Remains of the (Violent) J
Posted: Sat Mar 14, 2015 11:36 am
This is a diversity statement for a 2L scholarship. Please be gentle.
Faygo. A markedly Detroitian institution; this soft drink is the root beer of American epicureans. It’s a symbol of pride, of conviction. Of a city that’s been through hell and still stands tall. But for me, it’s a symbol of brotherhood. A hidden indicator of a blood bond that runs deep through the veins of thousands. We can be shunned for the face paint, the Hatchet Gear, the spider legs, the worn-in die cast necklaces. We will listen to our Horrorcore in secret, in the drug-ridden back alleys of the city or in the Grecian inspired comfort of our Harmonie Park high-rises. We may be stripped of outwardly displaying our signs of family. They may try to erase our identity, but the bond is strong; the bond remains. At dusk, I hear the sad song of a fading “whoop, whoop”, as the wind carries the echo through the grim streets, and then it is no more.
Faygo is all that remains. Our public façade may now be of the proper, quintessential American blue-collar worker, but we see our brothers and sisters despite the clown-like conformity we are forced to assume at daylight. For we carry Faygo, the final act of civil disobedience. “Whoop, whoop”, we whisper in passing. This is true solidarity. “Whoop, whoop,” we breathe, and our pulse pumps on.
We live for our expression, to gather and share our appreciation for the music that makes us feel alive. These are our basic human rights under the First Amendment, as they are yours. But of these we are stripped, because we are too different. Our institutional refusal to conform has made us outlaws, perpetuated by the actions of a few rabid, misguided brothers. We are a family like any other, yet we are not treated as individuals. The actions of one represent us all. A violent crime occurs; the perpetrator is Presbyterian. Are all Presbyterians then made to be a gang, outlawed in cities, outlawed to gather in groups of more than three? Of course not. The individual’s actions are separate from the intentions of the group. But we are the exception, because we do not conform.
We fight, but not with our mischaracterized violence. We fight on in the courts. Through our legal battles, I’ve become aware of the violation of the rights of certain fringe or minority groups. No one deserves to be marginalized, to be unequal in the eyes of the law. To do so is un-American. I, too, would like to continue this fight. For those who do not have a voice, or for those who have lost it. A legal education is my weapon of choice. Maybe some day, we can ride through the dark carnival once more. For now, we staunchly hold tight to Faygo, a small but not insignificant token of hope, patriotism, and pride.