Journal 4-2 : Countdown to Senior Year!

  Hey everybody, and welcome back to the final edition of Krazy Thoughts by Kit. It's been a good long year with some good, and very long, entries, but it ends tonight. Though I'm happy that it's almost summertime, I'm actually going to miss writing these journals. They've been a great outlet for me to talk about my views on everything we discuss in Ethics class. It's sort of like a diary.. except it gets graded :3. Anyway, in Ethics class we've been watching and discussing a documentary called Sound and Fury. It follows the story of  two brothers, one deaf and one hearing, and it follows their families struggles involving living in the deaf community and the hearing community. The film follows the Artinian family's decisions regarding whether or not to implant their children with Cochlear implants. However, before I dive into this, I have to answer my own question! Last week's question was: 

1) Is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict ever going to be resolved?

    Honestly, I can't accurately answer this question because I'm not involved in it. This conflict is as old as time, with these two groups constantly going back and forth, fighting to gain some land that both groups say belongs to them. On one hand, the Israeli's gained their land because of what they experienced in the Holocaust, and the UN said that the Jews deserved it after all they went through. However, in order to give the Jews this land, they had to kick out all the Palestinians already living there. So, all the Palestinians had to move out, and millions of them still live in refugee camps after being displaced from their homes. Therefore, one can see the resentment that the Palestinian's have towards the Israeli's. Both sides are right in their own ways, and until these groups can learn to compromise, this conflict won't resolve, peacefully at least. 

Soundless Mayhem

      Let's get to the good part now! Lately, as previously stated, we've been watching this documentary in Ethics class called Sound and Fury. This film analyzes  the Artinian family, which is composed of both deaf and hearing people. One brother is deaf, and the other is hearing, and the deaf brother's entire family is deaf whereas the hearing brother has twin boys, one being deaf and one hearing. It follows these families dilemmas while struggling with living in both the deaf community and the hearing world. As the film progresses, you can really see how this is a multi-level argument. It involves so many levels and so many issues ranging from acceptance to deaf culture. Honestly, I really loved this documentary because it's about something that most people don't think about on a regular basis. Nobody wakes up in the morning and thinks " wow I wonder how Cochlear implants affect the deaf people?". It's something that average people don't think about, yet it's really interesting. I really enjoyed it and it's a thought-provoking documentary. 

To be deaf or not to be deaf

   Peter and Nina do make a valid argument regarding deaf culture. They had wanted their daughter, Heather, to not have a Cochlear implant, well at least Peter didn't want her to have one, Nina was actually for her getting the implant. Yet, in the end ( at least we thought so), her parents told her that they don't want her to get the implant. Her parents said that they didn't want her to get the implant because she was already a part of " deaf culture", and that she should be like her parents. I mean, is it really that wrong for parents to want their kids to be like them? It's perfectly understandable, but then there's another level to the argument: as the grandparents of Heather argue, don't you always want the best for your kids? That's what Chris and Mari use to defend their argument for having Peter implanted with the Cochlear implant. Both of them are hearing, and Peter's brother is hearing as well, so they wanted what was best, in their eyes, for their child. Their decision to have their child implanted creates a massive uproar with Chris's brother Peter,  because he believes that it's wrong for Peter ( yeah I know it's confusing ) to be taken out of the deaf community. Dad Peter believes that the Cochlear implant takes away a deaf person's identity. I mean, I can certainly understand why Chris and Mari wanted to implant their child, but I think it was somewhat wrong of the family to be so mad about Chris getting his kid the implant. It's not their decision and they should really let Chris and Mari decide what's best for their kids. 

What We Learned. 

    There's really a lot you can take from this documentary because it has so many aspects to it. You can look at family decision-making, the ability for a child to make a decision on their own, and so many more. One thing you can pick up from this documentary is parents trying to decide what's best for their kids and sticking to it, and not letting other people tell you what to do. When it comes to your kids, it's your decision that matters, not your in-laws  and not your parents, but your decision. On the flip side of it, you can also take from the documentary that sometimes, you need to let kids make their own decisions. I mean when they're young, you think that you have to do everything for them, but you really don't. Sometimes you need to let them make their decisions, because they also get a say in what they want to do. And it's not really fair to make all their decisions for them. Honestly, you gotta let kids do their own thing! You can't control everything about them, no matter how hard you try, you can't make them do everything you want them to do. I mean sure, if it's something massive you should perhaps weigh in on it, but they deserve a say in it , too. I mean for crying out loud it's their life and they're the ones that have to live with the impact of those decisions. Therefore, maybe they should have a say in what the hell their life is going to be. Another thing you can take from this documentary would be the fact that you can exist in multiple aspects of life. Throughout the movie, Peter talks repeatedly about deaf culture and deaf identity, and it's not until the six years later film that he starts talking about how you can live in two worlds. You can fit into many different walks of life, and you don't have to stick to one group. You can follow your own path, hell you can make your own path. Life doesn't dictate what you're going to be and how life should happen: life's what you make it. This documentary is just something that's really inspirational in a way that it shows the ability to overcome and become what you truly see yourself as. It's about making your life what you want it to be. 

  Now, I'm going to answer a question asked by a fellow classmate, Steph Kiehl. Her question really spoke to me because there is by no means a definite answer to this question. Her question was " At what age do you decide to let your child make their own decision about a surgery such as this one?". Well, the answer depends on the situation. You can't gauge a child's ability to understand complex situations concerning their lives. There could be a five year old who completely understands the implications of their actions, or you could have a thirteen year old who doesn't know anything. It's all about maturity. People think that they have maturity all figured out and that they can say "oh and at such and such age they'll be such and such mature". No, you can't do that. Every child is different; therefore, this theory can not apply to all children. It's not fair to put all kids into a box saying that they can't understand what's happening. THEY CAN. Kids are smart, let them weigh in on what's happening to them. Therefore, give kids some credit, and let them do their own thing. 

It's the end of my blog and I know it

  Well hey everybody, I'm real sorry that this is my last journal entry. I'm kind of going to miss this, hey maybe I'll keep it up for the hell of it!.... Don't hold me to that because it probably won't happen. But hey, it's the thought that counts :). Anyway, I must say goodbye y'all because it's getting late and I still have some other stuff to do. It's been a great time being Krazy Kit, and I promise y'all, I'll always be Krazy!! So, goodnight, and thank y'all all for being with me through Junior Year. 

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Journal 4-1 : Waiting On The World To Change.

   Hello all my avid readers :) and welcome back to yet another installment of Krazy Thoughts By Kit. Boy oh boy has it been a crazy couple of weeks. Junior year is certainly crazy, but I'm sure I will survive somehow. I'm sure y'all don't want to listen to me complain about my school life so lets get to the really interesting stuff! For Ethics class, we viewed this documentary called Promises, a film that follows the lives of several children living in the middle of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This conflict has consumed the Middle East and most of the world for years, and has greatly affected all aspects of society throughout the Middle East. However, before I can dive into this highly controversial topic, I HAVE to answer last weeks question! Last weeks question was:

1) Is it right to stand by and let people die when you know you can help?

  Honestly, it sort of depends on the situation. I mean, you should always help people whenever you can, but is it worth putting yourself in the line of fire and end up dying in the process? Selflessness can reach a certain degree where it is not worth dying over... wow does that sound bad? This sort of a question is a hard one to answer because there's not a definite answer. Plus, no matter what you say, the answer sounds kinda bad either way, so I'm going to leave it at that: it depends on the situation. 

The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

    Well, lets get to the good part! As I said earlier, we have been watching this documentary in Ethics called Promises. For many years now, Palestinians and Israelis have been quarreling over something as old as time : land.  Following the Holocaust in World War II, the UN decided that the Jewish people needed their own space, and they decided that they would carve out a portion of the Middle East bordering the Mediterranean Sea; however, the UN sort of forgot that people were already living there. Basically, the UN kicked out millions of Palestinians from their homes and let the Jewish people move there, where they established their country called Israel. This led to an age of constant unrest and violence, which still occurs today. Religion has definitely played a role in this as well. Jews believe that this land is the holiest site in Judaism whereas Muslims find the land to be extremely holy to their religion as well. The problem is both sides believe that the land belongs to them, with both sides drawing blood in the name of their cause, and has greatly influenced the views and beliefs of future generations. Children growing up in this conflict is the basis for the documentary.

Getting Started At An Early Age

    The documentary focuses on a set group of children, either Palestinian or Israeli, that come from all walks of life, and how they view the conflict. You have some children who are very radical in their beliefs, and you have some who are more moderate about their views on the situation. It's very interesting to watch how they live within this battlefield of sorts. It's also scary to see how extreme some of the children are about their cause. I mean these kids are saying things like " I wanna kill an Arab" or " I wanna kill an Israeli". Crazy stuff right? That's coming from a 10 year old! Yet do you think that their governments care about the fact that they're turning the future leaders of their government into radically-thinking killers? Not really, because they're too busy trying to prove that their point is right. Well, it's going to be rather difficult for any country to get ahead when they're not looking at the future of their country: their children. Palestine and Israel, y'all need to get your acts together, because if you destroy yourselves, you can't win!

Lessons Learned, Hopefully

  So, what can we learn about this terrible conflict? Well, for starters, we must understand that what we do now can greatly affect future generations. By telling children that they  need to further their cause by any means, they're going to do that, and take it even farther than they need to. Israeli children have mandatory military service, and because of this, it keeps reciprocating this feeling that we have to keep the Arabs in check whereas Palestinian children become involved in Islamic extremist groups with intentions of spilling Israeli blood. These children are growing up in a hostile environment where they are having these intense feelings of hatred instilled in them at such a young age. It's not right. Also, we have to learn that we can freaking compromise! Why can't they just share the land? I know it sounds a little naive but still, can't we all just get along? Is it really that hard?? Apparently so. But do it for the children! They're growing up to believe that either all Arabs are evil or vice versa, and how in the world are we to function properly in this world if we're trying to off each other all the time?? We can't. Good Lord get it together people! The Middle East needs to understand that instilling your children into furthering this fight doesn't get you anywhere except with  more problems, and more dead bodies. 

   

     Seeing it through a child's eyes

   Of course, to understand what is actually happening, you have to see it through the eyes of those affected by this. Two children who had a profound effect on me was Sanabel and Faraj, two children growing up in the Palestinian Dehishe Refugee Camp. Both of these children were, and are, directly affected by the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. Sanabel, at the beginning of the film, was talking about how she was extremely angry and frustrated at the Israelis for jailing her father. She didn't understand why her father had to be jailed, he was just fighting for the rights of Palestinian people who were forced off their land to accommodate the Jews. Sanabel felt that she wanted to join the fight and prolong the cause that Palestinians have the right to get their land back. At the beginning of the film, she is strongly pro- Palestinian and is strongly for a Palestinian state. At the end of the movie, she is willing to meet with Israelis and talk to them, but she is still very pro- Palestinian. In an interview she participated in, she said that she would become a suicide bomber because she felt that she needed to become involved. Then you meet Faraj, and this guy is extremelyyy in to not getting along with Israelis at the beginning of the film. I mean this guy is extremely against even talking to anybody that's not Palestinian or Muslim. He's so against interacting with people who are not like him and he doesn't like Israelis whatsoever. Yet by the end of the film, he is the most for going to meet these Israeli kids. He really wanted to meet these kids, and he enjoyed meeting them. By the end of the film, these two radicals became moderates, and even became friendly towards people who are supposed to be their enemies. It just shows that there is humanity in Israel, and that we can work together to forget the past and work towards the future. 

Let's Get Opinionated Shall We? 

    

  Now, lets answer somebody's question. This one comes from a guy named DeMarco Edmonds, another Leadership chap : 
How would you feel a conflict like this would be handled here, such as one race vs another race?
Well, the US has already had to handle a conflict such as this. In the 1960's, the US was experiencing heightened racial tensions because of the Civil Rights Movement. African Americans were standing up for the rights that they had been so long denied, and they were determined to get them through use of civil disobedience. By protesting through nonviolent means, they effectively gained amendments that they deserved for such a long time. Yet, it still took many years to gain the psychological mentality that we are all equal. Honestly, if something like this occurred in the US, I think it would be easier to solve because America is such a melting pot of different cultures that we're not absorbed into one specific mindset. We're able to appreciate different cultures easier because we don't have one defined set of beliefs. 

    Well, this journal was interesting :) And I really do need to go because, though I absolutely adore writing this journal, I actually do have stuff to do! But before I go, I will ask a question of y'all :) : 
1) Is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict ever going to be resolved?
      And, I gotta go y'all! Thank you for reading yet another edition of Krazy Thoughts by Kit, and have a great weekend and lets finish out junior year! :D Ok so bye y'all!

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