Oppression by_Connor Brock

Multi-genre project

By:​Connor Brock
Word:​Oppression

Cover​:
Dear Reader Letter:
Dear Reader,
The purpose of this book is to spread awareness and put a stop to oppression. The reason I chose
the word oppression was because it is such a worldwide problem that is still being done, and
needs to be stopped and the more people that work together the easier it will be to put an end to.
To me this word means the prevention of equality and the reason why there is so much hate in
this world. By reading Night I saw how extreme oppression can get and this book showed how
bad it can really become, and to prevent this from happening ever again we need to work
together and stop oppression. The message I want to spread with this book is to put an end to
oppression, stop all of this hate and to get past this road block that is keeping us from true
equality. That is the true message i want to convey with this book, I thank you for reading in
advance.
Sincerely, Connor Brock

By: Macklemore and ryan lewis
White privilege II

Pulled into the parking lot, parked it
Zipped up my parka, joined the procession of marchers

In my head like, "is this awkward?
Should I even be here marching?"
Thinking if they can't, how can I breathe?
Thinking that they chant, what do I sing?
I want to take a stance 'cause we are not free
And then I thought about it, we are not "we"
Am I in the outside looking in, or am I in the inside looking out?
Is it my place to give my two cents?
Or should I stand on the side and shut my mouth?
"No justice, no peace, " okay, I'm saying that
They're chanting out, "black lives matter, " but I don't say it back
Is it okay for me to say? I don't know, so I watch and stand
In front of a line of police that look the same as me
Only separated by a badge, a baton, a can of Mace, a mask
A shield, a gun with gloves and hands that gives an alibi
In case somebody dies behind a bullet that flies out of the nine
Takes another child's life on sight
Blood in the streets, no justice, no peace
No racist beliefs, no rest 'til we're free
There's blood in the streets, no justice, no peace
No racist beliefs, no rest 'til we're free

Blood in the streets, no justice, no peace
No racist beliefs, no rest 'til we're free
There's blood in the streets, no justice, no peace
No racist beliefs, no rest 'til we're free
You've exploited and stolen the music, the moment
The magic, the passion, the fashion, you toy with
The culture was never yours to make better
You're Miley, you're Elvis, you're Iggy Azalea
Fake and so plastic, you've heisted the magic
You've taken the drums and the accent you rapped in
Your brand of hip-hop, it's so fascist and backwards
That Grandmaster Flash'd go slap it, you bastard

All the money that you made
All the watered down pop-bullshit version of the culture, pal

Go buy a big-ass lawn, go with your big-ass house
Get a big-ass fence, keep people out

It's all stolen, anyway, can't you see that now?
There's no way for you to even that out

You can join the march, protest, scream and shout
Get on Twitter, hashtag and seem like you're down
But they see through it all, people believe you now?

You said publicly, "rest in peace, Mike Brown"
You speak about equality, but do you really mean it?
Are you marching for freedom, or when it's convenient?

Want people to like you, want to be accepted?
That's probably why you are out here protesting
Don't think for a second you don't have incentive

Is this about you, well, then what's your intention?
What's the intention?
What's the intention?
"Pssst, I totally get it

You're by yourself and the last thing you want to do is take a picture
But seriously, my little girl loves you

She's always singing, 'I'm gonna pop some tags'
I'm not kidding, my oldest, you even got him to go thrifting

And 'One Love, ' oh my God, that song, brilliant
Their aunt is gay, when that song came out

My son told his whole class he was actually proud
That's so cool, look what you're accomplishing

Even the old mom like me likes it, 'cause it's positive
You're the only hip-hop that I let my kids listen to
'Cause you get it, all that negative stuff it isn't cool"
(Yeah?) "yeah, like, all the guns and the drugs

The bitches and the hoes and the gangs and the thugs
Even the protest outside, so sad, and so dumb

If a cop pulls you over, it's your fault if you run"
(Huh?)

Damn, a lot of opinions, a lot of confusion, a lot of resentment
Some of us scared, some of us defensive

And most of us aren't even paying attention
It seems like we're more concerned with being called racist

Than we actually are with racism
I've heard that silences are action and God knows that I've been passive

What if I actually read a article, actually had a dialogue

Actually looked at myself, actually got involved?
If I'm aware of my privilege and do nothing at all, I don't know

Hip-hop has always been political, yes
It's the reason why this music connects
So what the f*** has happened to my voice if I stay silent when black people are dying
Then I'm trying to be politically correct?
I can book a whole tour, sell out the tickets
Rap entrepreneur, built his own business
If I'm only in this for my own self-interest, not the culture that gave me a voice to begin with
Then this isn't authentic, it is just a gimmick
The D.I.Y underdog, so independent
But the one thing the American dream fails to mention
Is I was many steps ahead to begin with
My skin matches the hero, likeness, the image
America feels safe with my music in their systems
And it's suited me perfect, the role, I've fulfilled it
And if I'm the hero, you know who gets cast as the villain
White supremacy isn't just a white dude in Idaho
White supremacy protects the privilege I hold
White supremacy is the soil, the foundation, the cement and the flag that flies outside of my

home
White supremacy is our country's lineage, designed for us to be indifferent
My success is the product of the same system that let off Darren Wilson, guilty
We want to dress like, walk like, talk like, dance like, yet we just stand by
We take all we want from black culture, but will we show up for black lives?
We want to dress like, walk like, talk like, dance like, yet we just stand by
We take all we want from black culture, but will we show up for black lives?

Your silence is a luxury
Hip-hop is not a luxury

Your silence is a luxury
Hip-hop is not a luxury
Your silence is a luxury
Hip-hop is not a luxury
Your silence is a luxury
Hip-hop is not a luxury
What I got for me, it is for me
What we made, we made to set us free
What I got for me, it is for me
What we made, we made to set us free
What I got for me, it is for me
What we made, we made to set us free
EndNote​: This song is expressing the fact that we aren't really free, people are still being
oppressed and people are being killed. He is also explaining this with the point of view of being
an outsider who wants to help but doesnt know what to do. I chose this song since it is a
representation of how oppression is being fought against and what people are going through.

Quote:​
Individual rights are not subject to a public vote; a majority has no right to vote away the rights
of a minority; the political function of rights is precisely to protect minorities from oppression by
majorities(and the smallest minority on earth is the individual)
By: Ayn Rand
EndNote​: They are saying that people's rights should not be put to a vote but it should be already
there the minorities rights should not be based off of the majorities, But should be protected by
them. I chose this quote since it is saying how minorities should not be oppressed by majorities.

Photo of oppression:

Endnote​:fighting the big man is a tough task, they are stronger, have more power, more money
but you still fight for what's right you fight against the oppression and you do what is right no

matter how difficult it is. I chose this picture since it shows that even if you are going against the
big man you still stand a chance and can fight back.

Quote:​
To take on the big man no matter the consequences, to take a stand for what's right is the reason
we fight, the reason we shoot, the reason we cry, the reason we weep, the reason we mourn,
oppression causes hate and inequality to grow larger, so stand up and fight don't let it pull you
down, stand up for what's right and don't let it get you down.

By:Connor Brock

EndNote​:What this means is that the reason people are doing these bad things is that they don't
have the same opportunities as others do since oppression has caused them to not have them, So
they fight for what's right. No matter the consequence. I made this quote because it is saying how
the oppressed are being pushed down but no matter what they fight back and stand for what's
right.

Drawing​:

EndNote​:this is of a hand fighting through things like oppression and more, it is showing the
process of oppression what it causes and the pain and scars it makes this is the progress of it and
how it goes through it and slowly recovers and fights through it all. Making the person happier
and causing them to have a better life. I made this picture because it represents people being put
down and the effects of being put down. But they fight through the pain and make it out happier
and more free than before.

5 best passages from Night:​
1.​A Jew no longer had the right to keep in his house gold, jewels, or any objects of value.
Everything had to be handed over to the authorities– on pain of death.(Night Page:21)
2.W​ e were no longer allowed to go into restaurants or cafes, to travel on the railway, to attend
synagogue, to go out into the street after six o’clock(Night Page:22)
3.I​ became A-7713. From then on, I had no other name.(Night Page:3)
4.​For us it meant true equality: nakedness. We trembled in the cold.(Night Page:35)
5.I​ n a few seconds, we had ceased to be men. Had the situation not been so tragic, we might have
laughed. We looked pretty strange!(Night Page:36)

Photo of Author:​

Information About Author:​ I am a sophmore in highschool and I was born in portland, oregon.
I grew up in vancouver washington. And I live with my 2 parents and my 2 brothers. I am always
motivated especially when it comes to basketball.

Bibliography​: Night by: Elie Wiesel
https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/macklemore/whiteprivilegeii.html

“Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - White Privilege II”

www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/macklemore/whiteprivilegeii.html

https://sites.google.com/site/facingoppression/assignments/oppressionquestionnaire
“Oppression Questionnaire - Facing Oppression.” ​Google Sites,​
sites.google.com/site/facingoppression/assignments/oppressionquestionnaire.

https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/ayn_rand
“Ayn Rand Quotes.” ​BrainyQuote​, Xplore,
www.brainyquote.com/authors/ayn_rand.