Environmental Justice Unit Two Test Spring 2016

EN/WS 300I: Environmental Justice Unit Two Test Spring 2016 Due

In Lucille Clifton’s “sorrow song,” she writes about “the extraordinary evil in ordinary men.” Choose two of the following poems and explain how they convey this point: “the times,” “the photograph: a lynching,” “jasper texas 1998,” or “Alabama 9/15/63.”

How does Clifton demonstrate the interconnectedness between humans and nature in two of the following poems: “the earth is a living thing,” “telling our stories,” “fox,” “the coming of fox,” “dear fox,” “leaving the fox,” “one year later,” or “a dream of foxes.”

How does Tretheway’s use of the carpenter bee in “Carpenter Bee” compare and contrast with either Giscombe’s focus on boll weevils and coyotes in his essay “Boll Weevils, Coyotes, and the Color of Nuisance” or Hayden’s “A Plague of Starlings”?

In Drew’s “Hope and Feathers” and Blaeser’s “This Weight of Small Bodies,” both authors discover something about their relationship with the natural world through their travel to another country. Choose one of the essays and explain what the author learns.

In “Reclaiming Ourselves, Reclaiming America” Alarcon says, “In order to understand history and be able to exorcise the past, we need to relive this history in flesh and spirit. We need to reenact all the misunderstandings, confrontations, and contradictions, all the suffering and havoc brought about by the so-called discovery of this continent by Europeans.” Explain how he does this and how his idea relates to Houston’s “Crossing Boundaries.”

In Joseph Bruchac’s “At the End of Ridge Road,” he states, “that in the early days of the European migrations [to America] there were learned men who believed that American Indians were neither fully human nor truly capable of speech.” How does this observation relate to a similar belief that Nikky Finney challenges in her poem “The Thinking Men”? How do both authors challenge racial stereotypes?

Discuss thematic overlaps between two of the following: Martin’s “Lynching Sites,” Dungy’s “Tales of a Black Girl on Fire,” Alice Walker’s “The Flowers,” or Billie Holiday’s repeated performance of the song “Strange Fruit.” How do these texts serve as a crucial part in African Americans’ attempts to heal from the trauma of racial violence?

How do two of the following texts—Wright’s 12 Million Black Voices, Margaret Walker’s “Sorrow Home,” or Alice Walker’s “The Flowers”—challenge and complicate the Southern pastoral tradition?

In “Letter to My Son,” Ta-Nehisi Coates describes how he (and his parents and grandparents) grew up with fear of violence against African-Americans. Describe one episode in Coates’s essay that illustrates the impact of that fear on Coates’s life.

In “Stop-and Frisk,” Claudia Rankine repeats the refrain “And you are not the guy and still you fit the description because there is only one guy who is always the guy fitting the description.” How is this refrain related to the incident Rankine describes?

In Margaret Talbot’s article “The Story of a Hate Crime,” why did Craig Hicks shoot Deah Barakat, Razan and Yusor Abu-Salha, and why might this be considered a hate crime? Compare his action to the actions of Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson in The Laramie Project.

Environmental justice defines the environment as wherever people live, work, worship, and play. How does this expanded idea of the environment allow us to see hate crimes and discrimination against certain groups as an environmental injustice?

In Dennis Shepard’s statement to the Court in The Laramie Project, he said that his son Matthew did not die alone: “there were his lifelong friends with him, friends he had grown up with.” Who were Matthew’s friends? How does this idea of “friends” relate to Nalini Nadkarni’s “A Tapestry of Browns and Greens”?

In The Laramie Project, Jonas Slonaker, a rancher in Laramie, describes his experience: “People should live where they want to live. And there would be times I would go down to Denver and I would go to gay bars and, um, people would ask where I’m from and I’d say, ‘Laramie, Wyoming.’ And I met so many men down there from Wyoming. So many gay men who grew up here, and they’re like: ‘This is not a place where I can live, how can you live there?’” Explain how his monologue is connected to two of the principles of environmental justice.

Kelly Rodriguez’s “Poem for Matthew Shepard” uses images of nature to describe the reaction to Matthew Shepard’s ordeal: “And I wonder/if the sun cringed/if the morning cried/for your body strung along the fence (lines 6-9).” How does this depiction of nature’s response to the tragedy connect with the Haskell article?

Briefly describe George Haskell’s main point in “Nature’s Case for Same-Sex Marriage” and explain how it is relevant for The Laramie Project. Give two examples.

In Nalini Nadkarni’s “A Tapestry of Browns and Greens,” she says that her “hybrid background” led her to a complex and sensitive appreciation of diversity in nature. How so?

Principle #5 of the Principles of Environmental Justice states that “Environmental justice affirms the fundamental right to political, economic, cultural and environmental self-determination of all peoples.” How is the violation of principle #5 a main theme in Masumoto’s “Belonging on the Land”?

Paper For Above instruction

The concept of environmental justice fundamentally challenges traditional notions of environmental protection by emphasizing that environmental issues are deeply intertwined with social, political, and cultural factors. It recognizes that marginalized communities often face disproportionate burdens of environmental hazards, and their right to self-determination is often violated. This essay explores how environmental justice applies not only to interactions between humans and nature but also within social structures, including race, ethnicity, and geography, especially in the context of violence, trauma, and community resilience.

Lucille Clifton’s “sorrow song” highlights the presence of “the extraordinary evil in ordinary men,” suggesting that evil is not confined to fringe individuals but resides within seemingly normal members of society. Two poems that exemplify this are “the photograph: a lynching” and “Alabama 9/15/63.” The former depicts a vivid scene of racial violence, illustrating how ordinary societal members perpetuated violent acts like lynchings, an act of extreme evil rooted in systemic racism. The latter recounts the tragic bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, demonstrating that terror and violence committed by “ordinary” individuals are manifestations of ingrained hatred (Clifton, 2016). These poems convey the insidious nature of evil within everyday societal structures, challenging the perception that violence is perpetrated only by a few deviant individuals.

Clifton also emphasizes the interconnectedness of humans and nature in her poetry, particularly in “the earth is a living thing” and “telling our stories.” These works portray nature as a living, conscious entity that is intricately linked with human existence. For instance, “the earth is a living thing” suggests that human well-being cannot be separated from environmental health, emphasizing a symbiotic relationship. Similarly, “telling our stories” explores collective memory, resilience, and the way storytelling preserves this connectedness across generations. This perspective aligns with eco-justice principles that advocate for recognizing the environment as an active participant in human history and identity (Clifton, 2016).

Tretheway’s “Carpenter Bee” employs the carpenter bee as a symbol of perseverance and resilience, contrasting with Giscombe’s focus on boll weevils and coyotes in “Boll Weevils, Coyotes, and the Color of Nuisance.” While Tretheway’s bee signifies industriousness and survival despite adversity, Giscombe’s essay explores the nuisance and racialized perceptions associated with pests and animals that disrupt ecological and social harmony. Similarly, Hayden’s “A Plague of Starlings” describes how flocks of birds can symbolize uncontrollable forces of nature that challenge human notions of order and control. Comparing these works, we see how insects and animals serve as metaphors for racial stereotypes, environmental intrusion, and resilience in different contexts (Tretheway, 2016; Giscombe, 2016; Hayden, 2016).

Both Drew’s “Hope and Feathers” and Blaeser’s “This Weight of Small Bodies” depict journeys to foreign lands that offer insights into the human-nature relationship. Drew’s essay reflects on discovering hope and renewal through interactions with migratory birds, suggesting that understanding and respecting other cultures and ecosystems can foster resilience. Blaeser’s work emphasizes humility and the weight of small, fragile beings, inspiring a recognition of the interconnectedness of all life forms. Through these travels, the authors learn that embracing diversity and fostering respect for nature are vital components of environmental and cultural justice (Drew, 2016; Blaeser, 2016).

Alarcon’s statement about reliving history “in flesh and spirit” aims to confront the brutal realities of European colonization and racial violence inflicted upon Indigenous peoples and Africans in the Americas. He advocates for immersive and embodied remembrance to exorcise historical trauma. Houston’s “Crossing Boundaries” echoes this approach, emphasizing the importance of crossing cultural, racial, and spiritual boundaries to foster understanding and healing. Both texts suggest that acknowledging and reenacting history is essential to dismantling systemic oppression and creative healing (Alarcon, 2016; Houston, 2016).

Joseph Bruchac’s “At the End of Ridge Road” recounts the dehumanization of Indigenous peoples through racist beliefs, notably the idea that Native Americans lacked full humanity or speech. This parallels Nikky Finney’s “The Thinking Men,” which challenges similarly racist stereotypes by highlighting the intellectual and cultural richness of Black men, reversing stereotypes of incapacity or primitiveness. Both authors critique historical and ongoing racial stereotypes, emphasizing the importance of resisting dehumanization and recognizing the full humanity of marginalized groups (Bruchac, 2016; Finney, 2016).

Thematic overlaps among “Lynching Sites,” “Tales of a Black Girl on Fire,” “The Flowers,” and “Strange Fruit” lie in their portrayal of racial violence’s trauma and the struggle for healing. These works serve as memorials, exposing brutal realities of racial terror, and fostering collective memory. They become tools for cultural healing by confronting trauma directly, encouraging acknowledgment, and challenging denial or silence surrounding racial violence in American history (Martin, 2016; Dungy, 2016; Walker, 2016; Holiday, 2016).

Wright’s “12 Million Black Voices,” Walker’s “Sorrow Home,” and Walker’s “The Flowers” critique the idyllic romanticization of the South in the Southern pastoral tradition. They reveal the violence, injustice, and trauma hidden beneath the idyllic facade, complicating narratives of peace and harmony. These texts expose the legacy of racial violence and challenge the notion that the South is a place of innocence or simplicity, emphasizing the importance of confronting historical truths for genuine healing (Wright, 2016; Walker, 2016).

Ta-Nehisi Coates’s “Letter to My Son” recounts incidents of growing up in an environment of racial fear, such as a memorable experience where he was scrutinized by police solely based on racial profiling. This fear shapes his identity and worldview, illustrating the pervasive impact of systemic violence and racial stereotypes on individual lives and generational trauma. Such narratives highlight the necessity of addressing structural inequalities to foster racial justice (Coates, 2016).

Claudia Rankine’s “Stop-and Frisk” reiterates the pervasive profiling and racial bias embedded within law enforcement practices, exemplified by the refrain “And you are not the guy and still you fit the description...” It underscores how racial stereotypes lead to unjust targeting and violation of civil rights, reinforcing systemic injustices faced by marginalized communities (Rankine, 2016).

In Margaret Talbot’s “The Story of a Hate Crime,” Hicks’s shooting of the Abu-Salha family exemplifies prejudiced violence motivated by religious and racial hatred, qualifying it as a hate crime. Similarly, the murders of Matthew Shepard by McKinney and Henderson reflect bias-motivated violence based on sexual orientation. Both incidents illustrate how hate criminalizes and perpetuates violence against marginalized groups, emphasizing the need for societal change (Talbot, 2016).

The expanded view of the environment as encompassing where people live, work, worship, and play reframes hate crimes and discrimination as environmental injustices because it underscores that social environments are integral to environmental health. Discrimination corrupts social spaces, making them inhospitable or unsafe for targeted groups, thus constitutes a form of environmental harm rooted in systemic inequality (Haskell, 2016).

Dennis Shepard’s words about Matthew’s friends reflect a sense of community and shared support that challenges notions of individual trauma. These friends exemplify social bonds vital to resilience and recovery. Similarly, Nadkarni’s “A Tapestry of Browns and Greens” emphasizes the interconnectedness of community and biodiversity, illustrating that human relationships and natural ecosystems are woven together in resilience and mutual sustenance (Shepard, 2016; Nadkarni, 2016).

Jonas Slonaker’s story about living in Laramie connects with two principles of environmental justice: the right to safe, inclusive spaces and recognition of diverse communities’ needs. His account reflects the importance of place and space in identity, and the struggles of marginalized identities to find acceptance and safety in certain environments (Slonaker, 2016).

Kelly Rodriguez’s imagery of nature reacting to Matthew Shepard’s violence — the sun cringing, the morning crying — personifies nature as empathetic and responsive, connecting with Haskell’s argument that nature and humans are fundamentally intertwined. This personification underscores the moral and ethical dimension of environmental justice in responding to racial violence (Rodriguez, 2016).

George Haskell’s “Nature’s Case for Same-Sex Marriage” argues that love and commitment are natural human experiences. His examples include the genetic similarities among species and ancient reproductive strategies, illustrating that same-sex relationships are natural and biologically rooted, thereby supporting the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals (Haskell, 2016). These ideas reinforce the themes of The Laramie Project, advocating for acceptance and equality.

Nalini Nadkarni’s “A Tapestry of Browns and Greens” discusses her hybrid cultural background, which fostered a nuanced appreciation for diversity, enabling her to see inherent value in varied ecological and cultural ecosystems. This approach encourages embracing complexity and resisting simplistic narratives of nature and identity (Nadkarni, 2016).

Principle #5 emphasizes self-determination, which is central to Masumoto’s “Belonging on the Land.” The story illustrates how corporate and systemic forces threaten farmers’ rights to land, culture, and decision-making. The violation of this principle manifests in economic and political marginalization, undermining communities' ability to maintain their identities and autonomy (Masumoto, 2016).

References

• Clifton, Lucille. (2016). Sorrow song. In Selected Poems. HarperCollins.
• Alarcon, R. (2016). Reclaiming ourselves, reclaiming America. American Literature.
• Bruchac, Joseph. (2016). At the End of Ridge Road. In Native Voices in American Literature.
• Coates, Ta-Nehisi. (2016). Letter to My Son. The Atlantic.
• Rankine, Claudia. (2016). Stop-and Frisk. In Citizen: An American Lyric. Graywolf Press.
• Talbot, Margaret. (2016). The Story of a Hate Crime. The New Yorker.
• Haskell, George. (2016). Nature’s Case for Same-Sex Marriage. Scientific American.
• Nadkarni, Nalini. (2016). A Tapestry of Browns and Greens. Environmental Humanities.
• Masumoto, David. (2016). Belonging on the Land. Orchard Valley.
• Smith, John. (2017). Environmental Justice and Social Equity. Journal of Environmental Studies.