Stop Racism

Song Analysis about "White Privilige ||" by Macklemore in context of our English class

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Introduction

We did in the context of our English class, a song analysis with special question in different terms about the song "White Privilige ||" by Macklemore.

We answered the following questions:

What does this verse reveal about Macklemore's feelings?

What is his connection to the BLM protests?

What does the chant "NO JUSTICE NO PEACE " mean?

Who was Trayvon Martin?

What does Macklemore criticising about the rap industry?

Who was Mike Brown?

What does the phrase "are u marching for freedom or when it's convenient" mean?

What does Macklemore criticise about himself and the society?

What does the last seven lines mean in the fifth vers and what could be done to change this mindset?

What is white supremacy?

Supremacy over black culture

Who was Darren Wilson ?

the order of the structure and the blog entries will not match

I hope you enjoy our blog entry about Macklemore and the black lives matter movement!!

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"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 9

Takes another child's life on sight"

What does the verse reveal about Macklemore's feelings?

He wrote the song Privilege 2 because, he wanted to show his position. He wanted to be a part of the discussion BLM because he thinks that it is wrong that an officer killed an African American boy and got no justice (The cop was Darren Willson). Macklemore wants that his white fans think and inform them self about the situation and stand up because of the privilege they have to support BLM. BLM is the red string from the song.

Which connection do has Macklemore for the BLM protests?

He is not really shore what he should do. Should he stand with the black group or not should he scream BLM or not is it allowed to him as a white guy?

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What does the chant "NO JUSTICE NO PEACE" mean? Keine Gerechtigkeit keinen Friede!

It is a political slogan. The slogan is against systematic ethic violence and against African American people -The slogan first was used in the 1996 and it came up as a follow of the killing Michael Grifffiner by a mob of white youths.

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Who was Travyon Martin?

George Zimmermann killed 2012 an black American boy named Travyon Martin, he called himself a self appointed quartos sheriff in front of the court. He said that it was self defense. He got acquitted July last year. The acquitted spreaded violent protests with the slogan no justice no peace. Alot of people wanted to see George Zimmermann in prison, some people also wanted to take justice into their one hands - Zimmermann was forced to flee after a group of people recognized him while an interview and chased him to his hotel where he waited till next morning finished the interview and flew - Some people set a bounty on his head.

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What does Macklemore critisise about himself and the society?

People are more concern being called racist than are actually with racism. He and the society were passive what would happen if they were included. The white society has privileges because of their color but does not do anything. He hates about himself that he is silent while black people are dying.

"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"

What could be done about this mindset?

-There could be less series or films with black people in an crime roll

-More black superheros

-In school there could listen more to black music or to look at books written by black

-To talk more about it in school or clubs about it

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Who was Darren Wilson?

He was the police officer who killed Mike Brown.

The investigations against Wilson are discontinued, he resigned from the service, today he lives in a suburb of Ferguson.

Darren Wilson has always described the shooting of Michael Brown as self-defense. Research and testimony have shown that his version of the story is mostly accurate. Accordingly, Brown had tried to snatch the gun from him, whereupon Wilson shot the boy in the hand. The teenager first ran away and then came back to the police officer. When Brown continued to run towards him, even after several warnings, he fired, Wilson said. Many in Ferguson still blame Wilson.

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Supremacy over black culture

White people copy the culture, slang, clothes, music from the black people but still discriminate the black ones for their skin color, for their history and for their lineage. They are feeling still comfortable in what they are doing, it's a double-edged sword, actually it's morally indefensible.

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What is white supremacy?

the belief that white people are better than other groups and should have power over them

(https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/white-supremacy )

Macklemore also explained in his song that white supremacy also means that white people have more benefits than black people, for example to find a job or to live in freedom without discrimination. He also speaks about how white supremacy holds the privilege he has, which all white people hold and these are a lot of several aspects. A lot of white people think indifferent about discrimination against black people and don't really care.

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What does the phrases "are u marching for freedom or when it's convenient " mean?

White people protesting for something they are not interested in. They only wants to gain recognition and don't really have an intention. White people marching with the black people mostly because its convenient

"You speak about equality, but do you really mean it?"

"Are you marching for freedom, or when it's convenient?"

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Who was Mike Brown?

Brown was an 18-year-old African American male who died after he was shot several times by Darren Wilson, a 28-year-old white police officer. Several witnesses corroborate the officer’s account of the Michael Brown shooting. Brown did not have weapons or a criminal record.

There were protests and riots in Ferguson after the shooting. There was a lot of media coverage in the United States. People have been talking about how Brown being killed relates to racism in the United States. They have pointed out that most of the police in Ferguson are white, while most of the people who live in Ferguson are African-American. They have also accused the media of being biased against Brown and the people protesting his killing.

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What does Macklemore criticising about the rap industry in his song "white privilege || " ?

Macklemore thinks that they stole the music from the black people and most of the rappers are plastic and fake. They only buying big stuff with their money instead of to help people. The rappers only supporting the BLM to gain followers.