How to Tame a Wild Tounge

As I read the short story "How to Tame a Wild Tongue," by Goria Anzaldua I came across some difficult sections. For instance, " Chicanos and other people of color suffer economically for not acculturating. This voluntary ( yet force) alienation makes for psychological conflict, a kind of dual identity- we don't identify with the Anglo-American cultural values and we don't totally identify with the Anglo-American... (112)." I read and re read this part and I did not understand it at first. I took a sentence word by word, and then looked up words in the dictionary. That helped me a lot. While looking up the words I  realized that I had seen certain words before. I took Mr.Covarrubias class last summer, and covered Chicano culture. We also discussed how they believed in duality and the acculturation and alienation. I still had my books and read a little bit about duality. I also have my portfolio from that class, and I read it to refresh my memory to understand what Anzaldua was trying to. Reading this story was interesting, but a little bit difficult as well. As I read it, I had flash backs about some of the things I have faced in life.

Although I am Salvadorian, I was able to identify myself with Gloria Anzaldua even though she is Mexican.  Yes we are both consider Hispanics, but totally different. Our cultural backgrounds and beliefs are different in many ways. However, it was easy for me to read and understand the Spanish sentences, slang words and sayings. A saying that caught my attention that my mom says is,  "En boca cerrada no etran moscas" (103). So true! In a closed mouth no flies can go in. In other words don't be a gossiper and mind your own business, or it can get you in trouble.

Gender

Growing up their were many chores that I had to help my mom with. My brothers would play video games, or played soccer while I got stuck washing dishes, sweeping and mopping. I have three brothers and no sisters,so I felt as if I had no choice but to help my mom.

I didn't mind because she was tired from working all day. I just  didn't understand why my brothers didn't have to help out. They were all in perfect condition to help. They all had hands, and they were no going to become a girl was what I would tell myself.  It wasn't until I was about 14 years old when I finally put my foot down. I felt that my brothers were taking advantage of me. They would ask me to serve them, take them a fork, juice or whatever they needed. I would do it because I didn't want them to get mad, but enough was enough. Yes, once in awhile it was okay, but not all the time.  My parents are always neutral with the chores around the house. I asked my parents to talk to my brothers and tell them that they needed to start helping out. At first my brothers laughed and they said that it was a girls job! Their laughs' didn't last long. That same day my parents divided the chores. I was so happy!
Gender has shaped my identity and impacted my life in many ways. For a long time I felt that only women should do this or do that. I think it's fine to pamper your husband/ partner, but always making sure that they appreciate what you do. I'm a strong hard working mom, and I'm happy of who I have become.
My dad is now retired. He is the one who stays home cleans and cooks. My brothers and I help him with the chores around the house. Even though chores are a never ending story.

Overall, I feel that chores should be equally distributed no matter what the gender may be. Yes, there is some chores that are more difficult than others; however, that shouldn't stop a man/women from doing an easier chore.

Open letter to President McKinley

" We ask for the enjoyment of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness equally with other men," is what the colored people of Massachusetts asked for. The CNL presented an open letter to President McKinley to try an fight  the discrimination and violence against the slaves. Archibald H. Grimke; a Harvard Law graduate read the letter to express the feeling of injustice of all freedmen; however, greatly discriminated. The letter presents as evidence cases of injustice and no protection for the former slaves.Why they were treated differently they wondered. McKinley knew about the ongoing issues, but did not do anything to help. The CNL stated how they were promised freedom and equal rights; however, that was not the case.The 13th amendment was passed on 1864, but for many years the former slaves were treated terrible. They still had no right to vote, and the KKK did a good job to intimidate and create fear and hopelessness. Cases of violent acts were presented. One of them was about five helpless Negro prisoners on a charge of incendiarism which is the act of burning something, they were brutally murdered. "These men where American citizens, entitled to the rights of American citizens, protection and trail by due process of law." (p.49 para 16) This is was only one case, yet there was many of them.
I believe that the Executive branch should have done something to enforce these laws. The former slaves had no protection whatsoever. The Congress of the United States thought they had to help during the Cuban Revolution and used armed forces to expel Spain form that island. Why did they have to go an help others, when they were facing horrible events right in front of their eyes? " Is it better to be Cuban revolutionist fighting for Cuba independence than American citizens striving to do their simple duty at home? Or is it better only in case those American citizens doing their  simple duty at home happen to be Negros residing in the Southern state" (p.51 paragraph 23)?  
This statement made it very clear that discrimination was occurring. Even though everyone seen what was going on, they did nothing to put a stop to it. 
Overall, the CNL presented this letter to open up to the President asking for protection, justice, and their equal rights. No one deserves to be treated bad, yet be discriminated against. We are all human being, no matter our color or race!

Prior Experience with U.S. History

 

History is such an interesting subject! It's fascinating to learn about our history, and how we still continue to see things from then today. I have taken many history classes, but not much has been retained. I remember clearly about Harriet Tubman, the Jim Crow Laws, the 13th amendment and other subjects, but I cannot remember all the details. I love to learn new things and do my own research to find out more about them. 

Even though, History has always been a subject that has caught my attention, I don't know to much about it.  I love to learn about our history, and everything that has happened here in the U.S. The Reconstruction Era was a little bit difficult for me to understand. I understand about the 13th amendment and how it abolished slavery, and even then, they were not treated equally. The part I was confused about the Judicial, Executive branch and the Legislative branches. Since I learned English in fifth grade, all subjects have been difficult to understand; when it gets to vocabulary. I have learned to use context clues and understand the material much better now; however, it continues to be a struggle. I believe what I have to do is, read more about the three branches until I completely understand it!

Role play/ revised

To the men who conduct our freedom:

     

We are freedmen of servitude and citizens of the United States who legally hold rights equal to white men. We the sharecroppers come before you in concern of an obvious and injustice issue that continues without a spoken word of your people. Regardless of our given rights and the protection that was promised, we linger in a society of damnation. Discriminated and lynched only by our color. What happened to our protection? How long must we suffer before justice is served?  Despite our fatigued bodies, we have worked to live without a decision to live a peaceful life. Our people are limited to other occupations other than a servant. The conditions of our homes, food, and water are pitiable and diminutive. Do we not deserve better? Are we not of equal men? Please understand our stories. We are sharecroppers who were granted 40 acres of land by federal authorities, However it had not followed through. Instead we are sweating and working to create the sharecroppers who have dug into the depths of soil; our hands filled with dirt, scars, and blood serving the white men. Although we sweat from working to the bones our lives are in no repay of sufficient sleep, food, or water. We only collect 10% of profit earned from our crops; however the essential tools used for planting and harvesting come with a price. We cannot afford to pay rent for these toolswhile paying a percentage of rent to our homes. Days are long and nights are cold. Our families suffer under these circumstances each day and we are becoming sick. This generation has continued for centuries and our people are suffering. We grow large crops in a field as payment of our homes and food loans. Our people are entitled to the equal civil rights of white American citizens. Fathers of the government we ask for your support for justice. We have suffered long enough. You had granted protection of our rights, but we have not yet seen any assistance promised.

 We work so hard! Can’t you see that we are human beings just like everyone else why should we get treated differently? It is not our fault that we are different color? Please find it in your heart to look beyond that and realize how in justice this all is. We do greatly appreciate the diminutive materials that we have now, but it is not fair that we do not all share the same rights. We ask to for you to please help us out of this ongoing cycle, of in justice and suffering that our families go through on a daily basis, wondering if we will ever get treated equal. Even though the freedmen’s bureau bill was passed to help us former slaves through legal help, food, education, health care and employment contracts with private owners, we have fallen into another system that we feel have no way out.

The crop-lien system provides us with food and supplies all year long on credit, at a high interest, but if our crops do not cover the debt we start in red the following year. Although, the crop lien system is here to give us a hand and help us with what we need, we have begun seeing it more of a trap that we former slaves have fell into. Borrowing at a high rates, so that we can harvest our crops this system has made landowners and us sharecroppers depend on local merchants, it prevents the development of diversified farming in the South, from expanding into new areas.

Overall, we don’t ask for much we just want to be treated equally no segregation or discrimination; after all we are all human beings.

- Noemi

- Davicia
- Itzel
- Merisa
- Diana
-Yazmin

Draft for the role play/ freedmen

To the men who conduct our freedom
We the sharecroppers who have dug into the depths of soil;
our hands filled with dirt, scars, and blood serving the white men. Although we
sweat from working to the bones our lives are in no repay of sufficient sleep,
food, or water. This generation had continued for centuries and our people are
suffering.
We are freedmen of servitude and citizens of the United
States who legally hold rights equal to white men. Abraham Lincoln
We the sharecroppers come before you, the fathers who hold our
future, in concern of an obvious and injustice issue that continues without a
spoken word of your people. Hot days and cold nights we dig into the earth’s
soil; our hands covered in dirt, scars, burns, bruises, and blood to plant
seeds and harvest crops. Despite our fatigued bodies, we have worked to live without
choosing whether or not we want to or not. The conditions of our homes, food,
and water are pitiable and diminutive. Do we not deserve better? Are we not of
equal men? Are we not freedmen as mentioned in the 13th amendment?
We are sharecroppers who were granted 40 acres of land by federal authorities,
however did not follow through. Instead we are sweating and working to create a
large crop field as payment of our home and food loans.
Our people are entitled to the equal civil rights of white
American citizens. Radicals of the government we ask for your support for
justice. We have suffered long enough. You had granted protection of our
rights, but we have not yet seen any assistance promised.