A Couple of Small Changes

Overall, I am obsessed with this class. I love the way it's set up. It helps to show that the education system doesn't have to work the way the institution make us think it does. Meaning, writing stupid systemic papers with no-expression and taking tests over information you cram to learn a couple days before a multiple choice test... So I could go on forever about how I hate the education system, but the point is I really enjoy this class and have benefited more from the assignments and interactions here than in most of my other classes.

There are a few small changes I would make to the class. One would be to at the beginning of the class have room for discussion so people can talk about their blogs, or someone else's blog. Allowing for question and discussion on a more personal level. I fell short often of commenting on other people's posts, not because I wasn't loving reading all of the posts. But I have trouble writing in a way that I didn't want to offend people or sound rude. This part of the class I think could use some changing...

The other thing I would recommend is a space to carry on after we have speakers so we have more of a chance to talk with each other about what was raised in class. I feel like there was little time devoted to after speakers talked, and too much time devoted to before they talked. So maybe have blogs due the day of the speaker, instead of the day before. I don't know just an idea.

Again, I'm not saying any of these things have to happen, they just might help the overall understanding of the material.

An Open Place

I cannot wait to watch the documentary, City of Borders. I'm sure you will learn later but this is what I am extremely interested. This idea of both the Israelis and Palestinians coming together in a community like LGBTQ is so eye opening. In a world that is shut off by so many religious groups all over the world, they use their differences to come together. If learning anything in this class it's that both groups of people are very attached to their history and heritage, but when you are able to overcome those huge differences and look for similarities, you are able to live together.

I think that the Jerusalem Open House is incredible as well. Giving people a place to come in such a strong ability in such a violent community. Not only do I have strong ties to this problem for a love of people in general, but the LGBTQ is very much a part of. Growing up, my family was extremely open and always taught me to love all the people around you, no matter what they look like or believe in. It has always been a part of my life.

These are the type of people that understand the bond between each other, not the separation.

Gas Masks and Puppies

I can't imagine a situation I would be put in here that would require use of a gas mask. However, for Suad, it was imperative. It was imperative that she get a gas mask, she was told to have one, and yet she couldn't get one?

Here in the US, curfew is designed for kids, so that they aren't out late doing "bad things", but here a curfew is imposed for everyone, and getting caught has much more implication then if you were 15 in the States.

So when a gas mask is imperative, but you are under a strict curfew,  what are you supposed to do? The fact that Suad and her friends used their sarcastic humor to analyze the situation they were in is interesting, but what else ? They had to obey these ridiculous rules and enforcement from people that mocked them, so why not mock the situation? It should not be that an entire city or state of people with regard to only that category are mashed together like potatoes.

Im sure puppies like potatoes, but they don't get mashed up because they are just too freaking cute.

 I mean who can seriously deny a puppy? Maybe heartless pricks....

It is my belief that puppies, cats, bears, plants, sealife, or you law every other living organism that has a right to the earth be given equal opportunity to share what the earth provides for us. However, I guess that's just not how it goes. A 19 year old Arab is obviously not as important as a 5 week puppy, unless maybe they have a pug shaped nose...

I know it seems like I'm jus rambling. But seriously, with the dominance that humans have taken in the world, you think that they would use priority for those others that can help them DOMINATE THE WORLD. But instead we choose to take arms against people that are different from us.

Music is the Answer

Music is everything to me.
I can change my mood through music,
I can channel thoughts and messages through music
I can find answers in music.
I can DANCE to music.
 I can do everything through music.

I wish I could play music better, but I can't. I have attempted guitar countless times, I played the flute in middle school, and I played the piano from Kindergarten through the 2nd grade. All were pretty unsuccessful. However I come from a family of musicians, both of my sisters are singers and performers. Seeing them sing brings me a lot of happiness.

Anytime I am having a bad day, the first thing I look for is the probability of live music in the area. When I hear good, live music; my heart beats a little faster. It's almost as if my mood changes in an instant.

Music is key to communication because it is the universal language. Almost everyone can hear or play music, and once it is performed, everyone hears it the same way. It doesn't matter if you know the language or the context behind the song, what matters is that you are hearing the exact same thing as someone else, the exact same way. Music allows people to express what they cannot in words or conversations.

Channel of Rage

"Let's continue living, our lives are in front of us. It's not too late because tomorrow is a new day. If we lose our hope our dream will perish. So reach out a hand in love." Subliminal and The Shadow (Kobi Shimoni and Yoav Eliasi)
I was interested in actually hearing one of the songs that we had to read about in the articles about the movie,  Channel of Rage. The part that I have highlighted is the chorus of the song, not rapped, but sang. As the show continues, you can see the adoration and the meaning that comes from both the rappers and the audience. While, these words seem so simple, it's easy to find a solution to this awful problem. They can continue living every day, without violence, but living a life just as everyone is trying to do. While so many people say this problem is so deep- rooted and it's too late to change anything, they are giving hope saying that there is always time to make a change. Without this forward looking attitude, they will all continue to suffer through this awful life, so now is the time to open your hearts and show love. Love for your heritage, but love for all with a hand reaching out.

At the height of the second intifada, a Zionist spreading the word of no-violence through what most people would consider a violent industry is huge. While most people contribute hip hop to drugs and violence, here he is able to try and change that, and make the conflict more peaceful through means of such a powerful media outlet. Music has the power to make many changes by introducing ideas to youth, who are the future of the conflict. I know that he is mainly aiming at peace among all in Israel, and especially his Jewish counterparts. But regardless, the message stretches farther.

If you then watch the Palestinian rap group, DAM- Born Here. He speaks of the oppression he feels from the Israelis as the Palestinians. He fights for his equal right to the land that is kept from them, while he expresses anger, it seems he just is also fighting for what he believes. He isn't saying Israelis have to leave too, but he wants to be a part of what is his home.  "The separation wall mutes her hope".

The Art of Language

I thought it was cool that we got to read Nora's paper as a part of the class, to know more about someone that has learned from Professor Horrowitz just as we do. I was thoroughly impressed with the concepts she outlined when confronting the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Most particularly, her interest in the reframing of homeland and the notion of "the other" as central to the conflict.

The first definition that she gave as a background was particularly appealing to me, in a sense that I had never really thought about it. She is quoting Benedict Anderson who defines "a nation is an imagined political community" An "imagined" political community? I feel like if more people heard this definition, they would be more open to having a broader appreciation outside their own political realm. If the public of many nations realized this "imaginary" sense, I feel as though they would think they had opportunity to more greatly affect the community.

Here notion of the inside vs outside is one of prominence in this conflict, and it goes hand in hand with the idea of the "other" and the definition of homeland. Social Constructions have forced humans into a continuous competitive mindset, always wanting to be part of something better, and always having an enemy to beat. The idea that every group needs to have a counter part is pretty disappointing, when in reality, we are all the other. This need for competition is what pushes us to find what is ours, what belongs to us, a home. When in a search for this home while "the other" is doing the same, it can only lead to conflict. That is why I think that is we were to re-establish what is a homeland, so that can incompass not just those that are similar to you culturally, but bound to all for hope that they too find a homeland.

Exciting Said

Uhh, I was beyond enamored to listen to Miriam Said talk the other day in class. The thing the struck me most about her, was her willingness to continue her husbands life long work after he passed away. Not a lot of people would do what she does, but it shows how much this Project means and her hopes and aspirations for the future of the conflict.

When it comes to the reading on Parallels and Paradoxes, I was pleased with the writing of Daniel Barenboim and his admiration for Edward Said in the intro. And then in Edward's introduction, at one point he explains " the difficulty lies in the fact that this conception of world cannot be described in words- because were it possible to describe in words, the music would be unnecessary " It's as if the music is speaking to both the Israelis and the Arabs in a way that  nothing else can. I mean, think about all of the word vomit and arguments that have occurred and the little that it has been able to accomplish. So many times, when I can't express what I feel, I can express it through music. In a conflict like this, where everyone has high emotions and value in what is happening, its hard to come up with the words to explain it to someone else without getting frustrated or confused. But, here, they are able to join their music in an ensemble to communicate.

One of the very first things said in the first chapter, kind of harks on the same idea as the music speaking for the words, but with hitting a little harder on the core of the conflict, or at least I think. He mimics the cliche "I am home when I make music." For two groups of people that feel their home is in Jerusalem, yet they aren't able to be at home because of the ongoing dispute. However, here in the Orchestra these kids don't have to look for their home in Jerusalem and feel lost, but they can be together with others that also believe it is their home and play music. Playing the music and experiencing the feeling they get as they do it, is home, there is no longer a question of who's home the music belongs to, but that the music belongs to all.