Olivares 1 Dennis Olivares Professor Sheri Gabrielsson English 100 12-9-13

Various populations in Los ngeles are silen!e" #ith ra!ial "is!ri$ination an" in%usti!e& Southlan" b' (ina )evo'r gives voi!e to the populations that are silen!e" b' sho#ing ho# in"ivi"uals !an get the !ourage to fight against "is!ri$ination an" re!eive the %usti!e the' "eserve& Voi!e is i$portant to the novels $essage of %usti!e be!ause #ith voi!e the $essage gets hear" b' the rea"er an" the' reali*e ho# Los ngeles populations are silen!e" an" ho# the people suffer #ith silen!e & +n Southlan" (ina "e$onstrates ho# ,urtis e-perien!e" the #rathful "is!ri$ination an" ra!ial in%usti!e & (ot onl' "oes ,urtis e-perien!e this but also $an' of to"a'.s "ifferent ra!es an" !ultures "oes too& Southlan" fo!uses on stopping the severit' of "is!ri$ination an" in%usti!e so #e !an no longer live in silen!e & +n Southlan" ,urtis e-perien!e" ra!ial in%usti!e an" ra!ial "is!ri$ination be!ause he beat t#o other tra!/ runners fro$ a "ifferent s!hool in a tra!/ ra!e an" the runners tea$ atta!/e" ,urtis #ith ra!ial slurs an" ph'si!all' for a $o$ent until ,urtis prote!te" hi$self #ith a /nife& +n Southlan" it states 0 1he ne-t "a' the !oa!h fro$ El Segun"o file" a !o$plaint& ,urtis trie" to tell their s!hool.s offi!ials2 an" his o#n prin!ipal2 that he." been a!ting in self-"efense2 but no one believe" the #or" of a bla!/ bo' #ho ha" on!e van"ali*e" his s!hool3 4)evo'r 2356& ,learl' this is #as ra!ial in%usti!e an" ra!ial "is!ri$ination be!ause he "i" not "eserve to get punishe" be!ause he #as telling the truth an" the the runners fro$ El Segun"o got a#a' #ith al$ost beating up ,urtis& lso #hat is not right that if a #hite bo' #as the vi!ti$ instea" of ,urtis the s!hool #oul" of ta/en a!tion an" believe" the #hite bo'& Southlan" is tr'ing to sho# ho# #e live in a so!iet' #hen in $an' !ases the guilt' get a#a' an" the Olivares 2

the inno!ent are punishe"& 1his is not %usti!e an" $a/es so!iet' %ust !orrupt& +n Southlan" ,urtis e-perien!es ra!ial "is!ri$ination& 7or being /i!/e" fro$ the s!hools tra!/ tea$ ,urtis #ent to a neighborhoo" to loo/ for a store an" the neighborhoo" is "o$inantl' #hite an" he live" in a era #ere there #as a lot of ra!is$ against bla!/s or people #ho #eren.t #hite& +n Southlan" it state" 0+.$ bus'32 the $an sai"2 slo#l' as if ,urtis "i"n.t un"erstan"& 08ou.ll have to #ait until +.$ through&3 n" he resu$e" his s#eeping2 stra# bristles rearranging invisible "irt& ,urtis glare"& 1he $an ignore" hi$34)evo'r 2396& 1his in!i"ent "e$onstrates ho# ,urtis #as "is!ri$inate" be!ause of his !olor an" "i" not re!eive the proper servi!e the $an fro$ the store shoul" have given hi$& 1o"a' $an' people fro$ various ra!es !an relate to ,urtis.s e-perien!e& Southlan" sho#e" ho# #e !an fight against ra!ial "is!ri$ination li/e ,urtis "i"& ,urtis stoo" in the store until he re!eive" the servi!e he "eserve" in the beginning& 1o"a' #e have ha" an" still have !ases #ere an in"ivi"ual "oes not re!eive %usti!e an" the' "on.t believe the person be!ause of their ra!e& n e-a$ple of to"a'.s ra!ial in%usti!e an" "is!ri$ination is 1rav'on :artin.s !ase #here 1rav'on at the age of 19 #as shot an" /ille" b' the neighborhoo" #at!h !oor"inator George ;i$$er$an& ;i$$er$an argue" that he #as a!ting on self-"efense against 1rav'on& ;i$$er$an #as ta/ing into trial an" #as not foun" guilt'& 1his !ause" an uproar espe!iall' #ith the fri!an $eri!an !o$$unities be!ause $an' believe" ;i$$er$an #as guilt' but the %u"ge" "i" not fin" hi$ guilt'& 1his !ause" protests against ;i$$er$an before an" after his trial& 1his also si$ilar to ,urtis in the $anner that he "i" not re!eive his %usti!e %ust li/e 1rav'on "i"n.t& nother signifi!ant !ase that happene" in the past #as )o"ne' <ing.s !ase #here he #as beaten brutall' al$ost to "eath b' poli!e offi!ers after high spee" !hase& 1he offi!ers #ere at first not foun" guilt'& 1his in!i"ent !ause" a big uproar #hi!h triggere" the L riots& :an' angere" b' this espe!iall' fri!an $eri!ans release" there rage on the streets of Los ngeles "estro'ing neighborhoo"s2 $ur"ering people2 an" in%uring people& fter all the $a"ness of the Los ngeles riots t#o of the Olivares 3

offi!ers #ere later foun" guilt'& 1hat #as one response against "is!ri$ination2 in%usti!e2 an" poli!e brutalit'& Various populations shoul" unite so the' #on.t live in silen!e to protest pea!efull' against these vigorous a!ts& +f nothing is "one #e #oul" /eep seeing these horrible a!ts o!!urring& +n Southlan" a in!i"ent si$ilar to 1rav'on :artins !ase #as ,urtis.s "eath b' offi!er 1ho$as& +n both !ases the' /ille" people #hi!h shoul" not be tolerate" at all an" be punishe" i$$e"iatel'& & +n the te-t it states 01he bo's #ere "ea" an" that poli!e$an #as never ever punishe"34)evo'r 2=>6& <illing an" getting a#a' is %ust #rong in ever' #a' espe!iall' #hen a offi!er is suppose to prote!t us but instea" hurts us #ith "eath& People lose trust on offi!ers be!ause of all these in!i"ents& 1his #as in%usti!e be!ause the offi!er got a#a' #ith the $ur"er of ,urtis an" the other bo's& Offi!ers are not suppose to bring "eath or "a$age into peoples lives but !o$fort an" glee for the people& ?oth 1rav'on an" :artin "ie" at a 'oung age #hi!h $a/es $atter #orse be!ause these in"ivi"uals "on.t get to live their lives to the fullest& ,urtis trie" to fight against "is!ri$ination an" in%usti!e but #as unfortunatel' a#ar"e" #ith "eath& So$eti$es people #ho tr' to fight against "is!ri$ination or in%usti!e get hurt& 7or e-a$ple the great :artin Luther <ing @r #ho #as /ille" for !ivil rights an" for %usti!e& :an' people #ho have the right $in"set in our #orl" get /ille" #hi!h $a/es our so!iet' be!o$e $ore silen!e"& People get inti$i"ate" b' all the in!i"ents that happen if 'ou tr' to spea/ out& Southlan" is a goo" #a' to spea/ out through a novel be!ause li/e that #e prevent fro$ people getting hurt& Ae #ill never have full %usti!e or en" "is!ri$ination but #e !an "e!rease it #ith the use of our voi!es& +n !on!lusion Southlan" gave voi!e to various populations b' sho#ing that the' !an "o so$ething against this in%usti!e an" "is!ri$ination b' spea/ing out li/e ,urtis or @a!/ie& Ae nee" to put this proble$s to an en" be!ause that "oes not represent $eri!a in goo" #a'& Ae shoul" be i"oli*e" b' other !ountries for pea!e an" eBualit'& Southlan" sho#s the proble$s Los ngeles has an" the proble$s that shoul" not !ontinue & People shoul" not live in silen!e be!ause that #ill not solve Olivares =

an'thing but it #ill %ust in!rease our proble$s& +n the en" Southlan" prove" to sho# rea"ers that there is still hope&