Freedom Riders

Q: If Hollywood attempted to depict the Freedom Riders in movie form, could it be done authentically with a close rendering of real events to the point where it was more effective for audiences than the documentary, or will the documentary always trump anything Hollywood could do, given that it's the "true" story?

I think that if Hollywood would attempt to depict the Freedom Riders in a movie. It would become twisted and not what actually happened. Which is true Hollywood fashion having something to follow. But adding their own twist on it which eventually just takes from the true story. Along with the fact that even if they did a rendering of the real events no movie would ever be able to depict something that a witness would be able to.Be able to provide while a Hollywood movie would be able to bring in an actor that could read the lines. The overall aspect of the movie would just be lost since the sentimental meaning would be gone.

So overall the documentary will always trump anything that Hollywood would be able to.Since there are first hand accounts and even if interpreted in a way that would fit the style the meaning would be lost. Along with any of the photographs that were in the documentary would not be able to be put into the movie. There will also not be a way to have the emotional feel that the documentary had on the people that were affected by this. Even if it was a "true story" stated in the movie the term has become SO over used by companies that everything is suddenly a true story. So in my perspective the documentary that the Freedom Riders have will always be able to trump anything that Hollywood can or could attempt to make.

Parenting Skills

Q:How should adults in 2012 "parent" thier children? Lend your opinion on how this should be done. Think about the appraoch your parents/guardians have taken in raising you. Consider the parenting you've seen of others in your peer group (how your extended family parents your cousins, or how your friends parents deal with your friends), and finally, think about the parent you might want to be someday. How would you go about raising your children? What standandards would you hold them to (if any), what rules would you impose (if any)?

The approach that my parents have taken in raising me is one built on trust and responsibility. There is very little that I don't tell my parents, or keep from them which is good since by being open with them. They trust me more than they probably would have if I was secretive and didn't tell them anything. All of my family is like this where the kids tell the parents what is going on and are very open. So there is no big discipline areas such as grounding, or having privileges taken away. As I'm a parent I think I would raise my children built on the same kind of relationship that I have with mine. One that is open but had known clear guide lines and ones that are respected. However I probably would be a little more stricter with having a curfew with my children as my parents never really have one for me. It is kinda like a "come home before this or let us know your not coming home" scenario. Which is nice to have the freedom but sooner or later that is taken for granted. Also I wouldn't be nearly as nosey as my parents are about who I'm texting unless it is something of concern.

Some standards that I would impose on my children would be that I would have to meet any of their friends. Or any boy/girl that they are hanging out with, or going out with. This is something that my parents haven't really brought up unless the person is at my house already. So then it is a meeting for the first time situation, which this standard could be seen as a intrusion. It would be necessary to see if the crowd of people or person they are going out with isn't someone that would immediately bring about alarm. Also one rule that I would have is a curfew. Since I never have a set curfew I wouldn't give one exactly to my children, However I would give them an idea of when to be home. As a guideline as to come home before or at a certain time. Which would need to be told or understood before they even considered going out with friends, or to a party. Also something else I would enforce is to give notice if they are sleeping over a friends house instead of just not coming home, which some teens do. As a parent I feel like these are reasonable requests for my children.

Q: To help understand race-relations in America today, it's important to look back on our past/history. We've been doing that with our reading of To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee's story of the South of the 30's, along with our viewing the PBS documentary, Freedom Riders, that dealt with the 60's. But this all took place decades ago. How would you sum up race-relations in America today, and more specifically, what is your own personal experience with it? What do you see are some of the more important issues, ideas, controversies at the heart of race-relations in America today?




I think I would describe race relationships as.... scattered. Everyone in our country has different views and ideas of what race relationships should be. There are so many people that still view people of a different race as inferior, and there are others that are perfectly happy with everyone. I personally have experienced race relationships through my job. I work at Dunkin Donuts so typically there is the "oh only Indian's work there" it's surprising the racial slang that is thrown around right in front of them. Such as "dot heads" and telling them " You can barely speak English please find someone else" and the same goes for me. People see me working there and go "Oh you poor girl you'll be okay" or "Oh surprising your not Indian so how are you working here?" People see it as such a problem that I'm working with them and that I'm going to be hurt by them.

Some of the more important issues that I still see today, is that people are beyond stereotypical. They just assume and don't really take the time to think about what they are going to say or what is actually being viewed. They don't actually stop to think that the person that the comment is being made CAN be heard. Multiple times as the person is coming to get their food, or whatever they ordered will make a comment right in front of another employee. Overall I find that people are totally insensitive to the fact that whatever is said affects a person even if they don't immediately show a reaction.Working at a place like Dunkin Donuts has really opened my eyes to how insensitive people can be towards people of a different race.