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.