Talk Piece 1

Kozal's piece reveals the struggles and tragedies dealt with in Mott heaven, South Bronx. Through the eyes of an adolescent child, as well as a sickly older women, the in and outs of everything from the passing out of clean needles to needing donations to bury a family member are revealed in this society. "City don't have the money for the living, I guess they think: why waste it on the dead." Through their eyes a world of crack-cocaine addicts, aids, prostitution and depression are what most if not all members of such a society represent. This frightening world causes fears and anxieties that are unknown in the everyday lives of privileged families. Religion is a key which helps member from youth to elderly have at least a bit f hope and faith in such hard times. Member cherishes their religion gratefully and take is as a serious and large part of their personal lives. The horror in this society is at such a great extent that the police allow certain illegal actions to take place in order to keep a certain level of peace present. Even facilities such as clinics and hospitals are unreliable in providing good care and or cleanliness for the sick to acquire help from. Such understaffed and lacking of financial support, cause patients to have to wait hours at a time for any assistance, with waiting with other extremely sickly persons who would most likely make one in a deeper position then when first attending the hospital. It has come to the point where it is most times safer and easier to take matters into ones own hands instead of going through the inaccurate and lengthily hospitals and police services. As one extremely sickly woman protests for future care visits, "Do not take me to Harlem Hospital in an emergency."As the insight into this poop area is revealed, Kozal has developed reasoning for why the situation has not improved. He has concluded that because of the lack there of recognition of power which the privileged acquire, changes have not been made. He demands that "people with power are frequently least unaware of-or least willing to acknowledge its existence." Such powerful individuals lack the desire of proof of recognition because then they would see it for themselves as a resource for helping the powerless, which most have no desire to do.Kozal's argument is that he holds the powerful of the world accountable for the problems of poverty and racism in Mott Haven, and many other poor areas. He feels that the hearts of powerful people are evil, in the sense that they will not use their privilege in society and advantages in life to better the lives of the disadvantaged." Pretending that they don't so that they don't need to use it to help people-that is my idea of evil." This idea strongly relates to Delpit's ideas in the sense that teachers have the knowledge and codes to help underprivileged student survive in a dominant culture, but the question is if either situation of power will be used to better others. Also, Delpit also expresses that "those with less power are often most aware of its existence", this relating to Kozal's idea that some poor persons only know how they were brought up and surrounded by, specifically grief and horror. Because of this the ability to recognize the power and not be the wak of our nation is an incomprehensible idea. When all you know is one thing, its hand to recognize another, never mind create it within yourself." We came here in chains and now we buy our own chains and we put them on ourselves."Goldberg's article expressed that he feels the school systems of our nation are changing into a liberal mess with no respect for our country or its efforts, which is his analysis of the basics of Kozal's ideas. He explains that “most lunch table liberals say that they do not love America and would never defend it." Such a system like Kozal's would consist of lack of patriotism, a exposure of liberal racial political views will be pushed along with all individuals taught to desire only the work for a general purpose over the pleasures of individual reward. Also, Kozal's idea that students should admire and strive for strong authoritive powers such as one represented in the Holocaust. Goldberg expresses his own fear of Kozal's idea in," his ideas are put into practice every day in classroom all across American, from high schools all the way down to pre-schools." Goldberg is worried about such views that are being absorbed by our nation's student, and how it will later affect the whole perspective of our world.