Strikes - Yesenia Villarreal

On for Strikes

  What is a ‘strike’? To start off, let me explain to you my own definition, a strike is to act in an opposed way physically and verbally for something, for your own reason usually dealing with how one handles things. To pick an argument or violence to express how you feel about that ‘something’ you’re against. But a ‘strike’ in the dictionary found online: (http://www.investorwords.com/5807/strike.html). Investorwords. Web. May 18, 2012. This site has displayed their meaning of a Strike: “A work stoppage undertaken in support of a bargaining position or in protest of some aspect of a previous agreement or proposed agreement between labor and management.”

  As for strikes, one of the very first was The Bread and Roses Strike of 1912. It all began February 24^th, 1912 in Lawrence, Massachusetts. “It was day 44, the largest, most violent, textile labor strike in America” (Baker, Julie. The Bread and Roses strike of 1912. M. Reynolds Pub., 2007. 160 pages. Print.) which came from the book. These were people fighting in many races, some immigrants and some children. They fought for their jobs that wouldn’t give them enough pay to feed their children, that they were always risking their life without any coverage, no insurance of anything but little pay in the end for nothing. Some of the children were taken away and arrested during the strike; it was a saying against life itself and how Massachusetts ran things.

  Over the years I believe almost everyone in history has at least argued or fought for something in some sort of active way. Three people to talk about would be one, John F. Kennedy. I’d like to talk about him and how he represented his way of a ‘fight’ during his presidency time. In the Introduction to John F. Kennedy, it has been explained that his public service as a PT-boat commander happened around the WWII. (Kennedy, Caroline. Profiles in Courage. HarperCollins, 2006. 304 pages. Print.) Kennedy, had inspirations for serving and doing what he considered was right for this country, this all had started out with a passion for history and led him to want to do right according to the book (Kennedy, Caroline. Profiles in Courage. HarperCollins, 2006. 304 pages. Print.) Becoming early as president Kennedy, came representing himself with brilliant speeches. One speech of equality compared to dealing with people of color. “…In short, he cannot enjoy the full and free life which all of us want, he who among us would be content to have the color of his change and stand in his place?” appeared in (Kennedy, Caroline. Profiles in Courage. HarperCollins, 2006. 304 pages. Print.) He was a president open to anything, knowing how they would turn out but, he did what was right. After his death, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 passed. But even before, he went on fighting for everyone’s rights. Speaking for anyone who couldn’t. He was a man of equality and changing what was wrong to right. It wasn’t so much as a strike to what he had to say but what he did and said, was out and in the open. He was a leader; not fighting for himself but for all that was with him as he served the country during his years.

  This second person was also one for equality or for people of color. A man who grew up on everything he felt like he had to fight for or felt like he had to rebel against reality. Malcolm X grew up with almost nothing and a bit of education. Also a small part of inspiration from reality. Malcolm had made some bad decisions when rebelling and dealing with the law. He was considered a criminal before any of his arguing and being opposed to what reality was during the time and opposed to accept any of it. In the book, The Civil Rights Movement Malcolm landed in prison for burglary for eight to ten years during his ‘criminal’ times. In prison reality hit him hard, he realized all the things happening around him to blacks while reading. He read and debated all the time spent in prison he explained, “In every free moment I had, if I wasn’t reading in the library, I was reading on my bunk. You couldn’t have gotten me out of books with a wedge.” And then stated “It was also in prison that Malcolm developed his debating skills.” From (Green, Jr., Harold E. Cheatham The American Civil Rights Movement: A Documentary History. Manchester University Press, 2010. 224 pages. Print.) Malcolm was let out of prison and became minister in 1952 of the Nation of Islam, as a recruiter and an apologist. Malcolm wanted to create violence with the help of Black Muslims. He created two hostile camps, for each day their task was to violently disobey anything against whites; as said in Malcolm and the Black Muslims that “Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is but a whisper, the new power of bid of Malcolm X is welcome news.” (Green, Jr., Harold E. Cheatham The American Civil Rights Movement: A Documentary History. Manchester University Press, 2010. 224 pages. Print.)  Malcolm did everything he could do in his power to try with whites. It was almost revenge that he wanted. He was then kicked out by Elijah Muhammad going against what Elijah had to say and so Malcolm wanted to join the Civil Rights Movement. He quotes on Dr. King that “Dr. King wants the same I want … Freedom.” (Green, Jr., Harold E. Cheatham The American Civil Rights Movement: A Documentary History. Manchester University Press, 2010. 224 pages. Print.)  Malcolm Little, known as ‘Malcolm X’ fought for blacks or went against reality during the time and this is what I considered a strike. This man fought for blacks, for his freedom and theirs.

  Freedom is a special word that many people didn’t get to have. Groups like African Americans and women especially were thought of only to work for people, be owned. They didn’t have rights to themselves. “Women, we might as well be dogs baying the moon as petitioners without the right to vote.” (Susan Brownell Anthony. susanb.htm. Lake Wood Public Library, 23 05 2012. Web. 23 May 2012) As my final person, Susan B. Anthony was raised in a family that believed that everyone should be treated equally, including women. Her parents and her sister signed “The Declaration of Sentiments” which expressed that men and women should be treated equally. This is what Susan was raised to think and while growing up she began to fight for freedom and woman’s rights. “I declare to you that woman must not depend upon the protection of man, but must be taught to protect herself, and there I take my stand.” (Susan Brownell Anthony. susanb.htm. Lake Wood Public Library, 23 05 2012. Web. 23 May 2012.) Susan started the “National Woman's Suffrage Association” in 1869. She protested for women’s rights for year after year, writing books, organizing movements, and getting word out to people until her death in 1906.

  Tying all of these people and what they fought for brought many solutions. Brought rights and acts, and inspirations to the upcoming fighters and debaters. Many of these situations were more or less resolved and still faced as of today. Without all the striking, protesting, arguing that had happened previously had a big impact. All the famous strikers gave muse to those who have the motivation to fight and speak for what they want. I believe economic wise we will always have to face issues but in order to fix anything, things have to be said and done. My definition of what a strike is, is to fight against or fight and give a say. This was my research and work based upon strikes.