blog 6

My beliefs and thoughts on this unit are pretty simple. I think that GLBT is a individuals own preference. I think that even though I am a very much heterosexual person I have no problems with people who are gay. I think that they are regular people just like everyone else, but they just prefer men over women or women over men. It seems like the GLBT topics are very uncomfortable for some people because they don't like them/ are against them or people's own beliefs drive them to not care or away from the GLBT community. There are people in this world who would do anything to get the GLBT community out and illegal to marry, but there are also people who support them both gay and straight. I, myself, am not necessarily a supporter but I don't mind them as long as I'm not being hit on or something of that sort.

 In class we looked the Heterosexual quiz and the Feeling I got after taking it was that it seemed as though it was asking in a way of why aren't you gay. The questions presented like if it was in reverse and a straight person made it, it would sound like it was totally a choice and not natural at all to be gay. I don't people wake up one day and say I'm heterosexual or I'm gay. I believe it is something that develops and slowly comes about as an individual gets older and figures out who they are how they feel about things as a person. You also have very religious people who think anything that isn't heterosexual is a sin and those individuals who aren't will go to hell. These religious people boycott and really get out of hand when it comes to presenting their point. I think they actually turn people away and off from the things they say as well as how aggressive they present it. Even though they have the right to a religion and a freedom of speech, I think they should re-think there way of presenting their point to the public as well as the GLBT community.

blog 5

The two books that I've read are "The Bluest Eye" and "American Born Chinese." The two books compare to one another in many ways. They are similar to each other because they not only deal with racism but how different characters respond to it as well. It seemed like both books characters wanted to fit in, so they did things out of the ordinary or different that caused negative and positive consequences. For example in, "American Born Chinese" the monkey king wanted to be acknowledged and lean away from his true monkey self. In The Bluest Eye, Pecola wanted to have blue eyes, pink skin, and blonde hair, so she could just fit in and be pretty instead of ugly and black.

Both  create conversation about cultural identity, race, and privilege. Both books converse about cultural identity by, "The Bluest Eye" saying, blonde hair, blue eyes, and pink skin is successful, beautiful, and privileged and black is ugly.While, "American Born Chinese" says, being a monkey isn't fit for normal, just as being Asian or Chinese isn't good enough or beneath other races. The conversation of race that both books display is that different races don't mesh well, or being different do not go together when trying to have a relationship of some sort. Even if things are going well there's always someone from the outside looking in disapproving. The conversation being held on the topic of privilege is that both books seem to portray being white is the way to go, or is simply the most successful race as well as the most rewarded and powerful.

Both books share the theme that the characters want to be either changed or want to be rid of the race that is basically ruining their lives. For example in the book, "American Born Chinese" Danny wanted to get rid of his cousin Chin-Kee from China or Japan, because he always embarrasses him and rubs his friends the wrong way, which forces Danny to transfer every year after Chin-Kee visits. In " The Bluest eye," Pecola wanted to have blue eyes in order to fit in and be beautiful and not ugly, as other people called her. Both books show that the dominant race in each book held all the power. It was white people in "The Bluest Eye," and being a human and not a monkey, white and not Chinese or Asian in, "American Born Chinese."

The two videos we were assigned to watch were "Mirrors of Privilege" and "A Class Room Divided." In the first video "Mirrors of Privilege" It mostly showed testimonies of different people and  their experiences and issues of race. A lot of stories had to do with what they were raised to believe about white or black and stereotypes that what just embarrass others. My thoughts on these issues was that how could people be that mean and heartless to someone else just because they look different. One story that caught my attention was the guy who told the story about how a police chief actually said they were going to stop every black person in a ragout car, because he knows that there up to no good or their going to cause some trouble. That story caught my eye because that still goes on today. A lot of cops pull people over just because the color of their skin. It happens in my hometown as well as my teammates hometown's, and I don't think that will ever stop. I also not only think that racism exists but some deep parts in the south their is slavery, in some type of form, still going on as well. I think this is true because in today's society people are not only crazy, but cruel as well. They have no regard for others and some think they can do as they please. Another part of the movie that caught my attention was when a lady was talking about her Asian friend I believe. They were doing a play and the director was trying to get her to say french fries, but the way she wanted was like a " flinch flies" type of pronunciation. When the girl just said french fries the director repeatedly told her no, "flinch flies" and the girl ended up storming off. This was a very terrible stereotype to me and it reminded me of the book American Born Chinese in many ways.

   The second video was "A Classroom Divided," which was a third grade experiment on racism. The variables were eye colors in place of the skin color. I thought it was very interesting how the aftermath of grouping brown, blue etc... eyes together the result was mean things said to one another, crying, as well as fights breaking out just because someones eye color was different ten their own. The lesson in effect was whether they could handle being black or a color where they weren't accepted by others. My thoughts on both movies was that if I put myself into a situation where I was raised to hate other races and to discriminate against people, how would I end up as a person? Would I end up not only being a racist but, would I actually try to hurt someone else just because they look different than myself. I know that it is a choice whether you want to be racist or not , but if this way of thinking is stoned into you at since you were a child, how do you get out of that way of thinking? That is something to really think about especially when you are faulting others.

blog#3

     Hans Hubermann is a very interesting and well rounded individual. Even though he is claimed to be a background type of person, one who blends in the environment he is very talented as well. Hans was taught to play the piano and performed in local pubs for extra money in the winter. The biggest thing about Hans Hubermann is that he is a very kind and loving person. He has a good head on his shoulders and does the right thing. For example he teaches Liesel to read, which is Hans's foster daughter. He also comforts her and calms her down for example when she pees in the bed and she's scared because she doesn't want Rosa to find out, but Hans calms her down and keeps it a secret from Rosa to protect her.
      One of the big conflicts Hans faces is that he is very anti Nazi, and he catches major heat for this in his life. It ends up costing him his son who is very pro Nazi, his friends, and is drafted into the Wehrmacht army in order to protect his livelihood and his family. He is very much against war as well as the Nazi regime, but must endure it for the sake of his family. As a result of his beliefs his own son thinks he's very much a traitor. I think his perspectives are very right and I commend him on his beliefs because they are the right ones. I think Hans is simply doing the right thing, and even though he join the army it was for the safety of his family. I commend him on that also because it is a very bold and noble decision that had to be made for the sake of his family. I like Hans because he make good decisions, he's a loving person, and he strives to be the good good guy.
    

Prisoner on the Hell Planet (the comic within the comic)

       As I read Prisoner on the Hell Planet I couldn't help but to compare the story of the comic to Artie's life and the impact it had on his father Vladek as well. Artie used the same names of his family in his comic, which made his father cry when he finally read it. It also shows how Artie's mom was on pills and wanted to kill herself in real life as well as in his comic strip. Although, in the comic Artie says his mother was the reason he was in the state mental hospital, he never really explains why or the reasons he was put in there in the first place. In the comic Artie wrote I seemed everyone blamed Artie for her death just the because he was upset with her saying she was the reason he was in the state mental hospital. You can only wonder if that was the real reason she killed herself.
        In the story Prisoner on the Hell Planet I think visually the story depicts a more sinister world of depression, misery, shame, guilt, and sadness that is brought out more in the images and not the words. For example when the doctor tells Artie that his mother was dead and that she committed suicide, the images were horrible depicting this event. The images show the doctor with a big evil and sinister smile, kind of like he's happy to deliver this news. I think when we put both the words and the pictures together we learn more of how serious the events were, how Artie's dad loved and couldn't make it without his wife. It really captures and gives us a sense of how sad and depressing the story is. I also think it kind of makes you feel the emotions that are going on in the story as well.    

introduction

My name is Jamahn Mccollough and I'm a senior here at ship. I play on the football team and I am the captain of the defensivebacks. We are the defending PSAC championships and we're looking for a repeat year.  I am a communications/journalism major. One interesting thing about me is that I have been playing the African drums since I was about 5 years old. I like to watch movies, play sports, travel, and chill with females. I will be graduating in December as well.