Treatment

Simply speaking: finding chemicals used to create bombs is never a really a good thing.
Also simply speaking: deciding how to treat suspected insurgents is not an easy task.

If this were my team of soldiers...

-I would confiscate all of the chemicals found under the floor tiles.
-The people found in the house would be transported to a holding location nearby.
-At the holding location, a translator would be provided for anyone who could not speak English.
-I would have my team ask questions at first, to see if any information could be discovered immediately.
-If the suspected insurgents either refuse to answer questions or give completely false information, a very minute amount of torture will be administered (such as wall stands).  This, however, would be the harshest treatment given until other information is gathered from other outside sources.
-While the suspected insurgents are held, I would assign a K9 team of dogs to capture the scent of the chemicals used to make the bombs.  The unit would hopefully sniff out the other location.
-If, and only if, the K9 unit fails to do its job, a heavier amount of torture (such as sleep deprivation) would be administered to gain further information.
-If no information is gained it may be assumed that the people are innocent, or they may be kept in a holding site for as long as it is necessary (until the other chemicals are located).

Simply speaking: this is incredibly hard just to think about, let alone write a blog about because of the urgency of the situation.

A short term repercussion could be not finding the bomb factory at all because of the somewhat slow, but relatively humane (as humane as torture gets!) process of interrogation.  This puts countless lives in danger.

A long term repercussion could be an even worse relationship with the country involved.  If we are already in the country discovering bomb factories and intruding in the lives of citizens, after news of the interrogation and torture leak out, the relationship can only get worse.

Declaration/Response

The United States was definitely using its intimidating power of intention to impress on Germany that it would physically stop them from infringing on the rights of other people. As a new global leader, the United States had huge resources, which included men, ships and submarines, to stop Germany’s aggression.  The United States, confirmed by the democratic process (Congress and the President), along with its allies, would protect the rights of people around the world, and place peace as its final objective.
            It appears that Germany rejected the Declaration of War by the United States as illegal; rationalizing the war was between Europe’s nation states.  Germany felt that the United States was arrogant, and had overstepped its boundaries by getting involved with its war with England.  Germany, as a righteous powerful nation, had a legal path to its own destiny without the influence of others. 

Seesaw of Questions: Wikileaks

            The recent release of United States of America’s classified information, by Mr. Julian Assange of Australia, has stimulated more questions than answers regarding his actions.
            In consideration of the positive aspects of the release of this type of sensitive, governmental communication:

-        Will the information released encourage the government to amend its policies of keeping communications secret?

-        Will it inspire politicians to use all legal avenues of resolution before resorting to illegal or immoral decisions?

-        Will citizens of the USA feel they have more power in offering their opinions and ideas to politicians?

-        Will other countries follow the lead of countries that keep all information open for public scrutiny?

-        Will sharing information provide a platform for peace and understanding between nations?

-        Will these leaks enhance the lives of the people it affects?

In consideration of the negative aspects of the release of this type of sensitive, governmental communication:

-        Will the information released cause damage to the relationships the United States has with other countries?

-        Will the damage be so severe that it starts a war?

-        Will it motivate other countries to enhance their security so leaked information is virtually impossible?

-        Will it only affect democratic countries?

-        Will politicians, whose motives were noble, be castigated?

-        Will people be able to separate personal opinions with actual policy?

-        Will these leaks harm the lives of people it affects?

-        Will the world be a safer, more peaceful place?

In consideration of the motivations of Julian Assange:

-        Is Julian Assange a “sanctimonious opportunist?” (K.J. New Mexico, New York Times, December 2010

-        Is Julian Assange intellectually brilliant, but emotionally unstable?

-        Is Julian Assange creditably concerned about open access to government communications? 

-         Is Julian Assange considering the affect his actions have had on a global scale?

-        Is Julian Assange going to release other nation’s secret documents on the same scale as the United States releases?

-        Is Julian Assange prepared to take responsibility for the reactions his actions have created?

-        Is Julian Assange a creator of havoc or of peace?

As long as there are human beings inhabiting the earth, human beings will make mistakes.  Learning from mistakes and using them to better the world brings about peace.  Julian Assange is playing Creator with the lives of many people for better or for worse.  Will he be first in line at the nuclear bunker?

Greetings from the Front

Today’s younger generations would go through withdrawal symptoms if they had to communicate strictly by snail mail.  Instantaneous information, drawn from multiple sources, is at everyone’s fingertips.  Phones are turning into mini-computers, and even images, photographic or drawn, can be sent and received in a moment.  Waiting for an older computer to boot up can cause serious frustration! 

The letters from World War I were sent by mail and this caused many an anxiety disorder.  The letters from FM McKiernan at Camp Gordon, to Mrs. C.U. Scripture of Mils, Maine contained information that pointed to the problems of this type of communication during such a stressful event as WWI.

First would be the actual reliability of the mail service.  Never knowing if a letter was received would be a serious consideration.  Would this mean anything other than the letter was lost or would it mean something more serious of the writer from the war, such as injury, missing in action, captured, or dead?  Not receiving a letter from home would be just as agonizing to a soldier as this could possibly mean there are family problems.

Letters were the only way to receive and send information.  As in the case of McKiernan, he was trying to comfort the mother of his bunkmate, who she hadn’t heard from for awhile.  Even though he assured her that her son was probably ok, and possibly better off than himself, he still brought up the possibility of injury.  In was impossible for people to help one another in a timely way.

Finally, not being able to provide instantaneous emotional support and/or comfort to a grieving loved one would be a huge disadvantage to such slow news.  Hearing horrific, and sometimes good, news without being able to share it with another person can be quite discomforting. Overall, being able to communicate information quickly can be quite advantageous.

Nature Vs Nurture: An End to the War? – Nature Via Nurture: Genes, Experience and What Makes Us Human, Matt Ridley, 2004, Gale Group

Heartbreak Gallipoli

            The loss of human life in Gallipoli was staggering.  The survivors haunted by memories of terror.  Politicians, far removed from the battlefield, were playing a game of Risk with life that wasn’t theirs.  From the movie trailer, Gallipoli (2005) Trailer, there are several scenes and narrative that provide clues as to why there were so many casualties.
            Motivation would be at the top of the list of reasons.  Britain was trying to protect its imperialistic empire and was using the call of duty (ironic re: weekly article) as a selling point to enlist as many people as possible.  With patriotic hearts in hand, thousands and thousands joined the fight, only to find a resting spot for life in a foreign country.  The rows and rows of cemetery crosses, illustrated in the trailer, detail this fact.
            Similar to our present day struggle in Afghanistan, the terrain and natural elements of the Turkish state made it very difficult for the British to maneuver and provide enough supplies for their troops to survive and work efficiently.  The Turkish army definitely had the strategic advantage of knowing their harsh and unforgiving surroundings and was able to better prepare their troops.  Britain’s troops were thrown into the unknown.  The natural beauty of this area, that the trailer exemplifies, was not conducive to the replenishment of supplies, or the style of military maneuvers, that were used to defeat the enemy.
            Apparent throughout the movie trailer were the rounds and rounds of mortar fire and machine gun attacks that pummeled soldiers at every turn.  The machine gun was invented in 1884 and was manufactured and readily available for this war.  Using what was modern weaponry at the time with outdated strategic tactics turned Gallipoli into a slaughter house.  A similar problem faced the British during the Revolutionary War.  They were very slow to adapt to the “gorilla” warfare of their enemy.
            The impact of the tremendous loss of human life was a strategic tragedy as well as a societal tragedy.  With so many soldiers dying in this specific conflict, Britain was unable to replenish troops in any of its other battlefronts.  When every person that could be enlisted was already in other battlefields killing or dying, Britain’s own boundaries were at risk of being invaded.  Turkey sustained huge causalities, as well, but was not stretched as thin strategically.

Socially, Britain’s loss of young, predominately male life would affect their ability to replenish its population.  Britain would experience diminished power around the world and the power to propel its own economy. There would be a lack of people able to work productively in any career, such as farming, manufacturing…etc.  There is no measurement capable of extracting the emotional toll human losses, such as those in Gallipoli, can take on a population.  The grieving would be beyond words.  How does a nation recover and rebuild such a weakened population?

Reality: The Game Does Exist

“Lifting one veil of ignorance immediately reveals a number of new veils” – Matt Ridley
            The question of why Call of Duty exists supersedes the question of should it exist.  Why the game exists leads to the very basic question of whether human behavior is controlled by nature or nurture.  Obviously, this question is HUGE and still being vigorously debated.  New evidence suggests, however, that a transition between the two is evolving.  Humans, uniquely, have the capacity to accumulate information across time and space.  Stored knowledge and an increased understanding of the role genes play in human behavior will be the “only antidote to mankind’s destructive tendencies.” (Ridley, 2004)
            Should Call of Duty exist?  The answer calls for access to humankinds shared information regarding the role genetics play to overcome that violent inclination and choosing the moral willingness to follow a path to peace.  Christopher Gilbert, in his article Ready to Do Violence: War Games or Simply Modern Warfare quotes Kenneth Burke: “getting along with each other – not fighting, defaming, victimizing or killing each other – is the essence of the good life.”  There is always hope that mankind will choose the good life.
            Culturally, Call of Duty has a right to exist.  This type of glorification of violence is common place in all types of media.  Freedom of expression is constitutionally guaranteed. Whether reading a book, watching a movie or viewing the news on television, violence is served up as entertainment.  To ban it in one form would require banning it in all forms.  In all forms of communication, it is also virtually impossible to stop young people from being exposed to information, or actions that are not age appropriate.  Call of Duty is rated for mature audiences, but demand comes from younger consumers as well.  It is not the game, but the parent’s obligation to expose their children to appropriate material.
            Morally, Call of Duty should be revisited.  As Gilbert remarks, “war is not clean” and it is impossible to reflect the actual reality of blood being shed, body parts being blown away, homes being destroyed and the deaths of victims and their families.  Portraying a human decision, that involves those actions as entertainment, desensitizes the actual cost to life.   There is no physical or emotional price for the player to pay.  The more exposure younger generations have to these types of video games, the more acceptable it seems for life to follow fantasy.
            Thinking that Call of Duty is “just a game” does not justify its existence.  There is a reset button to start the game over, but there is no button for communication and negotiation with the enemy.  There is no nation rebuilding button or a button for renewing and reviewing “our collective senses of community, of humanity, of war.”  There is no alternative to the violence.  One only has to think of the game Monopoly to understand that games do have an impact.  As we increasingly live in a society where winner takes all, and there is less compassion or empathy for anyone else, does that game seem so innocent?

Hawaii Tweets

Queen Liliuokalani:

In dreams and on the streets, my people have spoken: stay strong, lead, right the wrongs.

01/14/1892 5:35AM

Queen Liliuokalani:

The eternal strength of my brother, King Kalakava, will guide my actions against outside interests. The Monarchy will reign.

01/14/1892 10:00AM

Queen Liliuokalani:

My constitutional declaration postponed! Cabinet strongly opposed my wish. Are the enemies so numerous?

01/14/1892 2:10PM

Queen Liliuokalani:

Intuition warns of interlopers. Forces beyond my control may dictate my actions. I fear for the future.

01/14/1892 8:00PM

Queen Liliuokalani:

Challenged! Committee of Safety will block my constitution. I am accused of “revolutionary act.”

01/15/1892 8:00AM

Queen Liliuokalani:

Warship, USS Boston, in Harbor. Will they hinder or help my actions? Must contact John Stevens American Minister.

01/15/1892 8:30AM

Queen Liliuokalani:

Options: declare martial law and risk bloodshed or surrender my throne? Sleep will not come easily.

01/15/1892 7:00PM

Queen Liliuokalani:

My brave, loyal supporters in Palace Square.  Betrayers meet in the armory.

01/16/1892 8:15AM

Queen Liliuokalani:

US troops have landed! Camped beside palace. Protesting these actions! No bloodshed, please!

01/16/1892 5:45PM

Queen Liliuokalani:

Protest ignored. Sanford Dole becoming President. Betrayed us! Will title ever belong to Princess Ka’iulani?

01/16/1892 6:20PM

Queen Liliuokalani:

Dole officially accepts Presidency. Our nation and ancestors mourn.

01/16/1892 7:05PM

Queen Liliuokalani:

No sleep. Nation in severe jeopardy of losing sovereignty to puppet govt. Greedy US politicians led by Lorrin Thurston.

01/17/1892 5:45AM

Queen Liliuokalani:

Provisional govt. led by Dole recognized by Minister Stevens. I will protest to the end.

01/17/1892 10.00AM

Queen Liliuokalani:

Loyal subject’s smuggled guns discovered. One man shot by police. Thankfully no others hurt.

01/17/1892 2:30PM

Queen Liliuokalani:

Proclaimation: end of my reign, beginning of provisional govt.

01/17/1892 3:00PM

Queen Liliuokalani:

Enemy troops ready. Will only yield my throne under protest. Will US govt. restore monarchy and sovereignty?

01/17/1892 6:35PM

Queen Liliuokalani:

Royal guards have surrendered. Peaceful acceptance of new govt. my people…

01/17/1892 8:05PM

Queen Liliuokalani:

Despair…US flag flies over govt. building. I await word from US govt. from my private quarters.

01/17/1892 8:30PM

Taiwan’s Giant Big Brother

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704648604575620023484722744.html

War Clouds over Taiwan, November 17, 2010, by J. Michael Cole

            Known formerly as Formosa, which means “beautiful island” in Portuguese, Taiwan has had anything but a beautiful national identity.  Imperialism, both political and economic, has scarred this paradise for centuries.  Recent events in 2010 suggest that the chess game for the Taiwanese territory is far from over.

            Taiwan is currently claimed by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as a political state of their country, while Taiwan claims its own independent status.  Economically, China is especially interested in Taiwan for its recent transition into a financial powerhouse.  It has been called one of the Four Asian Tigers, along with Singapore, S. Korea, and Hong Kong, because of its quick industrialization and rapid technological growth.  Taiwan has weathered the global recession and remains tied economically with China through massive trade deals and investments.  Similar language and culture make the economic ties especially strong.  Taiwan also harbors many of the well-educated and wealthy Chinese who fled to the island when the communist PRC won the civil war on the Chinese mainland.

            WWII and the Chinese Civil War provide the stepping stones China uses as evidence that Taiwan is their territory.  The Japanese ceded Taiwan in 1945 at the end of WWII in accordance with their surrender, but Taiwan was never officially ceded to any nation in particular.  When Chiang Kai-shek fled to the island with his defeated ROC countrymen, they claimed the island was under the Republic of China umbrella and separate from the PRC.  Relations between the two countries have been extremely strained since that time, although the economic benefits of trade have dampened some of the independent spirit of Taiwan. 

For China, having Taiwan back in the fold would save the political “face” it feels it lost at the end of WWII with Japan.  The island of Taiwan also has strategic military importance as China expands its reach into the surrounding ocean.  The Taiwan Strait, which runs between China and Taiwan, is a major shipping route for oil and other cargo.  Taiwan, along with South Korea, is also the only piece of democracy which is flanked by communist China and its nuclear neighbor North Korea.  Taiwan has received military and economic aid from numerous countries, including the United States, to protect its democratic status. Unfortunately, as global funds dry up, China exerts more and more political pressure on the small country, including obvious military threats.

Tensions remain high in this area of the world, especially with nuclear capabilities in the hands of so many nations.  China’s aggressive, imperialistic actions toward “Formosa” are being watched carefully by the global community.

FoxNews: Your Consistent Source for Yellow Journalism

Health Care Rationing Czar Runs from Reporter

http://nation.foxnews.com/

11/18/10

            A classic Fox News Network technique: report information out of context to create fear among a conservative audience.  In this case the headline is suggesting that Dr. Donald Berwick, head of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, is actually running away from an innocent reporter to escape revealing any “secret” information regarding Obama health care legislation.  After watching the video and reading the accompanying news blurb, it appears that Dr. Berwick had made a remark regarding the redistribution of wealth to create a “just” and “humane” health care funding plan in 2008.  The reporter was insistently asking misleading questions regarding that statement.

            The redistribution of wealth comment was made two years ago and was distinctly Dr. Berwick’s opinion; it does not have any bearing on the current health care legislation.  With this headline, Fox News was specifically targeting an audience that reacts vehemently to the thought of the redistribution of wealth in this country.  This is the same type of outlandish reporting used by Hearst and Pulitzer to sell their newspapers to people before the Spanish American war.  It was clear that Dr. Berwick was on his way to a meeting and the reporter was badgering him with questions as he walked to his destination.  Dr. Berwick was not running anywhere from anyone.

            The headline did elicit these comments, which were posted below the story:

If czars don't make policy, why are they testifying on Capitol Hill? This whole thing is a scam and an end-around to get away with having radical communists and socialists put in positions of power where they can do permanent damage to our country's interests in favor of furthering the "cause" of true world socialism and the dictatorship of the ruling-class in our time.”

Defund, then repeal, end of story! Berwick can go to hades along with the rest of Obama's marxist pals. 
We the People are awake and will fight to restore our Republic. 

I think it would be a very bad decision if they decide to pull the plug on my parents simply because they made the choice. This decision is not up to them.

           

            The CEO of Fox News is Roger Ailes, a successful Republican political consultant.  Fox News Corporation is owned by Australian/American media mogul Rupert Murdoch.

Point of View

School of Americas:                                                   Al-Qaeda:

- Established 1946, Panama                                       - Established 1988/89 Afghanistan

- Trains military operatives                                       - Trains military operatives

- Funded by U.S., Multinational                                - Funded by Islamic banks, Middle

   Corporations, Latin American States                        Eastern States

- Promotes specific ideology, economic status quo  - Promotes specific ideology

- Methods: torture, rape, assassination,                     - Methods: torture, rape,

   murder                                                                        assassination, murder

- Victims: Govt. leaders, innocent civilians              - Victims: Govt. leaders, innocent

                                                                                        civilians

The Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, formerly known as the School of Americas, is fundamentally the same type of organization as Al-Qaeda.  The United States rationalizes and defends the WHISC because it safeguards U.S. interests, yet hypocritically vilifies Al-Qaeda for using the same strategies.  Peace and basic human rights will only be spread by example and education.  The United States must strongly lead the world in this direction using non-violent methods and respecting the human rights of all.

Apocalypse Now!

“I love the smell of Napalm in the morning” – Colonel William “Bill” Kilgore

            From the movie: Apocalypse Now!

            Vietnam could be the poster child for Imperialism.  The country’s heritage is rich with foreign powers angling for total control.  The ending of Vietnam’s imperialistic story is extremely tragic; it’s simply called the Vietnam War.  Apocalypse Now!, a movie released in 1979, takes a microcosmic look at the Vietnam War on a personal level, with symbolic references to previous imperialistic history.

            Understanding the movie requires reviewing Vietnam’s history.  The first outside people to venture into the area were Catholic French missionaries. They were followed closely behind by the French military, which overwhelmed the Vietnamese with their military power.  They declared the territory a French colony using the necessity for a militarily strategic location, the beneficial spread of capitalism, and international trade benefits as justifications for their occupation.  Meanwhile, they exploited Vietnam’s natural resources and treated its people with distain, keeping them in poverty.

            From 1871 to 1940 the French declared the whole area French Indochina.  This area included Cochinchina (South Vietnam, including Saigon), Tonkin (North Vietnam), Annam (Central Vietnam), Cambodia and Laos.  In 1940 the French gave the Japanese access to Tonkin, which they used to their advantage in WWII.  In 1945, after the Japanese surrendered, the French tried to reinsert themselves into its former territory. However, continuous fighting with the communist Viet Minh, led by Ho Chi Minh’s Democratic Republic of Vietnam, led to a partitioning of the country during the 1954 Geneva Convention.  Vietnam was split into two countries. North Vietnam remained communist and was supported by China and the Soviet Union. South Vietnam was called the Republic of Vietnam, supported by the U.S., Britain, and France.  Cambodia and Laos were separated into separate countries.

            The Geneva Convention also called for a general election to be held in 1956 to finally unify the country.  Before the election millions of North Vietnamese moved to the south and only an estimated 10,000 moved to the north. The United States, at this time, was heavily invested in the interests of South Vietnam and its strategic location among the Cold War countries.  Fearing the “domino effect”, of one country becoming communist after another, the United States, using the Gulf of Tonkin incident, sent troops to Vietnam.  The fighting escalated, more troops from the United States were sent to Vietnam in 1960 and the war spread to neighboring Cambodia and Laos.

            Apocalypse Now!, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, revolves around the character of Captain Benjamin Willard who is sent on a secret mission into Cambodia.  Willard must eliminate a renegade war hero, Colonel Walter E. Kurtz, who has set up his own war operations in the heart of the jungle.  Coppola uses Willard’s foray into the darkness to reveal the horrific scenes of the Vietnam War, forever linked to the United States’ imperialistic fortunes. 

            Francis Ford Coppola also famously bases his movie on the novel Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad.  Conrad’s book is a story regarding the horrific affects of imperialism; its exploitation and devastation of the native African population by the country of Belgium.

            This movie illustrates that regardless of the motive of a larger nation the spirit of native peoples and their right to govern themselves is stronger than what modern warfare can extract from them.  In scene after scene, Captain Willard interacts with U.S. soldiers in a completely foreign country, totally surrounded by natives that they can or cannot trust.  Using crude weaponry and guerilla tactics, the Vietnamese mount an undefeatable campaign against the attacking U.S. military.  The emotional scenes of the human and environmental toll that is taken when one country feels moralistically and intellectually dominant over another give Apocalypse Now! its place in movie history.

http://www.vietnamwar.net/FrenchIndochina.htm

http://www.asian-nation.org/colonialism.shtml

http://www.asian-nation.org/vietnam-war.shtml

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078788/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apocalypse_Now

Computer, Papers, and a Pen

            Learning “blogging style” is more suited to my way of life, than using a text book and writing information on paper. Growing up with a computer is like growing up with a car.  You can still live without it now, but not very easily.  Typing to me is just as easy as script writing is to my mother.  I can be quick and efficient, assessing useful information and discarding the rest in a moment.  Having instant access to ideas, images, and research increases the probability of me learning more about one particular subject, or allowing me to follow a tangent off in a totally different direction.  I can also communicate my ideas with others easily.  It is fast-paced, just like my life.
            There are times when learning “pen and paper style” is more beneficial for me.  Sitting alone, without distraction, I am able to concentrate deeply.  Mathematics, in particular, is a subject that I need to use a pen and paper.  Writing ideas on paper helps me think logically, and I make fewer mistakes.  I am less willing to move, though, to look for more information.  Being exposed to a library to research homework actually brings a sense of concreteness to words.  I know the words have been written and stored; I can visually record that sense of “it is still all there” as opposed to accidentally hitting a wrong key and having work disappear into nothingness or having the internet connection lost.  If I didn’t have access to a computer, I would know where to find the information I needed.
            An optimal learning assignment would allow me to choose which style I find most valuable, whether it would be a learning from a computer, a pen, paper and a book,  or sometimes audibly, through voice or song.  It is extremely important I recognize that all methods can enhance knowledge.

Topics

Writing about “Song of the Shirt” was my favorite assignment.  Reading information in the form of lyrics and then trying to relate to that type of life allowed me to understand the plight of those women on different personal levels.  First, I thought how thankful I was that my life is so much different than the mill workers.  The song’s message put complaining about my homework into perspective.  Secondly, I thought about women in other countries during this same time period.  From past research I know that Europe’s history of industrial labor abuses is just as dismal as our own.  Then I finally asked myself if the history of yesterday had changed anything about today.  “Sweat shops” do still exist in many countries.  “Sweat shops” operate illegally in this country, as well, with unscrupulous shop owners taking advantage of a labor pool of illegal immigrants.  I realized that “Song of the Shirt” may always be sung.

The Good, the Bad and the Question

            Honesty is the best policy.
            There are several positive sides to blogging as homework.  The basic fact that so many students like this format is that it is quick.  Access to interesting websites and information is almost instantaneous.  Keeping track of Facebook drama and doing homework is a multi-tasking student’s dream come true.  This format allows for flexibility in scheduling assignments and is a refreshing change from the usual sit, read and write.
            The informality of blogging allows students to type their ideas as they come to mind.  Several of the questions were emotional in nature, such as the stereotype assignment, and students were able to relay first-hand experiences along with a review of stereotypes found in history.  Also, reading other people’s thoughts and ideas, through shared access, gives students an inside glimpse of the history of the writer’s own background.  It was interesting to read all viewpoints, whether conservative or liberal, religious or secular, or determine if the student was actually interested in the topic, or not.
            As for the environmental greenness of blogging, that is debatable and difficult to answer definitively.  On the surface, it would seem that not using paper would be the best choice.  But, it is important to keep in mind that the computer manufacturing process is incredibly destructive to the environment, computers are almost obsolete the moment they hit the store shelves, and recycling is hazardous and not cost-efficient at this time.  Paper, on the other hand, if used sparingly, can be made of recycled material, optimally come from a sustainable tree farm, and can be recycled easily and cost effectively.  Another question to ponder…
            Apparent immediately are a few negative sides to blogging.  Although some students have incredible ideas to share, the misspelled words and incomplete sentences make it almost impossible to understand what they are trying to communicate.  It seems a waste of time to share the incomprehensible.
            Understanding that this is a US History class and that certain major events shaped our country is important, but it would be refreshing to have questions that are not so basic.  Most students have been writing about slavery, the Oregon Trail and the Civil Rights Movement since first grade.  Researching more obscure, but important topics might provide students with a new insight.  Or, asking students to put themselves in the shoes of a Confederate soldier, or the owner of a textile mill, would give them a new perspective.  There are two sides to every story, whether they are good or bad.
            Overall, the blogging assessment system has been a unique experience that has the potential to expose students to information that might otherwise have gone unread in a text book.  It also allows students to add their own opinions and to share those opinions with others.  It has been an enjoyable experience.

Immigrant Soup:

serves hundreds of thousands!

Mix together in large bowl of water:

-        anxiety                                                 - filth

-        hunger                                                 - suffering

-        sadness                                                - over-whelmed

-        love                                                     - defeated

-        itchy                                                    - cold

-        rushed                                                 - smelly

-        weary                                                  - elation

-        thankful                                              - relief

-        sweaty                                                 - anticipation

-        hot                                                       - sick

-        puzzled                                               - exhaustion

-        pain                                                     - loneliness

-        fright

 Add sea salt, and then pour into Ellis Island.

New Song or Old Song?

When buying that next inexpensive shirt at your local discount store, please keep in mind the Song of the Shirt.
Factory conditions for women, at the time this song was written, were horrendous.  Women’s minds were tortured by the monotonous job of sewing shirts.  Singing helped relieve their boredom, their loneliness, their suffering and communicated their shared plight.  Sewing from sun-up to sun-down, women were only set free by their death; a perfectly sewn “shroud” would be their only legacy.  The religious rationalization of this drudgery as “Christian” work gave these women no right to complain.  Their souls were going to heaven.
These factory conditions still exist in many countries today where government organizations, such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and worker’s unions, such as the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union are not available for worker protection.  That cheap shirt, imported from another country, may be sewn by a woman singing this song.

Portraits of Reality

The old saying: “one picture is worth 1000 words” would directly apply to the showcase of work by Erwin E. Smith.  Smith’s camera caught in pictures a reality that was in direct opposition to the stereotype afforded by Hollywood of the life lead by the Western cowboy in the 1800s.   This particular photograph of a cowboy injured on the ground was especially moving.  Seldom did Hollywood show the real physical or emotional impacts of the cowboy lifestyle.


Although cowboys would show up with white, perfect teeth, ruggedly handsome faces, dusty, but un-tattered clothing and a perfect physique with no missing limbs or digits on the Hollywood set, the actual reality of the physical health of a cowboy was quite different.  As Smith’s picture depicts, the environment played a huge role in the health of a cowboy.  In a stark desert or on boggy ground surrounded by cliffs the cowboy was constantly at odds with his physical surroundings.  Being thrown from a horse while negotiating a steep hillside or drowning while fording a river were always possibilities.  Romantic starry nights were rarely the case in an environment where temperatures could vary by 60 degrees or more.  Tornadoes, snowstorms, hail, thunderstorms, flooding rains and the burning rays of the sun without adequate protection were also causes for a shortened lifespan.


The actual physical costs of being a cowboy were enormous.  In 1875 a Wyoming newspaper described them as “rough men with shaggy hair and wild staring eyes in butternut trousers stuffed into great rough boots”, cowboys were seen as the epitome of toughness.  Under those trousers was a body that was abused.  Moving from town to town these men were subject to contact with disease, the most feared being cholera.  Lack of education, proper nutrition and clean water made them even more vulnerable to their lifestyle. 

Medical care was scarce for the cowboy.  Injuries were left to heal awkwardly or led to amputation or death.  One famous gunfighter, Doc Holliday, was an actual doctor of dental surgery and had a practice in Dodge City in 1878.  Obviously, dentistry was just not exciting enough for this man.  Medicine came in the form of a whiskey bottle or a “patent” medicine that had extremely high alcohol content.  Tobacco was ever present and either chewed or smoked.  Many cowboys called tobacco plugs “brain tablets” because it gave them “time to think.”  Health consequences of smoking, also romanticized by the movie and marketing industries are now public knowledge.


Browsing through the many photographs by Erwin E. Smith, another evident difficulty of being a cowboy was emotional stress and the toll it took on their well-being.  Loneliness was the topic of many cowboy ballads, but the movies once again glorified an extremely unhealthy condition.  Loneliness can be depressing and cause extreme anxiety.  Other mental health issues included constantly living in a state of fear.  Fear caused by the unknown.  Indian attacks, gunshots wounds (“death settles all disputes”), cattle stampedes and even fear of coming upon a vigilante group, out for revenge on the first person they find, were all contributors to the actual mental health of a cowboy.   The faces of the men in Smith’s photographs show that stress of everyday life.


 “Anybody with guts and a horse” could be a cowboy.  Those that signed up were generally in their late teens, early twenties and single.  Those who lived past the age of 35 were extremely lucky.


“Yup.  The end of a way of life.  Too bad.  It’s a good way.  Wagons forward! Yo!”  Easy for John Wayne to say, he got to go home to a warm bed every night.  


Image source <http://www.cartermuseum.org/collections/smith/images/details/LC-S59-223.jpg>

RIP Stereotypes

The quintessential Hollywood Western story of good vs. evil, Gunsmoke: Gunfighter, R.I.P. provided stereotypes galore.  There were some characteristics that all the cowboys shared in this episode, and then there were differences that were deliberate, in their appearance and intentions, that individually labeled the cowboys either good souls or bad seeds.
Silver screen interpretations of the classic cowboy included a rugged physique, with a face usually adorned with scars received from their last encounter in the harsh environment. Their clothing of leather chaps, hat, kerchief, gun belt and gun, spurs, long sleeve shirt with accompanying vest, and unmistakable pointed-toe boots provided the clues as to their lifestyle, tough and dangerous.  Mysteriously, all cowboys seemed to be able to sustain gunshot wounds without much medical attention, and recover handsomely within days.  The stereotypical cowboy does seem to have a limited education.  They also tend to have a one-track mind set on seeking out their heart’s desire, which can include romance, alcohol, revenge, or robbing banks.  Cowboys do not give much consideration to the consequences of their actions.
“If everything isn’t black and white, I say, ‘why the hell not?’” – John Wayne. 
White, the color of Yang energy, purity, righteousness, and exceptionally chaste morality is the hue of the tall cowboy hat worn by the hero in Dodge City.  The U.S. Marshall, Matt Dillon, wore a large white hat, and was bathed in light colored clothing.  He was exceptionally tall, muscular, with good looks and very white teeth.  His intuitions and eyesight, for exact shooting skills, were as noticeable as his direct connection to God and always making the correct moral decision within seconds.  The gunfighter, who had a good soul hidden under years of a violent lifestyle, was also wearing light colored clothing; his body was muscular, his face handsome and he had very white teeth.  Although initially corrupted by the lure of money, this cowboy recognized the path to happiness was in fighting back moral bankruptcy, and seizing the opportunity to assist the helpless.
Black, the color of Yin energy, evil, and generally all around bad-assness was also the color of the hat worn by the cowboy, set on revenge for time spent in jail courtesy of Marshall Dillon.  His clothing was dusty and disheveled, his face pock-marked, and his breath smelled of the whiskey that was his liquid courage.  Bad cowboy man had a side-kick who was stereotypically portrayed as having a weak character, zero self confidence, no education, but always ready to follow orders even if they came from the devil.  Lurking in saloons, with shifty eyes and fingers on the trigger, these men in black created the ever-present evil always calling to forlorn souls on the trail, in this case the errant gunfighter.
The portrayal of women in this episode of Gunsmoke was classic and can be summed up in two words: pathetic helplessness.  Thank goodness there were cowboys around to tell them what to do every second of their lives or these women would be out aimlessly wandering the hills.  Ethnic women, in this story the Chinese laundry woman, were cast with noticeable American beauty features and singled out as being especially vulnerable, weak and powerless.  At least Miss Kitty, the beautiful saloon pimp with a good heart, had the gumption to order the cowboys around on occasion.
Gunsmoke: Gunfighter R.I.P. was a simple story, filled with the stereotypes popular during that time period.  Unfortunately, the real story of exceptional characters, both male and female, and of all ethnicities rarely got that coveted television time-slot.