In an “Upfront Magazine” that was published on November 17, 2014 there was an article called, “Malala’s Mission”. This article was about a 15 year old girl, Malala who was a huge believer in the right of women education. In Pakistan, where she grew up, many Terrorists did not think women should be given the gift of an education because they did not want women to be powerful. In 2007, 400 schools for girls were burned to the ground. SImple human rights like listening to music and watching T.V. had been taken away as well.
Malala took matters into her own hands and begun protesting in 2008. She made posters and started riots. She basically did anything to be noticed. One day, Malala was on her way home from school and, “...two members of the Taliban [terrorist group] flagged down her school bus, and one of the men shot her in the head.” Fortunately, Malala survived and is now living in England with her family. However, it is crazy to think about how far some people will go for a bit of revenge. I think the two officers were angry that they had been proven wrong, girls can fight back. They also wanted to make a point to any other girls who had been thinking of protesting
It is very inspiring to see someone as young as Malala survive so much and make such a difference. After all, she was interviewed for Upfront Magazine, something so far away from her home town. Malala stated that “It’s important that teenagers take active roles in speaking up against injustice and inequality.” After this was stated, she makes a good point in that many teens do not think it is their job to take part in protest. I relate to this because I have always thought of myself as too young to make any sort of difference. I didn’t even see the point in trying. Malala has opened my eyes because she helped so many people see that girl’s education is a real issue in Pakistan.
It is cool to see Malala set high goals for herself. When Malala is asked about her plans when she goes back to Pakistan, Malala says, “I will start schools for my friends and the daughters and sons of our Nation”. Malala doesn’t say “I might” or “I may” but “I will”. I also like how Malala doesn’t wish to say anything hateful to the people who shot her (although she has every right to). She just wants them to know that girls have the right to have an education. It shows that Malala is strong.
A lack of an education is a lack of a human right because everyone deserves an equal education. A good education allows people to have many more job opportunities. They can also be more dependent on themselves. With qn education, girls can be individuals and not rely on husbands or family members to do everything for them. You can be aware about other things in the world and have the opportunity to become a better persein by reading books. It is unfair to take all of these things away from women because people are scared of them becoming too powerful. Women should have every male right.
Interview with Kris Kholer
Me: In our world, what are some things that you wish could be different? Why?
Kris: I wish that girls around the world had access to education. Equal access to education is a Human Right. Girls who are educated, often have less children or make different decisions about family planning. This is important because one of the major factors of global warming is an exploiting population.
I wish people would take climate change more seriously. I wish we would move away from fossil fuels
Me: How do you think we can make changes?
Kris: We can invest more in women and education. We can get people like Jay Z and Beyoncé to invest in education instead of things like Beer Companies.
People need to stop being in denial . It is so obvious, every year there is more and more extreme weather. Every year ocean temperatures are rising, glaciers are melting, and species are beginning to be extinct. Something very serious is going on.
Me: What are some small changes we can make as individuals?
Kris: Demand that our elected officials take action on important issues by pretesting. We need to get personally involved in causes that benefit the world. People need to get out and travel the world to see things first hand.
We can drive, consume, and waste less.
Me: What are some things that you enjoy about the world? Why?
Kris: I like that Nations are striving for democracy. Hopefully as Tyrants fall, a more fair and equitable system replaces them. Although if the Arab Spring is an indication, this isn’t always the case.
Me: How can people do more of these things?
Kris: The internet has opened up the world to open communication that wasn’t possible mere decades ago. Protests can be streamed live across the world and it hopefully inspires people to get involved.
Me: What is unfair about our world? Why?
Kris: I think it is unfair that large corporations steal land from farmers and poor people for resource extraction and production like they do in central and southern America. Another thing I think is unfair is that not everyone is the world has access to clean water and nutritious foods, medical care, and of course, education. It is also unfair that in many countries workers don’t have the right to bargain collectively for their wages and working conditions.
Response
I agree with most of the points that Kris Kholer brought up. It was interesting to hear her talk about people visiting 3rd world Countries to see what less fortunate people have to go through on a daily basis. This smart because hopefully after experiencing the hardships of so many people, visitors will want to make a difference. I also agree with Kholer in the sense that although the internet has ruined so many social experiences, it has provided many citizens with scarring video footage. The footage will encourage people to make a difference but it may also inspire people to participate in protests once if they watch one online.
After watching “Leave it to Beaver”, a T.V. show made in the 50s, I was not too surprised to notice several things. Firstly, everyone was white and probably christain. Throughout the full 22 minutes that I watched, there was one person who wasn’t a White American. She was a White but was Irish named Mirva and she was the Housemaid. All the girls and women we extremely skinny. They all had beautiful hair, occasionally in braids. They all wore beautiful dresses and facial expressions. This may teach a young girl that they are expected to wear dresses and be extremely skinny. In reality, this is false because many things go into your body type like ones genes and eating habits. It is unfair to encourage children to be something they might not be. The family was perfect. The parents never fought and rarely spoke harshly. This teaches kids that families are not supposed to fight. This is partially true however, it would make it even harder on a kid whose parents are perhaps getting a divorce. It might make them feel alone. I also noticed that the family in the T.V. show had a huge house with china and nice furniture. Also, the father was wearing a suit and tie. We can only assume that they make quite a bit of money. In the show, there were no gay couples and none of the boys wanted to wear aprons. This gives out the message that boys should act one way and girls should act another way. It also does not make being gay an option.
Dana Matthews Interview
Dana Matthews is an artist who lives Upstate New York. She likes to combine photography and paintings to make stunning artwork. One of her main inspirations is nature. Through her artistic development, she has grown a passion for helping the environment. From composting to protesting, Dana has done much for mother nature.
Me: What are some small things that you do everyday to help the environment?
Dana: I eat local foods and support local businesses. I also carpool with other people as much as possible. I don’t over heat my house in the winter. I compost and recycle. I never use plastic bags and avoid using plastic as much as possible. Whenever I need to print something, I use recycled paper.
Me: Have you ever gone to any protests? What were they like?
Dana:I have been to an anti-fracking protest and an anti-pipeline protest. We made signs and made lots of noise. It was about creating a scene so we could be noticed by targeted people.
Me: How long have you been interested in saving the environment?
Dana: As long as I can remember.
Me: How were you first educated about it?
Dana: I first learned about it in high school from different things that were happening in my neighborhood in the world landscape. People were cutting down trees.
Me: How does your art reflect the world and environment?
Dana: My artwork attempts to help people connect with nature. It is not a direct protest but it helps people familiarize themselves with it. The purpose of this is to make them not feel the need to destroy it.
Me: What messages does your art portray?
Dana: That the earth is out of balance. That nature is not separate from us. That human beings are an invasive species.
Me: Why do you feel it necessary to help the environment?
Dana: Because right now, nature is more vulnerable than it has ever been. We will not survive without it. We are codependent. If we save the environment, we save ourselves.
Me: What do you believe are major causes of climate change?
Dana: Human beings. Human activities. Human negligence. Human greed. Human ignorance.
Me: What are some things we can do to stop these things from happening?
Dana: Stop fossil fuels and focus on renewable energy resources.
“If You Miss Me From the Back of the Bus”--made in 1962
The first stanza explains that people should pay no attention to the rules about blacks not being able to ride at the front of the Bus. The second talks about going to any school they want. And the third talks about never being a slave again. The fifth stanza talks about pretesting, even if it puts them in jail and the sixth is about swimming in any pool anyone wants. The seventh is about getting any job and not letting the color of their skin interfire. This song is very hopeful. Some of the things mentioned may be a bit optimistic for the time period but that didn’t stop them from trying. This song is not about being an angry protester. It is about respecting yourself, and gaining respect for black people.
Observations at a ski lodge
- Most people are white
- A few Aisons
- One Black person and one Hispanic
- Most people are wearing fancy snow pants, jackets and equipment.
- Costs a lot of money to rent/buy equipment.
- There are only discounts for people who buy expensive passes
It is unfair that many families don’t receive the same opportunities as wealthier families. As much as I hate to admit it, a person’s race must affect the amount of money they make. At the Ski Lodge, there were mostly white people. Skiing is a very expensive activity and if many Black, Hispanic and any other race are not skiing, the two must relate. It is unjust that there are fewer things that people can do for fun if they do not make enough money. People who make less should be provided with discounts.
After watching an “All In With Chris Hayes” about a young African American boy, Tanir Rice who was shot dead by a white police officer, it made me think about the world we live in. It is crazy how people are being killed just for being a certain color at this day and age. The person who “witnessed” Rice said he was threatening people with a gun and the suspect was at least 20. When in reality, the kid was 12, was playing in the snow, and holding a fake gun. An officer came by and shot the boy dead. Because the officer is an officer, he can say many excuses about why he felt the urge to kill someone and get away with it. This is a national problem and people are starting to realize this. Now, there are many protesters scattered all around America fighting for racial justice. If I was one of Tamir’s family members, I would feel awful and angry. Why would anyone have the right to end Tamir’s life when he had done nothing to personally threaten anyone? Even if it was a real gone, why should anyone kill anyone period? I would feel very offended that someone of my culture was being killed basically for looking a certain way. People let nasty stereotypes cloud their judgement.
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