Monday, 30 March 2015
Blog Post #2 - Slam Poem
This video relates to the book, The
Freedom Writers Diary by Erin Gruwell, because of the similarity in
the messages presented in both styles. The Freedom Writers
Diary's main social issue is racism, and how the power of writing
can unite others and as well, how to respect each other. This video describes
very through themes such as, racism and stereotypes through the form of slam
poetry.
In the video, the two young girls, Becca Khalil
and Nayo Jone, perform a slam poem on the main subject of “Black in America:
Who is Black?” This poem they recited, is about people who stereotype others
because of their appearance or accents. They have expressed their feelings
about black stereotypes very strong and precisely, for example, “You see the
golden girl with kinky brown curls and you think, “She must be Mexican!” Is
that what you see when you look at me?” This phrase that they have voiced is a
known as a stereotype, which can be for any colour. Also, this video’s main
message that was presented is that it doesn’t matter what race, colour, or
culture you are, what matters is who you are as a person, not your background.
In the book, The Freedom Writers by
Erin Gruwell, talks about how the power of writing can unite all types people.
Gruwell has very accurately explained how the matter of race or gang, does not
matter in the real successful life after high school. For instance, ““Shut up
you fucking nigger, your kind don’t belong here,” they screamed as they kicked
me harder and harder” (Gruwell 167). This expression in the book describes, how
another person, because of his or her type, isolated someone because they
weren’t the same type. The overall main message of this book is that “types”
won’t matter in the future, so why make them matter now, when you can respect
each other’s ethnics and “type.”
Therefore, the video and the book both relate to
each other because both display a similar message about "types" and
"stereotypes" which, are both common relative social issues in the
world; racism.
This video relates to the book, The
Freedom Writers Diary by Erin Gruwell, because of the similarity in
the messages presented in both styles. The Freedom Writers
Diary's main social issue is racism, and how the power of writing
can unite others and as well, how to respect each other. This video describes
very through themes such as, racism and stereotypes through the form of slam
poetry.
In the video, the two young girls, Becca Khalil
and Nayo Jone, perform a slam poem on the main subject of “Black in America:
Who is Black?” This poem they recited, is about people who stereotype others
because of their appearance or accents. They have expressed their feelings
about black stereotypes very strong and precisely, for example, “You see the
golden girl with kinky brown curls and you think, “She must be Mexican!” Is
that what you see when you look at me?” This phrase that they have voiced is a
known as a stereotype, which can be for any colour. Also, this video’s main
message that was presented is that it doesn’t matter what race, colour, or
culture you are, what matters is who you are as a person, not your background.
In the book, The Freedom Writers by
Erin Gruwell, talks about how the power of writing can unite all types people.
Gruwell has very accurately explained how the matter of race or gang, does not
matter in the real successful life after high school. For instance, ““Shut up
you fucking nigger, your kind don’t belong here,” they screamed as they kicked
me harder and harder” (Gruwell 167). This expression in the book describes, how
another person, because of his or her type, isolated someone because they
weren’t the same type. The overall main message of this book is that “types”
won’t matter in the future, so why make them matter now, when you can respect
each other’s ethnics and “type.”
Therefore, the video and the book both relate to
each other because both display a similar message about "types" and
"stereotypes" which, are both common relative social issues in the
world; racism.
"The Sniper" by Liam O'Flaherty - Newsreport
THREE DEAD FOUND ON THE STREETS OF DUBLIN
By JASMEEN GREWAL
Last night around three a.m., gunshots fired from rooftops in the
Four Courts area of Dublin and three bodies were found dead. An
unknown woman, who was a resident of the area, was shot and additionally her
driver was also shot. The third death was a sniper with possession
of various weapons, and who had clearly lost the fight.
The gunfire’s started at around two a.m., as the police were
informed half an hour later, and approached the crime scene at quarter past
three a.m. with multiple back up officers and cars. Dublin Police
has surrounded the area and shut down the area for investigation, as they
searched the rooftops where the shooter hid. Evidence found was
blood on both opposite rooftops, proving habitation of the two snipers. A rifle
was also found in the middle of the street.
A fellow bystander who was hiding behind bushes exclaims, “I was
walking back from the bus stop alone, coming back from my night shift at the
hospital but then all of a sudden heard four or five gunshots back and forth. I
quickly ran and hid in the bushes as quiet as I could. My life was in so much
danger, I barely could breathe properly.”
Another bystander post shooting expresses, “I caught a flight from
Toronto to spend time with my family, and as I approached my area it was all
covered in police tape. I was frightened and curious if my family was alright.”
Police have not been able to identify the suspects, as they were
rushed to the nearest hospital. Investigations are intense and are still on
going.
"The Sniper" by Liam O'Flaherty
Summary
Summary
In the short story, “The Sniper” by Liam
O’Flaherty, there are two snipers on opposing teams and they battle for their side. On the
streets of Dublin, a Republican sniper cautiously looked out for the enemy on a
rooftop. He got anxious and lit a cigarette, which almost cost him
his life, because the Free Stater across the street almost shot him dead. The
Republican was then wounded but he saw a tank drive up and shot the two unknown
enemy threats walking around. After shooting them, he treated his
own wound with the chemicals and bandages he had. The sniper then
decided to deceive and fool the Free Stater by setting his hat on the barrel of
his gun so the sniper shoots him, but the Republican pulled out his revolver
and shot the Free Stater. After shooting the Free Stater, he was
curious to see whom that person was and after turning the dead body he saw his
brother’s lifeless face.
Monday, 23 February 2015
Child Soldiers
Connections:
The article, “Teaching Kids to Kill”, and the video, “Former child soldier Ishmael Beah recounts his past”’, are both relatable and connect to each other in various ways. For example, both different media types portrayed a specific theme, which is violence. Violence is portrayed in the video through Ishmael’s life story that he recounts. He spent his childhood as a child soldier, killing other just so he can stay alive. Similarly, the article expresses violence by talking about how children are exposed to media violence and violent video games, which influences them to kill to stay safe in certain environments. The article and video connect to violence because both media types are showing how violence endorses a person and how it changes their perspectives. As a result, children have been killing to stay safe because of what their surroundings and peers influence them, just like in the article and Ishmael’s childhood recount.
Challenges:
“Where does a 14-year-old boy who never fired a gun before get the skill and the will to kill? Video games and media violence.”This statement may be true but I do not agree with this statement. The reason why I disagree is because not all fourteen-year-old boys are influenced just by video games, there can be many causes why a boy that age would be willing to kill. For example, environments can impact a young boys thinking and purposes. Environments such as “the hood” can impact a child’s thinking a lot because of what goes on like shootings, stabbings, street fights and etc. Another example for a cause could be a child’s troubles such as family problems, school problems and others. Such problems can lead to anger problems or depression, which effects one a lot and very intensely. Therefore, not only do video games and media violence affect fourteen-year-old boys thoughts on killing others, but also so do mental disorders, social troubles, and environmental surroundings/activities.
Concepts:
The most important key concept worth knowing would be how our world is connected with different types of violence. I chose this as worth knowing key concept because in the video, Ishmael talks about how he survived his childhood by numbing himself with drugs and killing others with no feelings, and in the article it states how innocent young boys believe what they see and get brainwashed by violent video games and media violence. Ishmael’s childhood story relates to our current world issues because children right now are forced to do the same in current wars and rebellions in order to stay alive. On the other hand, the article also relates to our current world because children, teenager, and adults are playing these violent video games and viewing media violence as entertainment. Thus, knowing relations of violence with the world is very important to know and recognize.
Changes:
Changes that happened in the video about Ishmael’s childhood life story turned out to be life changing for him and helped build his future. When he was a child, his family had been killed by an attack in their area and he was left all alone. Since he was alone, he had to find some way to survive. Surviving as in finding food, water, shelter, and avoiding being shot. This is when he decided the only way to live is to become a child soldier, and ever since then he was a child soldier. His role as a child soldier was to daily take stimulant drugs that would numb his feelings before going to kill other people. Rehab saved his life; a few workers from a rehabilitation center rescued him and tried erasing all those memories of killing people and his drug problem. He hated it there and misbehaved a lot until he found some worker at the center who understood him and listened to him. In total when he was rescued, that was a new chapter of his life where he also met a woman who adopted him and brought him to America. When Ishmael hit college, he started writing about his childhood , and that is where his writing journey began.
The article, “Teaching Kids to Kill”, and the video, “Former child soldier Ishmael Beah recounts his past”’, are both relatable and connect to each other in various ways. For example, both different media types portrayed a specific theme, which is violence. Violence is portrayed in the video through Ishmael’s life story that he recounts. He spent his childhood as a child soldier, killing other just so he can stay alive. Similarly, the article expresses violence by talking about how children are exposed to media violence and violent video games, which influences them to kill to stay safe in certain environments. The article and video connect to violence because both media types are showing how violence endorses a person and how it changes their perspectives. As a result, children have been killing to stay safe because of what their surroundings and peers influence them, just like in the article and Ishmael’s childhood recount.
Challenges:
“Where does a 14-year-old boy who never fired a gun before get the skill and the will to kill? Video games and media violence.”This statement may be true but I do not agree with this statement. The reason why I disagree is because not all fourteen-year-old boys are influenced just by video games, there can be many causes why a boy that age would be willing to kill. For example, environments can impact a young boys thinking and purposes. Environments such as “the hood” can impact a child’s thinking a lot because of what goes on like shootings, stabbings, street fights and etc. Another example for a cause could be a child’s troubles such as family problems, school problems and others. Such problems can lead to anger problems or depression, which effects one a lot and very intensely. Therefore, not only do video games and media violence affect fourteen-year-old boys thoughts on killing others, but also so do mental disorders, social troubles, and environmental surroundings/activities.
Concepts:
The most important key concept worth knowing would be how our world is connected with different types of violence. I chose this as worth knowing key concept because in the video, Ishmael talks about how he survived his childhood by numbing himself with drugs and killing others with no feelings, and in the article it states how innocent young boys believe what they see and get brainwashed by violent video games and media violence. Ishmael’s childhood story relates to our current world issues because children right now are forced to do the same in current wars and rebellions in order to stay alive. On the other hand, the article also relates to our current world because children, teenager, and adults are playing these violent video games and viewing media violence as entertainment. Thus, knowing relations of violence with the world is very important to know and recognize.
Changes:
Changes that happened in the video about Ishmael’s childhood life story turned out to be life changing for him and helped build his future. When he was a child, his family had been killed by an attack in their area and he was left all alone. Since he was alone, he had to find some way to survive. Surviving as in finding food, water, shelter, and avoiding being shot. This is when he decided the only way to live is to become a child soldier, and ever since then he was a child soldier. His role as a child soldier was to daily take stimulant drugs that would numb his feelings before going to kill other people. Rehab saved his life; a few workers from a rehabilitation center rescued him and tried erasing all those memories of killing people and his drug problem. He hated it there and misbehaved a lot until he found some worker at the center who understood him and listened to him. In total when he was rescued, that was a new chapter of his life where he also met a woman who adopted him and brought him to America. When Ishmael hit college, he started writing about his childhood , and that is where his writing journey began.
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