Gusts of snow
Blow across the sand
Like uncertain ghosts
Racing through a world
That justice has abandoned
I turn into the wind
And frozen bits of sleet
Pummel my face
As I return to work
In the darkness
We come home late
Cook slop from the freezer
And joke about processed food
Lack of exercise
We go to bed bored
But overstimulated
High on media
Election opinion
Crisp discourse
Overextended
Part of a caucus that exists nowhere
But in space
Across the world
Civil war
Destroys archaeological treasures
Entire cities
Homes
Families
Leaves children in an alley
To sort breadcrumbs from
Garbage and rocks
To make a soup
For their dinner
They are the children
The world has forgotten
Patti Delacruz
ReplyDeleteFools
The Shakespearean Fool is one of my favorite literary archetypes. Upon initial reading, the Fool’s behaviors may seem facetious, but he is actually using his identity to comment upon man’s follies and possible downfalls. Alain deBotton seems to understand this duality as he poses that the humorist is not simply an entertainer; instead, the humorist is an essential commentator within society, one who can generate messages for the public that non-humorists cannot easily provide. One can infer that deBotton’s imagines his humorist enlightening her or his audience. However, deBotton’s claim is limited when considering the range of humorists even within the confines of American history. From early satirists to contemporary comedic actors, a humorist’s intentions truly determine whether the messages she or he can provide will motivate citizens to become more socially enlightened or will ephemerally entertain its audience.
Some of the earliest satirists in American history are a testament to deBotton’s definition of humorists as necessary harbingers of public messages. When considering an American classic like The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, it becomes clear that Mark Twain was motivated by a particular function of humor. To Twain, humor in the form of Huck’s juvenile antics is a means of illustrating the matrix of hypocrisy that defined the antebellum South. Huck’s friendship with Jim – an immediately outrageous concept for the time period of the story – vividly reflects Twain’s ultimate intention: to challenge the racist mentality of Americans, North and South, living in a post-slavery society. This message resonates with Americans even today because of Twain’s choice of storytelling as the medium through which he compels citizens to reflect on their ethics. However, while Twain is still regarded as a humorist who operated on a socially conscientious definition of humor, not all humorists are spurred by this calling.
Counter to deBotton’s assertion and the example of Twain’s socially motivated humor, some contemporary comedians reflect how a humorist’s platitudinous intentions in creating humor truly determine the effect she or he will have on the audience. Consider the well-known comedian Will Ferrell. One of Will Ferrell’s most recognized performances is as a man-child in the farcical film Step Brothers. In this movie, Ferrell plays a man in his mid-thirties who becomes a close companion of his step brother, ironically another overgrown man-child. The film focuses on their childish dispositions, from refusing to take on any adult responsibilities like making their money or moving out of their parents’ homes. Ultimately, Ferrell’s character becomes an entrepreneur by starting a karaoke business, but the potential for his sustained success is dubious. There is a lack of social or political commentary in this film that would enlighten its contemporary audience to any societal realities. What can an average American citizen take away from this film? Two hours of entertainment, but no improved sense of social responsibility. Is Ferrell still a humorist? Yes, but he is just not of the variety of humorists that deBotton seems to value. While some enthusiasts of comedy may try to draw out themes of perseverance or staying to true to oneself from Ferrell’s slapstick comedy, the reality for most viewers is that Ferrell’s movie is simply a farce and not the type of educative experience Twain intended and delivered for this American readers more than 100 years ago.
Ultimately, deBotton’s claim that humorists can liberally offer messages that cannot come from other citizens is contingent upon the humorist’s mission. Humor is an art form that is subject to the artist’s beliefs; if all artists adopt deBotton’s idealism about the potential role humorists may have, society would be more reflective of itself. Yet, there are Fools and then there are fools.
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ReplyDeleteSuffragist Press
ReplyDeleteBy: Ellen Therens
America was forever changed by the suffragist movement. It promoted awareness for women’s voting rights, and it was an important occasion for women to have their voices heard. The suffragist press gave these suffragettes a purpose and reason to write, edit, and publish their own words and ideas. Through this media, their messages were spread and the movement was able to build momentum. For centuries women had been isolated from the public sphere by their private duties in the home. The suffragist press gave them the communication necessary to build a movement and become more than the role society had assigned them. By creating the suffragist press, women were able to share their ideas with each other and build a community that was previously unheard of. There were hardships and issues within this group, as there were varying ideas on what they wanted to achieve. A wide range of opinions and interests were published, as women’s voices diversified with the growth of the movement.
The suffragist press allowed women to campaign for their right to vote, while helping to move them out of the home and into the public sphere. The most successful and longest running suffragist paper was The Women’s Journal. Through different formats, and passing through different editor’s hands it ran for over 60 years. It was started in 1870 by Lucy Stone and her husband. A lot of the success it achieved was thanks to the support it received from the National American Woman Suffrage Association. Throughout its run, it absorbed other publications. Ultimately, its goal was to achieve voting rights for women. After the 19th Amendment was passed, publication slowed until it halted completely in 1831.
There were many other women’s interest publications. Some were focused on publishing things that a female audience would like to read and would keep them informed. The material contained essays about feminist issues. These were not dedicated to solely achieving women’s right to vote. An example of this was The Revolution, published by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony. This paper covered a variety of issues. The problem that this and many other suffragist papers ran into was the issue of funding. Some couldn’t get enough advertising or subscriptions, while others suffered because they didn’t have enough money to invest in a long run in the first place.
DeleteThe fight for female equality in the United States began in 1848, when women reclaimed the Declaration of Independence in Seneca Falls, New York. They wanted their promised freedom and recognition that they were equal to any man. People who opposed this movement believed that women’s place was in the home. They were only to interact indirectly with the public sphere, by supporting their husbands and raising their sons. There was a legitimate concern that allowing women to escape these roles would lead to them losing their femininity. Their womanhood was directly linked to their ability to perform a role as wife and mother.
An integral historical event that factored into the advent of the suffragist press was the Civil War. The newly formed United States was suffering from tumultuous disagreements about the different rights citizens of the country thought they should be afforded. The country was not even a century old when the first piece of suffragist literature was printed. Before the country was established there was a lot of strife in settling the land, which culminated in the bloodiest war on American soil that destroyed any semblance of peace the Americans thought they had achieved. This early part in history was defined largely by disputes amongst the white male citizens of the country, many of the oppressed minorities did not have outlets for their opinions.
Wartime allowed for women to take a more public role in society. Their fathers, brothers, and husbands were away fighting which left at-home responsibilities to the women. In addition to the women’s typical duties of taking care of the children and home life, they were now required to make sure family businesses and farms stayed functioning to support the economy. They also had to support the war effort in any way they could.
The women’s rights movement is tied closely with the abolitionist movement. Many of the women who wrote and spoke publicly about the abolition of slavery saw the fight for women’s right as another side to the same movement. These women were originally writing columns about women’s rights in abolitionist publications, trying to encourage the end of oppression of all people. It became apparent that this was a separate issue that garnered support from women of many different backgrounds. When the suffragist movement began to take shape, they were shut out of the mainstream press. They were looked down upon by the publishers of widespread publications, who thought their ideas were radical. Suddenly, there was a need for a new press as they grew away from the abolitionist movement and the movement began to define what women wanted and who was preventing them from achieving it.
On the more radical side of suffragist press stood Victoria Woodhull. Her ideals included complete freedom and a communist government that would prevent another group from gaining power over another. She was the first person to publish Marx’s Communist Manifesto in English. While she did garner some success, many were offset by her support of free love. This was long before any sexual revolution could breach mainstream media successfully. Her publication Woodhall and Claflin’s Weekly ran for several years until Woodhall divorced her husband and moved to England.
DeleteCharlotte Perkins Gilman created a journal on her own, The ForeRunner, that dealt with the more day-to-day problems that women faced at that time in and out of their homes. Her famous story “The Yellow Wallpaper” tells the tale of a woman who goes mad after her post-partum depression is treated with isolation because her husband and doctor believed she was hysterical. Gilman emphasized the dangers and problems that women suffered when oppressed in their own homes. She publicized common problems that many women could identify with. She left a lasting impression that caused many people to recognize the struggles women were going through that were rarely validated or recognized.
Interestingly, the issues that The Revolution reported on are things that are still debated today or were in recent history. “The paper dealt with not only suffrage but of other issues of interest to women such as divorce laws, the disparity of wages between men and women, and the church’s attitude towards various aspects of women’s rights.” Disparity of wages is still making headlines, as more than a century later women are still paid less than men. There have been great improvements but the equality these women were striving for has still not been achieved. No fault divorce is only a few decades old, meaning that until the 1970s one spouse had to be proven at fault for the failure of the marriage. This made things very difficult and messy. There is also still a lot of discussion about women not being equal to men in regard to religious hierarchy, particularly in the Catholic Church. The rights and issues these women were bringing to the marketplace of ideas are still waiting for resolution. The Revolution also highlighted the problems with intersections of race, gender, and social class that are still apparent today. The Revolution mainly focused on the rights of white women from a higher social class. They thought including others would hinder the likelihood of them achieving their goals. Today this is still a subject that is greatly debated. There is often discussion of whether or not mainstream feminism can gloss over issues of race and economic status.
The suffragist press was one of many presses that allowed people shut out of mainstream publications to express their opinions. The ability to spread ideas and gather supporters allowed the suffragettes to achieve their goals when women were granted the right to vote. It also gave women a place to speak their minds and build a community to share their ideas and experiences in a tradition that continues today.
References
Florey, K. (n.d.). Suffrage journals. Retrieved from http://womansuffragememorabilia.com/woman-suffrage-memorabilia/suffrage-journals/
Ostertag, B. (2006). The nineteenth century: Abolitionists and woman suffragists. In People’s movements, people’s press: The journalism of social justice movements. Boston: Beacon Press. (pp. 23-71)
Rasmusson, S. L. (2000). BLOOMERS AND BALLOTS. Retrieved from Media Studies Journal, 14(2), 24.
Changing Your Health in an Easy Way
ReplyDeleteBy: Melissa Potts
“Never limit where running can take you. I mean that geographically, spiritually, and of course, physically” (Bart Yasso). This quote shows the role that running can play in every day lives. Running can change a person’s location and mental and physical well-being. Inside or outside, hot or cold, doesn’t matter the place or climate, running can be done any place and at any time. Running has a lot of benefits and is easy to incorporate into a person’s life style. Running can be beneficial to ones physical and emotional health, requires little gear, and can take place anywhere at any time.
Running has been known to benefit a person’s physical health. One way running benefits a person’s health is by decreasing high blood pressure. High blood pressure is the increase force of blood pushing against an individual’s arteries, causing the heart to work harder (High blood pressure hypertension, n.d.). While running, arteries expand and contract. This constant contraction keeps the arties healthy leading to better blood flow. This leads to a decrease in blood pressure (10 Benefits of Running, 2015). Running also helps the respiratory system. While running, the oxygen capacity increases, strengthening the lungs. This positively helps everyday activities and strengthens breathing (How Does Running Help Your Respiratory System, n.d.). Common activities such as climbing stairs, walking long distances, and riding a bike, becomes easier. Running does not only positively help the body on the inside, but it also helps your outside appearance. Running can help with weight loss. A runner can burn up to 8.5 calories while running. Interval running which is constantly changing speeds and incline is a great way to continue the weight loss. Running has a lot of health benefits that positively impacts the body on the inside and outside.
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DeleteRunning also has mental and emotional benefits. Running helps relieve stress. While running, a person tends to take deep breaths, allowing the focus to be on the breaths instead of the problems. The world around the runner disappears and the focus becomes on the individual. Running is also known to release endorphins. Endorphins produce a feeling of happiness. Many people get a “runners high” after a long run. That’s why people continue to run. They enjoy the way that running makes them feel. According to MayoClinic, exercises such as running, can lower anxiety and depression, giving individuals a way to cope with these two. Research shows the reason this happens, is because runners are managing the problems in a positive way. Runners also accomplish individual goals set for themselves and are positively interacting with the world and other people (Depression major depressive disorder, n.d.).
ReplyDeleteRunning is one sport that can be easily included into one’s daily life. It does not require a lot of gear. Running shoes is the first and most important item. These shoes need to be comfortable, but also supportive. There are lots of brands out there such as Asics, New Balance, Brooks, Nike, and Adidas. What’s great in the running world is that stores now have ways to pick out the best shoes for a person’s feet and the way they run. Stores such as Fleet Feet personalize the shoe to fit an individual’s needs. The sales representatives ask about running goals and workout and shoe history. They then take feet measurements and watch the person run. The individual will do this either on a treadmill or outside so that the sales representative can see how the runner’s foot lands. Before leaving, they provide facts about the importance of having supportive shoes. Next is the clothing. Running apparel should be lightweight and supportive, maybe even waterproof. This is important because runners will be sweating or running in wet and hot conditions. It’s important to find clothing materials that dry fast to help the runner feel comfortable (Running Gear for Beginners: The Essential, Helpful and Fun, n.d.). Finding running gear that fits a runner’s needs is a key first step to a positive running experience.
Once the gear is picked out, next is the location. A great thing about running is that it can be anywhere. If outside is the option, knowing the neighborhood and setting is essential. In Chicago, some places are the Lakefront Trails, the 606 which is a path that allows you to see different neighborhoods, the Chicago Riverwalk, Lincoln Park Zoo area, or even just around each neighborhood (5 Places to Run In...Chicago | Competitor.com, 2015). Many cities have popular routes online that can be tracked using apps. Also, knowing the weather is key. This may determine where the location of the run will be. If running inside is preferred, a gym or an at home treadmill can be used. Options are endless, allowing for a change of scenery and different adventure with every run.
Running is an exercise that can easily be incorporated into one’s life. Running has many health benefits that have a life-long impact on a person and their lifestyle. Running can even turn into a lifestyle where people compete. Opportunities are endless with running; it all depends on what kind of influence it has on the person.
References
ReplyDelete5 Places to Run In...Chicago | Competitor.com. (2015). Retrieved April 19, 2016, from http://running.competitor.com/2015/06/features/5-places-to-run-in-chicago_130136
10 Benefits of Running. (2015). Retrieved April 18, 2016, from http://runhaven.com/2015/04/06/10-benefits-running-never-knew/
Depression (major depressive disorder). (n.d.). Retrieved April 19, 2016, from
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/depression-
and-exercise/art-20046495
High blood pressure (hypertension). (n.d.). Retrieved April 18, 2016, fromhttp://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/in-depth/high-blood-pressure/art-20045206
How Does Running Help Your Respiratory System? (n.d.). Retrieved April 19, 2016,
from http://healthyliving.azcentral.com/running-respiratory-system-10445.html
Running Gear for Beginners: The Essential, Helpful and Fun. (n.d.). Retrieved April 18, 2016, from http://www.active.com/running/articles/running-gear-for-beginners-the-essential-helpful-and-fun
The Filipino Folk Dance Suites
ReplyDeleteFolk dancing has been a tradition in The Philippines for thousands of years. The variety of different indigenous groups, a rich history of trade with East Asian and Arab civilizations, and a history of colonization have all led to a rich repertoire of dance encompassing 4 distinct varieties. The folk dances of the Philippines are classified under the Barrio, Maria Clara, Moro, and Kordilyera Suites.
The Barrio, or Rural Suite, is a collection of dances from the lowland villages of the northern island of Luzon and a few of the Visayan Islands. These dances are heavily influenced by the simple customs and practices of village life, and often feature moves that represent things such as farming, fishing, or other forms of menial labor. These dances feature festive, up-tempo music and are choreographed around partners. The Barrio dances all tend to embody a sense of kinship, partnership, and trust, especially as dancers quickly manuever on stacked benches (Sayaw sa Banko) or through clashing bamboo sticks (Tinikling). The lively dances of this suite are typically performed on religious holidays, weddings, and other community celebrations.
The Tinikling, the national dance of The Philippines, is a lively dance of medium to fast tempo. Partners skillfully navigate through bamboo sticks which are constantly moving and being struck together. Modern variations include such feats as dancing while blindfolded, multiple sets of sticks, and even flips! The dance is a representation of the native tikling bird skillfully evading the bamboo traps of hunters.
In stark contrast to the lively festiveness of the Barrio Suite, the Maria Clara Suite is characterized by slower, waltz like choreography, and formal costumes. Named after the demure heroine of Jose Rizal's novel Noli Me Tangere, the Maria Clara Suite draws heavily from the dances of Europe and Spain. Elements of the waltz, tango, and even the polka often find themselves incorporated into Maria Clara choreography. These formal dances typically feature slower music and precise choreography that incorporates delicate hand and wrist movements, and impeccable posture.
The Carinosa is a waltz based danced that depicts the coy flirting between school boys and girls. The male dancers typically carry castanets in their hands to add a percussive element to the dance, and pursue their female partners. The female dancers hold books and scarves, playfully running away from their suitors as they exchange flirtatious glances.
The Moro Suite is comprised of dances from the southern Visayan Islands and the southernmost island of Mindanao. The indigenous people of these areas maintained frequent contact and trade with the Arab world, and quickly adopted the religion of Islam. Islamic traditions mixed with indigenous practices and from them emerged the royal, sophisticated dances of the Moro suite. These dances tend to be longer than those of other suites, and are intended to tell stories or myths of the Moro people. The music often features live wood and steel percussion, gongs, cymbals, flutes, and xylophones. Costumes feature vivid colors to depict royalty and dancers utilize many props like swords, shields, and umbrellas. Choreography of Moro dances are complex and demand the utmost precision from dancers.
DeleteSingkil is perhaps the most famous Moro dance, and is named after the bells which female dancers wear on their ankles. The dance tells the folk story of the Darangan, first recorded in the 14th century. Dancers recreate an earthquake in a forest caused by fairies, typically represented by dancers with long bamboo sticks. As the sticks crash and smash around her, a Princess and her slave gracefully maneuver through. To this day, princesses in the Sulu archipelago learn this dance before they take their place on the throne.
The last Filipino dance suite is the Kordilyera suite. The Kordilyera suite is comprised of the ceremonial dances of indigenous groups from the mountain villages of northern Luzon. These dances feature percussive elements, flutes, and vocal chants from the dancers. As most of these tribes practiced forms of animism or worshipped many gods represented by animals, these dances tend to feature animal mimicry. Dances of this suite, especially those that originated as war dances, tend to feature many dancers, sometimes upwards of 50.
The Bangibang Funeral Dance is derived from ceremonial mourning dances of the Ifugao tribe. When an Ifugao warrior died a violent death, his tribesmen would take up their spears and shields and jog together to the deceased warrior's home. As they jogged, they would strikes their spears and sticks, called bangibang on the ground and, upon arriving at the house, would vocally urge the spirit of the warrior to take their revenge. Men and women dressed in colorful bahag kilts and red war paint.
The folk dances of The Philippines are almost too much to count. The dances represent the wide variety of indigenous tribes, the influence of colonizers, and hundreds of years of relationships with other cultural groups. The Barrio, Maria Clara, Moro, and Kordilyera suites serve as systems to categorize the hundreds of folk dances of the Philippines, and are all truly a sight to behold.