Williams, a women of Mormon religion, was raised in a more passive culture. Mormons are able to have an opinion on topics yet were only allowed to bury these thoughts with in their souls, never to share with another. Her mother stated "Just let it go... you know how you feel and thats what counts". After a lifetime of oppressing her voice, Williams came to the conclusion that we should not hide what we truly believe in by become "immune" to the wrongs in society. As cliche as it sounds, we should stand up for our rights and stand our ground. Terry had another reoccurring dream of the mothers taking back the lands of the desert, which symbolized taking back mother nature before it was tainted by lies of the government and nuclear bombings. She then had the courage and guidance to not let "obedience sway her in tolerating the lives taken by religion or patriotism" by trespassing the Nevada test site to take back the land for her fore mothers.
I completely understand and agree with T. Williams' main point of the story. We should never agree or form immunities towards actions that we know are wrong, even if that means to go against the authority. We should take advantage of our weapons of opinions and thoughts to protest against injustice. If there weren't any radical thinkers or courageous ones to protest for what is right, then our country would have never reached change for the better. At what length should we wait until "the price of obedience became to high" to finally take action in what we truly believe is right?
-C.Mueller
2 comments:
In the beginning of his speech "A More Perfect Union", Barack Obama said that when our Democracy was first formed, there was still slavery. He said that "words on a parchment would not be enough to deliver slaves from bondage..." He later went on to say, " What would be needed were Americans in successive generations who were willing to do their part - through protests and struggles... to narrow that gap between the promise of our ideals and the reality of their time." This has been the case in African American civil rights, women's rights, and it is taking place right now with gay/lesbian marriages, etc. It does not matter what problem we are facing, if we don't stand up for what we believe in, then people are going to assume we are content with the way things are and will never change them. But if we stand up and and "take action" in what we truly believe is right, we will most likely see results like in the examples I pointed out earlier.
Williams turns to civil disobedience in the end, with her clan of one breasted women, to stop the injustices of nuclear fallout. As then-Sen. Obama stated, civil disobedience is used "to narrow that gap between the promise of our ideals and the reality of their time" (2).
His speech on race and religion in America is frank and forthright. Unlike most politicians and public figures, he treats Americans as equals. He speaks as if he believes that Americans, or at the very least the vast majority of them, are intelligent, hard-working people who want nothing more than a better life for themselves and their children.
His story is inspiring, it is one of hard work, self reliance, struggle, and hope. From that, he gains the incredible insight that allowed him to give the greatest speech of my lifetime. This speech, along with JFK's on religion, Lincoln's Cooper Union speech, and FDR's Inauguration Speech, seem to tackle daunting problems affecting the American public and psyche by addressing them honestly and seeking to build common ground.
Mr. Obama's does this wonderfully. His speech on race demonstrates "the idea that this nation is more than the sum of its parts - that out of many, we are truly one" (2). E Pluribus Unum
-Stephen Schmitz
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