After reading “The Trial of Thomas Builds-the-Fire” and “This is What it Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona” by Sherman Alexie, I noticed that they both mentioned BIA at the beginning. The Bureau of Indian Affairs was a federal agency that did not have a great relationship with the Native Americans back then. I think the two characteristics that would best describe the BIA are hostile and discriminative. The criminal justice system treatment towards Thomas is the same as the BIA’s treatment towards Thomas, because they both have bias against Native Americans. When the BIA officers where talking about Thomas, they already started coming up with ideas of why he was on trail, “What charges should we bring him up on? Inciting a riot? Kidnapping? Extortion? Maybe murder?”(p.140). The BIA officers also said some discriminatory things towards Thomas, “Well,” they all agreed. “It has to be a felony charge. We don’t need his kind around here anymore”(p.140-141). During court I think that Judge already labeled Thomas as guilty even though the judge didn’t know what exactly happened and why Thomas did what he did. The Judge also got defensive when Thomas questioned the court’s administration of justice, “…Is that real justice or the idea of justice?” Thomas asked him, and the judge flew back into anger. “Defense testimony is over, he said. “Mr. Builds-the-Fire, you will now be cross-examined” (p.147).
Author: Skyy Woodroffe
Choice Two: Parents
I think that parents should be careful of what they say around their children depending on what the conversation is about, because every conversation a child hears can affect them positively or negatively. Some conversations aren’t meant for children to hear until they reach a certain age because it’s not good to sugar coat everything, especially as they grow older and experience new things. When they are at a certain age where they can understand things better, I think that the parents should be honest with the child but also be careful of how they say things/how they come across. They shouldn’t be too blunt, brutally honest, or tease them a lot because I think it can affect the child negatively as they get older. I think the parents should be nicer and careful about how they say things but still be truthful.
Seven by Natalie Diaz
Where I’m From
by Skyy Woodroffe
I am from coloring pencils,
from Bratz dolls and BR Fruit Gloss.
I am from the yellow house and brown fence
I am from the red-seeded dandelions
the amaryllis’ and green grass
I am from summer cookouts
and toughness,
from Jamillah
and Denise and Delphina.
I am from nurses
and artists
From “you get what you get and you don’t get upset”
and “you kids go out and play in the backyard”.
I am from Christianity.
runs deep in my family.
I’m from African Americans and Trinidadians,
soul food and Caribbean food.
From the story of my dad coming to the United States,
the time my family and I went to Virginia beach every spring break,
and the first time my mom went to Trinidad & Tobago.
I am from the brown cabinet full of family photographs
strong, powerful, and amazing.
