#rashadisabsentagaintoday
It was just another
day for Rashad. He just finished ROTC, and it was a Friday, so he was bound to
party. He first stopped at the convenience store to get himself some chips until
he fell over and was accused of shoplifting. The misconstrued situation would
get out of hand that would bring Officer Paul Galluzzo to the scene and get
Rashad sent to the hospital. From then on, the issue would drag on as something
beyond just a mere case of petty theft, teenage rebellion or police brutality,
surely way beyond.
Our silence is another kind of violence.
First things first, I’m
happy to have read such an important writing. All American Boys is in
every bit a writing made for every person in this world. It bears social relevance, as it is evidently all about racial discrimination in
America. Although it is not in the local setting, I’d say it is still something
that may be enjoyed and brooded over by anyone from anywhere.
This was no love
story or family drama. The writing was simple and direct. And without so much of the crazy turning and
twisting of events, I was able to focus more on the content and message of the
story. And even without the said twists, the book still remained to be a
serious and heavy drama because of the intensity of its subject. It was
impossible not to get caught up and drawn in the book.
If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you
have chosen the side of the oppressor. – Desmond Tutu
It provided
awareness. It made me see things in an angle that was really descriptive. And
more than providing awareness, it was also such a thought-provoking piece. It
encouraged weighing in on the matter at hand.
It was one
compelling read. With powerful statements, it was able to send really strong
messages across. It made me realize how bad the situation is and how it is not
yet a thing of the past. I’ve chanced upon some articles and shows about this
issue before, and I thought I already know how bad things are. But after this,
I saw just how worse everything is. It still shocked me to read about this
specific situation which, though fictional, is still based in real life events.
This is yet another
novel taken from the point of view of teenagers, two high school students, one
being the victim himself and the other being a witness, a schoolmate who also
happened to be really close with the accused officer. Like I said before, I’ve
always appreciated the power of using a teenager’s perspective to make an impact
because it’s always so effective. When a young character comes to a
realization, it says a lot about how gravely real, serious and clear something
becomes.
If I didn’t want the violence to remain, I had to
do a hell of a lot more than just say the right things and not say the wrong
things. – Quinn
Mostly what I liked
about this novel was how it ended at such a hopeful and positive note. It was a
little bit hanging, but it ended really well. It didn’t have any concrete end
or solution to it, but what’s anyone to expect? Because how can anyone do that,
right? And when you really reflect on it, it was actually more melodramatic
that way.
Based on what I was
presented with in this book, I knew which side I was on. That said, it also
kind of got me feeling confused in a way because there was also another thing
about a person’s call for judgment and perception. On this matter in the book,
I was also shown that anything could’ve happened. Points of view would mean all
the difference. Things could mean anything. It could be anyone’s fault. There
would always be more to the story.
All American Boys may be treated as a
protest, a plea, a reality check, or a call for action. There are different
ways of looking at this novel, but whichever angle a person chooses to see, one
thing’s for sure, it should not only be deserted after it has been read.
Are you done reading
this book? What are your thoughts? I’d like to know them! Feel free to share
them below!
Photo source: http://www.simonandschuster.ca/
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