David When You Were My Age

As a young child, David had a loving family, his Mommy, his father and his two brothers. By the time he was seven, he was being starved and abused by his mother. In his life, David had to face many challenges. One of which is having to play his mother’s “games” that left him half dead. He would also get punished for being a “bad boy” when he never did anything. Later, he had enough courage to tell someone, his 4th grade teachers at Thomas Edison Elementary School.

Rodney King, one of America’s most powerful civil rights activists for people abused by police, has taught the world a lesson in his plea: “People, I just want to say, can’t we all get along?” On March 3, 1991, after a high-speed chase, King was pulled out of his car, thrown on to the ground, and beaten up by the Los Angeles police, which George Holliday videotaped. The four L.A.P.D. officers involved were charged with assault with a deadly weapon and one officer was charged with using of excessive force. However, after a three-month trial, which was held in Simi Valley, a suburb of Los Angeles, a predominantly white jury acquitted the officers. This inflamed the citizens, which resulted in the violent 1992 Los Angeles riots.

After the disturbing video of King and the 4 police officers was shown to the public by news stations across the country, some were shocked, others were just not surprised at all. The ones who weren't shocked were the minorities living in parts of L.A especially the black community south Los Angeles. According to Bernard Parks, An African-American Los Angeles police officer who was present during the acquittal and the riots stated in an interview , “This particular piece of video validated in thousand of people minds that this has been going on for a long time. It validated that this is how the police treats the community, particularly the black community” (Morris, “LA riots : How 1992 changed the police”) . Not only did the infamous video

"They had a long record of humiliating people, black people, pulling them over and doing what they called 'proning' them on the ground” Karl Fleming (2005). Cops at the time did not care, they found something wrong with the way you look, you got arrested, no questions asked. If you tried to resist arrest, it was going to go bad for you. During the early nineties, there was a rap group coming from Compton, California, N.W.A., that wrote about how hard their life was dealing with all the gang violence and the whole police thing. Some white people did not care for that type of music and when performing, cops tried to arrest the members of N.W.A. because they weren’t allowed to say the things they were rapping about. "So many people who didn't grow up black and poor couldn't understand why it happened. You can live in a different part of L.A. and never understand that frustration. But if you listen to 'F— tha Police,' you hear where they're coming from". John Singleton (1992). Many of the rappers talked about how life rough during those times even before the whole Rodney King incident. On April 29, 1992, felon, Rodney King, was chased by four cops by car because he did not want to pull over while in his

David had been the target of ongoing bullying at Alamo Heights High School. He received a series of text messages from between six and 10 bullies, with comments that put him down and insulted him. According to his brother, the bullies went after him

The police told David he had to call his mom and David begged for him not to but he told him he would tell her about how he was going to be taken to jail. This statement was not true of course but David thought he really was being taken to jail until he left with the officer once again and the officer turns to David and tells him he's free and that his mom will never hurt him again. David’s years after consisted of foster home to foster home and when he turned 18 years old he decided to join the Military which was his life-long dream. David never contacted his family, or mainly his mother, ever again. He didn't wish to speak to them for that matter and never did. David was finally happy with his life and away from his miserable mother and family. To me this book is sad but it is an amazing example of how our own spirit can provide strength and hope in the worst situations. David's spirit and hope for a better tomorrow helped him to survive through his mother's emotional and physical abuse he received for years. David absolutely refused to let his mother win. He had no one to help him or lean on so he learned how to fend for himself. His profound courage and determination saved him along with help finally from teachers, the nurse and the police officer.

As at the beginning David was a young boy who is like any other kid in 1948. He likes to play outside with his friends, ride horses, he preferred the wilderness of the country compared to the rules enforced by people in town. He doesn’t have a care in the world as any twelve year old should.

During the year of 1948 David as a young boy got caught up in all the drama of his Uncle’s sins molesting Indian women, when David eaves drops and hears about what his uncle had done is the major turning point for him, he is no longer a little kid but now after his opinions of his family had changed he had lost all his innocence and was left in the

On the night of March 3, 1991, Rodney King, Bright Allen and Freddie Helms had just left a friend’s house after watching a basketball game. The blood alcohol level of the men was more than was allowed, and it finally resulted in a high speed chase. The first five LAPD officers to arrive at the scene were Stacey Koon, Laurence Powell, Timothy Wind, Theodore Briseno, and Rolando Solano. Allen and Helms had first been to exit the car, upon which Allen had been stomped, taunted, manhandled and kicked.

David’s life was him as a child not being liked and encouraged by his family. David got shot three times. His dad or mom weren’t there to

In March of 1991, Rodney King’s life changed forever. He was pulled over by the LAPD after a high-speed chase late at night. The police then used force, pulled him out of his car and brutally beat him with deadly weapons. “However, after a three-month trial, a predominantly white jury acquitted the officers, inflaming citizens and sparking the violent 1992 Los Angeles riots.” (Rodney King Biography). This was a huge social topic in the 1990’s and still is today. After this incidence is affected his life tremendously. He had problems with other charges and offences following

During the protests, Police gave warnings for the people to leave before attacking. I now have a deeper understanding over today’s violence between Black men and police. Watching, learning and gaining deeper thoughts and feelings over the matters demonstrated in this movie have allowed me to understand how hard the fight for equal rights was in a different

In response to the verdict handed out on April 29th in regard to the Rodney King trial, Los Angeles burst into flames. Seeing the city erupt into utter chaos was a very eye opening experience for many people who were not aware of the injustice and cruelty that was occurring right under their noses, every day. Los Angeles’ violent response to the acquittal of the officers who beat Rodney King was a learning experience for all people because it altered many people’s perception of the system. This change in perception was only possible because the residents of Los Angeles were finally willing take stronger action and speak up for something that was unfair; in this case, they spoke out in the form of riots. Through the tragic events prior to and

It was Wednesday and Sam was getting ready to meet up with Maxie. 14- “I don’t know. He’s probably fine” (117). Hi mom asked him how Stick was because he was the only one he would talk to. He meet Maxie at the political education class taught by the black panthers. 15- “The time to change this country is now!” (125). everyone cheered on he was pointing a gun around showing people that they were helpful when protesting. 16-”He really knows what he’s talking about” (127). Even Sam was agreeing with what the speaker was saying. His dad caught him in the street and asked what he was doing their 17- “Maxie needed some help with math, so I came and showed her” (131). He knew he was wrong for lying, but he couldn't tell him the truth. He had no idea his mother knew he was with the panthers he was shocked he didn’t know what to say. His parents weren’t mad about it 18-”I need you to stay away from them” (139). All his father wanted is for him to not listen to them. He made Sam help with the demonstration they were preparing. A couple of days later one of Sticks friends was being questioned by police and some of the black panthers walked up to the cops with guns 19-”All right, boys, you put those guns

David, from a young age, has understood the injustice of the society of Waknuk. Deep down he