A Class Divided
LaDonna Mackover
Sociology Class
Frontline Essay
June 22, 2013
WC: 1067
“A class divided”
In 1968 the words DISCRIMINATION, RACISM and STEREOTYPING were used every day and no one thought twice about it. It came from fear and ignorance from people who were afraid to see people different from them. When Dr. Martin Luther King was shot, it changed the world, whether it was for the better or not remains to be seen. Mrs. Jane Elliot from Riceville, Iowa set out to change the way her third grade class thought of these things by doing an EXPERIMENT, in hopes that it would spread and hopefully one day get her message across to everyone.
She separated her class between the blue eyed and the brown eyed kids to simulate what a MINORITY person had to go through compared to a non-minority person. Back in the 1960’s racism was everywhere, schools were segregated, and Dr. Martin Luther King was on a mission to change that. His STATUS was a hero, not just for black people but for everyone. He was trying to bring down the walls of PREJUDICE for everyone, not just minorities. He wanted equality for everyone and to break the STIGMA that everyone thought of minority people. Dr. King was fighting against what he called the Triple Evils, POVERTY, RACISM and MILITARISM. He believed that these were forms of violence in a vicious cycle. He thought they were interrelated, all-inclusive and stood as barriers to people living in what he called the Beloved Community. This was a place he was trying to reach for all of us, a place where poverty, hunger and homelessness wouldn’t be tolerated because human decency will not allow it. All forms of discrimination, BIGOTRY, and PREJUDICE would be replaced by a feeling of brother and sisterhood(thekingcenter.com) It was a beautiful dream for everyone to live in so when he was shot and killed, RIOTS and PANIC filled the streets. Everyone to this day remembers where they were when he was
Sociology Class
Frontline Essay
June 22, 2013
WC: 1067
“A class divided”
In 1968 the words DISCRIMINATION, RACISM and STEREOTYPING were used every day and no one thought twice about it. It came from fear and ignorance from people who were afraid to see people different from them. When Dr. Martin Luther King was shot, it changed the world, whether it was for the better or not remains to be seen. Mrs. Jane Elliot from Riceville, Iowa set out to change the way her third grade class thought of these things by doing an EXPERIMENT, in hopes that it would spread and hopefully one day get her message across to everyone.
She separated her class between the blue eyed and the brown eyed kids to simulate what a MINORITY person had to go through compared to a non-minority person. Back in the 1960’s racism was everywhere, schools were segregated, and Dr. Martin Luther King was on a mission to change that. His STATUS was a hero, not just for black people but for everyone. He was trying to bring down the walls of PREJUDICE for everyone, not just minorities. He wanted equality for everyone and to break the STIGMA that everyone thought of minority people. Dr. King was fighting against what he called the Triple Evils, POVERTY, RACISM and MILITARISM. He believed that these were forms of violence in a vicious cycle. He thought they were interrelated, all-inclusive and stood as barriers to people living in what he called the Beloved Community. This was a place he was trying to reach for all of us, a place where poverty, hunger and homelessness wouldn’t be tolerated because human decency will not allow it. All forms of discrimination, BIGOTRY, and PREJUDICE would be replaced by a feeling of brother and sisterhood(thekingcenter.com) It was a beautiful dream for everyone to live in so when he was shot and killed, RIOTS and PANIC filled the streets. Everyone to this day remembers where they were when he was