Essay on Racial Discrimination in Obasan and Itsuka by Jow...

The world is filled with different kinds of hatred caused by different reasons. For instance, people may hate others because of their gender, or for having different beliefs. Perhaps people hate others based on their cultural representation instead of who they really are as an individual, whether that representation is a religion or a race. This single fact of racial discrimination has caused many terrible and tragic events in history such as the holocaust, slavery, and among them is the evacuation and relocation of Japanese Canadians during World War II. In the novels  ¡Ã‚ ®Obasan ¡Ã‚ ¯ and  ¡Ã‚ ®Itsuka ¡Ã‚ ¯ by Joy Kogawa, the main protagonist Naomi and her family go through the mistreatment and racial discrimination, which occurred to all Japanese†¦show more content†¦That way you offend lessquot; (P.187). This shows that the war has denigrated Japanese Canadians as a something even less then even second-class citizens. The painful experience leaves tormenting remembrance that requires people to take a long time to recover. In  ¡Ã‚ ®Itsuka ¡Ã‚ ¯ which is a continuation of  ¡Ã‚ ®Obasan ¡Ã‚ ¯, the protagonist Naomi is haunted by her memories of her childhood growing up in the World War II period of Japanese Canadian evacuation and internment. Naomi was involved in the movement for reparation from the Canadian government for the forcible relocation and confiscation of property of Japanese Canadians during World War II. As Naomi went through her painful experiences during her childhood, she realizes the importance her cultural identity. Naomi makes a comment to her aunt, Obasan, quot;...today, finally, though we can hardly believe it, to be Canadian means what it hasnt meant before. Reconciliation. Liberation. Belongingness. Homequot; (P.277) and reminiscent the tough past that she had to face during World War II. Japanese Canadians were mistreated because of their racial background, as Japanese Empire was the enemy of Canada during World War II. While Naomi was evacuated and relocated from their own land and her mother, the youth of her life was ruined and memories of her pain are reflected on this quote, quot;There was a silence

The American Political Tradition and the Men Who Made It...

Great American Political Thinkers In the year of 1776, the United States became an independent country. At that moment, the great men who fought for its independence began to create the government and shape American politics. In Richard Hofstadters The American Political Tradition and the Men Who Made It, he identifies twelve of the most influential men and the political traditions they created, including the Founding Fathers who started it all. Additionally, Hofstadter informs the reader of other significant government officials including Andrew Jackson and his democracy, the progressive, trustbuster Theodore Roosevelt, and ending with Franklin D. Roosevelt and his programs of the New Deal. Richard Hofstadters ideas are brilliantly†¦show more content†¦John Adams stated that â€Å"each element have its own house of legislature†. Over both houses would be an impartial executive with veto power, organic check and self-control. In other words, they needed a president. T hese devices were an attempt to guarantee the future of the United States against previous outcomes of preceding republics. There were, of course, opponents to the constitution. For those who disagreed with the document, ten amendments were added for freedom and liberty by the property each citizen owned. If the citizen owned property, then they were considered â€Å"worthy†, meant that they had wealth, could vote and be part of society and then gained liberty. If they did not have enough money to own property, then they had no liberty and were worthless in society. The Founding Fathers decided that democracy would destroy liberty through the redistribution of property. Therefore, they just gave a new meaning to democracy. The citizen may vote, if they owned land. After one establishes a government, they must have a capable leader to carry the plan out. The Founding Fathers have set the basics. They have given a meaning to the United States. Now is the time for one to step fo rward and lead the country. That someone is Thomas Jefferson, Hofstadter’s next influential man. â€Å"He remains aloof from the masses and if he claims equality for all, it is not because he feels that men areShow MoreRelatedThe American Political Tradition912 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"The American Political Tradition† published in 1948 was written by a well-known historian at Colombia University. Richard Hofstadter was born on August 6, 1916, in Buffalo, New York. He attended both the University of Buffalo and Columbia University where he studied philosophy and history. Hofstadter was married twice and later in 1970 died from leukemia. Throughout his life Hofstadter had a lot of published works including Social Darwinism in American Thought, William Leggett, Spokesman of JacksonianRead MoreThe Influence of Violent Cultural Traditions on the Characters of Chronicles of a Death Foretold – Gabriel Garcia Marquez1490 Words   |  6 Pagesexploitation†¦Man y Latin American societies are condemned to bloodletting by the precedents of violence and gross injustice that characterize their culture and their history.† – LeMoyne James, ‘Children of Cain’ 1991 Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s text depicts the cultural life and setting of Latin America. His inclusion of conventional values portrayed in the novel such as pride and honor influences specific characters such as Pedro and Pablo Vicario, two â€Å"boys who were raised up to be men.† His ability toRead MoreThe Relations Between North And South Korea1573 Words   |  7 Pagessame time frame. Mayflower arrived in Boston Mass. And the latter in Jamestown VA. In fact my maternal side settled on the James River from England in the 1620s the Wommack (Womack) clan. Further up the country in Boston came a Puritan John Winthrop, who was a wealthy religious man from Suffolk England coming into America. He decided to leave England as a result of King Charles I taking power and the fact that he was against the Puritan movement. In order to escape persecution from the wrath of KingRead MoreEssay about Black Bourgeoisie Critical Review1655 Words   |  7 PagesChapter 1: The Roots of the Black Bourgeoisie 1. According to the perspective of E. Franklin Frazier, the â€Å"Black Bourgeoisie played an important role among American Negros for decades. Frazier’s study led him to the significant of â€Å"Negro Business† and its impact on the black middle class. Education was a major social factor responsible for emergence of the Black bourgeoisie. 2. By fact, the net total number of the free Negroes in the first generation topped out at 37,245 with an estimated accumulationRead MoreHispanic Groups in USA Essay1502 Words   |  7 PagesIn identifying the linguistic, political, social, economic, religious, and familial conventions and/or statuses of four Hispanic groups living in the United States; the following four groups have been chosen, Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, and El Salvadorians. Each group has a rich cultural identity but has been placed in the same category, Hispanic Americans, on the basis of language. All these groups share the Spanish language, though each has a different dialect and some words spelledRead More Womens Roles During Times of War Essay1307 Words   |  6 PagesWomens Roles During Times of War Despite the prevalence of war goddesses in most traditions from China to Greece to Ireland, women have been separated from the front lines of war for centuries. Western tradition claims that women are not made for war, but for household work: sewing, cleaning, cooking, and looking after children. Society told women to carry brooms in lieu of swords; to collect firewood instead of ammunition, and to keep house rather than protect a nation. Yet, for centuriesRead MoreFeminism: Womens Status in Higher Education1448 Words   |  6 Pagesmythical and religious social traditions have provided cultural explanations regarding the evolution of the roles of men and women and the variations between the structures of the lives of the sexes (Sapiro 28). Although many see America as a country of equal opportunities for all, including women, most forget the struggle and hardship thousands faced to earn this God-given right. Professor Barry Bull of Indiana University speculates on the current infr astructure of American society: â€Å"If we do not expectRead MoreThe Equitable Change Of The Voting And Race Laws1599 Words   |  7 Pagesthe suffrage and equivalent rights for every single white male, were consistent augmentations of the belief system of the American Revolution. These rights, be that as it may, were not stretched out to ladies or free dark individuals. A religious recovery development called the Second Great Awakening, drove by Methodists and Baptists, changed the religious scene. Another political gathering, the Democrats, had blended around Andrew Jackson, coming full circle in his race as President in 1828 and disparagingRead MoreThe 19th Century1724 Words   |  7 Pagesuncharted continent with the establishment of colonies on American soil. The Spanish would try to colonize the American Southwest and the English, the Northeast. Indelibly, both cultures would leave their mark on the American landscape, especially within the context of religion and politics . Spain first set up an outpost in what would become New Mexico, just North of the Rio Grande River. Led by the enterprising and dramatic Juan de Oà ±ate, who had been appointed the founding governor and adelantadoRead MoreThe Problem Of The American Society867 Words   |  4 PagesMany people believe today’s American society is poised, if things continue the same way they have been for the last twenty years (slippery slope), to become morally bankrupt and a tattered remain of its former self. (belief) The problems in today’s society all stem from three main moral atrocities and conditions that progressives have forced on to the society of our beautiful country.(post hoc) Our society has gone from having the respect of all the world to being a laughing stock of the Christian

Culture of Haiti free essay sample

The Culture of Haiti Carrie St. Jean Axia College of University of Phoenix What does the average American really know about the country, Haiti? Is the lifestyle all black magic, spells, and seances? Is this media portrayal of Voodoo the only way of life and what is Voodoo, any way? These questions come to mind when someone wants to know the truth about Haitian culture and life in Haiti. Haitian culture consists of deep rooted religious beliefs, music, and Haitian cuisine. First and foremost, voodoo is not just black magic, spells, and voodoo dolls that everyone associates with what has been portrayed in the movies and television shows. For example, the movie Serpent and the Rainbow, directed by Wes Craven (1988), is a horror movie that depicts voodoo as an evil practice that turned people into zombies. The premise of this movie was a doctor who goes to Haiti to investigate the rumors of a drug used with black magic that left people in total paralysis, yet conscious. We will write a custom essay sample on Culture of Haiti or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Most Americans in fact believe that all Haitians are part of this media portrayed version of this Haitian religion. The media has glorified and exaggerated this minor part of the Voodoo religion. Yes, those Haitian individuals who actively believe in the Voodoo religion do believe in some types of black magic and unfortunately the spells and voodoo dolls, but not all Haitians practice religion this way. In actuality, voodoo means spirit in African tradition. Haitians believe in only one God and other categories of spiritual beings. Haiti is also primarily a Catholic religion but the natives’ daily life still revolves around spirit religion. Many Haitians believe in spirits and other beings but his does not always mean ouija boards, seances, or ceremonies of raising the dead. This is the way Haitians live their lives and value the word of God. Other aspects to Haiti that most people do not realize about Haitian life are the music and cuisine. As for music, Haiti’s varied cultural background shaped the history of music. The different styles of music combine Spanish, French, American, and African influences. Voudou is one of the first types of music adopted by Haitians from Africa. Voudou is considered sacred and spiritual folklore. Mizik Rasin, mini jazz, and Haitian rap are a few different types of music that most people are not aware of. Mizik Rasin is considered roots music and actually evolved in the late 1980’s after the overthrow of Baby Doc Duvalier (1999). This music is believed to heal and honor the spirits. Mini jazz mixes French and American styles and Haitian rap is basically embraced by the Haitian youth to express views on violence, politics, and social matters. Rara is the type of music that is not really considered mainstream. This is the music of celebration and was also used back in the days of slavery. There are many other types of music that exist in Haiti and have all be created or shaped by other worldly influences. Haitian music has gone through many stages and with the availability of the Internet, Haitian music is spreading globally; With the possibilities of the internet, more people will be able to experience the wonderful sounds of many styles of Haitian music. Part of the music in Haiti also includes dance. Music and dance are a major part of Haitian life from birth through death. The Haitian tradition of dance begins with the christening of a child, as the people of Haiti view dance as a celebration of life. Dance also signifies important stages of a person’s life There are many different styles of dance but the most commonly known, throughout the county, are used to send the dead on their way to the afterlife. Parigol is the dance to let the spirits take control of the body. Parigol â€Å"is a graceful and subtle dance where the human body becomes a horse for the spirit to ride† (2004). Another dance, called Banda, calls the Gede spirits. These are the spirits of for the circle of life and death. This dance is not only decadent, but erotic. These dances are actually derived from the Voodoo religion and most Haitians living in the United States are not too familiar, as they did not grow up in Haiti. Most Haitian-Americans are Catholic and do not practice the Voodoo religion. Another important tradition in Haiti, beyond religion and music, is food. Haitian cuisine is actually kreyol or creole cuisine. Food has always been an important aspect of Haitian life, but is actually used to signify certain events in Haitian history and considered a cultural treasure. For example, Haitian soup, or pumpkin soup, is a dish that celebrates Haitian independence. This soup of â€Å"freedom† is called Joumou and is consumed by all Haitian households, in Haiti, on January 1st, every year. This is Haiti’s Independence Day. The soup mainly consists of beef, chicken, squash, spinach, sweet potatoes, and other leafy greens. The interesting fact about this dish is the fact that no pumpkin is used to make the soup. Specific Haitian recipes have been passed along from generation to generation and when a person mentions one Haitian dish, most likely everyone will know exactly what the dish is and how it tastes. Rice, beans, beef, pork, goat, and plantain are prominent throughout most Haitian cuisine. Griots, pronounced gree-yoo, is one of the most popular, flavorful dishes among Haitians. Many Haitians will serve this dish at family gatherings, as this is another cuisine of celebration. Griots is fried, glazed pork and because the Kreyol language of Haiti was not written until about fifteen years ago, Griots is also spelled as grillots, griyo, and griyot. The reason for the different spellings is that Haitian Kreyol was not a written language until about ten years ago. More popular foods used in Haitian cuisine are rice, beans, plantain, fish, and fruit. Bananes pesees or banan peze is a favorite among Haitians. This entree is green plantain that is fried twice. Banan Peze is not just a Haitian favorite but popular in Puerto Rico, as well. Puerto Ricans call the dish tostones. Plantain is just one of the many foods that are a staple to Haitian cuisine. Now that many Haitians have immigrated to the United States, Americans can actually taste the fine cuisine of Haiti and visit a Haitian restaurant or if you get the chance, select Haiti the next time a vacation opportunity arises and experience all the different positive, cultural experiences Haiti has to offer Sample the music varieties, the celebration of life, with both music and the amazing different Haitian cuisine dishes, and most importantly, interact with the people and experience the true culture of this country. Your original opinion of this country will be changed forever. Haiti is truly an undiscovered, misunderstood country. When Americans reach beyond the media portrayed sense of Haitian culture they will realize the reality of a strong, religious culture with people who value God, bring food, music, and dance into their daily lives. Haitians value and celebrate life and Americans might want to sample this way of living. References Laterriere, D. (n. d. ) Discover Culture Retrieved October 15, 2009 from website: http://www. discoverhaiti. com/culture. htm

Bob Marley Music in Our Generation free essay sample

Over the decades the musical culture in America has changed considerably. From psychedelic to rock n roll, disco to heavy metal, punk rock to soft rock. Now hip-hop and rap seem to be the current musical Infatuation In our era. Yet were forgetting that somewhere In that time frame, around the sasss a music form known as reggae emerged from the little Island of Jamaica, and with It came a man that will never be forgotten. HIS name was Robert Nests Marled although he was better known to us as Bob Marled and he changed our world forever. Marbles music was unleashed onAmerica and the world in the mid to late asss with explosive popularity. For unlike much of the music that had been heard, Marbles work was so much more than Just music it was a message for all to hear, a message that we could better the world in which we live. Marbles beautifully constructed lyrics inspired and moved people to not sit quietly and do nothing while their world is being destroyed by the evils of violence and racism. Bob Marled without a doubt helped lessen the problems that plague this world but racism and violence amongst fellow human beings Is certainly till occurring.So one cannot help but speculate, If a single artist can have such a positive Influence on so many people through his music then why are our current chart-topping music artists not following In his footsteps and doing the same? Bob Marled Is undeniably an icon of social change within not only America, but also around the world where his music has been heard. Author Anthony Bogus in his article Get up, Stand up: The Redemptive Poetics of Bob Marled even goes as far as to compare Marled to Martin Luther King Jar. Engine the evidence that they both Todd strongly for social change in a time when we most surely needed it. Bogus writes, common to both King and Marled was the universalism, a commitment to social change, and the fact that both were prophetic voices whose visions of a new world were rooted in the struggles against racial domination and oppression (563). However Is It really fair to compare a dreadlocks head, ganja smoking reggae artist to one of the greatest men In American civil rights history?The answer is most definitely yes; Marled Is more than worthy of this comparison, for Just Like King he was a figure o whom the oppressed people could look up to for hope. He stood for what he believed in and he didnt back down no matter what the consequences may be. For instance, in December of 1 976 Marled was asked to play at Smile Jamaica, a free outdoor concert that was organized by the Jamaican Prime Minister as an attempt to plea for peace and ease the tension between the two warring political groups.But two days before Marled was scheduled to play at the event two cars full of unknown gunmen broke into his house with guns blazing and seriously wounded Bob in his chest and arm. Nevertheless when it came time for Marled to perform he walked out on stage and did so. This man had a mission and he wasnt going to allow anyone to stop him from spreading his message. He once said God sent me on earth, he send me to do something, and nobody can stop me. If God want to stop me, then I stop. Man never can (573).This Is Just one example of the mans dedication to his cause of using music and the music Industry as a source to spread his message to the masses. Marled couldnt be more unlike the artists of today in the sense that his rather he had a greater purpose. Again Bogus talks about this in his piece, saying [Marled] consistently navigated the music business, trying not to get trapped in its glitz and glamour, since for him the Justification for the entire enterprise was the use of his artistic gifts as a medium of prophetic social criticism (564). With our rap and hip-hop artists of today it seems that money, cars and blind-blind are their necessities. They measuring their success based on how many Beverly Hills mansions they own rather than how many people theyve inspired or how many lives theyve changed. When this happens they loose sight of what truly matters. In another article titled One Love author Robert Palmer further reinforces the truth that Marled never faltered from his objective of informing the world about the suffering and oppression that so many less fortunate, poor human beings were and currently are experiencing.Palmer states, [Marled] never lost sight of the emotional center of his art his people, the suffers of Truncheon, of greater Kingston, of all the worlds ghettos. They placed their faith and hope in him, and he did not let them down (570). Yet when it comes to our rap artists who originate from poor urban spinsterhood or ghettos, Just as Marled once did, their music doesnt sing (or rap) about hope and change. Instead, from what Vive heard they sing about such things as being revolting against the law by using phrases like [emailprotected]#K the police, now thats inspiring.I have to wonder what kind of change they hope to accomplish with messages like these? Although Palmers article touches a little on Marbles message within his music, it mainly centered on the history of Bob Marled and the Wailers, laying out the details of their rise to international stardom. While in Bogus article he mess to focus on talking about how Marled belonged to a prophetic black radical tradition (Bogus 564), using symbolic insurgency to primarily strive for the equal treatment of African-American.Though this may be true, Marled strongly believed in equal treatment for all, no matter what the color of their skin may be. Be it, Whites, African-Americans or Hispanics, to Marled it didnt matter, he sang his message for all. This is never more evident than in such songs of Marbles as War, where he sings that human beings will always be fighting wars, until the philosophy which hold one ace superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned and until the color of a mans skin is of no more significance than the color of his eyes.Nowadays, with our most popular musical form being that of hip- hop and rap, you will never find lyrics like that of Marbles in any of these songs. Instead all we seem to hear when we listen to this music are lyrics about committing violent acts. Instead of one love they sing about busting a cap into another persons ass. Instead of redemption songs they sing about discriminating women by offering to them as female dogs and hoes, which I thought were gardening tools.If Marled were still alive today he would be disgusted to hear the lyrics and the kinds of messages that the artists of our days are singing about. In fact these artists are singing, representing and even glorifying exactly the opposite stance in which Marled had taken towards the issues of violence, oppression, and discrimination. They should instead be learning from Marbles example. They should understand how much of a difference music that sings of change within our world can lift people up and influence them to take a stand. This is so significant because with our artists tasteless form of entertainment.While the musical artists of today are quite different than Marled they still share one thing in common; they have the power to influence their listeners through their music. Fortunately, unlike the artists of the present, Marled chose to influence his listeners with positive messages that truly spoke to them. When I say them I dont only mean the oppressed or the poor or the minorities but everyone, for the beauty of Marbles music is that while it holds a special significance for the sufferers of this roll, it speaks to any listener with an open heart (Palmer 574).Marled understood that with the power to influence mass numbers of people comes the responsibility to use it in a positive and constructive manner. Im not one to point fingers but the music artists of today are not using their power responsibly. This may be the reason why crime rates are pup, and gang related violence is more frequent. Musical influence can play a huge part in a persons life, especially if that individual is young. Perhaps this is why we have seen so many horrible and unnecessary school hooting happen within the last decade.Music artists need to understand the kind of power they possess. They need to understand that they have fans in this world that desire to be Just like them, so it is crucial that they watch what they preach in their music because even if they dont mean what they say there is some adoring fan out there who is going to listen to those lyrics and follow them like instructions. Yet admiring an artist to this degree only becomes dangerous when the message within that artists music is dangerous. So why are these songs with their dangerous assuages so popular in our culture?Is it because songs that sing of universal peace and love stopped selling when the asss died? Or is it because we as a people have just become increasingly more violent? Whatever the reason one thing is for sure, m usic artist of today must learn from Marbles work for he managed to to forge a visionary music that opposed the tide of violence and celebrated the rhythms of life (Palmer 574). This was exactly the sort of music the world needed to hear in the sasss and it is exactly the sort of music we need to hear now!