Judy’s thoughts after seeing “Selma”

A few thoughts after seeing “Selma” the movie this past weekend.

You know, I don’t often blog about things that are not business related on this blog, but today, I have felt a strong sense of sharing and talking.  This weekend, my dear friends, Ginny Macko, Virginia Wolfe and I went and saw the movie “Selma”.  I have to say it was a deep thought provoking movie – and the best way I can put this is:  “We are 50 years later and we are still backwards!”  There is still prevalent prejudice from all races and actions that make me simply cringe!

 

Take Ferguson – while we all have the right to protest and to view or speak our opinions, absolutely NONE of us have the right to demolish, loot and destroy businesses in the name of protests!

Martin Luther King, Jr. was not about violence.  He was all about “Peace” but demonstrating peacefully.  But I have a question for you.  “Why do some American’s feel they are better then others?”  What I mean is this:

• If you don’t worship to our God you aren’t a Christian
• If you don’t honor the status quo you are a rebel
• If you don’t believe as we do we are going to boycott and stop progress
• Always place the blame elsewhere – never on the shoulders of the people that cause the issue!

I think you are getting the picture.  Martin Luther King, Jr. was not racist.  Yes, he was a black man.  A well learned black man.  But he was open minded and he loved all races!  Martin Luther King, Jr.  stood for freedom.  He stood for equality in all Americans and he stood for righteous!  I am simply appalled at any white person who thinks that he or she is better then the black man or woman!

What I do know is this:

• We live in America – where there are people of all races, religions and ethnic backgrounds
• Here in America the poor stay poor – some make their way out of the slums – but many do not
• Here in America we protest on every little thing – no longer are we using common sense to reason and to work through issues
• Here in America the more we put others down, the more we bring out the negatives the stronger those accusing feel
• Here in America we do not want to read the fine print, several tend to believe whatever falsehood is being said and they don’t research to see if there is any ring of truth to an accusation
• Here in America you are condemned by the media before you go to trial and are proven guilty or innocent
• Here in America public education is not “FREE” and it is “NOT EQUAL”
• Here in America we have closed many mental institutions and programs (on the basis of lack of funds) yet we round up the homeless and toss them around.
• Oh, we don’t have any issue if people in Congress want to spend tax payers money to bring a suit against the president or any other member of legislature
• Here in America all people are NOT created EQUAL!
• Here in America – for some reason, immigrants is a bad word!  Yet we all come from a lineage of immigrants!
• Here in America – the majority of American’s have not traveled outside of the country, let alone outside of their city or their state!  Yet they have opinions about how things should be done, how other countries are not their concern, nor do they want to understand third world countries
• Here in America children and families go hungry!

• Here in America the homeless has changed – there are families, women who have escaped terrible situations with their children yet have no place to go.
• Here in America a woman is belittled and put down and put through the ringer if she so much as brings rape charges against a male
• Here in America a prisoner gets 3 meals a day and a roof over their head, medical and dental and other amenities.
• Here in America the Senior population go hungry, cannot afford medical or prescriptions and get kicked out of their homes
• Here in America children are not safe and the victim doesn’t get the help and attention that the prosecuted receives
• Here in America women are degraded – they are not shown as the leaders, the movers, the shakers, the volunteers, the moms, the entrepreneurs that they are!

I could keep going, but I think you get the picture here!  I am appalled and ashamed to see and to be associated with the American’s that are showing the rest of the world how ridiculous American’s act!

Selma should be shown in all of the schools!  It should be mandatory to all!  I know, I can hear it now, “you aren’t going to make me see a movie I don’t want to see!”  but that will only come from the ignorant.  This is “HISTORY” people!  We need to be teaching true history in our schools!  Not worry about a word or about how someone will view the material as flammatory!  If you teach the truth – our youth won’t be racist – they will be able to view things in a different or truer light.

Here is what I know:

• The majority of American’s are hard working and compassionate people
• The majority of American’s truly care about each other
• The majority of American’s care about their country and understand what it takes to keep our country free
• The majority of American’s are working non-stop to help the poor, to assist the frail, to teach our youth and to help feed the hungry
• The majority of American’s believe in a “Higher Power” – some may reference this belief as “God” and others may reference this belief with a different name – but the concept is the same.
• The majority of American’s want to see change but have no clue how to make this happen.
• The majority of American’s respect the office of the “President of the United States!”  They are not sore losers who want to waste tax payers money to bring the President down!

Selma definitely made me think – it showed me that even though I was 15 at the time of this march – that because I was in California and young, I was well removed from this turmoil and unrest.  It was not discussed in school  or anywhere else.  Which to me is SAD, SAD, SAD.

So let’s talk solutions ok?  First off – Public Education!  There needs to be a complete overhaul!  It isn’t working.

• When you have over 1.2 MILLION teenagers DROP out of high school each year – there is a HUGE ISSUE!
• More money being pored into a BROKEN system is not going to fix it!
• Cursive handwriting is being fazed out because someone decided that technology is taking over!  Like What????  How dumb is that!
• Bring back creativity, exploration, discussions, student council and true life issues and solutions
• Use that Black Board!  Have problems demonstrated on the board and a work through process so all the students can learn
• Technology is meant as an ADDITION (Enhancement) to Learning!  Not as THE LEARNING VEHICLE!
• According to “This” article – the U.S. spends $115,000 per student!  Really?  Where?  In the predominately wealthier areas?
• WE have schools falling apart, we have schools with very little or no library – we are not feeding these kids (for free) nor are we furnishing all the school supplies for our children to learn with – so where did this figure come from?
• Bring back discipline (with reason), set standards – kids need structure – and right now many schools don’t have that.

I have been saying this for some time, and I want to know why it falls on deaf ears.  Clearly our youth are not a priority!  We hear all of the time that the schools don’t have money.  Well, I am proposing that the schools PROVE to us that they don’t have money. Did you know that you have the capacity to review and look over the school budget in your area?  Click here to see the Sacramento Unified School District PDF Document!   Not an easy task to figure out is it?

I know for a fact that I pay taxes and have NO children in school.  I have no issue with supporting the educational school system and any children that want to learn.  But I have a HUGE problem with paying into a broken system.

Without education, we have illiterate people!  Illiterate people do not think like a literate person.  I am not putting the illiterate person down at all.  What I am saying is this:

• With being literate you know to ask questions, you seek out answers to issues
• With being literate you know not to go down a certain road – you have the mental capacity to think beyond the immediate circumstances
• With being literate you can read what issues are about and you can reason well – we all have different life circumstances and experiences, but those that are literate can communicate better and find resolutions where needed

 

• With literacy comes reasoning and solutions – it causes you to question, to examine to break things down in little pieces so you can figure out if something makes sense
• With literacy comes creativity – you think about solutions to issues – motivation and inspiration come into play and you are more apt to volunteer and to help those a bit less fortunate
• With Literacy comes less racism – you may be more accepting of differences
• With literacy comes less prisons – people not acting out, committing crimes – and with it comes responsibility – where you will take the blame for your mistakes and seek out resolutions to those mistakes – knowing that you are human and all humans make mistakes
• With literacy you can think for yourself!  You don’t need anyone telling you how to think or what to do.

 

 

Instead of spending our dollars to create more prisons, why don’t we take those dollars and invest it into our youth.  Create a place of learning that will inspire our youth to come to school and to learn!  Bring back creativity, questioning, take away such a strict curriculum that our teachers have to follow and give them free reign to teach their way – let them be the creators of the information that needs to be taught.

Let our teachers and volunteers and peers encourage extra curricular activities – not just sports, but debate team, music, drama, language club, technology, photography, creative writing, sciences and math!  Reading – try evaluating each student separately and meet the needs of that student.  Incorporate Yoga and other health programs – this will only enhance the students experiences and learning!

Some people are audio some are visual and some are both!  Truly figure out where each of our youth reside and place them where they can learn best.  FEED them nutritious meals, not this process crap that does so much damage just to save a buck.  Help them grow their vegetables and fruits and learn about that process – let them be a part of their meal planning and preparing.

Jamie Oliver is a fantastic example as one trying to incorporate healthy eating in our schools.  Dr. Oz has a great program called Healthcorps and is in a Sacramento High School.

I want you to know that I totally believe in throwing out solutions, I am not one to just complain – I really do not listen or read from those that are so quick to judge and to complain and point out issues when all they do is that.  I want to come to the drawing board to share solutions and I want others to do the same.  Respecting each person’s contribution is key – and maybe some of the idea’s may not flow – it does’t mean that it is a bad idea – it just means that it isn’t the right idea for that specific time frame.

The movie “Selma” moved me beyond belief and I have never written something so long and so detailed in an awfully long time.