Monday, November 19, 2012
My last post!
I've actually really enjoyed this class for the most part. Blogging is okay but I wouldn't want to have to do it. I would want to blog more recreational if anything. 3 more classes to go before Im official a master!
Motown!!
An evening with Berry Gordy:
This past weekend I was able to attend an event called The Historymakers which is a televised program that interviews some of the history makers in various categories including science, legal, musical, etc. this years guest if honor was the infamous berry Gordy of Motown records. He discovered some of our favorite musicians an bands including the Jackson 5, Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye and many, many more. He was interviewed in front of a full audience and he answered questions that everyone wanted to know. Was Motown only for black artists, could white artists be signed to Motown, when did he first learn to play piano, was he active in civil rights across American, and so on. He talked about how he didn't want Motown to only be for black artists but he wanted Motown to be a place were black artist could go. No other record labels were giving fair treatment to black artisrt and he decided to change that. He also said he welcomed artists from other cultures but none really came to him. He was active in the civil rights movement and he actually gave money to MLKjr when his funds were running low. He also recorded some of his speeches and released them on his record label.
There were multiple performances that night from Kem, Janelle monea, and Valarie Simpson. A scene from Motown: the musical was performed as well. Jesse Jackson spoke, the head of Comcast spoke and videos from former president bill Clinton, smoky Robinson and the owners if philidalphia records were also played. The night concluded with amazing food and more music at the art institute kf chicago. It was an amazing night that made me think that debates and twitter and face book are all public discourse but music can also be a public forum that crosses ethnic barriers to reach millions if people.
This past weekend I was able to attend an event called The Historymakers which is a televised program that interviews some of the history makers in various categories including science, legal, musical, etc. this years guest if honor was the infamous berry Gordy of Motown records. He discovered some of our favorite musicians an bands including the Jackson 5, Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye and many, many more. He was interviewed in front of a full audience and he answered questions that everyone wanted to know. Was Motown only for black artists, could white artists be signed to Motown, when did he first learn to play piano, was he active in civil rights across American, and so on. He talked about how he didn't want Motown to only be for black artists but he wanted Motown to be a place were black artist could go. No other record labels were giving fair treatment to black artisrt and he decided to change that. He also said he welcomed artists from other cultures but none really came to him. He was active in the civil rights movement and he actually gave money to MLKjr when his funds were running low. He also recorded some of his speeches and released them on his record label.
There were multiple performances that night from Kem, Janelle monea, and Valarie Simpson. A scene from Motown: the musical was performed as well. Jesse Jackson spoke, the head of Comcast spoke and videos from former president bill Clinton, smoky Robinson and the owners if philidalphia records were also played. The night concluded with amazing food and more music at the art institute kf chicago. It was an amazing night that made me think that debates and twitter and face book are all public discourse but music can also be a public forum that crosses ethnic barriers to reach millions if people.
Granito: part two
Another thing that stuck out to me so much was the sense of togetherness that all of the people shared. It seemed as though they were "one for all" not at all like America were individualism is key. They stuck together and life wasn't a competition. They morned for the loss if everyone in the villaga and not just their own families.
They told the story of one young women who's father went missing when she was a young girl. She never understood what was happening until she turned about 11 years old. Her father was a man that was made to disappear. Year later, as researchers were going through police documents, they found papers that highlighted that her father was made to disappear and the police carried out the order. Her story was sad because she never really go to know him yet he was a big part of her history and the history of the country.
Some of the researchers received death threats because they were going through records and trying to identify remains but that never stopped them. One of the researchers was actually a kid in guatemala and him and his family fled the country. I feel for the people of Guatemala and I only hope that justice can be fully served to all of the people that participated in the killings and disappearances.
I highly recommend seeing this film.
Re
They told the story of one young women who's father went missing when she was a young girl. She never understood what was happening until she turned about 11 years old. Her father was a man that was made to disappear. Year later, as researchers were going through police documents, they found papers that highlighted that her father was made to disappear and the police carried out the order. Her story was sad because she never really go to know him yet he was a big part of her history and the history of the country.
Some of the researchers received death threats because they were going through records and trying to identify remains but that never stopped them. One of the researchers was actually a kid in guatemala and him and his family fled the country. I feel for the people of Guatemala and I only hope that justice can be fully served to all of the people that participated in the killings and disappearances.
I highly recommend seeing this film.
Re
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Granito: How to nail a Dictator part 1
Granito: How to nail a Dictator was a very compelling tale.
This film really highlighted the genocide that was happening in Guatemala in the early 80's.It follows two film makers on their quest to help convict two powerful people (plus the people that carried out the actions) of Genocide. It highlights unused footage from a documentary that was filmed during this horrible time in Guatemalan history.
A couple of things really stood out to me, the first being how the native people described what Granito meant. It was translated meaning "I alone can't change things but I can help a group change things".
This is a theme that all of America should try to take heed to. One person can't change everything but as a group, working towards a just cause, change can be made. Working against each other on every little thing will never get anything accomplished. Another quote that rang with me was the idea of orders.
"We are just following orders". If someone gives you an order and you know the act is wrong, would you still follow it? What if it went against everything that you believed in? This was the excuse that people of the Guatemalan army used when they were killing hundreds of people in small villages across Guatemala. There were approximately 200,000 people killed in Guatemala and no one was there to help this genocide. How can a person or group plan the killings of thousands of innocent lives? It's appalling.
(Part two will be added in the coming hours)
This film really highlighted the genocide that was happening in Guatemala in the early 80's.It follows two film makers on their quest to help convict two powerful people (plus the people that carried out the actions) of Genocide. It highlights unused footage from a documentary that was filmed during this horrible time in Guatemalan history.
A couple of things really stood out to me, the first being how the native people described what Granito meant. It was translated meaning "I alone can't change things but I can help a group change things".
This is a theme that all of America should try to take heed to. One person can't change everything but as a group, working towards a just cause, change can be made. Working against each other on every little thing will never get anything accomplished. Another quote that rang with me was the idea of orders.
"We are just following orders". If someone gives you an order and you know the act is wrong, would you still follow it? What if it went against everything that you believed in? This was the excuse that people of the Guatemalan army used when they were killing hundreds of people in small villages across Guatemala. There were approximately 200,000 people killed in Guatemala and no one was there to help this genocide. How can a person or group plan the killings of thousands of innocent lives? It's appalling.
(Part two will be added in the coming hours)
Only in my Dreams
I just assumed we, as a country, might have moved a tad bit further...but...maybe it was a dream.
Its a few days after the election and I don't think I've ever been so disappointed in some of the people that call the US home. Some of the comments that I have seen on twitter and read all over the internet have truly been disheartening and disgusting. It is one thing to disagree and be angry with some of the President's politics, it is entirely different to disagree with his re-election because he is not white. The terms "n****" and "colored" are derogatory terms that should NEVER BE USED! They are not okay. "Colored" is not the correct term to describe an African american and N***** shouldn't be in your vocabulary.
Americans are always trying to rescue and speak on other countries and the treatment that people from those countries receive. We protest on cruelty, genocide, horrible leaders, women's rights, and even worse but America is the cruelest of them all. Over the past few days I have heard multiple stories of white people turning their noses up at minority people that they have known for 10 years or not include a black person in a conversation and its sad. Those same people are speaking on cruelty in Iraq but doing the same thing in a more subtle way.
This is a tweet that was sent after the winner was announced :
God fucking damn it i didn't want a N**** president again". @vicescotto.
After I read that statement and a slew of other ignorant, rude comments, I came across some excerpts of an interview that Pat Buchanan did with the G. Gordon Liddy Show. I listed a few comments below and the link to the excerpts.
I'm truly disappointed and sad for the people who have such negative thoughts about a person because of his skin color. The only question I really have for these people is: If he were white, and his politics still the same, would you still have voted against him?
Re-
http://dailycurrant.com/2012/11/07/buchanan-white-america-dead/
Its a few days after the election and I don't think I've ever been so disappointed in some of the people that call the US home. Some of the comments that I have seen on twitter and read all over the internet have truly been disheartening and disgusting. It is one thing to disagree and be angry with some of the President's politics, it is entirely different to disagree with his re-election because he is not white. The terms "n****" and "colored" are derogatory terms that should NEVER BE USED! They are not okay. "Colored" is not the correct term to describe an African american and N***** shouldn't be in your vocabulary.
Americans are always trying to rescue and speak on other countries and the treatment that people from those countries receive. We protest on cruelty, genocide, horrible leaders, women's rights, and even worse but America is the cruelest of them all. Over the past few days I have heard multiple stories of white people turning their noses up at minority people that they have known for 10 years or not include a black person in a conversation and its sad. Those same people are speaking on cruelty in Iraq but doing the same thing in a more subtle way.
This is a tweet that was sent after the winner was announced :
God fucking damn it i didn't want a N**** president again". @vicescotto.
After I read that statement and a slew of other ignorant, rude comments, I came across some excerpts of an interview that Pat Buchanan did with the G. Gordon Liddy Show. I listed a few comments below and the link to the excerpts.
I'm truly disappointed and sad for the people who have such negative thoughts about a person because of his skin color. The only question I really have for these people is: If he were white, and his politics still the same, would you still have voted against him?
Re-
Buchanan replied brazenly:
"White America died last night. Obama's reelection killed it. Our 200 plus year history as a Western nation is over.
"With what you just said right there...You seem to imply that white people are better than other people. That's not really what you're saying is it?"
"Of course that's what I'm saying," Buchanan replied "Isn't it obvious? Anything worth doing on this Earth was done first by white people."
"But we're not led by Lincoln anymore, we're led by an affirmative-action mulatto who can't physically understand how great America once was."
"Of course I agree with half of what he does," Buchanan answered, "He's half white! That's not the half I'm worried about."
http://dailycurrant.com/2012/11/07/buchanan-white-america-dead/
Monday, November 5, 2012
Something like a sponge
Soak the rich to make the economy better? I have mixed feelings about this concept and who it should apply to. There are a lot of rich people who I believe could afford to not live as extravagantly as they do like some athletes, owners of professional leagues, and actresses/actors to name a few. For most of these mentioned people the less rich actually have made it possible for them to be as rich as they are. Would Nike give athletes million dollar contracts if people didn't buy hundred dollar shoes? Would film companies give actors millions for a movie that they were guessing would succeed if they weren't sure that people would go see the movie? If court side seats were the same as the nose bleeds all of the seats would be sold out but because people will pay $1000 for a seat, why not charge it?
Now granted, does Jay-Z need a private jet, does Kobe Bryant need several homes, and does Brad Pitt need lots of cars? No, but because of their popularity with the common folk, they can afford it. I feel like the rich in entertainment could afford to pay more taxes or give back more to communities in the US (and I stress US for a reason) but other people should not expect it.
We don't want people to tell us what to do with our money so why should we tell them what to do with theirs? Yes, we would hope that they would want to give more but they don't have to. I would think it would be a moral responsibility to want to give back but that's me personally and not everyone is me.
Now granted, does Jay-Z need a private jet, does Kobe Bryant need several homes, and does Brad Pitt need lots of cars? No, but because of their popularity with the common folk, they can afford it. I feel like the rich in entertainment could afford to pay more taxes or give back more to communities in the US (and I stress US for a reason) but other people should not expect it.
We don't want people to tell us what to do with our money so why should we tell them what to do with theirs? Yes, we would hope that they would want to give more but they don't have to. I would think it would be a moral responsibility to want to give back but that's me personally and not everyone is me.
Set the Bar
We just want successful children!
I feel like this is what all parents want in general. I do not have kids but I know that I want my future kids to be successful in everything that they plan to do. These elite schools are good models for what we want schools to be like but having been around these "elite" students, I'm not sure that I would want my kids to be modeled after that type of student.
These schools offer a lot of opportunities for students but it still wouldn't change if the student is going to be successful or not. I get that we want elite schools to be the exception but there are students who get denied from colleges from elite schools as well as "normal" school. If elite schools are going to be the norm then I don't believe that teachers should get paid more then they are now. The money to fund these elite schools would have to come from tax payers because clearly the government can't afford it and I don't think this is fair in all honesty.
Some areas can't afford for their taxes to go up and even if all schools are elite, the elite will find a way to make their schools ubber elite. Its like a game of cat and mouse. All schools will not be the same because everyone wants their students to have the best but not all schools can be the best. I just don't think its a feasible goal. As we have learned, there is always a winner and not everyone can win.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Teen Girl Shot by Taliban Rushed to UK
I went on to Yahoo! news today and the story of 14 year old Malala Yousufzai was one of the top stories. She was shot last week in the head and neck by a single member of the Taliban while she was on a school bus for supporting education for women. She is in critical condition but has regained movement in her arms and a little in her legs. She was flown to England for medical care. The Pakistani government has said it will pay for all hospital expenses.
This story really caught my eye because of how we were discussing sexist religions and groups while going over Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire by Deepa Kumar.
This story is also interesting to me because of the buzz around education, especially in Chicago. We had teachers on strike, funding problems, and the list goes on. We are so concerned with pay and benefits that we don't realize that there are children across the world that are literally targeted for wanting an education. We need to make sure that our need to be 'right" and prove a point doesn't overthrow the importance of education to our young people. Compared to what people (women in other countries) would do just to have a small chance at educational freedom, we should just feel lucky that it can be provided here no matter how good or bad. Of course we want to strive for better education, but as a young woman, I am appreciative of the opportunities afforded to me.
The link for the story is about Malala is below.
http://gma.yahoo.com/teen-girl-shot-taliban-rushed-uk-095613358--abc-news-topstories.html
This story really caught my eye because of how we were discussing sexist religions and groups while going over Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire by Deepa Kumar.
This story is also interesting to me because of the buzz around education, especially in Chicago. We had teachers on strike, funding problems, and the list goes on. We are so concerned with pay and benefits that we don't realize that there are children across the world that are literally targeted for wanting an education. We need to make sure that our need to be 'right" and prove a point doesn't overthrow the importance of education to our young people. Compared to what people (women in other countries) would do just to have a small chance at educational freedom, we should just feel lucky that it can be provided here no matter how good or bad. Of course we want to strive for better education, but as a young woman, I am appreciative of the opportunities afforded to me.
The link for the story is about Malala is below.
http://gma.yahoo.com/teen-girl-shot-taliban-rushed-uk-095613358--abc-news-topstories.html
Monday, October 1, 2012
Communication is Key
This is very true in our society today. How do you communicate with someone on a regular basis? How often do you hear their actual voice or see them in person. Not face-time on your Iphone or Skype but in person. Because everything is public or can be public (ie twitter, Facebook or a blog) people feel they have the right to make their thoughts and opinions known to everyone. Why do i feel people need to know my feelings about the fight I had with my friend? Because I can with out directly having to tell each individual person about it. Another thing that people do is say things they probably shouldn't say and then make up an excuse (ie my account was hacked, I left my twitter open, I thought that was a text, etc) but in reality they did say it. Public isn't always a good thing but people still post things in a public sphere just to make sure everyone knows they have an opinion about it.
I'd Quote That!
A couple of people that I think of as public intellects would be Warren Buffet, Michelle Obama, and Bill Clinton. I also agree with one of my classmates in saying that Comedians are public intellects as well. For the first three i named, I believe they are PIs because they are/were in the public eye speaking on some things that they feel very strongly about. They studied these areas, made an opinion and projected these ideas to others. Do I believe they are always right? Absolutely not! But what I do believe is that they have decided to put themselves out in the public for opinions of their ideals knowing that they would have backlash. They believe in what they have to say and stick to it.
I choose Warren Buffet because of one of the speeches he gave to a graduating MBA class and the quote that he used in that speech. He said "The Chains of habit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken." That quote can be used to talk about the public opinion and many other things in our world today. No one feels there needs to be a change until its way to late to try and change it.
As far as comedians are concerned, they say exactly how they feel and even if you disagree you still chuckle or smile because they had the balls to say it in front of an audience.To me, PIs come in all different shapes and sizes and even if I don't agree with them I know someone does.
I choose Warren Buffet because of one of the speeches he gave to a graduating MBA class and the quote that he used in that speech. He said "The Chains of habit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken." That quote can be used to talk about the public opinion and many other things in our world today. No one feels there needs to be a change until its way to late to try and change it.
As far as comedians are concerned, they say exactly how they feel and even if you disagree you still chuckle or smile because they had the balls to say it in front of an audience.To me, PIs come in all different shapes and sizes and even if I don't agree with them I know someone does.
Only in Public
Everyone has an opinion! Is it a smart opinion? Is it biased? Is it from a credible source? I believe that when thinking about a public or a public opinion all of these things need to be taken into consideration. Of course everyone has an opinion but the real thing that people should think about is if the opinion is for the good of the public or just to bash someone else and make themselves look better. I have a concern for the fate of the public life because of the simple fact that anyone can be public with what ever they want to say no matter if there is truth to the statement or not. People are so quick to try to prove why they are right that they never consider what the other person has to say or is trying to say. Rational debate is slowly leaving and being replaced with arguments which is never a good thing.
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