Right now, I am reading Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets( well, re-reading. And yes, dear readers, I abandoned the second book of The Luxe series.) by J.K. Rowling. While thinking about social issues that surface in the book, I didn't realize the very obvious one.
In the second book of the Harry Potter series, Harry is introduced to the wizarding world's version of racism. In the world of magic, there are three classifications of wizard: pure-blood, half-blood, and muggle-born. Pure-bloods descend from two magical parents. Half-bloods have one magical parent and one non-magical one (a muggle.) Muggle-borns come from two muggle parents. Now, who you were born from has no influence on your magical talents, but some people believe that pure-bloods are the superior race. Some pure-bloods believe that the magical world should only be composed of their kind.
I think J.K. Rowling meant this social issue in the book to reflect on social issues in the real world as they are today. The pure-blood dominated society of Harry Potter is meant to reflect instances throughout human history when one group of people persecuted another because of differences in race, gender, or religion; specifically, maybe the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S., where black people were discriminated against and had to fight for their rights after being enslaved for centuries, or the Holocaust, where the Jewish were rounded up and slaughtered. One character in the book, Hermione Granger, is a muggle-born and extremely intelligent. Yet Draco Malfoy, a pure-blood, frequently shows her cruelty and makes it clear how she disgusts him. At one point in the book, Malfoy calls Hermione a mudblood, which is a horrible name for a muggle-born. This use of words to hurt people reminds me of names given to countless people through history when they were thought too inferior to be considered people.
Friday, November 25, 2011
Writing Assignments for Social Awareness: Assignment Two
"Where Is The Love?"
What's wrong with the world, mama
People livin' like they ain't got no mamas
I think the whole world addicted to the drama
Only attracted to things that'll bring you trauma
Overseas, yeah, we try to stop terrorism
But we still got terrorists here livin'
In the USA, the big CIA fightin'
The Bloods and The Crips and the KKK
But if you only have love for your own race
Then you only leave space to discriminate
And to discriminate only generates hate
And when you hate then you're bound to get irate, yeah
Madness is what you demonstrate
And that's exactly how anger works and operates
Man, you gotta have love just to set it straight
Take control of your mind and meditate
Let your soul gravitate to the love, y'all, y'all
People killin', people dyin'
Children hurt and you hear them cryin'
Can you practice what you preach
And would you turn the other cheek
Father, Father, Father help us
Send some guidance from above
'Cause people got me, got me questionin'
Where is the love (Love)
Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love
The love, the love
It just ain't the same, always unchanged
New days are strange, is the world insane
If love and peace is so strong
Why are there pieces of love that don't belong
Nations droppin' bombs
Chemical gasses fillin' lungs of little ones
With ongoin' sufferin' as the youth die young
So ask yourself is the lovin' really gone
So I could ask myself really what is goin' wrong
In this world that we livin' in people keep on givin'
in
Makin' wrong decisions, only visions of them dividends
Not respectin' each other, deny thy brother
A war is goin' on but the reason's undercover
The truth is kept secret, it's swept under the rug
If you never know truth then you never know love
Where's the love, y'all, come on (I don't know)
Where's the truth, y'all, come on (I don't know)
Where's the love, y'all
People killin', people dyin'
Children hurt and you hear them cryin'
Can you practice what you preach
And would you turn the other cheek
Father, Father, Father help us
Send some guidance from above
'Cause people got me, got me questionin'
Where is the love (Love)
Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love, the love, the love?
I feel the weight of the world on my shoulder
As I'm gettin' older, y'all, people gets colder
Most of us only care about money makin'
Selfishness got us followin' our wrong direction
Wrong information always shown by the media
Negative images is the main criteria
Infecting the young minds faster than bacteria
Kids wanna act like what they see in the cinema
Yo', whatever happened to the values of humanity
Whatever happened to the fairness in equality
Instead of spreading love we're spreading animosity
Lack of understanding, leading lives away from unity
That's the reason why sometimes I'm feelin' under
That's the reason why sometimes I'm feelin' down
There's no wonder why sometimes I'm feelin' under
Gotta keep my faith alive till love is found
Now ask yourself
Where is the love?
Where is the love?
Where is the love?
Where is the love?
Father, Father, Father help us
Send some guidance from above
'Cause people got me, got me questionin'
Where is the love?
Sing wit me y'all:
One world, one world (We only got)
One world, one world (That's all we got)
One world, one world
And something's wrong wit it (Yeah)
Something's wrong wit it (Yeah)
Something's wrong wit the wo-wo-world, yeah
We only got
(One world, one world)
That's all we got
(One world, one world)
This is a song by the Black Eyed Peas. As well as being very catchy, the lyrics talk about a lot of different social issues. The overall theme of the song is that all of the bad things that happen in the world... there is no need for them. That all of the love, peace, and unity seems to have vanished off the face of the planet. People do evil things every day and there's no point. The song says that the way some people act, they must've been raised horribly. The first stanza mentions terrorism, racism, and gang violence. I think the line
"Overseas, yeah, we try to stop terrorism
But we still got terrorists here livin',"
means that while we're focusing on the people who we define as evil in other countries, ours is suffering from contamination on the inside. All kinds of people with bad intentions slip by, and the country isn't doing enough to stop it.
I think this song also discusses the influence of modern media on the younger generations. Kids, we watch movies, television, go on the computer, and read magazines that all try to shape us into something different that they can market. But it goes to our brains and makes us act a certain way.
"Wrong information always shown by the media
Negative images is the main criteria
Infecting the young minds faster than bacteria
Kids wanna act like what they see in the cinema"
They're saying that the well-being of the country and the human race is endangered if it's up to the generation sculpted by false ideas. . If you only teach yourself to accept your own race, gender, or whatever, then you will never fully understand what equality means. If we could all look past our differences, the love would come back, and the world would be a better place for it.
What's wrong with the world, mama
People livin' like they ain't got no mamas
I think the whole world addicted to the drama
Only attracted to things that'll bring you trauma
Overseas, yeah, we try to stop terrorism
But we still got terrorists here livin'
In the USA, the big CIA fightin'
The Bloods and The Crips and the KKK
But if you only have love for your own race
Then you only leave space to discriminate
And to discriminate only generates hate
And when you hate then you're bound to get irate, yeah
Madness is what you demonstrate
And that's exactly how anger works and operates
Man, you gotta have love just to set it straight
Take control of your mind and meditate
Let your soul gravitate to the love, y'all, y'all
People killin', people dyin'
Children hurt and you hear them cryin'
Can you practice what you preach
And would you turn the other cheek
Father, Father, Father help us
Send some guidance from above
'Cause people got me, got me questionin'
Where is the love (Love)
Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love
The love, the love
It just ain't the same, always unchanged
New days are strange, is the world insane
If love and peace is so strong
Why are there pieces of love that don't belong
Nations droppin' bombs
Chemical gasses fillin' lungs of little ones
With ongoin' sufferin' as the youth die young
So ask yourself is the lovin' really gone
So I could ask myself really what is goin' wrong
In this world that we livin' in people keep on givin'
in
Makin' wrong decisions, only visions of them dividends
Not respectin' each other, deny thy brother
A war is goin' on but the reason's undercover
The truth is kept secret, it's swept under the rug
If you never know truth then you never know love
Where's the love, y'all, come on (I don't know)
Where's the truth, y'all, come on (I don't know)
Where's the love, y'all
People killin', people dyin'
Children hurt and you hear them cryin'
Can you practice what you preach
And would you turn the other cheek
Father, Father, Father help us
Send some guidance from above
'Cause people got me, got me questionin'
Where is the love (Love)
Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love, the love, the love?
I feel the weight of the world on my shoulder
As I'm gettin' older, y'all, people gets colder
Most of us only care about money makin'
Selfishness got us followin' our wrong direction
Wrong information always shown by the media
Negative images is the main criteria
Infecting the young minds faster than bacteria
Kids wanna act like what they see in the cinema
Yo', whatever happened to the values of humanity
Whatever happened to the fairness in equality
Instead of spreading love we're spreading animosity
Lack of understanding, leading lives away from unity
That's the reason why sometimes I'm feelin' under
That's the reason why sometimes I'm feelin' down
There's no wonder why sometimes I'm feelin' under
Gotta keep my faith alive till love is found
Now ask yourself
Where is the love?
Where is the love?
Where is the love?
Where is the love?
Father, Father, Father help us
Send some guidance from above
'Cause people got me, got me questionin'
Where is the love?
Sing wit me y'all:
One world, one world (We only got)
One world, one world (That's all we got)
One world, one world
And something's wrong wit it (Yeah)
Something's wrong wit it (Yeah)
Something's wrong wit the wo-wo-world, yeah
We only got
(One world, one world)
That's all we got
(One world, one world)
This is a song by the Black Eyed Peas. As well as being very catchy, the lyrics talk about a lot of different social issues. The overall theme of the song is that all of the bad things that happen in the world... there is no need for them. That all of the love, peace, and unity seems to have vanished off the face of the planet. People do evil things every day and there's no point. The song says that the way some people act, they must've been raised horribly. The first stanza mentions terrorism, racism, and gang violence. I think the line
"Overseas, yeah, we try to stop terrorism
But we still got terrorists here livin',"
means that while we're focusing on the people who we define as evil in other countries, ours is suffering from contamination on the inside. All kinds of people with bad intentions slip by, and the country isn't doing enough to stop it.
I think this song also discusses the influence of modern media on the younger generations. Kids, we watch movies, television, go on the computer, and read magazines that all try to shape us into something different that they can market. But it goes to our brains and makes us act a certain way.
"Wrong information always shown by the media
Negative images is the main criteria
Infecting the young minds faster than bacteria
Kids wanna act like what they see in the cinema"
They're saying that the well-being of the country and the human race is endangered if it's up to the generation sculpted by false ideas. . If you only teach yourself to accept your own race, gender, or whatever, then you will never fully understand what equality means. If we could all look past our differences, the love would come back, and the world would be a better place for it.
Response to Articles on Social Awareness
The links above are to two opposing articles I read about abortion. The first is slightly more objective, but still pro-choice for women’s rights. The second is written by a man who is a director for a group that is protesting abortion. Both discuss the 26th amendment to the Constitution, which is being debated in Mississippi. The amendment would define fertilized eggs as people with rights. Abortion would then be considered murder. Most people think that the amendment will be passed in Mississippi, because it is supported by most of the population and the state’s officials. The first article argues that passing the amendment would significantly reduce the power of women’s rights. It says it would threaten women’s health, and also ban some types of contraception. The second article claims that abortion is murder of innocent lives and that it is violating the Constitution. I’m going to argue both sides, right now.
I believe that the right to abort a fetus is the choice of the mother. Yes, the baby is a form of life. However, having that baby could ruin the mother’s life and possibly endanger her health. The fertilized egg has no feeling, it does not know it is alive. If the pregnant woman decides it is in her best interest to abort the child, who is anyone to argue? It’s her body, her life. I don’t think abortion should even be up for public discussion. Abortion, like any other medical procedure, is private, and between the patient and the doctor. If there was no point in aborting the baby, I would say let it live on. But there are women out there who need their lives back. Which would you sacrifice—the life of an unborn child, or that of a breathing, thinking, feeling woman?
Abortion of a fetus could be considered murder of an innocent being. That child doesn’t even know how to make its own choices, and yet some people want to get rid of it before it has the chance to. Yes, sometimes unplanned pregnancies are damaging to the life of the mother. However, do you honestly think that if the child could voice its opinion, it would support being slaughtered just to save its mother that it hardly knows some difficulty? It is the pregnant woman’s actions that got her the fetus. It seems criminal to just cover up your misjudgment when it involves killing a baby.. Criminals are sent to jail, not executed. Some of them have done unthinkable things. The child did nothing wrong, save being created, and here its chances to prove itself are being snatched away.
What are your thoughts on the matter? I’d love to hear your opinion and discuss it with you. Please leave a comment below!
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Two-Voice Poem: Social Action Partnered
I AM DIFFERENT.
Growing up with two dads, I always felt different from the rest.
I always saw myself a little differently.
I FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE TELLING MY PARENTS HOW I FEEL.
I can never have girl talk with my dads.
They would never understand.
I DON'T FIT IN WITH MY FAMILY.
I see people differently.
People see me differently.
THEY CAN'T SEE PAST HOW I LOVE.
They are trying to understand, and that's why I love them.
They don't know how to understand, but I love them.
This is a poem I wrote with my classmate, Israt. We wanted to write a poem about the social issue of sexual orientation. A two-voice poem has two narrators. Both read the main idea (in caps lock). Then the first person reads the italics and the second reads what's underlined.
In this poem, the first character is a girl who lives with her two gay dads. She feels unattached from her family and doesn't know how to talk to them about what she feels. She also feels like she's different from other kids her age who have "normal" families--a mom and a dad. But she loves her parents and knows that one day, they will accept her.
The second character is a boy, the same age as the other girl in the poem. He is gay and doesn't know how to express himself to his mom and dad. He feels like he can't tell his parents anything, and feels also like he's different and weird, not like everybody else. He's striving for acceptance too, but he doesn't know where to begin.
Growing up with two dads, I always felt different from the rest.
I always saw myself a little differently.
I FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE TELLING MY PARENTS HOW I FEEL.
I can never have girl talk with my dads.
They would never understand.
I DON'T FIT IN WITH MY FAMILY.
I see people differently.
People see me differently.
THEY CAN'T SEE PAST HOW I LOVE.
They are trying to understand, and that's why I love them.
They don't know how to understand, but I love them.
This is a poem I wrote with my classmate, Israt. We wanted to write a poem about the social issue of sexual orientation. A two-voice poem has two narrators. Both read the main idea (in caps lock). Then the first person reads the italics and the second reads what's underlined.
In this poem, the first character is a girl who lives with her two gay dads. She feels unattached from her family and doesn't know how to talk to them about what she feels. She also feels like she's different from other kids her age who have "normal" families--a mom and a dad. But she loves her parents and knows that one day, they will accept her.
The second character is a boy, the same age as the other girl in the poem. He is gay and doesn't know how to express himself to his mom and dad. He feels like he can't tell his parents anything, and feels also like he's different and weird, not like everybody else. He's striving for acceptance too, but he doesn't know where to begin.
Two-Voice Poem: Social Action
I WISH FOR MANY THINGS.
I wish for clean water.
I wish I had a camera for my laptop.
I WANT A BETTER LIFE.
If I was rich, I could send my little brother to school.
If I was popular, I would have a date to prom.
I DON'T WANT TO BE HERE ANYMORE.
In the place of poor, broken souls.
In this boring ditch of a town.
I WANT
Somebody to help me carry this weight.
Everybody to leave me alone.
This is a poem I wrote about social action. This particular two-voice poem is centered around two teenagers who are each in their own kind of crisis. The first lives in poverty, and has no money for food or to provide for their family. The second lives in a small suburban town and feels trapped and bored. This poem really a poem about different people's interpretation of hopelessness.
I wish for clean water.
I wish I had a camera for my laptop.
I WANT A BETTER LIFE.
If I was rich, I could send my little brother to school.
If I was popular, I would have a date to prom.
I DON'T WANT TO BE HERE ANYMORE.
In the place of poor, broken souls.
In this boring ditch of a town.
I WANT
Somebody to help me carry this weight.
Everybody to leave me alone.
This is a poem I wrote about social action. This particular two-voice poem is centered around two teenagers who are each in their own kind of crisis. The first lives in poverty, and has no money for food or to provide for their family. The second lives in a small suburban town and feels trapped and bored. This poem really a poem about different people's interpretation of hopelessness.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)