A time to break silence

 

Jamyl Bey

Engw_1101

Prof. Young

Essay 2

4/9/15

A Time to Break Silence

The speech given by Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4 in 1967, entitled “Beyond Vietnam a Time to Break Silence” in New York City peacefully protests America’s involvement in the Vietnam War and the way that America was going about it.  One point that King makes in his speech is that it is time for Americans to protest their government’s wrongdoing in Vietnam and break the silence. Another American who urges fellow countrymen to break their silence about an American civil issue is the character John Brown from James McBride’s novel The Good Lord Bird. He speaks out on ending slavery, which, in his eyes, is a sin against the Lord. Both, King and Brown, are examples of men who decided to break their silence because of the fact that innocent lives were being taken without a justified cause while the American government stayed silent and allowed it to happen.

Martin Luther King protested against the loss of innocent lives when he delivered his speech on April 4, 1967. In it he said, “I have moved to break the betrayal of my own silences and to speak from the burnings of my own heart, as I have called for radical departures from the destruction of Vietnam, many persons have questioned me about the wisdom of my path” (Martin Luther king Jr.). Here, King shows it is time to break his silence about the war in Vietnam and his country’s wrongdoing. He wants America to find a new path than the one it is currently on since this one only brings destruction. His point is also that since he is an American, it is his duty to speak out when something urges him to even though some might question why he is doing it. King holds himself to a high moral code when he breaks his silence on Vietnam.

Brown is another man who holds himself to high morals and ethics due to his religion, which he shows when he openly rejects slavery even at the risk of having to kill those who support it and attack him.  Early on in the novel, he makes his stance against slavery in the tavern. “Free the slave from the tyranny of sin! And scatter the sinners as stubble so that the slave shall forever be free” (McBride 12). Brown means the white man when he refers to “the tyranny of sin” (12). In his view, the white man has sinned by enslaving others since all are free who liver under the Lord. He believes in abolishing slavery so that all slaves can live free forever and the white men can start his path to redemption and finding the Lord.

King believes that America’s path to redemption starts by addressing the American government and the American people when he says to them.  “Now, it should be incandescently clear that no one who has any concern for the integrity and life of America today can ignore the present war” (King Jr.).  King indirectly criticizes his government for ignoring the war and not showing concern for American soldiers who are losing their lives in Vietnam. He also speaks out when saying that America’s character is being questioned by the decision to continue on with the fighting in Vietnam. He is also saying that those in America who care about this country should be addressing the war and the fact that it needs to stop.

Unlike King, Brown takes more of a any means necessary approach to accomplish what he intends to do, which is freeing the slaves even if it means creating a makeshift government. “In the name of the Provisional Government of the United States, I, President John Brown emeritus elected, E pluribus unum, with all rights and privileges hereto, selected by a Congress of your brethren, I hearby pronounces you is all free. Go in peace, my brother Negroes!”(McBride 382).  Brown takes action since he believes if the government will not abolish slavery, then he will assume the role as President and do it for this failed government.  Whereas King calls on the government to correct itself, Brown attempts to correct it himself.   

In conclusion, when is it a good time to break silence it is good to break silence when something goes against your moral and ethical or religious code. Then you should speak against it like King and Brown did.  Of course there are different ways to go about you can chose the peaceful way like Martin Luther King Jr. Or you can chose the any means necessary way like John Brown did. No matter which way pick time to break silence in today’s society.  Break your silence against innocent people being killed.  Break the silence of the injustice of the American legal system.  Also the fact that even in today’s society racism is still relevant.  So as a country it is time for us to stand up together and break our silence.

Freedom

Freedom

            What is freedom?  Is it the ability to say what you want or be who you are?  People’s freedom is like their identity; it is defined by how they act, what they say and them being who they really are.  Is your freedom really free? It all depends on what you do and how you act.  If someone is always following what other people are doing and saying what other people want him or her to say, how is that free?  That person is basically society’s puppet.  In James McBride’s The Good Lord Bird, readers see difference in freedom through Sibonia and Pie.  Sibonia was a darker skinned slave who lives in something like a barn.  She sleeps on dirt and wears rags, has messy hair and has no power.  She tries to plan a rebellion and gets hanged for it.  Pie, on the other hand, is a light skinned person. She is a beautiful prostitute.  She is able to stay in the house, and she has her own room.  She wears the finest clothes and has her hair done.  And she has power.  On the outside, obviously Pie looks to be the freer person, but really  She is able to be and believe what she wants.  Sibonia is freer because Sibonia doesn’t have to hide how she feels about slavery or snitch on others just to maintain her status, like Pie did.

            Although Pie seems like she has everything, does she really?  She is so worried about maintaining her status, that she would do anything to keep her spot as the main prostitute.  She would snitch on friends and family; it didn’t matter.  As soon as she found out about Sibonia’s planned rebellion, the first thing she did was tell on Sibonia.  From the account of Onion he said “Someone from the pen must’ve told Pie that Sibonia was planning a breakout, and Pie told it to the judge for some kind of favor” (McBride 186).  Her telling on Sibonia ultimately led to the death of Sibonia and others.  How are free when you have to sell out your own people?  The answer to that is you aren’t. 

            Unlike Pie, Sibonia isn’t a snitch.  She is up front and honest.  When the judge came to her and asked her if she was planning a rebellion without hesitation she “I am the woman, and I am not ashamed or afraid to admit it” (McBride 175).  She knew that it would lead to her death but she took the punishment and said nothing about anyone else. “We all got to die," she said, "But dying as your true self is always better. God will take you however you come to Him. But it's easier on a soul to come to Him clean. You're forever free that way. From top to bottom.”  Unlike Pie, Sibonia is true to herself who makes her free, because Sibonia doesn’t have to hide that she doesn’t like what’s going on, she openly admits it.  She also doesn’t have a lie like Pie.    

            Also Pie also has to in a way, hide who she is and how she feels.  Like when it comes to the treatment of the other slaves, it bothers Pie that because they are treated poorly.  “They’ll pull the trigger and tell the hammer to hurry”.  The quote means the slaves will pull the trigger on the rebellion, so the court needs to hurry and arrest them and on sentencing them to death.  They’ll that Pie is referring to is the Sibonia and the rest of the slave planning the rebellion. But she doesn’t want to risk being thrown outside with them and losing what she has. She takes her feelings and bottles them up inside.  Like she does not like how the slaves are treated but instead saying something in fear of losing her status she keeps her mouth shut.  If you can’t express your feelings you are not free.             

In conclusion, McBride’s The Good Lord Bird tells an amazing story.  The book makes readers start to really question what freedom is.  What are the characteristics of freedom?  Is your freedom really free? You look at the characters in the book like Pie and Sibonia realize though each character is free in their own right, one is freer than the other.  Yes, Pie had freedoms; they are materialistic such as her clothes, her room, and status. Those materialistic freedoms are small for pie but they are freedoms.  Those freedoms come with the cost of her selling her body as a prostitute. That also led to pie being raped.  Sibonia has her freedoms in a way. Unlike Pie, Sibonia didn’t have to sell her body to get the mental and physical freedoms she had.  But the free thoughts and plans that Sibonia had led to her death, after being told on by Pie.  So, they both have their own different freedoms but everyone’s freedom comes with certain costs whether we realize it or not.  Overall even though Sibonia died she is still freer compared to Pie.      

Works Cited

McBride, James. The Good Lord Bird. New York: Riverhead Books, 2013. Print.