Monday, October 06, 2008
Private First Class Reginald "Malik" Edwards......
In the essay Private First Class Reginald "Malik" Edwards, Phoenix, Louisiana, in one section, Terry talks about fighting for a cause that did not support him. "We figured if we had been over in Vietnam fighting for our country, which at that point wasn't serving us properly, it was only proper that we had to go out and fight for our own cause" (386) This is a reason why Terry liked the Black Panther Party so much, since they fought the war for someone else. I can only imagine that he felt used and unwanted. Has there ever been a time for you that you were working for someone that did not even support you, much like Terry's experience. If so, how did that make you fell? If you haven't experienced an event like Terry's, try to put yourself in his shoes and explain how you think it would feel.
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11 comments:
I'm actually glad to say that I've never worked for someone that didn't support me, like in Terry's situation. It would be so hard to go through all of that work, and put so much heart into something, then not have someone behind you to help you get through it all. It almost seemed like Terry was forced to fight for a certain reason and not for his own, and on top of that it seemed like he wasn't even wanted. I can't even imagine what it feels like to go trough something like that, when you don't even want to. In the future I hope I never have to go through what Terry did. Its one thing to go into something when yoiu don't want to, but then when no one is behind you and supporting you for the decision you made, it just makes everything even more worse than it already is.
I can honestly say that I have never been in a situation where I worked for someone who didn't support me. I feel for him though because I know what it is like to put hard work in and a lot of effort into something. When you fight for something you are in a sense taking a stand for that side, so it would be hard if it was something that you didn't truely believe in. Nobody should be forced to fight and take a stand on something that they don't feel strongly about, especially when you feel like you are alone and nobody is supporting you and you are just being used.
I have never been in the type of situation where I have not been supported by my superiors. I think it would make me feel like dirt if I worked really hard and wasn't even appreciated. Especially being in Vietnam and all, it would be horrible knowing that your people above you don't even care if you live. I wouldn't feel motivated to do anything to help their cause. I think I would go against the others and do something to prove a point.
I actually have worked for someone who didnt support me, she was just out to support herself and noone else. I worked at a tanning place in my home town for 2 years. Trying to save money and get some money in my pocket for college. Which was very difficult because I was getting paid minimum wage, under the table, and was working ridiculous hours while still being in high school. All i wanted to do was to establish myself as a responsible hard worker and was not getting any respect in return. I finally stood up for myself and approached her about a higher pay and better hours but got nothing out of it. I felt used, and disrespected. Feeling like the bigger person in the situation I left the business and wrote a letter to my boss explaining the value of holding respect for your employees and not taking advantage of them. Also, I turned her into the IRS for paying her employees under the table.
I have never worked for someone who didn't support me. I feel like if I was the commander or boss of something, i would make sure that everyone had respect for me and knew that i cared for them. I can't believe, especially with something as serious as war, that Terry was not cared about. When you are fighting for your life, you deserve some appreciation. If i was in Terry's situation i would feel very pissed off. If i was fighting for my life i would like to have my commander supporting me.
I am happy to say that I have never been in Terry's position. I think that working for someone else that does not support you would be hard to tolerate. I know at one point of the story he makes a comment about how he is fighting a white man's war and when he comes home he has to fight his own war. I think that this is sad that even though Terry is fighting for the rights of our country, his rights in our country are not encouraged. Being in his shoes would be a difficult walk.
I have never been in a situation where an individual does not support what i am doing for them. I feel as though if i were put in this situation, i would eventually say something to the person who i am working for. In Terry's case, he did not have this option. I can not imagine what it was like for Terry to fight for his country, then return home to unemployment and unfairness. Terry had proved that he was loyal to his country, yet when he returned home he still faced discrimination. Obviously he was stunned by the situation which he returned home to.
I've never been in a situation where I have not been supported, but I did have a friend who had a job that did not like the situation she was in and did nothing to stop it. She worked at the recreation center for a few years in high school and never got a raise. She would always take other girls shifts and not complain because she wanted the hours. When new people got hired, they recieved a higher wage than she did. She never did say anything eventhough her friends told her she should. She eventually recieved a 25 cent raise, but was still working the huge amount of hours. I was very fortunate enough to have worked with a company that valued their employees, but if I was in my friend's situation I would have talked to my boss the second I felt something get out of hand.
I have never been in the same situation as Terry where i worked for someone when they didn't support me. I don't think i would go through with it like he did either. I wouldn't be able to do something that i didn't like of believe in. Terry is a very strong man for going through with it all especially when he didn't want to at all. I hope i'm never in the situation that Terry was because i wouldn't be able to handle it. Especially if it was war!
I have never been in a situation were i have been working for someone or for somthing that dosnt support me. I couldnt imagine how Terry could have been willing to sacrafice his life for a country that miss treated him and his people. His life is worth just as much as anyone else. It bothered me how he was kicked out of the military after all he had given to them because he was black.
When your fighting for somthing, its usually for somthing you want, somthing you believe in, somthing that will improve your quality of life. For Terry, that was the Black Panthers. They were fighting for somthing he could relate to, somthing he believed in.
I am very fortunate that i have never had a work environment where i was not supported. One of the jobs that i had over the years was being a hostess at one of my best friends restaurants. I was really close with the family so i just handed in the application and right on the spot they asked when i wanted to start working. At the restaurant it was like a big family. Everyone got along great and if anyone ever messed up an order or dropped a plate (which i did a couple of times) it was fixed quickly and effciently and no one was to terribly upset. I can not imagine how it would feel not to be appreciated and not to have the person who was suppose to beyour boss no care about you. It would be almost humiliating in a sense that the person has employed you but does not care about you at all to even say anything to you after that point.
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