The Subject Of This Is America

In the 21st century, it is normal for people use different forms of art to relate and connect to real world events and issues. These forms of art include music, literature of various types; poetry, plays, books, etc., and literal art (paintings, drawings, etc.). For example, the artist Childish Gambino, otherwise known as Donald Glover, recently released a song and music video called “This is America,” that expressed his feelings toward what he thinks America has become. The video depicts shootings and uses lyrics such as “Yeah, this is America, guns in my area. I gotta strap, I gotta carry ‘em,” and an explicit scene in which a black choir group was shot and killed. The music video was supposed to exemplify his point that America is not what
On March 24, 1931, the two young women jumped on a train and hoboed their way to Chattanooga, Tennessee. While on the train, a group of white boys accominioned them, as well as the 12 black boys. Price’s and Bates’ account of the events went like this; The black “gang” forced the white boys to jump off the train, which was moving at a fast rate of speed. The white boys after having been put off the train went to the local train station and the station then informed the Scottsboro station and police force that an angry gang of Negroes were on board the freight. When the train was stopped at Scottsboro, the girls got off the train and immediately claimed that they were raped by 12 boys, but three of them jumped off the train before it was stopped. Price testified and said that six raped her and six raped Bates. Ruby Bates was 17 years old at the time. She was not very good mannered and came from a poor family. She decided to go with Price on the train because she was trying to find a job. Before the alleged rape, Price was a mill worker. It was stated in Hollace Ransdall’s report on the first Scottsboro Trial that Bates resented Price. “The only strong feeling that Ruby showed about that case was not directed against the Negroes. It was against Victoria Price that Ruby expressed deep and bitter resentment. For Victoria captured the show for herself and pushed Ruby into
The summation of Samuel Leibowitz’s closing statement focused on his appeal to justice, contradiction to the prosecutor’s attack, commentary on prejudice, and an appeal to reason of the jury. He had called for an acquittal based “on the thousand doubts in this case.” He had said, “Price’s story was the foul, contemptible outrageous lie of an abandoned, brazen woman” (Famoustrials.com). He thought it was fathomable that her statements were complete lies, which it turns out was the truth when it was proven the allegations were false. Bates had confessed in a letter that the boys were innocent years after the trials ended. Atticus’s closing remarks highlighted the fact that no doctor was called to examine Mayella’s “semi-serious” injuries, whoever beat her did so with their left hand, and that all men should be treated equal. “Our courts have their faults, as does any human institution, but in this country our courts are the great levelers, and in our courts all men are created equal” (Lee, 209). Atticus stressed the fact that there show have been no case seeing as there were no witnesses, no doctor was called, and the victim’s story did not make sense with her