Oral History- H.Tapia

Posted by Hector Tapia in African American History - Roy - A on

In this video Hector Tapia is interviewing three people, James Cush, Dennis Gruer, and Alexander Henderson, on 10 questions that are related to the civil rights movement. Alexander Henderson brings up what Dr. Martin Luther King jr. did in the civil rights movement, and racial profiling in his interview. All three of them also say that they have felt like their rights have been violated by the government. Two of them said it was because of the police, and one of them said it was because of the army.

Dr Martin Luther King jr. was one of the most recognizable civil rights leaders. He was the main civil rights movement leader. The movement was a success, it led to the civil rights act of 1964. On February 26, 2012 Trayvon Martin was murdered by a Hispanic male, George Zimmerman. The reason that happened wa because of racial profiling.

Sources:
http://www.crf-usa.org/black-history-month/the-civil-rights-act-of-1964
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Trayvon_Martin

May 17, 2014

Transcript:

Hector- Hi, my name is Hector Tapia and this is my Civil rights movement project. I hope you enjoy.


Hector-What do you believe to be the difference between human and civil rights?


James- There is no difference, human beings require civil rights to exist in a society together.


Hector- So did ever feel that your rights have been violated?


James- Of course!


Hector- By who?


James- I’ve felt in the course of my life, of course my rights have been violated in a lot of type of ways. Being drafted to go to vietnam was one.


Hector- How do you remember the civil rights movement was it a positive or negative thing in your life?


James-It was a positive thing.


Hector- I am going to mention human and civil rights leaders, i’ll say them 2 at a time, and out of those 2 I want you to tell me which one affected you the most.


James-Ok


Hector- Martin Luther King .jr or Nelson Mandela


James- Nelson Mandela


Hector- Malcolm X or Gandhi


James- Gandhi


Hector- Rosa Parks or Barack Obama


James- Rosa Parks


Hector- What do you consider to be moral?


James- Anything that pertains to human behavior. When its the love its moral, when there is no love its immoral. You have a choice, its either one or zero.(soft laugh)


Hector- (soft laugh) Is it your responsibility to make sure that your neighbors rights are protected?


James-Yes


Hector- What do you think is most important to the nation, religion or politics?


James-It would be politics.


Hector- Why?


James-To have a society that functions; there is so many different religions it would be chaos if you try to run it with religion.


Hector- For the last question, if you had the opportunity to create or change a law what would it be?


James- I would probably want to create a law.


Hector- What would it be?


James- Everyone must love everyone.


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Hector- What do you believe to be the difference between human and civil rights?


Alexander- The way you treat one another, now your talking with somebody with sense. Go on, go on.


Hector-Did you ever feel that your rights have been violated?


Alexander- Yes!


Hector-By who?


Alexander- Police department!


Hector-How?


Alexander-Because the police profile black man, now I’m a gentlemen and a soldier and im a veteran.Put my hat on and I’m a respectable man who has never been in jail, put your hat on like this, (puts his hat to the side), the cops will stop you. I dont think its correct for your hat to be like that, but it doesn’t mean you did anything. Next question.


Hector-How do you remember the civil rights movement was it a positive or negative thing in your life?


Alexander- Positive thing, MLK initiated it other people started it but he was the founder of the civil rights movement.


Hector- I am going to mention human and civil rights leaders, i’ll say them 2 at a time, and out of those 2 I want you to tell me which one affected you the most.


Alexander -Alright, alright go ahead.


Hector- Martin Luther King .jr or Nelson Mandela


Alexander-(Silent for a moment) No comment, they were both equal.


Hector- Malcolm X or Gandhi


Alexander-(Again, silent for another moment) No comment.


Hector- Rosa Parks or Barack Obama


Alexander- Rosa Parks


Hector- What do you consider to be moral?


Alexander- Morality is ethic, sexual, no rapist, that is morality. Dont take advantage of nobody, and act like respected.


Hector- Is it your responsibility to make sure that your neighbors rights are protected?


Alexander-Absolutely correct.


Hector- What do you believe is most important to the nation, religion or politics?


Alexander- Religion!, politics is rubbish.


Hector- For the last question, if you had the opportunity to create or change a law what would it be?


Alexander- The democratic and republican parties would be one because they go against each other and that fucks up, excuse my language, the nation.

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Hector- What do you believe to be the difference between human and civil rights?


Dennis- Well human and civil rights are basically the same thing, I mean pretty close. Civil rights is like when they have different senses for different nationalities. Like back when they changed the law for the blacks to have the right to vote, and stuff like that. Human rights is like when you just get treated like shit by your government.


Hector-Did you ever feel that your rights have been violated?


Dennis- Yes


Hector- By who?


Dennis- Policemen


Hector- What did they do?


Dennis- You see how my car is sitting right here, I pulled up one day and I got a ticket. You see how this corner right here, (he points at corner with stop sign), you know how you have to pull up in front of it to see. They acted like I ran a red light, they treated me like a criminal.


Hector-How do you remember the civil rights movement?


Dennis- I don't remember a lot of it because I was fairly young, but I remember MLK. I remember a lot of people who were involved in it.


Hector- I am going to mention human and civil rights leaders, i’ll say them 2 at a time, and out of those 2 I want you to tell me which one affected you the most.


Dennis- Alright


Hector- Martin Luther King .jr or Nelson Mandela


Dennis- I would say Nelson Mandela.


Hector- Malcolm X or Gandhi


Dennis- Malcolm X


Hector- Rosa Parks or Barack Obama


Dennis- Barack Obama


Hector-What do you consider to be moral?


Dennis- Everybodys morals are different, you know?


Hector- Well what do you consider it to be?

Dennis- People make moral decisions on more on how they were raised, some people werent raised on moral, its kind of hard to answer that question for me.


Hector- Is it your responsibility to make sure that your neighbors rights are protected?


Dennis- Its not my responsibility, but i think its our responsibility to make sure our rights are protected.


Hector- What do you think is most important to our nation, religion or politics?


Dennis- Religion


Hector- Why?


Dennis- Because think a lot of people dont have that structure, no background religious wise. I think if somebody believes in something they will be more capable of making right decisions.


Hector-And for the last question, if you had the opportunity to create or change a law what would it be?


Dennis- Uhh, now thats a good one,(laughs). You got me on that one, I dont know im going to have to pass on that one. There is so much stuff that I don't know what I would change or create.


My Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieaQ283cI2I&feature=youtu.be


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