Amistad

Another testament for how great my Honors 240 class is, we watched the powerful movie Amistad yesterday for Wendsday class. The movie, directed by Steven Spielberg, retells the true story of Africans taken from their villages, who relovt on ship, only to drift to America and ensue a heated courtroom battle over their origin and their rights. The screenplay, by the way is incredibly--people just dont speak that clearly or eloquently anymore (esspecially John Quincey Adam's courtroom scene).
Whenever I watch movies like this one, I constantly ask myself, "How would I have acted in that situation?" Would I have given in to despair? Would I do all I could to survive? Would I fight and risk death or would I do try to preserve myself--possibly for my family? You never can know unless you are living that moment and it is in that moment when you learn something about yourself. It is in those difficult moments when you choose to either wither in despair or stand that define our character; and though I never wish to go through the horrors of slavery, I do hope I can face my struggles with the strength like Cinque and the others who suffered and triumphed on La Amistad.