It has been almost ten years since September 11, 2001, where approximately 3,000 people were killed at the Twin Towers in New York City, at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
This was started by hijackers hijacking four airplanes under the command of Osama bin Laden. Throughout these ten years, bin Laden has been sending videos, basically mocking the United States and telling us that he commanded the attack against us. He has also been in Pakistan these past several years.
President George Bush said that we should do everything to stop terrorist groups and take down bin Laden. He should be getting the credit. Not Barack Obama because he has only received the war. He has not even served in the military before. The credit should most definitely go to our military. And even Bush for sending troops to the Middle East. Obama should only get credit for giving our troops the go-ahead for the finding of bin Laden.
Richard Engel, a correspondent for NBC, said that bin Laden was the "symbol for war against the United States."
Brian Williams, anchor for Nightly News on NBC, said that New York City is under security for the next few days because of bin Laden's murder. He also said that it will be hard for people to enter or leave the city during the present time. Williams said that it has been 9 years, 7 months, and 20 days since the attack on 9/11.
Jim Miklaszewski, a correspondent for NBC at the Pentagon, said that the threat level has been raised due to current news.
In Obama's speech, he began with telling the United States and the world that Osama bin Laden is dead. He went on to start with 9/11, reminding us of how it was a clear day. And then the attacks occurred. He said that, in light of the attacks, the people came together. "[W]e were united as one American family." Obama said that bin Laden was committed to killing innocents in the U.S. and around the world. He said that, in our Fight Against Terror, we have killed several of the men that had helped in the plot against the U.S. He said that in the gunfight against the U.S. and bin Laden, no Americans were harmed, nor any civilians.
Obama continued with saying that Bush said that the war was not against Islam but against bin Laden, a mass murderer. Obama said that we "did not choose this fight. It came to our shores..." He also said that we know what the cost of war is. He went on to say, "[W]e will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when our people have been killed." Obama finished his speech by saying, "Justice has been done." And said: "[O]ne nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
After the speech, Williams gave numbers to the attack on 9/11. He said that there were 2,600 killed in New York City, 125 in the Pentagon, and 256 on four air crafts. He said that this attack "surpasses Pearl Harbor." He gave a quote that was said by a man who had lost his wife in one of the World Trade Centers. The man said that he was "glad this man's evil is off of this world forever."
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Monday, April 25, 2011
Final Exam Essay
I think that the central question is how one should live in a Mennonite community, given the circumstances of the world such as wars or pop culture. I have no idea what the exact answer is, but I think that the answer might be that you should live by the "rules" and "laws" that were laid out before you.
On page 3 of Peace Shall Destroy Many, you have Thom Wiens calling those that are flying the airplanes overhead in what is World War II "heathens." Throughout the book, we see Thom basically saying, "War is bad." This is something that was forced upon him, not something he could figure out on his own. Also throughout the book, we see Thom having an internal conflict of whether or not to join the military. In Chapter 5, Joseph is talking to Thom. On page 75, Joseph says, "Thom, you personally are hemmed in - physically - you lose all perspective." During one point of the book, Thom sees a Canadian recruitment poster. And when Thom is working at the Block farm, Elizabeth tells Thom to leave the community. On page 285, Thom punches Herb, the first time that he has ever punched anyone. It is the first time that he has done something "un-Mennonite." There may be a lot of "signs" and a lot of people telling him to, basically, think for himself and to leave the community, but the book is left open, making the reader wonder if Thom chose to stay in the community or join the military. As far as we know, he could have stayed in the community and drowned in beliefs that were forced upon him.
In Katya, towards the beginning of the book, you have Katya holding a piece of wool and saying a prayer to God, something her father had taught her to do when she gets angry because it is not "Mennonite-like" to get angry. Throughout the book, we see Katya doing things that are "Mennonite-like" and those that are not (such as throwing a cup down a well). But throughout the book, we see Katya following her religion, not getting into trouble.
In A Complicated Kindness, you have pop culture that is brought into a Mennonite family. On page 5 in the last paragraph, Nomi says,"...a ban on the media, dancing, smoking, temperate climates, movies, drinking, rock 'n' roll... That was Menno all over. Thanks a lot, Menno." She mentions this, because, at least in the past, all of this stuff was banned. No Mennonite was allowed to do any of these things. Towards the beginning of the book, she mentions the family having gotten a TV because someone they knew was going to be on a show. She basically said that Menno Simons would have a cow. She also mentions Queen and Pink Floyd. In Mennonite tradition, none of this would be allowed. Towards the end of the book, she says that her mother left her husband so that he wouldn't have to choose between her and his religion.
So, in the end, it seems like all Mennonites are not supposed to watch TV, listen to music (well, music that is not soft religious music), or anything else. It seems like they are supposed to live in the 1400s rather than the 2000s.
On page 3 of Peace Shall Destroy Many, you have Thom Wiens calling those that are flying the airplanes overhead in what is World War II "heathens." Throughout the book, we see Thom basically saying, "War is bad." This is something that was forced upon him, not something he could figure out on his own. Also throughout the book, we see Thom having an internal conflict of whether or not to join the military. In Chapter 5, Joseph is talking to Thom. On page 75, Joseph says, "Thom, you personally are hemmed in - physically - you lose all perspective." During one point of the book, Thom sees a Canadian recruitment poster. And when Thom is working at the Block farm, Elizabeth tells Thom to leave the community. On page 285, Thom punches Herb, the first time that he has ever punched anyone. It is the first time that he has done something "un-Mennonite." There may be a lot of "signs" and a lot of people telling him to, basically, think for himself and to leave the community, but the book is left open, making the reader wonder if Thom chose to stay in the community or join the military. As far as we know, he could have stayed in the community and drowned in beliefs that were forced upon him.
In Katya, towards the beginning of the book, you have Katya holding a piece of wool and saying a prayer to God, something her father had taught her to do when she gets angry because it is not "Mennonite-like" to get angry. Throughout the book, we see Katya doing things that are "Mennonite-like" and those that are not (such as throwing a cup down a well). But throughout the book, we see Katya following her religion, not getting into trouble.
In A Complicated Kindness, you have pop culture that is brought into a Mennonite family. On page 5 in the last paragraph, Nomi says,"...a ban on the media, dancing, smoking, temperate climates, movies, drinking, rock 'n' roll... That was Menno all over. Thanks a lot, Menno." She mentions this, because, at least in the past, all of this stuff was banned. No Mennonite was allowed to do any of these things. Towards the beginning of the book, she mentions the family having gotten a TV because someone they knew was going to be on a show. She basically said that Menno Simons would have a cow. She also mentions Queen and Pink Floyd. In Mennonite tradition, none of this would be allowed. Towards the end of the book, she says that her mother left her husband so that he wouldn't have to choose between her and his religion.
So, in the end, it seems like all Mennonites are not supposed to watch TV, listen to music (well, music that is not soft religious music), or anything else. It seems like they are supposed to live in the 1400s rather than the 2000s.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Canadian Poets
One thing that the Canadian poets in A Cappella have in common is that they write about family, religion, or nature. In a couple of Sarah Klassen's poems, she talks about her mother while Patrick Friesen writes about his father.
In some of the poems, instead of writing it in the first-person, these poems are written in the second or the third-person. I think that with the different uses of the person, you might learn or catch something new than if it had been written in the first-person.
In a couple of the poems (one written by Audrey Poetker-Thiessen and another by Leonard Neufeldt), italics are used on a few of the words. For some of the poems (by Audrey Poetket-Thiessen and Di Brandt), there were no titles on these poems.
In some of the poems, instead of writing it in the first-person, these poems are written in the second or the third-person. I think that with the different uses of the person, you might learn or catch something new than if it had been written in the first-person.
In a couple of the poems (one written by Audrey Poetker-Thiessen and another by Leonard Neufeldt), italics are used on a few of the words. For some of the poems (by Audrey Poetket-Thiessen and Di Brandt), there were no titles on these poems.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Responding to Ann's Post-9/11 Comment
On April 13 in class, Ann had made a comment about post-9/11 and how Mennonites said something to the effect of, "They did it to us. Let's stay the victims."
In my opinion, the Mennonites do not get to keep the name of victim. You just perpetuate the cycle. You are guilty because you, with your pacifist ways, will be allowing the enemies to terrorize the United States again and again, possibly giving us another 9/11.
The reason we had gone to war in the first place was to stop the terrorists. I have told my parents constantly that if we did not go to war, we could have had a million 9/11s by now. You are probably thinking that the war should be over by now. But there has been no relief in terrorists! The numbers are still most likely huge, possibly even larger than before!
If you want to look at how long a war has been going on, look at World War II. World War II had already been happening for a few years before we were forced to join. And it still took another five or six years after we joined the war for it to be over. So you're looking at probably a decade! Sure, the tenth year anniversary of being in war is coming this September, but wars take years. They are not over in one day. If all wars were over in one day, that would be either a miracle or just plain weird.
As I was saying, Mennonites do not get to keep the name of victim. I think that they would take on the name of enemy. Because Mennonites are pacifists, and they would most likely stand aside and let another 9/11 happen without fighting to try to stop it from happening.
In my opinion, the Mennonites do not get to keep the name of victim. You just perpetuate the cycle. You are guilty because you, with your pacifist ways, will be allowing the enemies to terrorize the United States again and again, possibly giving us another 9/11.
The reason we had gone to war in the first place was to stop the terrorists. I have told my parents constantly that if we did not go to war, we could have had a million 9/11s by now. You are probably thinking that the war should be over by now. But there has been no relief in terrorists! The numbers are still most likely huge, possibly even larger than before!
If you want to look at how long a war has been going on, look at World War II. World War II had already been happening for a few years before we were forced to join. And it still took another five or six years after we joined the war for it to be over. So you're looking at probably a decade! Sure, the tenth year anniversary of being in war is coming this September, but wars take years. They are not over in one day. If all wars were over in one day, that would be either a miracle or just plain weird.
As I was saying, Mennonites do not get to keep the name of victim. I think that they would take on the name of enemy. Because Mennonites are pacifists, and they would most likely stand aside and let another 9/11 happen without fighting to try to stop it from happening.
Miriam Toews's A Complicated Kindness
In A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews, Nomi Nickel's mother had left the family about three years before "Nomi's memoir" was written. On page 144, "Nomi" writes, "...my mom leaving town to spare my dad the pain of having to choose between the church or her..." This leads to my question: If you only had one choice, would you choose your religion or the person you love (specifically someone of a different religion)?
I think that if the Bible says you have to marry someone in your religion, then it is idiotic. If it does not say it and people just think it says that, then the people are either blind or idiotic.
What if the Bible does say that you have to marry within your religion? I think that it is wrong. Let's say you choose religion over the person you love. After the both of you break-up, you never fall in love again. This would be the total "soulmate" thing. Are you supposed be sad for the rest of your life, never falling in love because you chose your religion over your soulmate?
I personally would say screw the religion. If nobody in my religion likes the fact that I am in love with someone of a different religion, then they don't have to talk to me, just so long as I am happy with the person I love.
If you fall in love with someone that is in your religion, then okay. But what if you fall in love with someone outside of your religion? Do you choose your religion and be sad for the rest of your life? Or do you choose the person you love, be happy, and say "screw the religion?"
Jimmy Jack from Translations: "Do you know the Greek word endogamein? It means to marry within the tribe. And the word exogamein means to marry outside the tribe."
I think that if the Bible says you have to marry someone in your religion, then it is idiotic. If it does not say it and people just think it says that, then the people are either blind or idiotic.
What if the Bible does say that you have to marry within your religion? I think that it is wrong. Let's say you choose religion over the person you love. After the both of you break-up, you never fall in love again. This would be the total "soulmate" thing. Are you supposed be sad for the rest of your life, never falling in love because you chose your religion over your soulmate?
I personally would say screw the religion. If nobody in my religion likes the fact that I am in love with someone of a different religion, then they don't have to talk to me, just so long as I am happy with the person I love.
If you fall in love with someone that is in your religion, then okay. But what if you fall in love with someone outside of your religion? Do you choose your religion and be sad for the rest of your life? Or do you choose the person you love, be happy, and say "screw the religion?"
Jimmy Jack from Translations: "Do you know the Greek word endogamein? It means to marry within the tribe. And the word exogamein means to marry outside the tribe."
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Sandra Birdsell's Katya
Katya by Sandra Birdsell was a bit long in my opinion. In the first half of the book, there was not really much dialogue going on. If there was dialogue, it would only be one or two sentences before going back into the descriptions. In the second half of the book, there is clearly much more dialogue than the first half.
In the book, there was a word or two I knew from taking German. The word that was mentioned was "Oma." "Oma" is also used in Germany. It is another word for "großmutter." Both of these words mean "grandma/grandmother." The same can be said for "Opa" which is also used in Germany, the same word for "großvater," and means "grandpa/grandmother."
In the front of the book is the newspaper clipping. If someone was to only glimpse at it and not realize that the book is fiction, the reader may think that the clipping is true. It gives the who, what, where, when, and how. Unfortunately, such news in the newspapers were probably very common during those days.
On page 134, Franz Pauls says, "If there should be a war, then I, for one, will be among the first to volunteer. I'll willingly go wherever I'm sent and do what I'm given to do." This is similar to Joseph in Peace Shall Destroy Many by Rudy Wiebe. Franz says that he will serve if there is a war and Joseph is serving. Joseph is not on the front lines carrying a weapon, but serving in the Medical Reserves. Another similarity between Franz and Joseph is that both of them are in Mennonite communities. Bringing up the topic of serving in the military (no matter if you are only in the medical department or on the front lines) in such a community is basically a big "no-no." My reasoning for it being a no-no is because you are in a pacifist community. Even bringing up the military is asking for you to be shot. By pacifists! If you bring up that, then Mennonite pacifists will think that you are crazy.
In the book, there was a word or two I knew from taking German. The word that was mentioned was "Oma." "Oma" is also used in Germany. It is another word for "großmutter." Both of these words mean "grandma/grandmother." The same can be said for "Opa" which is also used in Germany, the same word for "großvater," and means "grandpa/grandmother."
In the front of the book is the newspaper clipping. If someone was to only glimpse at it and not realize that the book is fiction, the reader may think that the clipping is true. It gives the who, what, where, when, and how. Unfortunately, such news in the newspapers were probably very common during those days.
On page 134, Franz Pauls says, "If there should be a war, then I, for one, will be among the first to volunteer. I'll willingly go wherever I'm sent and do what I'm given to do." This is similar to Joseph in Peace Shall Destroy Many by Rudy Wiebe. Franz says that he will serve if there is a war and Joseph is serving. Joseph is not on the front lines carrying a weapon, but serving in the Medical Reserves. Another similarity between Franz and Joseph is that both of them are in Mennonite communities. Bringing up the topic of serving in the military (no matter if you are only in the medical department or on the front lines) in such a community is basically a big "no-no." My reasoning for it being a no-no is because you are in a pacifist community. Even bringing up the military is asking for you to be shot. By pacifists! If you bring up that, then Mennonite pacifists will think that you are crazy.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
A Family of Military Service and Almost Serving
Like I promised in my previous post, here is my "Personal Column" that I wrote in Feature Writing a couple of months ago. Two of you have already read it.
When I was in high school, I was preparing to apply to serve in the National Guard. I wanted to get away from my parents and sister because I had had enough of our family problems. During the time that my dad and I were talking to a National Guard recruiter, I was experiencing what some doctors from an area clinic had called “partial seizures.” Since the end of my eighth grade year, I was losing my vision for a few seconds at a time. Sometimes, it would happen once or twice every day or every few days. My vision was not filled with dots: It was literally like the saying, “Wool being pulled over my eyes.” At one point, I was losing my vision several times every day for ten seconds rather than only a few. At that point, my dad talked to the recruiter who said that I was not eligible for military service given my medical condition. He gave examples to my dad as to why my condition meant I could not be battle ready. If I was on the battlefield, he said, soldiers in my unit could end up dead – myself included – if I could not see. Simply put, I would be a casualty to the group.
To this day, I still have my partial seizures, but it is not as bad as it had been several years ago. Sometimes, I can go two or three weeks without having one. At other times, I will have one in a day which would occur every several days.
I was raised in a family in which we honor the troops of the past, present, and future. In my family, there is a history of service – and of almost serving – in the military, and I am part of that legacy. My dad’s house that he and his four siblings grew up in was patriotic. He told me that the front and back of the house was red because of the bricks that had been used, the sides were white because of the siding that had also been used, and the roof was blue. He also told me that my grandfather had a flag pole in their backyard which was about 30 feet tall and the flag was possibly a 4’x6’ flag because “it took two people to fold it.” My dad said that the flag could be seen from about a mile and a half away. This was before the small town they lived in was beginning to develop into a city. He said that when his siblings and he were taking down the flag, it had to have thirteen folds (life, eternal life, honor and remembrance of the veteran, weaker nature, country, where our hearts lie, Armed Forces, the one who entered the valley of the shadow of death and to honor mother, womanhood, father, Hebrew citizen, Christian citizen, and the national motto: “In God We Trust”).
My grandfather on my mom’s side served in the Navy after World War II. Because he was in a car accident at the age of fourteen, my grandfather on my dad’s side could not be in the Army. Also due to a car accident just two weeks before he enlisted in the Army, my father had to find something else to do with his life. He wanted to serve because “there was nothing to do in Matteson.” He would have been in either Grenada, Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Bosnia, or all of them.
As I look back to what I wanted to do to get out of the house just because we had “major” family problems (I have been speaking my mind to my parents for the past few years now), I see that it was a selfish reason and it should not have been a reason why I wanted to join the military. The reason that anyone would want to enlist in the military should be that they want to serve the country, not for any selfish reasons or other reasons that does not have to do with the country. Even if I did have the reason of family problems while serving, I am proud that I would have served my country.
I love my country and her soldiers from all of the branches of the military. I am proud that someone in my family was able to serve. I am also proud that people in my family wanted to serve, even if they could not because of reasons largely beyond their control. As my dad says, if he served, he could have been killed, never met my mother, and I would not be able to tell this story of my family’s military support.
I could have been the first woman in my family history to be part of the U.S. military. Given my partial seizures, I need to sit on the sidelines while soldiers keep me free and safe. I know what they need to do. I appreciate the troops needing to do what they do for our freedom, independence, and for keeping us safe. If I was able to, I would be standing right next to them right now.
When I was in high school, I was preparing to apply to serve in the National Guard. I wanted to get away from my parents and sister because I had had enough of our family problems. During the time that my dad and I were talking to a National Guard recruiter, I was experiencing what some doctors from an area clinic had called “partial seizures.” Since the end of my eighth grade year, I was losing my vision for a few seconds at a time. Sometimes, it would happen once or twice every day or every few days. My vision was not filled with dots: It was literally like the saying, “Wool being pulled over my eyes.” At one point, I was losing my vision several times every day for ten seconds rather than only a few. At that point, my dad talked to the recruiter who said that I was not eligible for military service given my medical condition. He gave examples to my dad as to why my condition meant I could not be battle ready. If I was on the battlefield, he said, soldiers in my unit could end up dead – myself included – if I could not see. Simply put, I would be a casualty to the group.
To this day, I still have my partial seizures, but it is not as bad as it had been several years ago. Sometimes, I can go two or three weeks without having one. At other times, I will have one in a day which would occur every several days.
I was raised in a family in which we honor the troops of the past, present, and future. In my family, there is a history of service – and of almost serving – in the military, and I am part of that legacy. My dad’s house that he and his four siblings grew up in was patriotic. He told me that the front and back of the house was red because of the bricks that had been used, the sides were white because of the siding that had also been used, and the roof was blue. He also told me that my grandfather had a flag pole in their backyard which was about 30 feet tall and the flag was possibly a 4’x6’ flag because “it took two people to fold it.” My dad said that the flag could be seen from about a mile and a half away. This was before the small town they lived in was beginning to develop into a city. He said that when his siblings and he were taking down the flag, it had to have thirteen folds (life, eternal life, honor and remembrance of the veteran, weaker nature, country, where our hearts lie, Armed Forces, the one who entered the valley of the shadow of death and to honor mother, womanhood, father, Hebrew citizen, Christian citizen, and the national motto: “In God We Trust”).
My grandfather on my mom’s side served in the Navy after World War II. Because he was in a car accident at the age of fourteen, my grandfather on my dad’s side could not be in the Army. Also due to a car accident just two weeks before he enlisted in the Army, my father had to find something else to do with his life. He wanted to serve because “there was nothing to do in Matteson.” He would have been in either Grenada, Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Bosnia, or all of them.
As I look back to what I wanted to do to get out of the house just because we had “major” family problems (I have been speaking my mind to my parents for the past few years now), I see that it was a selfish reason and it should not have been a reason why I wanted to join the military. The reason that anyone would want to enlist in the military should be that they want to serve the country, not for any selfish reasons or other reasons that does not have to do with the country. Even if I did have the reason of family problems while serving, I am proud that I would have served my country.
I love my country and her soldiers from all of the branches of the military. I am proud that someone in my family was able to serve. I am also proud that people in my family wanted to serve, even if they could not because of reasons largely beyond their control. As my dad says, if he served, he could have been killed, never met my mother, and I would not be able to tell this story of my family’s military support.
I could have been the first woman in my family history to be part of the U.S. military. Given my partial seizures, I need to sit on the sidelines while soldiers keep me free and safe. I know what they need to do. I appreciate the troops needing to do what they do for our freedom, independence, and for keeping us safe. If I was able to, I would be standing right next to them right now.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Responding to Peace Shall Destroy Many
This post has nothing to do with the questions for possible blog posts on Peace Shall Destroy Many but my own response to the book. Here, I am going to focus more on one idea in the book: World War II.
I was quite surprised at Annamarie, specifically with what she has said in the book. Whether or not she was stepping up for the soldiers fighting in the war or is being sarcastic is irrelevant to me. I am surprised with what she says, giving the fact that she is Mennonite and is supposed to be a pacifist.
On page 46, Annamarie says, "If only the minority can say, 'It is against our conscience to fight because we must love enemies as well as friends,' and the majority must say, 'We must fight to protect pacifists so that they may have the right to think as they do,' then the majority, the nonbelievers, die so that the minority, the believers, may live." From what I have seen during the national anthem conflict, specifically when the discussion was taking place on the opinion board outside of the Leaf Raker, pacifists have forgotten that it is the soldier who protects them, keeping the pacifist alive and giving them the right to preach their pacifist ways. Burger Dairy, a gas station right next to the trailer park where I live, has the board where things are written on it. For the past few months, possibly since school started in September, it has said the same thing: "Thank the troops for your independence." Without the soldiers, we most likely will not be living in the country in which we currently live in.
On page 105, Annamarie says, "...Sometimes our refusal to have anything to do with the War means only, 'Well, I'm doing the right thing and am bound for heaven--let the rest of the world go to hell as it wishes.'" Yeah. If you're supposed to love your enemy and not thank the soldiers for your life and freedom and not care whether or not they go to hell just so long as you go to heaven, how in the world can you call yourself a Mennonite? If you don't care about them going to hell just as long as you go to heaven, you're farther along being an idiot than I expected.
To go even farther, on page 48, she says, "Wars can only be won with some fighting, so we divide the job: I supply you with bacon to eat and boots to wear and you go kill the Germans--for the good of both of us... Only, we have the better part. We don't take any risks--and grow rich besides." She is right in what she says. For those of us who are not in the military, we go to college and find excellent jobs, earning tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars a year with some of us earning millions or billions of dollars a year. Us, we are rich compared to the soldier. The soldier earns, if I recall, about $50,000 or so a year, no matter his or her rank, no one making money into the millions.
In my personal opinion, Thom is having an internal conflict throughout the book on whether to join the military or not. I can't go through the entire book to find examples for you, but one example I recall is the Canadian Recruiting poster. I think that, there, Thom is wondering whether or not to join the military. With his call on the horizon, he is wondering whether or not to join. I think that it would be interesting to know if Thom does join the military.
For my next post, I am going to post a personal essay paper that I had to write in Feature Writing a couple of months ago.
I was quite surprised at Annamarie, specifically with what she has said in the book. Whether or not she was stepping up for the soldiers fighting in the war or is being sarcastic is irrelevant to me. I am surprised with what she says, giving the fact that she is Mennonite and is supposed to be a pacifist.
On page 46, Annamarie says, "If only the minority can say, 'It is against our conscience to fight because we must love enemies as well as friends,' and the majority must say, 'We must fight to protect pacifists so that they may have the right to think as they do,' then the majority, the nonbelievers, die so that the minority, the believers, may live." From what I have seen during the national anthem conflict, specifically when the discussion was taking place on the opinion board outside of the Leaf Raker, pacifists have forgotten that it is the soldier who protects them, keeping the pacifist alive and giving them the right to preach their pacifist ways. Burger Dairy, a gas station right next to the trailer park where I live, has the board where things are written on it. For the past few months, possibly since school started in September, it has said the same thing: "Thank the troops for your independence." Without the soldiers, we most likely will not be living in the country in which we currently live in.
On page 105, Annamarie says, "...Sometimes our refusal to have anything to do with the War means only, 'Well, I'm doing the right thing and am bound for heaven--let the rest of the world go to hell as it wishes.'" Yeah. If you're supposed to love your enemy and not thank the soldiers for your life and freedom and not care whether or not they go to hell just so long as you go to heaven, how in the world can you call yourself a Mennonite? If you don't care about them going to hell just as long as you go to heaven, you're farther along being an idiot than I expected.
To go even farther, on page 48, she says, "Wars can only be won with some fighting, so we divide the job: I supply you with bacon to eat and boots to wear and you go kill the Germans--for the good of both of us... Only, we have the better part. We don't take any risks--and grow rich besides." She is right in what she says. For those of us who are not in the military, we go to college and find excellent jobs, earning tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars a year with some of us earning millions or billions of dollars a year. Us, we are rich compared to the soldier. The soldier earns, if I recall, about $50,000 or so a year, no matter his or her rank, no one making money into the millions.
In my personal opinion, Thom is having an internal conflict throughout the book on whether to join the military or not. I can't go through the entire book to find examples for you, but one example I recall is the Canadian Recruiting poster. I think that, there, Thom is wondering whether or not to join the military. With his call on the horizon, he is wondering whether or not to join. I think that it would be interesting to know if Thom does join the military.
For my next post, I am going to post a personal essay paper that I had to write in Feature Writing a couple of months ago.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Peace Shall Destroy Many: Question #11
The book, Peace Shall Destroy Many by Rudy Wiebe, is set in the 1940s during World War II in a Mennonite community in Wapiti, Canada. Throughout it, we see characters develop, voice their opinions, and other things happen.
To answer the question of whether or not the community is either destroyed or redeemed, I believe the community is destroyed or is being destroyed by the time we finish the book. The major problem is being a pacifist or fight as in a war. Thom, a 17-year-old teenager, begins the book as "following the beliefs of his forefathers," as in, he does not believe in violence. Throughout the rest of the book, we see him begin to question "his beliefs" as time progresses. Annamarie, another one of the teenage characters, seems to give her personal opinion on the war and the pacifists (pages 46 and 105).
Also in the book, we have Deacon Peter Block. To put him in simple terms, he runs the community with an iron fist. Basically, things have to be done the famous quote: It's either his way or the highway. When his daughter, Elizabeth, wants to marry Herman Paetkau, Block says no because Paetkau does not have actual parents (I say "actual parents" because I am not one for swearing). Eventually, we find out that Elizabeth was pregnant, possibly by an Indian. Before she died, she told Thom to leave the community (bottom of 166 to 167). On page 250, Thom seems to gather a backbone and is the first Mennonite person to stand up to Block which, in turn, surprises Block that someone would do so. On 265, Thom hears Hal, his younger brother, ask, "Ain't there anythin' in here for me--at all?" Reading this, it can be interpreted as a question Thom can be asking himself. Is there anything for him if he stays in the community at all? From page 284-285, we see a physical fight occur. On 286, it says, "No Mennonite had looked at another. Shame acknowledged and bare on each face...and driven off as from a funeral..."
At the end of the book, with these quotes and examples, you can gather that the community has been destroyed.
To answer the question of whether or not the community is either destroyed or redeemed, I believe the community is destroyed or is being destroyed by the time we finish the book. The major problem is being a pacifist or fight as in a war. Thom, a 17-year-old teenager, begins the book as "following the beliefs of his forefathers," as in, he does not believe in violence. Throughout the rest of the book, we see him begin to question "his beliefs" as time progresses. Annamarie, another one of the teenage characters, seems to give her personal opinion on the war and the pacifists (pages 46 and 105).
Also in the book, we have Deacon Peter Block. To put him in simple terms, he runs the community with an iron fist. Basically, things have to be done the famous quote: It's either his way or the highway. When his daughter, Elizabeth, wants to marry Herman Paetkau, Block says no because Paetkau does not have actual parents (I say "actual parents" because I am not one for swearing). Eventually, we find out that Elizabeth was pregnant, possibly by an Indian. Before she died, she told Thom to leave the community (bottom of 166 to 167). On page 250, Thom seems to gather a backbone and is the first Mennonite person to stand up to Block which, in turn, surprises Block that someone would do so. On 265, Thom hears Hal, his younger brother, ask, "Ain't there anythin' in here for me--at all?" Reading this, it can be interpreted as a question Thom can be asking himself. Is there anything for him if he stays in the community at all? From page 284-285, we see a physical fight occur. On 286, it says, "No Mennonite had looked at another. Shame acknowledged and bare on each face...and driven off as from a funeral..."
At the end of the book, with these quotes and examples, you can gather that the community has been destroyed.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
The Problem with Organized Religion
Many times I have said that I do not attend church and that my father has a problem with organized religion. Just like I had said in my previous posts, my dad's dad's side of the family disowned this side of the family because my grandmother became a Jehovah's Witness rather than staying a Catholic. She only did this for my grandfather and the religion was not helping her on her path towards God. And like I have also said, my grandparents separated but did not divorce. Now, the disownment is not the actual reason my father has a problem with organized religion, and I feel the need to let it be known.
As my grandparents were going through their separation, either a Catholic or a Jehovah's Witness pastor had called my father and his three brothers into his office so that they can talk. Dad says that the pastor had tried to get the four of them to say bad things about my grandmother so that the four siblings (Uncle Daniel, my father, Uncle David, and Uncle Eric in that order of birth) can be with my grandfather. Uncle David and Uncle Eric did what the pastor told them to do and bad-mouthed their own mother. My father had always looked up to his older brother, Uncle Daniel. When he saw that Uncle Daniel just sat there, not saying a word, he did the same thing. A pastor had told them to lie about my grandmother! Can you believe that?! And that is the major reason why my father has a problem with organized religion. And it gets worse.
As the years passed, my grandmother's mental and physical state of health decreased. For the last several years, my aunt was willing to give up her personal life to take care of her mother, my grandmother. Well, the Jehovah's Witness had someone to be my grandmother's power of attorney. The Witnesses were basically like, "Well, she can't be here because of her problems so let's dump her on somebody's doorstep! Yippee!" The Witness fought my aunt every which way. He sent my grandmother to nursing homes where they had physically abused her (beat her, broke bones...). He told my grandmother that they would try to make her take pills (which were for her mentality) and that she should not take them. If I recall, it had something to do with Satan or something. Unfortunately, he had her brainwashed.
And fortunately/unfortunately, this past July, my grandmother passed away. When we were in her hospital room (we reached the hospital after she died), my great-aunt had told my aunt, my father, my mother, and us kids that the Jehovah's Witness that was my grandmother's power of attorney did good things for my grandmother such as buy her a new pair of glasses. So, he had also brainwashed her into thinking he was so nice while my aunt had first-hand experience of how evil he was and she always told her brothers.
This "Witness" had even had the hospital staff convinced my own family was evil. That is, until Uncle David told them the truth of what has actually been happening in which the staff replied that what Uncle David was saying made much more sense.
So, as you can see, we have a whole family history of problems with organized religion.
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| My dad's parents' wedding day! April 21, 1955 |
As my grandparents were going through their separation, either a Catholic or a Jehovah's Witness pastor had called my father and his three brothers into his office so that they can talk. Dad says that the pastor had tried to get the four of them to say bad things about my grandmother so that the four siblings (Uncle Daniel, my father, Uncle David, and Uncle Eric in that order of birth) can be with my grandfather. Uncle David and Uncle Eric did what the pastor told them to do and bad-mouthed their own mother. My father had always looked up to his older brother, Uncle Daniel. When he saw that Uncle Daniel just sat there, not saying a word, he did the same thing. A pastor had told them to lie about my grandmother! Can you believe that?! And that is the major reason why my father has a problem with organized religion. And it gets worse.
As the years passed, my grandmother's mental and physical state of health decreased. For the last several years, my aunt was willing to give up her personal life to take care of her mother, my grandmother. Well, the Jehovah's Witness had someone to be my grandmother's power of attorney. The Witnesses were basically like, "Well, she can't be here because of her problems so let's dump her on somebody's doorstep! Yippee!" The Witness fought my aunt every which way. He sent my grandmother to nursing homes where they had physically abused her (beat her, broke bones...). He told my grandmother that they would try to make her take pills (which were for her mentality) and that she should not take them. If I recall, it had something to do with Satan or something. Unfortunately, he had her brainwashed.
And fortunately/unfortunately, this past July, my grandmother passed away. When we were in her hospital room (we reached the hospital after she died), my great-aunt had told my aunt, my father, my mother, and us kids that the Jehovah's Witness that was my grandmother's power of attorney did good things for my grandmother such as buy her a new pair of glasses. So, he had also brainwashed her into thinking he was so nice while my aunt had first-hand experience of how evil he was and she always told her brothers.
This "Witness" had even had the hospital staff convinced my own family was evil. That is, until Uncle David told them the truth of what has actually been happening in which the staff replied that what Uncle David was saying made much more sense.
So, as you can see, we have a whole family history of problems with organized religion.
Personal Essay
Not many people may care about their family heritage nor their family tree. I've been thinking about it. I've been learning it. And I want more.
I was born in Kankakee, Illinois, in March 1989. Before we had our own home, my parents, sister, and I lived with my grandmother on my father's side in Matteson, Illinois and my grandmother on my mother's side in Richton Park, Illinois. We also lived in Peotone, Illinois. The summer after I had turned five, we had moved to Gary, Indiana, where I attended headstart/pre-school. As the school year was finishing up, my dad moved some of our belongings to a storage shed in Nappanee, Indiana. After school ended, we stayed at a friend's house in Nappanee for about a month or so until the people in our new house (a mobile home) moved out. In June of 1995, we officially moved in. This June, it will be sixteen years that we have been in the same exact house.
For the past several years, I have been interested in knowing the countries where my ancestors have come from. I have Irish, Dutch, German, American, Cherokee, and Norwegian in my blood. On my mother's father's side of the family, my great-great-great-grandmother was a full-blooded Cherokee. On my father's mother's side of the family, my great-grandfather was a direct descendant of the Vikings. When my dad told me about my great-grandfather, I told him that, apparently, it is not a good combination to have in one person: 
Indians and Vikings. You have the Indians that scalped people and the Vikings who burned villages. Who knows? Maybe my sister and I will start scalping people and burning villages. Although the both of us will not be doing that anytime soon. Probably never. My dad also told me before my sophomore year in high school that my grandfather's (his dad) parents directly came from Germany.
When I started taking German in my sophomore year of high school, my dad said that my grandfather would be proud of me. I found a few German songs and downloaded them onto my computer. Totally legally. So, I am able to sing along with them. Unfortunately, I haven't taken German in almost three years and haven't had anybody (at least in the family) to speak to in German. So, I have lost my German-touch. Oh, I miss speaking German!
I think that the reason why I loved the play Translations so much is probably because I am part Irish. At the end of the play, there was an Irish song called Dulaman which I have downloaded to my MP3 player and my computer. After seeing the play a second time, I told my dad that if I had ancestors that were in Ireland during the 1830s, it must have been hard on them because they would see the Irish names of streets and such be changed to English. Also, during that time, there was the potato famine that ran throughout the country which caused many people to leave and many others to die.
Last semester, I was listening to CDs for The Globe. One of the CDs was by Tia McGraff. At the beginning and the end of one of her songs which is titled "Two Wolves," there are Native Americans doing a chant. In it, she talks about "the proud Cherokee." When I heard that, I was so excited, and I knew that I had to get it.
Because I have been so into my heritage for some reason for the past few months, my dad and I have found songs in Native American and Irish, and maybe even Norwegian. Since English is my first language, it is already a given, so I can't include that in my collection of songs from my heritages.
I also like knowing my family tree. Unfortunately, due to someone on both sides of the family, I am not able to know this information. My paternal grandfather's side of the family disowned my paternal grandmother's side of the family, their own kids, and just by marriage and birth, the rest of us in the family. We have been disowned because my grandmother became a Jehovah's Witness since the Catholic religion (my grandfather's and most likely his siblings' and parents' religion) wasn't helping her on her path towards God. On my mother's side of the family, there is an uncle who will not allow anyone to see the family tree and most likely not let us have a copy of it.
I think that I might be the only one in my entire family - okay, out of my aunt and her family, and my uncles and their families, and my own family, and part of my mom's side of the family, and most likely everyone else from my dad's side of the family - that wants to take our family tree and our heritage seriously. My parents say that no one in the family has kept records of who married who, who was born, and who died. They also told me that they wish they could go back in time and create a family tree just because I want to put one together. My dad says that when I have a job and money, I can take the time to go on journeys like they do on Who Do You Think You Are? He says I would have to start with Chicago since that is where my parents were born. Too bad it's not a law that every single family has to have a family tree. That way each generation can add onto it when they have their kids and get married and their spouses would add their family tree to that one.
After having finally been able to come up with the money for ancestry.com, I was able to check the hints that were waiting for me. A few of them were relevant while the others were not. One example is my eight-year-old cousin, Sam, who was supposedly "born in 18-something." Not relevant because he's only eight! Check the year he was born! Last Wednesday, I was with Joe Springer to get more for my family tree. Unfortunately, he only discovered what I had already had on my tree. I really do appreciate him trying to help me, but now, I only see that we wasted a few hours on dead-ends, nothing relevant, and people I already have.
And now, it is back to the drawing board. Back to the old-fashioned way: Letters to my great grandmother and visiting the graves of my paternal grandfather and his parents. Within the next few months, my dad said that the four of us can go (for the very first time) to my paternal grandfather's grave so that we can get his birth and death dates, the names of his parents who he is buried next to, and possibly any more information there before I go online.
So, here at the end, I shall say that I want to create my family tree and to also know more about my heritage, whether that's by going online to Wikipedia and also listening to songs from my home countries.
I was born in Kankakee, Illinois, in March 1989. Before we had our own home, my parents, sister, and I lived with my grandmother on my father's side in Matteson, Illinois and my grandmother on my mother's side in Richton Park, Illinois. We also lived in Peotone, Illinois. The summer after I had turned five, we had moved to Gary, Indiana, where I attended headstart/pre-school. As the school year was finishing up, my dad moved some of our belongings to a storage shed in Nappanee, Indiana. After school ended, we stayed at a friend's house in Nappanee for about a month or so until the people in our new house (a mobile home) moved out. In June of 1995, we officially moved in. This June, it will be sixteen years that we have been in the same exact house.
For the past several years, I have been interested in knowing the countries where my ancestors have come from. I have Irish, Dutch, German, American, Cherokee, and Norwegian in my blood. On my mother's father's side of the family, my great-great-great-grandmother was a full-blooded Cherokee. On my father's mother's side of the family, my great-grandfather was a direct descendant of the Vikings. When my dad told me about my great-grandfather, I told him that, apparently, it is not a good combination to have in one person: 
Indians and Vikings. You have the Indians that scalped people and the Vikings who burned villages. Who knows? Maybe my sister and I will start scalping people and burning villages. Although the both of us will not be doing that anytime soon. Probably never. My dad also told me before my sophomore year in high school that my grandfather's (his dad) parents directly came from Germany. When I started taking German in my sophomore year of high school, my dad said that my grandfather would be proud of me. I found a few German songs and downloaded them onto my computer. Totally legally. So, I am able to sing along with them. Unfortunately, I haven't taken German in almost three years and haven't had anybody (at least in the family) to speak to in German. So, I have lost my German-touch. Oh, I miss speaking German!
I think that the reason why I loved the play Translations so much is probably because I am part Irish. At the end of the play, there was an Irish song called Dulaman which I have downloaded to my MP3 player and my computer. After seeing the play a second time, I told my dad that if I had ancestors that were in Ireland during the 1830s, it must have been hard on them because they would see the Irish names of streets and such be changed to English. Also, during that time, there was the potato famine that ran throughout the country which caused many people to leave and many others to die.
Last semester, I was listening to CDs for The Globe. One of the CDs was by Tia McGraff. At the beginning and the end of one of her songs which is titled "Two Wolves," there are Native Americans doing a chant. In it, she talks about "the proud Cherokee." When I heard that, I was so excited, and I knew that I had to get it.
Because I have been so into my heritage for some reason for the past few months, my dad and I have found songs in Native American and Irish, and maybe even Norwegian. Since English is my first language, it is already a given, so I can't include that in my collection of songs from my heritages.
I also like knowing my family tree. Unfortunately, due to someone on both sides of the family, I am not able to know this information. My paternal grandfather's side of the family disowned my paternal grandmother's side of the family, their own kids, and just by marriage and birth, the rest of us in the family. We have been disowned because my grandmother became a Jehovah's Witness since the Catholic religion (my grandfather's and most likely his siblings' and parents' religion) wasn't helping her on her path towards God. On my mother's side of the family, there is an uncle who will not allow anyone to see the family tree and most likely not let us have a copy of it.
I think that I might be the only one in my entire family - okay, out of my aunt and her family, and my uncles and their families, and my own family, and part of my mom's side of the family, and most likely everyone else from my dad's side of the family - that wants to take our family tree and our heritage seriously. My parents say that no one in the family has kept records of who married who, who was born, and who died. They also told me that they wish they could go back in time and create a family tree just because I want to put one together. My dad says that when I have a job and money, I can take the time to go on journeys like they do on Who Do You Think You Are? He says I would have to start with Chicago since that is where my parents were born. Too bad it's not a law that every single family has to have a family tree. That way each generation can add onto it when they have their kids and get married and their spouses would add their family tree to that one.
After having finally been able to come up with the money for ancestry.com, I was able to check the hints that were waiting for me. A few of them were relevant while the others were not. One example is my eight-year-old cousin, Sam, who was supposedly "born in 18-something." Not relevant because he's only eight! Check the year he was born! Last Wednesday, I was with Joe Springer to get more for my family tree. Unfortunately, he only discovered what I had already had on my tree. I really do appreciate him trying to help me, but now, I only see that we wasted a few hours on dead-ends, nothing relevant, and people I already have.
And now, it is back to the drawing board. Back to the old-fashioned way: Letters to my great grandmother and visiting the graves of my paternal grandfather and his parents. Within the next few months, my dad said that the four of us can go (for the very first time) to my paternal grandfather's grave so that we can get his birth and death dates, the names of his parents who he is buried next to, and possibly any more information there before I go online.
So, here at the end, I shall say that I want to create my family tree and to also know more about my heritage, whether that's by going online to Wikipedia and also listening to songs from my home countries.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Stories vs. Fiction
I think that there will be a decent role for Mennonite fiction. It might not be a huge role, but a decent one nonetheless. I think that the role for fiction would have new themes or a very different perspective when it comes to the religion and/or how the Mennonites live.
With these stories written by Mennonite writers, it will give an outsider something new to look at. What I mean is that the outsider will have an example of how things are "ran" rather than it being shoved in their faces. The outsider will be able to be eased into a new situation.
When a Mennonite writer tells his or her inside story to an outsider, the writer "gets in trouble" for it, especially if the writer mentions things that are not positive. The insiders will say that this is not true, this never happened in the history of Mennonites, and everything else. Insiders do not want their lives to be known. They, in a way, want to be left alone. The Mennonites probably want to seem perfect to the outside world. When the story is told to an insider, the insider will know what is going on and they will probably not say that something was wrong.
I think that Mennonites would believe that the story would need to be culturally accurate. Personally, I would not mind it being both. In stories, you have to have adventure or else it is going to be boring. Let us take the Amish for example. You can't have a book where the characters get up at five in the morning, do the farm work, go to church, and go to bed. Well, you can, but like I said, it would be a very boring book. Having two or three hundred pages of the same thing. Just for cultural accuracy! Personally, I think Pearl Diver would be a good representation of both culturally accurate and humanly compelling.
Once again, if it came from a Mennonite reader's point-of-view, the writer would most likely have to fully faithfully represent the community. The writer would probably "damn the community" (pardon my French) if he or she said that Dirk Willems was a female rather than a male. He or she would also probably curse the community by saying that the Mennonites are non-believers or something that would be the opposite of the community. The writer can say that the community always get together and have drinking (alcohol or beer) contests and the writer will end up having people on their doorstep at three in the morning.
In my personal opinion, the Mennonite writer does not have very much freedom when they write something. He or she will have people looking over the writer's shoulder every time they write, just because the community does not like what has been said.
It is also my personal opinion that the community needs to leave the writer alone. If he or she wants to say something "bad" about the community, then let them do it. The story is only written by one person, not by 10,000 people. If the Mennonite reader does not like what has been said in a book, then they do not have to read it. It is not like the reader was forced to read it. If you are a reader and you do not like what has been said in a book about your community, you "do not have the right to tell the writer" that they were in the wrong and that you could have written a better story.
So, in the end, there is a role for fiction in Mennonite literature in the future. But that role is not going to be very big, given the fact that the story is Mennonite and the writer is Mennonite.
With these stories written by Mennonite writers, it will give an outsider something new to look at. What I mean is that the outsider will have an example of how things are "ran" rather than it being shoved in their faces. The outsider will be able to be eased into a new situation.
When a Mennonite writer tells his or her inside story to an outsider, the writer "gets in trouble" for it, especially if the writer mentions things that are not positive. The insiders will say that this is not true, this never happened in the history of Mennonites, and everything else. Insiders do not want their lives to be known. They, in a way, want to be left alone. The Mennonites probably want to seem perfect to the outside world. When the story is told to an insider, the insider will know what is going on and they will probably not say that something was wrong.
I think that Mennonites would believe that the story would need to be culturally accurate. Personally, I would not mind it being both. In stories, you have to have adventure or else it is going to be boring. Let us take the Amish for example. You can't have a book where the characters get up at five in the morning, do the farm work, go to church, and go to bed. Well, you can, but like I said, it would be a very boring book. Having two or three hundred pages of the same thing. Just for cultural accuracy! Personally, I think Pearl Diver would be a good representation of both culturally accurate and humanly compelling.
Once again, if it came from a Mennonite reader's point-of-view, the writer would most likely have to fully faithfully represent the community. The writer would probably "damn the community" (pardon my French) if he or she said that Dirk Willems was a female rather than a male. He or she would also probably curse the community by saying that the Mennonites are non-believers or something that would be the opposite of the community. The writer can say that the community always get together and have drinking (alcohol or beer) contests and the writer will end up having people on their doorstep at three in the morning.
In my personal opinion, the Mennonite writer does not have very much freedom when they write something. He or she will have people looking over the writer's shoulder every time they write, just because the community does not like what has been said.
It is also my personal opinion that the community needs to leave the writer alone. If he or she wants to say something "bad" about the community, then let them do it. The story is only written by one person, not by 10,000 people. If the Mennonite reader does not like what has been said in a book, then they do not have to read it. It is not like the reader was forced to read it. If you are a reader and you do not like what has been said in a book about your community, you "do not have the right to tell the writer" that they were in the wrong and that you could have written a better story.
So, in the end, there is a role for fiction in Mennonite literature in the future. But that role is not going to be very big, given the fact that the story is Mennonite and the writer is Mennonite.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Aistriúchán
Why did I love Translations so much? Why did I go see it twice? I have absolutely no idea. I would like to blame it on my Irish roots. Which I love!
I loved the play so much and I love my roots so much. It is so bad where I have the song that was played at the end and I have a T-shirt that says Ireland on it. It also says welcome in Irish. That is how bad it is. And it's even as bad as me knowing when I plan on wearing the shirt for the first time! Which also happens to be only four days before my birthday! Isn't that weird?
For my drama class, I had to read the play. I did not like it at all. The first ten or fifteen minutes when I had to go see the play, I was bored to death. I was wondering when it was going to be over. I knew what was going to happen so why did I have to sit through all of it? Well, for my Comm Across Cultures class, I had to sit through all of it. If it wasn't for that class, I would have left during intermission and never came back. Well, let's just say that I'm glad that Comm made me sit through all of it because if I left during intermission, I wouldn't have gotten "Dulaman."
After those several minutes, I began to start enjoying the play. I was so into it that when Maire was talking about Yolland in Act 3, I was near tears. It is probably because I am a fool for romance. It is also probably because I knew that Maire and Yolland loved each other and she ended up having to go through life without him. After getting home that night, I told my mother that I quite enjoyed the play. I knew that I had to see it again. So, I ended up getting another ticket and went to see it the following weekend. I listened to "Dulaman" all the way home after seeing it the second time!
I told my parents that if I had ancestors that went through their home country changing or the famine, it must have been sad. I am just glad that my ancestors lived through whatever they went through, because if it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be here or I wouldn't have lovely Irish in my blood.
I loved the play so much and I love my roots so much. It is so bad where I have the song that was played at the end and I have a T-shirt that says Ireland on it. It also says welcome in Irish. That is how bad it is. And it's even as bad as me knowing when I plan on wearing the shirt for the first time! Which also happens to be only four days before my birthday! Isn't that weird?
For my drama class, I had to read the play. I did not like it at all. The first ten or fifteen minutes when I had to go see the play, I was bored to death. I was wondering when it was going to be over. I knew what was going to happen so why did I have to sit through all of it? Well, for my Comm Across Cultures class, I had to sit through all of it. If it wasn't for that class, I would have left during intermission and never came back. Well, let's just say that I'm glad that Comm made me sit through all of it because if I left during intermission, I wouldn't have gotten "Dulaman."
After those several minutes, I began to start enjoying the play. I was so into it that when Maire was talking about Yolland in Act 3, I was near tears. It is probably because I am a fool for romance. It is also probably because I knew that Maire and Yolland loved each other and she ended up having to go through life without him. After getting home that night, I told my mother that I quite enjoyed the play. I knew that I had to see it again. So, I ended up getting another ticket and went to see it the following weekend. I listened to "Dulaman" all the way home after seeing it the second time!
I told my parents that if I had ancestors that went through their home country changing or the famine, it must have been sad. I am just glad that my ancestors lived through whatever they went through, because if it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be here or I wouldn't have lovely Irish in my blood.
Responding to Becca & Ann's comments on Being the Odd-One-Out
Everyone is welcome to share their comments and opinions on this! Just, maybe not too harsh on me please.
Thank you both for commenting on that last post. It lets me know that the both of you want to know my opinion or to know what can be done to make me feel "in."
I know that this is going to sound stupid, but I feel like I should give a presentation or a speech or something about where I am coming from. Sure, I am doing a lot of postings, but I don't think that the written-word can give as much emotion as the spoken-word (taking this from Memoir) does. Heck, I don't even think that a lot of people in class are reading any of these latest postings or care about how I feel in taking this class and being left-out.
I don't even know what borscht is. I mean, is it beef stew? If you say beef stew, I know what you're talking about. I mean, who hasn't had beef stew and who doesn't like it?
Sigh! It feels like all five of my classes this semester are coming together!
In taking this class and writing these latest posts and especially this one, it feels just like my Violence & Non-Violence class that I took last semester. It was like everyone was saying "no violence" to everything while I was like, "Violence. Maybe not so much violence. Definitely violence," in readings and topics where if we were in a certain position. I mean, if someone was to walk into the class off of the street, not having anything to do with the college, and asked all of us whether the war is necessary or unnecessary, I swear eight out of nine will say unnecessary while that last person will say necessary. Of course, we all know who that one person will be!
When we have a class discussion over something we've read, it's like all of the opinions are coming from the "pacifist" side. Even if one person does all of the talking and everyone else agrees (whether they say something or not). And of course, we all know that I will not be agreeing on things, so why does my opinion matter? Probably doesn't count in these class discussions. It seems like, if I voice my opinion, someone is going to grab a bible and start preaching "the word" or what I'm going to call the "pacifist word." Just because I'm not a pacifist!
I don't know. My brain is just jumbled with thoughts. I wouldn't mind if we watched a clip from the movie Pearl Harbor and from the documentary 9/11 and then talk about it. Especially if war was necessary or unnecessary. Of course, none of this stuff matters to everybody else.
I could write a paper and read it out loud to everyone in class. We can watch clips. We can include opinions from those that are not Mennonites or those that are not pacifists (like in quick readings). Like I said, I don't know. My brain is jumbled.
It's just really annoying being the only non-pacifist and non-Mennonite in class.
Thank you both for commenting on that last post. It lets me know that the both of you want to know my opinion or to know what can be done to make me feel "in."
I know that this is going to sound stupid, but I feel like I should give a presentation or a speech or something about where I am coming from. Sure, I am doing a lot of postings, but I don't think that the written-word can give as much emotion as the spoken-word (taking this from Memoir) does. Heck, I don't even think that a lot of people in class are reading any of these latest postings or care about how I feel in taking this class and being left-out.
I don't even know what borscht is. I mean, is it beef stew? If you say beef stew, I know what you're talking about. I mean, who hasn't had beef stew and who doesn't like it?
Sigh! It feels like all five of my classes this semester are coming together!
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| Statue of Liberty holding a baby and a gun. Link. |
When we have a class discussion over something we've read, it's like all of the opinions are coming from the "pacifist" side. Even if one person does all of the talking and everyone else agrees (whether they say something or not). And of course, we all know that I will not be agreeing on things, so why does my opinion matter? Probably doesn't count in these class discussions. It seems like, if I voice my opinion, someone is going to grab a bible and start preaching "the word" or what I'm going to call the "pacifist word." Just because I'm not a pacifist!
I don't know. My brain is just jumbled with thoughts. I wouldn't mind if we watched a clip from the movie Pearl Harbor and from the documentary 9/11 and then talk about it. Especially if war was necessary or unnecessary. Of course, none of this stuff matters to everybody else.
I could write a paper and read it out loud to everyone in class. We can watch clips. We can include opinions from those that are not Mennonites or those that are not pacifists (like in quick readings). Like I said, I don't know. My brain is jumbled.
It's just really annoying being the only non-pacifist and non-Mennonite in class.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Being the Odd-One-Out
Whew! Half-way done with the semester and I still feel like the odd-one-out. Especially after reading Kim's post about both sides of her family being Mennonite. Although I'm not complaining and no one should feel bad! Of course, I have always been the odd-one-out. Sorry, I was talking to myself. I have my ideas that are very much different from everyone's in class. I am not a pacifist, I believe in violence when it is necessary. I don't care about any and all things religious. I can't even connect with any of the readings we have done in class so far! Of course, it is a Mennonite class and... Sorry, talking to myself again.
With everyone being able to connect with each other because of food or tracing their heritage back several generations or being pacifists or anything else while I can't, I feel like I am the odd-one-out. It makes me wonder if there is anyone in class who can relate to me in a way or even know what I am talking about! Of course, this might just be a topic for another day or another generation. But apparently not even for this generation.
With everyone being able to connect with each other because of food or tracing their heritage back several generations or being pacifists or anything else while I can't, I feel like I am the odd-one-out. It makes me wonder if there is anyone in class who can relate to me in a way or even know what I am talking about! Of course, this might just be a topic for another day or another generation. But apparently not even for this generation.
Being Disowned/My Heritage
Has anyone in class been disowned? Is anyone currently disowned?
Well, I'll tell you that I am disowned and will be for the rest of my life. No, not me alone. It's my entire family (at least those coming from my dad's side of the family). After reading Kim's blog about being able to go back several generations in her family, I thought that I should write a blog about my own family.
It seems like everyone in class is able to trace their heritage while I can't. I can only fully get my four grandparents and only four of my eight great-grandparents. Just like I commented on Kim's blog in which I ask why I only go this far, I ask the same thing here: Why?
I'll start with my mother's side of the family. She has an uncle that has the entire (okay, a lot) family tree. When my sister and I were younger, my mother wanted to know the family tree so that she could pass it down to the both of us. Her uncle doesn't want anyone to see it nor does he want anyone to have it. It seems like the family tree will be buried with him. I told my mother (as a joke but not a joke-joke) that it seems that the only way we will be able to see the family tree is when he croaks. And she agreed with me.
Now, I will tell you about how my dad's side of the family (which will eventually include my mother, me, and my sister) came to be disowned.
My father is one of five children. His father was a Catholic as was my grandfather's siblings and parents most likely were. My grandmother was a Catholic, but only because of my grandfather. Eventually, she would find her way to being a Jehovah's Witness. After that, my grandparents split-up, but they didn't divorce. After my grandfather left my grandmother to deal with the kids, his entire family disowned my dad, his siblings, my grandmother, and her side of the family. The kids stopped playing with her kids, the adults stopped talking and hanging out with her side, the adults did not want anything to do with her kids... It was like my grandmother's side of the family and her kids did not exist at all. Only because my grandmother was a Witness and not a Catholic! So, eventually, all of us cousins and our parents (those that are not part of my dad's parents' sides of the family) have become disowned through marriage and birth.
So, anyone reading this can see why I cannot go very far in my heritage. And, I wish that I could because I would love to know my heritage in a bad way. All I know is that I am Irish (probably why I loved watching Translations so much), Dutch, German, American, Cherokee, and Norwegian. I only know that my great-great-great grandmother on my mom's dad's side of the family is pure Cherokee and my great grandfather on my dad's mom's side is a direct descendant of the Vikings. Apparently not a good combination in my family. Probably end up burning villages and scalping people.
Well, I'll tell you that I am disowned and will be for the rest of my life. No, not me alone. It's my entire family (at least those coming from my dad's side of the family). After reading Kim's blog about being able to go back several generations in her family, I thought that I should write a blog about my own family.
It seems like everyone in class is able to trace their heritage while I can't. I can only fully get my four grandparents and only four of my eight great-grandparents. Just like I commented on Kim's blog in which I ask why I only go this far, I ask the same thing here: Why?
I'll start with my mother's side of the family. She has an uncle that has the entire (okay, a lot) family tree. When my sister and I were younger, my mother wanted to know the family tree so that she could pass it down to the both of us. Her uncle doesn't want anyone to see it nor does he want anyone to have it. It seems like the family tree will be buried with him. I told my mother (as a joke but not a joke-joke) that it seems that the only way we will be able to see the family tree is when he croaks. And she agreed with me.
Now, I will tell you about how my dad's side of the family (which will eventually include my mother, me, and my sister) came to be disowned.
My father is one of five children. His father was a Catholic as was my grandfather's siblings and parents most likely were. My grandmother was a Catholic, but only because of my grandfather. Eventually, she would find her way to being a Jehovah's Witness. After that, my grandparents split-up, but they didn't divorce. After my grandfather left my grandmother to deal with the kids, his entire family disowned my dad, his siblings, my grandmother, and her side of the family. The kids stopped playing with her kids, the adults stopped talking and hanging out with her side, the adults did not want anything to do with her kids... It was like my grandmother's side of the family and her kids did not exist at all. Only because my grandmother was a Witness and not a Catholic! So, eventually, all of us cousins and our parents (those that are not part of my dad's parents' sides of the family) have become disowned through marriage and birth.
So, anyone reading this can see why I cannot go very far in my heritage. And, I wish that I could because I would love to know my heritage in a bad way. All I know is that I am Irish (probably why I loved watching Translations so much), Dutch, German, American, Cherokee, and Norwegian. I only know that my great-great-great grandmother on my mom's dad's side of the family is pure Cherokee and my great grandfather on my dad's mom's side is a direct descendant of the Vikings. Apparently not a good combination in my family. Probably end up burning villages and scalping people.
Stephen Raleigh Byler's Searching for Intruders
I did not particularly care about Stephen Raleigh Byler's Searching for Intruders. It might just be because it is in the first-person point-of-view and it is kind of like a memoir, even though it is only fiction, and probably because there is no action or anything in it. It is just about this guy's life.
I can relate to the story "Roaches." My family lived in Peotone, IL, and then in Gary, IN before moving to Nappanee. In Peotone, we lived in an apartment. In Gary, a mobile home (trailer). Unfortunately, we had roaches. For the first couple or few years after we moved to Nappanee, we had roaches because they moved with us! Since then, we have not have roaches. But, every year, the ants, flies, and ladybugs (and once in a while during winter, mice) are just terrible! So, I can relate. And trust me, we always killed the roaches (and still all of the other bugs) because we are not pacifists.
The very short story that I hated was "Limp." My family has rescued three rescue dogs. Sammy, our first rescue, was always beat and his hair was long and matted. Xena, our second, was kept in a small cage whenever the owners left. Peyton, currently our third, was kept in a cage his entire life. He was only let out to go to the bathroom outside. He ate and slept in the cage. He wasn't allowed to get up on the furniture. His hair was long and matted. In mid-December 2008, we had to put Sammy down. Only a couple of years before, in one of my English classes in high school, we had to read the book, Of Mice and Men. We even had to watch the movie. In it, one of the men takes this guy's dog outside and shoots it. When I read it and watched the scene of the owner lying on his bed (you could only hear the gun go off), I had tears in my eyes because I knew we would be putting Sammy down soon because he was blind, going deaf, and he had a lump on his foot and on his back. In one of my classes during Spring Semester in college (only a few months after Sammy was put down), we had to write short stories. There was this one story where this mailman poisoned dogs and they died. I did not like it at all because we had only just put Sammy down. And it was still hard. In mid-May 2010, we had to put Xena down (only a few hours after I got out of class for the day and half-an-hour after my sister got out of school for the day). So, because of the rescues we do and us having to put our dogs down, I ended up skipping over "Limp" when I saw what happened in it. This is because I am very attached to dogs.
Another story I could (kind of) relate to was "Shooting Heads." Okay, well, maybe not the relationship thing, but totally the guns and rifles thing. My dad has two bows and arrows, three or four guns, a few rifles, several knives, a machete, and three or four swords. I have a sword, two thumb-punches, and two or three knives. Some of these are for my protection since I have a night class. Now is a "funny" story in which I make a cousin of mine jealous: In 2005 or 2006, during Nappanee's Annual Apple Festival, my aunt, her two sons, and her husband came out. My dad took her husband, my two male cousins, and my sister behind the house where we have the woods. They were all shooting the rifle at a ribbon that was hanging from a tree several yards from where they were standing. I guess they were all missing the target, except my dad. At one point, I go outside and am offered the rifle. Now, mind you, I haven't fired the rifle at all. I take it, aim, and fire. Dad told me that I hit the target. I take the rifle from my shoulder, hand it to him, and go back inside. He tells me that Tommy, my cousin who is only a couple of years younger than me, got jealous because I, a female, had hit the target and he, a male, hadn't. Dad told me later that Tommy took the rifle from my dad and fired the rifle, and still missed. I find it pretty funny. I also fired my dad's silver gun at a box several years ago when I was probably in middle school. Of course, this was in our front room during the winter. In the part where Fretz talks about an AK-47, I knew what he was talking about. In one of the books that I have, one of the guys uses an AK-47 with a silencer. In the movie, Heartbreak Ridge, with Clint Eastwood, he uses an AK-47 to scare the Marine recruits that he's supposed to be training. So, even though my dad does not have an AK-47, I know what one is. So, I can shoot the rifles and guns that my dad has. I even know how to load the bullets or pellets in them.
Everything else in the book, I can't relate to.
I can relate to the story "Roaches." My family lived in Peotone, IL, and then in Gary, IN before moving to Nappanee. In Peotone, we lived in an apartment. In Gary, a mobile home (trailer). Unfortunately, we had roaches. For the first couple or few years after we moved to Nappanee, we had roaches because they moved with us! Since then, we have not have roaches. But, every year, the ants, flies, and ladybugs (and once in a while during winter, mice) are just terrible! So, I can relate. And trust me, we always killed the roaches (and still all of the other bugs) because we are not pacifists.
The very short story that I hated was "Limp." My family has rescued three rescue dogs. Sammy, our first rescue, was always beat and his hair was long and matted. Xena, our second, was kept in a small cage whenever the owners left. Peyton, currently our third, was kept in a cage his entire life. He was only let out to go to the bathroom outside. He ate and slept in the cage. He wasn't allowed to get up on the furniture. His hair was long and matted. In mid-December 2008, we had to put Sammy down. Only a couple of years before, in one of my English classes in high school, we had to read the book, Of Mice and Men. We even had to watch the movie. In it, one of the men takes this guy's dog outside and shoots it. When I read it and watched the scene of the owner lying on his bed (you could only hear the gun go off), I had tears in my eyes because I knew we would be putting Sammy down soon because he was blind, going deaf, and he had a lump on his foot and on his back. In one of my classes during Spring Semester in college (only a few months after Sammy was put down), we had to write short stories. There was this one story where this mailman poisoned dogs and they died. I did not like it at all because we had only just put Sammy down. And it was still hard. In mid-May 2010, we had to put Xena down (only a few hours after I got out of class for the day and half-an-hour after my sister got out of school for the day). So, because of the rescues we do and us having to put our dogs down, I ended up skipping over "Limp" when I saw what happened in it. This is because I am very attached to dogs.
Another story I could (kind of) relate to was "Shooting Heads." Okay, well, maybe not the relationship thing, but totally the guns and rifles thing. My dad has two bows and arrows, three or four guns, a few rifles, several knives, a machete, and three or four swords. I have a sword, two thumb-punches, and two or three knives. Some of these are for my protection since I have a night class. Now is a "funny" story in which I make a cousin of mine jealous: In 2005 or 2006, during Nappanee's Annual Apple Festival, my aunt, her two sons, and her husband came out. My dad took her husband, my two male cousins, and my sister behind the house where we have the woods. They were all shooting the rifle at a ribbon that was hanging from a tree several yards from where they were standing. I guess they were all missing the target, except my dad. At one point, I go outside and am offered the rifle. Now, mind you, I haven't fired the rifle at all. I take it, aim, and fire. Dad told me that I hit the target. I take the rifle from my shoulder, hand it to him, and go back inside. He tells me that Tommy, my cousin who is only a couple of years younger than me, got jealous because I, a female, had hit the target and he, a male, hadn't. Dad told me later that Tommy took the rifle from my dad and fired the rifle, and still missed. I find it pretty funny. I also fired my dad's silver gun at a box several years ago when I was probably in middle school. Of course, this was in our front room during the winter. In the part where Fretz talks about an AK-47, I knew what he was talking about. In one of the books that I have, one of the guys uses an AK-47 with a silencer. In the movie, Heartbreak Ridge, with Clint Eastwood, he uses an AK-47 to scare the Marine recruits that he's supposed to be training. So, even though my dad does not have an AK-47, I know what one is. So, I can shoot the rifles and guns that my dad has. I even know how to load the bullets or pellets in them.
Everything else in the book, I can't relate to.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
How Julia Kasdorf Changed My Life Essays
In How Julia Kasdorf Changed My Life, I was not able to relate to any essays except maybe one or two words in a few of them. In Daniel Cruz’s essay, “How Julia Kasdorf Changed My Life,” I related to him being 19 and going to Goshen College. In 2008 (the year I graduated high school and went on to being a first-year student here), I was 19. Also, I embrace my ethnicity (the countries I have in my blood) and my family tree, probably something most people my age will not do.
I, in a very tiny way, connected with Rebecca Rich mentioning Operation Desert Storm in her essay, “What Makes Me a Mennonite.” This is because my dad would have served in Desert Storm.
In Sidney King’s essay, “The paradox of My Mennonite Experiences,” he mentions supporting (though not himself) the United States troops. I was raised in a family where we support the troops. My grandfather on my mom’s side served in the military, my grandfather on my dad’s side would have served, my father would have served, and I would have served. In the future, if my kids want to serve, I will be proud of them and support them.
Just like everybody in class, I did not like Ted Houser’s essay, “Hans Herr and the Inescapable Lancaster County Heritage.” It seems to me that Houser was flaunting his (and his family’s) money. First off, what in the world is with the use of the word “inescapable?” Okay, maybe it is in his “blood” of having money. But it is his choice on whether or not to take the money. He could escape it. He can go work at a Burger King or something and have to physically work to earn just a little bit of money. But he probably does not want to. It must be nice to get an expensive vehicle just by being in a family that is so rich and also just by getting up at five in the morning. I would like to see how his family would make it in my family situation. My parents only bring home a few hundred dollars each but it is gone as soon as it is in the bank for the bills that we can barely pay; this June, we will have been living in the same exact mobile home (trailer) for sixteen years; I am the first one in my entire family to go to college (there was no college fund or anything for me because no one expected me to go to college because it just was not in our family so I will be paying all of the loans and grants back when I graduate); my dad is paying on three used vehicles so that we can each have a vehicle since our schedules clash…
When I hear that people have spent a hundred dollars on a pair of jeans, shoes, etc., I want to smack them on the side of their heads. I think that they should not be spending that money and spend it on things that are actually needed (bills, gas, food). This is the way I see things because of the circumstances I live in.
I, in a very tiny way, connected with Rebecca Rich mentioning Operation Desert Storm in her essay, “What Makes Me a Mennonite.” This is because my dad would have served in Desert Storm.
In Sidney King’s essay, “The paradox of My Mennonite Experiences,” he mentions supporting (though not himself) the United States troops. I was raised in a family where we support the troops. My grandfather on my mom’s side served in the military, my grandfather on my dad’s side would have served, my father would have served, and I would have served. In the future, if my kids want to serve, I will be proud of them and support them.
Just like everybody in class, I did not like Ted Houser’s essay, “Hans Herr and the Inescapable Lancaster County Heritage.” It seems to me that Houser was flaunting his (and his family’s) money. First off, what in the world is with the use of the word “inescapable?” Okay, maybe it is in his “blood” of having money. But it is his choice on whether or not to take the money. He could escape it. He can go work at a Burger King or something and have to physically work to earn just a little bit of money. But he probably does not want to. It must be nice to get an expensive vehicle just by being in a family that is so rich and also just by getting up at five in the morning. I would like to see how his family would make it in my family situation. My parents only bring home a few hundred dollars each but it is gone as soon as it is in the bank for the bills that we can barely pay; this June, we will have been living in the same exact mobile home (trailer) for sixteen years; I am the first one in my entire family to go to college (there was no college fund or anything for me because no one expected me to go to college because it just was not in our family so I will be paying all of the loans and grants back when I graduate); my dad is paying on three used vehicles so that we can each have a vehicle since our schedules clash…
When I hear that people have spent a hundred dollars on a pair of jeans, shoes, etc., I want to smack them on the side of their heads. I think that they should not be spending that money and spend it on things that are actually needed (bills, gas, food). This is the way I see things because of the circumstances I live in.
Rhoda Janzen's Mennonite in a Little Black Dress
I did not really care for Rhoda Janzen's Mennonite in a Little Black Dress book. I think that it might be because I do not prefer books from the first-person (or even the second-person) point of view. Also, I am not one for books, short-stories, essay, etc. about someone's life. Although, I did like reading J.K. Rowling's and Clay Aiken's autobiographies. One, I love J.K.'s books and her life is interesting (goes from having practically nothing to having everything). And two, I love Clay Aiken's first CD (I haven't either listened or heard much of his music since after that). But, that's it for autobiographies. I'll even say the same for movies. I only enjoy movies that are based off of something (Flags of Our Fathers, Pearl Harbor, Titannic, etc.) and not off of someone (Finding Neverland (had to watch movie in high school), Pirates of Silicon Valley (also had to watch in high school), etc.). That is my personal opinion and it may not be anybody else's opinion.
I think that there were some good details in the book. The section of chapter 3 where Janzen talks about mosquitoes was really relatable. I mean, how many of us have been bitten (probably many times in only one day!) by mosquitoes, been around a swarm of them because you had to do something, and even used things such as OFF! (you practically gag by the smell and try to get out of the area where you were sprayed as soon as possible!) to try to keep them off of you but it seems like it won't work? Yeah, I can say that I have. At one time, I even had up to several mosquito bites at once.
When Janzen mentions the McChicken sandwiches from McDonald's, I was able to understand what she was talking about. When she mentioned it, I could practically taste the sandwiches. Once in a while now, my family will go to McDonald's and get a couple of sandwiches for each of us. Okay, I think I'm making myself hungry for one now!
I can kind of relate to Janzen when she talks about the surgery she receives towards the beginning of the book. When I was about five or so when we were living in Gary, I had to get stitches in my elbow because I had fallen and my elbow went through the fan that sat on the floor (a box fan). Also, hopefully this summer, I can go in for some surgery that I need to have done. Also, this past winter, my mom had to go and have surgery done, and my dad and I waited for a few hours before we were able to leave the hospital with her.
I can't really relate to Janzen about relationships, seeing as how I've never been in one, but I did have feelings for someone years ago. Besides me, I see that my sister can never stick to one boyfriend (or as she would say, he is NOT a boyfriend). My parents will have been married for 24 years this July. When they got married, the entire family was basically placing bets on how long they would be together. Some said a week, others a month... If I recall, I don't think anybody said any time over a year. And here my parents are! Never divorced. With one of my uncles on my dad's side, he finally got married when he was 39, I think. He and his wife have two kids, going on 8 and 6. My aunt on my dad's side has a boyfriend (she had two divorces and one son from each marriage, both of whom are going on 20 within the next few months and going on 16 (I think) within the next few months also). My grandparents on my dad's side were, in a way, together but they never divorced, even though they lived in separate houses. My grandparents on my mom's side divorced when I was probably only a few years old. My parents say that my grandfather had said something to my grandmother and I told him to get out of the house. I guess that surprised him. You wouldn't think that I was like that, giving how I am now. So, even though I have not been in a relationship at all (and most likely will never be), I see how it all goes, just by looking at my family.
When I was in high school, I took three years of German. After I told my parents that I was taking German, he said that my grandfather (his father) would be proud of me. When Janzen mentioned some words in German, I was able to understand what that word meant, even if it was only part of the word (such as Kalendarblatt).
And my heritage... I am Irish (probably why I loved the play Translations so much!), Dutch, German, American, Cherokee, and Norwegian. My great-grandfather on my dad's mom's side of the family is a direct descendant of the Vikings. My great-great-great grandmother on my mom's dad's side was a full-blooded Cherokee. Apparently, with there being Native American and Viking blood coursing through my veins (one from each side of the family), it is not a good mix because "my people" scalped people (Indians) and burned villages (Vikings), and my family is a group of people you probably do not want to mess with. I may be calm and sane, but that probably is not said for the rest of my family (including my aunt). We have such a bad temper.
I think that there were some good details in the book. The section of chapter 3 where Janzen talks about mosquitoes was really relatable. I mean, how many of us have been bitten (probably many times in only one day!) by mosquitoes, been around a swarm of them because you had to do something, and even used things such as OFF! (you practically gag by the smell and try to get out of the area where you were sprayed as soon as possible!) to try to keep them off of you but it seems like it won't work? Yeah, I can say that I have. At one time, I even had up to several mosquito bites at once.
When Janzen mentions the McChicken sandwiches from McDonald's, I was able to understand what she was talking about. When she mentioned it, I could practically taste the sandwiches. Once in a while now, my family will go to McDonald's and get a couple of sandwiches for each of us. Okay, I think I'm making myself hungry for one now!
I can kind of relate to Janzen when she talks about the surgery she receives towards the beginning of the book. When I was about five or so when we were living in Gary, I had to get stitches in my elbow because I had fallen and my elbow went through the fan that sat on the floor (a box fan). Also, hopefully this summer, I can go in for some surgery that I need to have done. Also, this past winter, my mom had to go and have surgery done, and my dad and I waited for a few hours before we were able to leave the hospital with her.
I can't really relate to Janzen about relationships, seeing as how I've never been in one, but I did have feelings for someone years ago. Besides me, I see that my sister can never stick to one boyfriend (or as she would say, he is NOT a boyfriend). My parents will have been married for 24 years this July. When they got married, the entire family was basically placing bets on how long they would be together. Some said a week, others a month... If I recall, I don't think anybody said any time over a year. And here my parents are! Never divorced. With one of my uncles on my dad's side, he finally got married when he was 39, I think. He and his wife have two kids, going on 8 and 6. My aunt on my dad's side has a boyfriend (she had two divorces and one son from each marriage, both of whom are going on 20 within the next few months and going on 16 (I think) within the next few months also). My grandparents on my dad's side were, in a way, together but they never divorced, even though they lived in separate houses. My grandparents on my mom's side divorced when I was probably only a few years old. My parents say that my grandfather had said something to my grandmother and I told him to get out of the house. I guess that surprised him. You wouldn't think that I was like that, giving how I am now. So, even though I have not been in a relationship at all (and most likely will never be), I see how it all goes, just by looking at my family.
When I was in high school, I took three years of German. After I told my parents that I was taking German, he said that my grandfather (his father) would be proud of me. When Janzen mentioned some words in German, I was able to understand what that word meant, even if it was only part of the word (such as Kalendarblatt).
And my heritage... I am Irish (probably why I loved the play Translations so much!), Dutch, German, American, Cherokee, and Norwegian. My great-grandfather on my dad's mom's side of the family is a direct descendant of the Vikings. My great-great-great grandmother on my mom's dad's side was a full-blooded Cherokee. Apparently, with there being Native American and Viking blood coursing through my veins (one from each side of the family), it is not a good mix because "my people" scalped people (Indians) and burned villages (Vikings), and my family is a group of people you probably do not want to mess with. I may be calm and sane, but that probably is not said for the rest of my family (including my aunt). We have such a bad temper.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Julia Kasdorf's Sleeping Preacher
I did not particularly care for Sleeping Preacher by Julia Kasdorf. I guess I kind of liked a little bit from it, specifically the tiniest things I can relate to, whether it was something I have gone through or something I see such as commercials. Just like I had said in class this past Wednesday, I can kind of relate to Kasdorf's poem "Green Market, New York."
My parents were born in the Chicago-land area. I was born in Kankakee, Illinois, as was my sister. We lived in Matteson, Illinois, for a little bit with my grandmother on my dad's side, and we lived in Richton Park, Illinois, for a little bit with my grandmother on my mom's side. We also lived in an apartment in Peotone, Illinois, for maybe up to three years before we moved to Gary, Indiana where we stayed for almost a year so that I could go to pre-school or headstart (whichever you prefer). That was in 1994-1995. In June of 1995, my parents, my sister, and I moved into our place in Nappanee, Indiana. We currently still live in the same exact house (actually, it is a 2 1/2 bedroom and 1 1/2 bath mobile home) that we moved into. This June will be 16 years that we have lived in Nappanee.
The difference between Kasdorf and my living areas is that she moved from (I'm guessing) a small town to a big city. Me, I moved from big cities to a small area (Nappanee is technically really a city, but a small city (you wouldn't think of it as being one)). The difference between both areas is that the city is loud, noisy, crowded, fast, and busy all of the time while Nappanee is quiet, peaceful, spread out, slow (even without the horses and buggys), and not busy (although the lunch hour and the 4/5 o'clock hour can be bad at times).
My family can relate to the poem "First TV in a Mennonite Family." Okay, well, we can't relate to the "first TV" thing or "Mennonite family" thing, but I can say that, when I was about ten or so, we had our first computer. Being on the computers at school does not really count because the computer technically is not yours. So, I think that we can, in a way, relate to the "first TV" thing.
My mom can relate to the title of the poem "After the Second Miscarriage." My mom had three miscarriages in total. She had one before me, a second between me and my sister, and one after my sister. The birth years for the last four of us would have been 1989 (me), 1990 (the middle sibling), 1991 (my sister), and 1992 (our brother). Even though I personally have not gone through miscarriages (let alone a pregnancy), I can say that my mother has gone through this.
There is more that I can say from, probably, the entire book, but I don't think I am going to do so because I can probably pick out one line from each poem and write an entire paragraph. So, I think that I am going to leave it here.
My parents were born in the Chicago-land area. I was born in Kankakee, Illinois, as was my sister. We lived in Matteson, Illinois, for a little bit with my grandmother on my dad's side, and we lived in Richton Park, Illinois, for a little bit with my grandmother on my mom's side. We also lived in an apartment in Peotone, Illinois, for maybe up to three years before we moved to Gary, Indiana where we stayed for almost a year so that I could go to pre-school or headstart (whichever you prefer). That was in 1994-1995. In June of 1995, my parents, my sister, and I moved into our place in Nappanee, Indiana. We currently still live in the same exact house (actually, it is a 2 1/2 bedroom and 1 1/2 bath mobile home) that we moved into. This June will be 16 years that we have lived in Nappanee.
The difference between Kasdorf and my living areas is that she moved from (I'm guessing) a small town to a big city. Me, I moved from big cities to a small area (Nappanee is technically really a city, but a small city (you wouldn't think of it as being one)). The difference between both areas is that the city is loud, noisy, crowded, fast, and busy all of the time while Nappanee is quiet, peaceful, spread out, slow (even without the horses and buggys), and not busy (although the lunch hour and the 4/5 o'clock hour can be bad at times).
My family can relate to the poem "First TV in a Mennonite Family." Okay, well, we can't relate to the "first TV" thing or "Mennonite family" thing, but I can say that, when I was about ten or so, we had our first computer. Being on the computers at school does not really count because the computer technically is not yours. So, I think that we can, in a way, relate to the "first TV" thing.
My mom can relate to the title of the poem "After the Second Miscarriage." My mom had three miscarriages in total. She had one before me, a second between me and my sister, and one after my sister. The birth years for the last four of us would have been 1989 (me), 1990 (the middle sibling), 1991 (my sister), and 1992 (our brother). Even though I personally have not gone through miscarriages (let alone a pregnancy), I can say that my mother has gone through this.
There is more that I can say from, probably, the entire book, but I don't think I am going to do so because I can probably pick out one line from each poem and write an entire paragraph. So, I think that I am going to leave it here.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
A Cappella Poems
I did not particularly care about the poem, “How to Write the New Mennonite Poem” by Jeff Gundy. Even though it is just a poem and it is not what you have to do, but I did not like the line, “Get the word ‘Mennonite’ in at least twice.” I thought that it was weird since it goes from Mennonites from the past to sex and wedding rings to the “miles you have come…” I think that the portrait Gundy gives to Mennonites is that as long as you remember the past, you are good to go (have a CD player, a vehicle, and like sex “even when you know the people…are listening”).
I liked the poem, “Mennonites” by Julia Kasdorf. I liked how Kasdorf describes Mennonites. I just do not like some of the things that Mennonites do not do such as dance. This reminds me of the scene in the movie Footloose with Kevin Bacon where he tells the audience and city council members that David danced. He danced for the rain, crops, and most of all, he danced for GOD. Another thing that I do not like is that God is always (no matter what) first. The reason I do not like this is probably because I am not religious so I do not really see eye-to-eye with religious people (but they also do not see where I am coming from such as violence vs. non-violence) so I always place family first.
I also liked the poem, “A New Mennonite Replies to Julia Kasdorf” by David Wright. I like this because it gives a different perspective to what Mennonites do and sheds light on some of the other things. I think that the portrait that Wright gives Mennonites is that they follow God, their minds wander, and “May God bless their mind’s wanderings.”
I liked the poem, “Mennonites” by Julia Kasdorf. I liked how Kasdorf describes Mennonites. I just do not like some of the things that Mennonites do not do such as dance. This reminds me of the scene in the movie Footloose with Kevin Bacon where he tells the audience and city council members that David danced. He danced for the rain, crops, and most of all, he danced for GOD. Another thing that I do not like is that God is always (no matter what) first. The reason I do not like this is probably because I am not religious so I do not really see eye-to-eye with religious people (but they also do not see where I am coming from such as violence vs. non-violence) so I always place family first.
I also liked the poem, “A New Mennonite Replies to Julia Kasdorf” by David Wright. I like this because it gives a different perspective to what Mennonites do and sheds light on some of the other things. I think that the portrait that Wright gives Mennonites is that they follow God, their minds wander, and “May God bless their mind’s wanderings.”
God Speaks to Me - My Poem
Okay, this is just something I came up with for the poems that we had to write. I know that it isn't any good and I'm not religious, but it is something for class. Note the number of words per line.
I lay in my bed with the blankets covering me.
I remember the preacher speaking of words God said.
But does the preacher lie? God spoke to
Me late that night. He told me
Not to breathe. For I was
to lead. I could not
Believe what I heard.
For then I
Led my
People.
I lay in my bed with the blankets covering me.
I remember the preacher speaking of words God said.
But does the preacher lie? God spoke to
Me late that night. He told me
Not to breathe. For I was
to lead. I could not
Believe what I heard.
For then I
Led my
People.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Pearl Diver
I believe that the film, Pearl Diver, portrayed Mennonites as those that do what they think of as the right thing. Marian tells Hannah that she would not base her decision about what to do for Rebecca, her daughter, off of what others think that she should do. When Hannah talks to Isaac, they talk about what Mennonites would do in which she replies, "...turn the other cheek."
The film also portrays the Mennonites as a very caring community. When Rebecca is in the hospital towards the beginning of the movie after she is involved in a farming accident, some of the people from their community come into her room while her parents are in the room, and they sing. During the scene at the church, Isaac says the farming accident involving Rebecca was just that, an accident. The basket is then passed around to collect money that is given to Marian, John, and Rebecca to help pay for medical bills or for the surgery for Rebecca.
I personally found it strange that Marian had a telephone in her house. I thought that because Marian, John, and Rebecca were, in a way, Amish, they would not have any technology except any farming equipment. Another use of technology is the typewriter that Hannah continues to use rather than using a computer.
I think that the film perpetuates stereotypes when it shows the community coming together to help Rebecca and her parents. Since I live in "Amish country," I expect for the Amish to help each other. In October 2007, when the tornado had torn through Nappanee, I saw Amish helping rebuild a barn that was destroyed when I was driving through the back roads to see the damage done.
The story of Dirk Willems was told by Marian at the courthouse for Sam Pope, her mother's alleged murderer. In this story, Willems was fleeing arrest. The man pursuing him fell through the ice. Willems was sent back to jail before being sent to death after he had saved the man. The film shows flashbacks of Marian and Hannah's mother's death throughout. Towards the end of the flashbacks, it tells the story of Sam Pope. Sam Pope finds Young Hannah and tells her to run to the neighbor's farm. He also sees his partner in crime, the murderer of Rachel (the mother) drown in a manure pit. In the end, he was caught and convicted of the murder of their (Marian and Hannah) mother. His story is almost the same as the story on Dirk Willems. Pope does something bad (break into the house) and in the end, he does something good (lets Young Hannah go) before he is wrongly charged with murder (the murder of Rachel). I am not sure if the film referred to any Mennonite stories because I am not a Mennonite (actually, I'm not religious) and I do not know any Mennonite stories. The only story that I know because I have heard it several times in other classes is the Dirk Willems story.
I think that the film suggests that the Mennonite writer is just a human being. They go through the same sad, angry, and happy things. Hannah tells Marian that she wrote a book (currently is just a manuscript) on their mother's death because she thought that everyone else needed to know it. Marian said that the book should not have been written, especially without being consulted by her sister. At one point, Marian tells Hannah about what happened that night. She basically tells her that she made sure their mother's killer was dead (he fell into a manure pit and she pulled a board out of his reach). After Isaac reads the book because Hannah asked him to, he sits down with her and Marian and tells them about being in love with their mother and what had happened (his wife was pregnant and he was gone) the night their mother was murdered because he wanted them to know.
The film also portrays the Mennonites as a very caring community. When Rebecca is in the hospital towards the beginning of the movie after she is involved in a farming accident, some of the people from their community come into her room while her parents are in the room, and they sing. During the scene at the church, Isaac says the farming accident involving Rebecca was just that, an accident. The basket is then passed around to collect money that is given to Marian, John, and Rebecca to help pay for medical bills or for the surgery for Rebecca.
I personally found it strange that Marian had a telephone in her house. I thought that because Marian, John, and Rebecca were, in a way, Amish, they would not have any technology except any farming equipment. Another use of technology is the typewriter that Hannah continues to use rather than using a computer.
I think that the film perpetuates stereotypes when it shows the community coming together to help Rebecca and her parents. Since I live in "Amish country," I expect for the Amish to help each other. In October 2007, when the tornado had torn through Nappanee, I saw Amish helping rebuild a barn that was destroyed when I was driving through the back roads to see the damage done.
The story of Dirk Willems was told by Marian at the courthouse for Sam Pope, her mother's alleged murderer. In this story, Willems was fleeing arrest. The man pursuing him fell through the ice. Willems was sent back to jail before being sent to death after he had saved the man. The film shows flashbacks of Marian and Hannah's mother's death throughout. Towards the end of the flashbacks, it tells the story of Sam Pope. Sam Pope finds Young Hannah and tells her to run to the neighbor's farm. He also sees his partner in crime, the murderer of Rachel (the mother) drown in a manure pit. In the end, he was caught and convicted of the murder of their (Marian and Hannah) mother. His story is almost the same as the story on Dirk Willems. Pope does something bad (break into the house) and in the end, he does something good (lets Young Hannah go) before he is wrongly charged with murder (the murder of Rachel). I am not sure if the film referred to any Mennonite stories because I am not a Mennonite (actually, I'm not religious) and I do not know any Mennonite stories. The only story that I know because I have heard it several times in other classes is the Dirk Willems story.
I think that the film suggests that the Mennonite writer is just a human being. They go through the same sad, angry, and happy things. Hannah tells Marian that she wrote a book (currently is just a manuscript) on their mother's death because she thought that everyone else needed to know it. Marian said that the book should not have been written, especially without being consulted by her sister. At one point, Marian tells Hannah about what happened that night. She basically tells her that she made sure their mother's killer was dead (he fell into a manure pit and she pulled a board out of his reach). After Isaac reads the book because Hannah asked him to, he sits down with her and Marian and tells them about being in love with their mother and what had happened (his wife was pregnant and he was gone) the night their mother was murdered because he wanted them to know.
Friday, January 21, 2011
CMW
The works I will be focusing on from the CMW website are the blogs from “Confessions of a Tattooed Mennonite” by Becca J. R., Keith Miller, and “Mennonite Oku no Hosomichi” by Ross Bender. The three bloggers include something about their lives and any works they have published or read.
When I saw the title "Confessions of a Tattooed Mennonite," I was personally hoping that, somewhere in the blog, there would be something about a Mennonite having gotten a tattoo. As I quickly scanned through at first, I did not see any piece of writing saying something about a tattoo. As I went through the blogs, there was nothing mentioning getting a tattoo. I think that, in a way, your religion can be a tattoo although it can't be seen. In Becca's first blog, she says that there were times when she wanted to throw her laptop out the window. She admitted that she spends more time on Facebook and e-mail rather than doing other things such as talking to friends, family, or students face-to-face. She also admitted to things that she will not give up such as snail mail and hard copy books. It's funny because during this time, everything is becoming electronic because you can fax someone something or send them an e-mail, just so long as they have them. The title for one of Becca's blogs is “Top 10 songs Michael Jackson never wrote about the Mennonites…” She made note of it being taken from a poll in 2009 that was in the Mennonite National Convention newspaper. The funny thing is that I know most or all of the songs that were mentioned because I listen to Michael Jackson's music. On her blog, she includes photos about her life. One of the photos shows a suitcase with many letters in it. She says that the letters are from a great-aunt in the air force before, during, and after World War II. I find it weird how letters from 70 years ago were kept through all of these years.
The thing about the second piece of blogs that I read that immediately caught my attention without going into the blog was “Why I Became a Writer” by Keith Miller. I simply wanted to know why this person wrote. As I looked through the blog, I saw photos and/or paintings. Some of the paintings were very colorful in my opinion. This also caught my attention immediately. The first two original posts that he posted are ones that just say that he has a book that has been published. The third post has two drawings that he thought two characters would look like. In the fourth post, “The Library on the Wrong Side of Nairobi,” he talks about a library that he visited when he was younger. When he went back as someone older, he could not believe how small it actually was. He also said that he took out a book and read the last name that was written on the card which was his name. In his blogs, Miller includes things from Egypt, Alexandria, Africa, and other places in the world.
The one thing that caught my attention with "Mennonite Oku no Hosomichi" is that Ross Bender posted things about Japan because I like some things that are Japanese, especially all of the music that I know. What I like is that Bender posted pictures from Japan. He also includes things that are changing in Japan (different clothing, anime/manga, laws, et cetera). He also has sayings that are in Japanese on his blogs. Bender also includes some sayings in other languages such as Spanish or French. The things that are in a different language, he has the English translation to it. Bender includes articles from newspapers such as Kyodo News and Japan Times. He also includes the history from 710-784 in Fujiwara-kyo (today's Kashihara) which was the capital of Japan during those years. He had posted a video on his blog in August of 2010. He also includes poems and some news such as the blog title "Longest Noodle" from a TV station, FujiTV.
When I saw the title "Confessions of a Tattooed Mennonite," I was personally hoping that, somewhere in the blog, there would be something about a Mennonite having gotten a tattoo. As I quickly scanned through at first, I did not see any piece of writing saying something about a tattoo. As I went through the blogs, there was nothing mentioning getting a tattoo. I think that, in a way, your religion can be a tattoo although it can't be seen. In Becca's first blog, she says that there were times when she wanted to throw her laptop out the window. She admitted that she spends more time on Facebook and e-mail rather than doing other things such as talking to friends, family, or students face-to-face. She also admitted to things that she will not give up such as snail mail and hard copy books. It's funny because during this time, everything is becoming electronic because you can fax someone something or send them an e-mail, just so long as they have them. The title for one of Becca's blogs is “Top 10 songs Michael Jackson never wrote about the Mennonites…” She made note of it being taken from a poll in 2009 that was in the Mennonite National Convention newspaper. The funny thing is that I know most or all of the songs that were mentioned because I listen to Michael Jackson's music. On her blog, she includes photos about her life. One of the photos shows a suitcase with many letters in it. She says that the letters are from a great-aunt in the air force before, during, and after World War II. I find it weird how letters from 70 years ago were kept through all of these years.
The thing about the second piece of blogs that I read that immediately caught my attention without going into the blog was “Why I Became a Writer” by Keith Miller. I simply wanted to know why this person wrote. As I looked through the blog, I saw photos and/or paintings. Some of the paintings were very colorful in my opinion. This also caught my attention immediately. The first two original posts that he posted are ones that just say that he has a book that has been published. The third post has two drawings that he thought two characters would look like. In the fourth post, “The Library on the Wrong Side of Nairobi,” he talks about a library that he visited when he was younger. When he went back as someone older, he could not believe how small it actually was. He also said that he took out a book and read the last name that was written on the card which was his name. In his blogs, Miller includes things from Egypt, Alexandria, Africa, and other places in the world.
The one thing that caught my attention with "Mennonite Oku no Hosomichi" is that Ross Bender posted things about Japan because I like some things that are Japanese, especially all of the music that I know. What I like is that Bender posted pictures from Japan. He also includes things that are changing in Japan (different clothing, anime/manga, laws, et cetera). He also has sayings that are in Japanese on his blogs. Bender also includes some sayings in other languages such as Spanish or French. The things that are in a different language, he has the English translation to it. Bender includes articles from newspapers such as Kyodo News and Japan Times. He also includes the history from 710-784 in Fujiwara-kyo (today's Kashihara) which was the capital of Japan during those years. He had posted a video on his blog in August of 2010. He also includes poems and some news such as the blog title "Longest Noodle" from a TV station, FujiTV.
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