It's about economics

Hi - this is Anika - we traveled yesterday - we did get to walk in the Gulf of Mexico - driving into Gulfport, Mississippi made me realize how major events we read about impact real life. Gulfport was hit hard by Hurricane Katrina and a lot of it hasn't been rebuilt. Along the ride we saw many places where houses were - you could see foundations and event empty swimming pools but no homes.

I know Mrs. Look's class is going to read and write on the blog tomorrow. One of the main points I've learned on this trip is that many of the issues related to the Civil Rights were connected to economics. The large planatation owners needed cheap labor so that's a main reason for slavery. It's also why it was so hard for the Blacks in the south to break free from the Jim Crow laws and segretation. People here needed to keep others down because they needed cheap workers and they didn't want a majority of the population in the south competing for their jobs.

It also made me realize that many of the issues we are studying now still exist throughout the world. There are groups of people who are kept from realizing their full potential because economics drives so much. This is not isolated here in this part of the country and at a set time. There's still much to do.

Today we're going to tour New Orleans and see many of the areas impacted by Hurricane Katrina. More later.