topic choice

The topic am looking at is " The fight for freedom", am not sure if you would consider this a topic.But i would like it if you gave me your opinion. And if so there are two or more songs in the packet i would like to use. For example," oh Freedom" and " I'm on my way".And also there is this text also in the course packet, " Struggling to be Free".

Dear professor tanenbaum,
I would say that he was trying to defend the poor whites. I believe he wanted to tell the blacks you can't always blame the poor whiteman. He is just following what he was told or in fact ordered to do.. I beleive he is for the blacks because of all the other songs he wrote in order to help the blacks protesting their rights.he wanted to blacks to really take notice of the real bad guys.Which in fact is the government.

"only a pawn in their game"

"Only a pawn in their game", this song was written and performed by Bob Dylan in 1964. To me it was written in the defense of the whiteman and how they are not to blame for the hardship and the torturing and killing of a black man. In fact the Government is to blame, they are the one's setting all the laws. And telling the white man what they should do. The white cops, sheriffs, politicians and soldiers are setting an example to the other whites on what they should be doing to the blacks. The way the police, cops etc take control of their power by beating and killing out the blacks. I can refer back to "The case study", it states that, " it was maintained that " this is a white man's government, " and regardless of numbers the white man should rule."This is the kind of thinking the government is setting for their followers(whites). If you listen to this song, the singer to me felt sorry for the whites, as he said it's not their fault but to listen to the person higher than them.

I have never really looked at a song or art work and judge it on its purpose or meaning in politics. But since I have entered the Art, politics and protest class it got me thinking. Music and sports play a big part in my life, especially sports. In high school I use to be on the track and it gave me a way to socialize with others. I don't have a favorite music genre but i like pop, R&B and reggae. these types of music to me expresses alot about life it self and whats going on between and around others. But alot of listeners never really took the chance to listen to the meaning of these lyrics. Rappers in there music portray alot about gang violence and politics. like others who go around with signs and start strikes, this is an artist way of expressing their feelings either with politcs or life. I would like to learn alot more in this class, it is really interesting and keeps you on your toes