I wanted to write a little about the movie "Winter's Bone." This was a wonderful movie and it had so many different things going on in it other than just the tracking down of her father who was a crank cooker. This movie shows a different side of class and gender roles.
The main character for one was amazing. Not only was the character female, but in my perspective, she was also the heroine in this film. Ree Dolly who was played by Jennifer Lawrence was a awesome character. She risks all including her life just to protect her home and her little sister and brother who looks up to her like a mother and the father who will protect them in a way. The sad part however is the fact Ree is only 17 and she has to play and start her adult life early. Regardless of her gender and age, the locals who are just a part of the missing of her meth cooking father as any beat her down physically and mentally. I do notice it is only a female getting beaten which could be a way of showing her submissiveness to us, but at the same time, if this role was a male, I would think the same would have happened. The main difference maybe however would be if it was a male, maybe there would not be the uncle coming to save the character just before they faced their demise. Possibly in Hollywood fashion, the male would have beaten his way out and got away unlike how Ree laid there and just took the beating and the threats. I also can look at this in a different perspective of maybe Ree is actually standing up and showing no fear which will show the gender bending of a female who needs help and cries for her life is non existent in this film. She takes the beating and never begs or pleads for her life. She still fights through words through the whole thing and I think if her uncle had not shown and she ended up being killed, she would have done this to the end. She truly is playing the stereotypical tough heroism role here.
Also, I can not watch this without seeing some class issues. You notice everyone in the film generally appear to be in a pretty low class environment with living in trailers and old broken homes that need allot of work. Most everyone drive an older beat up rusty vehicle. The people also do not seem to be the most educated individuals in my opinion. Maybe if they had the education they would not be cooking up meth. This area seem to be very poor and the people seem to be in some sort of poverty and high. This could just be how it may appear, but I think it is what we see. The drug use I believe is a way for them to not have to face their lives as it is, so they get high to avoid the truth.
I do enjoy the idea of this movie and thought it was a wonderful piece. I am happy to see such a great movie that appears to get very high ratings and this is directed by a female. We need more successful female directors and producers in Hollywood and I truly hope this video has some box office success. It deserves it and if it does not do as good as I think it could, then I will be sad and wonder if it is because of the male dominated Hollywood we know of.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
The Topp Twins Siff Review
I wanted to blog about the video I seen at Siff about Topp Twins. I for one wanted to say I really enjoyed the film and thought it was well made. I also want to see a full show when and if they ever come this way to do a performance.
I think it was great that they were able to do what they have and accomplish as much as they have with the fact that the two of them are women, and lesbian. They were out and proud and much of the media would not print that word, but I still sometimes wonder however if things would have been different for them if they were from here in the states and if they would have been just as successful. Would their challenges be tougher to overcome. Unfortunately when I think of homophobic countries, I generally put us on the top of that list.
During this time we know there was lots of protesting for many civil rights as well as the LGBT rights. The Topp Twins in my opinion definitely did allot for this community in New Zealand and here in the States. The two of them lead many of the marches in these protests. I do however find it interesting when gay rights were opened and given in New Zealand and the lesbian rights were non existent at first. I wonder if this could be part of the "male privilege." I do find it odd and it just shows another way lesbian women are more oppressed than gay men in the world.
The twins also go against the stereotypical "women role" in society. They are not house wives to their partners, or pink wearing "lady like." These two are outdoors, horseback riding, farmers. The two of them seem to not mind to get dirty and dress the farmer dress style. The two also bend many gender roles in their performances from the typical lady role to playing actual men. They also mock the class difference amongst society from the low class to the higher class. These two do it all and they truly are passionate about their art. I do look forward to hear they will be in Seattle and I hope it will be sooner than later.
I think it was great that they were able to do what they have and accomplish as much as they have with the fact that the two of them are women, and lesbian. They were out and proud and much of the media would not print that word, but I still sometimes wonder however if things would have been different for them if they were from here in the states and if they would have been just as successful. Would their challenges be tougher to overcome. Unfortunately when I think of homophobic countries, I generally put us on the top of that list.
During this time we know there was lots of protesting for many civil rights as well as the LGBT rights. The Topp Twins in my opinion definitely did allot for this community in New Zealand and here in the States. The two of them lead many of the marches in these protests. I do however find it interesting when gay rights were opened and given in New Zealand and the lesbian rights were non existent at first. I wonder if this could be part of the "male privilege." I do find it odd and it just shows another way lesbian women are more oppressed than gay men in the world.
The twins also go against the stereotypical "women role" in society. They are not house wives to their partners, or pink wearing "lady like." These two are outdoors, horseback riding, farmers. The two of them seem to not mind to get dirty and dress the farmer dress style. The two also bend many gender roles in their performances from the typical lady role to playing actual men. They also mock the class difference amongst society from the low class to the higher class. These two do it all and they truly are passionate about their art. I do look forward to hear they will be in Seattle and I hope it will be sooner than later.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Lie of being evil, and the truth of love
So, going more into the "norm" which society labels heterosexuality and then the "other," known to be homosexuality, I want to touch on a few things and my past that ties a bit into this. I also want to throw a bit of homophobia with this.
I can completely relate to the upbringing and how people are, what we consider "homophobia," because I once fell into that category as a kid. I was always brought up to be the man, and not cry (masculinity). I also was told what was rite and wrong in the view as majority of the nation as it may seem. I also would make gestures in a negative way and comment about homosexuality. In other words, I was like many heterosexual males.
My whole family brought me up to fear gay and lesbians and that gays have aids, rape, and will take advantage of me if I was alone in an area were I am vulnerable. Obviously, we all know how ridiculous this notion is.
I will also throw this one at you as well. I was also in the group of people who was looked at as gay. I was and still am today a heterosexual male, but what got many people to horas me and call me names such as homo and all the mean jokes about homophobia from my own friends was because I was a competitive ice dancer. I have done this most all my life till I was about 26 and now I will once in a while jump on for fun now. As you can imagine, growing up this could be a little tough, since were I grew up in Texas, people were very conservative.
I finally learned the truth on the gay and lesbian community and how the people really are. I had a new coach who was from England. During my parents divorce, he volunteered to take me under his wing and make sure I was in good care and away from all the issues around divorce I was going through. We did everything together and he really became like my bigger brother. He even enjoyed doing much of the outside things I did such as play sports and what not. One day, many months later, he finally came out to me once he felt it was time. I at first did not believe him since I knew he could not be gay since he was not sick, trying to touch me, or rape me (as I was always brought up to believe)and he was married. Come to find out, his wife was a lesbian and she married him to help get his citizenship. This is probably why he was careful about telling me to soon. I actually got to know him and really enjoyed having him around as a friend. After the initial shock and I finally believing it, I really started to question him about everything since as it was at that moment, everything I thought was far from the truth. I asked how, and he told me that it was not like that and explained it to me as well as many other questions.
After this, I found out most the friends that were his and we hung out with and I enjoyed their company were gay and lesbian. I really started to open up to this and am really glad he opened up my way of thinking and showed me the true side and perspective on this. I would never be able to have had the friends I do now if I never met this guy and still today we keep in touch. He is still with his partner that he met sixteen years ago when I was living with him. They are still as happy as the day they met and very successful as well.
Today I am probably one of the most open minded people and a strong supporter of gay rites. I go to many clubs with my friends and my awesome girlfriend who is just as opened minded as I am. I also have many really close friends that I would never have had if I never met my friends those many years ago. I now find myself truly bless.
So, with all this being said, the views of many in our society and the negative notations towards Lesbians and Gay males, do not only hurt those people that are ridiculed, it also can hurt us as the ones truley missing out knowing some great people. There is a lesson to be learned here and people really need to open up and come together. Do not judge others, and be happy for their happiness. You can look at it this way, those people that some ridicule and do not except know who they are and have figured out happyness. Many people in their shoes and even in the straight community are still trying to figure out who they are. We are all alike in many ways and no one is better or less of a person because of their sexual orientation.
I can completely relate to the upbringing and how people are, what we consider "homophobia," because I once fell into that category as a kid. I was always brought up to be the man, and not cry (masculinity). I also was told what was rite and wrong in the view as majority of the nation as it may seem. I also would make gestures in a negative way and comment about homosexuality. In other words, I was like many heterosexual males.
My whole family brought me up to fear gay and lesbians and that gays have aids, rape, and will take advantage of me if I was alone in an area were I am vulnerable. Obviously, we all know how ridiculous this notion is.
I will also throw this one at you as well. I was also in the group of people who was looked at as gay. I was and still am today a heterosexual male, but what got many people to horas me and call me names such as homo and all the mean jokes about homophobia from my own friends was because I was a competitive ice dancer. I have done this most all my life till I was about 26 and now I will once in a while jump on for fun now. As you can imagine, growing up this could be a little tough, since were I grew up in Texas, people were very conservative.
I finally learned the truth on the gay and lesbian community and how the people really are. I had a new coach who was from England. During my parents divorce, he volunteered to take me under his wing and make sure I was in good care and away from all the issues around divorce I was going through. We did everything together and he really became like my bigger brother. He even enjoyed doing much of the outside things I did such as play sports and what not. One day, many months later, he finally came out to me once he felt it was time. I at first did not believe him since I knew he could not be gay since he was not sick, trying to touch me, or rape me (as I was always brought up to believe)and he was married. Come to find out, his wife was a lesbian and she married him to help get his citizenship. This is probably why he was careful about telling me to soon. I actually got to know him and really enjoyed having him around as a friend. After the initial shock and I finally believing it, I really started to question him about everything since as it was at that moment, everything I thought was far from the truth. I asked how, and he told me that it was not like that and explained it to me as well as many other questions.
After this, I found out most the friends that were his and we hung out with and I enjoyed their company were gay and lesbian. I really started to open up to this and am really glad he opened up my way of thinking and showed me the true side and perspective on this. I would never be able to have had the friends I do now if I never met this guy and still today we keep in touch. He is still with his partner that he met sixteen years ago when I was living with him. They are still as happy as the day they met and very successful as well.
Today I am probably one of the most open minded people and a strong supporter of gay rites. I go to many clubs with my friends and my awesome girlfriend who is just as opened minded as I am. I also have many really close friends that I would never have had if I never met my friends those many years ago. I now find myself truly bless.
So, with all this being said, the views of many in our society and the negative notations towards Lesbians and Gay males, do not only hurt those people that are ridiculed, it also can hurt us as the ones truley missing out knowing some great people. There is a lesson to be learned here and people really need to open up and come together. Do not judge others, and be happy for their happiness. You can look at it this way, those people that some ridicule and do not except know who they are and have figured out happyness. Many people in their shoes and even in the straight community are still trying to figure out who they are. We are all alike in many ways and no one is better or less of a person because of their sexual orientation.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
To be Disabled...Masculinity and Sexuality and true identity.
So, we went over disability and race as well as sexuality and masculinity. I figure I will try to go over some if not all. I can not help, but think of how people with disabilities have felt during the pre 1900's. People today are still dealing with a lot of ableism today, but then it was to an extreme. Many of the people with disabilities were exploited to entertain the able bodied people. We see movies about this and probably read stories and seen some form of still art. These exploitations were called "Freak Shows," and most were there to be laughed at, some beaten, and to fulfill some of our sick curiosities. Many were seen as immoral or sinful, even evil or possessed. I try to imagine myself in this same time with a disability, and it really saddens me how cruel and evil man itself can be. I know I am in my own opinion privileged for my able body and I will never know the true horror and ridicule and how it feels as the people with disability do, but I can definitely feel for them in that sense.
I then look at people I know in wheelchairs or with a mental illness or anything seen as other than normal and I respect them, not because they are disabled and I feel I should in pity, but I respect them for the every day life they have to live. I respect them for pushing forward and doing their best to not let society get to them and tell them they can’t, yet as we know, they can. I then respect them for them and who they are personally. I think many people almost forget people in wheelchairs or people with a mental disability are less than human and they tend to treat them in that way. Maybe not out rite, but you can tell by their actions or the way they may stair in shock or disbelief. Then I think of how hard it may be for the disabled white man and see how tough they have it and try to really feel how it may feel being a disabled black man/woman, a woman, gay, or lesbian to name a few. How about if more than one was to interject with each other?
Now this is were I remember reading the story about Sharon who was in a head on collision and how she became paralyzed due to it. She was a lesbian with her commited partner Karen. Karen was with Sharon through the time of recover in the hospital and nursed Sharon the best she could when she was visiting. Karen more than likely knew more about Sharon and her needs than anyone else, but that did not stop Sharon's family from taking full guardianship and making it impossible for Karen and Sharon to see each other. They would say Sharon can not think for herself, or do anything for herself. They put Sharon in a home were she did not get the proper treatment for her recovery and all this in my opinion is because they did not want to let Karen see Sharon. I think if Karen was a man, then everything would be different. If The two were not in love with each other and commit ed partners, things would have been different. I believe many things would have been different. It took over three years for Karen to finally see Sharon again and over Eight years of lawsuits and court to finally get guardianship for Sharon even though Sharon clearly stated that she wanted to be with Karen.
Then you look at the story about a disabled person who made a porn video. I think what she did, was great and more need to do things like this. Not necessary everyone make a porn video, but something. Ideas like this are very productive in our society and for those who are disabled or anyone that can be looked at as "the other" in my personal opinion. It really saddened me to see towards the end of this story that a woman with a disability came to the disabled gay porn actor who was a woman as well to say "Thank you." She was so happy to see the video and thought it was never possible for people like her to be sexual or many people with disabilities are told they will never have a romantic relationship.
As far as disability and masculinity, I found it very interesting how it showed this in the movie "Murder Ball." I think most of the men in this film who were quadriplegic showed a lot of masculinity. The men all talked about girls as men tend to do whether the content is respectable or not, they showed a very competitive edge and even violence at times. Joe was a very tough loving father to his son and I find it funny in a way that the way I see his son, I see his son wanting to make his dad proud and I felt that the son feels he will never live up to his dads expectations and be as good as his father. One of the biggest things I noticed that the worry about sex and if they could still be active was one of the biggest concerns. This was very important to them. Most of these signs here on the men with disabilities show they still maintain their masculinity. If anything, they show more in ways to compensate for their disability. The actions and their doings mentioned are all different signs for masculinity.
So, I did a little more search on this and I found this clip that I got from You Tube from the MSP(The Men's Story Project)The presenter is, Leroy Franklin Moore Jr. discussing race, masculinity, sexuality and disability. Leroy Moore himself has a disability and is a black man. Watching this to me really hit it home for me and think you may appreciate it as well. Here is the video clip from his spoken word at the event and I was able to find the actual poem/spoken word he read from below the video.
man to man talk
hey you, stop stop i’m right behind you
i’m black like you my brother
yeah, the black cripple
look at me. look at me
hear this. hear this
but lets go back. born DOA, dead on arrival
caused lack of oxygen to the brain
CP cerebral palsy POC person of color
big black football player, my dad
in the waiting room, didn’t like the doctor’s news
men in white suits pumping my chest, eyes opened
welcome to the living leroy
my life
black and disabled
home was stable
adults thought i was unable
like pennies i have been
flipped dual identities
my two communities don’t want me
felt like i was homeless
my childhood haunts me
children were ruthless
racism & ableism created a mask
i continue to see single black mothers with their disabled sons
husbands gone. could not deal
mothers strong. had to be real
black disabled boys from broken homes
lingering questions. did dad leave because of me?
girlfriends not a reality
women want my advice but can’t see me as a mate
black disabled men are in a stalemate
will i die a single man?
but it’s another cold night
the isley brothers singing between the sheets
while black disabled men sleeping on the streets
sex education came from the lusty lady
it’s a lonely world
self –empowerment, self love, putting society’s attitudes on the shelf
black sisters don’t know what they are missing
she, a black woman
me, a black disabled man
we were trained to fear, compete and not talk to one another
is this why all my intimate relationships are with white women?
race plus disability divided by sexuality = huh?
i was 3\5 of a person
with a disability i’m not even on the goddamn scale
disability & masculinity? can we talk?
black masculinity has to make room for my body
ask teddy pendergrass
the black stallion of the 70’s & 80’s
regained his sexuality as a wheelchair user
now that is the true strength of a man
black disabled and masculine
morris day, what time is it? somebody bring me a mirror
cause i know i’m fine
masculinity mixing with femininity
i came from a woman and a man
my sexuality goes deeper from what you can see
but you treat me like ralph ellison’s invisible man
bumping up against our shadows
it took twenty years to walk with my head up
saying black is beautiful and
disability is gorgeous
too sexy for society’s straight jacket
wearing my sexuality on my sleeve
my body, mind and soul stepping into the spotlight
you see society tries to put me down
but you can’t keep a good man down
this is a message to all my black disabled brothers
feel your masculinity and step into your sexuality
brothers, it’s time we all had a man-to-man talk”
I then look at people I know in wheelchairs or with a mental illness or anything seen as other than normal and I respect them, not because they are disabled and I feel I should in pity, but I respect them for the every day life they have to live. I respect them for pushing forward and doing their best to not let society get to them and tell them they can’t, yet as we know, they can. I then respect them for them and who they are personally. I think many people almost forget people in wheelchairs or people with a mental disability are less than human and they tend to treat them in that way. Maybe not out rite, but you can tell by their actions or the way they may stair in shock or disbelief. Then I think of how hard it may be for the disabled white man and see how tough they have it and try to really feel how it may feel being a disabled black man/woman, a woman, gay, or lesbian to name a few. How about if more than one was to interject with each other?
Now this is were I remember reading the story about Sharon who was in a head on collision and how she became paralyzed due to it. She was a lesbian with her commited partner Karen. Karen was with Sharon through the time of recover in the hospital and nursed Sharon the best she could when she was visiting. Karen more than likely knew more about Sharon and her needs than anyone else, but that did not stop Sharon's family from taking full guardianship and making it impossible for Karen and Sharon to see each other. They would say Sharon can not think for herself, or do anything for herself. They put Sharon in a home were she did not get the proper treatment for her recovery and all this in my opinion is because they did not want to let Karen see Sharon. I think if Karen was a man, then everything would be different. If The two were not in love with each other and commit ed partners, things would have been different. I believe many things would have been different. It took over three years for Karen to finally see Sharon again and over Eight years of lawsuits and court to finally get guardianship for Sharon even though Sharon clearly stated that she wanted to be with Karen.
Then you look at the story about a disabled person who made a porn video. I think what she did, was great and more need to do things like this. Not necessary everyone make a porn video, but something. Ideas like this are very productive in our society and for those who are disabled or anyone that can be looked at as "the other" in my personal opinion. It really saddened me to see towards the end of this story that a woman with a disability came to the disabled gay porn actor who was a woman as well to say "Thank you." She was so happy to see the video and thought it was never possible for people like her to be sexual or many people with disabilities are told they will never have a romantic relationship.
As far as disability and masculinity, I found it very interesting how it showed this in the movie "Murder Ball." I think most of the men in this film who were quadriplegic showed a lot of masculinity. The men all talked about girls as men tend to do whether the content is respectable or not, they showed a very competitive edge and even violence at times. Joe was a very tough loving father to his son and I find it funny in a way that the way I see his son, I see his son wanting to make his dad proud and I felt that the son feels he will never live up to his dads expectations and be as good as his father. One of the biggest things I noticed that the worry about sex and if they could still be active was one of the biggest concerns. This was very important to them. Most of these signs here on the men with disabilities show they still maintain their masculinity. If anything, they show more in ways to compensate for their disability. The actions and their doings mentioned are all different signs for masculinity.
So, I did a little more search on this and I found this clip that I got from You Tube from the MSP(The Men's Story Project)The presenter is, Leroy Franklin Moore Jr. discussing race, masculinity, sexuality and disability. Leroy Moore himself has a disability and is a black man. Watching this to me really hit it home for me and think you may appreciate it as well. Here is the video clip from his spoken word at the event and I was able to find the actual poem/spoken word he read from below the video.
man to man talk
hey you, stop stop i’m right behind you
i’m black like you my brother
yeah, the black cripple
look at me. look at me
hear this. hear this
but lets go back. born DOA, dead on arrival
caused lack of oxygen to the brain
CP cerebral palsy POC person of color
big black football player, my dad
in the waiting room, didn’t like the doctor’s news
men in white suits pumping my chest, eyes opened
welcome to the living leroy
my life
black and disabled
home was stable
adults thought i was unable
like pennies i have been
flipped dual identities
my two communities don’t want me
felt like i was homeless
my childhood haunts me
children were ruthless
racism & ableism created a mask
i continue to see single black mothers with their disabled sons
husbands gone. could not deal
mothers strong. had to be real
black disabled boys from broken homes
lingering questions. did dad leave because of me?
girlfriends not a reality
women want my advice but can’t see me as a mate
black disabled men are in a stalemate
will i die a single man?
but it’s another cold night
the isley brothers singing between the sheets
while black disabled men sleeping on the streets
sex education came from the lusty lady
it’s a lonely world
self –empowerment, self love, putting society’s attitudes on the shelf
black sisters don’t know what they are missing
she, a black woman
me, a black disabled man
we were trained to fear, compete and not talk to one another
is this why all my intimate relationships are with white women?
race plus disability divided by sexuality = huh?
i was 3\5 of a person
with a disability i’m not even on the goddamn scale
disability & masculinity? can we talk?
black masculinity has to make room for my body
ask teddy pendergrass
the black stallion of the 70’s & 80’s
regained his sexuality as a wheelchair user
now that is the true strength of a man
black disabled and masculine
morris day, what time is it? somebody bring me a mirror
cause i know i’m fine
masculinity mixing with femininity
i came from a woman and a man
my sexuality goes deeper from what you can see
but you treat me like ralph ellison’s invisible man
bumping up against our shadows
it took twenty years to walk with my head up
saying black is beautiful and
disability is gorgeous
too sexy for society’s straight jacket
wearing my sexuality on my sleeve
my body, mind and soul stepping into the spotlight
you see society tries to put me down
but you can’t keep a good man down
this is a message to all my black disabled brothers
feel your masculinity and step into your sexuality
brothers, it’s time we all had a man-to-man talk”
Thursday, May 6, 2010
The myth of you cant....The reality of you can...class in America
Class in America is a very interesting matter when you truly think about it. I find it is at times not very apparent and I would have to say this is because the fact we do not even put ourselves in a position were we may know the upper or lower than our group standing in class. I do wonder how it is we do surround ourselves with people in similar class issues. Then there are a few of us who do not look at a class and stick our nose up at the lower and look up to a class higher.
Some instance of class can be because of privileges they are born with, being their family, race, and principals. Then we would have to also mention that oppression can be a big factor in being in a lower percentage of class. I wonder why people tend to avoid the class issues as I understand from our readings. I also wonder why class such as wealthy and poverty are viewed as one of several natural inevitable states of being.
I believe education is tougher to get for some than it is for others. I also believe some people have more obstacles to overcome than others, and maybe the advantage is of the wealthy class, but why should it always be this way? I also know that people i low class can achieve greatness and get out of the so called poverty state with hard work and persistence. I know myself and from others, our upbringing, or family does not trap us in the state of poor or even wealth. I feel that anyone given any situation or obstacles can achieve better than they are given. I do not believe that for some it is impossible to be better and to raise from the ground to the sky. I think everyone has the opportunity to do whatever they want. Granted, for some of us, it may be a tougher path and take a little longer, but I believe and know that we can be equal to the one given everything and in the upper class upbringing. Its all about hard work, and not taking no and you cant for an answer. One thing that really gets me is those people who are in the poverty state and still spending all they have just about on items they do not need. I see people who pay top dollar for these expensive designer clothes and expensive cars and puts all their earnings in customizing them or what not. Here is were we are seen as a middle class country and were it does mention we have the best dress poverty. Some of the people are in poverty for a reason and for a few, its because they are not wise.
I am a personal story on this and I started from no were in the streets as a teen and now I am in the upper middle as you would say and gaining. I will not stop till I am were I want to be. Nothing and no one will tell me I cant to it. I been told much of my life I will never amount to anything and I have. I done a lot in my life, seen the world, lived all over the country and joined the Navy. To make this clear though, I have seen more and lived in more places without the Navy than I have in the Navy. The Navy was my way to be here today. To get that education that I need to be were I want. In my own opinion, everyone has options and choices to make. It is how you go about it and what you do consistently to better yourself.
I also want to add the flip side to this. Many who are brought up wealthy and given everything and end up with millions or more can go the other way and end up in poverty. This has happened to many. I seen and know a few who have had it all and just blew it. They were not smart and thought they had nothing to ever worry about and they get lazy and not do anything to stay on top. I believe if you are made in that sense, you still have to be smart, careful, and in some instances work just as hard to stay there or before you know it, you will end up next door to your gardener.
So, I know we went over media and the Horatio Alger Myth which is were the little guy can end up big and the sky is the limit. I still hold on to that value myself, and I truly believe people can do just about anything if they just try and never give up and do whatever it takes in their power to succeed. I love seeing the films were the little guy is bettering himself and getting to the top.
I see myself in that position as that guy who started on the bottom through my life. I never thought I would be doing what I wanted, and here I am now in school, interning on a huge local radio show, with great potential to get hired on from how some been talking to me and talking me up for my hard work. Everything I have pursued in my life, I have accomplished. People who have known me since the beginning are very shocked with what I have accomplished. Again, from hard work and never backing down.
I will leave off here before I keep going. I can truly do pages and just about a novel on this, but I will spare the reader for now. Remember, just because you are given nothing with everything thrown against you, it does not mean you cant succeed and raise to the next class and beyond. This is a lazy and scared way of thinking. Just do it, don't talk about it.
Some instance of class can be because of privileges they are born with, being their family, race, and principals. Then we would have to also mention that oppression can be a big factor in being in a lower percentage of class. I wonder why people tend to avoid the class issues as I understand from our readings. I also wonder why class such as wealthy and poverty are viewed as one of several natural inevitable states of being.
I believe education is tougher to get for some than it is for others. I also believe some people have more obstacles to overcome than others, and maybe the advantage is of the wealthy class, but why should it always be this way? I also know that people i low class can achieve greatness and get out of the so called poverty state with hard work and persistence. I know myself and from others, our upbringing, or family does not trap us in the state of poor or even wealth. I feel that anyone given any situation or obstacles can achieve better than they are given. I do not believe that for some it is impossible to be better and to raise from the ground to the sky. I think everyone has the opportunity to do whatever they want. Granted, for some of us, it may be a tougher path and take a little longer, but I believe and know that we can be equal to the one given everything and in the upper class upbringing. Its all about hard work, and not taking no and you cant for an answer. One thing that really gets me is those people who are in the poverty state and still spending all they have just about on items they do not need. I see people who pay top dollar for these expensive designer clothes and expensive cars and puts all their earnings in customizing them or what not. Here is were we are seen as a middle class country and were it does mention we have the best dress poverty. Some of the people are in poverty for a reason and for a few, its because they are not wise.
I am a personal story on this and I started from no were in the streets as a teen and now I am in the upper middle as you would say and gaining. I will not stop till I am were I want to be. Nothing and no one will tell me I cant to it. I been told much of my life I will never amount to anything and I have. I done a lot in my life, seen the world, lived all over the country and joined the Navy. To make this clear though, I have seen more and lived in more places without the Navy than I have in the Navy. The Navy was my way to be here today. To get that education that I need to be were I want. In my own opinion, everyone has options and choices to make. It is how you go about it and what you do consistently to better yourself.
I also want to add the flip side to this. Many who are brought up wealthy and given everything and end up with millions or more can go the other way and end up in poverty. This has happened to many. I seen and know a few who have had it all and just blew it. They were not smart and thought they had nothing to ever worry about and they get lazy and not do anything to stay on top. I believe if you are made in that sense, you still have to be smart, careful, and in some instances work just as hard to stay there or before you know it, you will end up next door to your gardener.
So, I know we went over media and the Horatio Alger Myth which is were the little guy can end up big and the sky is the limit. I still hold on to that value myself, and I truly believe people can do just about anything if they just try and never give up and do whatever it takes in their power to succeed. I love seeing the films were the little guy is bettering himself and getting to the top.
I see myself in that position as that guy who started on the bottom through my life. I never thought I would be doing what I wanted, and here I am now in school, interning on a huge local radio show, with great potential to get hired on from how some been talking to me and talking me up for my hard work. Everything I have pursued in my life, I have accomplished. People who have known me since the beginning are very shocked with what I have accomplished. Again, from hard work and never backing down.
I will leave off here before I keep going. I can truly do pages and just about a novel on this, but I will spare the reader for now. Remember, just because you are given nothing with everything thrown against you, it does not mean you cant succeed and raise to the next class and beyond. This is a lazy and scared way of thinking. Just do it, don't talk about it.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
The Native Oppression and lies..
So, after the previous weeks readings, I still feel like I would like to cover some more issues with Native Americans and brush up on natives on film. I always had a deep respect and appreciation to the Natives and I feel very connected with them in some form. I have a small amount of native blood myself, but I do pride myself on that. I always wondered why it is natives have been so oppressed and not very noticed in our society. I feel we still do not give them the freedoms and the respect they truly deserve. What would have happened if it was the Natives that sailed to the Americas while being greeted by the whites? Would they be at the same position they are today? I I know this is a bit far fetch of a question, but I do think this at times if the table was turned in many different situations in life. How is it for many years U.S. filmmakers looked at the Natives as the “other” and show them as savages. What have they done wrong other than maybe in the beginning try to protect their land?
U.S. policies toward natives as stated in the text during the nineteenth century were to relocate them onto reservations to contain them. I picture cowboys herding cattle. The Native Americans did not seem to be looked at any higher of respect as that cattle either. In fact, the cattle probably got treated better. The natives were stripped from their homes and those who tried to fight back for their property caused the Government to go to war against them even though in my opinion, the U.S. was at wrong here and the natives did nothing that anyone else would not do in this situation. The text also mentions some less obvious tactics against the natives was delivering small-pox infected blankets as a charity front and they would hunt buffalo to near extinction which was means of clothing and food.
Many movies you seen and film even portrayed Natives as animalistic savages. Even today, in the film Apocalypto, they show them being beyond savages. They show two sides however. In the book it mentions that the Mayan culture found itself in war with itself. The movie shows a very peaceful tribes being wiped out by the more violent ones to be used as human sacrifices. I feel this film regardless of showing the better side as well, puts in the heads of our young who may not know the difference and maybe some of the less educated that this is a norm for natives. When a movie shows the Natives to be on a more positive side, much of the time it is because they are to help the white man as we mentioned in class. Tonto being an example was the “dumb,” but loyal Native sidekick to the Lone Ranger. In the text, it even says that Tonto in Spanish means “crazy.” Another way to take the positive image and still give the native a bad name.
More often than not, the Indian was shown in a negative light on film as the bloodthirsty savage that has no education and will come rape and kill. For example, the text mentioned that whenever Hollywood Westerns distinguished a specific Indian nation, they would name and depict the tribes that fought back against the white encroachment. This is one way the Sioux and Apache tribes were seen as violent heathens. The Hollywood Indian is what we see as an image with the native having a headband. This has become a major trademark for natives even though the headband is not Native American at all in the real world. The headband was branded as native because in the Hollywood films, actors needed to keep their wigs on. Every Native American carried a bow and arrow, wore feathered headdresses and smoked peace pipes in their tee-pee. How many Native Americans do you see walking around the street or in a store with a headdress and a bow and arrow in hand? I do not think you will ever know, and much of the time you would not even pick them out from a crowd today .
U.S. policies toward natives as stated in the text during the nineteenth century were to relocate them onto reservations to contain them. I picture cowboys herding cattle. The Native Americans did not seem to be looked at any higher of respect as that cattle either. In fact, the cattle probably got treated better. The natives were stripped from their homes and those who tried to fight back for their property caused the Government to go to war against them even though in my opinion, the U.S. was at wrong here and the natives did nothing that anyone else would not do in this situation. The text also mentions some less obvious tactics against the natives was delivering small-pox infected blankets as a charity front and they would hunt buffalo to near extinction which was means of clothing and food.
Many movies you seen and film even portrayed Natives as animalistic savages. Even today, in the film Apocalypto, they show them being beyond savages. They show two sides however. In the book it mentions that the Mayan culture found itself in war with itself. The movie shows a very peaceful tribes being wiped out by the more violent ones to be used as human sacrifices. I feel this film regardless of showing the better side as well, puts in the heads of our young who may not know the difference and maybe some of the less educated that this is a norm for natives. When a movie shows the Natives to be on a more positive side, much of the time it is because they are to help the white man as we mentioned in class. Tonto being an example was the “dumb,” but loyal Native sidekick to the Lone Ranger. In the text, it even says that Tonto in Spanish means “crazy.” Another way to take the positive image and still give the native a bad name.
More often than not, the Indian was shown in a negative light on film as the bloodthirsty savage that has no education and will come rape and kill. For example, the text mentioned that whenever Hollywood Westerns distinguished a specific Indian nation, they would name and depict the tribes that fought back against the white encroachment. This is one way the Sioux and Apache tribes were seen as violent heathens. The Hollywood Indian is what we see as an image with the native having a headband. This has become a major trademark for natives even though the headband is not Native American at all in the real world. The headband was branded as native because in the Hollywood films, actors needed to keep their wigs on. Every Native American carried a bow and arrow, wore feathered headdresses and smoked peace pipes in their tee-pee. How many Native Americans do you see walking around the street or in a store with a headdress and a bow and arrow in hand? I do not think you will ever know, and much of the time you would not even pick them out from a crowd today .
Whale Rider, AOF Chapter 5, and Indigenous stories overview....Quiz alternative
While watching the movie "Whale Rider" I noticed a few things in this film. For one, I know its not important, but I noticed that Pai wore a head band. This I would possibly consider what we may call a "Hollywood Indian" image since I remember that the headband is actually a white mans addition to the Indian image due to the fact that they needed something to keep their wigs on. I was kind of wondering why they would have the character Pai wear one for her traditional showcase of her people in front of them.
I also notice how women are looked as inferior to men in their culture from how grandpa would treat Pai. No matter how much she would prove herself to her grandpa and show that what the boys could do, she could do better. The scene were she beat out the boy fighting and grandpa seen that, that boy who was originally looked as the top prospect to become the next chief or leader of the tribe all of a sudden was looked down to as an inferior man and a failure. He was casted away from the trails and could no longer become the leader if he was to win out the spot. Grandpa still over looked Pai because she was a female. He never seemed to accept her and seemed he wished it was her rather than the boy that died when she was born , so he could make him the new leader when he grew up. Pai had to risk her life and nearly die to prove herself to her grandpa.
I do connect this story as more of an Indian Story since it portrays the Native (who is of New Zealand) as actual real people and not these uneducated savages out to scalp their enemies. Just an observation. They were not seen as the "other." You can compare this to a Native American Story teller, that speaks to the people and really brings you into the Maori culture. I truly felt I had a peak into their life and their history. We seen a lot of traditions of their old ways that they still hold on to.
I did notice that they seemed to be segregated from the rest of the world or their country of New Zealand. I am not sure if this is because they chose to keep away from the rest of the world to maintain their more traditional ways so they do not assimilate. You may think maybe because they are seen as the "other" and they have been segregated, but this is hard to believe being that New Zealand is very supportive and has embraced its indigenous culture. If it was here in the United states were only about 1% of the population is native, you can believe it would be because of the "other" image. We have as a nation oppressed the natives to were they are today. In New Zealand were the population is 15% they have really grasped the idea and they are teaching some Maori language in many schools there. This makes you think that, what if the native population here in the states were the same breakdown as they are in New Zealand . Would the U.S. population be more supporting and embrace the Native culture as they did in New Zealand, or would we still be were we are today?
I also notice how women are looked as inferior to men in their culture from how grandpa would treat Pai. No matter how much she would prove herself to her grandpa and show that what the boys could do, she could do better. The scene were she beat out the boy fighting and grandpa seen that, that boy who was originally looked as the top prospect to become the next chief or leader of the tribe all of a sudden was looked down to as an inferior man and a failure. He was casted away from the trails and could no longer become the leader if he was to win out the spot. Grandpa still over looked Pai because she was a female. He never seemed to accept her and seemed he wished it was her rather than the boy that died when she was born , so he could make him the new leader when he grew up. Pai had to risk her life and nearly die to prove herself to her grandpa.
I do connect this story as more of an Indian Story since it portrays the Native (who is of New Zealand) as actual real people and not these uneducated savages out to scalp their enemies. Just an observation. They were not seen as the "other." You can compare this to a Native American Story teller, that speaks to the people and really brings you into the Maori culture. I truly felt I had a peak into their life and their history. We seen a lot of traditions of their old ways that they still hold on to.
I did notice that they seemed to be segregated from the rest of the world or their country of New Zealand. I am not sure if this is because they chose to keep away from the rest of the world to maintain their more traditional ways so they do not assimilate. You may think maybe because they are seen as the "other" and they have been segregated, but this is hard to believe being that New Zealand is very supportive and has embraced its indigenous culture. If it was here in the United states were only about 1% of the population is native, you can believe it would be because of the "other" image. We have as a nation oppressed the natives to were they are today. In New Zealand were the population is 15% they have really grasped the idea and they are teaching some Maori language in many schools there. This makes you think that, what if the native population here in the states were the same breakdown as they are in New Zealand . Would the U.S. population be more supporting and embrace the Native culture as they did in New Zealand, or would we still be were we are today?
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