When I read the title of the article “To Protect and to Serve” the first thing that came to my mind was the military opposed to the war, our President verses our nation, and lastly Black Women in our Society. I thought about our past readings and knew that somebody was being put on a pedestal. There are characteristics that could relate to our reading and instantly I knew that black woman played a vital role in our society. Elaine Richardson claims that, “Woman is the child’s first teacher, who protects it even in her womb and begins to socialize it”. I agree with this quote to a certain extent because I’ve always learned that mothers become connected to their child when it’s in her womb. From the little kicks and growing physically and emotionally while experiencing motherhood, I always thought of Motherhood as being a journey itself. Then I think about the irresponsible mothers and I almost don’t agree with Elaine Richardson. You have to always remember poorly behaved women that neglect their children by not having any respect for self. They are ghettoized and exploited as black women who are badly behaved.
Metaphorically speaking, you never see the “big picture” of what a positive Black woman stands for because there are always commercials that interrupt the movie. You have you white women, blond hair blue eyes that make out life to we know to be Glitter and Gold. My mother always told me that “Everything that glitters ain’t gold. Mother’s role are conflicting when it comes to how their daughters future. They generally always want the best for their daughters, and in most situations they want to give their daughters what they never had growing up. It’s hard when mothers never had their fathers in their lives, and then the relationship with their child’s father is not the best. They feel like they have to do more, give more and give fewer expectations for their “bastard” child. I do not with the way that our society views the single parent, where she is always the crazy “Babymomma”, who ruins every relationship that the father tries to have in the future. The term “Mammy” for instance, is supposed to portray a beasty black woman who runs the household almost as a household slave. She does the cooking, cleaning, catering, and is usually unattractive.
Elaine Richardson relates her life to a famous black writer whom I’ve always enjoyed reading her story The Coldest Winter Ever. Sistah Soulja is a powerful individual that has become an inspiration to me through her writing because I could almost relate and visualize her story. One thing that stuck out in my mind was when Elaine Richardson talked about Marva Collins who exploited Black styles and ways with words to boost student comprehension and achievement. My little brother went to a school named after “Marva Collins” Preparatory School. It was called the M.C.P.S. They were forced to change their name, which remains the name the school today to Milwaukee College Preparatory School because Marva Collins felt that the students were not representing her name positively. This was a very historical change in our society because it almost was like students were being ripped from their identity, especially for the ones who had graduated and the ones that were actually positively representing the black style of Marva Collins.I admire the way that Spelman portrays our black women. They name dorms and buildings around our campus that have been standing tall for many years now. They host pageants that crown our Spelman sisters to be brilliant and resilient. The only way that we can change what society is trying to bestoy on us is for each and everyone of us to protect and serve in our country.
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