Movie. Class time.

The movie we watched in class i thought was a good one. I'm amazed by what the norm is for some people, I think its overwhelming.
The movie shed light on two friends who ended up leading very different lives- with every different out comes. The movie did a good job of showing how women deal with different situations, from family to school to having children.
Family is shown in an interesting light, the Father was not on her side, I think he was sour from what had happened to her cousin still, and wanted the best for her and like made her marry that guy- but in the end when she was truly unhappy...he came around to help her and love her. Which brings to another interesting point, the divorce. I thought it was crazy how her reasons were not good enough or not just enough to get a divorce.
The speaker just joined the class-

SPeaker Today

Hello Class and WWWorld!

Today I am going to BLOG about the speaker and the books she brought in...even though I came in late today due to personal matters, I very happy I caught the lecture (and more than half the class), the women was inslightful and warm, you could tell that her and her daughter put a lot of time making the slide and even bringing in books to share with the class. The books she passed through I thought were very interesting, I took some extra time looking at the first one that was passed around. It was used as a learning tool for people to get to know about the history, culture and just in general interesting facts. I found myself reading about the black stone of mecca a huge black dimanond or crystal it was said to be found by Abraham (Ibrahim) heres a link I thought it was really interesting so of course I did some outside reasearch....http://www.crystalinks.com/blackstone.html
Great books great speaker.

Professor Mirzeler

Today in class i was truly moved, I haven no idea why the honor killing topic is hitting me so hard. The more I'm learning about it the more I'm trying to understand it rather than dissect it- breaking it down, instead of trying to find a way to have it make sense with my own personal norms; I'm telling it to others' getting different views and takes, learning more about organizations in hopes of making a change.
Today in class I found myself crying, because I was sad. I was sad for the people and the thought of never wanting to go back to a loved place because it would "spoil the memory" of what it once was. I was sad that Professor Mirzeler doesn't even know how old he is, i'm sad he was asked to kill his own sister.
I've been thinking about this all day. The questions, the heart-break i feel- the sadness, is because i found myself having compassion not just lookin at this as research. Reading real stories meeting real people dealing with the face of the issue rather than the issue itself.
I'm trying to look at it from all sides. (while also tryin to image myself in the role)
Professor Mirzeler told us about his Father, and the fact that he understood and could clearly see the turmoil and social pressure his father was under. When describing him sitting under the tree weeping and after seeing all the beautiful landscape I could just picture him there crying about the choice in front of him. Not only that Professor Mirzeler was letting the class know the flip side what his mother and sisters were doing: everything in their power to help save their loved one, who soon could turn into a victim of an honor killing.
They spent time looking for someone for her to marry in order to save her life and that thought it self.."they spent time looking for someone for her to marry in order to save her life" it brings to mind the importance of marriage and if it is looked at as, "marry ANYONE just to have honor" "If your not a virgin, your not fit to marry" "If your divorced your a broken women, lucky if any MAN wants you" than i think i myself would love out of wedlock in order to truly love the person i was in love with. I would rebell for true love.
I think in a country that is built on pride and honor i myself would risk everything for what i beleieved in, what the hell have i been taught? What has history been showing us? Not to be scared but to fillful something with deep meaning 100 percent heart and soul.
Its to bad the extreme lenght everything has been taken too. With everything being so westernized, trying to keep the honor in line, and under control is harder and must been seen in greater force therefore harsher killings; over such minor issues as viewed in the eyes of myself.
Before, there was no "other" way only the way that was lived and shared amongst the people in the villages, there was order and respect within a place that had no real founding. Made up of mostly nomads, located in the valleys of mountains, travelers were not know because the people couldn't travel all they had we their families and their villages.
If i did grow up in this social role, and these learned behaviors and this was all i knew and lived by regradless how wrong they are, there is the choice to "dishonor" and know what punishments will most likely happen to you or rebell, and take the fate given.
Professor Mirzeler spoke about the changes of the people and the land itself. i thought it was so- moving, and here in America we have never had to deal with something on such a wide range scale,If you dis-honor your family your family will kill you, if you dont die they will kill and rape other members of your family, because you and your family are now an open field with nothing left because all your had in the first place was honor and pride.
The people of Turkey continute to hold on to their traditions, culture, life lessons, etc to at least have a grasp on something in the fast paced world of today.

Paradise Now.

I'm really enjoying Paradise Now, what a great flim? So far...I like how the family interacts with each other, everyone is so close. Its almost funny how everyone knows the same puzzle just different pieces of it. The Mother seems to be wise and knows something is not right within her son. As blogging as i'm watching and i know the "mission" is going to get to him in some way or another where he is not going to able to go through with it....i'm excited to see how the women traveler he met will effect this mission and his life.

TURKEY

Yay!! I'm so excited for my group to take its turn in teaching the class, we have found some wonderful books, short stories and movie clips. So I thought I would blog about Human Rights in Turkey first as an eye opener.

Human rights are protected by treaties, its of high importance to the EU which is the European Union.

• For women in Turkey they do have the right to freely exercise Abortions in the first ten weeks, which is paid for by Social Security..
• 1926 woman were given the right to initate and obtain a divorce, I mention this because of Honor Killings that take place everyday to women in Turkey. Which is the main thing I am forcing on in my contribute to our group. I have found a video we will be showing in class on Thursday if you would like to view it before hand its on my blog as well. But lets talk about main issues of why honor killings happen shall we???
• Dress Code
• wanting out an arranged marriage
• sexual acts
• behavior that dishonors their clan or family

Victims estimated from the United Nations Population Fund have an annual world wide total as being as high as 5,000 which is an outrage.

I'm excited to talk more about this topic and want the class to be excited as well.

Oh side note if anyone is found guity of so called honor killings it is life in prison.

Outside Research-

I was not comfortable in class the other day, talking about The Lawsuit. I didn't want to make assumptions...I understand that we were dissecting the literature at hand but, I dont feel that without some sort of understanding of divorce in general for Arab wives, that I wasn't meeting the story to its full potential, or even adding stereotypes to the story because of what was not known. So, I looked into it.

I found a site for the World Muslim Congress title being Divorce:: Arab wives. Turns out the divorce rate is very high for the women in India, Hundu and or Muslim they receive harsh treating and pity. According to the article the Divorce rate is raising because of the chance in womens status. The link is right here...if you would like to read more. Its very interesting. http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2007/03/divorce-arab-wives.html

I also understand that the man died in our story to I looked that up as well. And Damn was this shocking. Turns out because of history and wars occuring in Middle Easten counties the women are forced to fend for themselves, even if it means to SELL ONE OF THEIR OWN CHILDERN, beg in the street etc. http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2009/10_october/06/arabic.shtml

I wanted to know about how the women deal if they are widowed or whatnot before I could talk about the story.

The Speaker

• Class last time, I thought was the most helpful in our journey to learn more about the Middle East. I wanted to rape his mind with the knowledge that he embodies. I learned more about life, growing up, woman in Egypt and Egyptian culture than ever before. I thought it was so interesting the way of everyday life in Egypt, also very sad; I left class with almost an empty feeling, the people that live there go through... I dont want to say more struggles than the average American just different struggles that no one should have to undergo. Struggles to get what is a right as a person. I think that stereotypes have been broken and mostly the stereotypes brought to class in the beginning were mostly 'oldworld' in a sense. 
• I want to know more about what is happening today in Egypt and the rights people there WANT. Because, as we have learned in some villages it doesn't matter. I want to know more about now, rather then just a small scale we have been focusing on.   
  

The Lawsuit

Im reading The Lawsuit and I'm waiting for more, I feel the section is giving the reader confusion just in the way the "book" starts out. I'm feeling good that the woman has power to sue someone over money which seems to be stolen to begin with. I don't understand in full why years later someone would try to sue the family of her dead husband, years later when they all think she took the money. 

The Day of Ahmads Secret-

This children's story is not what I expected, at all.  I think it is well done and I can see why Dan must have picked this story. 

Ahmed is a lovely little boy and he takes the reader into his life and gives a taste of his everyday duties: 

- Buying beans and rice

- Carrying heavy bottles

-dropping the heavy bottles off

Along with his everyday duties he lets the reader into another side of his life; stories/words of wisdom his Father has told him, "Hurry to grow strong, but do not hurry to grow old." along with a personal level the reader gets to connect on an emotional level not only with Ahmed but with the city that surrounds him. The walls tell stories, the very walls Ahmed sits and shades himself from the hot sun, everything around him is older and stronger than he. 

And this whole time, the reader is WONDERING what the hell could this wonderful little boys secret be? What type of secret could he keep, and why would he have to wait until night fall to let him family know? Many question pop up only to get the answer of the secret... he can write his name.

This was so touching, this little boys takes the reader into his life and he is strong and he is brave and this little boy probably had more responsibilities than I did or the person sitting next to you; all all before he can even write his name.    

i have been thinking about the movie over the weekend...

Over the weekend I have been thinking about the movie, I understand we were asked to compare and contrast to our own personal views or the current views in the U.S.
The Road to love was an interesting movie and open my eyes into a life of a man becoming his true self- It was an insightful struggle of one mans own personal experience. As, for the question that was asked of me in class I'm unsure on how i feel about my answer- I would rather answer the second part with comparing and contrasting to current views rather than my own. Moreover the current issue like equal rights or whats happening with the people as a mass.
A "Road to Love" was from an interesting perspective from one man, but he was speaking french, the people he was interviewing weren't even answering the questions that were asked; some of which were good questions. I think the "Road to Love" more on the lines of a personal, self quest, and or love story.
So, i did some Googling and this is what i found out...

In the U.S President Obama has been slacking on the issue of Gay Rights in a current speech given protesters have let their voice be heard saying comments like, " It's interesting to me that a man who comes from an oppressed race doesn't just do it, with a swipe of a pen," said Barnes, 43, of Fresno." http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/10/11/BAAD1A48IB.DTL&tsp=1

And yet i went to official White House website and its not even on the issues board 22 other issues fall before it.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/additional/

I also did some looking around and found the closest current information that i could, the website popped as as GAYMIDDLEEAST it houses a home for many different topics such as what the news is saying, jokes, real life stories (something along the lines of A Road To Love."
I also found out that most websites are enter as you dare. GME also gives updates in different countries most articties are dated a couple years back, i did check BBC news and there is an interesting video from a earlier in the year news.bbc.co.uk ( i couldn't get the link thingy to work :-/ ) Anyways... I hope others who wanted more current of an event i hope this something to spark your interest. :-)

I am happy that Andy had brought this important topic into our classroom and i will continue to follow this topic, with anticipation of what will come.

Woman and Islam-

I first clicked on this site to learn more about the dress of a woman in Turkey for example the "head scarf" was banned in 2001 and is not allowed to be worn in a university. Women want to start wearing the head scarf as saying to the men this is only how much I AM allowing you to see rather than letting her hair down, its empowerment for the women. This article then goes on to talk about other men and self control but then gets back down to the head scarf. Really good read to help understand the way of Islam.
Link

Women on the Front Line-

The main video I looked at was killing in the Name of Honour. Women on the front digs deeper to get the real facts and truths about what’s really happening in Turkey today. 1 and 3 woman are victims of violence against women Where the execution would be prearranged women dressing in black going to meet their death. Fathers kills mothers, sisters daughters’ etc, because the men think there is nothing else to live for besides pride and honor. But because Turkey is a closed community its hard to get information no one wants to get in trouble or let anything slip because of the fear they too might be killed. In the 72 million people that live in turkey suicide rate has gone up over the last four years. Even since the harsher punishment cracked on honor killing…the “killers” are making it look like a suicide. Woman have no say in who is killed only the men and the leaders of the clan get to make the choice. If the man who is asked to kill his daughter, wife, mother, sister does not people of the clan will go forward with killing other family members until there is no one left.
I learned a lot from this video I thought it was really honest and took a deep hard look into the life of Turkey today for women.
Wo

I found something from an old class....i thought would be helpful to our wonderful class and this something that i think is very interesting... its a break down of political ideology of islam... how cool is that? So here some highlights of what i found-

Political Ideology of Islam

1. Organic Integration of Spiritual (religion) and Material (societal-social, economic, political) domains.

2. Historical Orientation and Awareness—The Example of Muhammad and Governance under the First Four Caliphs. The acute awareness of Islamic history in the present moment.

3. Ummah: Muslims are one brotherhood. Islamic State must support and show solidarity with the Ummah. The concept of Nation-State as a sovereign political though accepted by majority of the people is still challenged as the right polity of an authentic community of Muslims. Calls for reconstitution of Khilafat (Caliphate) are still put forth by revolutionary and traditional Ullema and political activists. Modernists take the Organization of Islamic Conference—an organization with 58 Islamic member countries established in 1993—as the contemporary version of Ummah.

4. Sovereignty belongs to God only, not to the State, or People: Authority to manage society is delegated by God to people. Governments must serve God and People, and rule according to Sharia Law and not according to their wishes and whims.

5. Application of Sharia: Islamic Laws and Values distilled by Islamic scholars from the Quran and Hadith should be applied or implemented to guide state activities and the behavior of individuals in Islamic society.

6. Prescription of Rights of various groups: men, women, non-Muslims.

7. Obligations of Rulers: State leaders are obligated to faithfully implement the Sharia (Law) and not rule according to their will, whims, and likings or for personal benefits or for ego. They must make sure that all people are free of want and are taken care off.

8. Social and Economic Justice: Though private property and seeking profits and money is allowed, nevertheless Wealth is seen as a Trust of God held by persons to be spent for goodness in society and not to be taken as personal right for personal enjoyment. The needy must be provided for by the state and society, through taxation and setting up of philanthropic institutions.

9. Republicanism: Against Primogeniture--Rulers must be selected/elected by the people. Gives Islamic political culture a democratic impulse.

10.Activist Citizenry: Muslims have an obligation to take part in community affairs. The Mosque is both a place of worship and a community center.

11. Peace, Harmony, and Non-Aggression in Society. ‘Fitna’ or spreading disorder or rebellion in society is condemned. Political movements against Muslim rulers must be peaceful. Violent movements are acceptable only when the rulers are openly behave against Islam.

12. Jihad:

a. Jihad-a-Akbar: The Great Jihad-Personal/spiritual Jihad

b. Jihad-a-Ummah: The Social Jihad

c. Jihad-a-Asghar: The Little Jihad-Martial Jihad

please i'm using this information on my papers i hope that other will too. or at least give a different P.O.V

LOST ON THE BLOG

Anyone else lost on the blog? I sure am, I would love to add colors and pictures and when i get enough time i will figure this out and so to my followers lol all three of you....thank u and i'm sorry my blog is so blah. Im hoping to make it fun for the most part...but really the most important thing is what people are blog rather than what it looks like.
So here we goooo BLOGGING-
Get excited.

AUNT SAFIYYA AND THE MONASTERY

The opening of the book I think is rather amusing- the mother is so worried about forgetting someone the boy is thankful he has sisters because then they messed up dropping the cookies he is overlooked. PLus he would be anyways because he is a boy. 

Anyways the first chapter goes on to where the reader follows the boy and the Father to one of their trips to the Monastery the boy talks about how bad the tea is and how he is not allowed to make any noises while drinking this tea yet everyone else seems to be drinking rather loudly. 

In the first Chapter little hints are released of how their everyday life is. The boy is happy to go to school even though he thought it was suppose to know everything which lead him to keep his mouth shut most of the most... which, i think is smart if you ask me, the boy while keeping his mouth shut is kept his ears open and leaned different things about the Monks and whatnot... leading him to ask question and maybe were not suppose to be asked... the books ends are a healing method that doesn't sound like it would work to heal anything to me... but I'm interested to see where this book is going to take the reader AKA ME.

REEL BAD ARABS

Reel Bad Arabs- By Jack Shaheen was okay for the most part, I thought it was overwhelming and repetitive; the movie clips that were shown were all from 20 to 30 years ago and it made the point that today Americans as a whole are still picturing Arabs as bad guys, terrorists, women haters etc. Which in my readings i can not disagree with this in some parts of the middle east things of this nature- happen but the people's as a whole, no. 

The Middle East is looked over- people of America thought the lengths of our own media is shaping Americans to believe a horrifying stereotype of the middle east. Which is sad and not true... Americans needs to educate them selves in order to make an educated opinion on such a matter that effects so many different people all around the world. 

Which is the whole point that Shaheen is trying to make...we and when i say WE I mean America as a whole need to stop hating on different sorts of people race etc. because the average serial killer is a white male in his mid 30-40s and i think that has something to say about America, but yet we turn our finger on a stranger.