Write 5 page essay on the topic A Lesson Before Dying: Overcoming Societal Oppression in 2005.Download file to see previous pages Though the Civil Rights movement and new legislation has carried socie

Write 5 page essay on the topic A Lesson Before Dying: Overcoming Societal Oppression in 2005.

Though the Civil Rights movement and new legislation has carried society a long way in terms of civil equality, many groups still face oppression today in 2005. Many homosexuals fight a battle against hatred and civil oppression that parallels that of the civil rights struggle suffered by many African-Americans. On a smaller scale, young adults across America, and more specifically community college students right here in Los Angeles, still face oppression by social expectations, civil laws, and social customs.

Some community college students live at home and commute to school in order to lessen the financial burden. But, many college students must work and support themselves while paying for college with financial aid and student loans. With rising rent and housing costs, working one's way through college is a difficult prospect at best even under favorable circumstances. But, many students find themselves in a Catch-22 when it comes to income, financial aid, and health insurance. A student working a minimum wage job will not be able to support himself while attending college. If a student makes a decent income and is able to cover his own living expenses, then he is unlikely to qualify for the financial aid he will need to cover expenses. Many grants and loans are based on income, and if you make enough money to house and feed yourself, chances are you will not qualify for a government grant or a low interest loan. In this respect, societal expectations seem to work against the hard working individual who seeks to further his education by working his way through college by making it a near impossible or futile endeavor. Furthermore, college aged people in America comprise one of the largest groups of people not covered by health insurance. Having surpassed the age requirements to be covered under their parent's insurance policy, college students must provide their own health insurance. Some colleges have student healthcare plans with reasonable costs, but many colleges and universities do not. Most students are unable to maintain a job with benefits while attending college, because they are unable to work full-time, and they do not want to compromise their financial aid by making too much money. With individual private insurance rates nearing the price of college tuition, many students simply can't afford coverage and are forced to take a gamble with their health. Even though college students are forced to pay taxes and social security, they will likely not enjoy the benefits of the investment, and this is an unfair policy of oppression and exploitation. In A Lesson Before Dying, Jefferson's struggle to "die like a man" comes to represent the struggle for civil equality and standing up for what is right. Jefferson became a symbol of racial injustice, and he found himself with the unique opportunity to stand up for his community. College students can take a lesson from Jefferson, and learn to stand up for their rights.

Many community colleges still employ practices of selective acceptance based on race, age, and nationality.