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The Hanna Jones Project is basically about how African-Americans achieved the ideals of freedom and how they could have equality in America. One of the greatest achievements African Americans had was the exposure to cotton. She always thought of the role of African-Americans. She always emphasized that great things were achieved by them in America. She speaks as Great Britain fought for years against intense parliamentary resistance after Somerset. This can relate to the caravans of migrants who recently arrived. Each person came with a speech in the hope of improving life with something that would change their lives and their families.

In my opinion, not all people living in America are racist as anywhere there is always going to be people who have different thinking or who don’t like other people. The racist thing isn’t just in the U.S. it’s all over the world. Many activists try to make them understand that we are all equal and that there is no difference between us. But many people are flattered to believe the same better than others and that depends on each person how or in what environment they grew up. I feel like these people are very difficult to change as it’s something they carry inside.

Slaves and people on the street relate in some way as they were low-income. They just lost everything. We are like rich people who had slaves, as we are well economically we do not care about what conditions the people of the street are in. As long as we don’t get into a problem where we meet in the same situation, we don’t do anything to make that change.

The idea of Hanna Jones of that our society should be fair since we are all equal. We have the same rights and opportunities. No one can make you feel different because you can do great things too. Nothing to do with your race, or skin color, we’re all capable of doing whatever we set out to do. If we want to change society, we must start the change in ourselves first.

Throughout Hannah Jones’s “The 1619 Project,” she has emphasized the idea that the efforts of African-Americans were what created and achieved the ideals of freedom and equality as the indisputable truth of American history. In her piece, Jones discussed the many things that African-Americans had contributed to most of America’s great successes and triumphs, including their contribution of cotton that accounted for “half of America’s exports and 66 percent of the world’s supply” back when cotton was considered to be the nation’s most valuable good.  This may relate to more recent immigrants, as they contribute to the diversity and prosperity of America by making a living there.

Through her use of “we” and “us,” Jones indicates that Black Americans were the ones who perfected democracy and allowed the rest of America’s citizens to prosper. In this case, it is not possible for the “we” and “us” to include every individual person with equality, because Jones’s words imply that it was not the white people who perfected democracy or contributed to America’s success, it was solely the Black Americans. In a sense, this seems to be a reasonable claim to make since white slave owners in the past mostly left labor to Black Americans and it seems that it was only when Black slaves rebelled that Americans became fully conscious of the concept of human rights for the first time. 

At the very core of the nation of the U.S.A., I don’t believe it to be an evil, unjust, and racist society. This is because determining evil is a subjective matter that pertains to the individual’s beliefs and moral principles. While most people today would agree that slavery was evil, it can’t be denied that slavery was useful and efficient for those with the authority to utilize it. In this case, it could be argued from said authority’s point of view that they have the right to utilize slavery and believe it’s not evil. However, that is not to say that slavery wasn’t unjust to the victims of slavery; it was the opposite for them. Given the subjective nature of evil, it can’t be said that the United States is inherently evil at its very foundation. As for whether or not the U.S.A. is a racist society, I would say that it’s not. I would even say that as a whole, the structure of the U.S.A.’s society supports a diverse and anti-racist climate. It is because of this diverse climate that the U.S.A. is able to progress so far as a nation by accepting all manner of techniques and belief systems from other nations, creating a melting pot of races that intermingle with one another for the sake of their freedoms and prosperity. While it is true that there are some areas in the U.S. where racism does occur, they cannot be said to be indicative of American society as a whole. As an Asian person living in America, I don’t act racist against other people as it would not benefit me in any way and would prevent me from making beneficial and enjoyable relationships with other people.

From my point of view, the United States cannot become a racist society because the United States is an immigrant country. All kinds of people live here. If the United States rejects other races and only accepts white immigrants, then it should not be regarded as an immigrant country. why? Because I can tell the difference between a colony and an immigrant country. But it is also because the United States is an immigrant country that racism has penetrated into his DNA，Racism can even be part of American history, everyone is equal, color is irrelevant, these are appearing in the “ideal” America.

Although there is no slavery, racism still exists. September 26th, 2016 According to Uschinapress news, there are more and more robberies targeting Chinese in the United States and Canada. African-American singer has launched the song incitement “Robbery Chines. There are lyrics translated: First, you find a house in a Chinese community area because they don’t trust the bank, so it ’s easier to rob.
The lyrics also said: Don’t take large-screen LCD TVs and laptops, it’s more cost-effective to steal jewelry boxes because they can be cashed on the same day they get into the pawnshop. Many people think they are joking when they discriminate against others, but when others joking with them in a racially discriminatory way, they consider themselves to be victims

According to Hannah Jones, the United States is evil because it enacted laws on slavery that made slavery became the right thing. The idea of not allowing black people to testify about white people in court is also a definition of an unjust society. Is the United States an evil society? What exactly is evil? A party with power? If you can only make a choice You will choose to be a victim or perpetrator?

I agree with the idea of Hannah-Jones that society should be fair, blacks should be eligible to go to court, no, not just blacks. All races should be treated equally. But how do we define racial discrimination? One night I was walking on the streets of New York. When I saw a black man across the street, I quickly crossed the other side of the street. I did not expect that the black man had the same intention to try to avoid me by going on another side. If this is the conclusion, both sides are racist, does it seem a little ridiculous?

In the story Drown by Junot Diaz, the author reveal Yunior’s relationships with others. The absence of his father during childhood made Yunior more dependent on his mother, It can be said that Yunior’s mother is the center of his world. Compared with Yunior’s brother Rafa and father, the mother is more like Yunior’s haven, a supporter protecting Yunior at all the time.
Yunior has a strange relationship with his father the complex source of resentment, who was absent from Yunior when he was young and then betrayed Yunior’s mother with his mistress, Yunior is upset with his father’s unreliability and infidelity. Even if the family reunited in the United States, they still looked like strangers. It’s as if Yunior’s father never cared about Yunior.
In”Ysrael” Yunior and his brother Rafa are living in the Dominican Republic. Their father has abandoned them their mother sent them to a relative’s house because she wanted to work in a chocolate factory. We know that Yunior’s brother Rafa has the same character as his father when Yunior and his brother Rafa got on the bus, an old man sitting next to Yunior started grope Yunior on the grounds of helping to clean up the stains on Junior pants. Yunio started to cry after pushing the man away and getting out of the car. His brother Rafa didn’t go to comfort Yunio but yelled at him because Yunior and his mother lived together for many years, Yunior’s personality is more docile, So Rafa has the dominance when dealing with Yunior. Yunior was not very violent at this time, but unknowingly, as he grew up, the mother and Yunior relationship change, Yunior began to look up to his brother Rafa and his father. Yunior thinks his father and brother Rafa are a role model, unlike a supporter like mother.
Later in the story, Yunior became a high school drug dealer, but Yunior did not want his mother to know that he was selling drugs. Yunior was afraid that any customer would go to him and buy drugs for him in front of his mother. Remember a recruiter who wanted to offer a real career to Yunior. Yunior rejected his offer. I think it’s because Yunior chose to keep the current lifestyle. Yunior is afraid to make changes, He rather prefers to take the shortcut to makes money such as selling drugs. Or because of his mother, Yunior doesn’t want to leave his mother alone. Therefore, Yunior chose to stay with his mother

Throughout the first week of learning, we have a certain understanding of the discourse community. Discourse community as a communication mode of information that relates to writing and speaking. The discourse community is a relatively independent space, and the members in this space will be different according to the groups of the environment and knowledge background. You and your family discourse community members may not be too complicated for the college student group.
The special discourse patterns of college students are much richer than those of primary and middle school students, and they are also very typical, at least I think so. University students are generally exposed to many concepts and topics that have not been encountered before. Because college is a place where people choose their future career, someone in your major course must be with you in the same camp that will be your Discourse community during the college. Your behavior depends on the person or group with you; I mean your discourse community. I call this “To turn red when close to vermilion and black when close to ink.” These discourse patterns affect not only school time but also after graduating from university; in short, the university’s discourse mode has a strong depth influence and orientation or I would say that the discourse community it’s very guided.
Throughout chapters 1-3 In the book 《Drown》 by author Junot Diaz. We get to know the story about Junior and his older brother Rafa and the masked boy Ysrael. Ysrael was attacked by a pig when he was a baby, and one side of his face was eaten by a pig. So Ysrael was given the nicknamed “No Face.” Junior and his brother Rafa was curious about Ysrael’s face, so their plan was to somehow take off his mask. Ysrael is a good guy; He likes helping others, but the surrounding people treat him maliciously. Junior and his brother Rafa wanted to take away Ysrael’s mask in order to satisfy himself, and they did not consider it would cause pain to Ysrael, it feels like the school bully.
The discourse community can become complicated and sometimes not even a good thing, but if you fully understand each other and communicate well, it can be a healthy environment.

During the first three chapters of the book Drown by Junot Diaz, we can see the theme that I have come out with the reflection that not everyone has a perfect family. Moreover, I have seen how the characters play well the duality of being. For example, Rafa, who is Yunior’s older brother, is two different people inside and outside of the home. The same situation goes for the father of Yunior, who has a double life outside the home. Last, Yunior’s mother is not the same person when her relatives surround her, and when she is with Yunior’s father.

In the case of Rafa, he does have a good relationship with Yunior when he is not around his friends. Otherwise, when he is outdoors, he shows another type of personality. Rafa acts as someone without control when his parents are not watching him. In addition, he often demonstrated some sex appeal to his father.

From the other side, Yuinor’s father acts as a “real” husband at home and a lover outside of the home. He rules when he is at home, but when he is with the Puerto Rican woman, he changes drastically.

Yunior’s mom seemed to have conservative ideas of everything that happens to the family. In other words, what happens inside the family stays inside. Moreover, she is reserved with her husband even though they had spent a lot of time together.

I think Yunior’s family situation is terrible in the sense that his father is unfaithful to his mother, his mother acts very submissive, and his brother Rafa is a promiscuous teenager without manners. Besides, Yunior is greatly influenced by Rafa’s decisions and keeps his father’s secrets from his mother. Without forgetting that there is no confidence in the family. There is not much parental affection, that can become very problematic in the future.

On the other hand, I find Yunior as a very lonely character. Yunior always wants the acceptance of his family. He wants to be accepted by Rafa, like any child who has older siblings. He looks for Rafa as his role model, and he always tried to get attached to him, as he described in the first chapter. On the other hand, Yunior wants to be accepted by his father. Nevertheless, Yunior’s father is a total jerk who treated him more like an annoying bug than his son. Lastly, Yunior wants to be accepted by his mother. He seeks his protection and love when he finds rejection in his father and brother.

 

Reflection on Hannah-Jones, “The Idea of America. Intro to 1619 Project.” Additional readings to consider in your reflection, Magness, “Fact-Checking the 1619 Project and its Critics.” And Lindsay, “After All, Didn’t America Invent Slavery?”

Possible topics to reflect on:

1. Hannah-Jones thought on the leading role of African-Americans in the U.S. in the pursuit of goal of freedom and equality.
2. How this relates to more recent immigrants.
3. How the author shifts in the use of “we” and “us.” Is it possible or not for the “we” or “us” to include everyone with equality?
4. Is the USA “in its DNA” an evil, unjust, racist society? What is your role and position in it? What do you do and what should you do in response?
5. Do you consider yourself an American? What is the “idea of America” that Hannah-Jones agrees with and supports? What is the “idea of America” she condemns and disagrees with?
6. Compare the situation of slavery, based on reading Hannah-Jones, to how we care or don’t care about the homeless person on the street, in the subway, etc.
7. What have you learned that you didn’t know before from reading Hannah-Jones, Magness, and Lindsay? Are they addressing the same audience? Is there a discourse community they all belong to?
8. Generate your own topic.  Reflect on another topic that strikes you in relation to the readings, and in your personal experience. What type of language do you choose to use? Who is your audience?

https://www.aier.org/article/fact-checking-the-1619-project-and-its-critics/

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomlindsay/2019/08/30/after-all-didnt-america-invent-slavery/#836cf3f7ef6e

n chapters 4-6 of Diaz’s “Drown ” I felt a sort of sympathy for Yunior as he had to travel a lot to different relatives homes throughout his childhood years. There were situations where he had to stay with his Tia in Boca Chica without his mother or Rafa. He would stay for weeks at a time eating different foods and listening to his Tia criticize his dad for leaving his mom how he did. His mom would show up later on after a few weeks and she would look different with her hair and nails done maybe even thinner than before. If it wasn’t this situation it would play out differently as he would wake up in the mornings where his mom would be gone and the only one around was his Abuelo. He then wouldnt see her for weeks and when she returned would act as if he wasn’t excited to see her. Again she would return with hair done and looking a bit different. All this just shows the struggle that both the mother and Yunior were going through emotionally with their father having left them and leaving his mother to work. 

In another chapter, you see that even after his father comes back he leaves again while Yunior is in about high school. The father is said to have left for Florida with another female. This leaves Yunior providing for his mother and himself. He feels obligated to give her money when they go to the mall and stuff of that nature. Yunior looks as his mom as perfect and really puts all his energy into taking care of her and her only. At some point it feels as if his only goal in life is to make sure she’s ok. He also walks in on her talking on the phone with his father and she denies it. He tells her that communicating with him is enough. This is Yuniors way of trying to rule out his dad completely and not wanting to do anything with him. This is because of the disappointment the father has continuously left with his family. This is very saddening and you feel very much his feeling of abandonment.