Language - An Essential Element of a Human

Language is a part of every single person's life and you can never get away from it, no matter how hard you try, which is why I based my paper around that topic. I went off in a few directions such as what language means to a person, to a country, to the world, etc. Since Pratt’s essay involved the contact zone and how evident it is in every person’s life, I used some of her ideas involving what she calls a “speech community”. The “speech community” takes a deeper look at language and how people use this community as a place to exchange ideas through speaking, writing, and behavior.

I also found a section in Kumar’s essay about language which is talking about the differences of languages among different types of people. There are so many different cultures in this world, in which language makes up such a huge part of a culture, making this section of Kumar’s writing so unique.

The ideas that I found in Pratt and Kumar’s essays show the importance of language, which is supporting my argument of how imperative language is in everyone’s life.

I tried to revise my abstract, but I don't know if I got anywhere with it. I tried though. I won't be in class though(I'm not feeling well at all)...but I'll see you guys on Wednesday!

Oh. English class?

After having been assigned this paper I-don't-know-how-many-weeks-ago and having a not so great stretch since last Wednesday, I have yet to be productive enough to create something that I didn't feel like throwing out after a few sentences.

So far, I have formulated several ideas that I hope to embellish. First, I approach the issue of the lack of billingualism among the vast majority of Americans and the problems that arise domestically and internationally as the result. Next, I intend to analyze the cultural ramifications of our de facto unity of language. Finally, I plan to outline educational programs that are being implemented now to encourage the mastering of a second language, and I also hope to make some suggestions myself.


Also, I hear Mahoney's a straight-up criminal? I'm going to start sitting in the back of the room. Or maybe move my seat closer to the door.

abstract

The topic of this paper is cultural choice. Cultural choice is the freedom to choose and adapt the characteristics from one's own and other cultures in developing one's own cultural identity. This paper will discuss the Japanese occupation of Korea, and the effects that it had on the culture. This projects presents the idea of cultural choice and voices the opinion that people shouild not be forced to adopt customs, cultures or languages that they do not want to, instead they should have the option of creaing their own cultural identity. I will bring my own perspective into this paper and discuss how cultural choice is good because the whole world is affected by other cultures.

More of my Insanity

Those of you that haven't already decided I was crazy probably will shortly.

Having said that, my paper uses Kumar's and Kim's essays as a basis for stating my opinions on culture and why/how the human race is effectively destroying the world, not just stating that it is. I begin where we left off in class in our discussion about the logic and practicality, or lack there of, of a national or global language. From there I go on to discuss what, in my opinion, the different cultures are and how they are affecting the world. I will later progress back to language and discuss my changed views from those I previously presented in class. I also reference a book called Ishmael by Daniel Quinn, where many of my ideas and opinions have come from. If any of you after having read this don't think I'm crazy, then I suggest you read that book.

i don't have anything yet

I think I'm still around the same point I was last class, with a very rough idea in my head of what I'm going to talk about, but it hasn't really unfolded yet. Like I said in class, I'm probably going to focus on languages as a main focal point, but I might draw a little bit from some of the texts we read other than Kumar's to get my point across.

I know I don't have anything, but I'm actually gonna come to class this time instead of skipping like I did during the last paper. Hopefully I'll be able to extract some extra ideas from this class so I can develop a better idea of what I will write about in my paper.

Abstract Numero 2

I haven't fully finished my paper yet, but I have a pretty good idea of where I am taking it, so far anyway.

My paper is mainly a disputation (is that a word?) of most of the works that we have read. I am using arguements from Kim's essay, Said's spiel, and Kumar's writing and disputing them, but I am trying to shape Pratt's piece into something that works for me, rather than against. As far as creating an air of conversation, I am attempting to sound as open as possible, via the use of questions (to engage the other conversers and to seem open-minded to other ideas) and by using a somewhat gentler syntax than most arguementative papers. I also start by stating clearly where I stand and how I have aquired the opinions and beliefs that I stand by. My biggest question: Is it okay to use personal experiences and beliefs to create an arguement? Most of my paper, it seems to me, is founded of experiences of my own, therefore, is it still a valid arguement? Or would facts make it more reliable?

Either way, I will probably continue with it as I started it. Just looking for input!

Abstractification

This work is an attempt to reason through the history behind modern language use and how it affects immigrants to the United States. It begins by looking at a few of the turning points in history that have led to the standardization of English as the language almost always used for education. It then follows to talk about a few of the other shortcomings of the current language system practiced by the dominant culture. Finally, it takes a look at a few possibilities for change and improvement of the dominant culture, to more fully accept new cultures into its own.

Paper 2 Overview

Let me start by saying that I apologize that I won't be in class with you guys today, but my stomach feels like it's knotting itself up and my head feels as if it's going to explode in 2.25 seconds! I hate being sick more than anything in this world, well almost anything...Although I'm not feeling the greatest, to say the least, I felt that I at least owed you guys, and girls, a little overview of what I think is going to go down here.

Okay, so I'm a little lost as to what our precise guidelines here are. I'm not real sure if we're supposed to use some of the essay(s) as part of our paper, but here's what I'm looking at so far.

My general ideas include language in its' every day use, language and how it's used in different cultures, language and it's effect, and language's help in the world's progression. Language and culture are somewhat interchangeable in that culture is directly connected with language and how it identifies a person and their history. Language is necessary for survival, not only in the same meaning as food, water, and oxygen, but in the sense that language and communication help us keep in touch with those that we love, those that we want to keep a watch on, and also the surrounding world and the events taking place. The importance of all of these things is influenced by our surroundings, or our culture. Culture spurs from language in that language gives us an identity so-to-speak, one in which we can be like "this is where i came from, what i've experienced, and what i believe in" that is unique not only with specific cultures, but sects of that culture depending on environment. This is basically all that I've got for now. I hope that it makes sense, and if not let me know in your comments because it might actually make me chuckle. Once again, I'm sorry I won't be in class, I wish I could be because it's my favorite, but I've somehow gotta make myself feel well for my 3 hour night class in which I can't miss because we have an exam next week:(.....Have a good one guys!

Abstract

In my paper, I focused a lot on the concept of language. Language is a part of every single person's life and you can never get away from it, no matter how hard you try. I went off in a few directions with it, such as what language means to a person, to a country, to the world, etc. I useds bits and pieces of Pratt's essay involving the contact zone and how evident it is in everyone's life. She takes the contact zone deeper into language and what she calls "speech communities". In these speech communities, people exchange ideas through speaking, writing, and behavior.

I also used the language section of Kumar's essay to help support my paper. Kumar talks about the difference of languages among people. I used the example she wrote about from the film, "Falling Down", because it illustrates the concept of language very well.

I am not completely done my paper, because I need to extend a lot of my thoughts. But this is best as I can do for my abstract.

My sad little abstract...

I am not entirely sure that I will have my draft finished tomorrow, but I have a very detailed outline that I have produced that I will now extract an abstract from:

In my paper (outline), I introduce the form Democracy took when the colonies separated from England and became the United States to get things going. Then, straying from the path a tiny bit I address the privilege of voting set down in the US Constitution and the suffrage movements that have led to voting being a civil right to all people. I present my views on the voting public, the voting process, the factors that lead people to not vote, and the media infuence on young voters (to get very specific). Interlaced throughout my paper, I talk about the views I have on these subjects, how they came to be, and how it was growing up with a very conservative father and hoping that he wouldn't kill me if I told him about my views about certain things.

Currently, I intend to quote Ian Angus (since his essay was all about democracy and how it has changed) and Mary Louise Pratt, and I have a few other online sources I will use as well.

<3 OmG pAsSpOrT pHoToZ lOl! <3

In my extreme boredom, I titled this post in typical middle school blog fashion. Also, I'm trying to crunch this in before my 2:00 class, so I'm probably gonna screw something up.

Anyway, in his article, Passport Photos, Kumar wants to demonstrate the feelings that an immigrant feels as he is integrated into our American culture. He begins with a quote from Salman Rushdie that compares a book to a passport. Like someone will read an overview of a book before opening it up and becoming familiar with the many subtle intricacies of it, the immigration officer looks at the outside appearance of the person and what's written on the passport and judges the person based on that.

He also uses many diverse examples from American life and pop culture to show his point. His pictures also have a lot of meaning behind them. The one on page 499, of homeless people sleeping within walking distance of the White House demonstrates a great constrast of economic status in such close proximity to one another, and it seems like the people in power, at the White House, don't really care that people without a home are sleeping outside of it. His picture of the shop advertisement on page 500 shows a misunderstanding of our language by people new to our country, and to a person on the outside, we may think that the people who run the store are stupid for not knowing our language, or look down upon then for whatever other reason. The picture of the road sign on the next page shows a similar language barrier that I looked at in my previous blog post about this article.

Passport Photos

Kumar's essay begins with a narration of an immigrant entering America. He explains how their passports are read almost as if they were a story of the immigrant's life. He continues through his article discussing how anybody that is not Caucasian is treated as a foreigner wethere or not they actually came from another country. He makes the point that a person could have been born here and there parents born here, but if they look asian or middle-eastern then many people still consider them a foreigner.

Pratt - Contact Zone

Mary Louise Pratt focuses on the contact zone in her essay, “Arts of the Contact Zone”. She seems to make the “underlying assumption” that the contact zone is not only a necessary part of everyday living but also something that brings contrast into everyone’s lives. From the contact zone, new ideas are spread, as well as cultures and languages. Pratt discussed “language being seen as living in ‘speech communities’”. People are able to communicate and share ideas between one another. Without these “speech communities” that are present in everyday life, people would have trouble spreading cultures, languages, and their ideas to one another.

This contact zone is so important because it contains such a huge concept of every human being’s life, whether they are young or old. Thoughts, messages, information and feelings are being communicated. We commonly exchange these ideas through speaking, writing, and behavior. Without these speech communities in this contact zone, Pratt is showing us how impossible life would be to get through.

kim

o no....I just wrote my blog and it was really good but the computer hates me and delted it when I tried to publish it and now I have to start over and write it again.
Kim uses historical examples to prove her point: That home is where the han is. She integrates her culture into the essay by using Korean words such as han, the sorrow and anger that grow from the accumulated experiences of oppression. She references historical events such as the Los Angeles riots, and the anti-Korean prejudices seen after it, the Japanese occupation of Korea and her own personal experiences with prejudice.
Kim tells of the los Angeles riots, how Korean properties were damaged, and how the law would not come to their aid. She also talks about the difficulties that Koreans faced when trying to become American. Then she goes on to tell about her personal experiences with prejudice, especially the hate mail she recieved after being published in Newsweek.
Kim implies in her essay that everyone who is not Korean is prejudiced against Koreans. In my own experience I have not seen this and this essay opened my eyes to the hardships Koreans face, especially in the U.S. I also learned some history, from Korea and the U.S.
The purpose of this essay was to change people's views about Koreans, this essay did not change my personal perceptions, becuase I am not the taret audience, but the arguments presented in this essay may be effective when used on the target audience, people who are prejudiced against people of Korean descent.

Kim's line of reasoning uses historical examples to prove her point: That Home is where the Han is. She integrates Korean culture on her essay by combining Korean words such as "han" into her work, but clearly defines it so the essay is understandable to people who are not Korean. She defines han as the sorrow and anger that grow from the accumulated experience of oppression.
Then Kim goes on to tell why the United States has become home to people from a Korean background, the different examples of "han" that they have experienced. She tells about the Los Angeles riot, and the unfair blame that was put on the Koreans, and she talks about the experience that many Koreans had trying to become American. She also tells about how life was in Korea, not much better than it is in the U.S.
Then she tells about her personal experience with prejudice, the hate mail she recieves after being published in newsweek.
The text's underlying assumptions are that every one who is not Korean is prejudiced against Korean's and this implies that she is writing to try and change every one's opinion. Personally I assume that not many people are prejudiced against Koreans becuase I have never seen this this racism, nor heard about it before. In fact in my limited experience, in my taekwon-do class the Korean students are treated better, and given special attention because it is assumed that they will be naturally talented at martial arts. This essay really opened my eyes to the prejudices and taught me about history, not only of Korea, but of the U.S., however it did not change my opinion about Koreans as an ethnic group, becuase I was not the target audience for this essay.

Pratt

As stated in my previous blog about Pratt's essay, "Arts of the Contact Zone", I believe that her "underlying assumptions" surround the belief that culture and language are interlaced with one another in everyday life. Language is necessary for existence, which in turn creates varying cultures. Similiarities bring people together and due to these likenesses, a separate language, understood by the members of this culture, was created in order to share a more personal connection and understanding of one another. Ideas and feelings are expressed through language, whether it be orally or by facial expressions, others can read them and respond. I think that Pratt is trying to show her audience that many people take for granted the fact that they can communicate with other human beings, but everyone should actually be cherishing the fact that this is at all possible. Without communication and learning of languages, even those that differ from our born/native language, one would not be able to progress in the world of thinking, sharing ideas, literature, or culture. Without language, no matter what that language may be, people all over the world would be at a loss, and would probably not be able to survive.

Pratt

As stated in my previous blog about Pratt's essay, "Arts of the Contact Zone", I believe that her "underlying assumptions" surround the belief that culture and language are interlaced with one another in everyday life. Language is necessary for existence, which in turn creates varying cultures. Similiarities bring people together and due to these likenesses, a separate language, understood by the members of this culture, was created in order to share a more personal connection and understanding of one another. Ideas and feelings are expressed through language, whether it be orally or by facial expressions, others can read them and respond. I think that Pratt is trying to show her audience that many people take for granted the fact that they can communicate with other human beings, but everyone should actually be cherishing the fact that this is at all possible. Without communication and learning of languages, even those that differ from our born/native language, one would not be able to progress in the world of thinking, sharing ideas, literature, or culture. Without language, no matter what that language may be, people all over the world would be at a loss, and would probably not be able to survive.

Passport photosb

Kumar opens her article by introducing us to the wonderful world of passport "books;" and describes how many immigrants are read strictly through the information printed on their passports. In a sense, we judge the "person" by the passport; just like the term 'judging a book by its cover,' we judge who and what a person is by where they are from and what language they speak. As we progress through the article there are more and more articulations of this, by way of how we group people (generalizations) and how we percieve them (socioeconomic status, language, etc.) She also expresses the view that we do not only make assumptions about these people, but that we hold them to certain standards or expectations, and that we discriminate them based off of what we initially percieve them to be. Especially in the excerpts that she places within the text is this point drawn out (ie the Guns N Roses lyrics). Her view seems to be that from their first steps off the plane all the way up until they have become fully "americanized" they are stereotyped by their skin color and speach. Her claims lie in the outright actions and words of 'real' Americans, as well as the sublties which give away our stereotypes.

Han

"Home is Where the Han Is" has a very distinct line of reasoning. Elaine Kim takes the reader through her reasoning in a very methodical fashion. She states in the beginning two paragraphs her intent, to look at the treatment of Korean-Americans, and try to decide how long it is going to take for Korean-Americans to truly be accepted in the Untied States.

She begins by discussing the conflicts that happened during the Los Angeles riots. She brings up the idea that all of the tensions are furthered by the media. She is attempting to show people the inequities; not only those that are inherint, but those that are added to.

Another important idea that Kim brings up in her piece is how Korean Americans are to become "Americanized." Kim works under the assumption that all Korean-Americans are not accepted. Unlike her, my experiences have led me to see that there are many Korean-Americans that are seen as fully included into the "American" society.

Finally, Kim writes as though she is trying to persuade people that are against Korean-American acceptance. However, many of the people that she is writing for, for example our class, are for the most part all for the incorporation of Korean culture into mainstream U. S. culture. In this way, she is not necessarily reaching the people that she could be. Her Newsweek article was the most effective for those ends. One of her key final lines of thought deals with the idea that the exclusion and discrimination that the Korean Americans encountered are part of the "acceptance" process of the United States culture.

Said

So I got through this and was like, hmmm... maybe somebody else knows what the hell Said was talking about. Apparently I was wrong but at least this way I don't feel quite so stupid. The only thing I really got out of this was something about how Western Culture is destroying the rest of the world. Assuming I'm right, which is assuming a lot, I agree. Also assuming I'm right, I suggest that everybody reads Ishmael by Daniel Quinn. It talks about the same kind of stuff but has three major important differences. Its interesting, it uses normal language, and it uses references that most semi-literate Americans would know.

Culture and Imperialism

Although slightly confusing, I think that Said's essay about Culture and Imperialism is fairly interesting. The essay talks about the connections between the Middle East and the United States, or the Western culture in general. Some of his essay talks about events that occured while the first George Bush was president, but the feelings and affects are relevant now because of our ties with Iraq, Afghanistan, and the rest of the Middle East today. One of the things that Said talks about is that the two hemispheres are connected because of conflict and the clashing of cultures. He seems very critical of the United States government and foreign policies-mostly the fact that America acts as the "world police", so-to-speak. Said seems to believe that the United States, as the only remaining superpower since the end of the Cold War, has taken on the role of coming to the rescue of underdeveloped nations and trying to help them either economically or to rid of an oppressive government or dictatorship. In his opinion, the U.S. interferes where they are not needed, but not in the thought of helping others out, but for its' own selfish reasons. The need for oil, and the ability to control its' marketing, economic strife, political uprisings, and moral differences are all reasons why the U.S. interferes with these other nations with different cultures. The main reason, however, for America's "need" to step in is to spread Democracy and provide for a so-called "better" living for these nations. The ulterior motive is to create more allies amongst these oil-rich nations for our own benefit, but make it seem as if we want to honestly help the oppressed citizens out.

Middle Eastern countries are very nationalistic, according to Said, and this creates problems for the United States in their mission. These nationalistic countries, such as Iraq, Syria, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia have gained much power through militaristic rule, and have lost individual identity in the eyes of other countries throughout the world. Now all of the Arab world has been lumped into one giant category, no matter an individual's beliefs, morals, background, or country of origin. Said goes on to say that United States cannot play innocent in this happening because it is due to America's selfish needs that much of this turmoil, and some wars, have occurred in the Middle East, which created conditions in some areas that are unliveable and run-down. He states that the U.S. is trying to set the agenda for all of the world-trying to monitor, and control to an extent, what goes on, and to terminate any goings-on that it doesn't agree with. He finishes with the fact that each and every nation has its' own culture and history that others try to ignore and lump certain groups together, such as black, white, Oriental, and so on. In order to move on from this lazy and immoral thinking process, the United States and the Arab world should begin to think about others and to take the time to learn about the cultures of others and learn to respect it, although they may not agree with it. He ends by saying that each individual country need not consider their culture and nation as the one and only, but take into consideration all others and pull from them as well, in order to create a sound world in which people can learn to get along because every culture has something to offer to the world.

Hmm

I could not make much sense to this article as a whole. Sure, I highlighted some things that caught my interest. But that didn't mean I understood them.

A part I found interesting was "The powerful are likely to get more powerful and richer, the weak less powerful and poorer..." In some ways I agree with this, and in other ways I don't. However, Edward Said probably meant something different than the way I took it anyway. Who knows really.

Another thing I read that I believe is probably true was, "Today the United States is triumphalist internationally and seems in a febrile way eager to prove that it is number one..."

I think I should just wait until we talk about this reading in class because I'm not making much sense of it all.

looking at the other responses made me feel a little better...

I really couldn't follow what Said said in his article, the only thing that really jumped out at me was his talk about our experiences with Iraq. That seemed to be the only semi-coherent thing he wrote about. Everything else had way too many references and words and stuff that I really couldn't get what he was saying.

He seemed to be very critical of the United States and their relations with the Middle East. He talked about the influence of oil and power and stuff, but I really don't remember what exactly he said and I don't really want to go back and look for it, since I have class soon. I don't remember much else about the article, except that it sucked and pretty much wasted my time.

I hope the people who didn't post anything yet have something to say, since I was looking for some help here on the blog and it's not there.

Ubuntu

This piece of literature was extremely complex, and had my head spinning. All I can really do with it is pick out a thing or two that I find intersting or challenging.

One of the foremost things that grabbed my attention was the final paragraph of the text. In this paragraph, Said is talking about the fact that divisions are just that, divisive. They are ways that we draw lines between each other, and allow ourselves to think that we are better than someone else. One person that has fought this kind of mentality is Bishop Desmond Tutu. He created an entire theology around the interconnectedness of all of humanity named Ubuntu. To get the first layer of meaning out of it you only need one brief statement, "i am because you are." It was this statement that helped to keep peace in South Africa after the fall of apartheid. As one of the more recent events involving division, I think that it is something that Said would care very much about. He seems to be very adamant about the fact that we distance ourselves from one another around the world. He says it very well when he describes that we have limited our view to just black white, indian american. Who and what we are is so much more than that, but is so little cared about by the institutionalized hatred, anger, and fear that plagues the world today.

Said also talks a little bit about immigration. I love the quote that he has by Ali Shariati. It talks about how all of us are immigrants. It levels off all of humanity and puts them in a constant state of flux. It reminds me that there is never any real end to life, just movement, with the rest of humanity, toward our ultimate goal, whatever it may be. I also thought that it was important when Shariati asked the question, "Who can ever fix a standard?" This, to me, is an extremely important question in today's society. Everyone everywhere is constantly being held up to some standard. Whether it be girls feeling like they have to be twigs to be pretty, children being subjected to unattainabletest standards, or governments around the world being held up to our standard of democracy.

Another part of the article that grabbed my attention is on page 557 paragraph 15. In this paragraph, Said is referring to the long history that the United States has of siding with dictators and other tyrants around the world. I agree one hundred percent with his example, and it prompted me to think about the way that imperialism has been exercised by the United States in Latin America. Ever since the beginning of the Cold War, the United States began to protect its interests in Latin America from the "communist threat." What this really meant was training, supplying and funding dictators all throughout Central and South America. With all of the dictators that we supported, we wrote it off as "protecting our interests," when what it was really about was being able to control their "friendly" leaders.

Finally, I thought the part where Said was talking about how imperialism leads to exterminism was very interesting. It made me begin to think about why we attempt to smother, or "assimilate" other cultures into our own in the post-colonial world. Is it right to practice this exterminism? Do we practice it for love of our country, or fear of someone elses? I don't know, just posing a few questions.

So, to finally wrap it up, Said said (ha) many things that touched not just on the political situations of the early nineties, but also was able to connect to many of the things that we still experience in our culture today. Does this mean that we've learned nothing in the last ten years?

Hey Said... What did you just say????

I also couldn't follow this article. Said mentioned way too many people I've never even heard of and confused the hell out of me. At first I thought this was more about boundaries and how they've changed over the years due to political controversies and wars and the taking over of nations and the removal of certain races to other set-aside areas of the world... I may be correct in thinking this, but this man's writing style is so perplexing to me - in my sleep-deprived state - that I just... don't know. He keeps bringing up other little stories or confrontations and more people I don't know that my train of thought has since been derailed and thrown off the track and has just burst into flames.

More on that in class!

Here's what I got out of this reading.

This article begins with the words "Imperialism did not end..." These articles tell about the different interactions between nations and the different ways the different nations affect each other. The article says that imperalism is a powerful force and the more economically developped countries are better able to harness that force and hold power over weaker countries. The essay goes on to say that America has become the strongest nation and is dominant over other countries, and feels that the US can send their militray wherever they want and accomplish any end they want through their military means. Hence "imperialism did not end." The second article talks about protests and how they have changed the world. Protests have changed the "principle of confinment." The article says that in order to be governed the government must know about the people its governing, through censuses, taxes, education, etc. From all the interacting of the different countries people and cultures have mixed and "No one today is purely one thing." Imperialism mixed cultures from all around the world and people have more ethinc background mixes, and more cultural heritage around them.

Cultuperialism.

I saw "Noam Chomsky", and knew this wouldn't be easy. Bear with me if all of this is nonsense.

Okay, I typed that previous statement as soon as I came upon that quote. I have since finished the essay and have arrived at the conclusion that I don't really have much "nonsense" for you to bear with.

Really all that I extracted from this piece was that the ramifications of Western colonialism are still seen in many societies, and the continuing globalization by the West into non-Western nations are causing serious detriment to the affected nations. This is one that is definitely going to need fleshed out in class.

And now I know why Professor Mahoney said something like "Oh. Said's up next. ::menacing laughter::".

What?

Okay, I have no idea what I just read. In fact I read it three times and still don't think that I can make sense of it...maybe it's because I'm tired, or the fact that the first reading gave me a headache, or maybe it was his dry writing style or choice of vocabulary, but I cannot think of one single intelligent thing to say about this piece. Therefore, I will not waste your time, or any more of mine, trying to compose some sort of bullshit response to this. I am extremely frustrated and am hoping that somebody in class can inform me of what the hell I just read. Until then..........see ya.

Kim

I’m posting this very late. However, I’m not going to be in class to talk about any of this anyway. But this post will not be very long or mean very much anyway.

Like a lot of others, I became a lot more interested in this essay when Kim started talking about the Newsweek experience.

Considering my one side of the family consists of two cousins from India, one cousin from Korea, and two bi-racial cousins, we’ve talked a lot about racial issues and racial hatred. I actually shared this article with my Korean cousin since he was staying at my house for a few nights the past few days. He seems to think that many people are very ignorant, and I believe the same thing, especially after reading some of the responses back to Kim.

I don’t remember what else I really wanted to say about this article though, so this will have to be it for now.

Han, Solo.

Kim's article was quite insightful for me. While aware of the uprising in 1992, I was unaware of it's social and racial implications outside of those between whites and blacks. From perhaps a very narrow view, I believed that, if there were racial tension, it was universally directed towards whites by non-whites who were united by a common opression. For the most part, I am not surprised. I did know that there is "social stratification" among the those in Korean community relating to their occupations; a friend of mine's, who are Korean, own a grocery store in a predominantly black community in northern Harrisburg. I often recall hearing my friend's mother complain about the "lazy Koreans", but she never did much to flesh out or identify who she believed these were, or what qualified them to be considered one. I do remember that their store played an integral part in the community which they lived in; they knew most of their customers on a first name basis, and whenever there was a robbery, the whole community would watch out for store, or even provide a sense of community protection through belonging. I am shocked to hear that things seem to be so different in Los Angeles (which seems to be getting a pretty bad rap from this course). I primarily am surprised because LA appears to be a place where there are greater numbers of Koreans integrated into black communities, and I would therefore expect a greater tolerance or feeling of comradery between the two groups. Hopefully, some of the other ideas presented in the text can be examined more succinctly during class.

Caucasions vs. The rest of the World

After a rough weekend in which my Mom hated me for about a day, two of my friends got into a physical fight, Penn State lost their first game of the season, and my two year old cousin was life-flighted to Danville, this article literally made me cry. Sure, I've learned and thought about the racial hatred that occurs in the United States. I have thought about it on many occassions, especially coming from a very rural area in which about 5 people of color, 4 Indians, and 2 of Asian descent attended my high school, out of 1,040 students. The reason I say that I have thought about racial issues is due to the fact that the area in which I am from is predominantly Republican and conservative, and I have often heard people, even close friends of mine, make racials slurs or tell jokes demeaning those of other races and cultures, even my Indian friend made jokes about African-Americans and Asian-Americans.

One point brought up by Elaine H. Kim in her article, "Home Is Where the 'Han' Is", is that the media influences the American people through biased opinions and the portrayal of stories and events that are one-sided. Racism is bad enough in the United States without the help of media conglomerates, which create a globalization of racial hate by allowing the U.S. and other nations view our "opposition" as the bad guys and showing everyone that the other group started the problems. Caucasion-Americans are the ones with the greatest voice in the political scheme of things, and those of other groups, such as Korean-Americans. The United States is viewed as a land of opportunity and individual freedom, in which all citizens are granted the same rights under equal protection. Those from races other than white, are highly mistaken when they think this is the case. Upon arrival in the U.S., they will find some form of hatred at some point in their life, while others may face it almost everyday. The media fuels this hatred by making appear acceptable by blaming the problem on those from another race or cultural group. Much of the biases and judgments are spawned from misconceptions and false beliefs about a group of people that they never took the time to learn about. Ignorance is the true problem in our society of "white dominance" and cultural hate. People do not take the time to learn about, listen to, or talk about things that are different from what they know and are used to. If people realize that those of another culture or color are just as intelligent, understanding, and as concerned about political, social, and international occurences, a lot of hatred and biases may be extinguished.

Han

I liked this article. I tend to agree with Kim, that there is too much racist in the United States and that the media and government are trying to hide it. When I was first reading this I found it to be pretty boring, but then I got to the section about the Newsweek article I literally started laughing out loud. Some of the things that people wrote back to her just shows you how ignorant the country is. The fact that somebody in prison, who obviously wasnt an exceptional writer was smart enough to understand things that people who are socially excepted as "well-educated" could not amused me very much. Here's a nice quote that shows how ignorant some of those people were:
"Korea and Asia for that matter has not had...a noticeable impact on the shaping of Western Culture, and Korea has had unfortunately little culture of its own"
My roommate asked me what was wrong when I read this because I was laughing so hard. This same person also made the point that America brought Beethoven and the Beatles into the world.

My blog makes no sense

Just looking at the title of this essay makes you think. "Home is where the "Han" is. If han is defined as "the sorrow and anger that grows from the accumulated experiences of oppression," then home is where you feel oppressed? Personally I wouldnt feel at home around people who oppresed me. However the examples given in the text make this reasonable. Koreans were oppressed in Korea, by their neighbors, due to wars, and occupations, and their government, by the murders of those demonstrating for constitutiobal reform. Upon immigration to the U.S. Koreans were oppressed by other cultural groups, who burned down Korean establishments, and the government. who failed to respond to 911 calls. The U.S. was supposed to be the "promised land" the "land of milk and honey." Immigrants do not come to the U.S. to be oppressed, but oppression seems to be here waiting for all immigrants.
A thought that struck me said that immigrants are not really Americans until they undergoe centuries of hardship and oppression. From what I know what American history this is true. All ethnic groups who come to American have been looked down upon by the people who were already here, forgetting that they themselves were once immigrants.
Then when the author pointed out the oppression, and criticizes the way the U.S. is she recieved even more racism, people from all over the U.S. sending her hate mail. It only proves her point that she cannot escape the oppression. The author ends with restating "we cannot become American without dying of han." Either people will die from the oppression they recieve, death becuase they cannot make a living, or dying in a riot, or the people will lose their cultural heritage in order to become American. A loss because America is supposed to be the "great melting pot" where all cultures blend and enrich enveryone's lives.

Kim's Essay

I read over the assignment then came here to see what everyone else thought about it since I had mixed feelings and automatically agreed with Amber's reaction to it. I thought this was just another spiel about the hardships of minorities trying to make it in America and that the Koreans have it especially hard since they're even looked down upon by other minorities.

Then I looked up more about the Los Angeles Upheavals since I didn't remember exactly what had triggered the riots: The LA riots, or Rodney King Riots started April 29, 1992 after a mostly white jury aquitted four police officers accused of the videotaped beating of Rodney King. Mass looting, arson, and murder insued as mostly African Americans and Latinos rioted against the verdict.

There were events that led up to the targeting of Korean owned businesses during the riots, and those events caused the growing rift between Korean Americans and African Americans. (I'm in a tight spot here, so I'll discuss further in class!)

Anyway, I found it an outrage that when Kim sent in the essay for Newsweek the editor switched up her words so that it fit better with his views, and only when she threatened to withdraw the essay did the editor accept it as written. We are ignorant of many, many cultures other than our own and a couple others.

The Han of the United States

I thought that this was an amazingly powerful article. I always find it enlightening to read about different places and the racial strife that happened there due to the fact that I grew up in an almost all white town. There was never really any discussion on race. Also, I was never really aware of the '92 riots, and the effect that it had on korean and African American reltionships.

One part of Kim's essay that I though was very important was in the fifteenth paragraph. I think that this paragraph deals not just with the integration and acceptance of Korean Americans, but with every racial group that has attempted to make an in-rode into mainstream America. Kim points out the fact that becoming American requires that one take on the centuries of racial divide that have ocurred before them. I think that what she is trying to say here is that, though unjust, every culture that has come to America other than the original western settlers has had to deal with the prejudice and hate of being "new." Because, to think back to the Irish, they were from the western culture, yet they too had their time of persecution and time as the "outsider."

I was also struck by the first full paragraph on page 510. This paragraph, I believe, sums up the reason that we have had problems with racism for so long in this country. I see the mainstream media as a force that could do so much good for the country, but that uses its power to paint a certain picture. As Kim points out, the media never gave coverage to tall of the positive things that happen toward reconciliation of alienated peoples, yet as soon as a fight erupts between two cultures, the media is there and shining the worst light on it that it can. I think that this is tied to one of Kim's earlier thoughts where she expresses that interethnic conflict, as portrayed by the media, takes the real focus away from where it should be placed. The media's focus should be on the institutions that continue to perpetuate a system that is unequal and full of hate, rather than highlighting the differences that naturally occur between people of different beliefs.

I thought that a very poignant part of the whole essay was the part where Kim writes about the hate-filled reactions, and statements of solidarity that she received after writing for Newsweek. I find it extremely appalling how many people responded to Kim with a backlash of hate. It was a sharp contrast to those who wrote her quiet, peaceful letters of confirmation of her thoughts. I also found it interesting to note how many of the letters that were "hate-mail" came to Newsweek, and how many of the letters of support came directly to her. It raises a question for me of the mindset of the two different groups. The "hate-mailers" did not even take the time to find out about her, to find her personal address from her departments website, while the people who agreed with her, took the time to look farther and establish a more meaningful letter.

Finally, I found the last paragraph of page 515 (left side) very interesting. In this paragraph, Kim talks about the problems that she has with cultural nationalism. I agree with her very strongly when she writes that it "fosters intolerance and uniormity of thought while stifling self-criticism." I thought that this was a very powerful statement and embodies what all post-colonial writers, and "contact zone" writers want. I think that these writers are pushing to break these norms. They are trying to push people to a point where they can see their own faults, and can see things from a point-of-view that is not their own. That statement is the truth that many people are afraid of facing, which the news reporters refuse to show us, and the truth that needs to be changed in the world that we live in today. That statement is the "what is," and now it is only a matter of time until people will finally awaken to the "what should be."

New Ignorance

As I read this article, I can't help but feel ignorant. Not ignorant that I do not have experience in a diverse community, but ignorant that I was raised in a very diverse city (Allentown). It's a new sensation for me. Here, all along I believed that I have been fortunate enough to have had my most influential years surrounded by an array of different cultures, but just now I see that I am very naive as to what American Society is really like. I have grown in a very tolerant community, so to speak. Race Wars do not exist, at least to my knowledge. Yes, we have gangs, but as far as I know, race is not a dividing factor. But, as Kim is pointing out, atleast to what I have read up to this point, racial division is very prominent in much of our society. I am not ignorant in the least bit to a multicultural society, but I am ignorant to the fact that race still effects much of the country. I had the belief that race was an ancient idea. Atleast to America.

I was always told and always believed that I am more prepared for a life in a diverse society. But, as I read this, I am becoming aware of the fact that society is not as ideal as I have perceived. I am not an idealist. Infact, I have always considered myself a glass-half-empty kind of girl. Have I been unexposed to the truths of racial diversity? Or, is Kim dramatizing the idea? She, it appears, has been educated in a more secluded system. "My American education offered nothing about Chicanos or Latinos, and most of what I have been taught about African and Native Americans was distorted to justify their oppression and vindicate their oppressors." It seems that Kim, as with much of the older generations, is victim to a closed-minded education.

Perhaps, and most likely, I am wrong. I'll admit it in a second. Maybe this country has not advanced in the disintegration of 'racial hierarchy' as quickly as I have believed. At this point I consider myself too young, not in age or mind but in worldly experience, to know the truths of society. Once, I get out there, which I plan to do as soon a possible, I'll let you know what I find.

p.s. I really enjoyed this article. It was very enlightening.

Elaine Kim' Essay

In the beginning of this article, my first reaction was "If you feel so damn perecuted and discriminated against, get the hell out." Her introduction and right on through the first two pages were basically just one big complaint about racism against the minorities. So, the Republican side of me immediately jumps into defense mode. People fought and died to make this country free to all, and many minorities get preferential treatment, so if its still not damn good enough, go home and see if its better there!

But as I pushed through this boring, very dull text, I tried to keep more of an open mind. When I got to the section "The Newsweek Experience" I started to change my mind, just a little. Kim stood by an essay that she believed in; an essay that she wrote because she saw a problem within her society and she attempted to excercise her First Amendment rights with an aim towards change. What's more American than that? What's more Democratic than that? And, as I read some of the things people wrote back to her, I made another realization. If the writer was a white male writing about the same subject, but geared towards reverse racism, would the response be the same? And if a black man wrote it, would the same following be criticizing or supporting him?

By the end of this essay, my mind was too full to think of anything other than Art History exam, French test, and the cheaters from Powderpuff this morning (Deatrick, you suck!) But that's the best I could do with this one right now. Have a good night y'all!

"It ain't where you're from/it's where you're at"

Not using that as a main point of my response, but I always like seeing a Rakim reference in a textbook.

I enjoyed the author's perspective on the idea of the passport as a book. Fleshing out the idea of the book by expanding on how it would read to the immigration officer was also interesting; It illustrated clearly a cultural disconnect and the resulting misunderstanding or loss of meaning that a foreign author could have. Looking at it this way: when I read any of Carl Sandburg's poems about certain nuances of Chicago, I could only really appreciate the poem on an imaginative level. When I had experienced or seen what Sandburg had written about, it gave me a great deal of perspective on his intent. In relation to the passport, without knowing anything about their origins or the reasons certain things are written on the passport, the immigration officer really cannot have any idea where, what, or why the person before him came. This is an effective metaphor to help bring across the idea that the author wishes to establish a voice for non-Western intellectuals.

I really need to stop doing these so late.

Post-colonial Writing

I think that Kumar, as a post-colonial writer has in many different ways achieved his own stated goals. While he was speaking of the migrant workers into the Gulf, he stated that the job of the post-colonial writer is to ensure that people on the fringes are not forgotten.

The fact that post-colonial writers have made it into a textbook is a great leap for seeing the unseen. This text will reach so many people, and hopefully as many as read it will take some piece of this text to heart. One part that I thought was really interesting was where Kumar talks about Ghosh and an Imam talking about world politics. This section of the text begins by making it seem that both of them have come on equal ground, and are just there to talk and expand their mutual knowledge. However, as soon as the discussion moves to "'guns and tanks and bombs,'" that respect is lost and it becomes an argument where both parties embrace their nationalism and begin to become hostile. I think this is an important fact to notice because too many times we become hot-headed about an issue, and instantly become defensive. for someone who is reading this from a post-colonial perspective, it was, as Kumar states, a defeat. Colonialism was all about domination and superiority, and as soon as their conversation turned down that lane, they became just as culpable as the colonizers.

Another part of the text that I was intrigued by was the part about the border crossing on page 501. I began to read, and after finding out the context, I looked at the picture. I was taken aback by the contrast in language. I thought it was a slap in the face to anyone of hispanic descent that their signs says "prohibido." This made me think once again of the differences that are inherent in people that speak a different language. Also, I thought about the dominance of English as a language in the world. I wonder what would have happened if the U. S. would have chosen a different national language. Many of our founding fathers spoke German, and what would the world be like today if German was the language spoken here, and as the consequence of history, internationally?

Finally, I was struck by the section dealing with the Texas judge ordering the mother that she had to speak only english to her child. I thought that this was an absurdity, and an abuse of the justice system. Who in their right mind would mandate a spanish speaker to speak in english, an order that they cannot fulfill? Oh, that's right, it was in Texas. I think that part of the idea behind post-colonialism reolves around cultures being free to express themselves, embrace their culture, and celebrate their diversity. In many ways however, the United States has colonized itself. Through systematic repression of culture, the U. S. has begun to weed out differences. Forced language, even as far as NCLB, has begun to make the diversity wither. Also, through our commercial culture; we are not handed mandates, but a template that if we do not fit in, we do not belong, we are outsiders.

Sorry, I think that might've gotten a little off topic. But I think that the ideas behind the post-colonial writers have been good ones. In recognizing the outsider, the unspoken for, or the unwanted, these writers are able to give those people a sense of hope. In a world that is fiercely independent, these post-colonial writers set up a place to begin a network for seeing each other through perfectly clear glasses. Not rose-colored, or sunglasses, but to give us a twenty twenty vision of where we, and the rest of the world stand today.

Passport Photos

So the only thing I really got out of this was about the language difficulties. As far as I can tell the author is making a point that immigrants coming to this country are mad because people expect them to know or to learn English. My aunt is a teacher in Tuscon, AZ so she comes into contact with this a lot. Because of where she lives, there are a lot of Mexican immigrants and she is one of the people who thinks that they should be tought in Spanish instead of being forced to learn English. Every summer when she comes in to visit we have that same debate over wether or not immigrants should be forced to learn English. I think that they absolutely should. They are coming to this country and taking advantage of the government programs and other advantages that it has over there respective home countries. If they're going to do this, then the least they could do is learn the language. People that are already citizens of this country should not be forced to learn other languages to accomodate immigrants. The same should be true for any American that goes to a foreign country. If you expect to live somewhere, learn the language thats spoken. At my old job, there was a person who immigrated from the Middle East. He understood this concept, and even though he moved here as an adult, he still spoke English as good or better than I do. At another job I had, there was somebody who lived in Poland, that only came to work here for the summer. She still spoke excellent English, even though she was only here for a few months. Point being, if you live here, you have to assimilate; the majority always rules.

Ooo this reminds me I have to get my passport renewed...

Anyway, I found that Kumar was trying to bring the things that immigrants who travel to new places with passports have to deal with to the foreground, and how their passport is like a book. Or a biography. Not one you would see on A&E or the Biography Channel, and probably not as interesting for the reader. Kumar brings up the immigrant's feelings of shame when looked over by this immigration officer. The officer only makes the connection between the passport and the holder of the passport; makes sure they both match up. For the immigrant, that passport holds their life within it. The passport tells the reader everything there is to know about the holder: birthplace, parents, scars, surgeries, allergies, imprisonments, other travels. The officer probably doesn't know where that city the immigrant lived in is located, or even how to pronounce it. All these things are real to the holder of the passport, but just a story to the officer. An immigrant will feel shame standing there in front of the officer, being looked over like an object. The immigrant will feel shame because there is no understanding between himself and the immigration officer.
Kumar is saying that we have to try to imagine what other people are thinking, especially when they are unsure of their surroundings or are looked down upon for being an immigrant or someone traveling from another country.
I really liked something that Kumar said in the middle of the reading, about migration being all around us as a metaphor. "We all cross frontiers; in that sense, we are all migrant peoples."
Also "Words are our defense against invisibility." Kumar is talking about the migrant worker disappearing into the anonymity of history, as the writer continues on. Words, if they reach the right audience, will continue forever, as great or infamous deeds done by a person live on in history books or news reels or newspapers.
It's also very interesting how Kumar threw in a few pop culture references into the reading, such as the line borrowed from hip-hop artist Rakim: "It ain't where you're from, it's where you're at," and then continues from that line onto the photographs of the experiences of immigrants in the United States.
It's funny how Americans, when talking to somebody they assume speaks a different language, will raise their voice as if the person is hard of hearing. Talking louder will not make your language intelligible to someone who doesn't speak that language. It is by language that most people, especially immigrants, are defined, even though (and I never noticed this before) passports do not incorporate what language the passholder speaks into it's critique of your background.

Well, I've kind of jumped around a bit with this article... but that's all I'm going to write for now. I found this article interesting; a lot more interesting than some of the other assignments we've tackled so far.

Passport photos

In this essay I was struck by the different comparisons, a passport as a book, an immigrations officer as a reader. This makes sense. The passport is a book that shows the life events of a person, the immigrant, and while it is not a widely available book for all to read it is read by the immigrations officer. Wheather he remember the "books" he reads, or whether any "book" impacts his life or affects how he sees others is uncertain, but the reasing of the book does affect the immigrant, because his book is read he can enter the country and continue his story.
I was also struck by the cultural differences, such as the caution/prohibido sign. This sign says two different things toward two different people. For people who speak English it say "be careful" but to the person thow speaks Spanish the sign says "prohibited." This seems very discriminatory, as does the story of the mother who was prohibited from speaking Spanish to her child. This essay makes language seem like a barrier, and while a passport can help people cross barriers, the barriers cannot be broken down.

Kumar's Passport Photos

I find the way the Kumar's essay was set-up very interesting. He begins by exposing readers to the 'other side' of immigration. Whether you have personally experienced the immigration process or not, he lets you experience ech side for yourself. I believe that Kumar was trying to start the reader off with an open mind and convince his audience that multiculturation effects us all.
Kumar continues the essay sharing his personal encounters with crossing cultures involving his native country India. He discusses the experience of a Middle Eastern trader and his travels to Egypt as told by the Indian Anthropologist, Amitav Ghosh. Yiju, the trader, finds himself in a position unabling him to expose the more peaceful Egyptian village of the violence and symbolism in India. How considerate of him. In my opinion, Yiji is undermining the capabilities of the Egyptians. Almost thinking of them as naive children.
Finally, Kumar talks of the 'melting pot' of America. One thing that stayed on my mind while reading this section is how all-important Americans come off as. This is our land, so assimilate to it. Force yourself to forget your culture. But, those Americans don't realize that America is a country filled of different cultures. That, infact, the people who believe this have desended from nonenglish-speaking countries. It's just something that has always irritated me.
Shoot...I need to go. This was a pretty pointless entry, so sorry for wasting our time. Hopefully, later I'll have something with more substance.

Reisepässefotos

I figured since we were talking about language, I'd use the same title as the article, but in a different language. =)

Anyway, when I first started this article, I was drawn in by the comparison of a book to a passport. After that segment, however, the article became very boring. I really couldn't focus on it and after first reading it, I really don't remember much. The second part of the article, where Kumar begins talking about language, is where it started to pick up for me.

I really like the way that various pictures, poems, lyrics, quotes, and stories were intertwined into her work. It really helped me grasp the material and message better. The was trying to point out the differences between an immigrant and a 'normal' American. I was offended by the Guns N' Roses lyric that was used, as well as the "Falling Down" movie excerpt. Both of which showed ignorance towards non-Americans. Even though I was offended at first, sometimes I begin to think otherwise, that maybe they do have a point. I guess it shows that this is a very sensitive issue that many people are greatly torn upon, including me.

Another thing that struck me was the Caution/Prohibito road sign and the statement about Sprint in the paragraph following it. Both instances show different outlooks that our country has as a whole about different languages. The sign, as I interpreted it, presents an obvious negative outlook towards Mexican immigrants; in Spanish, the assumed language of the immigrants, the sign reads, 'people are prohibited from crossing the road here', whereas in English, it reads, 'people may be crossing the road here, please take caution'. These two different messages in different languages on the same sign, to me, show a form of prejudice against the immigrants. It's telling them in their language that they are not allowed to do something, cross the road for instance, but in our language, it seems just like a deer crossing sign, in other words, that they are expected to cross the road and to watch out for them, but they know they are not supposed to. Basically, the sign is assuming that the immigrants are going to cross the road regardless of what the sign says.

A similar situation is demonstrated with the Sprint phone bill example. Their Spanish bill "threatens customers with phone cutoff unless their check is received by the end of the month". In their English bill, they state that the customer is the number one priority and their service is flexible to the customer's needs. This is obviously similar to the road sign, where language has been used as a "racial weapon in immigration", as Kumar puts it.

I could go on further about this, but I won't. I enjoyed ths article and it touches upon an issue that I am torn on, and I'm sure many others feel the same way.

Kumar

I sort of felt like this essay jumped around a lot. But one of the things that stuck out at me was the part when the script of Mr. Lee and Foster was explained. I never thought of it like that. It’s not just Foster’s language or just his country. However, some people would have said the same thing that Foster did or felt the same way he did. It says that “that should be obvious to the ordinary American viewer, except that it wasn’t obvious to everyone”. Some people take offense to the fact that someone of another race doesn’t know their language and is taking their money. However, in this case, Foster was rude about it. And although America isn’t his country alone, he didn’t think to say “our country” or “our language”, just like a lot of Americans wouldn’t think to say either.

Something else that stuck out at me was the line that said, “A shared language is an impossibility.” (Pg. 496) I don’t know what I really have to say about this quote, but it was interesting to me at the time, but I’m not sure I have thoughts that I can put together to explain why it’s interesting to me.

I guess I didn't really have a response to anything about the actual passport stuff, but that's not really what got my attention.

This essay was kinda boring, but...

Okay, so I don't really know what to say about the contents of the article, other than the obvious fact that it was an informative piece, which in my mind, was intent on opening our eyes and enticing our compassion to the hardships that many immigrants face. What I really liked about this excerpt was how it was composed, not why it was written or what it was written to accomplish.

I loved the way that she wrote it. While the reading was somewhat dry and boring in some spots, I really enjoyed how she mixed in different lyrics, poems, pictures, or essay excerpts. I also really liked how she used examples of real life immigrant stories, some of which were historically and publicly documented. The way that she put all these devices into the context of her narrative impressed me and made the piece a little more bearable to read.

Also, I can kind of see a correlation in the way that she wrote the piece, and the point that i feel she was trying to make. Amidst her talk of passports as books, immigrants having difficulties and facing discrimination, and the pressure put upon them to assimilate, the way that she placed these interjections in her text helped to reinforce the view that immigration has and always will be a part of the American "culture." It creates the diversity that we are so well-known for, and as a nation, we should embrace it, and not try to erase or diminish this aspect of our country's population. By adding in many differnt types of media, she in a sense, creates a system of immigration within the text itself.

I don't know, I'm probably way off, but that was my initial response to the reading.

Pratt: Arts of the Contact Zone

This article was very confusing at first, but after re-reading it, I think I may have somewhat sorted out what Pratt was trying to get at.

Culture and communication go hand in hand. Language is an essential part to create a community and to express one's feelings, thoughts, and ideas. Language doesn't necessairly need to be words, it could be pictures or even facial expressions. Every day people use language in order to speak with their friends, professors, or to write a paper, but most everyone also takes this phenomenon for granted. Communication, let alone the fact that there are languages in which millions of people use, is thought of as commonplace. Thousands of languages have been created, some no longer in use, but so many others used everyday around the world, and all in an effort to be able to get a point across or to share an idea with another person. It is truly an incredible thing once you give it more thought. Without any form of communication, where would our world be today? Many instances and progressions throughout history would probably never have come about. Then again, we probably wouldn't be in the classroom today if language wasn't created and manufactured to suit the needs of human beings.

I think that Mary Louise Pratt really hit the point that culture is extraordinary, but it wouldn't mean anything, nor would it probably exist, if we didn't have some way of sharing our beliefs, feelings, and ideas to one another. Human existence and prosperity lies in the hands of the ability to communicate with a common language within a group of people.

Contact Zones

My first thought while reading this was that Pratt sounded like she was trying to sell Baseball Cards. I used to work at a hobby shop and whenever parents would come in with their kids we would tell them how their child's chosen hobby would aid their learning process. Just like Baseball cards, we were making a case for reading, math, critical thinking, and basically anything else you can think of.

However, what I really think she was getting at was that these "Contact Zones" can often teach us much more than traditional schooling. If the Spanish and the Andeans had gotten along as Guaman Poma had suggested, they would have had a great mutual benefit and may have each become much more powerful than Spain ever did. This theory works the same today, which is what Pratt was trying to show with her Baseball Card analogy. Her son and his friend learned much more by working together and trading the cards than they ever would have by themselves.

Contact Zone

Some of this essay confused me, but certain parts of it I was able to comprehend and relate to. The story about her son and his friend with the baseball cards was a good illustration of literacy though. But anyway…
Mary Louise Pratt’s essay, “Arts of the Contact Zone” explained that her goal of the “contact zone” was to fix moments like the letter written to King Phillip III. She describes the contact zone as a place where cultures meet, clash, and grapple with each other. Many people see different things and view things differently in a contact zone. Just as the letter written to King Phillip III would mean something different to different people.
To me, when I thought about her description of a contact zone, the first thing I thought of was the dorms. It is a place where different cultured people meet, clash, and surely grapple. I think almost everyone runs into a new type of contact zone everyday. You are surrounded by different people anywhere you ago. Kutztown University, being a diverse college, is a contact zone in itself.

Contact Zones

Alright... I'm going to try and sort through this one, but I didn't really get the whole idea, except for the part about the kids and the baseball cards, so I'll go off of that.

Mary Louise Pratt talk about contact zones by first introducing her young son and his friend who are trying to decifer the names on baseball cards by themselves. They learned so much together from those cards that an academic setting could not have taught them in that little time. Just learning how to read the information on those cards led them to learn about history, architecture, dynamics of public space, and economics.

Also, this reading reminded me of Angus' views of democracy and the need for groups that you can discuss and debate with in public settings. These settings are where we find contact zones: people meeting and ideas clashing and forming whole new ideas in the groups.

I really don't know what else to write, but I'm going to reread over this article again and hopefully I'll understand most of it by the time we meet for class.

Arts of the Contact Zone

Since this entry is very last minute, let me first start out by saying that i have only skimmed Pratt's article, so if some of this doesn't make sense, sorry.

I loved her opening; her illustration of how many young people first begin to really learn is dead-on. As an education major, one of my classes revolves around teaching methods that work, and one of the points the teacher stresses to us is the importance of making learning interactive, and fun for the learner. Her scenerio clearly shows how the impact of learning is emphasized via things of the learner's interest. It also aims to show how even the most trivial things can be seen as a utilisation of many learned skills, such as math, geography, and history, as well as skills we learn through our family, such as organizational skills.

Like I said, I only skimmed over the article, but the first part was what i connected with the most, therefore thats what i chose to comment on.

Contact

Wow. I thought that I was confused when we read Williams, but Pratt has taken me to all new levels of befuddlement. I only got a chance to read this article once, which I'm sure does it and myself an injustice, so I'm counting on all of the discussion we have today to make the article mean a little bit more.

This article, as interesting as it is, I believe describes an everyday occurence that we just normally overlook. She brings into the light the "contact zone," where people of different races, ethnicities, cultures, and socioeconomic statuses can begin to have a dialogue with one another. I believe that in the world that we live in today this is a crucial piece that is missing in diplomacy. Every nation strives to see itself, and project an image of itself in the best light that it can. In this way, by not recognizing places where they have not been just and fair, these nations create a false image which is transferred from generation to generation forming an elite concept of people's societies.

Also, I think that the "contact zone" can in many ways offer new meanings to everyone. I think that in some cases, people are afraid of entering a contact zone, and thus are depriving themselves of a truly wonderful experience from which they could benefit so much. I very much agree with Pratt when she states that the exhilirating moments from the "contact zone" bring "wonder and revelation," and "mutual understanding and new wisdom." In the world that we live in today that is becoming increasingly global, we all have new chances to enter into "contact zones." There is no limit for us as to how much new wisdom we can gain. We begin here, but as we all move out to get jobs in the world, all of us will be entering "contact zones" daily. The only question for us is whether or not we will take advantage of that moment, recognize ours and our country's faults, and allow for those joys to be had.

Enough rambling. As a side-note, this article in many ways coincides for me with Angus. This may be a wrong perception, but I see these contact zones as related to the free speech that we discussed while on the Angus article.

Arts of the contact zone

Mary Lousie Pratt defines the contact zone as social spaces where culotures meet, clash, and grapple with each other. She gave several examples of the contact zone, one of which was a letter from Pietchmann to King Philip III of Spain. The letter was written in Spanish and Quechua and was a contact zone becuase it showed a blending of the two cultures. An example Mary Lousie Pratt gave that I could actually identify with was the multicultural classroom. The classroom is full of people from diverse background and different experiences. When people come together they can learn from each other. Pratt sags the joys of the contact zone include wonder, and revelation, mututal understanding and new wisdom. Contact zones are places where different people can come together as equals and discuss anything. The contact zone is public space forum for people to gather and discuss issues. Kutztown University is more of a cantact zone than a public space.