Controversial Poem Puts 7-Year-Old On Hot Seat

[Boom_Quack13]

Originally posted by Honeykiss1974


In all seriousness, it is very apparent that even a discussion of race has now been deemed "racist". To even mention historical events/times are now considered being "racist". Am I the only person that is confused my this thought process of some posters?

Holla!

[Lady Pi Phi]

Originally posted by sugar and spice
It's "controversial" because people are f*ckwits.

Seriously, there was nothing in that poem (at least the sections quoted in that article) that anyone who received even a moderately decent high school education could argue with. Maybe the terms she used were a little on the harsh side, but that's what poetry is about -- using the most powerful language to make the largest impact on your audience. What I find much, much more "controversial" than the poem itself is the fact that the school thought they had to apologize for it. If anything, THAT'S what I think is out of line.

I don't think it's all surprising what the school board did. I'm not condoning their actions, but I'm not surprised by it either. School boards will apologize for anything that upsets the staus quo.
An example (although a little off topic) - I sang in the chamber choir with my elementary school. We had a christmas concert at a Christian church. The head of the school board decided it was appropriate to get up and apologize to our audience for sining Christmas carols. We were in a Christian church at Christmas time!
These bureaucrats are living in a fantasy land and the moment some on "upsets this perfect balance" of theirs they have to try and settle it down. But I certainly agree with you.

[teena]

Originally posted by Boom_Quack13
Are you implying that children have to be ignorant of their surrounding, their history, and the paradigm of society in order to enjoy her childhood?

No. Not at all. They should be given info in age appropriate chunks.

She is home-schooled. Those children tend to be more advanced, because they have one on one attention, as they learn. They are able to learn at their own pace, which allows them to ask more questions than the child who sits in a class with 25+ other children.

Very true.

We do not know that she is simply regurgitating her parents' beliefs. She may be espousing her own beliefs, based on what she knows about history.

As I have recently learned, (within the past few hours) her parents may have presented the info to her, but she well may have developed her own interpretation of it. So I am now on the fence about her merely repeating what she's been told.

These children have play dates, field trips, proms, dances, and vacations together. They are exposed to more fun and bliss than most of the children who sit in classrooms all day. I'm sure this young lady is having the time of her life. Her childhood is more than likely ideal.

Could respond, but will be completely off topic.

[teena]

Originally posted by SKEEphistAKAte
^^ Yes. I've seen that episode but I don't think my daughter has.
It was a really cute episode. Like, I would be able to show that to her, but not a more gruesome adult movie like Amistad.

I also wanted to add, to Teena:

When dealing with children, you cannot go on age alone. You have to consider the MATURITY of the child. A child age 7 can be more mature and able to handle more than a 13 year old. So, don't get caught up with age or intelligence even. It is about maturity.

The flip side of this coin is the fact that our children 'appear' to be mature when actually they aren't. They are given access to info when they arent really able to process it properly. Evidence of this is teenage pregnancy statistics, crime in schools and the new surge of young adults committing murder. They are getting this bad info from television and music. While I am not implying that the cause of these problems is solely over exposure to inappropriate information, I believe that it has played a tremendous role.

Back on topic. This little girl will grow up to be a fabulous woman doing faboulous things. Her parents are doing a great job with her especially if she is confident and confortable in her own skin. But, I am concerned that she will feel cheated because she didnt have much of a childhood.

[Sock Puppet2]

Originally posted by AlphaFrog
:::Still waiting for you to stop name calling and add something valueable to the converstaion:::

Call ASA HQ if you'd like. I'm valid, I just don't share your viewpoint.

Please, I beg of you, DON'T FEED THE TROLL! This child appears to have Tourette's Syndrome, affecting her keystrokes, so she can't control her ramblings. Ignore her, and she'll go away.

[SKEEphistAKAte]

Originally posted by teena
The flip side of this coin is the fact that our children 'appear' to be mature when actually they aren't. They are given access to info when they arent really able to process it properly. Evidence of this is teenage pregnancy statistics, crime in schools and the new surge of young adults committing murder. They are getting this bad info from television and music. While I am not implying that the cause of these problems is solely over exposure to inappropriate information, I believe that it has played a tremendous role.

Back on topic. This little girl will grow up to be a fabulous woman doing faboulous things. Her parents are doing a great job with her especially if she is confident and confortable in her own skin. But, I am concerned that she will feel cheated because she didnt have much of a childhood.

A child's maturity and ability to handle the truth of their history will be a judgment call that the parents would have to make on an individual basis. I missed your point with the statistics, etc. I think a parent who cares and is dedicated enough to teach their child history is capable of accessing their child's maturity and ability to handle the truth.

Where are you getting the idea that this child "didn't have much of a childhood"? Because her dad taught her the truth, etc. that took away her childhood? I disagree.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally posted by Sock Puppet2
Please, I beg of you, DON'T FEED THE TROLL! This child appears to have Tourette's Syndrome, affecting her keystrokes, so she can't control her ramblings. Ignore her, and she'll go away.

Irony.

[preciousjeni]

Originally posted by Private I
I for one am very impressed by this girl's knowledge of world events, history and her ability to link them together into poetry. Had she written about the horrors of the Holocaust I doubt anybody would be sending apologetic voicemails to hundreds of parents. Yet because it's about a touchy subject known as racism, all of a sudden its taboo??!!

Absolutely. And, I'm also impressed with her knowledge. She has some caring parents who keep her life balanced (with all the movies, tv, video games and other distractions out there...dang!) I hope I can do so well with my own children.

I saw this story on the news the other day but I couldn't stay for the full report. So, I only had a piece. Thanks for the extra info, CT4!!

[mulattogyrl]

Originally posted by SKEEphistAKAte
I definitely PLAN to teach my daughter about all of those things. She is 4 and I don't think that she would fully grasp it right now. However, if something ever came up that would allow me to introduce it to her (teachers call that "teachable moments") I would do so and explain things in a simplified manner. It is kind of like the birds and the bees. Small kids ask "where do babies come from" at a really young age. When they do, you give them simplified answers that they can understand and as they get older you can go into more detail. That is how I will approach racial issues.

We've already done some though, because she came home last month and asked "mommy, when is black history month?" They'd done some stuff on MLK at school. So, I gave her the 4 year old version of MLK and the civil rights struggle at that time. You know, in plain language and using scenarios that she would understand. For instance, she has a little white girl at school that she is good friends with and I said that not so long ago her and the little girl wouldn't have been able to be friends or go to school and play together and I went on from there.

So, I don't think that it is something that you should shield your kids from at any age. I feel like you just have to explain it to them in terms that they understand. I also think that it is important to get to them before the school system does. So when she goes to elementary school she will know the REAL history and be able to tell truth from lies as this 7 year old girl did. But, yeah I could see us having a conversation about slavery and slave auctions right now. But it wouldn't be really graphic, I wouldn't sit her down to watch Amistad or anything like that. Right now I think is the time to lay the foundation, the more gruesome facts will come when I think she is ready.

What she said, lol.

I have talked to my daughter about slavery. Just like SKEEphistAKAte said, I don't go into detail about certain things because she may not be able to grasp that yet. I do think she should know about her history, however. I see nothing wrong with that.

[Phasad1913]

Originally posted by CrimsonTide4
http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/60921.htm

http://wcbstv.com/topstories/local_story_072172005.html (shows video of Autum)

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?se...ols&id=3989316 (video footage as well)

Excerpt from NY Post article:

A 7-year-old prodigy unleashed a firestorm when she recited a poem she wrote comparing Christopher Columbus and Charles Darwin to "pirates" and "vampires" who robbed blacks of their identities and human rights.
Hundreds of parents of Peekskill middle- and high-school students received a recorded phone message last week apologizing for little Autum Ashante's poem, titled "White Nationalism Put U in Bondage."

"Black lands taken from your hands, by vampires with no remorse," the aspiring actress and poet wrote. "They took the gold, the wisdom and all the storytellers. They took the black women, with the black man weak. Made to watch as they changed the paradigm of our village.

"Yeah white nationalism is what put you in bondage. Pirates and vampires like Columbus, Morgan and Darwin."

Autum was invited to speak at the Westchester schools on Feb. 28 by Melvin Bolden, a music teacher at the middle school who advises the high school's Black Culture Club and is a member of the Peekskill City Council.

Autum, whose résumé includes several television appearances and performances at the Apollo Theater and the African Burial Ground in Manhattan, told The Post that her poem was meant to instill pride in black students and to encourage them to steer clear of violence.

"I don't think there's anything wrong with my poem. I was trying to tell them the straight-up truth," Autum said. "I'm trying to tell them not to fight because they're killing the brothers and sisters."

Autum, who is home-schooled in Mount Vernon and speaks several languages, prefaced her performance at the high school with a Black Panthers' pledge asking black youngsters to not harm one another.

What do you all think? Did she go too far?

Nope.

[Phasad1913]

You have oppertunities IF YOU WANT TO MAKE THEM FOR YOURSELF

posted by alpha frog

You need to learn how to spell honey and stop dumping on us for having a discussion about something that WE care about. Sorry, but your errors are irking me.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally posted by Phasad1913

You need to learn how to spell honey and stop dumping on us for having a discussion about something that WE care about. Sorry, but your errors are irking me.

I'm not a great speller. Fine. Whatever. I am not "dumping" on your converstation. Are you saying I'm not allowed to care about this issue? Why? Because I'm not black, or because I don't share in the popular opinion on this thread??

If you're saying I should not voice my opinion because my opinion is in the MINORITY on this thread - well, that's pretty hypocritical, isn't it?

[Phasad1913]

Originally posted by Rain Man
So what if there is still racism? Are you going to continue to complain and whine about it, or are you going to make the best out of a less than favorable situation?

Stop complaining about what's wrong and just work on and for what's right and you too won't have time to be concerned about racism.

What in the worls makes you think that just because we have a discussion about the TRUTH of racism, its past and present forms and effect, that we are not out here doing our thing? I know I have a wonderful life and can and will do anything in life that I choose to do, but I also recognize that my parents and ancestors went through HELL to make it possible for me to feel this way. That is the truth, sir, and just because I talk about it doesn't make me any less capable or willing to do what I have to do. We can talk all day long about this topic if we want to and that in no way reflects our individual levels of desire to live life to the fullest. YOU and others need to stop prejudging people who DO find it necessary to continue to address problems that continue to plague this country and the world. You do YOU, let me do me.

[Phasad1913]

Originally posted by Rain Man
Yes, I am greek. I am an Alpha Phi Omega and another org that will (for right now) remain nameless.

No I don't recall reading the poem Invictus. What is it about?

OH Lord. ...and with that, I'm out.

[Steeltrap]

Originally posted by mulattogyrl
What she said, lol.

I have talked to my daughter about slavery. Just like SKEEphistAKAte said, I don't go into detail about certain things because she may not be able to grasp that yet. I do think she should know about her history, however. I see nothing wrong with that.

There is nothing wrong with it. I had to self-educate because my parents were kind of on this colorblind tip. So I resolved that if I ever had a child, he or she would be educated properly when the time has come.