Prompt: Why Are We at War?
I can't help but be offended by Mailer's comments about Islam. Once again, on page 26, there is a passage that I do not agree with. "The huge freedom given to women in American culture is seen as an outrage by orthodox Muslims. American TV they fine licentious and extreme. They feel all that Islam stands for is going to be eroded by American culture." (Mailer 26)
It is not the freedom given to women that is seen as an outrage, but the way that women are portrayed oftentimes in American culture. Many people in America do not believe that women are given freedom in Islamic countries, but this just is not true. There are many television shows that feature women, but it is done in a very respectable way. They are not shown as prostitutes or strippers. This is the only problem that Muslims have with American culture. It is perfectly fine to have women in the spotlight as long as it is done in a tasteful way. They do not want something as precious as a woman's virtue to be destroyed by negative images of them. Many Muslim women feel the same way. They dislike the way that women in America dress and act becuase it shows that they have little or no respect for themselves.
I believe that to have pride in yourself, you have to know that it doesn't take skimpy clothes or a promiscuous attitude to be noticed. This is the attitude that most Muslim people have. I know that I will know what people truly think of me if I take a little pride in myself. I will not have to worry about only being lusted after or not being taken seriously. Most women in American culture that are on television with almost no clothes on are seen as a joke. No one could possibly think of them in a positive way. They are seen as objects of lust or humor.
I know that Muslims are not the only ones that feel this way. There are plenty of Christian groups that would also like to see American women portrayed in a better light throught American culture. So Mailer is wrong in thinking that Islam does not want women to have freedom in American culture. They think that freedom is a great thing. They just want o make sure that a woman's pride and virtue is preserved.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Monday, July 16, 2007
It's Hard to Deal
Prompt: Guilty as Charged, But
A situation like having a loved one with Alzhiemer's is very difficult to get through. I think that the best approach is to make the time they have left as comfortable and stress free as possible. In no way is it ok to end someone's life. Anyone that has been in this situation knows how hard it can be. I dealt with it for the last two years of my grandfather's life. We had rough times, but the good times were amazing. It was very hurtful when he didn't remember me. But, it was great when he remembered me and stories from my childhood.
In Gilbert's case, he was very wrong for what he did. I can, however, sympathize with how he felt. This is someone that he grew old with, someone that he loved. She may have, in one of her good times, said that she didn't want to live like that anymore. The bottom line is that it is wrong to take someone else's life. What he should have done was be there for her. He should have comforted her and made her feel better about the time that she had left. My grandfather had terrible times. he would not recognize any of his own family. He did not trust us. He even once called me a big ugly black woman. The next day, however, he knew who I was the minute that I walked through the door. He kissed me on the cheek, and talked about funny things that I did when I was younger. I could see how happy he was just from me being there. Just having someone there during the good times makes it better for everyone.
The law was not really sufficient when it came to this case. Murder charges are meant for people that murder with bad intentions. Life in prison should apply to only people that still pose a threat to society. Gilbert did not pose a threat to anyone. He was only doing what he felt was best for his wife. He did not deserve to spend the last bit of his life behind bars.
A situation like having a loved one with Alzhiemer's is very difficult to get through. I think that the best approach is to make the time they have left as comfortable and stress free as possible. In no way is it ok to end someone's life. Anyone that has been in this situation knows how hard it can be. I dealt with it for the last two years of my grandfather's life. We had rough times, but the good times were amazing. It was very hurtful when he didn't remember me. But, it was great when he remembered me and stories from my childhood.
In Gilbert's case, he was very wrong for what he did. I can, however, sympathize with how he felt. This is someone that he grew old with, someone that he loved. She may have, in one of her good times, said that she didn't want to live like that anymore. The bottom line is that it is wrong to take someone else's life. What he should have done was be there for her. He should have comforted her and made her feel better about the time that she had left. My grandfather had terrible times. he would not recognize any of his own family. He did not trust us. He even once called me a big ugly black woman. The next day, however, he knew who I was the minute that I walked through the door. He kissed me on the cheek, and talked about funny things that I did when I was younger. I could see how happy he was just from me being there. Just having someone there during the good times makes it better for everyone.
The law was not really sufficient when it came to this case. Murder charges are meant for people that murder with bad intentions. Life in prison should apply to only people that still pose a threat to society. Gilbert did not pose a threat to anyone. He was only doing what he felt was best for his wife. He did not deserve to spend the last bit of his life behind bars.
Monday, July 2, 2007
They were all wrong
Prompt: The Alligator River Story
I think that everyone in this story handled the stituation terribly. It is not like the bridge would never be repaired. It was going to be repaired in several weeks. The whole situation could have been avoided by simply waiting for the bridge to be repaired. I have very little respect for any of them.
Abigail was the worst in the story. I would rate her five. I can't have respect for anyone as impatient, immoral, manipulative, and spiteful as Abigail. I don't believe that she really loved Gregory as she said she did. All that she had to do was wait until the bridge was repaired. She was so impatient and had to go right then. If she truly loved Gregory, she would have waited to see him. But, if she just had to go right then she should have sacraficed a day of work to drive to the other bridge to go see the man that she loved. She was very selfsish about that. She also should have had more respect for herself than to agree to Sinbad's terms. She was so immoral that she agreed to have sex with someone other than Gregory. She couldn't have loved him very much if she agreed to have sex with someone else. It was also very wrong of her to bring Slug into the situation. She manipulated him by telling her side of the story and making him feel like he had to do something to Gregory. And after everything that had happened, she was very spiteful and overjoyed at seeing Gregory hurt. She should have forgave and forgotten.
Gregory was not much better. He could not have really loved Abigail either. I would rate him four. After seeing all that she went through to get to him, he should have been able to forgive her for her mistake. Everyone makes mistakes. It was very wrong of him to pass judgement so quickly and cast her away.
Sinbad was definately a terrible person. I rate him three. He should not have taken advantage of a person in a tough situation. He had no respect for Abigail, Gregory, or the relationship that they were in. He should have been kind enough to take her across the river without asking anything demoralizing of her. And if he insisted on charging her, it should not have been something as drastic as sexual intercourse.
Slug was in a tough situation, but did not have to do what he did. I rate him two. I respect him in the sense that he was just trying to help a friend. However, he handle it in a very wrong way. Violence should not have been used. Simply talking to Gregory could have been just as effective. He should have had the common sense to know this and to not act on impulse.
I rate Ivan one, but do not exactly agree with what he did. A friend came to him with a problem, and he just turned his back. He should have at the least offered advice. Maybe if he put some thought into it, he could have helped Abigail come up with a better way to get to Gregory. He may have even convinced her to wait for the bridge to be repaired. By just giving some kind of input, the whole situation could have been fixed.
I think that everyone in this story handled the stituation terribly. It is not like the bridge would never be repaired. It was going to be repaired in several weeks. The whole situation could have been avoided by simply waiting for the bridge to be repaired. I have very little respect for any of them.
Abigail was the worst in the story. I would rate her five. I can't have respect for anyone as impatient, immoral, manipulative, and spiteful as Abigail. I don't believe that she really loved Gregory as she said she did. All that she had to do was wait until the bridge was repaired. She was so impatient and had to go right then. If she truly loved Gregory, she would have waited to see him. But, if she just had to go right then she should have sacraficed a day of work to drive to the other bridge to go see the man that she loved. She was very selfsish about that. She also should have had more respect for herself than to agree to Sinbad's terms. She was so immoral that she agreed to have sex with someone other than Gregory. She couldn't have loved him very much if she agreed to have sex with someone else. It was also very wrong of her to bring Slug into the situation. She manipulated him by telling her side of the story and making him feel like he had to do something to Gregory. And after everything that had happened, she was very spiteful and overjoyed at seeing Gregory hurt. She should have forgave and forgotten.
Gregory was not much better. He could not have really loved Abigail either. I would rate him four. After seeing all that she went through to get to him, he should have been able to forgive her for her mistake. Everyone makes mistakes. It was very wrong of him to pass judgement so quickly and cast her away.
Sinbad was definately a terrible person. I rate him three. He should not have taken advantage of a person in a tough situation. He had no respect for Abigail, Gregory, or the relationship that they were in. He should have been kind enough to take her across the river without asking anything demoralizing of her. And if he insisted on charging her, it should not have been something as drastic as sexual intercourse.
Slug was in a tough situation, but did not have to do what he did. I rate him two. I respect him in the sense that he was just trying to help a friend. However, he handle it in a very wrong way. Violence should not have been used. Simply talking to Gregory could have been just as effective. He should have had the common sense to know this and to not act on impulse.
I rate Ivan one, but do not exactly agree with what he did. A friend came to him with a problem, and he just turned his back. He should have at the least offered advice. Maybe if he put some thought into it, he could have helped Abigail come up with a better way to get to Gregory. He may have even convinced her to wait for the bridge to be repaired. By just giving some kind of input, the whole situation could have been fixed.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
