"...this is the first time I've ever played here that the crowd has been behind me like that. Today I felt American, you know, for the first time at the US Open" (31.)
Rankine sites this Serena Williams quote from 2011, five years later and I think its relevance has never been stronger. Tonight, our country has chosen a path of racism, bigotry and hatred for the next four years. I think that the emotion felt by Williams in this quote is quintessential to both the way racial division is rampant in our country and the way Americans can and do overcome this division.
It would be simple to take the negative route with this blog post and see the fury of Rankine because Serena was not supported by her country until this point. But in the wake of these election results being in favor of Mr. Trump, I think a different, more positive perspective is necessary.
It is true that Serena should have been supported all along by America because of her nearly heroic abilities as an athlete. However, the fact that she felt this glowing emotion of patriotism, with herself at the forefront, is powerful in itself. As she fought hard for the victory on the court, she felt her country backing her up, regardless of differences they may have held. I think this form of unity is what our country is in desperate need of, because in the end, love does trump hate.
I like how you chose to take a more positive stance. It was a nice pause from a lot of negativity. I also agree that our country needs a form of unity.
ReplyDeleteI agree that our country needs unity. I am speechless and upset that Donald Trump somehow got elected, and cannot believe the amount of hate that is present in the US.
ReplyDeleteI really like the quote you selected, and how you connected it to Donald Trump winning the presidential election. Serena Williams had played her whole career with acts against her, causing losses in games or fines. I think that this quote embodies so much, and I like the positive spin you took on the issue. There was no reason for the negativity she received, but she pushed through and became a huge influence on the lives of many Americans.
ReplyDeleteI really like how you chose to look at things in a more positive view. We have a long way to go as a society to achieve the equality that we like to think we have already. We do need to focus on love.
ReplyDelete