Friday, November 11, 2016

Rhetorical Analysis of an object, Clenched fist at the 1968 Olympics

Analysis of a Movement
            The Black Panther Party had a huge effect throughout the civil rights movement in the 60’s. They had different ideals than what MLK had, but they also wanted to end the oppression by any means necessary. Whether it was them open carrying, or arriving at the scene of an arrest with their guns sweeping out and across. The Black Panthers had their own plan and idea to end the opressions and they were not going to change that. One other things that helped the idea of unity with in the black community is the clenched fist.
            MLK had the “I Have A Dream” speech to show his protest. The Black Panthers open carried and would fight violence with violence when necessary. The other protest that works into the Black Panthers and would be something that the group would use would be the clenched fist which was created during the 1968 Olympic Games. (Youtube, 1986 Black Power Salute)
            During a medal ceremony for the 200-meter race Tommie Smith and John Carlos had a planned silent protest, that was inspired by what Martin Luther King Jr had been doing with his civil right march. As they raised their hands, which had a black glove over it, one of the most iconic images of the civil rights movement was made. Upon doing this Carlos and Smith were disgraced and sent home immediately. When they returned home they received a hero’s welcome. Of course there was third guy in the picture he was 2nd place finisher, Peter Norman of Australia. (Youtube, 1986 Black Power Salute)
            Peter Norman wore a tag on his left breast which read, Olympic Project for Human Rights. Peter Norman decided he would help partake in the protest as Australia had a “White Australia” creating protests. Norman, would also do more than wear the patch, as he also suggested to Carlos and Smith that they wear the black glove on opposite fists. Norman would be held out of future Olympic games and also never be allowed to run for the Australian team. That is the history of the clenched fist that we have all seen. (Youtube, 1986 Black Power Salute)
            How does this all relate to the Black Panthers? Smith and Carlos said they did this as a sign of self defense for what was happening in the country. Martin Luther King Jr had recently been assassinated, so there had to be a new way to send a message, and what better way than with the whole world watching. The image of the clenched fist has lived on through history. Its one of the first images that people think of when they hear not just silent protests, but protests in general. No one could have ever thought that the simple raising of fist would leave the sort of impact is has on not only this country but the world.
            Once the fist was raised into the air, it was immediately adopted by all of the protesting groups for civil rights around the world. The Black Panther group would come to use as a sign to help their protest, often times appearing and standing with their fist raised into the air. The message was clear, and the new image of protest had been created. A silent and powerful image that would last and continue to be a beacon of change for forever.
            The Black Panthers were not the only group to use this as their protest. People today like Colin Kaepernick have used this image to speak for a protest. Many NFL stars have stood with their right fist thrown into the air as a way to protest the shooting by police officers and the oppression that is happening in today’s society.  
            Pop stars such as Beyonce have even adopted the image to protest the same thing. During her most recent performance of the Super Bowl Halftime show, she and her dancers were dressed in all black and repeatedly threw their fist into the air the same way that Smith and Carlos did during the 1968 Olympic games.
            The raised fist has stayed around as a protest because of the somplicity and message it elicits. Raising your fist, does not show say that you are for violence, it tells everyone that you are for human rights and for peace. Unlike the Black Panthers who wanted to evoke violence when necessary, this fist sent out a message that some would argue is louder than the bang of bullet. Smith and Carlos are forever immortalized because of it, but upon their return they were treated as low class garbage by anybody wo didn’t want to end oppression.
When Peter Norman died in 2006, Smith and Carlos carried his casket to the grave. Norman is the forgotten man whenever this subject is brought up and he paid for it not being allowed to race in the Olympics ever again. On that fateful day in October three men changed the history of not only a silent protest, but a protest itself. They showed that you don’t need guns, you don’t need violence, all you need is an audience and a simple action.
Recently former President elect Barack Obama even gave praise to what John Carlos and Tommie Smith did all that time ago in 1968. Obama said the he was proud of what they did. The silent protest was controversial and woke many people up to what was happening around the world and in the US. Smith has since gone on record of saying that the silent protest was not a protest for black people. It was a salute for human rights. (Boyer, Washington Times)
With all that said, we can see that the raised fist means so much more than just a protest, it became a overnight symbol, even though Smith and Carlos were sent off and banned from the Olympics they did something more than winning a medal will ever do. That image of them with their fist in the air and their heads bowed is an image that has never lost its impact.
This Olympics was not the only one to create a controvercy as the 1936 Olympics in Berlin had many German people doing a Nazi salute, something that people would make a comparison to what Carlos and Smith. The German people faced no repercussion because the thought was that the Nazi salute was used to represent the country at the time. The effect seems to almost be on the same thing as both signs were made for a representation of a group of people. The only difference in the case of the 1968 Olympics is that a whole country didn’t do it along with the men that were on the podium that night.
No matter what you think, the fact is that what Tommie Smith and John Carlos did something that will live on for the history of time. It set a new presedent for that a silent protest could be and do. It reached not only to this country but other parts of the world as Peter Norman took part in helping the protest and felt the reprocussions. People are protesting the results of the election as I type. Some are causing damage and looting the streets where they live. That doesn’t make America a better place, because the damage makes things worse never better. The silent protests done on that day is something that all protestors everywhere can learn from and see that as long as you have the right idea your message will get out and live on through history. Leave the destruction to the misinformed.
Citations
1.     Boyer, Dave. “Obama Praises Ex-Olympians Tommie Smith, John Carlos for ‘68 ‘Black Power’ Salute.” Washington Times, The Washington Times, www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/sep/29/obama-praises-ex-olympians-smith-carlos-68-black-p/. 

2.     “1968 Olympics The Black Power Salute.” YouTube, YouTube, 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnvcikullaw. 


          
1. How do you think that I could make this relate more clearly, or even just relate better at all to the Black Panther Party?

2. Is there any more that i could write about to make this part of the paper pop?

3. What is one thing that you would like to see improved throughout the paper?

                       
             


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