Freedom Riders: Diversity In The Workplace

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Diversity In The Workplace Freedom Riders “There is Strength in Numbers” September 20, 2012 “There is strength in numbers”. After watching such a powerful movie like The Freedom Riders, it allowed me to think about the world from a different perspective. Having been born in 1990 and not during the civil rights movement time period, it made me feel blessed but it also made me think about the disturbing issues that are currently happening today that I feel sheltered from. I believe that not only myself, but also most others my age may feel the same way about feeling sheltered from certain issues that are current in this world. Never hearing about the Freedom Riders before this past week, made me recognize how much I am unaware of in this…show more content…
This type of discrimination seems quite hostile in a world like the one we all live in today. Mohammad Kaleemuddin, a Pakistani immigrant, spoke in the article about the discrimination he received. He worked for the American war efforts in Iraq as a truck driver. The company to which he was employed was located in Houston TX, where his co-workers felt the need to call him things like “al Qaeda” and “Taliban” (New York Times). Kaleemuddin says, “It brought a bit of terror in my chest. I’d wonder, ‘Why are they doing this? I’ve always been nice to them.’” This is an example of someone who was not involved in the terrorist acts eleven years ago, yet still gets discriminated against because of his ethnic background. Since 1961, people still do not have the decency to give others a chance. “Workers have complained of discrimination even in regions known for their diversity.” (New York Times). This thought is startling because it justifies the point that discrimination is still current in…show more content…
According to an Atlanta newspaper, there was an article called “Freedom Riders will make 9/11 attacks with bike journey”, which was written in 2011. I found this story to be quite fascinating. The details of this particular “Freedom Ride” were a “6-day cycling tour along with members of the Atlanta Fire Department and departments from across the state.” (AtlantaInTown). These people aspired to show the United States that they are grateful and thankful for those who gave up everything for their country. It says, “The goal of the Freedom Ride is to pay respects to the first responders who lost their lives at Ground Zero and to show their solidarity with firefighters, public safety and military personnel around the world.” This movement is like the Freedom Riders from 1961 because they are there to show that they are proud of who they are and that they are not going to let others ruin that pride. These fire fighters have a connection with those fire fighters from New York City that day in 2001 because they can still feel that pain even though they did not go through it personally, or even lose a life. Although the situations associated with each ride is different from the other, it shows how people are willing to come together and join as one no matter what. I found it pretty cool that this “ride” in Atlanta took place nearly 10 years after the attacks. It proves that people do not

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