FINAL

In this blog, I will be discussing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s major concepts on nonviolent practice and just how he became such an essential historical figure as taking part in Civil Disobedience from doing so. King was legendary for his speeches and sermons during the time of injustice and inequality towards people of color. He understood the struggles people worldwide were facing and became conscious that the system played a part in how misfortune came to be. People listened to what King had to say because of the power and assurance he had in his voice. King was so sure to strategize what was going to happen during his campaigns in fighting for human needs such as the right to vote, cease racial discrimination, and to have jobs so people can sustain the ability to have food and basic needs. King understood that it was a process where he had to be patient even in troubled times.

King digs so deep into how the universe must be and goes into detail what should be done to create the peaceful world. Through King’s eyes, he’s seen the struggles that surrounded him and was so brave to take it to a higher level. King sincerely believed and used the element of “satyagraha” which was more often equated to God, which then meant speaking the highest truth through love. King believed in nonviolence because he has such love. King used “agape”, a love of God, a love for humanity, a love for the enemy, where the end result is to win understanding. Satyagraha and agape are closely related because God is often equated with love and the truth.

King’s idea on “maladjustment” and “negative peace” was so fundamental in moving forward because that was the truth of what he observed and to realize those elements existed, meant some serious change was bound to happen. When one is maladjusted, it means they have adjusted to corrupt adversity. Maladjustment and negative peace actually coexist because the oppressed individuals carried on with their daily lives in stress and left it at that. They were convinced that their role in life was to be at someone else’s service while neglecting the very care of their minds and body. After the emancipation of slavery, the idea of “slave mentality” remained until the African American examined his true purpose. The mind of the oppressed took a toll until someone named Martin Luther King came along and transformed the way one saw themself. The Negro discovered that he was certainly worthy of human personality.

King was so brilliant bringing completely different people together to fight for our God given rights. King used the power of simply being a human to be so responsive to the unjust laws which have been existing for decades. From Linguistics, I have learned the meaning for one to use their voice to take a stand. It’s often something most of us take for granted without even realizing the lasting effects it can have on society. In being voiceless and powerless means that a person is not using their full potential of virtually being human. The thing that matters is when people are struggling to survive; they use what they can find and what they have to make change. From Law and Human Rights, I have learned the importance that human development was a basic need to live a fulfilling life. Human development can simply be interaction, education, food and shelter, and most importantly, doing things that makes a person feel good. A person should be free in making their own decisions and have a say about what they feel is good for them. A person shouldn’t feel obligated to do things. A person should have choices. King’s ideas show that he is completely aware of deprived individuals and takes on acts where his life becomes in danger. The power of King’s influence on people made them feel like they have never felt before. King made them feel worthy of being alive and they all had to act immediately as a team to save their current generation as well as the next.

The journey has been extremely tedious for African Americans, people excluded from decision-making actions and especially for mindful Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. King radiated positive psychological change and continuously saw the light in a dark situation. A vital element was that King accepted all suffering because he knew justice was on his side. The way King’s mind operated was the gift of being human. He approached his methods in a peaceful and timely fashion and used what he was born with to achieve justice. The struggle for human rights was overcome through linguistic and symbolic acts of nonviolent protest.

Blog #5: Speech Power

What made Dr. King's speeches so effective was his choice of words, his tone of voice, use of repetition, the emotions he expressed & the way he presented himself. What made people want to listen to him was the absolute truth he spoke & the confidence he exerted. People were motivated by the energy he gave off. The positive & determined energy lifted people to become fearless of the future. Praise, unity, peace, protectiveness & blessing join the oppressed individuals together. Martin Luther King Jr. Spoke from experience & what he felt which made the people want to believe him. The universe had the need for justice for all, MLK reminded his listeners. Moral law is what we fight for. It's what we believe. MLK used the power of human to enforce moral law. Non-violence was a way to win understanding to close the fine gap between justice & injustice.

Blog #4: Cluster Reflection

Themes we've come across so far are: treat others the way you want to be treated (respect), understand history, language is vital, potential to change the law by breaking the law, fight for what is right, we are indeed created equal, sacrifice (death), struggle (life), life takes different routes, human development, accepting differences, expect the unexpected, we have same needs (food, shelter), being honest & living to prosper.

All of these themes have appeared in class, one way or the other. For Law & Human Rights (political science), we learn of different cases & their situations of inequality/injustice; that would fall under fighting for what is right, created equal, struggle, accepting, being honest... For Language (linguistics), we can literally see how the uses of words (spoken/written) come into play with how we interpret things. A way of communicating is necessary/fundamental in achieving certain rights. For English (American studies), we analyze the ways in how people were being treated & how it still is an issue today. We look for ways/"truths" to understand how & why things have been done a particular way to see how the society we live in operates (then & now).

The social elements of the cluster affected the cluster experience in a good way because it opens our eyes to the bigger pictures & to the issues that we are faced with. When we have an understanding about events that occur, we are guaranteed to come to a final decision to judge what is ethical or not & look for ways to better society. Moral choice (key) opens that hidden door to create that world of justice & peace. To learn in such a diverse classroom as a multicultural community, must be a blessing because it's not based on social/ racial class (we are free to be in ones' presence without conflict, without people telling us who we should come into contact with) but rather on educational opportunity. This cluster benefits us all because we are able to hear viewpoints from various sides.

Our integrated activity in LIB 110 surely connects all themes we have discussed. It all relates to human development because we are exposed to possibilities. What makes it even more helpful is that we are free to express ourselves & reflect throughout the day’s class or course. This part of the week is where we can actually sit back & relax. It's also an opportunity to speak of relevancy to whatever it is we want to discuss. I feel this integrated activity ties all these courses together, which makes it all the better for our learning experience & something we can take with us to our later years.

HR issue: The Right to Play

The Human Rights issue I am choosing is The Right to Play. Throughout the world, there are numerous issues consisting of world hunger, poverty, lack or this or that. Well lack of play is what concerns me. The reason why I choose this topic is because I believe it is important that not only children, but adults are getting the leisure they need to better function in their daily lives. Living from day to day seems to get harder because what matters to people mostly is that they need to work to make money so they have food to eat & a roof over their head. Also to support whomever is living in that household. We become so used to trying to make a living that we forget what it’s like to play & have fun versus being burdened by chores. We forget the feeling play & leisure gives to us. We forget that the right to play is what makes us come back stronger. People are so focused on their dreams that they don’t realize how much play has an effect on us.

We see children being mistreated because they didn’t eat their PB&J sandwich. Maybe they didn’t want to eat because they wanted their parent to give them attention & play some games together. When people interact in games, it builds bond & trust, takes teamwork, & works the mind effectively. When I say works the mind effectively, I mean, learning games for instance, helps us with memory & we can then use the time to play by reflecting back. We can look over in our minds, ways to better whatever the situation was before. As children, we shouldn’t be worrying about things adults do. It’s only natural that a child plays, a child smiles, a child learns, a child thinks. At the time of mistreatment, people often forget that children are the next generation & they do determine the outcome of their valuable lives. Children should be nourished with education & the right to play because they are indeed the future. They are the future scientists, the inventors, advocates who will run this country after us. So it should be in our best interest to care for these children.

As for adults, we can literally lose our minds when working & worrying too much. We lose memory & sadly, common sense. We sometimes forget the things we’ve always known. We don’t work our minds as often as we’d secretly please. We sometimes don’t have time to play, or have a peace of mind. That’s why when we have jobs that we are guaranteed to keep, we should ensure that every single employee have paid vacation to take their mind off things for a little while, & possibly for once, but even better if a few times a year. That one time, people don’t know, has complete power & ability to a person’s actions. We act from our minds right? Then we should definitely nourish our minds. How do we make sure we are getting what we need? What are some effective ways to cleanse our minds?

Positive & alive communications should be distributed to people of all ages. We need proper development to properly function. We live in such a fast-paced life, when is there time to speak of critical situations? Having a pleasant conversation even fuels the mind. Play is essential.

In the international Human Rights law, it states that we have the Right to Play. In all honesty & respect, I believe that in the UDHR, almost all the articles in some way protect our right to leisure. When we play, where we play, we are free. Leisure is free. To practice it, we must obey certain rules even when we are being open. To be specific, number 24 under the UDHR protects our right to play. Just like all other laws, we must not harm one. There are certain restrictions as to where we play & how we play.

In the Bill of Rights, it says that we have the right to education. The right to play can fall under that statement. To make education effective, having physical & mind games are crucial to one’s development.

“All work & no play makes Jack a dull boy” –The Shining, Stanley Kubrick

Comparison & Contrast: White Supremacist Violence Before and After Slavery

In the book When I Was a Slave edited by Norman R. Yetman, former slave Mary Reynolds, vividly recalls a time in her life when she was beaten so bad. Reynolds says that as she aged, she recognized that more and more slaves were running away. The slaves were usually caught. The Master would hire slaves to work for a wage in return, which is them basically just working for free for the Masters’ benefit, being that they are already forced to work. So in this case, the slaves have no choice. Reynolds and Turner, both slaves, were hired to work for a stubborn and unpleasant “white trash name of Kidd”. Turner runs away one day and doesn’t return. Kidd thinks that Reynolds knows Turner’s whereabouts, but she has no clue. Mary Reynolds remembers Kidd stripping her and tying her wrists and feet together “from a limb on a tree”, so he can prepare to give her the worst beating she has ever experienced. Reynolds says she fainted and that when she got to bed, she didn’t care so much if she died (109).

The purpose of the violent act against Mary Reynolds would be because she had no answer that would satisfy Kidd. The function would be considered as authoritarian. A term used for when one “favors imposed order over freedom”. Because Kidd is superior to Reynolds, he feels he has power and authority over her, although he does not own her. The function would also be considered as sadism. A term used for when one finds pleasure in inflicting pain upon another. My reasoning is that Kidd has done what he did in his own free will and pleasure, for his eyes only. There was no concrete explanation to beating her and tying her so she can’t move; only to be there to take what he has given her.

(Not completed)

Blog #3: Lynch Law in All Its Phases

In the text Southern Horrors written by Ida B. Wells, we see unlawful massacres of African-Americans done by White Supremacist. The lynching abomination was created by members of the White Supremacy calling themselves the Ku Klux Klan who go around hanging colored people of all ages for false accusations.

             Afro-American men were often accused of miscegenation (inter-racial sex) & lynched for it, even if the white woman gave consent. According to Wells, "white men lynch the offending Afro-American, not because he is a despoiler of virtue, but because he succumbs to the smile of white women" (Wells 54). This means that the black man was not lynched for disturbing the peace or with (out) the intent of inflicting pain upon another. It means he was lynched for being attracted, beyond his control, to the white woman. The White Supremacists possibly could've committed the lynching because they were afraid and/or jealous of black men taking their jobs & their women, now that they were emancipated with very little freedom.

              The White Supremacy had their ideas carefully planned out because it must have extended meaning behind when there's a "race riot" & Afro-Americans were killed while the whites were left untouched basically. White Supremacist killed for any reason because they feared "Negro Domination" would expand & multiply. No matter the number of Afro-Americans, they still seemed to have no voice.

             White Supremacists enforced Lynch Laws by using a form of tactic called eugenics. Scientifically speaking (not prejudice), people who studied race believed white men were superior than all & that they would make the human race better by eliminating people of color, who were not white.

             Afro-Americans suffered & will continue to fight for what is right. To bear these struggles they understand it will take time & patience. They focus to live through each day & know that one day; their full freedom will be gained. Afro-Americans understand that their oppression is inevitable & they will stand as the martyrdoms from the beginning of time as they have been.

A Red Record

In the book "The Red Record", Ida B. Wells discusses roustabout, mulattoes & sadism in the events from before the slave regime to after the emancipation of slavery. She writes of the white supremacist sanguinary & barbarism to show that they have no formality & leniency. For example when Wells discusses the idea of barbarism, the first white man's excuse for murdering hundreds of African-Americans from 1865- 1872 was that they were part of the insurrection. Wells came to find that statement false, that there was no riot after all. So in conclusion, the massacres were in fact done for arbitrary reasons.

Freewrite on Language of HR

Human Rights are like a guide that we all have when we are born to show what we are allowed/free to do. When we violate/deny a human right, we are then crossing the line that harms a being.

The connection to language would be the all forms of expression to show what we feel about various things. Forms of expression include writing poems, songs, raps, stories, narratives; speaking, such as singing, rapping, re-telling a story; acting, such as putting yourself in another persons' shoes; drawing images, paintings, to convey a message or let whatever the situation be known. Language is all around us. We just have to open our eyes to accept diversity & ways of doing things. Language is the streetlight, telling us to go, slow down or stop. Language is anything that shows us direction & how to go about situations. Most often, we have to figure out language ourselves, to find meaning. Language signals what must be done. Language is life. We need it to adapt, understand, survive & to progress.

My tentative proposal, something I'd contribute to the book, would be situations where language was misunderstood, not communicated well enough & thus created emotions that lead to something bad. Then I'd like to have the good result show how the transition came to be. Situations could've been prevented, but due to lack of understanding, we've created more problems with simple solutions that have been ignored.

Blog #2: Two Truths ?

After reading When I Was a Slave edited by Norman R. Yetman, I came across a contradictory statement Andrew Moss shared. During hard times, when a person has no one to communicate with, they usually turn to God & pray. In this particular text, Moss happens to be on his knees, praying in the field or the side of a road.

A Yankee initiates dialogue with Moss when he witnesses him praying & it goes as follows:
"What you prayin' about?"
"I'se just prayin' to Jesus 'cause I wants to go to Heaven when I dies."
"You wants to be free, don't you?"
"Yes sir, Boss!"
"Well den, come go along with me.
"Please, sir, Boss. I'll have to ask my marster."
"What you mean, Marster? You ain't got no marster. We's settin' you free."

That's what a Yank says, but let's see what they do...
If this verbal statement is true, then why does this upcoming action contradict what Moss then experiences:
"Sometimes dey takes & tie a rope around you, & they starts ridin' off, but dey don't go too fast so you walk behind. Sometimes along comes another Yank on a horse & he ask, 'Boy, ain't you tired?' 'Yes sir, Boss!' 'Well, you get up here behind me & ride some.' Den he wrap de rope all around de saddle horn. But he keeps you tired, so's you won't jump down & run away. And many's de time a prayin' Negro got took off like dat & weren't never seen no more" (Yetman 98-99).

Yanks don't know anything about setting a slave free. What they think "free" means, is the slave not having an actual owner/master anymore. Yet, the actions of the Yanks clearly shows that Moss isn't actually a free man because 1)they tie a rope around him, basically still holding him hostage, 2)they ride off with the horse, but not "too fast", dehumanizing Moss, treating him like an animal, as if it is pleasing to watch, 3)a Yank has the nerve to ask if he is tired, obviously keeping in mind what's being done!, 4)tells Moss to ride "behind", 5)KEEPS HIM TIED SO HE WON'T ESCAPE!

We can clearly see contradiction between what has been said & what actually occurred.

Could You Be the Victim ?

The authors claim people would rather use the word "drama" than "bullying" because we are the younger generation, & that would be the term most of us are accustomed to using. The article did point something I found interesting. When I was in Elementary & Middle School, "bully" was used. As I made the transition to High School, everything was really all about "drama".

The word "drama" can be empowering because it's more of running the mouth recklessly, BKA-gossiping. When people gossip, it's usually about what they heard about the person, how they feel towards that person. This causes conflict because their opinions are usually influenced by what other people speak of. Teens don't think they are the cause because they don't see the big picture. Teens think what they aren't hurtful, when in reality, some girl can feel less attractive & she's possibly cutting herself in the very own bathroom of the school they attend. And no one would know, until things get all weird, or too serious, as to the vulnerable individual not showing up to class because she is afraid of the "popular" group. Words can really take a toll on someone's mental health.

             This is why we should all do each other a favor & speak only of good. There's this saying, I don't know where it originated but it's been around for as long as I can remember: "If you don't have anything good to say, don't say it at all." But then again, there are certain situations when you have no choice but to defend yourself. It all depends to which extent. Like how most things are determined, to which degree is it right? Is it even right to act upon, even in the harsh conditions you think is necessary? Hmm?

             Speaking, or writing, of the notion above... It's indeed a contradiction of itself. Because if we didn't hear such things, how will we be able to function better as a society in which we live? We must know of, to act on.

            I understand people like to make jokes, & some people take it "up the ass", meaning some are way too serious. It doesn't mean that person has no sense of humor; it can mean that person could be struggling with something. Something internal. Something secretive, or shocking. You just NEVER know the situation, & we can't be acting like "animals" because it's all about understanding & the "what if you were in my shoes?" type of thing.

             You could be the bully, or the one being bullied. Most often, it's either/or. But wouldn't it be better if it didn't exist? Too bad, that's not reality. What's reality is preventing these things from happening. And when they do happen, let's be that support for each other & find effective solutions, such as getting treatment & raising awareness, like all over.

Blog #1: Banneker & Equiano

Equality

Should people be treated unfairly & put to unwanted labor because of complexion?

I believe people of color should not, in any way possible, be put to unwanted labor because this takes away their rights, their freedom, & thus creates tension & questions morality. Putting slaves to forced labor questions morality & equality because they are trapped, with their necessary rights taken away.

The text "The Interesting Life of Gustavus Vassa, the African" written by Olaudah Equiano, takes us to a time period where enslavement was a reality in the most harsh conditions. People of power at the time have put slaves in a state of fear & sorrow. Equiano writes of his long, tragic journey of his kidnapping & becoming a slave. He shares with us some of the most touching experiences he has as an eleven year old boy in slavery.

Many deep emotions he encounters fill us with concern & curiosity as we continue to discover/unfold his misfortune with the oppression of enslavement. As we get a hold & feel of what exactly was occurring at his time, we can only think of fighting for the right to be free.

As Equiano confirms of one familiar day in his life, he "had not eaten nor drunk any thing all the day". He shows here how slaves have been treated as unequal compared to those in power at the time of enslavement. Most of Equiano's days consisted of poor treatment, causing him to have many unsatisfying emotions & fixed judgments of the whites, & the way he, as well as many others, viewed the world. Speaking of the assailants unholy actions, Equiano shares with us another questionable incident that the slave traders "one day had taken a number of fishes; and when they had killed and satisfied themselves with as many as they thought fit, to our astonishment who were on the deck, rather than give any of them to us to eat, as we expected, they tossed the remaining fish into the sea again". This occasion shows us just how lives of slaves were unfavorable. Usually, the slaves would have been fed; but due to the cruelty of the whites, slaves starved & tried "to get a little privately". When they were caught, the countrymen would "handle" slaves with "severe floggings", as if they truly deserved it. Slaves have encountered degrees of unfavorable conditions. They tolerated too much as they were being weighed down.

The way slaves viewed their surroundings were very tragic because we, as citizens, have this idea implanted in us that we are all born free & equal, when in reality, that's not what's happening. When slaves were taken from their native hometowns, it was something unexpected. It began to raise more questions than answers. So whatever slaves learned was happening to them on the way, was all that they knew. They questioned other possibilities, like trying to escape. See, when we having human beings trying to escape something, it's because we don't desire what it is. It's something we do not want to experience. It's something we want to forget.

Equiano witnessed some of his own countrymen suffer & die of sickness due to unfavorable conditions & retaliating against masters, for their freedom to live. Having seen this as a young fellow, Equiano "wished he were a fish or another inhabitant of the deep". This shows how he didn't seem to care anymore about living as a being. He wanted to not be there. He feared his life that he even considered death as an option of escaping the hardships as well as miseries. Most slaves rather die than suffer. The slave traders' cruelty towards the victims of enslavement consisted of them being chained to one another, being tied in ropes if they didn’t respond to instructions/commands; or if they escaped & were captured again.

When Equiano describes he was being "handled" & "tossed up" to see if he was "sound" clearly shows how slaves were being treated as if they were merchandise, ready for sale. He, as well as numerous others, was being dehumanized by their captors. Equiano & others were watched very closely. So it was almost impossible to attempt any escape that would dramatically bring immediate relief. Slaves were deprived most of their time.

Benjamin Banneker was a well-educated man, Scientist, Astronomer, Mathematician, Surveyor, & Farmer who wrote a letter in 1791, addressing oppression & attempting to change Thomas Jefferson's views on slavery. Jefferson at the time was Secretary of State. Knowing where he stood in the eyes of the superior, Banneker writes of his observance on racial inequality. Banneker questions the Declaration of Independence which Jefferson had written & signed. Stated by Jefferson himself "we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal", Jefferson should have done all he could to enforce the abolishment of slavery, because it is morally wrong. There's contradiction if you say one thing, & perform another. Banneker tries to understand whether or not the Declaration was built upon sincerity & uses Jefferson's own words against him to question his beliefs. Banneker points out that if our Father created us all to be brothers & sisters, to feel the same sensations, have the same faculties, then why are Africans, or people of color, in America being exploited?

"A Rose by Any Other Name Would Smell as Sweet"

The first syllable of “Kathy” has the onset of a voiceless (produced without vibration), velar stop, with a rhyme of a low, front vowel “k[ae]”. The next, & last, syllable’s onset is a voiceless, dental fricative, with a rhyme of a high, front vowel, “th[i]”.

IPA transcription: kæθi

Using your vocal cords, start by slightly releasing some air, while pronouncing the consonant sound, aspirated stop “[k]” (cat). Quickly, it’s followed by the “[ae]” (bat) sound. Dental fricative “[th]” (thing), or the Greek letter “theta”, is produced with the tongue between the upper & lower teeth. Lastly but immediately, "[i]" is a vowel created with the front of the tongue raised not too high in the mouth, voicing that “eee” (eat) sound.

“Kathy” is my name.

Language: Tool or Weapon?

Language is a weapon that can be used either to deny or to affirm our Human Rights. The article The Language of Human Rights by Robert Amsterdam states the misuse of language “continues to exist an overwhelming and damaging perception that the law & courts work just fine”. It implies that in the courts of law, when a citizen is on trial, they tend to humiliate “convicts”, thus being looked down upon by society. Amsterdam’s statement is an assumption on the way people think the system operates. The way the law confronts his/her accusers’ causes tension & questions the intent of others.

Language of Human Rights

So far, so good. I am enjoying class time we all have together. I am hearing different opinions & point of views. It's good. It's mind-opening, encouraging.

As far as these topics intertwining, it's a very great idea. I never really thought about the subjects being connected, & it's time that I do now. Language of Human Rights? What I think... it's really important & relevant because, how can one exist without the other? They are.. in a way, built upon one another. Without language, or communication, how can we understand? How can we understand Human Rights, & what we need? The way we communicate, plays an important role. There are different styles, concepts, themes, in which I, myself, need to grasp.

I feel extremely lucky to have the opportunity to further my studies, an intriguing one at that. I feel this course will help me better my own lifestyle, & that of others.