Racism

One day in wellness class there was a racist event. Mrs. Olchowski was at the board writing lists of people in each group. There was groups of four that she put together. In my group there was three different races between the four people. One of the people in my group came to me and said: I can't believe I'm the only white person in my group. This was said with a very offensive tone. More racist comments were made. By the end of the conversation I was feeling angry. I was not impressed with the things that were said, or the way they were said. I expressed my anger by telling a few other students in the class. Then I decided to find a way to hopefully make the racist situation better. So, I told Mrs. Olchowski what had happened and she took it in her own hands.

I could have personally approached the person that made the offensive comment. I could have said to them why the comment was offensive and how it could make others feel bad. I could have told the person that it wasn't appropriate to say and that I would appreciate if they wouldnt say it again, at least in my presence.

Columbus, the Hero?

It was a day the same as every other day. Me and my men went out for our daily hunt. Our wives and children were at the camp making clothes and gathering food. We needed all the resources we could get, so every one worked together as a group and shared what we had. We were having bad luck on our hunting trip, but decided we should keep looking for a while longer.

One of my men yelled out, “that way, something is coming!” Our hunting tribe charged towards the animal. Quickly I commanded the men to stop, because it was not an animal. It was my daughter, she came to me running, crying and screaming. I had to listen carefully to understand her speedy words. Her message was difficult to understand for all of us including her. Someone had come to shore on massive boats.

There was not only a few people either. There were armies of men, with weapons. They could over power us in a second, but we needed to try and protect our land and people. We ran the fastest we could to get to where the commotion was coming from, and found a terrible sight. The strange people had invaded our land. This was very insulting to us, a man who seemed to be the leader told us his name was Columbus. The mysterious man said he was from another land. He needed what our land had, but he said the land was his. No one understood, we lived here, he came and now the land was his?

Columbus and his men forced my tribe to do things that we did not want to do. He threatened us, if we did not do what he wanted we would be tortured. My people were forced to find gold and take it back to Columbus, if we did not get the required amount we would have our hands brutally chopped off. Columbus brought fear to all of us.

Anything he wanted us to do we did. Farming sugarcane was an order, some of my men were put in danger everyday producing the sugarcane. The machines used were extremely difficult to use and you could easily get your clothing or even hands caught in. If this happened your hand or arm would simply be cut off. Running away was even worse than staying. You did not have much chance of actually getting away. If you were caught you would be hanged or burnt to death. Aside from the work and danger Columbus brought to our land him and his men, savagely raped our women, no mercy was felt by Columbus. Yet he is thought of as a hero who "found" the new land for people today.

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