Choices

Kristallnacht: the night of broken glass. A turning point, in which Adolf Hitler-in some eyes a genius, in others, twisted and evil-revealed his true colours. He didn't just want Jews out of Germany, he wanted to round them up like animals, and eradicate them. But not only the Jews were in danger. The German citizens were also in a perilous position. They could choose to stand by the Jews, and face possible death, or having to leave Germany. Or, they could side with Hitler, the man who brought Germany back to "greatness", and live a life of assurance that they would be safe, the Jews were evil and brought about the horrible things that was inflicted on Germany, and you would be safe, because your race is superior.

Of course, Hitler "helped" people make the choice by putting up propaganda. The dictionary meaning is this: "Chiefly derogatory information, esp. of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view". Hitler put on his posters and in his speeches that Jews were rich, greedy, arrogant, and responsible for the economic crisis and the loss of the Great War, and that Germans are the perfect race. Naturally, most people sympathized with Hitler.

Jews tried to get out of the country and send out the children through the Kindertransport, and a few succeeded. But some children had to go on their own while their parents stayed behind. Many families never saw each other again. And all the while Hitler was taking his brainwashing to new extremes, hypnotizing the German people.

"It Is Not Power That Corrupts, But Fear": Aung San Suu Kyi

http://resources0.news.com.au/images/2010/11/14/1225953/409296-aung-san-suu-kyi.jpg

I chose this picture because wearing these t-shirts in Burma is incredibly dangerous, so this shows their commitment.

A few weeks ago, Aung San Suu Kyi was released from house arrest after 17 years. Everyone is celebrating her release, because now she can more actively lead the campaign against the corrupt military junta that rules Burma. Despite her long term imprisonment, Aung San Suu Kyi is more concerned for the other prisoners who are under much worse terms than she is, which is a remarkably selfless thing to do, considering the length of her sentence.

I think it is an almost unanimous decision across the world that Aung San Suu Kyi is a heroine. She selflessly stands up against the junta, even though by doing so, she could earn herself another, longer sentence (although "earn" is completely figurative). I say almost, because, for one, the Burmese government is quite obviously against her. Also, some have been critical saying that her rigidity is holding the pro-democracy party back. I completely disagree. Aung San Suu Kyi has made impossibly hard decisions regarding her family, and her people.

Aung San Suu Kyi values all people who want to do right in this world. She values peace, liberty, and a just system of law. She inspires normal people to stand up and say "This isn't right". She has made so many sacrifices for her people. Not being able to see her dying husband, not seeing her children for years; the list goes on. When I think about it, I have never really had to make many difficult decisions in my life, and nothing compared to what she's done. She values everyone, and everything that is peaceful and just, has been an inspiration to us all, and will continue to be just that.

No Man Is An Island Response

http://www.zinart.com/assets/environmental/no_man_is_an_island_450.jpg

I chose this picture because it portrays that one man is spread across the world, connecting with everyone, and being "involved in mankind".

The poem "No Man Is An Island" by John Done goes like this:

"No man is an island entire of itself; every man
is a piece of the continent, a part of the main;
if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe
is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as
well as any manner of thy friends or of thine
own were; any man's death diminishes me,
because I am involved in mankind.
And therefore never send to know for whom
the bell tolls; it tolls for thee."

I think the main idea of this poem is that all of mankind is connected, everyone is equally important, and if even one person dies out of the billions, part of mankind is wiped out.

The video is showing two famous cities, New York and Sydney, and is saying that the cities are made up of people, it's not just a place, everyone is important in making the city.

I think the video is connected with Aung Sang Suu Kyi's story because she is trying to show that people don't have the rights they need, and should have access to. Also, she is only one person, and she is making a difference.

The poem connects with Matt Harding's video, because Matt Harding is going around the world and dancing, and everywhere he goes, people join in, and this shows we are all the same at heart and we like to connect with each other. When I saw the video, I felt like joining in too, which just proves that we are all the same.

Poem Connections

The poem connects with Jesus Colon's story because they both ask what we do when presented with a difficult choice. James Berry (the poet) has to figure out what to do with a difference, while Jesus Colon's dilemma is to chose to help the woman, or leave her. It connects with The Island by talking about a difference: and what to do with it. When the man comes to the island, they chose the first choice of the poem ("do we stand and discuss it's oddity"), and finally the sixth choice: "we move around it in rage and enlist the rage of others".

Little Things Are Big Response

I think that, by not helping the woman and her children, Jesus Colon just put a label on black Puerto Ricans as untrustworthy, that they didn't stick to their word of honor, and an overall, enforced racism. He also presumed that every white person was prejudiced, even when they weren't. This labeling meant he thought that the woman would shout at him, or scream, or think he was trying to get close, so instead of helping the woman, he ran off. He regrets this decision, because the woman might not have been prejudiced, and might have said yes to his helping her. I think he made the wrong choice, because it couldn't have hurt to ask, and even if she did refuse, or scream, the only thing that would have been hurt was his feelings, and he would probably have forgotten it the next day. If Colon was a white American, my answer would have been the same, because it would have been even more likely that the woman would have accepted. The real victim of this story was the black society, because Colon's labeling meant that all the white people would label all the black people as untrustworthy. But now Colon has made amends for the incident by writing the short story. I think he hopes, somewhere, the white woman is reading it.

These Are A Few of my Favorite Things

How best to describe me in ten objects? Maybe these particular items will shed some light on my personality. My bookshelf, My dog, a script, a rugby ball, computer, my bike, an Irish passport, chocolate cake, an airline ticket, and a T.V.

I love to read, as anyone who knows me will tell you, so I need a bookshelf to hold my vast collection of books, or rather, medium-sized collection of brilliance. As I once said in 4th grade, "Reading is a hiding place from boredom". But for me, reading is more than a form of entertainment. It is a portal into different worlds, past, present, future, a gateway to somewhere halfway round the world activated by opening a book. I know this sounds cliched, but reading, for me, is a different world.

Once, not so long ago, about a year, my family and I were at the pet store, when, in a cage in the back of the shop, on top of some other cages, we saw a tiny dog, barking, and throwing itself against the side of the cage. The dog was so pitiful that it could have made a war veteran cry. After begging, pleading, and a school essay, my mum finally agreed to get the dog. We named her Sheila, because she was an Australian Silky Terrier.

I first started playing rugby two years ago, although it feels like an age. I got this rugby ball at my first tournament, and for some reason, I can't pump it up. I first started playing rugby when my neighbor told me about Bintang Rugby Club in-you guessed it-Bintang. I recently quit BRC because the kids there only passed amongst themselves, and joined the ISKL rugby team. Rugby is my favorite sport along with basketball, and I follow neither.

There isn't really much to say on this topic. My mum dropped her laptop, got a new one, and the one she dropped still works, so it's mine, and I'm using it to write this essay. It's cracked screen gets my attention when I'm trying to edit blogs. Like this one.

I got my bike for my tenth birthday and I love it. It is very durable, has twenty four gears, and I've had it for a long time, so it feels comfortable riding it. I doubt I'll find a better bike anywhere, but if I do, I'll still keep my old one.

I have an Irish passport: I am an expatriate. I was born in the USA-by the way, my mum is Irish, and my dad is English- then we moved to England, my brother was born there, then we moved to Hungary for four years, and now I am here, in Malaysia.

My mum makes phenomenal chocolate cake, and usually it's gone within three days, courtesy of me and my brother. Chocolate cake is my favorite food, and I can also make it quite well.

I travel a lot, as you have seen from my passport paragraph, but I also go to a lot of places over the vacations, as do most expatriates. I have been to Bali, Phuket, Ankor Watt, although curiously, I have never been to KFC. But anyway, I do get around a lot, but the place I would like to visit most is where I was born: the USA.

As do most people I know, I have a TV. Often, after homework like this, plopping down in front of a screen and sitting there for an hour is quite enjoyable. Most people wouldn't write about watching TV, but I like to write about things most people would overlook as common. But, like everyone, I know that too much will rot your brain. It has been drilled into my skull quite a bit actually.

Well, now you should have a clearer idea of what kind of person I am. If you don't, well, you should probably talk to me for a while. That should clear things up.

Reflection on The Compliment Guys.

I think the Compliment Guys is a really excellent idea. It makes people happy, but more than just that. If someone is stressed, or has low morale, a compliment can make them feel better. A good compliment is almost as good as having a discussion with a councilor. Also, and this is a suggestion for the school, maybe we could have our on "compliments club". A few willing students could stand at the school entrances every morning and give compliments to passers-by. So back to the reflection. I think, tomorrow at school, I'll make a goal to compliment at least 5 people. The Compliment Guys are just normal people with a mission. Making people happy.

I chose this image because it is like the sign that the Compliment Guys were holding. Also, it emphasizes that compliments are "price-less".