Britany’s most recent blog post raised a lot of good questions, all centered around the idea of being black in America. “Native Son” by Richard Wright tells the story of an African American named Bigger Thomas. Growing up in the 1940s, he faces many difficulties in society, pressured by the low expectations from the whites around him. Instead of succeeding at his job, he turns into the criminal everyone presumes him to be. Ultimately, Bigger fails to overcome the African American stereotype and succumbs to a life of violence and murder. Though Bigger lived nearly seventy years ago, it is hard to believet that not much has changed within the African American community. Yes, we have witnessed change through Obama’s presidency and in our culture through musicians, artists and more, but there are still loopholes that must be fixed. For those African Americans born into poverty, they find that they do not have equal opportunity. They don’t have the same chance at school and work. Rather, African Americans feel they have no other path to choose except one of drugs to support themselves.
On Sam Katz’s blog, he detailed the life and struggles of Chris Shurn. Chris is an African American, who finds it almost inevitable to escape going to jail. Once being released, he grapples with staying away from the life that once was him, the life of drug dealing. Statistics show that one of out three black men will serve jail time at one point in their life. Chris has already proven that statistic, though now he lives to fix the mistakes he has made. I believe that being black in America is not one-sided. Some have overcome obstacles to achieve greatness, while others are drowning in a sea of drugs and violence. Regardless, changes must be made to help those that need it.
