Blog Twelve

Look how cute we are! :D

Not going to lie, at first when I found out I would be taking a class for an entire year I was like yeah this is going to be horrible there is no way I can handle a class that lasts alllll year! But honestly, this was one of my favorite classes, and I am happy I got to spend the year with all of you in it, I know many of us will continue our friendships outside of class, and some of you are my closest friends I have at GVSU, so that's pretty awesome!

So, as far as my opinion on the class and what I have learned, I would say the class was extremely challenging, and that I learned more about Latin America than I did in all my other years in high school or middle school for that matter. Second semester was more challenging for me, because of all the wars and revolutions we learned about. It was all really interesting, but I had a hard time keeping all of the different names, locations, and dates straight! I do feel, however, that Professor Stark and Professor Serrata were more coordinated this semester with their lesson plans, and I found this more helpful, plus it is nice to be able to easily link both parts of the class together. 

My favorite part of the class was when we learned about Mexican muralists, and when we went to Chicago. I want to thank Professor Serrata and Professor Stark for being so awesome and allowing us to be creative! I don't know if I will ever take another class that gives us the opportunity to take dance lessons, go to Chicago, sing along while the professor plays guitar, and make a video all in one semester! I think we have been given a lot of great opportunities to learn about Latin American civilization and culture in less traditional ways, and that type of learning really appeals to me.

I'm going to miss seeing you all every other day! I can tell we're all going to do something great with our lives :) Have an amazing summer everyone! I'll be chillin', and I hope you will too! :D

My Response to Mitch's Eleventh Blog

I like how you touched more on the Young Lords, and the influence they had in the movement of Latin Equality. I can't imagine being forced to move from my home all because the city wants a new makeover that will hopefully draw what they feel is a "better" crowd into the city. This clearly was just entirely racist and horrible, and I don't understand how anyone could justify actions of kicking innocent people out of their homes and treating them as if it doesn't matter if they have anywhere else to go.

I think it takes a lot of bravery for people to stand up the things that they believe in, especially when they have to stand up to those who are in positions of power. I enjoyed hearing Jose cha cha Jimenez's stories, and I thought it was cool how he described the gang going from just a street gang that may not have had the best intentions, to a gang that became politically involved in the community with hopes to put a stop to what was hurting the people of their neighborhood.

Blog Eleven

After Friday’s discussion in class, I wanted to explain the Lucifer Effect more to everyone, because I believe that this is the single most important factor that contributes to countries such as Argentina and Germany being able to do horrible things. In my opinion, without the aid of the Lucifer Effect, the Holocaust would have never happened, and Argentina would not have experienced so much chaos after Perón’s exile.

These videos are Philip Zimbardo’s explanation of what he has deemed the Lucifer Effect. *Just a warning, they are quite graphic.*

After watching these videos, I felt as though Zimbardo explained why people could do such unspeakable for their country really well. Like Germany, and like Argentina, and other countries around the world, most acts of injustice are being done by subordinates, and not the ones in charge. If people suspect what they are doing is wrong, but they are able to blame their actions on a higher authority (such as Adolf Hitler), they are more likely to commit these unspeakable acts.

My Response to Ian's Tenth Blog

I feel exactly the same as you do when it comes to this poem, and poetry in general! I do remember you mentioning the idea of "eight to four or nine to five", and it being about the work day, which I did not catch at first, but after hearing you say it, it made a lot of sense to me. I like the idea of Neruda inspiring people to do more in a day then just attend their boring jobs and drag their feet because they hate going to work every day and being stuck in the same routine.

I also think it would be really neat to see the ruins of Macchu Picchu in person. I think after taking this class we can really appreciate it more than if we had actually went to the ruins before we took the class. There are a lot of things I have learned about Macchu Picchu I never knew until this year.

Blog Ten

On the Chicago trip we attended April 5th I noticed a huge amount of murals and graffiti in the city, especially on our walk from the restaurant to the bakery. 

Above is some of the artwork we saw, for those of you who were unable to attend. Obviously,   the first and last picture were probably not made for any certain cause (even though they look really fun and brighten up the walls), but the middle picture was a mural created to basically stress the fact that human beings are not aliens, and to ask how it is possible to call a person illegal? 

After the trip I searched the internet to see what other murals can be found in Chicago. I found a website that has several murals listed, as well as where you can find them in the city. 

http://murallocator.org/tag/chicago/

I noticed a mural titled Gulliver en el pais de las Maravillas, which is said to be translated into "Gulliver in Wonderland".

This mural reminded me a lot of The Immigrant's Dream, the American Response, a painting we viewed at the National Museum of Mexican Art.

I found these two pieces to be similar, first because of the fact both people in these paintings are bound in barb wire. Like the class said at the Museum, it seems like the immigrant is trapped. It can be argued that both paintings contain aspects of the "American Dream", such as the American flag that represents freedom, and a farm that can represent land ownership, prosperity, and success. The reason both of these works are so powerful is that they show the harsh reality of immigrants' situation in the United States. They feel that the US is supposed to bring freedom and prosperity, but sadly they are subject to restraint and injustice. The message I receive from the paintings is that Mexican immigrants have always fallen short when trying to achieve their goals here in the United States. They have a hard time obtaining what they feel they should be able to.

images from google and my iPod

My Response to Gabrielle's Ninth Blog

I really like the connections you have made to what we have been talking about in class. And can I just say, I just think it is so cool how close you and your family are and all the stories and facts they tell you about Cuba and the way things used to be.

Your grandma sounds like a really educated and driven woman, and I bet it was hard at first when she found out her degree wouldn't be recognized in the United States. I guess it would be all about weighing the pros and cons of moving here, and whether it made more sense to stay in Cuba where her masters degree would have been valid, or to make a new life in the United States, even if it meant starting over and finding a job that was not exactly related to what she had done previously.

I also think it is interesting that your grandfather's farm has been affected by the agrarian reforms. He must have owned a lot of land to be able to notice his farm was smaller than before. I'm curious to know if he owned livestock, and what the size of his farm was when it was at its largest.

Blog Nine

Apparently, being the big hippie that I am, I should have know who Che was last week. After both Professor Stark and Professor Serrata were blown away that I had no clue who he was, I figured I should probably do a bit of research on this guy.

So this was me before my research… pretty clueless. I thought I was a good hippie, but I guess not!

I researched Che on the internet, and the things I found out about him were really interesting and inspiring. I read that he traveled a lot, and saw people who were suffering from hunger, poverty, and disease, and it really bothered him. He was from Argentina, but he tried to help people all over Latin America, including those in Guatemala and Cuba. I just really like it when someone believes something is wrong, and they stop at noting to try and fix the problem. It really is not all that hard to notice a problem, but to actually try and come up with a solution and take action is the important thing. 

Che wanted to improve literacy rates, get people jobs, find ways to feed people, and more. He fought in battles using guerrilla warfare tactics, and when he was fighting in war, I read that he was actually allergic to mosquitos, so when he was bit by a ton of them he said it was "the most painful days if the war". Che's ideas and actions were influenced by Marxism, which makes sense to me, considering the fact that he was involved in Cuba's affairs when Fidel was in charge. 

Che did a lot during his lifetime, and theres no way I could accurately cover this all in my blog. I do see now why it was so surprising that I had no idea who Che was, because now I am like why did I just now find out about him? I really do think he had a lot of good in his heart, and even though he methods were not always as peaceful as they could have been, he was fighting for the right cause, and he wasn't afraid to fight for what he thought was right.

My Response to Jacqueline's Eighth Blog

I was thinking about this too! I wrote about this for DQ 19, and in my opinion, I think the reader has to decide if it was real, or if it was all a dream. I basically broke it down like this: if you treat time life the cat does, then it was real, but if you treat time in the way every normal human being does, it was probably all a dream. If you think about it, a cat lives life in the moment. Every instance is new, and does not relate to any other past moment. If you read the story and do not relate it to any other event that has happened in the book, then it all seems real, and not like Dahlmann is crazy. But, if you look at every event in the story, and relate them all to each other, it really does seem like he is having a crazy vivid dream at the sanitarium. 

Blog Eight

I wanted to take the opportunity to write about Jorge Louis Borges for this blog, because of how much we are going to talk about him in class. I found his life story really interesting, as well as "The South".

I found it interesting that although he was middle class, his family came from two different backgrounds, and that he identified a lot with his grandfather who was a soldier and war hero. I also found the fact that he started writing at such a young age to be incredible, because most kids are busy just playing with friends, and he was off reading and writing stories. He dedicated so much of his life to reading and writing, and I was surprised when he video we watched said that he eventually went blind because of his head injury. I couldn't imagine having to rely on someone else to read to me, if reading used to be my favorite thing to do for myself. I would be uncomfortable having to rely on other people so much.

One thing I liked about "The South" was the fact that a lot of the story came from Borges's own life. I think it was cool that he found a way to write about his own life experiences without writing an autobiography of some sort. I also like the fact that because the story was not entirely about him, the reader has to take the time to figure out what is fact and what is fiction, and also what is a mix. It kind of made his real life more mysterious.

image found on wikipedia

Blog Seven

It's time for a British Invasion! And no, I am not talking about One Direction. I'd like to take the time to talk about the band who originally launched the British Invasion; The Beatles!

So what do The Beatles have to do with Latin American Civilization? Uhhhh have you ever heard the song "Revolution"? This word has been pounded into our heads non-stop over the past few weeks, so I would like to look at the way The Beatles viewed the topic of revolution in their song. Here are the lyrics, as well as a link to a video of the song:

You say you want a revolution
Well you know
We all want to change the world
You tell me that it's evolution
Well you know
We all want to change the world
But when you talk about destruction
Don't you know you can count me out

Don't you know it's gonna be alright
Alright, alright

You say you got a real solution
Well you know
We'd all love to see the plan
You ask me for a contribution
Well you know
We're doing what we can
But if you want money for people with minds that hate
All I can tell you is brother you have to wait

Don't you know it's gonna be alright
Alright, alright

You say you'll change the constitution
Well you know
We all want to change your head
You tell me it's the institution
Well you know
You better free your mind instead
But if you go carrying pictures of Chairman Mao
You ain't going to make it with anyone anyhow

Don't you know know it's gonna be alright
Alright, alright

Alright, alright
Alright, alright
Alright, alright
Alright, alright

video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tH9zG28GQEg

So, after paying close attention to the lyrics, I found a lot of similarities between what they sang about, and the Mexican Revolution. First of all, they open up saying everyone wants to change the world, and revolution always occurs when people want to see major change. The line, "But when you talk about destruction, don't you know you can count me out" reminded me of the book The Underdogs, because of our discussion of Demetrio, and how people in class recognized that when other rebels of the revolution resorted to violence, looting, and pillaging, Demetrio often sat out. Then, the next part of the song that reminded me of the Mexican Revolution was, "You say you got a real solution, Well you know, We'd all love to see the plan", and also the mention of changing the constitution. So many leaders came to power in Mexico during the revolution, each on of them had their own plans for reform, and many of them changed the constitution for their own benefit. They all claimed to have the solution to Mexico's troubles, but none of them ever solved everything they claimed they would.

Basically, I think the is Beatles song depicts how many people view not just the Mexican Revolution, but any revolution. No one wants a lot of violence and destruction, but they seek change in their nation. With revolution comes destruction, lies, the change of a constitution, new ideals, and much more. This song may have been written for what was going on in the 60's, but I find it easy to connect to our class, and the Mexican Revolution.

And here are some more great pictures of the band :)

Pictures found on pinterest, lyrics from A-Z Lyrics

My Response to Jacqueline's Sixth Blog

This was actually really interesting to me. I find it interesting that women were allowed to fight, because to me this seems like the women are looked at as more of an equal. I like how you pointed out that this was not in the movie at all. I am curious why the movie makers did not put this in the film. It would have made the movie more interesting.

Blog Six

This week, I would like to write about Camilla, from the novel we are reading in class, The Underdogs. I found her character to be very interesting, because of the love triangle that seemed to form between her, Luis, and Demetrio.

Essentially, Demetrio is the wiser, stronger, tougher man in this situation. Demetrio lead the rebels in the fight against the federals, and when he met Camilla, he took a liking to her almost instantly. I found this a little strange, because of their age difference, but it seems to be a reoccurring theme in our readings, so I let that part go. Anyways, so Demetrio really liked Camilla, but she didn't really like him. Camilla was interested in someone else.

Luis ends up being the man Camilla falls in love with. He is book smart, a doctor, and not the best soldier in the rebel army. He and Demetrio are two completely different people. When Luis found out that Camilla loved him and not Demetrio, he points out to Camilla that she should go for Demetrio, because he has more to offer: "Demetrio is on the verge of becoming a general, a rich man… Horses galore, jewels and fine clothes, fancy houses, and a lot of money to spend" (Azuela 48).

Although what Luis said was true, Camilla still favored him over Demetrio. I would like to speculate as to why this is, and hopefully some of you will agree with me! I think the reason Camilla wanted Luis and not Demetrio was because of Luis's intelligence. I think that she holds knowledge higher than the ability to fight. This in a way, reminded me of civilization vs barbarism. Camilla is going for the more "civilized" man. I want to know if anyone thinks this too, or if it just seems like a cheesy love triangle that is irrelevant to the novel.

My Response to Matts Fifth Blog

I like your post this week, especially considering I wrote about the same thing, yet our posts are so different. I really liked your comment about how we intervene when we feel threatened, and not because we are obligated. This is so true. I have some questions for you, however, which you don't have to answer but you should think about!

First, why was Cuba being communist even an issue? I don't know much about it so I'm not necessarily disagreeing with what you said, but I just don't get why the U.S. would care. Its not like Cuba was forcing us to be communists. So why did we need to step in and try to stop it?

Second, as far as invading the Dominican Republic goes, what do you really think would have happened if the U.S. didn't intervene? I don't see it being the end of the world, but that's just me.

I do have to say, however, that I disagree with you on the issue of a humanitarian crisis. This is the only time countries actually need help. When a country is suffering from a humanitarian crisis and they ask for help, it means you are actually wanted. If a country intervenes on another country simply because it feels threatened, then I doubt the country that is being intervened on even wants that country bugging it in the first place. I think countries should just leave each other in peace unless a country cries out for help. 

Blog Five

In one of Professor Stark's lectures this week, he asked us when it is okay for a country to intervene in another country's affairs. Professor Serrata essentially asked this same question by giving us the reading assignments by and about Roosevelt. I know I have written a blog similar to this already, but I believe it is an important subject to talk about, so I am going to expand upon my thoughts on the issue.

I first would like to point out that generally, any country that acts like it cares about another country, is lying. Most of the time the country that feels it is helping out is really being selfish, and pretending to help for reasons that are going to benefit it in some form. Take the U.S., for example, and pay attention to the countries it intervenes most in, and you will see that the U.S. rarely helps out a country if there is nothing to be gained. Rather than getting into the politics of the situation, I would like to ask a few important questions:

1. Is it morally right for a country to intervene in some other country if it will gain more from the intervention than the country being helped?

2. If a country such as the U.S. intervened less in other countries, do you think the U.S. would have less problems in its own country (with things such as crime, poverty, etc. that it claims to be helping other countries with)?

3. How bad does a humanitarian crisis have to be before a country should intervene?

I think from a moral standpoint, you can't really help a country out if you are benefiting more from the intervention than it is. To me, it seems like you're taking advantage of the country and its resources, and giving little back in return. I also believe that the United States should focus more on its own country than other countries, and maybe more problems would be solved. I also believe that it is okay to intervene on another country for humanitarian purposes, but only of the country cannot handle the problem itself. Just because a country fixes a problem differently than how the U.S. would fix it, it doesn't mean we should step in and change everything for that nation.

I also think that when a country intervenes in another nation's business, it shows the insecurities of that country. It kind of reminds me of when girls are mean to other girls, and people say it is just because they are insecure. When the U.S. points out the problems of other countries it makes us feel better about the problems we have ourselves.

I don't know. This is the best I've got for this week. My mind is all worn down from writing my paper and its one in the morning and I'm still adding the finishing touches. I hope everyone's weekend went great!

My Response to Elena's Fourth Blog

One of the first things you pointed out was how Cecilia was described as a woman, but she was only twelve years old. Oh goodness. This really is crazy to me. She was still a little kid. How can she be viewed as a sexual object? It blows my mind that grown men would want to be with a child. This reminds me of how back in the day in our country girls were having kids as soon as they were able to get pregnant. I could not imagine having children before I was even 18 years old. I guess we have to look at it as things were different back then? I don't know it still makes me uneasy thinking about it.

Blog Four

Soooo there is about an hour before I have to go to class and I completely forgot to do a blog for this week! So, thinking of a subject right on the spot, I would like to compare Jose Marti to some of the great leaders of our country.

Jose Marti really wanted equality for everyone in Latin America. He wanted equality for the blacks, mulattos, indians, creoles, and whites. To him, racism was sinful and really just plain unnecessary. I admire Jose Marti for standing up for what he believed in, it showed he had a great deal of integrity and empathy for others.

When I questioned myself about who he reminds me of from our country, the first person I thought of was Martin Luther King Jr. He, like Marti, fought for equality and justice. Many people from the Civil Rights Movement remind me of Marti. 

Even today, regular people who fight for equality when they see that something is wrong remind me of Marti. I believe it is important to speak out against racism and inequality whenever an opportunity is presented. I can't wait to see the day when race really does not matter to anyone, and when everyone is given equal opportunity for everything no matter what they look like or where they come from.

Sorry this blog is so lame! I can't believe I almost forgot to do it! I hope everyone's papers are coming along nicely :D

My Response to Leah's Third Blog (I promise I'll pick someone new next time)

Well, I must say this is pretty cool! I liked the pictures you used in here, and the videos as well. 

This blog sort of made Sarmiento's work come to life. When reading his work, it can be very easy to see it as just a piece of paper with words on it, because music can't really be described on paper-- it needs to be heard out loud! 

I also found your explanation of bridges and how they differ in certain instruments thought provoking. I never actually thought about how a bow plays one string at a time on a violin, but when you explained it, I could picture it and it made a lot of sense. 

Last semester for my groups video project we used Mandie playing the piano as background music, and I think you should put some of the violin in your groups video project this semester!

Blog Three

Guess what?

It is time to talk about forcing people to change their ways because you think you are all-knowing and better than everyone else on the planet. Why is it that so many people think they know best because they have conformed to what the masses think? Think of how different the world would be today if people were accepting of those who were different rather than trying to force them to change their ways.

Yeah, in class we have discussed Latin America and all the different nations there that tried to turn the "uncivilized" people into outstanding, non-barbaric citizens. What defines a barbarian? Isn't exterminating masses of people because they do things differently barbaric? Yet great leaders of Latin America and their followers killed people off every day in order to save their nations from barbarism.

Something I began thinking about after Wednesday's class is not only a nation changing its own people, but other nations trying to dictate how the masses of another nation act and live on a daily basis. Then I thought more about the United States. 

First, we went after the people in our own nation, specifically the Native Americans. Most people know that we kicked Indians off their land and killed a huge number of innocent Native Americans. Last semester, however, I learned in another class that not only did the U.S. try to kill them off, but it also tried to in some way to "whiten" Native American children by taking them and putting them into boarding schools. This happened in late 19th century and early 20th century. I was never taught this in grade school, and when I was finally informed about these schools I was shocked. One of the main slogans heard in the U.S. about the boarding schools around this time was "kill the indian, save the child". The indians were different, so of course we felt the need to change them. But honestly was that right? I don't particularly think so. Here are some of the results of the boarding schools: 

These people were stripped of their identities and cultures. They were forced to turn into something North Americans deemed more civilized. I think its just a harsh treatment of innocent individuals.

This brings me to present day U.S., and the fact that now we feel the need to meddle in everyone else's business when we're far from perfect over here. Is it really our job to tell people the way they live their lives is wrong? I think it is a hard question to answer because human nature makes us want to spread word about what we feel is best, but a lot of people fail to take the time to get to know someone and what they believe before they determine that person is living their life wrong. Take religion, for example. People go on mission trips all the time to help people, but it is almost as if they think their religion is the only way to help someone, so they try their hardest to spread it. Is it really anyone's place to try to convert someone to another religion? Why can't we help someone just to be nice? So many wars are fought over religion because everyone thinks they're religion is the right one. Is it our place to tell people in the Middle East the way they treat women is wrong? Is it your job to tell someone they shouldn't eat a certain animal just because your religion or beliefs prevent you from doing it? Is there really a right way to dress? The questions could go on and on.

I guess all I am really asking is where is the line? Who is to say what is barbaric and what is not? When is it okay to tell someone everything they stand for, their whole identity, is garbage? I know this post is kind of all over the place but try and think about some of the questions I have asked. It all makes sense in my head!

Images:
http://www.twofrog.com/images/rezschool.jpg
http://media.npr.org/programs/morning/features/2007/nov/boardingschool/torlino200-aee851603599e7e4fcf24f6d8e514ebf4eb2584e-s6-c30.jpg
http://americanindiantah.com/Boarding%20Schools/Uniforms.gif

Response to Leah's Second Blog

You asked what defines a barbarian, so I will answer! 

I would like to use a cartoon to show what most people think a barbarian is. I'm not sure if you ever watched or if you remember the disney channel cartoon Dave the Barbarian? Haha, yes. Here is another disney reference from a fellow Latin American Civ. member. Well, the main character Dave, was considered to be a barbarian. He and his family members are perfect examples of the typical savage one would picture when describing a barbarian. Fur clothes and shoes, Dave's younger sister wore a bone in her hair, and dave wasn't particularly smart. He was strong, but had no brains. Also, Dave and his family of barbarians lived wayyyy back in time, which makes them seem more primitive in nature.

I think this exemplifies how most Americans view what a barbarian is. When I think of the word Barbarian, I think of someone who lacks intelligence, someone who is unfamiliar with new technology, but also someone who existed a long time ago. Sort of like a step up from a caveman.

So yeah, that's what I think of Barbarians!

pictures found at: http://s407.photobucket.com/user/23021987/media/DaveTheBarbarianScreencap.jpg.html
and
http://www.jrj-socrates.com/Cartoon%20Pics/Disney/Dave%20The%20Barbarian/Fang_300.gif

Blog Two

After talking this week about newly independent Latin American nations, and the way the elites took advantage of the indigenous people, I began to see connections from our readings to present day United States. I know all of you are stuck on the jungle book analogy, but I'd like to try and be somewhat original and take my own approach to the subject. Whether what I say sounds legitimate or not, is for you to decide.

After reading Burns and Sarmiento, I began to think about the occupy Wall Street movement. Think about it for a second: the so called "1%" is just the same as the elites, and the other 99% would be comparable to the peasants and every other person living in Latin America who was receiving no benefit from the rich elites' decisions.

The elites grew wealthy and lived luxurious lifestyles in Latin America while the poor commoners had children growing up in no better living conditions than the dirty family dog. some of the decisions the elites made, like trying to Europeanize the countries, often made the peasants' living conditions even worse. The elites did not care, however, because meanwhile they were basking in all the glory that came from being a rich white person of the nation.

The same argument can be made for the top 1% of the U.S. population. From what I have heard in my high school civics class, and what I looked up on the internet, this 1% of the population holds anywhere from 30 to 40 percent of our wealth. No wonder the other 99% of people in our country grew so frustrated and started the occupy Wall Street movement.

I don't know much about the situation in the U.S., but I feel like the relation between it and Latin America in the past is similar. To me, it is even a little ironic, considering the fact that people in Latin America saw the U.S., and wished to be more like it.

Blog One

Hello everyone!

So first I guess I'm supposed to say some things about myself and my life. I'm 18, have not picked a major, but am pursuing a minor in studio art (the sun I made below was actually inspired by this class). I don't know what it is about doodling, painting, ceramics, crafting, coloring, photography, or fashion, but I love it all. I've always been creative and wish I could major in studio art, but my dad is paying for some of my schooling so I am lucky I get to even minor in it. I am hoping to study abroad in China on a faculty lead program by my ceramics professor Hoon Lee. Basically if I could just travel the world as a hippie and create art all day I would be happy with my life. I also love to do community service, mostly which is targeted towards children, nature, or women.

I chose to take this class because I am 1/4 Mexican, but due to my mother not always being around I haven't always had many opportunities to spend time with that side of the family and learn about the culture that comes with a Mexican heritage. I took two years of Spanish in high school, and did well in it, yet didn't really feel like I learned much. I think I picked up on more Spanish working three months in a Mexican restaurant than spending two semesters in Spanish class! The downside to my choice of taking this class is I didn't exactly realize it was a history class, and I really am not too fond of history. I have a hard time remembering dates and names so this class is a challenge. However, being in the honors college I did expect to be challenged, so I'm just trying my best. This is my favorite class this semester, and was my third favorite last semester, so I guess you could say it has grown on me.

I guess I'm done here. I feel like I said a lot!