Cesia Rodriguez

Prof. Justin Rodgers Cooper

December 14, 2011

ENG 101-103

                                           Final Examination Reflection

            While I’ve been learning about Martin Luther King and his non-violence theory, I have observed the way he pursued his goal by using different and productive strategies. I’ve also noticed how King advocated human rights for not only the African Americans but for the poor people, and for the white supremacist that were brainwashed believing that they were above the so called “minority” (African Americans and immigrants). There is also a connection to the way Dr. King used language to convince and motivate people to fight for justice and for their rights.

            In A Testament of Hope, by, Martin Luther King, edited by James M. Washington was mainly about the practice of non-violence and how to see past the hate, pain and hostility and come as one to stand up for justice and equality. In these past weeks I have learned how the language of human rights connects with Martins theory. I have also detected the techniques he used when he approached certain types of groups. For example; the Christians, he would infer to God and the bible to unite everyone no matter if you were black or white. By doing so these people would overcome hate join hand in hand and stand up for what is right. King also used the term Agape which means that we have to love one another; no matter if they have done any harm, matching to the love god has for humankind. Another example would be the way he approached atheist. Atheists are people who believe that there is no god. King would use their neighbors, children, love ones and the basic human rights we all have to inspire them and make these people take action, not with violence but with love. The way he used language was very powerful motivational and surreal. His voice and the way he spoke made people feel safe and brave to confront the real cruel world that were waiting to beat them. The way Dr. King used his voice, words and gestures to advocate for justice and equality was beyond amazing. His speeches would gather 100,000 of people. The way this affected the black community and not only them but the world was incredible because just one man made it happen. He made everyone forget for at least a second about their differences and untied them in a very positive way. This was the work of language of human rights.

            There are no limits to what one person can do because if Martin Luther King made it happen then anyone in this world can make it happen. It only takes courage understanding, patience, and passion for what you believe in and what you stand for. This was what I learned in my cluster classes that have opened my eyes to see how everything connects from the most minimal to the most extraordinary.   

Cesia Rodriguez

Prof. Jerskey

December 12, 2011

ELL 101

                                        Importance of Language

            Although I am very fluent in speaking, reading, writing English and Spanish those being the languages I’ve grew up hearing and basically the only languages I have considered, I would have never imagined how important exposing myself to other different people, culture, and languages can be. Taking the ELL 101 course has made me realize that I’ve been taking different languages for granted. Before walking into this class I did not know how important pronunciation, gestures and the way someone communicates with you can really identify them. This can also help you find yourself in different ways. With my family and my social group I was only limited to a certain amount of language. For example I was never before in a room with so many different races and cultures in my life as I was in this first semester of college. Being Latina specifically Dominican, I was use to being around people that come from the same background as me and that only speak the same language as me. After I was exposed to just a portion of diverse ethnicity I noticed how open I am to anything or any one that is different from me. For example; the different foods from around the world and the different beliefs people have according to religion, medication, family and even food. 

            I have become more open minded and more accepting to certain things that my race/background may not agree on. But there are also a few things that my culture has in common with different cultures. In the Muslim society certain families would pick out the man they would want their daughter to marry, and they say with in time you will learn to value and love your partner. But the family always chooses a wealthy man because they want their daughter to be well maintained financially. “The Muslim world is different. Guided by powerful cultural rules and preferences, Muslims commonly arrange the marriages of their children.” Kurtz, Stanley “Marriage, and the Terror War Part 2.” nationalreview.com 16 Feb. 2007 <http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/220002/marriage-and-terror-war-part-ii/stanley-kurtz>. This also applied to the people born in Dominican Republic back in my mother’s time. Her first marriage was chosen by my grandparents, according to them he was a great man and he was wealthy. Although we may not speak the same language and we may not dress the same or eat the same food we still have similarities based on cultural practice. 

            I have also changed my thoughts about language and communication. According to the “The Study Of Language”, edited by George Yule I have studied how English forms their words using certain techniques like Coinage, Borrowing, Compounding, Blending, Clipping, Backformation, Acronyms, Conversion, Derivation, Prefix and Suffix.(pg. 53- 59). Learning how to use these word formation and their historical backgrounds made me appreciate other languages because if it wasn’t for them we would not have the words that we all love using like yogurt (Turkish) or sofa (Arabic) etc. I was also watching a video based on how a child learns how to speak. The exposure of language and different words can be very fundamental to them. In this video we can all see that it takes time to develop a language. The study was done to a baby basically him learning how to pronounce words while he gets older. Deb Roy. The Birth of a Word. 14 March. 2011 <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RE4ce4mexrU>. By watching this video you will have a clear understanding on how the brain works with language.

            After this course I have viewed language in a different perspective. I feel as if language made me admire the different people from around the world. I also see how important is to try to learn to speak a different language because not only do you find yourself but you can help someone find themselves also. I did not see it at first but I noticed how much in common I have with different diversity/ethnicity just based on language and gestures. I know that if I help someone that does not speak the language I speak I know I would be able to help them because of the different languages and cultures I have been exposed to.    

LIB poems

Human Rights the universal language
of the people
you can be from here
you can be from Egypt
you can be from Quito
but you would all understand
your human rights
and the ones of the rest of the people.


language is the method of communication and understanding
with in a group of people
therefore human rights is the method of understanding and communicating
under mutual treatment and the law
with in this world and the people


 

Blog Five - Dr. kings speech

Dr. MLK was a very powerful out spoken man. His speeches were one of a kind and very inspiring. He had a few techniques that made his crowd go ballistic with joy and courage. For example he would use repetitions and body movements. MLK would speak about god and to non believers he would approach the situation in a general way, by not speaking about religion but by us human beings and how we had to look after each other. This made people feel more compassion and sympathy for one another and also gave them courage to face their fears with out being scared (MLK prepared them to face the violent acts they were going to be put against). These speeches were so powerful and persuading that it made a large number of people around the world realize what was really going on and motivated them support the non-violent act. These speeches connected so much to non violence because instead of responding back with force MLK decided to go about it a more clever way and use his voice to be seen, heard, and looked up to.  

Third Essay Workshop- Non-violence Theory Practice

The Civil Rights movement was the turning point to all African Americans. This was what provoked all these movements against violence, segregation, discrimination etc. In A Testimony Of Hope  edited by James M. Washington introduces Dr. Martin Luther King and his thoughts and feeling he has about the practice of non-violence theory. Religion (Christianity) was the main  focus to encourage the non-violence movement and to persuade all African Americans but mainly adolescent and children into joining by supporting the movements. Kings constant words of hope was what gave people the strength and courage. He prepared them to not fear the injustice consequences that was going to be brought upon them. such as getting beat hosed down getting attacked by dogs and many more other violent acts. But having god by their side was bigger than getting revenge or fighting back.

LIB110 BIO

i will introduce myself to the audience, telling them my name, were i was born my ethnicity etc.. i will give my definition to law and human rights and also language. im going to give examples on how they connect and include my own personal experience 

blog assignment two - contradiction

          In the text when i was a slave edited by Norman R. Yetman, are many memoirs of interviewed slaves about their experience during the slavery era. Mary Armstrong was one of those individuals interviewed in Houston, Texas at age 91 (pg 5). Armstrong expresses her feeling and her experience towards slavery, and gives us an inside look of how hard times were back in the 1800. She explains how hard it was and how scary but how she also got away with hurting her mistress Olivia's mother Old Polly. We can all agree that that is a form of contradiction.
          Mary's mother had told her all about how old William Cleveland and old Polly Cleveland were so cruel. How they would beat their slaves and sold slave families to different households. She also told Mary how old Polly  whipped her little sister to death at only nine months. After Mary's mistress Olivia bought her from her parents William and Polly, Mary decided she was going to get back at her. "I picks up a rock about as big as half your fist and hits her right in the eye and busted the eyeball, and tells her that's for whippin' my baby  sister to death". Mary tells her mistress and Olivia's reply was "well, i guess mama has learnt her lesson at that".
         This is a form of contradiction because during slavery if any colored person decided to commit any act of violence against white people they would be put through the worst punishment and even death possible. Also she states how scary it was living in those times, but she has the courage to bust her mistresses mothers eye knowing that Old Polly was white and she was black and that in those times blacks weren't even considered humans to even think about hurting a white person.

Comparison and Contrast (white supremecy)

 In the texts "When I Was A Slave" edited by Norman Yetman and "Southern Horrors" by Ida B. Wells, edited by Jacqueline Jones Royster. I have noticed and what caught my attention is before and after slavery how these African American were either getting treated the same or even worse. Before slavery came to an end innocent "negroes" were getting wrongly accused , beaten and even killed just for being dark skin toned. After slaves got their freedom those tortures did not change. They were getting worse through out the years. The white supremacist were making up excuses just to lynch  and crucify African American. It came to a point were the whites weren't even being questioned about their injustice against blacks. For example in southern horrors on pg 94 Henry Smith (an African American) accused of assaulting a white man and raping his daughter.because of this accusation he was killed in the most inhuman and gruesome way possible. Henry was man with mental issues and there were a few people who had suggested that he were to be put in a home. But that was ignored. Henry did rape the white mans daughter but he did not recall because of his condition, he was remorseful but that wasn't any help for him. His actions resulted in him getting crucified in front of 10,000 people as if it were to be a celebration. smith was physically tortured for fifty minutes, with red hot iron brands shoved against his body. After he was considered dead, kerosene was emptied upon his body. This is how white supremacist brought justice to the blacks.

blog assignment three lynching

 Lynching was very controversial act against African american in the 19 century to the 20th century. Lynching was a tradition white people had with hanging blacks from their neck to a tree. Even though African Americans were given their freedom, their rights were still being violated on the daily bases. No matter who it was, from adults to seniors and even innocent children.
  According to Southern Horrors, the anti lynching campaign of Ida B, Wells edited by Jacqueline Jones Royster states on pg 64 how a bloody riot broke out after the whites felt that African American were disrespecting them. This is what I would call raging racism. Its when using racial motivating anger to commit horrific unfair crimes (against African American). In the bloody riot many African American were assassinated because whites believed that blacks were conducting themselves in an inappropriate and rude manner towards them. African Americans were being treated unfairly because the whites were furious that their voices had to be heard and that they were allowed to pursue their dreams and goals. When blacks actually became someone in life the whites felt that they were taking over.

LIB101 free write

human rights are privileges we are born with that cant be taken away from us, which makes it some type of communication among human beings no matter what language you speak or were you come from. physical verbal and emotional language bond with human rights to become one and to restore equality between us.


what I'm planning to contribute is the understanding of how body language can make a huge difference in human rights

my name is spelled Cesia but its pronounced [sɛsiə]

http://twitter.com/#!/CesiaAmericanR

CesiaAmericanR (twitter account)

language & humanrights interfere

language is very powerful and it can be used to take away or give rights to anyone. but in Hugo Chavez case, president of Venezuela,  does not only take rights away but he uses it to hurt individuals like Mr. Cedeno and the judge that ordered his release. since Chavez always been hungry for power with only just his gestures/body language and attitude may express for example; prejudice monarch etc.. but as we all can see how language can change someones life for the better or just ruin someone completely.
 sometimes you may think that you have human rights where ever you go but in reality you do not. it can be snatched away from you in matters of a split second.

Equianos and Bannekers journey

       Benjamin Banneker is no different from any human being, when it comes down to feeling , 5 senses etc. This is a man who just had the misfortune to see his kind (African American) tortured , starved, abused and any inhuman thing you can think about. Banneker was just looking for answers to his questions, and trying to understand how can humans be so cruel to others just because of the color of their skin. Banneker basically wants Jefferson to feel some type of compassion and to put himself in these slaves shoes. Try to understand and and also look back to what happened to his people in great Britain. Equiano is no different. But he did experience these types of abuse and neglect first hand. Equiano was exposed to human cruelty, humiliation, desperation, anguish etc. He did not give up and being so he also had many unanswered questions.
      Banneker said that all humans no matter were you com from what you look like and the language you speak all feel emotions the same. It makes people wonder if we all do feel he same, why did these white folks put slavery and cruelty in practice? Every one has there all opinions. But not all white people were so mean as they say. There were al ot of evil people at that time and reason was because slaves were never stable with one slave master. They were always rotating fro home to home family to family. Eventually these slaves experienced a little of everything throughout their kidnaps for years ad life time. But what also surprised theses slaves wasn't only the way they were treated but the way white people treated their kind also. For example while eqiuano was on the boat/ ship he saw how it did not matter who died on that long trip they would all get thrown into the sea black or white.

the language of human rights (my opinion about cluster classes)

the language of human rights i believe is the voices of the people and the different outlooks individuals have in life.

i really did not know what to expect from these cluster classes , they took me by surprise. but i am very satisfied with my fellow peers and my professors. so far its a very exciting fundamental experience and at the end of this journey i expect to become more open minded and learn a lot from every bodies different point of view.