Reflection Paper on "The People Speak" Documentary by RawHonee (College Student)

Reflection on Howard Zinn’s “The People Speak”

Howard Zinn’s, “The People Speak”, is a documentary that circulates within the red pulsating blood of its viewer, reminding us to submit our voice of wisdom and be the action of change to create higher realities out of reach from dictatorship of the wicked.  No matter what your heritage, you feel the empathy with all cultures whom have suffered the price of capitalism of a democracy based on creating barriers to the poor and high rises for the ones whom have already stuffed their pockets full of the gold they once killed for.  This film is based off Zinn’s book, “A People’s History to the United States” and because this is one of the most powerful documentaries I have witnessed to date., I will be reading more in depth the words this brilliant man whom has composed an amazing detailed timeline and resourceful speeches for students wishing to learn the truth in this Nations history.  This is a true tribute to the voices of many whom have witnessed and exhilarated a plea of realization to the un-nesessary suffering of human beings living in this world based on government actions to tax, tyrannize, and brutalize the people into slavery systems governed for the purpose of capital gain that still exists today.  For example, Nestle bottled water, war for oil, war over power, war over land that must hold a vortex to where the wicked wish to hide with their “golden rings”.  This same vortex was the sacred homes to many who simply wished to pray, dance, and be humbled to spirit giving life upon this planet.  They, the native peoples of all colors and creeds been exhiled from their sacred lands so that the push of political gun power can gut the mother earth and pull from her her magical treaures so that they can package it and sale it to a sytem of forced consumerism.  I say that earth holds magic, for if people could simply be revived to live and breathe the minerals freely in community, respect would be taught again to keep pure, and great awakening could take place for mankind would sense the shift in internal value being revived back to life by the gold dust sand upon his skin as it blows freely in the wind and emits freely from the rock.  This our natives knew.  This the government took and misused in a way that can not help the people to heal truly.  The imbalance is obvious, and although we have come in some ways to re establish our diverse and breathing cultures, we still are striving to make the leap to reverse from this high percentage of what once was prestige pure land, now covered in concrete, cars, bulldozers, and still they, the government forces to take more.  Rivers are coated in oil, fish are poisoned by radioactive waste, drinking tap water is drawn from beneath nuclear waste dumps here in NM. Chemical trails send dust bombs from air craft as experimental tests down upon the heads of human beings on a daily bases.  The banks keep getting richer and still humanity gets poorer.  They gave our native tribes who were the true founding fathers of this land, casinos to push gambling money, carcinogenic tabbacco laced chemical smoking endorsed, and mind dulling alcohol pushed as a means to recon the difference.  Yet my heart sees it more fit that the Gold be put back into the earth so that the people may know the true mineral healing meaning to lie upon the earth and witness gold dust, clean air, true blue skies, and children who walk the path of learning from indigenous functioning of life rather then pushed into school mandatory systems that devoid them of sacred knowledge that once was their birth rite. Howard Zinn, I thank you for creating yet another legacy I can trail upon, and be another voice to your great cause to wisdom and the awakening of humanity.    

I had many favorite parts of this documentary where I felt the emotion of the expressed speeches and songs.  These are a few that I felt deeply moved by, inspired by, and connected with.

J.W. Logan and his “Letter to Defy”.  Performed by Benjamin Bratt.  I found this to be a beautifully thought out poetic statement of compelling truth. 

The recitation of the “Women’s Declaration of Independence”  read aloud by Rosario Dawson who does a wonderful job of articulating the sincerity of this movement for all women.

Susan B Anthony who was charged for Illegal voting gave an epic speech before jury after casting her ballot to vote at a time women were prohibited by law to be counted as a voice equal to men.  She was arrested and her revolutionary speech powerfully summons the parallel of equality to be called upon in history and still today a reminder of women’s freedoms worldwide.   This is performed by Christina Kirk.

Genora Johnon Dollinger was part of the sit labor strikes.  Marisa Tomei reads Dolliger’s written memoirs of the day of the strike when police begin shooting and using tear gas against the innocent unarmed suvilians.  The part where she reads and I quote, “I called down to the Police, Cowards! Shooting into the bellies of unarmed men and firing at the mothers of children!”.  And then she recites, “I thought the women can break this up so I appealed to the women in the line. Break up those police lines and come down here and stand behind your husbands, your brothers, your uncles, and your sweethearts.”  She goes on to explain the success of ending the battle and how the police retreated.  This speech really moves me to tears because its such an example of the power of the masculine and feminine loving on another through the hard times rather then being broken up and separated by hardship.  What a powerful story of women rising to stand tall and proud of their great power against tyranny.

Bartolome De Las Casas vividly accounts the times of Christopher Columbus and the truth and the massacre of our nation first inhabitants of this land.  This is performed by Viggo Mortensen. 

One of my favorite speeches from one of our true Nations Chiefs is from Chief Joseph.  Performed by Q’Orianka Kitcher who seems to embody the spirit of the Chief in her powerful essence of reciting this monologue speech.   The speech is on freedoms of living and told with such dignity that one cannot be fooled by the untactful demeans of this governments treatment upon these great peoples.  Perhaps this is one of the most powerful speeches of all time and so I quote a few lines as these words are the evidence of the intention of the Indians and how they could have been given superiority of rulership of this nation and today we would not be faced with the wars ongoing in our times now.

“When he white man treats the Indians as they treat eachother, then we shall have no more war.  We shall be all alike, brothers of one father and one mother, with one sky above us, and one country around us, and one government for all then the great spirit chief who rules above will smile upon this land and will send rain to wash the bloody spills made by man’s hands.”

Another great speech is that from Emma Goldman, performed by Sandra Oh on “Patriotism”.  This speech has the right touch of sarcasim and wit that an elegant woman can pull off to get her point across on the ignorance of this government over us.

Marian Wright Edelman was perhaps the greatest speech of a woman I ever heard as she gets right to the point for “Children’s Rights”, one of the highest concerns of awakened peoples is for that of the children, for once we have grown up enough within can we truly see what the youth needs are in fact. Jasmine Guy performs this speech that entails the words, and I quote, “Investing in children rather then bombs, mothers rather then missiles.” and the great line of, “Democracy is NOT a spectator sport.”  This is a speech worth remembering on “Human commitment”. 

Now for my favorite dramatic speech of all for its power to ignite change and call action.  “The Low Road” by Marge Percy is performed by Stacyann Chin.   She is an elegant ball of fire and perfect example of theatrical ammunition of poetic muse against government attempt to segregate and eliminate power from the people. 

I also will mention other great speeches too numerous to write them all for this paper at this time, Muhammad Ali, who gives a great speech against the military forces draft.  Daniel Ellsberg who leaked information to inform the peope of the truth about the United States and the Vietnam War doings.  From 1945 to 1968 he copied papers from the pentagon and sent them to William Fullbright, the New York Times, the Washington Post, and 17 other papers.  What a hero, yet he was sentenced to 15 years in prison on 12 Felony charges, all while the United States government kills many innocent lives and is somehow always ‘innocent’. 

 

I enjoyed the music from Pink and her soulful voice breaking the silence with her song, “Mr. President”.  I also felt influenced by Eddie Veder’s performance of the song, “Masters of War” originally by Bob Dylan.

 

So I end this paper that I will be turning into my professor at the university with a look up search link to one of my favorite rap songs to date, that although was not part of this film, I would like to include as an honorable mention on my own suggestion.  Immortal technique speaks out strong in his song “Bin Laden”.  Check it out on youtube.  The youth are listening and this is how they hear it.  The Music today is still one of the greatest ways we have to reach out, to expose, and to give voice.  I suppose as you aren’t employed by the government of the United States of America you can print as many copies as you like and its of no illegal matter, thank goodness, I prefer to be an Artist forever learning to be inspired by great people like Howard Zinn and those he has showcased in their works.

 

Immortal Technique - Bin Laden (Feat. Mos Def & Jadakiss)