Inside Heather

I feel so humbled and proud! My eyes are damn near swollen shut from crying. I know that not everyone is hopeful about what will come of this, but I hope seeing this country, “we the people,” make history was as profound a feeling for you as it was for me. I think if there is a heaven, Martin, Coretta, Rosa, John and Bobby, and even LBJ are smiling down on us with great reverence today.

Most importantly, I hope the young people of this country realize that in order to really bring about the change their votes most definitely cried out for, they can never again return to the complacency of pop culture and materialism that has thus far defined their generation.

I am overwhelmed by my faith in humanity and gratitude for the values that were instilled in me as a child of a father that felt the effects of racial hate, and a mother who truly understands the importance of a woman’s right to choose!!!

As people all around the world celebrate this historic event, I can’t help but think that the words of Horace Mann, Antioch’s first President, are just as true today as when he first spoke them: “Be ashamed to die until you have won some great victory for humanity.”

I was recently discussing energy alternatives with a friend, and she brought to my attention that alternate plans offered up, much like the one proposed by T. Boone Pickens that is being promoted through his recent television commercials airing across America, only serve to create new problems. She contends that the only way to solve the global energy and environment crises is to lower human consumption. The socially passionate Antiochian in me agrees 100% with the assertion that we need to reduce consumption. Lately, this has been weighing on my mind, especially with all the post graduation idle time on my hands. I have spent the past few weeks throwing out the clutter and crap that I have been holding onto, in an effort to downsize and move to a smaller apartment in order to keep things simple, be closer to my family, deal with the effects of the down spiraling economy, and to reduce our energy consumption at home. I am also getting ready to sell my Explorer and buy a smaller more economical used car, and I will limit my search to only those vehicles that get at least 30-35 mpg. Even so, we try to only use our compact car for all our needs, and I am down to using the SUV only to make the 7 mile round trip commute to my job. Just as I am doing my best to conserve and leave as little impact on the environment as I can, I am sure that many others in my family, my fellow classicans, and my like-minded friends try to do the same. There is, however, that nagging little voice in my head that reminds me that not everyone out there is as socially conscientious as I am. Read the rest of this entry »

Now, with graduation quickly approaching, I have been reflecting on what my time at Antioch McGregor has meant to me, and how the opportunity has changed my life. It is difficult to express my sentiments, and finding words powerful enough to convey my gratitude seems nearly impossible.  The last three years have been the most arduous, yet rewarding years of my life.  Read the rest of this entry »

Sudan, the largest country in Africa, is geographically located between Egypt and Eritrea, and it borders the Red Sea. The country gained independence from both England, and Egypt, in 1956; however, since that time, conflicts between Northern and Southern Sudanese people have ravished the country, and the current conflict in the Darfur region has led to genocide, and caught the attention of humanitarian groups around the world. In order to gain a better understanding of this war-torn nation, we will explore ethnicity, religion, culture, national identity, gender issues, and human rights concerns of Sudan, realizing that all these factors have played a role in its current affairs. Read the rest of this entry »

In honor of the Fourth of July, I decided to post two reviews I have written. The first, is on a speech Frederick Douglass gave, at the Rochester (New York) Ladies Anti-Slavery Society, on July 5, 1852. The second is on W.E.B. Dubois’, The Souls of Black Folks, originally published in 1903.

These writings may be more than a hundred years old, but I believe these works, and the messages within, transcend time, and speak to anyone willing to open their mind to the condition of minority groups in America. Especially now, when America has the opportunity to make history and elect the very first African-American president, I believe it is paramount that we reflect on the history of race in this country, and allow ourselves to engage in honest, educated, and compassionate dialogue, in order to break through the stereotypes, myths, and fears about race that continue to plague our nation.

With regards to the citations, excerpts of both works can be found in the Howard Zinn, Voices of a People’s History of the United States text, and the page number cited can be found accordingly (although I highly recommend reading Dubois’ text in its entirety). Also, please be aware that any derogatory racial terms used in my critiques are merely quoted or paraphrased from the original authors, and are present only to keep with the terminology of the time they were written. I sincerely appologize if this offends anyone.

Happy Fourth of July! As you are celebrating our nation’s independence, at your local parade or holiday party, please try to take the time to think of those all around the country that have been denied the liberties that our founding fathers fought so desperately for. As you enjoy good fare at a family picnic or bbq, please remember those Americans that aren’t afforded the luxury of an overindulgent holiday feast, and as you watch the beautiful tapestry of fireworks light up the night sky, please remember the men and women that are dying, so that America can spread capitialism across the globe, in the name of democracy.

Peace and Love

Heather

Frederick Douglass was one of the most prominent figures in the African American community, and arguably the most important abolitionist of the 19^th century. As a former slave, Douglass understood the impact slavery, “the great sin and shame of America” (186), had on those “whose chains, heavy and grievous, yesterday, are, today, rendered more intolerable by the jubilee shouts that reach them” (185). In an address given to a group of anti-slavery supporters on the Fourth of July, 1852, Douglass shares his outrage over the celebration of a holiday “that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim” (186). Read the rest of this entry »

W.E.B. Dubois was an African American sociologist, philosopher, and social activist that grew up in the Northeast United States during the post slavery era. In his most famous work, The Souls of Black Folks, Dubois discusses the experience of the “negro” in America, and shares, through personal anecdotes and narratives, the plight of supposed freedmen, and his vision for a future built on the notion of liberty, equality, and respect. Read the rest of this entry »

A People’s History of the United States of America, by Howard Zinn, Is a collection of writings, speeches, editorials, open letters, song lyrics… Zinn put this book together starting with entries from Christopher Columbus and Bartolomé de Las Casas, and the excerpts continue through 2003 (including contemporary material from filmmaker Michael Moore and Musician Patti Smith). If you are not familiar with Howard Zinn, (born August 24, 1922), he is an Activist, Historian, Playwright, and Professor of Political Science at Boston University.

Listen to Howard Zinn interviewed by Mike Pappintonio on Ring of Fire  June 6, 2008 on Air America

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I have been doing a blog since 2004. I had been using Movable Type, but recently it had become mostly broken, although it was functioning. Then I decided to upgrade it to the newest version, but had trouble reinstalling it. I ended up switching to WordPress and found it so easy that I decided to set up a blog for my neice, Heather Cox.

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