Let me start off first by saying that I am a sucker for movies that feature old men as a lead character. I don't know why, I just really like them. It might also explain why my first job was working at a gun club full of old men...
Anyway, when I saw Gran Torino, I was touched. I just really liked it! I mean, the movie had a (bitter, yet) happy ending and an old man. That was all I really needed to end up enjoying it.
Although I really enjoyed watching Gran Torino, there are a couple of things that I don't love about it.
The main problem for me was that a white screenplay writer was making the screenplay depicting another culture. Honestly, I have no issue with this as long as everything in the script is kept accurate. Sadly, the screenwriter for Gran Torino didn't stay true to the Hmong culture and ended up creating some discrepancies within the script.
This doesn't seem like such a bad thing at first, but some people have little or no exposure (ha me) to the Hmong culture. Take the Hmong gang image in the movie. This negative image can lead some people to believe that most young Hmong males are hoodlums that constantly cause a ruckus. That image is really not needed for any race or culture in this nation.
Monday, October 27, 2014
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Muslim Community Centers and Museums Near Ground Zero
We've all heard of 9/11. If you haven't then a) you're probably not American or b) you really need to pay attention to current events. Seriously, try watching some Good Morning America or reading the paper.
I don't know why I inserted this image, but it accurately describes some people when they don't know the newest current event, in my opinion.
Anyway, 9/11. Sad event really. In a way, I think it almost made the non-Muslim/Arab Americans become closer in a way.
Moving on again (since I'm getting really distracted), a few years after the 9/11 occurrence, there was a proposal to build a Muslim community Center a few blocks away from the site where the Twin Towers used to be. As most people could imagine, that stirred up a lot of bitter emotions. The proposal was shut down and (somewhat) forgotten about.
Now, the same developer who proposed the Muslim Community Center is submitting a proposal for a museum celebrating the Islamic culture.
Personally, I think this is an okay idea. Some people might think that it's still a touchy place to put something Muslim related there, but I think it's time that we got over what happened.
Yes, the people who caused so many deaths were Muslim, but we have to remember they were Muslim extremists. Also, Christians have done things just as bad, if not even worse, than 9/11.
Building this museum would help us take a step in recovering from our big anti-Muslim phase that we've been going through. It might be dangerous for the museum to be there because some anti-Muslim advocates would probably cause damage to it and/or harass the people who go there. Otherwise I think it's a good idea to put it there.
I don't know why I inserted this image, but it accurately describes some people when they don't know the newest current event, in my opinion.Anyway, 9/11. Sad event really. In a way, I think it almost made the non-Muslim/Arab Americans become closer in a way.
Moving on again (since I'm getting really distracted), a few years after the 9/11 occurrence, there was a proposal to build a Muslim community Center a few blocks away from the site where the Twin Towers used to be. As most people could imagine, that stirred up a lot of bitter emotions. The proposal was shut down and (somewhat) forgotten about.
Now, the same developer who proposed the Muslim Community Center is submitting a proposal for a museum celebrating the Islamic culture.
Personally, I think this is an okay idea. Some people might think that it's still a touchy place to put something Muslim related there, but I think it's time that we got over what happened.
Yes, the people who caused so many deaths were Muslim, but we have to remember they were Muslim extremists. Also, Christians have done things just as bad, if not even worse, than 9/11.
Building this museum would help us take a step in recovering from our big anti-Muslim phase that we've been going through. It might be dangerous for the museum to be there because some anti-Muslim advocates would probably cause damage to it and/or harass the people who go there. Otherwise I think it's a good idea to put it there.
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Why I Don't Like the Term "White Privilege"
I'm going to come off sounding like a typical white hick, but I don't like the term "white privilege."
Created back in the 80's by Women's Studies' expert, Peggy McIntosh, white privilege is a way of explaining how the majority of people in our country have these unseen advantages that many of the minorities lack. An example could be seeing your race on the front of the newspaper or having bandages that match your skin tone.
I've personally gone over the white privilege list and have found that I have a fairly high score. (96 to be exact.) Now, in my opinion, my score is more of a reflection of my surroundings than it is a reflection of society itself.
For all of my life I have lived in good ol' Wright County where it's white people for as far as you can see. The most I've ever had to worry about was the gopher digging holes in my yard. There are no gangs here. There might be homeless people here occasionally, but they're usually gone within the week.
There's nothing that can be done about there being an over abundance of white people here in Amurica. I can't help that my ancestors thought that white skin was the best and were lucky enough to have conquered this hunk of North America. It's not my fault they enslaved other races and gave the rest deadly diseases. Yeah, they took advantage of all of the other races, but that was out of my hands.
When most people bring up "white privilege", they're basically going to "white shame" me. Look, I get that I have advantages and opportunities that most minorities will never get. It's not my fault though. I can't help that I was lucky when I was born to a white family.
What I will recognize about "white privilege" is that as a white person, I have these advantages. I will never be followed around a store because it looks like I might be a shoplifter. I don't have to worry about counting on most of my peers being my race, because most of them are. Hell, I don't have to worry about my bandages blending in to my skin. I will acknowledge that I am lucky.
Created back in the 80's by Women's Studies' expert, Peggy McIntosh, white privilege is a way of explaining how the majority of people in our country have these unseen advantages that many of the minorities lack. An example could be seeing your race on the front of the newspaper or having bandages that match your skin tone.
I've personally gone over the white privilege list and have found that I have a fairly high score. (96 to be exact.) Now, in my opinion, my score is more of a reflection of my surroundings than it is a reflection of society itself.
For all of my life I have lived in good ol' Wright County where it's white people for as far as you can see. The most I've ever had to worry about was the gopher digging holes in my yard. There are no gangs here. There might be homeless people here occasionally, but they're usually gone within the week.
There's nothing that can be done about there being an over abundance of white people here in Amurica. I can't help that my ancestors thought that white skin was the best and were lucky enough to have conquered this hunk of North America. It's not my fault they enslaved other races and gave the rest deadly diseases. Yeah, they took advantage of all of the other races, but that was out of my hands.
When most people bring up "white privilege", they're basically going to "white shame" me. Look, I get that I have advantages and opportunities that most minorities will never get. It's not my fault though. I can't help that I was lucky when I was born to a white family.
What I will recognize about "white privilege" is that as a white person, I have these advantages. I will never be followed around a store because it looks like I might be a shoplifter. I don't have to worry about counting on most of my peers being my race, because most of them are. Hell, I don't have to worry about my bandages blending in to my skin. I will acknowledge that I am lucky.
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