin. It doesn't matter that these kids were born in America, and that they speak perfect english, know just about American society as I probably do in comparison. They were beaten on, called names, totally oppressed, all because they were born to a different family from a different ethnic background. I find films like these hard to watch because I know that if I was there, in their situations, I would not be so brave about it. I would be hurling molotov cocktails into buildings, adding in a little chaos of my own. I just want to give all of those petty, horrible racists a taste of their own medicine.
The film made me feel very sympathetic to the black students who wanted to attend high school in Little Rock. The way that the public acted was very disturbing to me. All the black students wanted was an equal education that the white students have. The nine black students had to go through a lot and suffered which I think was wrong. People should not be punished just because of their race. I think the nine kids gave other black students hope to have an equal education as white students.
This film was very sad and disturbing. I feel terrible for how the 9 kids were treated, however, i respect them for there braveness. The scenes showing the riots outside the school are appalling and the interviews that were shown from the time from white mean is disheartening. These nine kids played a huge roll in the revolution of the civil rights movement and they will never be forgotten throughout history because they made such a huge impact for there people.
I agree with Matt that it was unnecessary what the public did to the nine students. They were just asking for an education and didn't deserve to go through what they had to endure. I am glad that the nine students finally got to go to high school with the white students.
I agree with Jim Gross, "these PEOPLE were being beaten, lynched, raped, killed; all over something as trifle as the color of their skin." Watching these nine kids get harassed and treated the way they are is nothing to be proud of. I can't imagine how the racist whites from this film feel now after such a great deal of change. Its funny to see these nine children as adults getting interviewed and not those who harassed them because they are probably to ashamed of how they treated the PEOPLE.
From watching the film, "Little Rock High School", I feel very fortunate to live during this time. I get to go to school everyday without being harrasssed or even beaten up because of the color of my skin. There are many things that teens our age take foregranted and from watching this film, I have realized that IO have taken my own freedom to do what I want foregranted. Even the simple task of going to school everyday peacefully has been taken foregranted. From watching this film, I saw kids being harrassed and discriminated against just for being colored and going to school. They have done nothing wrong and yet they get punished for wanting an equal education as everyone else.
I disagree with what Laura said. I do not think she should feel disappointed for what her "race" did. That, to me, sounds like shes saying that shes ashamed for being white. She should not feel that away because she had done nothing wrong. Whats in the past has already happened and the events then only happened out of ignorance. And we as people have grown from our mistakes. So rather than being ashamed, we should learn from this event in time and from now on treat each other with respect and kindness so that this will not happen again.
The film Little Rock High School made me mad the way people we treated and no on would do something about. I also wonder if any white people wanted to do something about but were afraid that peplewere going to hurt them. Also when the white people were pushing hat blak reporte I wanted him to turn around and pu.ch somone in the fac.
Even though we have been learning about the Civil Rights movement for a few years now, the hatred whites felt towards blacks still shocks me. I agree with Laura in that it was disappointing to watch people of my race do such awful acts to innocent individuals. Watching the 9 black students get tormented and threatened just for going to school made me want to go back and time and help them. I would want to point out how ridiculous those whites sounded, calling people out becuase of their color. The whites of that time made themselves look ignorant by attacking blacks becuase the truth is all people are created equal, no matter what color.
When watching this film, I was shocked at the things those students had to go through simply to go to school. In order to get an education, which we take for granted, these students were in danger of losing their lives. Seeing all the people who so desperately wanted to prevent the integration by any method was horrifying. The fact that people are so willing to hurt each other over something as insignificant as skin color is sickening.
I do not think the school and the National Guard should have stopped the kids from entering the school. I also did not like that the governor tried everything in his power to stop the kids from going to the school. They even tried to go against the Supreme Court. And, the fact that the town was already becoming desegregated was surprising.
I agree with Matt. The kids only wanted to go to school. The fact that the other high school students were going to attack them because of the color of their skin is really disturbing. I am glad that we do not have those types of issues now.
Watching the film made me understand the deep segregation during that time period. I did not understand why integrating the public school system had to be made into a big deal for Little Rock, Arkansas. Their libraries and some other public places were already desegregated. This should have been no different than what progress they already had made. I am glad that the nine black children were able to safely enter the school. Their example showed the rest of the United States that desegregation in the public schools could and would happen.
I agree with Jenna Kelly’s comment. I think the black students in Little Rock gave hope to the other black students in the nation searching for an equal education.
I think this whole video is just sad and disappointing to me in an almost shameful way. It’s seriously disgusting that this was what the social "norm" was at the time. And to Matt's point, yeah these kids were just trying to learn. Trying to get an education. Trying to further themselves in our society. And the white culture at the time thought that was NOT O.K. How pathetic is that? To James’s point these videos do make you want to do a little revenge taking of your own! I see all of this prejudicial hate going on and it can really be a bit infuriating. But to play devil’s advocate how do you think you the class would have responded to forced immigration? If you grew up in a culture that told you it was acceptable to hate people based on the color of their skin then you probably would be doing the same thing that these people were doing. Fear is a strong emotion. It can cause people to do some irrational things, and then have them do these mental gymnastics to justify it to themselves. When would you ever think it ok to spray people with fire hoses, attack them with dogs, beat them in streets, and even light their homes on fire? Even though this is can be overwhelming sometimes to watch I always have to remind myself that I am not the same person as the one in that video. My great grand parents may have done those things but I never will.
The other thing I wanted to talk about was the historical parallels. The way we looked at blacks the way that the Nazi's may have looked at Jews. We would like to think that throughout the course of history that our country has, at one point or another, been the hero country. We would never antagonize wars, we would wait until we were attacked or one of our allies was attacked. But this chapter in American history puts me in disbelief. How could we be such Hippocrates? We endorse to the world the messages of freedom and democracy. But when we look at this case in little rock we see of that. We see mobs of white men, women, students, teachers, children, and even state officials, ready to fight them and keep them at bay. And why? Because their skin color was different Are we any better than the Nazis? Where is their freedom? Where is their democracy?
I agreed with Matt when he mentioned that all those people assembled outside that school with one thing in mind: kick those kid's asses until they went home.
This is not the first time I have seen news footage from the events that occurred at Little Rock High School and yet every time I watch I feel the same way. I am ashamed and even embarrassed that this occurred in the country that I was born and raised in. Our country was founded on the principle of being a home for the free and yet so many people took violent measures to try to stop desegregation in schools. In my eyes this is a huge contradiction we say our people are free but then we have large numbers of white people attacking black people because they chose to attend a particular school. I also think that those 9 black students and other black people at the time showed great bravery. The image of that black reporter, who was mistaken as one of the black students fathers, who was attacked as he walked down the street remains in my thoughts. He showed such bravery and self control to just continue to walk on and not get involved like they wanted him to do. This is something that I do not know if I would be able to do so I remember this because I hold much respect for him.
The film, Little Rock High School made me realize how bad the segregation really was at this time and how harmful it was. It showed that whites truly believed that they could always be seperated from blacks. The physical, mental, emotional, and social abuse that the whites put upon the blacks was disturbing. Every time i see images or movies on this it makes me so sad and disappointed. These nine children made a difference in the world just by wanting to get an education and going after that dream.
I agree with Aidan, I do not think that the national guard should have been there blocking the doors of the school. The fact that this whole thing was going against the constitution shows the importance that segregation really was to whites. Transportation was already segregated, stores were segregated, and so were bathrooms. Having the schools be segregated teaches the white children that whites are superior at a young age, which will only be more harmful in the future.
After watching that film I felt mad. I was mad because it seemed so senseless to attack blacks, because of what? Their skin color? It seems pathetic that whites caused so much trouble for people who were just as american as them. There was no reason to treat them like that, what had they done to deserve that. I feel sorry for people that lived in that time period especially that blacks and I don't know how they possibly dealt with it.
I agree with James in that I would have fought back with violence. I would not been able to have that violence brought on me unjustly and not do anything. I also admire their bravery for being able to deal with what the whites were doing at that time.
This film made me feel very ashamed of being white. Because of our history of thinking we're better than others. I don't any offense when people say "I hate white people" because I would also most likely hate them too after all we've done to people we believed are "inferior" to us. It truly disgusts me when I watched all those people attack african americans.
The film annoyed me and made me wonder how our country could do such things this recent in history. It was less than 60 years ago which is extremely disturbing to me. The nine black kids simply wanted to receive an education the same way and in the same environment as the white kids. The hatred that was targeted upon the kids by verbal and physical means is unfathomable. I give those nine kids a lot of credit for sticking it out and in turn setting some of the first stones towards erasing segregation.
I agree with what Jim said. It's truly admirable how brave those black kids were. Many of us, myself included, would not have been able to take what those kids had to deal with, and we would have either fought back physical or just quit on our mission. The kids showed strength and how determined they were to help end segregation
I agree with laura. It makes me so sad how mean n narrow minded people were then and how even some are now. Those black students were prob the bravest kids uv ever seen and heard about. The worse part were the parents. They were horrible. The white adults of the time even went as far as shutibg every highschool down. That level of patheticness is disgusting. I think its also important to also remember that not every white person was so mean. The woman saving the black teenager was something to remember. It made you realize how much they risk just to try and change history.
The film, "Little Rock High School" made me very upset. I can't believe how the whites felt it was morally acceptable to cause that extreme violence towards other races, and how they felt no guilt in causing torture to them. I respect the nine students of Little Rock who stood for them selves against segregation and fought for their freedom and civil rights.
I agree with Matt, I also felt this film was very disturbing. I can;t believe that people assembled in front of that school either and were ready to jump and attack the children because of their race. These kids were just normal kids who just wanted to get an education and it was extremely unfair.
I thought the movie was really messed up. I didn't like at all how the students were being treated because everyone deserves an education no matter what race you are. I think the whites took it too far by trying to hurt the students or pretty much anyone who got in there way who were trying to help the students get into the school
I agree with brian and james, those 9 kids were really brave and if i was put in there position i don't think I would of been able to deal with it and go through with going to an all white school.
After watching the film, there was this sense of almost grief that as horrible as this seems and as unbelievably inhumane as these attacks on the black population were, I'll never be able to truly understand them. I suppose that it's a blessing, but it's also frustrating that these will never be more than some nightmare from the past. I want to be able to connect with the victims of such real and absolutely terrible crimes such as these, but I know that I cannot, and that's tough to know. I also agree agree with Laura in that it was hard to avoid feeling some white guilt.
43 comments:
The film, "Little Rock High School" made me feel disappointed in the history of my race. During that time period, white's thought the best way to become superior to every other race was to kill them or to torture them. Even though I have known about what whites did to other races in the past, it still bothers me every time I see it. Also, these nine colored kids who started the desegregation of schools must have been very brave kids. These nine kids started a revolution of civil rights in America.
I thought that this film was very disturbing. The fact that people assembled in front of that school, and were ready to jump those school children just because of their skin color. All those kids wanted to do was go to school.
I agree with Laura that those children were incredibly brave to face those angry racists. I also agree that this is one of the events that started the civil rights movement in the US
I agree with matt when he said that all those nine colored kids wanted was to go to school. It makes me think how lucky our generation is today because we do not go through racial hate and segregatukn like many races before us did.
I feel so angry that crowd of white people in front of the school yell and did aggressive action to the students just because of skin color. It is very absurd that people who opposed the students go to school. Every student should go to the school for studying. And there are no segregations in education. Every people has right to educate and learn.
Whenever I watch films on this time period I am disgusted. My mind doesn't comprehend such fierce, mindless hate. These PEOPLE were being beaten, lynched, raped, killed; all over something as trifle as the color of their skin. It doesn't matter that these kids were born in America, and that they speak perfect english, know just about American society as I probably do in comparison. They were beaten on, called names, totally oppressed, all because they were born to a different family from a different ethnic background. I find films like these hard to watch because I know that if I was there, in their situations, I would not be so brave about it. I would be hurling molotov cocktails into buildings, adding in a little chaos of my own. I just want to give all of those petty, horrible racists a taste of their own medicine.
I agree with Laura that the nine kids were so brave and these bravery nine kids started a revolution of civil rights in US.
The film made me feel very sympathetic to the black students who wanted to attend high school in Little Rock. The way that the public acted was very disturbing to me. All the black students wanted was an equal education that the white students have. The nine black students had to go through a lot and suffered which I think was wrong. People should not be punished just because of their race. I think the nine kids gave other black students hope to have an equal education as white students.
This film was very sad and disturbing. I feel terrible for how the 9 kids were treated, however, i respect them for there braveness. The scenes showing the riots outside the school are appalling and the interviews that were shown from the time from white mean is disheartening. These nine kids played a huge roll in the revolution of the civil rights movement and they will never be forgotten throughout history because they made such a huge impact for there people.
I agree with Matt that it was unnecessary what the public did to the nine students. They were just asking for an education and didn't deserve to go through what they had to endure. I am glad that the nine students finally got to go to high school with the white students.
I agree with Jim Gross, "these PEOPLE were being beaten, lynched, raped, killed; all over something as trifle as the color of their skin." Watching these nine kids get harassed and treated the way they are is nothing to be proud of. I can't imagine how the racist whites from this film feel now after such a great deal of change. Its funny to see these nine children as adults getting interviewed and not those who harassed them because they are probably to ashamed of how they treated the PEOPLE.
From watching the film, "Little Rock High School", I feel very fortunate to live during this time. I get to go to school everyday without being harrasssed or even beaten up because of the color of my skin. There are many things that teens our age take foregranted and from watching this film, I have realized that IO have taken my own freedom to do what I want foregranted. Even the simple task of going to school everyday peacefully has been taken foregranted. From watching this film, I saw kids being harrassed and discriminated against just for being colored and going to school. They have done nothing wrong and yet they get punished for wanting an equal education as everyone else.
I disagree with what Laura said. I do not think she should feel disappointed for what her "race" did. That, to me, sounds like shes saying that shes ashamed for being white. She should not feel that away because she had done nothing wrong. Whats in the past has already happened and the events then only happened out of ignorance. And we as people have grown from our mistakes. So rather than being ashamed, we should learn from this event in time and from now on treat each other with respect and kindness so that this will not happen again.
The film Little Rock High School made me mad the way people we treated and no on would do something about. I also wonder if any white people wanted to do something about but were afraid that peplewere going to hurt them. Also when the white people were pushing hat blak reporte I wanted him to turn around and pu.ch somone in the fac.
* Punch
* Face
Even though we have been learning about the Civil Rights movement for a few years now, the hatred whites felt towards blacks still shocks me. I agree with Laura in that it was disappointing to watch people of my race do such awful acts to innocent individuals. Watching the 9 black students get tormented and threatened just for going to school made me want to go back and time and help them. I would want to point out how ridiculous those whites sounded, calling people out becuase of their color. The whites of that time made themselves look ignorant by attacking blacks becuase the truth is all people are created equal, no matter what color.
I agree with Laura that it made me disappointed of my race also and how the nine kids started a revolution
When watching this film, I was shocked at the things those students had to go through simply to go to school. In order to get an education, which we take for granted, these students were in danger of losing their lives. Seeing all the people who so desperately wanted to prevent the integration by any method was horrifying. The fact that people are so willing to hurt each other over something as insignificant as skin color is sickening.
I agree with what Laura said. Those nine students were incredibly brave and paved the way for many others.
I do not think the school and the National Guard should have stopped the kids from entering the school. I also did not like that the governor tried everything in his power to stop the kids from going to the school. They even tried to go against the Supreme Court. And, the fact that the town was already becoming desegregated was surprising.
I agree with Matt. The kids only wanted to go to school. The fact that the other high school students were going to attack them because of the color of their skin is really disturbing. I am glad that we do not have those types of issues now.
Watching the film made me understand the deep segregation during that time period. I did not understand why integrating the public school system had to be made into a big deal for Little Rock, Arkansas. Their libraries and some other public places were already desegregated. This should have been no different than what progress they already had made. I am glad that the nine black children were able to safely enter the school. Their example showed the rest of the United States that desegregation in the public schools could and would happen.
I agree with Jenna Kelly’s comment. I think the black students in Little Rock gave hope to the other black students in the nation searching for an equal education.
I think this whole video is just sad and disappointing to me in an almost shameful way. It’s seriously disgusting that this was what the social "norm" was at the time. And to Matt's point, yeah these kids were just trying to learn. Trying to get an education. Trying to further themselves in our society. And the white culture at the time thought that was NOT O.K. How pathetic is that? To James’s point these videos do make you want to do a little revenge taking of your own! I see all of this prejudicial hate going on and it can really be a bit infuriating. But to play devil’s advocate how do you think you the class would have responded to forced immigration? If you grew up in a culture that told you it was acceptable to hate people based on the color of their skin then you probably would be doing the same thing that these people were doing. Fear is a strong emotion. It can cause people to do some irrational things, and then have them do these mental gymnastics to justify it to themselves. When would you ever think it ok to spray people with fire hoses, attack them with dogs, beat them in streets, and even light their homes on fire? Even though this is can be overwhelming sometimes to watch I always have to remind myself that I am not the same person as the one in that video. My great grand parents may have done those things but I never will.
The other thing I wanted to talk about was the historical parallels. The way we looked at blacks the way that the Nazi's may have looked at Jews. We would like to think that throughout the course of history that our country has, at one point or another, been the hero country. We would never antagonize wars, we would wait until we were attacked or one of our allies was attacked. But this chapter in American history puts me in disbelief. How could we be such Hippocrates? We endorse to the world the messages of freedom and democracy. But when we look at this case in little rock we see of that. We see mobs of white men, women, students, teachers, children, and even state officials, ready to fight them and keep them at bay. And why? Because their skin color was different Are we any better than the Nazis? Where is their freedom? Where is their democracy?
I agreed with Matt when he mentioned that all those people assembled outside that school with one thing in mind: kick those kid's asses until they went home.
This is not the first time I have seen news footage from the events that occurred at Little Rock High School and yet every time I watch I feel the same way. I am ashamed and even embarrassed that this occurred in the country that I was born and raised in. Our country was founded on the principle of being a home for the free and yet so many people took violent measures to try to stop desegregation in schools. In my eyes this is a huge contradiction we say our people are free but then we have large numbers of white people attacking black people because they chose to attend a particular school. I also think that those 9 black students and other black people at the time showed great bravery. The image of that black reporter, who was mistaken as one of the black students fathers, who was attacked as he walked down the street remains in my thoughts. He showed such bravery and self control to just continue to walk on and not get involved like they wanted him to do. This is something that I do not know if I would be able to do so I remember this because I hold much respect for him.
I agree with Caroline that it is sickening that people are willing to kill each other over something as insignificant as the color of ones skin.
The film, Little Rock High School made me realize how bad the segregation really was at this time and how harmful it was. It showed that whites truly believed that they could always be seperated from blacks. The physical, mental, emotional, and social abuse that the whites put upon the blacks was disturbing. Every time i see images or movies on this it makes me so sad and disappointed. These nine children made a difference in the world just by wanting to get an education and going after that dream.
I agree with Aidan, I do not think that the national guard should have been there blocking the doors of the school. The fact that this whole thing was going against the constitution shows the importance that segregation really was to whites. Transportation was already segregated, stores were segregated, and so were bathrooms. Having the schools be segregated teaches the white children that whites are superior at a young age, which will only be more harmful in the future.
After watching that film I felt mad. I was mad because it seemed so senseless to attack blacks, because of what? Their skin color? It seems pathetic that whites caused so much trouble for people who were just as american as them. There was no reason to treat them like that, what had they done to deserve that. I feel sorry for people that lived in that time period especially that blacks and I don't know how they possibly dealt with it.
I agree with James in that I would have fought back with violence. I would not been able to have that violence brought on me unjustly and not do anything. I also admire their bravery for being able to deal with what the whites were doing at that time.
This film made me feel very ashamed of being white. Because of our history of thinking we're better than others. I don't any offense when people say "I hate white people" because I would also most likely hate them too after all we've done to people we believed are "inferior" to us. It truly disgusts me when I watched all those people attack african americans.
I agree with Anna that it shocks me too how much the wites hated the blacks. It's extremely disturbing.
The film annoyed me and made me wonder how our country could do such things this recent in history. It was less than 60 years ago which is extremely disturbing to me. The nine black kids simply wanted to receive an education the same way and in the same environment as the white kids. The hatred that was targeted upon the kids by verbal and physical means is unfathomable. I give those nine kids a lot of credit for sticking it out and in turn setting some of the first stones towards erasing segregation.
I agree with what Jim said. It's truly admirable how brave those black kids were. Many of us, myself included, would not have been able to take what those kids had to deal with, and we would have either fought back physical or just quit on our mission. The kids showed strength and how determined they were to help end segregation
I agree with laura. It makes me so sad how mean n narrow minded people were then and how even some are now. Those black students were prob the bravest kids uv ever seen and heard about. The worse part were the parents. They were horrible. The white adults of the time even went as far as shutibg every highschool down. That level of patheticness is disgusting. I think its also important to also remember that not every white person was so mean. The woman saving the black teenager was something to remember. It made you realize how much they risk just to try and change history.
The film, "Little Rock High School" made me very upset. I can't believe how the whites felt it was morally acceptable to cause that extreme violence towards other races, and how they felt no guilt in causing torture to them. I respect the nine students of Little Rock who stood for them selves against segregation and fought for their freedom and civil rights.
I agree with Matt, I also felt this film was very disturbing. I can;t believe that people assembled in front of that school either and were ready to jump and attack the children because of their race. These kids were just normal kids who just wanted to get an education and it was extremely unfair.
I thought the movie was really messed up. I didn't like at all how the students were being treated because everyone deserves an education no matter what race you are. I think the whites took it too far by trying to hurt the students or pretty much anyone who got in there way who were trying to help the students get into the school
I agree with brian and james, those 9 kids were really brave and if i was put in there position i don't think I would of been able to deal with it and go through with going to an all white school.
Absent
After watching the film, there was this sense of almost grief that as horrible as this seems and as unbelievably inhumane as these attacks on the black population were, I'll never be able to truly understand them. I suppose that it's a blessing, but it's also frustrating that these will never be more than some nightmare from the past. I want to be able to connect with the victims of such real and absolutely terrible crimes such as these, but I know that I cannot, and that's tough to know. I also agree agree with Laura in that it was hard to avoid feeling some white guilt.
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