Sooo, my group and I were having a very interesting conversation, because that is just how we do. Anyways, we got to talking about some of the mental effects of racism. We got to talking about internalized racism and the way that the concept has presented itself in the book Warriors Don't Cry. We came to the conclusion that many Blacks within the Little Rock community during the time of the Central High segregation did not feel that they deserved to integrate.
Many Blacks during this time felt that they didn't deserve to integrate because they belonged in their community, with their own people, and the shabby schools. They feel like they have come as far as they possibly can as a race and have achieved the most that they can. They do not want to strive for more because they have been made to feel inferior for so long that some started to believe it. Throughout history many Black people internalized the racism that was inflicted upon them. It reminded me of the story of Uncle Tom that made a slave feel that all he could be in life was a slave and that it was his obligation to be a slave to his master and it is saddening how throughout history this happens.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Warriors Don't Cry
Warriors don't cry is the honest story of Melba Patillo, one of the first Black students to integrate into an all-White school in the American south. It tells a story of her bravery and selflessness while integrating into Central High in Little Rock, Arkansas.
When Melba first signs up to be enrolled at Central High she is naive and doesn't realize the seriousness of the situation that she was getting herself into. She had hopes of the Whites that strongly supported segregation would realize that she just wanted the same quality education that they received and would eventually be fine with it, she was very wrong.
On her first day at Central High she is chased by an angry mob who threatened and chased both she and her mother, she was blocked from entering the high school by the Arkansas national Guard, and made to feel fearful for her life and well-being. She does not realize that she is no longer just a child fighting for her education but she is actually a representative for her race; fighting for their equality.
Although she is trying to help Black people progress and stop being treated like second-class citizens but many individuals within their community. She brings restlessness and danger to her community and many people don't appreciate that, not knowing that n the years to come this little girl would pave the way for amazing things to happen for Blacks.
I understand that many of the people in her community think that she is doing more harm than helping them because of the way that white segregationalists acted when she attempted to integrated. They were haters
-_-
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Rap Music Today
I was browsing through the blogs feeling uninspired until I cam across a blog that Stan wrote who, by the way, is an amazing rapper y'all. I agree with a lot of the things that Stan is saying in this post, rap music has definitely been looking sorry for the past couple of years. We lived through the "ringtone artists" of 06' and 07', the coming and going of the so-called "hyphy movement," and numerous songs that were accompanied by easy-to-do dances that all came out of Atlanta. In the last couple of years we haven't seen a lot of quality rap music, but I think that a lot of the new artists that are coming up right now show that there is a very promising future for rap. San said:
For me, I listen to music that makes me feel something, whatever that may be. Sometimes I listen to music like Waka Flocka, Gucci Mane, or Lil B; because that is what I'm feeling at the time. Artists like them, although they might not be the most intellectually stimulating, make me want to sing along to their music and dance. Artists like Kanye West, J Cole, and Blu make me think and make me want to create art of my own. It is really whatever I am feeling at the moment. Sometimes I just want something loud with heavy bass that talks about violence and money and sometimes I want to listen to music that tells a story with sophisticated vocabulary.
The Rap "game" is constantly changing and I'm interested to see how many of this years new artists are going to grow and create in the future. I see originality and musicality becoming important once again within the rap community. It pleases Gina. Yes it does.
This is the link to Stan's post, something is wrong with the link when I tried to put it on the other way.
http://standerson96.blogspot.com/2010/11/musical-artists-need-to-spend-time-more.html
If rappers would spend a little bit more time on their lyrics, then the whole flow of each song would sound smoother. I notice in many different songs that there could be words replaced that would not only rhyme, but also make more sense. Or I hear some songs that have absolutely no purpose or content at all. For example the rap group young money, as individuals they make more meaningful music, but you put them together as a whole and all they ever sing about is sex, drugs, and money.I would like to say that I see a lot of very promising artists focusing more on the musical aspect of their raps rather than trying to get the most endorsements or the most notoriety. I think that many rappers and many famous musicians forget that their music is art and are too focused on pleasing their fans or maintaining an image. I see artists like J Cole, Wiz Khalifa, Wale, Kid Cudi, and even Drake doing new and innovative things with their music that I have really come to enjoy (and to add onto Stan's point I like Drake's solo/mixtape music way more than I like his stuff with Young Money). Anyways, rap is starting to get back to the point where artists are using obscure samples, getting back to a more bohemian style, and overall just allowing artists more freedom to try new things.
For me, I listen to music that makes me feel something, whatever that may be. Sometimes I listen to music like Waka Flocka, Gucci Mane, or Lil B; because that is what I'm feeling at the time. Artists like them, although they might not be the most intellectually stimulating, make me want to sing along to their music and dance. Artists like Kanye West, J Cole, and Blu make me think and make me want to create art of my own. It is really whatever I am feeling at the moment. Sometimes I just want something loud with heavy bass that talks about violence and money and sometimes I want to listen to music that tells a story with sophisticated vocabulary.
The Rap "game" is constantly changing and I'm interested to see how many of this years new artists are going to grow and create in the future. I see originality and musicality becoming important once again within the rap community. It pleases Gina. Yes it does.
This is the link to Stan's post, something is wrong with the link when I tried to put it on the other way.
http://standerson96.blogspot.com/2010/11/musical-artists-need-to-spend-time-more.html
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Things that irritate me
This blog is inspired by a post written by Kaila.
So many things have been getting on my nerves this week, I just haven't been in the mood for anyones nonsense this week (or any week, come to think of it).
Group Projects-This week we have been working on THREE different group projects and the teachers need to cut the s*** with their whole "we make you work together to learn how to cooperate with others," speech. We all know that you just don't want to grade a bunch of work right before the holidays and having us work in groups cuts down the number of projects that must be graded, substantially. I really hope these teachers know how difficult it is to work with these people. For some reason it is like pulling teeth to get people to participate and just work in a group, it isn't brain surgery, and it is not that hard. Group projects, in all actuality, are never completed by the whole group. In groups, one or two people end up doing a majority of the work, if not all. Since I am one of the individuals who ends up doing most of the work, I am bitter. Very bitter.
Math- Math hates me, I don't know why, I just want to be frienzz! Numbers make me cringe. That is all.
That One Overly Played Katy Perry Song- I didn't write the name of the song because all of her songs sound exactly the same and I think she's garbage. Every time I turn on the radio its some obnoxious Katy Perry song that has the same exact beat as all of her other songs. Its always this DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN pulsating techno beat, it makes my brain turn to fried eggs.
People who ask me what Rugby is- just go away.
I Hate AC Transit- Ac Transit plays with my emotions. If the bus schedule says that the bus is coming at 7:21, guess when I expect the bus to come!? 7:21! But nooooooo! The bus never comes on time which means that I never arrive at my destination on time. Then when I finally get on the bus the bus driver wants to be extremely rude while she pops her gum and tells ME to hurry up because SHE has better places to be! I swear, I looked around me because I couldn't believe that she said that to me with a straight face. She must have lost her mind and I don't physically attack the mentally disabled soooo that is the sole reason I didn't just hit her.
The New Noise Facebook IM Makes- Like, what is that...why? Just why?
People- I hate it when I say something and someone who is not even in the conversation has to make some rude side comment.. You know you just want to be involved in what I'm doing. I understand. Just worry about yourself, Boo.
So many things have been getting on my nerves this week, I just haven't been in the mood for anyones nonsense this week (or any week, come to think of it).
Group Projects-This week we have been working on THREE different group projects and the teachers need to cut the s*** with their whole "we make you work together to learn how to cooperate with others," speech. We all know that you just don't want to grade a bunch of work right before the holidays and having us work in groups cuts down the number of projects that must be graded, substantially. I really hope these teachers know how difficult it is to work with these people. For some reason it is like pulling teeth to get people to participate and just work in a group, it isn't brain surgery, and it is not that hard. Group projects, in all actuality, are never completed by the whole group. In groups, one or two people end up doing a majority of the work, if not all. Since I am one of the individuals who ends up doing most of the work, I am bitter. Very bitter.
Math- Math hates me, I don't know why, I just want to be frienzz! Numbers make me cringe. That is all.
That One Overly Played Katy Perry Song- I didn't write the name of the song because all of her songs sound exactly the same and I think she's garbage. Every time I turn on the radio its some obnoxious Katy Perry song that has the same exact beat as all of her other songs. Its always this DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN pulsating techno beat, it makes my brain turn to fried eggs.
People who ask me what Rugby is- just go away.
I Hate AC Transit- Ac Transit plays with my emotions. If the bus schedule says that the bus is coming at 7:21, guess when I expect the bus to come!? 7:21! But nooooooo! The bus never comes on time which means that I never arrive at my destination on time. Then when I finally get on the bus the bus driver wants to be extremely rude while she pops her gum and tells ME to hurry up because SHE has better places to be! I swear, I looked around me because I couldn't believe that she said that to me with a straight face. She must have lost her mind and I don't physically attack the mentally disabled soooo that is the sole reason I didn't just hit her.
The New Noise Facebook IM Makes- Like, what is that...why? Just why?
People- I hate it when I say something and someone who is not even in the conversation has to make some rude side comment.. You know you just want to be involved in what I'm doing. I understand. Just worry about yourself, Boo.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Essay!
How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents is a novel written by Julia Alvarez. The book allows us into the lives of the Garcia Family as they assimilate into American culture and abandon the old-fashioned, Dominican, culture that their elders desperately try to conserve while in the states.
The Garcia Girls tells a fictional story that has become a reality of many American citizens today. The Garcia family is thrown into American culture during a time when American culture was radical, feminist, artistic and progressing into new thoughts and ideas. The sisters: Yolanda, Sofia, Carla, and Sandra have come from the Dominican Republic where Latin culture and catholic values are the societal norm. Latin culture is very much patriarchal and this mindset has been instilled in the Garcia girls even from a young age. When they arrive in the United States they are intrigued and sucked in by the American culture. The girls participated in activities that extremely taboo in the Dominican-Catholic culture.
Alvarez’s purpose was to show the vast differences in the two cultures and psychological “tug-a-war“ game that leaves many young immigrants conflicted. She shows these in situations where the sisters struggle to find a balance between their Dominican culture and their new American culture. The girls were smoking, experimenting with their sexuality and dressing in American fashions. The girls’ actions deeply concerned their traditional parents in ways as such:
"I don't want loose women in my family," he had cautioned all his daughters. Warnings were delivered communally, for even though there was usually the offending daughter of the moment, every woman's character could use extra scolding. The daughters had had to put up with this kind of attitude in an unsympathetic era. They grew up in the late sixties. Those were the days when wearing jeans and hoop earrings, smoking a little dope, and sleeping with their classmates were considered political acts against the military-industrial complex. But standing up to their father was a different matter altogether. Even as grown women, they lowered their voices in their father’s earshot when alluding to their bodies' pleasure (pg. 28).”
Many of the numerous stories told from points of view of all four of the Garcia sisters reflect the excerpt quoted above. The girls attempt to balance both cultures in order to please their family. Although they have all become very American in their actions, they understand that they must maintain certain amount of respect for Dominican culture for their parent’s sake.
This conflict of culture also effects the girls when they first arrive in America because they desperately wish to be a part of the culture and doing what others were doing rather than being tied down to their strict Dominican culture that they family wished to preserve so greatly. One example of this is the feelings that Yolanda experienced while in an American college and harboring feelings of separation between she and her peers:
Our next workshop, no one understood what my sublimated love sonnet was all about, but Rudy's brought down the house. Suddenly, it seemed to me, not only that the world was full of English majors, but of people with a lot more experience than I had. For the hundredth time, I cursed my immigrant origins. If only I too had been born in Connecticut or Virginia, I too would understand the jokes everyone was making on the last two digits of the year, 1969; I too would be having sex and smoking dope; I too would have suntanned parents who took me skiing in Colorado over Christmas break, and I would say things like "no shit," without feeling like I was imitating someone else (pg. 95)”
Alvarez uses this theme of conflicting cultures throughout the entire book, allowing the reader to find patterns within the vignettes that are told throughout the book. Her story is very relatable and many young people in America because a lot of first-generation immigrants who are adolescents are forced with the option of pleasing their family and staying closely tied with their culture or to fit in with their American peers.
Often times AMERICAN WAYS ARE SEEN AS WRONG FOR NEW IMMIGRANTS TO PARTICIPATE IN ESPECIALLY IN MATTERS THAT HAVE TO DO WITH MIXING WITH PEOPLE OF OTHER CUTURES WHO THEY OFTEN DO NOT ENCOUNTERED IN THEIR HOME COUNTRY.
WE SEEN MANY EXAMPLES OF THIS IN THE GARCIA GIRLS AS THEY ATTEMPT TO DIVE INTO AMERICAN CULTURE WHILE STILL PRESERVING THEIR DOMINICAN WAYS.
* Mr. Sutherland, for some reason my caps lock button had a nervous breakdown, hence the all caps lock.
The Garcia Girls tells a fictional story that has become a reality of many American citizens today. The Garcia family is thrown into American culture during a time when American culture was radical, feminist, artistic and progressing into new thoughts and ideas. The sisters: Yolanda, Sofia, Carla, and Sandra have come from the Dominican Republic where Latin culture and catholic values are the societal norm. Latin culture is very much patriarchal and this mindset has been instilled in the Garcia girls even from a young age. When they arrive in the United States they are intrigued and sucked in by the American culture. The girls participated in activities that extremely taboo in the Dominican-Catholic culture.
Alvarez’s purpose was to show the vast differences in the two cultures and psychological “tug-a-war“ game that leaves many young immigrants conflicted. She shows these in situations where the sisters struggle to find a balance between their Dominican culture and their new American culture. The girls were smoking, experimenting with their sexuality and dressing in American fashions. The girls’ actions deeply concerned their traditional parents in ways as such:
"I don't want loose women in my family," he had cautioned all his daughters. Warnings were delivered communally, for even though there was usually the offending daughter of the moment, every woman's character could use extra scolding. The daughters had had to put up with this kind of attitude in an unsympathetic era. They grew up in the late sixties. Those were the days when wearing jeans and hoop earrings, smoking a little dope, and sleeping with their classmates were considered political acts against the military-industrial complex. But standing up to their father was a different matter altogether. Even as grown women, they lowered their voices in their father’s earshot when alluding to their bodies' pleasure (pg. 28).”
Many of the numerous stories told from points of view of all four of the Garcia sisters reflect the excerpt quoted above. The girls attempt to balance both cultures in order to please their family. Although they have all become very American in their actions, they understand that they must maintain certain amount of respect for Dominican culture for their parent’s sake.
This conflict of culture also effects the girls when they first arrive in America because they desperately wish to be a part of the culture and doing what others were doing rather than being tied down to their strict Dominican culture that they family wished to preserve so greatly. One example of this is the feelings that Yolanda experienced while in an American college and harboring feelings of separation between she and her peers:
Our next workshop, no one understood what my sublimated love sonnet was all about, but Rudy's brought down the house. Suddenly, it seemed to me, not only that the world was full of English majors, but of people with a lot more experience than I had. For the hundredth time, I cursed my immigrant origins. If only I too had been born in Connecticut or Virginia, I too would understand the jokes everyone was making on the last two digits of the year, 1969; I too would be having sex and smoking dope; I too would have suntanned parents who took me skiing in Colorado over Christmas break, and I would say things like "no shit," without feeling like I was imitating someone else (pg. 95)”
Alvarez uses this theme of conflicting cultures throughout the entire book, allowing the reader to find patterns within the vignettes that are told throughout the book. Her story is very relatable and many young people in America because a lot of first-generation immigrants who are adolescents are forced with the option of pleasing their family and staying closely tied with their culture or to fit in with their American peers.
Often times AMERICAN WAYS ARE SEEN AS WRONG FOR NEW IMMIGRANTS TO PARTICIPATE IN ESPECIALLY IN MATTERS THAT HAVE TO DO WITH MIXING WITH PEOPLE OF OTHER CUTURES WHO THEY OFTEN DO NOT ENCOUNTERED IN THEIR HOME COUNTRY.
WE SEEN MANY EXAMPLES OF THIS IN THE GARCIA GIRLS AS THEY ATTEMPT TO DIVE INTO AMERICAN CULTURE WHILE STILL PRESERVING THEIR DOMINICAN WAYS.
* Mr. Sutherland, for some reason my caps lock button had a nervous breakdown, hence the all caps lock.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
DONE!
The story of the Garcia Girls is one that many described as boring or having no climax. Although I identify and agree with many of these readers I think that there is a lot to be said about the book, in particular, it's ending.
When I got to the ending I was dissatisfied, confused, and upset with how the book ended. All I could think was, "a cat...seriously? Is this a joke?" yet I think that a large portion of the story is missing which is something that I have not encountered in other books. This story is not laid out for it's reader which caused a lot of confusion while reading it because I think that the vignettes were very choppy and scattered and left a lot tomthe imagination.
When reading the first portion of the book I expected a lot of explanation in the parts to come. Explanation as to why the Garcia De La Torre family left the Dominican Republic, why Yolanda had returned after so many years, how have the relationships between the characters formed, and what are some traits of the characters. Now that I have finally read all of the story I still feel that these questions of mine have not been answered which leaves me in a position to create stories for when Alvarez lacks explanation. Alvarez's form of writing is one that is definitely interesting yet it is very hard to analyze, in this situation, the mystery of the story has left us confused and irritated rather than inquirous.
When I got to the ending I was dissatisfied, confused, and upset with how the book ended. All I could think was, "a cat...seriously? Is this a joke?" yet I think that a large portion of the story is missing which is something that I have not encountered in other books. This story is not laid out for it's reader which caused a lot of confusion while reading it because I think that the vignettes were very choppy and scattered and left a lot tomthe imagination.
When reading the first portion of the book I expected a lot of explanation in the parts to come. Explanation as to why the Garcia De La Torre family left the Dominican Republic, why Yolanda had returned after so many years, how have the relationships between the characters formed, and what are some traits of the characters. Now that I have finally read all of the story I still feel that these questions of mine have not been answered which leaves me in a position to create stories for when Alvarez lacks explanation. Alvarez's form of writing is one that is definitely interesting yet it is very hard to analyze, in this situation, the mystery of the story has left us confused and irritated rather than inquirous.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Garcia Girls
How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents: Part 2 Review
In the second portion of the Garcia Girls we are able to become more in tune with the characters that the first part is finally starting to make some sense. In the first part of Garcia Girls the sisters are introduced to us as adults who are settled and set in their own lives. In the first portion of the book we are able to see some of the the effects that their experiences during their younger years has effected them but we are not sure of what those experiences where.
In the second part of the book we are able to see the Garcia sisters as a lively group of young women who are caught between cultures. They have become Americanized in every sense of the word and seem to be very distant for the tradition, customs, and values of the Dominican Republic.
The sisters view the actions of their family in the Dominican Republic as ancient and counter-progressive. A good example of this is the way that they see men treat women in Dominican Republic in contrast to the way that they feel women should be treated. They feel that women should be free and independent beings who do not have to answer to a man; whereas, in the Dominican Republic men were obligated to be dominant over their women in order to show that they were powerful. The Garcia sisters are forced to juggle the pressures of their Dominican family and also assimilate into American culture and that has caused a lot of different accounts of conflict withing their family.
In the second portion of the Garcia Girls we are able to become more in tune with the characters that the first part is finally starting to make some sense. In the first part of Garcia Girls the sisters are introduced to us as adults who are settled and set in their own lives. In the first portion of the book we are able to see some of the the effects that their experiences during their younger years has effected them but we are not sure of what those experiences where.
In the second part of the book we are able to see the Garcia sisters as a lively group of young women who are caught between cultures. They have become Americanized in every sense of the word and seem to be very distant for the tradition, customs, and values of the Dominican Republic.
The sisters view the actions of their family in the Dominican Republic as ancient and counter-progressive. A good example of this is the way that they see men treat women in Dominican Republic in contrast to the way that they feel women should be treated. They feel that women should be free and independent beings who do not have to answer to a man; whereas, in the Dominican Republic men were obligated to be dominant over their women in order to show that they were powerful. The Garcia sisters are forced to juggle the pressures of their Dominican family and also assimilate into American culture and that has caused a lot of different accounts of conflict withing their family.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents: Part 1 Review
The Part 1 of Garcia Girls has been vividly descriptive, eventful; and overall, really confusing. one key thing that I have been able to get out of the first portion of this book is their family dynamic. In Part 1 the reader receives a strong sense of tradition and family values. Although the traditional Dominican parents of the Garcia girls try to instill these same values in their very Americanized daughters it seems not to be working.
In families where the children are first or second generation there is often conflict between the parents and their children. When an individual is the child of a person who is originally from another country they usually participate in practices from both cultures: new and old. In the case of the Garcia girls they are moving from the Dominican republic to the United States of America. Latino heritage is deeply based on culture and when Latinos go to America they are often accused for becoming Americanized or losing their culture. I think that in many cases people who immigrate to America are ridiculed for not staying true to their heritage which I think is completely incorrect. I feel that you can have many cultures and feel as deeply connected to one as you do the other. I also think that if you do move to America you should still try as hard as you can to participate in your culture as much as possible. I think that parents of children who are first-generation Americans also need to understand that their children are going to wish to participate in American culture because they wish to adapt and fit in with their peers.
Friday, October 29, 2010
This quarter I have seen myself prevail greatly in my writing during the first quarter. In my blog I have been able to write about topics that are extremely interesting and thought provoking which has allowed me to produce writing that I am truly proud of.
I am inspired by social issues, events that occur in my everyday life, and anything else that I find to be interesting. The best thing about the bolgs is that you are able to write about these topics without having a grade attatched to how well the piece flows or how many grammatical errors it contains. My blog has been very therapeutic for me because I am able to express myself through writing in ways that I am not generally able to in most writing classes. The “juicy” topics, although they are the most interesting, are usually the topics that a lot of people do not wish to discuss because it makes them uncomfortable. Thought provoking topics are the easiest for me to write about because they are usually the topics that I have the most to say about. I use my blog to show deeper sides of me and to express the thoughts that are not always appropriate to speak about, posts about the government, teenage pregnancy, and race relations are the types of posts that fill my blogs because they are the ones that allow me to freely express my emotions on political and social issues.
When I go to my more structured Writing classes I do not have the same experience because those writing classes are a lot more based on writing skills than self expression. When I go into my writing classes where very straight forward writing is expected from me I crumble because the topics that I am provided with are not ones that give me the inspiration to write because I find the topics very dry and uninteresting. When I am put into these kinds of situations i begin to question my writing and I start to feel as if I cannot produce good pieces of writing. When I am assigned an essay that is not motivating I am more susceptible to writing and essay that is not as good as I would like it to be because of the topic and I begin to drift away from the topic in my writing and I end up creating pieces of writing that would be shameful to turn in.
I think that the forms of writing that are presented to myself and my fellow students puts a damper on my creativity and causes me to write things that are not as good as I would like them to be.
I am inspired by social issues, events that occur in my everyday life, and anything else that I find to be interesting. The best thing about the bolgs is that you are able to write about these topics without having a grade attatched to how well the piece flows or how many grammatical errors it contains. My blog has been very therapeutic for me because I am able to express myself through writing in ways that I am not generally able to in most writing classes. The “juicy” topics, although they are the most interesting, are usually the topics that a lot of people do not wish to discuss because it makes them uncomfortable. Thought provoking topics are the easiest for me to write about because they are usually the topics that I have the most to say about. I use my blog to show deeper sides of me and to express the thoughts that are not always appropriate to speak about, posts about the government, teenage pregnancy, and race relations are the types of posts that fill my blogs because they are the ones that allow me to freely express my emotions on political and social issues.
When I go to my more structured Writing classes I do not have the same experience because those writing classes are a lot more based on writing skills than self expression. When I go into my writing classes where very straight forward writing is expected from me I crumble because the topics that I am provided with are not ones that give me the inspiration to write because I find the topics very dry and uninteresting. When I am put into these kinds of situations i begin to question my writing and I start to feel as if I cannot produce good pieces of writing. When I am assigned an essay that is not motivating I am more susceptible to writing and essay that is not as good as I would like it to be because of the topic and I begin to drift away from the topic in my writing and I end up creating pieces of writing that would be shameful to turn in.
I think that the forms of writing that are presented to myself and my fellow students puts a damper on my creativity and causes me to write things that are not as good as I would like them to be.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Night essay
Night
In many mainstream religions its followers rely on a savior or out-of-body-god that is all powerful and is expected to lead the way; yet, people are discouraged when heinous acts of violence are committed throughout the world and they wonder why God would let that kind of evil occur. Even the most devout believers ofter question God and his (or her) power throughout their lifetimes. In the book Night by Elie Wiesel he realizes that he must rely on his own internal faith rather than an himself to keep his morale strong. Wiesel’s experience in the concentration camps causes him to depend on his own strength and beliefs.
Wiesel starts out as a deeply religious individual, he reads from the Cabbala and describes prayer as an act that is vital to his very being, such as eating and drinking. When Wiesel is asked why he prays he replies with, “Why do I live? Why did I breathe?” It is obvious that he was was a young man whose life was very influence by religion, as well as all of his decisions. He believed that god had all the answers and would guide throughout life without problems nor complications. He states simply, “Man questions and God answers,” which is the belief of many followers of religion because they wish for someone to solve their problems and give them answers.
When Wiesel is sent to the concentration camp he instantly feels a loss of god. He feels helpless and he no longer feels as if there is a god to save him from the atrocities that are being committed against his people in the concentration camps. He is afraid and there is no god or anyone to save him from what is happening to him. He stops praying because he wonders why god who is only supposed to be about love and kindness would allow such things to happen on Earth. He become angry at God and does not feel as if he owes him any praise or recognition because of what happened in the camps.
After time passes Wiesel realizes that he must rely on his own internal strength to keep going on through life in the camps. He no longer prays to god, rather he is his own god, leading the way throughout his struggles in life. When Moshe the Beadle states, “You can find the true answers...only within yourself.” Wiesel exemplifies this exactly, he guides himself and he survives throughout his years of experiencing the horrific acts that take place in the concentration camps.
Overall He has lost faith within an external god and realizes that he must depend on himself in order to go through life.
In many mainstream religions its followers rely on a savior or out-of-body-god that is all powerful and is expected to lead the way; yet, people are discouraged when heinous acts of violence are committed throughout the world and they wonder why God would let that kind of evil occur. Even the most devout believers ofter question God and his (or her) power throughout their lifetimes. In the book Night by Elie Wiesel he realizes that he must rely on his own internal faith rather than an himself to keep his morale strong. Wiesel’s experience in the concentration camps causes him to depend on his own strength and beliefs.
Wiesel starts out as a deeply religious individual, he reads from the Cabbala and describes prayer as an act that is vital to his very being, such as eating and drinking. When Wiesel is asked why he prays he replies with, “Why do I live? Why did I breathe?” It is obvious that he was was a young man whose life was very influence by religion, as well as all of his decisions. He believed that god had all the answers and would guide throughout life without problems nor complications. He states simply, “Man questions and God answers,” which is the belief of many followers of religion because they wish for someone to solve their problems and give them answers.
When Wiesel is sent to the concentration camp he instantly feels a loss of god. He feels helpless and he no longer feels as if there is a god to save him from the atrocities that are being committed against his people in the concentration camps. He is afraid and there is no god or anyone to save him from what is happening to him. He stops praying because he wonders why god who is only supposed to be about love and kindness would allow such things to happen on Earth. He become angry at God and does not feel as if he owes him any praise or recognition because of what happened in the camps.
After time passes Wiesel realizes that he must rely on his own internal strength to keep going on through life in the camps. He no longer prays to god, rather he is his own god, leading the way throughout his struggles in life. When Moshe the Beadle states, “You can find the true answers...only within yourself.” Wiesel exemplifies this exactly, he guides himself and he survives throughout his years of experiencing the horrific acts that take place in the concentration camps.
Overall He has lost faith within an external god and realizes that he must depend on himself in order to go through life.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
My Macbeth Essay, haaaaaay!
I am extremely proud of this essay! After a long hard year of Ms. Valdez telling me "No Mija, you don't get it," I wrote this essay and received an A (for those of you who had Ms. Valdez last year, you understand that receiving an A in her class was near impossible). After writing this I knew that I had grown as a writer and I could finally feel confident about my writing.
Macbeth: A False Portrayal of Women through Literature
Individuals in current society are unique and have different ideals, mannerisms, and lifestyles; the ways in which people differ in their customs is something that is celebrated. In the early 1600s this was not the case. Women were not able to be authentic or contradistinct to the accustomed stereotypes of what men thought they should be. The play Macbeth was written in the early 1600s by William Shakespeare; it reflects the social turmoil of the times and set a precident for the struggles that women were experiencing during that era. In Macbeth, Shakespeare immortalizes the general opinion of women at that time.
William Shakespeare wrote the tragedy of Macbeth in 1607 for King James of Scotland and his elitist aggregation, and it reflected many of the ideas of the status quo. King James had extremely particular views on women, he was a firm believer in witchcraft and he was convinced that if women did not carry out conventional feminine duties they were evil and participated in the supernatural. Due to King James and his reign, women were treated inhumanely, their role was to be a sex object and a maid. Women were denied basic rights that men were granted; such as, receiving an education or being able to choose whom they marry. The burden of the average woman was to be a caretaker; her job was to tend to the house, cater to her husband, and bear children. The average woman’s demeanor was expected to be timid and extremely tame and it was not ladylike for a woman to produce her own thoughts nor her own opinions. The way in which women are depicted in the story Macbeth, is a direct reflection on social ideas of women at the time, the few women that are shown in the play are shown as devious and immoral, especially compared to the valiant male characters that are depicted throughout the play. In the tale of Macbeth the women seem to have an adequate amount of power and prove that: if women are able to be expressive or offbeat they will turn into ruthless monsters, or better yet, witches.
The women delivering the news of great success to Macbeth were not given names, rather they were just dubbed as “The Witches.” They are unmarried and involved themselves in the supernatural, and were women who had not settled into one place, rather they roam like gypsies with one another; these women were portrayed as evil and conniving beings that were ugly and wretched. When Macbeth and Banquo were first approached by this group of witches, Banquo comments “What are these/So withered, and so wild in their attire,/That look not like th' inhabitants o' th' earth,/And yet are on 't?. . ./You seem to understand me,/By each at once her choppy fingers laying/Upon her skinny lips. You should be women,/And yet your beards forbid me to interpret That you are so (1.3.39-47). Banquo is not only acknowledging the physical flaws of The Witches, but he is stating that they were ungodly creatures who could not have been regular people like himself. I think it is important to state the fact that Shakespeare decides to make these characters female, to represent them as evil temptresses luring Macbeth and creating chaos in his life and pushing him on his downward spiral filled with betrayal and evil. The fact that these are female characters that did not confine to the stereotypes of what society thought they should be, creates an extreme that represented King James’s ideas of women at the time. The Witches were also shown as untrustworthy and seemed to have enjoyed Macbeth’s pain and suffering. They speak of prophecies that are only “half-true,” The Witches tell Macbeth that he will live to be undefeated and he will have an uninterrupted reign as King of Dunsinane. Through an apparition The Witches tell Macbeth, "The spirits that know / All mortal consequences have pronounced me thus: / 'Fear not, Macbeth; no man that's born of woman / Shall e'er have power upon thee" (5.3.4-77). The Three Witches are telling Macbeth that he shall not be slain by any man born of woman, and Macbeth thinking the obvious: that all men are born of women, instantly assumes that he is undefeatable and will be triumphant in his reign. When Macbeth is eventually killed by Malcolm who is not technically born of woman The Witches are shown as guilty for the false hope that they give Macbeth and are depicted as deceitful even though they were accurate and honest in their predictions. Shakespeare made it out to seem as if The Witches planted a seed of a calamity in Macbeth’s mind, but in actuality The Witches only reinforce Macbeth’s sick desire for power and superiority. This portrait of crooked women is not only shown through the general stereotypes of witches, but also through women who were supposed to be prim and demure.
Lady MacduffMacduff and a definite member of the high society, was depicted as an untrustworthy woman who betrays her husband in his time of need. Although her love for her husband and family is evident , when she learns of her husband leaving her for affairs in England she tells the murderers- people who she does not know, that her husband is a traitor (4.2). She is another piece of a reoccurring theme that appears throughout Macbeth, portraying women as untrustworthy, corrupt, and conniving. Although she is only a part of the play for a very short time, she is still shown as an individual who must not be trusted.
Lady Macbeth was the wife of Macbeth, a gentlewoman who was assumed to be representative of the ideal woman of the times. No sort of erratic or eccentric behavior was to be seen out of any woman, especially the high class women of Shakespearian times. Lady Macbeth was the complete opposite of what masses claimed she ought to be. She did not fulfill the duty of being a woman of the times, she was not the soft spoken nurturer that she was expected to be an agent for, rather she was depicted as untrustworthy and evil. She was shown as a devious creature with a ruthless aptitude for evil. She says, “I have given suck, and know/ How tender’tis to love the babe that milks me. / I would, while it was smiling in my face,” Have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums/ and dashed the brains out, had I so sworn as you/ have done to this’ (1.7.62-67). She is saying that if she had to, she would savagely beat her own child to death without remorse nor hesitation. She shows this in the most radical example when she completely shuns what should be the woman’s most sacred bond: the bond between a woman and her child. Lady Macbeth is shown as cold and heartless with no sympathy for typical human emotions; she feels that archetypal feelings are signs of weakness. When Macbeth informs her of The Witches predictions of his future kingdomship she fears that he is not apathetic enough to do whatever it takes to become powerful and to become king. She claims, Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be What thou art promis'd. /Yet do I fear thy nature, /It is too full o' th' milk of human kindness /To catch the nearest way (1.5.15-18). To Lady Macbeth “the milk of human kindness” is a distasteful and abominable substance, especially for a man to obtain and express in his general demeanor. Lady Macbeth is heartless, and is fearful that her “milky” husband does not have what it takes to be able to “catch the nearest way,” which in this instance, is killing the current king. Throughout the story we see Lady Macbeth lead her husband on a chaotic journey through murder, dishonesty, and betrayal. Through Lady Macbeth’s ways we are able to relieve Macbeth of the blame for his actions and point the finger at Lady Macbeth, although the atrocities Macbeth committed were his own.
Throughout the play of Macbeth we see women depicted in a negative light. They are not shown to be loyal or brave like their male counter parts. They are shown as witches who want nothing more than to bring men down, Shakespeare chose to show women in this light to please the masses and show them how women were not to be trusted. The conniving actions of the women in Macbeth allow the reader to blame them for the tragedies that occur even though none of them are the direct cause. Women were the underlying force behind the plot of Macbeth and they are shown as seductresses of evil, attempting to lure the men onto paths of evil themselves. Shakespeare does this to show women in a certain way, and to project his ideas on society.
In Response To Aleah's...thoughts.
While browsing through the blogs I came across an interesting post written by Aleah. She says:
I spent three years in a stereotypical public middle school; there were fights, couples, bullies and clicks. In the midst of all the middle school drama I forgot the real reason I was there: to learn. I wiggled my way through middle school without doing any real hard work. Teachers at my middle school would be amazed if you even completed the work, and I think it is needless to say that not much was expected out of you as a student.
When I arrived at ASTI I thought I could get away with having the same work habits (or lack thereof) that I had attained through middle school, let's just say I was greatly mistaken. My freshman year at ASTI was rough...I mean hella hella rough. My grades went from okay, to bad, to worse, to disgraceful. There was no place that i hated more than ASTI, I dreaded waking up in the morning, I loathed every aspect of the school to pieces. Now, looking back I can see that I did so badly at ASTI because my middle school years didn't mold me into the self-sufficient and hard-working student that you must be in able to achieve success at ASTI.
My Freshman year at ASTI whooped my ass (for lack of a better phrase) but I'm glad that I got to have that learning experience. ASTI provided an environment where I could actually learn and work because that is all there is to do here at our humble little school. Being at ASTI has allowed me to focus on my grades being the best student I can be. At ASTI we do not have the distractions that come with going to a typical public high school. Which in the end is beneficial, although it may not seem like it today.
Soooooo...good luck this year to all the new freshmans, and I know I'm a bit late, but welcome to ASTI (and I promise, it gets easier).
As an individual who has spent her whole life in public school I would just like to state that public school is not all that it is cracked up to be. Also, let me just state right now this not a post where I am going to jock ASTI and tell you about how it is the greatest school in the world with no drama...not true. There are days where I would love nothing more than to go to a "regular high school," but I am thankful that i go to ASTI rather than a school like Berkeley High, Oakland Teach or Encinal.
So every since I was born I have attended private or Charter which have all been under 400 students...But in my opinion I believe the amount of students or the type of students in a school can change you. I've gone to schools were education was exspensive but hard. Where the Minimum was that all the teachers expected you to excede, and they gave you tools to do that. As a result I do my work just becuase, I am so used to it about now. If I went to a public school I would still do my work the same exact way; and at the same time ever night.
I spent three years in a stereotypical public middle school; there were fights, couples, bullies and clicks. In the midst of all the middle school drama I forgot the real reason I was there: to learn. I wiggled my way through middle school without doing any real hard work. Teachers at my middle school would be amazed if you even completed the work, and I think it is needless to say that not much was expected out of you as a student.
When I arrived at ASTI I thought I could get away with having the same work habits (or lack thereof) that I had attained through middle school, let's just say I was greatly mistaken. My freshman year at ASTI was rough...I mean hella hella rough. My grades went from okay, to bad, to worse, to disgraceful. There was no place that i hated more than ASTI, I dreaded waking up in the morning, I loathed every aspect of the school to pieces. Now, looking back I can see that I did so badly at ASTI because my middle school years didn't mold me into the self-sufficient and hard-working student that you must be in able to achieve success at ASTI.
My Freshman year at ASTI whooped my ass (for lack of a better phrase) but I'm glad that I got to have that learning experience. ASTI provided an environment where I could actually learn and work because that is all there is to do here at our humble little school. Being at ASTI has allowed me to focus on my grades being the best student I can be. At ASTI we do not have the distractions that come with going to a typical public high school. Which in the end is beneficial, although it may not seem like it today.
Soooooo...good luck this year to all the new freshmans, and I know I'm a bit late, but welcome to ASTI (and I promise, it gets easier).
Monday, October 4, 2010
Stolen From Cindy's Blog
I like doing these types of things because they truly are challenging, and, yeeeah. I'm definitely going to skip some of them.
Day 1 — Your Best Friend
Day 2 — Your Crush
Day 3 — Your parents
Day 4 — Your sibling (or closest relative)
Day 5 — Your dreams
Day 6 — A stranger
Day 7 — Your Ex-boyfriend/girlfriend/love/crush
Day 8 — Your favorite internet friend
Day 9 — Someone you wish you could meet
Day 10 — Someone you don’t talk to as much as you’d like to
Day 11 — A Deceased person you wish you could talk to
Day 12 — The person you hate most/caused you a lot of pain
Day 13 — Someone you wish could forgive you
Day 14 — Someone you’ve drifted away from
Day 15 — The person you miss the most
Day 16 — Someone that’s not in your state/country
Day 17 — Someone from your childhood
Day 18 — The person that you wish you could be
Day 19 — Someone that pesters your mind—good or bad
Day 20 — The one that broke your heart the hardest
Day 21 — Someone you judged by their first impression
Day 22 — Someone you want to give a second chance to
Day 23 — The last person you kissed
Day 24 — The person that gave you your favorite memory
Day 25 — The person you know that is going through the worst of times
Day 26 — The last person you made a pinky promise to
Day 27 — The friendliest person you knew for only one day
Day 28 — Someone that changed your life
Day 29 — The person that you want tell everything to, but too afraid to
Day 30 — Your reflection in the mirror
Day 1 — Your Best Friend
Day 2 — Your Crush
Day 3 — Your parents
Day 4 — Your sibling (or closest relative)
Day 5 — Your dreams
Day 6 — A stranger
Day 7 — Your Ex-boyfriend/girlfriend/love/crush
Day 8 — Your favorite internet friend
Day 9 — Someone you wish you could meet
Day 10 — Someone you don’t talk to as much as you’d like to
Day 11 — A Deceased person you wish you could talk to
Day 12 — The person you hate most/caused you a lot of pain
Day 13 — Someone you wish could forgive you
Day 14 — Someone you’ve drifted away from
Day 15 — The person you miss the most
Day 16 — Someone that’s not in your state/country
Day 17 — Someone from your childhood
Day 18 — The person that you wish you could be
Day 19 — Someone that pesters your mind—good or bad
Day 20 — The one that broke your heart the hardest
Day 21 — Someone you judged by their first impression
Day 22 — Someone you want to give a second chance to
Day 23 — The last person you kissed
Day 24 — The person that gave you your favorite memory
Day 25 — The person you know that is going through the worst of times
Day 26 — The last person you made a pinky promise to
Day 27 — The friendliest person you knew for only one day
Day 28 — Someone that changed your life
Day 29 — The person that you want tell everything to, but too afraid to
Day 30 — Your reflection in the mirror
Condoms Are Cheaper Than Babies
If I have to see another teenage girl get pregnant before she is ready, I'm going to become a nun.
We are all at an age where are hormones are ALL OVER THE PLACE. Our bodies are telling us to be sexual, and that is nothing but normal; but teenagers definitely need to be more responsible with their bodies. Teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections among teens are at an all-time high.
I feel that there is a direct correlation in the way in which pregnancy is portrayed in the media (especially teen pregnancy) and the alarming pregnancy rates among young girls. Pregnancy has become a societal fad in recent years. It has been glamorized,, and I would like to put one show on the spot..."Teen Mom."
MTV, why are you turning these young women into celebrities? Why?!
When I first starting watching "16 and Pregnant" (which was the show that Teen Mom originated from, for those of you that have been living under a rock for the past year) I understood its educational purposes, the show acted as a big bright red flag that read: "Don't Have Unprotected Sex...This Could Be You!" As the season progressed I saw an undeniable recurrence in the lives of these young women: the father of their child would be neglectful or not in the picture at all, the girls would have to drop out of school or attend some type of alternative schooling; overall, they just didn't seem ready to have a baby. I understood that MTV was making an attempt to show that there are severe consequences to having unprotected sex, which is a great message to portray to teens.
BUT...
Then came "Teen Mom."
I have no idea why this show is aired on national television. What is its purpose? Does anyone know? I sure don't. This show is just a way to make money off of these poor girls who have made bad life choices. MTV is not helping these girls nor are they helping the thousands of girls who are in the same predicament, they are simply using them as cash cows so that we can be entertained as we sit in front of our television sets. If MTV really wanted to help these girls, they would give them the resources to be able to continue on with their lives and be the best mothers that they can be.
If you have seen "Teen Mom," you know that it is captivating. It is like one of those bad car crashes where you don't want to look, but your eyes are still glued on the overturned car that has become a blazing inferno. It is that bad.
Teen Mom needs to be cancelled, eliminated, extinguished. If you're going to have sex; please be safe. If you are going to have unprotected sex; please don't go on "Teen Mom" when you get pregnant. Bye.
We are all at an age where are hormones are ALL OVER THE PLACE. Our bodies are telling us to be sexual, and that is nothing but normal; but teenagers definitely need to be more responsible with their bodies. Teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections among teens are at an all-time high.
I feel that there is a direct correlation in the way in which pregnancy is portrayed in the media (especially teen pregnancy) and the alarming pregnancy rates among young girls. Pregnancy has become a societal fad in recent years. It has been glamorized,, and I would like to put one show on the spot..."Teen Mom."
MTV, why are you turning these young women into celebrities? Why?!
When I first starting watching "16 and Pregnant" (which was the show that Teen Mom originated from, for those of you that have been living under a rock for the past year) I understood its educational purposes, the show acted as a big bright red flag that read: "Don't Have Unprotected Sex...This Could Be You!" As the season progressed I saw an undeniable recurrence in the lives of these young women: the father of their child would be neglectful or not in the picture at all, the girls would have to drop out of school or attend some type of alternative schooling; overall, they just didn't seem ready to have a baby. I understood that MTV was making an attempt to show that there are severe consequences to having unprotected sex, which is a great message to portray to teens.
BUT...
Then came "Teen Mom."
I have no idea why this show is aired on national television. What is its purpose? Does anyone know? I sure don't. This show is just a way to make money off of these poor girls who have made bad life choices. MTV is not helping these girls nor are they helping the thousands of girls who are in the same predicament, they are simply using them as cash cows so that we can be entertained as we sit in front of our television sets. If MTV really wanted to help these girls, they would give them the resources to be able to continue on with their lives and be the best mothers that they can be.
If you have seen "Teen Mom," you know that it is captivating. It is like one of those bad car crashes where you don't want to look, but your eyes are still glued on the overturned car that has become a blazing inferno. It is that bad.
Teen Mom needs to be cancelled, eliminated, extinguished. If you're going to have sex; please be safe. If you are going to have unprotected sex; please don't go on "Teen Mom" when you get pregnant. Bye.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Q and His Identity Crisis
Q's most defining characteristic is his extremely malleable persona.
In both "The Dinosaurs" and "The Aquatic Uncle," Q is manipulated by other characters and situations that he experienced. Q became a completely new person when he joined the new ones, he abandoned all of his characteristics as a Dinosaur in order to fit in with the New Ones. Q states, " I always felt like a Dinosaur in the midst of enemies" (100). Rather than openly expressing himself as a Dinosaur he hides his true self. He allows the New Ones to discriminate his people but hides what his species is in order to prevent being judged as an individual. In this instance the situation manipulated him into not defending who he is. The New Ones also caused him to question the traits of a Dinosaur internally, and allowing the ideals of the New Ones to conflict with his beliefs. Q describes the feeling he received when told stories of the Dinosaurs, he says, "In my mind stories of terrors we inflicted became confused with my memories of terror undergone" (100). Ideas of Dinosaurs committing acts of terror towards other species overshadowed his memories as a Dinosaur and he relied solely on their opinions rather than his actual life experiences.
In "The Aquatic Uncle" Q allows both Lll and Uncle N'ba N'ga to manipulate his feelings on who he truly is. He, So desperately, longs to be accepted by Lll and makes numerous attempts to hide the aquatic portion of himself. Lll's opinions on him effect him so deeply that he starts to question his own identity. He states, "She [Lll] considered me at a halfway stage a creature not at home in one world or the other" (80). Her actions and statements cause him to feel as if he does not belong anywhere. Her judgements cause him to be ashamed that he is an animal who evolved from the water. Q also allows himself to become ashamed which, again, causes him to hide his identity. Q hides his "Aquatic Uncle" from his lover Lll in fear that she will not feel the same way towards him if she knew his background.
Q's persona is so malleable that he does not have an identity, rather he is constantly changing himself in order to please others. He will never be able to be Q because he is always who someone else wants him to be which seems to hurt him more than help him. Rather than being the strong Dinosaur or interesting aquatic animal, he acts as a coward and does not defend himself as a person.
In both "The Dinosaurs" and "The Aquatic Uncle," Q is manipulated by other characters and situations that he experienced. Q became a completely new person when he joined the new ones, he abandoned all of his characteristics as a Dinosaur in order to fit in with the New Ones. Q states, " I always felt like a Dinosaur in the midst of enemies" (100). Rather than openly expressing himself as a Dinosaur he hides his true self. He allows the New Ones to discriminate his people but hides what his species is in order to prevent being judged as an individual. In this instance the situation manipulated him into not defending who he is. The New Ones also caused him to question the traits of a Dinosaur internally, and allowing the ideals of the New Ones to conflict with his beliefs. Q describes the feeling he received when told stories of the Dinosaurs, he says, "In my mind stories of terrors we inflicted became confused with my memories of terror undergone" (100). Ideas of Dinosaurs committing acts of terror towards other species overshadowed his memories as a Dinosaur and he relied solely on their opinions rather than his actual life experiences.
In "The Aquatic Uncle" Q allows both Lll and Uncle N'ba N'ga to manipulate his feelings on who he truly is. He, So desperately, longs to be accepted by Lll and makes numerous attempts to hide the aquatic portion of himself. Lll's opinions on him effect him so deeply that he starts to question his own identity. He states, "She [Lll] considered me at a halfway stage a creature not at home in one world or the other" (80). Her actions and statements cause him to feel as if he does not belong anywhere. Her judgements cause him to be ashamed that he is an animal who evolved from the water. Q also allows himself to become ashamed which, again, causes him to hide his identity. Q hides his "Aquatic Uncle" from his lover Lll in fear that she will not feel the same way towards him if she knew his background.
Q's persona is so malleable that he does not have an identity, rather he is constantly changing himself in order to please others. He will never be able to be Q because he is always who someone else wants him to be which seems to hurt him more than help him. Rather than being the strong Dinosaur or interesting aquatic animal, he acts as a coward and does not defend himself as a person.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Videos & Stuff...and Things Like Stuff
Sooooo, Annie and I are geniuses and you should all just thank us now. We thought that it would be a good idea to make videos for debates and whatnot, because it is often easier to verbalize things in that way rather than writing your thoughts down. Yup. Bam.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
MR Doesn't Love Me When He's With His Friends
Mr loves me, yeah
He does not like me sometimes
Refridgerator
He does not like me sometimes
Refridgerator
Monday, September 20, 2010
Obsessions, Love and Football
I know a young man, and for the sake of his anonymity I am going to call him Joe. Joe has an abnormal love for football, and since no one seems to think it's strange I am going to take the initiative to analyze his truly bizarre relationship with football.
This kid adores football, it is his lover in (almost) every sense of the word. Joe once told me, and I quote, "I love football as much as I love my mom." Now if you do not find that outlandish you have some issues as well, and I am open to analyze your situation. But if you are a logical human being with common sense you realize that football is something that is supposed to be a recreational activity, not your dearly beloved.
I love football, I really do. I think it amazing to have the type of dedication that football players attain; but enjoying football and having a deep, thriving, passionate attachment for the sport are completely different. Joe's body has been thwarted and abused by, his one true infatuation, football. It is domestic violence in its most horrifying stage. He comes to me with hands swollen, knees creaky, and concussions multiplying; yet his love only grows in alarming amounts.
I see too many young people in predicaments similar to Joe's and it is not just football doing the damage. Basketball, soccer, volleyball, track, dancing! These are the culprits! I am not an athlete; I will never be able to understand what it means to truly love a sport, but I cannot love anything/anyone that does not love me back and these sports don't seem to be loving its athletes back...at least not in Joe's case. Maybe one day I will join a sport and form a deep undying love (which is highly unlikely) but until that day I will remain bewildered by Joe and all of the many Joe's out there.
This kid adores football, it is his lover in (almost) every sense of the word. Joe once told me, and I quote, "I love football as much as I love my mom." Now if you do not find that outlandish you have some issues as well, and I am open to analyze your situation. But if you are a logical human being with common sense you realize that football is something that is supposed to be a recreational activity, not your dearly beloved.
I love football, I really do. I think it amazing to have the type of dedication that football players attain; but enjoying football and having a deep, thriving, passionate attachment for the sport are completely different. Joe's body has been thwarted and abused by, his one true infatuation, football. It is domestic violence in its most horrifying stage. He comes to me with hands swollen, knees creaky, and concussions multiplying; yet his love only grows in alarming amounts.
I see too many young people in predicaments similar to Joe's and it is not just football doing the damage. Basketball, soccer, volleyball, track, dancing! These are the culprits! I am not an athlete; I will never be able to understand what it means to truly love a sport, but I cannot love anything/anyone that does not love me back and these sports don't seem to be loving its athletes back...at least not in Joe's case. Maybe one day I will join a sport and form a deep undying love (which is highly unlikely) but until that day I will remain bewildered by Joe and all of the many Joe's out there.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Vocabulary List
- Allocation
- Ministry
- Advocate
- Ambiguous
- Deviation
- Infrastructure
- Integral
- Intrinsic
- Subsidiary
- Regime
Black people, fashion, and sagging pants. OH MY.
I would like to reflect on the post Swagga-Style by Aleah Baaqee. Although I strongly disagree with her views on fashion and its relation race, I find her way of thinking deeply intriguing. Aleah uses a term that really got me to thinking, "interracial fashion." I would like to know, what does this mean?
As someone who is half Black I definitely see where Aleah is coming from, and it is an idea that a lot of Black people share. In the past thirty years Hip-Hop fashion, which is often perceived as "Black fashion," has become mainstream. Hip-Hop has become a vital part of American culture and it has allowed Black people to be expressive in a way that I feel is beautiful. Hip-Hop and black culture has been accessible
to all ethnicites for the past three decades and Black culture has assimilated and become a core part of American culture.
Although I recognize where Aleah's thought process comes from, I still deeply question what she is saying. I have always felt that all types of fashion are open to everyone no matter what color their skin may be. We should be at a place in our society where we do not question why a person wear what they wear in relation to race. I feel that there is no defined Black fashion.
I would like you to look at the two pictures that I posted above, and think deeply if these two mean are even remotely dressed like each other. I think not. Styles that are often perceived as "Black fashion" originated in ways that many Black people would not be proud of or want to claim as their own. For example, Sagging pants was a style that originated in jail. I am going to go ahead and assume that anyone reading this realizes that Black people are not the only ethnicity of people that go to jail. Aleah, as a black person, you are saying that your culture should be closed off to all other ethnicities but how is that any different from the way that White people used to exclude Blacks from expressing themselves freely?
Thursday, September 16, 2010
BOOK LIST FOR MR. SUTHERLAND
Okay, ssssooooo, here goes. These are all books that I have not read, I'm hoping this will be helpful though.
- The Executioner's Song
- Siddartha
- Sybil
- Seraph on the Suwanee
- Autobiography of Malcolm X (Okay, I'll admit to reading this one but it was just so good)
- Indian Killer
- A thousand Splendid Suns
- Fight Club
- A Rage in Harlem
- Lord of the Flies
Monday, September 13, 2010
Gina's rant on life...and stuff...and things like stuff
So, recently I have been obsessed with watching When The Levees Broke and its follow-up documentary If God Is Willing and Da Creek Don't Rise, both movies are on HBO on demand for free and if you are able to, I highly suggest watching them both. My ancestry is deeply rooted in the state of Louisiana and the devastation that Louisianans have experienced is something that I cannot bear to even think about. I would like to be able to feel that I live in a country where the government cares about the well-being of its citizens regardless of their socioeconomic status, location, or skin color. Sadly this is not the case. On August 29, 2005 Louisiana was hit by Hurricane Katrina, the deadliest hurricane to hit the U.S. since the 1920's. Thousands lost their lives, tens of thousands lost their homes businesses, and countless lost their livelihood.
The hurricane is not what sickens me, nature is uncontrollable. The fact that so many Americans (not Haitians, not Indonesians, Americans) who pay taxes and support our government were treated like cattle in the country that they call home. Instead of seeing immediate response from the government; the people of Louisiana were trapped without food, water, and other basic means to survival for almost a week. Louisiana, particularly the New Orleans area, is densely populated with Black people. It was much easier for the government to turn their heads as Black people suffered from enormous loss and tragedy than to actually help these people in their dire time of need. To quote a great man, "George Bush doesn't care about black people," and neither do the federal government, American military, or FEMA. It has been proven in the past eight years that if you do not have a giant dollar sign plastered onto your forehead the American government does not care much about you nor your well-being, and the events during and after Hurricane Katrina are a huge indication of this.
In the years following the hurricane it seems that the affected area has only become worse. Rather than trying to rebuild the community, the federal government and the state of Louisiana have used the devastation as an opportunity to shut down public housing, close hospitals, and to allow the quality of schools to sink to an all-time low. As if poor Black people haven't been treated badly enough in this country, Hurricane Katrina has become a way for the American government commit acts of wrongdoings against Blacks...again.
Well so much for my rant...btw Go Saints!
The hurricane is not what sickens me, nature is uncontrollable. The fact that so many Americans (not Haitians, not Indonesians, Americans) who pay taxes and support our government were treated like cattle in the country that they call home. Instead of seeing immediate response from the government; the people of Louisiana were trapped without food, water, and other basic means to survival for almost a week. Louisiana, particularly the New Orleans area, is densely populated with Black people. It was much easier for the government to turn their heads as Black people suffered from enormous loss and tragedy than to actually help these people in their dire time of need. To quote a great man, "George Bush doesn't care about black people," and neither do the federal government, American military, or FEMA. It has been proven in the past eight years that if you do not have a giant dollar sign plastered onto your forehead the American government does not care much about you nor your well-being, and the events during and after Hurricane Katrina are a huge indication of this.
In the years following the hurricane it seems that the affected area has only become worse. Rather than trying to rebuild the community, the federal government and the state of Louisiana have used the devastation as an opportunity to shut down public housing, close hospitals, and to allow the quality of schools to sink to an all-time low. As if poor Black people haven't been treated badly enough in this country, Hurricane Katrina has become a way for the American government commit acts of wrongdoings against Blacks...again.
Well so much for my rant...btw Go Saints!
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
John & Gina. Pro Prostitution.
Opening Statement
When there is a need, there is a demand. Sex is a basic human desire that is craved by both men and women. The need for sex has sprawled into a business that has been dubbed as a crime because of a societal stigma around casual sex. For centuries, whether legal or not, prostitution has been practiced across all cultures, countries, and ages. It has been said that prostitution is “the worlds oldest profession,” and the laws prohibiting prostitution are based solely on the fact that sex, when not preformed by one man and one woman committed to an oath of love under god, is morally wrong. Although we demonize the act of prostitution to be morally unacceptable, at the same time, we sensationalize it in the media with movies such as Risky Business and Pretty Woman. Prostitution is only acceptable in society when it is Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman; a gorgeous woman with a million dollar smile (the definition of a hooker with a heart of gold). We, as people, need to realize that there will always be a desire to have sex and there is not always a desire for a ,committed, romantic relationship. Prostitution, when regulated, has the potential to become an employment that is not any different from the occupations that are categorized as “regular.” If prostitution is to be legalized we lose the criminal and dangerous aspect that comes with it. While kept illegal it provides a festering ground for the sexual abuse of minors, glamorizing of pimps, and unsafe sexual relations. When legal, prostitution can be conducted in organized brothels that are expected to live up to state health codes and government guidelines. In conclusion, all individuals should have the right to their own bodies. It should be a basic human right to be able to sell all of your skills for a profit as long as you are not hurting yourself or others. Prostitution, when legalized, can open doors for people and become a profession that is safe and beneficial for society.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Blog Quotes
LHADZE! Good job with your bloggin'
But bullies intimidate also to get guys attention. Face it, mostly every girl wants a boyfriend. So if if a bully can make a girl feel down and move out of her way, she gets and advantage on the boys. We girls come with a temper.
In society females are often seen as "catty," or "bitches." SInce most women and girls do not express their emotions in such a raw and natural state that males do, we fabricate our true feelings with influences from our friends and gossip that we create. Rather than expressing our feelings through physical violence females use tactics to make themselves seem superior to other women because it feels good when there is some one who is below you. I agree with Lhadze; in that, many females use bullying to make themselves seem stronger or better to the men that they are interested in. I strongly feel that being a pure, good, and genuine person will get more male attention than acting catty or being malicios towards other females.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
#13
Regina Moore
‘Just Kidding’ and ‘Ganging Up’ from Odd Girl Out by Rachel Simmons
I have been both bullied and been a bully myself. I feel that bullying is something that cannot be defined because everything is on a case-by-case basis. There are issues of people making jokes about one another that I feel can be deemed as harmless, on the contrary many adolescents experience intense abuse from there peers that can cause detrimental harm to their psyche. I have had numerous remarks directed towards me that could be classified as bullying, I constantly hear that I am too fat, too skinny, too tall, too short, or I don’t wear the right clothes…When I hear the remarks I shrug them off because I have the self confidence to not have to care about the opinions of others, but many people do not obtain this same ability and I do not expect everyone to act in that way because everybody is different. I think that bullying becomes the worst when a person applies all the negative things that others tell he or she that they are to their own thinking. When harsh comments and rude remarks affect how you think about yourself there is a definite problem. I have been on both sides of the bullying issue and I can say that when I bully others I do not even realize that I am bullying. Sometimes when I am in a bad mood I put that onto other people and I may be rude or disrespectful towards them but it is never out of malicious intent. I am the type of person that says what I feel and I understand that sometimes my opinions can be hurtful towards others. There are definitely situations where I reflect upon them and wish that I would have though about the affect that my words have before I spoke on something. Bullying has never been an issue that has been important to me because I speak up for myself and I do not tolerate disrespect from anyone.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)