In the book Amazing Grace by Jonathan Kozol, I think the main point being conveyed is that the poor are often overlooked and severely mistreated. Rather than seeing these people as just ‘the poor’, this book allows the readers to learn about their stories and about them as human beings. Kozol shares the stories of many living in the poorest areas of New York and shows what their living conditions are like. He is trying to distinguish the stereotype that the poor are in the position they are in simply because of their own choices and that they are useless. Kozol shares stories of people who live in south Bronx so that we can hear their voices and listen to their side of things. The poor were taken and thrown in a city all together, and no outsiders seemed to care. Mrs. Washington goes on to say that “you took a place of death and added more death, and more danger, and this was intentional and it was spiteful and it was a conscious plan” ( Kozol 59). Kozol illustrates in the book how poor children are simply children who seek a normal life, but are powerless and afraid. The poor are in a constant cycle of mistreatment and their lifestyle is often a choice not made by themselves.

 

A story that impacted me the most was when Kozol mentioned the 18 year old who had just recently been awarded a scholarship for college, which was pretty rare for students in his area. Soon after, the cops had showed up to his house accusing him of being a drug dealer and he was shot dead. This is so crazy to me, because I am the same age as this young man was and most of my friends are 18 as well. He was about to begin a new chapter of his life and it was all taken away from him. I cannot begin to imagine what his family was feeling after this incident.  Violence and death is so common in these poor areas, that it becomes the norm. Those living in these violent areas are immune to hearing about death, It does not even seem to phase them. Also, it stood out me when Kozol mentioned the condition of the hospital in South Bronx. People needing immediate treatment have to wait hours, maybe days, to get helped. In the waiting rooms there are “sick children vomiting up their food. Men with gunshot wounds. People with AIDS…” (Kozol 17). Patients at the hospital would sometimes have to clean up their own rooms. Going to the hospital would often be worse for the patients, because they are forced to sit around other sick people for hours and hours. The poor have to deal with these horrible conditions and have to endure through their emotional and physical pain in their small, roach infested, non air conditioned homes.

 

Kozol’s construction of this book makes it very interesting for the reader. He includes several stories and accounts from different peoples lives, not just one. He talks to both children and older ones. I appreciate how Kozol interviewed many young ones. The young people who live in these poor areas are not afraid to say how they feel or explain the mistreatment they go through. A quote that stood out to me is when a young girl says that “Something’s always happening where the last and final vote was not the one we made” (Kozol 44). This quote is significant because it explains why the poor are in this constant cycle of struggle, all because their decisions are often made for them by others and the Government. It proves to show how these children feel so helpless and powerless. It is intriguing to me to hear these young ones who live such tough lives speak out about the challenges they are faced with everyday. It is easy to tell that these young individuals are very bright and have so much potential but will always have a deep rooted emotional pain. Listening to these children also helps to distinguish the stereotype that all young ones living in the poor urban neighborhoods are reckless and violent. Instead, they are tender and courageous.

 

Later in the book, it is mentioned that “The papers don’t ignore realities like these. They cover them, the same way that they cover things like the waste burner, but they do it in a way that tends to neutralize their dangers almost instantly” (Kozol 211). This quote also proves to be significant, as it relates to one of the main points of the book. The poor are often overlooked, and others don’t seem to think twice about them. This is partly because of the fabricated news we hear. The papers find a way to hide the real truth about the conditions of these poor areas, and Kozol is trying draw attention to it by writing this book. It is important that Kozol is allowing us to recognize the truth behind the stories we hear about the poor. It was saddening when Kozol went into depth about the school system. “At some schools in the South Bronx, in the same year, classes were taking place in settings like stair-landings, bathrooms and coat closets..”(Kozol 174). Children are not given a good education, and are often taught by teachers who are not certified. This stands out to me personally, since I value my education and knowledge so very much. It is so unfortunate to see children living in these conditions. Amazing Grace, by Jonathan Kozol shares the hard truth about the poor, and how and why they live how they do.

 

 

 

Citizenship to me is much more than just being a citizen. Being an active citizen is taking it upon yourself to be apart of society. Rather than simply being a citizen, being an active citizen is using your voice as a citizen to make change. An active citizen would be someone that maybe becomes a leader of a political group or club, or just someone who simply votes. It is important for people to stand up and use their voices, as active citizens do.

 

In the Soul of a Citizen, Loeb says that “When you get involved in something meaningful, you make your life count” ( Loeb 7). The book continues to talk about the importance of standing up to make change happen. Loeb also states that he has “heard active citizens say that what motivates them them the most is the desire to respect what they see in the mirror” (Loeb 21). This is to say that active citizens take action in respect for themselves. They have respect for themselves, so they do what they can to make the best future.

 

Martin Luther King Jr. fought for his rights as a black citizen. He didn’t sit back and wait for others to. That is what many do today, they believe that their opinions will not matter or their votes wont do anything. However, in order to make change citizens need to stand up and speak. Something so small can have such a big effect in the long run. For example, in my own experience, many my age have told me that they don’t vote because they just don’t feel like it or that their one vote won’t change anything. A citizen who truly cares about their future would not think this way.

 

It is one thing to be a citizen, but another to be an active citizen. We live in a democracy where we have the power to change what our future will be like. It is up to us as humans on this earth to decide how we will live. Rather than just living in quiet, we should actively take a role in society which better our world as a whole.

In Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell, the author makes the point that we often look at people’s success the wrong way. In “ The Danger of a Single Story” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, it is brought out how we can be too quick to judge after taking a single thing we hear and forming an opinion or stereotype right away. Both Gladwell and Adichie try to alter the initial perspective we take on about things in our lives and encourage us to deepen our thinking.

 

Malcolm Gladwell expresses that people do not rise to success from nothing and that we need to understand that when admiring another person’s achievements. He states that “The culture we belong to and the legacies passed down by our forebears shape the patterns of our achievements in ways we cannot begin to imagine” (Gladwell 19). Often, we look at ones personality or qualities instead of where they came from. We learn that the successful person was always a little bit better than their peers and thus given more attention and opportunities. Gladwell encourages us to shift the way we think about successful people by understanding how their accomplishments exponentially grow after given one single opportunity. After changing our perspective, we no longer put ourselves down for not being as successful as someone else and realize that people were given different circumstances.

 

Adichie speaks out about the effects of judging something or someone based off of a single thing they have heard. She explains how sometimes we hear one story and make it the only story. This can be dangerous and lead to unnecessary stereotypes. On top of that, hearing one bad thing can make the good things go right over our heads. She encourages us to not stick to the first story we may hear about something, but rather keep our minds open. Adichie goes on to say that “when we reject the single story, we regain a kind of paradise” (Adichie). I believe that this is very true, and changing our perspective just a little can bring people together rather than draw them apart.

 

Malcolm Gladwell and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie encourage people to change their perspectives which will ultimately better everyone in the end. Whether judging our success to someone else’s or judging someone else based on a single piece of information, It is important to have an open mindset and point of view. With Gladwell and Adichie’s examples, we learn that taking on a different perspective can make things much more understandable and a whole lot better.

Benazir Bhutto was a woman who continued fighting for democracy in Pakistan even through many complications and attacks intended to kill her. Nelson Mandela was fighting to survive in the harsh living conditions of prison while simply wishing upon freedom for all. Martin Luther King Jr. became famous after being a key leader in the civil rights movement.The road to freedom is a very long, complicated one as shown through the stories of both Bhutto, Mandela and MLK. It took much bravery from each of these individuals to fight for democracy and rights.

 

As the very first woman Prime Minister of Pakistan, Bhutto worked hard to defend her name while continuing to show courage. Bhutto strongly believed that Islam and democracy were compatible. However, the West and groups of extremists showed much opposition. Bhutto held strong to her opinion, saying that “Not only is islam compatible with democracy, but the message of the Quran empowers the people’s rights…” (Bhutto 185). The brave leader stressed the importance of freedom to travel, freedom to work, opportunity for education of both sexes and other elements of a democracy. Western policies and actions never allowed the growth of democratic ideas in the Muslim world, greatly affecting Islams ability to hold democratic values. However, Bhutto still fought for democracy. One of Benazir’s main ideas is that we must be patient with new democracy and give it much time to develop. She points out that once a growing democracy is threatened, the effects can be very long lasting. Benazir Bhutto never stopped fighting for the freedom that comes with democracy, even through the harsh attacks and opposition.

 

Nelson Mandela, a political leader, was imprisoned after trying to overthrow the South African government. Mandela was a strong individual, and he had even protested for long trousers in prison. He then refused the trousers after they were not offered to every prisoner, confirming his viewpoint on fairness and equality. Mandela states how after his years imprisoned his mission was to ”liberate the oppressed and the oppressor both (Mandela 81)”. Mandela fought for democracy and wanted freedom for all people. He explained how someone who is taking away another person’s freedom is not truly free. I strongly agree with Mandela’s point that in order to be free, we have to live in a way that respects other people’s freedom. In today’s society, we still see disrespect towards certain races and religions. I believe that when we fully respect one another’s race, religion and beliefs we will feel truly free.

Martin Luther King Jr. was no doubt a major activist in the civil rights movement. He, too, was imprisoned after protesting the treatment of African-American people in Birmingham, Alabama. In his letter from Birmingham Jail, King defends the concept of nonviolent protests. He states how although he works against protesting violently, “there is a type of constructive nonviolent tension that is necessary for growth” (King). He focuses his letter around the point that no progress would be made without nonviolent pressure. King explains his disappointment with the white moderate and the white church, critiquing their focus on order rather than justice. MLK’s letter from Birmingham Jail shows how writing can be a type of activism itself. Although restricted in prison, King still managed to fight for civil rights through writing. MLK’s famous letter defended the people as they fought for rights and were ready to put an end to segregation. King’s non-violent protests along with the power of writing contributed greatly to the progress of the civil rights movement and led us to where we are today.

 

Fighting for democracy, freedom and civil rights can bring violence and other unfortunate events as seen through Bhutto, Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr’s experiences. Opposition will always come along after standing up for something you believe in. However, these three political leaders showed courage and strength while trying to make a change in their political environment. Change will only happen when people speak their minds and actively fight for what’s right.

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton