The "Truth" Isn't Always So True, Huh?

It seems the nation, and the world for that matter, have been grossly mislead in regards to the Matthew Shepard case. Originally it seemed obvious that it was a hate crime. The Laramie Project made sure its readers left with that impression. It has been interesting to learn more about it from all sides and to see that in reality the "truth" is not necessarily true. The play teaches us a good lesson about how hate can tear families and communities apart, but it is not an accurate representation of the case for all people. Yes, it gives good insight into the people's lives who were somewhat involved, but what good are emotion-ridden humans? They're great if you're trying to illustrate human response to unusual stimuli. However, people went to jail for the remainder of their lives for this. It should not be taken as lightly as how people feel about it. Stephen Jimenez, in his video description of his beliefs and motives for his book, discusses the necessary expulsion of "mythologies" and the importance of sticking to "what is true", like the pastor in the play who said the "word is either sufficient or it is not".

Reflection

After only having read The Laramie Project, and not having any other information about the crime concerning Matthew Sheppard, it seemed that is was surely a hate crime. The way the dialogues and interviews are portrayed make it seem certain that this was the motive. However, after watching the 20/20 news show about it, the idea that it was not gay related is more and more convincing. It almost seems certain that it was drug related and drug induced. Then again, maybe the 20/20 is twisting it to seem that way, just like the play did. It's difficult to decipher what is completely accurate and what is exaggeration when everything is a personal account of the event, but one truth start to makes sense after hearing many personal truths.

Act one Analytical Reflective

Believing or not believing that gay people deserve equal rights can involve hate, but often opinions on this subject are entirely based off alternate circumstances. The parents of Jedidiah Shultz in The Laramie Project show that not supporting gay culture does not automatically entail feeling hatred. Although his parents must love him very much, they "believed that homosexuality is wrong-they felt so strongly about it that they didn't want to come see their son do probably the most important thing he'd done to that point in his life." (Kaufman 12) and refused to attend a major event in his life due to it. 

He said they had gone to every other event he had ever done, meaning they did care about his successes, and I'm sure it was hard for them to miss it.

 I think that people have moral views and opinions that can't be changed, much like gay people say they can't change their sexual orientation. Even the love felt by a parent couldn't change this feeling, despite how much he means to them. As much as gay supporters and supporters of gay rights claim to be unfairly stereotyped negatively, they do the same to the opposition as being cold hearted haters. 

Memoir Presentations 3

One theme that was illuminated for me during this weeks'presentations was how hard work and dedication will eventually lead to success. There will almost certainly be trials in your way, but you can't let it stop you. In The Secret to Success Eric Thomas describes his method to success. One thing he said that really impacted me is when he said that you have to want to be successful more than you want to breathe. He was emphasizing the importance of setting your goals asa high priority. He said that you have to be able to run on 2 hours of sleep or less to do a good job on whatever you're doing. This mentality of earning your own way and making a life for yourself is similar to that in Scratch Beginnings where a man whose had most of his things provided provided for him, but he tried to make something for himself without the use of his highschool or college degree. Like in Secret to Success he stresses how hard work does pay off. It will be a long road, but those who are persistent will see success.

Another big theme that impacted me is how we perceive those around us. In The Color of Water a black man faces the adversity and teasing that comes along with having a white Jewish mother. He knows that people look at him differently because of his family but he is taught to always just do what you need to do and ignore the things people say about you. In Autobiography of a Face she takes us through what it's like to have no self image associated with how she looks. This makes her self conscious because she can never be sure how she looks and what people think of her. Eventually she doesn't care, she embraces it. We live in a society where we have a lopsided view of what people are "supposed" to look like, who is best at looking like everyone else. Despite this sort of judging she overcame it and recognized her true self.

2nd Week of Presentations

"In comparison, they said I was lucky". Lucky is such a relative term. lucky to be successful in life, lucky to have loving family, or lucky to be alive. Such was the conflict in Lucky by Alice Sebold. unlike conflicts caused by her own choices, like those of Anothony Kiedis in Scar Tissue, hers were forced upon her by someone who cared nothing for her. This seems to be one of the hardest things to get over, because you had no control over what happened, and when you make the choices, it's easier to change and erase those memories. The root of Anthony Kiedis's hardships come up due to his drug addiction, so once he realizes his problem he can more effectively eradicate the source. With a rape, that image and those feelings are imprinted onto that persons soul forever, and every time they have to talk about it, they relive it which brings those memories back. 

This is similar to the tragic kidnapping of an 11 year old girl in A Stolen Life, where she can never forget the 18 years she was trapped in a situation she couldn't escape. One thing not under her control was the birth of her first child at 14, who will always be a reminder of the child's father and the mother's captor. This women, however was able to shine through with the surprising attitude that what happened to her can be moved past. Although she will never forget, she has learned to appreciate every day in the present and future as if it's her last. She knows it could be, it may not be under her control what happens to her or those she loves. 

1st Week of Presentations

The main thing I learned throughout the first group of presentations is that human beings are capable of enduring extreme tragedy and coming back even stronger after their hardships. For example in Lone Survivor the main character watches his best friends and squad members die, then has to go back to the hallowed ground where they died to retrieve the bodies. I've never even watched someone die, let alone someone I cared so much about. Despite this, he has the strength to write a moving memoir about all his sensitive memories so that we can learn about what it's like.  Similarly, in Two Kisses for Maddy, the father experiences the nightmare of losing the love of his life and is torn between that grief and the joy of his daughter being born. He is able to see the light his daughter can bring to his life and to use that to get beyond losing his wife. He allowed his daughter to make him happy and like the author of Lone Survivor, writing about his feelings and memories helps him heal and made him the best he could be in the face of adversity. 

Although these two memoirs had terrible things happen to them, Stephen Hawking in My Brief History and Ishmael Beah in A Long Way Gone reveal personal demons they had to overcome to be who they are today. Hawking has dealt with divorce, debilitating disease, and inability to easily portray the complex things running through his mind. His theories have nonetheless revolutionized the way people study physics in this day. Luckily he is able to fabricate virtual representation of his theories through futuristic computer software, but I imagine it would get very frustrating to have such a powerful mind and such a weak body. Beah had to forgive himself and forget for a moral sin. He had to live with the fact he had killed so many people, even if it wasn't his fault. Instead of hating his nation and living with resentment for what he was put through at such a young age, he dedicates his life to bettering that of those he can relate to, those still living the horror he once did. This is the most sincere sign of forgiveness; wanting to change the situation and help others. 

The Lesser of Two Evils

            It is no secret that war can have devastating effects on nations, families, and individuals. However, although these can be so terrible, often it is the lesser of two evils, and therefore justified. The War relates full scale war to skirmishes between two groups of children. It is depicted as being a primitive and childish way to resolve conflict. This is one way to look at war, but it is more importantly a tool of stopping ongoing violence and preserving freedom for those who cannot defend themselves.

            In the auction scene of The War, the drunken Lipnicky comes onto the 13 year old Stew. In response to this, Stephen Simmons protects his son by holding Lipnicky down with a throat hold, and they both apologize. This lesson can be paralleled in the real, when a militant force oppresses a people, and a capable foreign power comes in to protect that nation and threaten the perpetrator into leaving them alone. Although this creates a burst of violence, it is better than allowing long term violence. “He who allows oppression shares the crime” said Desiderius Erasmus, Dutch theologist. As Simmons teaches his child, fighting is not right to instigate without cause, but standing up for others is moral. Sometimes the oppressed can try to defend themselves without conflict. In The War Stephen does this by showing love and compassion to those who wish harm to those he cares about. This love is fueled by understanding, because he knows what the kids are going through. All the people living in that town are dirt poor. It is obvious to see that in addition to being so poor, these kids are mistreated and “haven’t been given anything in a while.” By giving the under-privileged Lipnicky kids the cotton candy meant for his wife and daughter, he demonstrates he is willing to forget past strifes and forgive them. A noble attempt, and one that should always be tried first, but when they refuse to accept the peace treaty, it still leads to “war” over the tree house. Even the fighting ends up having a positive effect on the children, because it shows them what it has done to them. Stew would not have come to the realization that his dad was right all along without the confrontation. The lesson here is that sometimes letting harsh feelings and hostility fester in ones heart instead of resolving them can lead to a bigger and more destructive confrontation later on. Violent resolution should never be a first option, but it is better than letting one’s self or others be subjected to oppression and mistreatment.

            The War  is not only dealing with the morality of war, but also the effects it can have on people who are involved in it, whether you fight, or you know someone who fought. This is why the story is told as a memoir. Although Lydia herself does not go to war, she is still profoundly influenced by it. She also sees how her dad and brother are influenced by it. The memoir genre allows the viewer to peek into her thoughts and see on a personal level how she changed throughout the story. She originally thinks that her PTS diagnosed father is a dead-beat, lazy man who doesn’t care about providing for his family. In the movie PTS is portrayed as being misunderstood, like when Stephen loses a janitor job merely due to the fact he has it, when he has clearly shown by the way he treats his family he is caring and gentle. As Lydia reflects on how her dad really does work hard and risks his life for the family, she starts to appreciate him more. These realizations are usually accompanied by auditory signals, such as a helicopter sound when Stew realizes his dad was right about fighting. Despite all the hardships this family goes to, they manage to hold on to hope in the form of a run-down house. The image of this white house represents a feeling of cleansing and redemption after the demise of their old house. This also angers Stew because he felt his father gave him false hope, while he really got them the house.

            War has been a commonly accepted and widely used method of resolving theological or ethical differences for millenniums. Although sometimes it is a good option, it is often rushed into and it always leads to personal and national issues later on. Families are often torn apart, and if the people don’t support the war, soldiers who went to fight are ostracized. While the downsides are great, it is still a necessary tool and often cannot be avoided if evil is to be vanquished.

Service Brings People Together

Although my house wasn't affected by the floods, they still had an impact of me. My mother is the president of a relief group in my church, so naturally I was expected to help out whenever she received a distress call. One big project I worked on was a house that at one point had had 2 feet deep standing water in the basement. we went in and moved all the furniture, tore up carpet and padding, and vacuumed up all the remaining water. the best part was that when we were done, she was so grateful. She clearly could never have done all of that work by herself. It made me appreciative to have been personally unaffected in my own home, and happy to be able to help those in need. 

A Different World

During Spring Break 2012, my family went on a vacation to Thailand. Our first city we went to was Bangkok. It was unlike any other city I've ever been seen. One block is a buzzing commercial area with shops and skyscrapers, then the next is a jungle. You would walk through trees and over-hanging plants while hearing busy traffic, horns honking, then street performers playing the next street over.

 Right next to fancy restaurants, there were street vendors grilling kebabs, the smell of barbecue and spices filling the air all around. Crisp mango flavored Italian-style gelato was accompanied by traditional desserts like fruit and sticky sweet rice. This city has many diverse areas to it and rarely are two blocks in a row the same style.

A Little About Me

Country music has recently become my favorite genre of music. I used to just listen to the same stuff as everyone else, but I just don't enjoy any of that anymore. The main reason why I love it so much is because a lot of it has good meaning to it. They talk about family, love, hard work, and standing up for what you believe in. 

The film Independence Day contains one of the most inspirational speeches I've ever seen.

In this clip the fate of humanity is literally on the line, and it's all threatened by an alien invasion. The President of the United States rallies troops from all over the world to work as, he says, "mankind". The whole movie is about how people from all walks of life can unite and come together was one, despite racial or ethnic differences. Even though this is a fictional movie, the morals of selfless sacrifice and coming together to fight for what's important, ring true. 

The photo above is a panoramic photo of Paris, France.

This city holds a special place in my heart, and holds 4 years of my life. 

When I was 12 my Dad got a job that involved us packing up and moving to France for 4 years. The city shown above was where I spent many hours with good friends creating unforgettable moments. This created an environment where I could learn french fluently and really experience French and other European cultures. Throughout those four years I visited 17 countries, including Turkey, Croatia, Greece, and Thailand. My favorite vacation I went on was to Thailand, mainly because I fulfilled my lifelong dream of riding and elephant! 

 I can never be too grateful for the experiences I had in France and in my travels elsewhere around the world.