We were all upset over this event, but also amused. This was a collective event as we had all been in the same bar and had all experienced it together. There had been a few other patrons there, but for the most part, the bar was dead. We really felt we had did nothing wrong. This, combined with our varying levels of intoxication and the rude tone the bartender seemed to use out of nowhere affected our perception of the event. I'm sure to the other people in the bar we seemed like irresponsible kids who got what we deserved. No one tried to fight with the bartender (save Tom) and we didn't realize we had done anything wrong. We all concluded the bartender had been a jerk. The way I experienced this event directly related to my perceptions about it. We were not rude, but we were treated rudely. I feel the bartender's Irish temper got the better of him as he kicked us out after stewing over the incident for a few moments. My perceptions of him being Irish (indicated by his brogue) also affected the way I perceived his actions. I'm sure if I had read about this in a newspaper, I would have sided with the bar. I'm sure we would have been painted as defiant and careless. However, since I was there, and I know we were treated unfairly, I'm on my side.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Booted and Confused
My birthday was this (and every) St. Patrick's Day. To celebrate, my friends and I went out in Philadelphia. After jumping from bar to bar, we eventually ended up at The Dark Horse. As it was getting late, we were all getting a bit hungry. The bartender had been very hospitable and had given me a few drinks on the house. We asked if they served food and he told us that the kitchen was closed. A few of my friends ran over to the nearby Wawa and brought back some food which we began to eat in the bar. This is when the trouble happened. Once we began to nosh, the bartender yelled at us across the bar that we were not allowed to bring outside food into an establishment that already served food. We had not known about this legality, but complied with his request to get rid of the food. We stayed in the bar and continued to drink, but five minutes after the bartender had told us to get rid of the food, he approached our table and said, very sternly, "Okay. Here's the deal. You take one last sip and then you get out!" None of us really understood why we were being kicked out. We had unknowingly broken rules, but we had done as we were asked once we realized our mistake. One of my friends was visiting from Australia and didn't move from the table. I asked Tom to wait until I left before he said something and I exited the bar hearing Tom tell the bartender, "This isn't how we do things in Australia." and the bartender replying, "Get out NOW! AND WALK QUICK!"
Constructing History
During spring break, I went to an art magazine release party for the very first time in Brooklyn. The reason I went to this event is because my brother was featured in the magazine. Throughout the past, my bother would tell me stories about the fun and excitement that he usually had when attending these magazine release parties. He described it so vivid, as seeing lines of people outside of the revenue, and the place was always filled with people. Nonetheless, some of friends were attending the magazine release party. My expectations about this particular event were very high because they were featuring some great hip-hop artists, and well-known producers. I did my research on the past events, and from looking at the photos, I could already tell that I was going to like it. The photos on the website showed well-known artists and musicians from around the world.
As we drove up to the location, I first noticed that there was not a line of people. Which was an indication that this was not a very popular nightclub. As I went inside the place, I suddenly became very disappointed. The place was nearly empty, and I was told no one was performing throughout the night. Overall, hearing the stories, and viewing photos from past events was the result of having high expectations about the art magazine release party. In many ways this was considered collective memory from my bother’s point of view. The photos shown on the Internet of the past events were simply incredible. In class we spoke about certain interviews and evidence such as photos construct our perception of history in many ways.
My experience of the event relates to the public sphere. The reason I say this is because many people know my brother as a well-known artist, and the after the event, I was getting numerous phone calls asking me about my experience at the highly publicized art magazine release party. In other words, “ I am the brother of a well- known artist.” Overall, this event can be historicized to the many artists who attended. The art magazine release party was a celebration of art from the past.
As we drove up to the location, I first noticed that there was not a line of people. Which was an indication that this was not a very popular nightclub. As I went inside the place, I suddenly became very disappointed. The place was nearly empty, and I was told no one was performing throughout the night. Overall, hearing the stories, and viewing photos from past events was the result of having high expectations about the art magazine release party. In many ways this was considered collective memory from my bother’s point of view. The photos shown on the Internet of the past events were simply incredible. In class we spoke about certain interviews and evidence such as photos construct our perception of history in many ways.
My experience of the event relates to the public sphere. The reason I say this is because many people know my brother as a well-known artist, and the after the event, I was getting numerous phone calls asking me about my experience at the highly publicized art magazine release party. In other words, “ I am the brother of a well- known artist.” Overall, this event can be historicized to the many artists who attended. The art magazine release party was a celebration of art from the past.
During Spring Break, I witnessed a car going up in flames. Around one o clock in the morning I woke up to the sound of an intense booming noise and thought, for some reason that some part of my house had exploded, still half asleep. So I ran to the window (why I was running to the window when clearly our house had just exploded, I have no idea) and looked out to see flames just down the street. With my mind starting to shrug off the laziness of sleep, I realized that it was not, in fact, coming from the other side of my house but down the street. So, I went to my parents room to get a closer look. Almost directly under their window, there was a car going up in flames and all we could do was stare. There was a cop car sitting outside blocking off the street, so we figured the fire trucks were on the way. I guess what I found most interesting about the situation is how fascinated people are by 'out of the ordinary' events. If you really put it into simple terms, the situation would go as follows: "there was a loud noise, a car was on fire, the firemen put it out". The End. I always wonder what type of meaning we get out of having experienced events such as these that are 'out of the ordinary'. I wonder if we saw cars being set on fire every day if it would slowly turn into 'the ordinary'. It seems that we as people reserve our amazement for things that do not happen everyday and I wonder why that is. It's interesting that we don't hear on the news everyday about doctors saving lives, which they do - everyday. All around the world. Although, sometimes, when the saving of these lives are connected with some amazing story of survival, this is news. I guess to answer some of the questions, this event will remain in a relatively private sphere. I did not hear any news of the incident on television, and except for the slightly burnt patch of grass, you never would have expected that anything was amiss the night before. The way in which I experienced this event effected my knowledge of it because I don't think it would have had as major an impact if I were to see it on television; "oh, another car on fire", versus experiencing it first hand.
High Speed Chase, Falsification
On Thursday, March 12, right after my last class of the week and therefore at the very beginning of my spring break, I decided to visit a friend of mine on Richardson Street. I walked out of my house on Hamilton Street and proceeded to walk down Louis Street, towards Easton Avenue. All was normal until I reached the intersection of Louis Street and Guilden Street, where I was greeted by a throng of students, families, and onlookers. The section of Guilden Street located behind St. Peter's Hospital was roped off with police tape, and there was a generally frenzied atmosphere. A friend of mine happened to be there, and he informed me that a bank in Franklin had just been robbed and that the robbers had just led the police on a high speed chase down Route 27, ending at the dead end of Guilden Street. He had heard gun shots, and told me that shots were exchanged between the criminals and the police.
Later, when I read about the incident in the newspaper, I discovered that my friends report was not far from the truth. The high speed chase ended in New Brunswick, where shots were first fired by some of the 4 criminals, to which police responded with shots of their own. Three of the suspects were shot, but all survived and will no doubt see significant jail time.
Yesterday, I bumped into a fellow classmate of mine (we'll call him Matt) from high school. We asked the usual questions ("What have you been up to?") and then got on the topic of this bank robbery and high speed chase. According to Matt, the Bank of America in New Brunswick was robbed, the criminals were chased behind St. Peters, and three of the criminals were shot dead.
I didn't have the heart to correct him, since his story was told with such enthusiasm and awe. After the exchange, we went our separate ways.
This anecdote is a great example of how information can be lost, changed, and completely mutated over time and across space. My friend who experienced the event firsthand (at least the tail-end of the event) had more accurate information than Matt, and he probably got a cursory story from a police officer. Matt, who had the benefit of seeing newspaper reports and general news coverage for 2 weeks after the incident, couldn't have gotten the details more wrong. I assumed that rumors start from directly after an incident and then explode as time goes on. Obviously, this is how Matt heard his fanciful and highly inaccurate tale. However, my friend who was there for the action got the information all right. Could a falsity such as Matt's have its beginnings in an account as accurate as the firsthand witness's? It's hard to answer this, but one thing is sure: information has a tendency to become exaggerated and warped over time, as more and more people add their ridiculous views to simple events.
Storytelling with the help of an i-phone
During my break, I drove to Philadelphia and watched the Philadelphia Orchestra perform Stravinsky's Firebird Suite. After the performance, I had lunch with my friend and a member of the orchestra who I studied with the past two years, and occasionally still see. I had no intention of writing about this event, and it was not until a few days later that I noticed some interesting things about it.
He told us about the orchestra's recent tour - which took them to the Canary Islands and throughout Europe. Usually when I hear about or read about orchestra tours, the information is general, the speech is 'flowery', and the orchestra's amazing performances are thoroughly praised. However, in this experience, I heard little about these things. Instead, my teacher talked about a scuba diving excursion that he and other members took off the coast of the islands. With extreme enthusiasm, he told me about all the different fish he saw, chasing a baby octupus, and swimming with a massive school of fish. This was all very interesting, but to add to it, he showed me about 50 pictures on his i-phone, that added a picture to his words. While reading through First Time for class, I noticed that while Price uses archival documents and engravings to support the first time stories. In a parallel modern day way, I felt my teacher's story was supported and made more exciting by his i-phone pictures. Though this is nothing ground-breakingly-incredible, I just found it interesting to see how we support our experiences with modern technology.
He told us about the orchestra's recent tour - which took them to the Canary Islands and throughout Europe. Usually when I hear about or read about orchestra tours, the information is general, the speech is 'flowery', and the orchestra's amazing performances are thoroughly praised. However, in this experience, I heard little about these things. Instead, my teacher talked about a scuba diving excursion that he and other members took off the coast of the islands. With extreme enthusiasm, he told me about all the different fish he saw, chasing a baby octupus, and swimming with a massive school of fish. This was all very interesting, but to add to it, he showed me about 50 pictures on his i-phone, that added a picture to his words. While reading through First Time for class, I noticed that while Price uses archival documents and engravings to support the first time stories. In a parallel modern day way, I felt my teacher's story was supported and made more exciting by his i-phone pictures. Though this is nothing ground-breakingly-incredible, I just found it interesting to see how we support our experiences with modern technology.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Witness
During my spring break, instead of watching the pretty girls on the beaches of the carribean, I went with my church to Waveland, Mississippi to help the victims of Katrina. Hurricane Katrina raged a long time ago. I witnessed when I arrived at the site how devastated the location still is. We worked for four days but the work that needed desperately to be done will be far from over. From what the missionaries at the site were telling us, the workers were few. This weekend I volunteered to go up to the congregation and testify to what I had seen and experienced. Some of the memories were amazing, I never had so much fun. Some of the memories were troubling, people were desperate for relief, and the missionaries were scrambling to find replacements. I struggle to find the words to say this Sunday when I go to church. From the time limitations, will I be a witness to how wonderful the trip was or how devastated the people were there? It really brings into discussion how I want others to precieve the event, and how I want to remember the event. Both roles are important to me, the great bonding I had with my team members will be unforgettable but so would the face of suffering finally receiving some relief. I found it interesting how closely the subject at hand related to the discussions we have about the witnesses of the holocaust and the hidden gypsy suffering.
Spring Break
This spring break I visited my boyfriend in South Jersey. I really did not do too much that week except work on some projects and relax. The whole week I meant to go out with him somewhere, but we kept putting it off. Finally on Thursday, we decided to go out. After going to a few stores and eating at a Chinese restaurant, we tried going to the mall. The malls down there close early, so we decided to go to a Borders.
As we pulled up to the Borders and tried to find a parking space, we were surprised at how many people were inside and parked outside. As we walked into the Borders, we saw a sign about the Twilight release party at 10 pm. I turned to my boyfriend to ask what time and day it was, but the answer was apparent as we entered the Borders. As I looked down at my watch, it was 9:38 pm, and when I looked up, I was greeted by a long line of pre-teen girls and their mothers. I turned to my boyfriend with a look of utter horror and pleading in my eyes. Even though my boyfriend was feeling the same way, he was undeterred in his search for the book he *needed* to find.
As I wandered the aisles while my boyfriend went off in search of his book, I felt tension rising in myself and the crowd. A cheery employee of the store would make the announcement every 5 minutes of what time it was and when the Twilight party would begin. at around 9:55 my boyfriend came back empty handed without finding the book we came in search for. We promptly left the store and heard on the way out several frantic parents complaining that they ran out of wristbands for buying the DVD. We got into his car and drove back to his house, having a good laugh.
No doubt that other people in that store probably have a different memory of that night than my own. Although I had seen the movie, I was not interested in buying the DVD. The people in the store were fans, who were probably waiting for this moment all week and were very excited to be there. I, on the other hand, felt a sense of urgency and that I had to rush myself out of the store. The DVD release of Twilight can mostly be described in the public sphere as hate, love, or apathy. My experience in Borders was mostly personal and not the public opinion held by the majority there. If I had not gone to the Borders at that time, I probably would not of remembered it was the DVD release of Twilight and that moment would not be apart of my memory.
As we pulled up to the Borders and tried to find a parking space, we were surprised at how many people were inside and parked outside. As we walked into the Borders, we saw a sign about the Twilight release party at 10 pm. I turned to my boyfriend to ask what time and day it was, but the answer was apparent as we entered the Borders. As I looked down at my watch, it was 9:38 pm, and when I looked up, I was greeted by a long line of pre-teen girls and their mothers. I turned to my boyfriend with a look of utter horror and pleading in my eyes. Even though my boyfriend was feeling the same way, he was undeterred in his search for the book he *needed* to find.
As I wandered the aisles while my boyfriend went off in search of his book, I felt tension rising in myself and the crowd. A cheery employee of the store would make the announcement every 5 minutes of what time it was and when the Twilight party would begin. at around 9:55 my boyfriend came back empty handed without finding the book we came in search for. We promptly left the store and heard on the way out several frantic parents complaining that they ran out of wristbands for buying the DVD. We got into his car and drove back to his house, having a good laugh.
No doubt that other people in that store probably have a different memory of that night than my own. Although I had seen the movie, I was not interested in buying the DVD. The people in the store were fans, who were probably waiting for this moment all week and were very excited to be there. I, on the other hand, felt a sense of urgency and that I had to rush myself out of the store. The DVD release of Twilight can mostly be described in the public sphere as hate, love, or apathy. My experience in Borders was mostly personal and not the public opinion held by the majority there. If I had not gone to the Borders at that time, I probably would not of remembered it was the DVD release of Twilight and that moment would not be apart of my memory.
Over Break
Well, over break I didn't really experience anything interesting or anything that was life changing or that people would have different views about.... I guess one thing that was on my mind was what was the right thing to do in a situation.
I am a nanny for the woman across the street from my house in Freehold, I watch her two kids about 2 to 3 times a week. Well the week before spring break her kids came down with the stomach flu and i did not work at all the week before spring break. Now Monday, her kids were still sick but with something else, one had a cold and a cough another had an ear infection and the runs from antibiotics. The hardest decision for me to make was whether or not I should baby-sit that week or say no.... Of course, because I am a softy, i baby sat and now i have their colds. So in my mind i thought that it was the wrong decision to go over because the house was just getting over the stomach flu and now there is a new illness that entered their home... Being a college student, you do not have time to get sick or even think about getting sick.
Well, the event of the children's illnesses, to me was personal, i have a phobia about the Stomach virus, so hearing that information set me off the wall just thinking that i had to step foot into their house. And because i did baby sit, i experienced it all with panic attacks haha... it was not fun. I guess this event can relate to the public sphere by the way of looking out for ones safety and health. We sanitize our hands every day before we eat, touch our face, after we blow our nose, if we step off the bus. So the thought of being sick and having a phobia can affect anyone. This event can be opposed by people who don't have a care in the world, where getting sick to them is nothing and they live their life not being paranoid about things like getting sick. Can this event be historicized? No....
Sunday, March 22, 2009
over break
Over break I went to the new gym in my town. It is the talk of our town because its huge, new and open 24/7! To see how it looks inside:
http://www.lifetimefitness.com/clubs/index.cfm?strWebAction=virtual_tour
honestly, this gym is nicer than some five star hotels I have been too! Everything is big, open and new. All over is stone or wood. I got there and we went to the lockers, where they provide you locks. There are a lot of treadmills and ellipticals, I didn't have to wait for one. There are two indoor pools that I swam in, two jacuzzis, sauna, and steam room, which we went to. The showers are lovely and they provide you with towels and shampoo and soap. We even went rock climbing. I experienced the gym first hand, and it changed the way I viewed the gym. At first, I just heard about it from friends, and I didn't think it was so special. But once I actually went there and saw it, I understood why everyone was so wrapped up about it. This experience can be considered collective for my town. This relates to the public sphere because I will be one of those people talking about how amazing the gym is, and without knowing it, I am giving a free advertisment. For the most part view on the gym is similar to the public view, however I know a couple of people how refuse to check it out and will stay at the other gym in our town. The gym wont be written down in history books and studyed in classes. However, for real estate, it is a postivie thing to write down and can make property go up.
http://www.lifetimefitness.com/clubs/index.cfm?strWebAction=virtual_tour
honestly, this gym is nicer than some five star hotels I have been too! Everything is big, open and new. All over is stone or wood. I got there and we went to the lockers, where they provide you locks. There are a lot of treadmills and ellipticals, I didn't have to wait for one. There are two indoor pools that I swam in, two jacuzzis, sauna, and steam room, which we went to. The showers are lovely and they provide you with towels and shampoo and soap. We even went rock climbing. I experienced the gym first hand, and it changed the way I viewed the gym. At first, I just heard about it from friends, and I didn't think it was so special. But once I actually went there and saw it, I understood why everyone was so wrapped up about it. This experience can be considered collective for my town. This relates to the public sphere because I will be one of those people talking about how amazing the gym is, and without knowing it, I am giving a free advertisment. For the most part view on the gym is similar to the public view, however I know a couple of people how refuse to check it out and will stay at the other gym in our town. The gym wont be written down in history books and studyed in classes. However, for real estate, it is a postivie thing to write down and can make property go up.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Brodeur Breaking Records
Last night I watched the NJ Devils' hockey game, in which Martin Brodeur, the Devils' goalie, broke the NHL record for victories by a goaltender with the Devils' win against the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2. It marked Brodeur's 552nd win with the team. What was interesting to me about watching the game was the idea (echoed by fans, players, and announcers alike) that it might be a moment of "history-making."
The notion that history could be made at the event had many implications. Wieviorka talks about how the mode of the formation of history influences our collective memory of events and moments. Certainly, the way the camera operators and television station broadcast the game influenced the way I and other spectators will remember it. That it was set up as a potential moment of history ascribed to it a level of significance. We were, in effect, being told to pay special attention because it might become something worth remembering. If, at the end of the game, the Devils had not won and Brodeur had not broken the record, would I have just let my memory of the game fade into my general memory of hockey games I've watched? My guess is that I probably would have. But how did the experience of watching this game of potential history-in-the-making influence how I and others experienced it?
Firstly, the arena was sold out and the energy in the crowd and on the ice was palpable, even through a TV (large and HD probably helped). Throughout the whole game, there was a focus on Brodeur from all angles (in the game, on his history as a goaltender, about his recent injury). One of the announcers said that it seemed like the whole crowd gasped every time Brodeur got even close to touching the puck. What does that do to the psyche of the players? To Brodeur himself? Surely, the idea that Brodeur could very well break the record that night influenced the way the cameramen followed the game. Inbetween plays, shots of Brodeur were almost always editted into the broadcast.
At the end of the game, after Brodeur cut the net off of the goal as a souvenier with the help of his teammates, I was struck that so much of the glory went to him. It wasn't as if he had won the game on his own, after all. Now, I don't think that anyone necessarily believes that he did, but by the way the game was followed and the record defined as a singular acheivement, it could sound that way. Afterall, he was not the only star player during the game and though he prevented the Blackhawks from winning by blocking goals, he did not himself score the Devils' goals either. Notably, Patrik Elias passed the Devils' all-time scoring leader with his 702nd point in the second period. Though his acheivement was arguably of a smaller scale, I couldn't help but notice that it most certainly would have been a bigger deal (in terms of media coverage) had it not been overshadowed by Brodeur's "moment of history."
The announcers and media-coverage of the game, which was extended because of the Devils' and Brodeur's win certainly affected the way I (and everyone else watching at home) experienced and will remember the game. Knowing it could be important surely made me pay closer attention to the game overall, but most specifically, to Brodeur's goaltending, though I wonder how much choice I had in that matter, since his actions were heavily covered throughout. I'm sure the people at the game had a very different experience, one that was probably more emotionally charged. Emotion can certainly play a huge role in our memories - maybe even our ability to remember - as Weiviorka points out as a strategy used in the Eichmann trial. If the game is super-charged with emotion - before, during and after - will fans remember it better? Will a positive viewing experience bring watchers back to the TV station and/or the Devils arena? Surely, Brodeur's accomplishment was not just about hockey.
The notion that history could be made at the event had many implications. Wieviorka talks about how the mode of the formation of history influences our collective memory of events and moments. Certainly, the way the camera operators and television station broadcast the game influenced the way I and other spectators will remember it. That it was set up as a potential moment of history ascribed to it a level of significance. We were, in effect, being told to pay special attention because it might become something worth remembering. If, at the end of the game, the Devils had not won and Brodeur had not broken the record, would I have just let my memory of the game fade into my general memory of hockey games I've watched? My guess is that I probably would have. But how did the experience of watching this game of potential history-in-the-making influence how I and others experienced it?
Firstly, the arena was sold out and the energy in the crowd and on the ice was palpable, even through a TV (large and HD probably helped). Throughout the whole game, there was a focus on Brodeur from all angles (in the game, on his history as a goaltender, about his recent injury). One of the announcers said that it seemed like the whole crowd gasped every time Brodeur got even close to touching the puck. What does that do to the psyche of the players? To Brodeur himself? Surely, the idea that Brodeur could very well break the record that night influenced the way the cameramen followed the game. Inbetween plays, shots of Brodeur were almost always editted into the broadcast.
At the end of the game, after Brodeur cut the net off of the goal as a souvenier with the help of his teammates, I was struck that so much of the glory went to him. It wasn't as if he had won the game on his own, after all. Now, I don't think that anyone necessarily believes that he did, but by the way the game was followed and the record defined as a singular acheivement, it could sound that way. Afterall, he was not the only star player during the game and though he prevented the Blackhawks from winning by blocking goals, he did not himself score the Devils' goals either. Notably, Patrik Elias passed the Devils' all-time scoring leader with his 702nd point in the second period. Though his acheivement was arguably of a smaller scale, I couldn't help but notice that it most certainly would have been a bigger deal (in terms of media coverage) had it not been overshadowed by Brodeur's "moment of history."
The announcers and media-coverage of the game, which was extended because of the Devils' and Brodeur's win certainly affected the way I (and everyone else watching at home) experienced and will remember the game. Knowing it could be important surely made me pay closer attention to the game overall, but most specifically, to Brodeur's goaltending, though I wonder how much choice I had in that matter, since his actions were heavily covered throughout. I'm sure the people at the game had a very different experience, one that was probably more emotionally charged. Emotion can certainly play a huge role in our memories - maybe even our ability to remember - as Weiviorka points out as a strategy used in the Eichmann trial. If the game is super-charged with emotion - before, during and after - will fans remember it better? Will a positive viewing experience bring watchers back to the TV station and/or the Devils arena? Surely, Brodeur's accomplishment was not just about hockey.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
The evidence for President Bashir's arrest
I am writing this blog in response to the articles for Bashir's arrest, and the video interview by Ms. Hilsum. During his presidency, or what seems more like a dictatorship, millions have suffered. It is hard to believe how one man can make such a dramatic impact on so many lives. Intuitively speaking, it seems that the situation is hardly simple enough to claim one man orchestrated the death and displacement of millions. Yet the evidence is from relaible sources; the UN relief organizations, the interviews with darfur memembers themselves, etc. In contrast, Bashir in the face what seems to be insurmountable evidence, denies all accusations by either minimizing the amount of suffering, and claiming the evidence has bias against his reign.
I almost pity president Bashir. His country is left in ruins, and the entire world blames him for the death of his countrymen. With the level of atrocity and comparison to the Nazis, I almost want to believe his story, and, with his version of what is happening at Darfur, I am stricken with slight confusion. Is this man insane and living in another universe or is there a hint of truth behind it? Or is he simply just lying through his teeth, trying to cover up his tracks?
This brings me to the evidence. From my point of view, the stories seem to split between the media and president Bashir. The media has carried with it the testimonies of witnesses from the likes of UN officials, Darfur victims, relief agency memebers and many more, and as journalist witness for themselves and report on the latest story. It seems just quantitatively speaking millions of people claiming similar stories to one man's story. The witnesses make him seem as guilty as sin, even if you want to believe him out of pure pity.
I almost pity president Bashir. His country is left in ruins, and the entire world blames him for the death of his countrymen. With the level of atrocity and comparison to the Nazis, I almost want to believe his story, and, with his version of what is happening at Darfur, I am stricken with slight confusion. Is this man insane and living in another universe or is there a hint of truth behind it? Or is he simply just lying through his teeth, trying to cover up his tracks?
This brings me to the evidence. From my point of view, the stories seem to split between the media and president Bashir. The media has carried with it the testimonies of witnesses from the likes of UN officials, Darfur victims, relief agency memebers and many more, and as journalist witness for themselves and report on the latest story. It seems just quantitatively speaking millions of people claiming similar stories to one man's story. The witnesses make him seem as guilty as sin, even if you want to believe him out of pure pity.
Do Figure-Heads Detract From What is Really at Stake?
This week I am responding to the arrest warrant issued for President Omar al Bashir of Sudan regarding his crimes against humanity.
In thinking about the ideas testimony produces via how it is produced, I wonder if convicting al Bashir will really be that helpful. While the crimes of Darfur are terrible, and while one person can be held accountable, making al Bashir a poster-child for monstrosity seems ill-directed. In reading the new stories provided by the links, I get the sense many already feel this man is guilty. While I feel that he probably is, this defeats the purpose of a fair and unbiased trial. I think there needs to be a distinction between testimony for the purpose of conviction and testimony that seeks to elicit emotion. The Eichmann Trial sought the latter, and I feel the current trial is seeking to do both. There is an attempt to stop crimes against humanity and at the same time, expose others to what is really going on.
My issue is this: Even though Omar al Bashir may be the organizer of such crimes, it is impossible that he is the only perpetrator. Thus, he has become more of a figure and an example than an actual person standing trial. I think that in times of gross human rights violations, examples need to be made of people because it is too difficult, if not impossible, for all involved to be called out. However, I feel that placing the blame on a single individual takes the focus off of the crimes everyday civilians have committed in this situation. Rather than hating the neighbor who raped them, victims can now center all their anger on one figure. Placing blame on one person is necessary to bring justice when blame lays on the shoulders of multiple individuals. I just worry that with a villain identified, one who is already painted as someone with "no presence, no charisma, no charm, no magnetism", those who stand against him will forget
the atrocities committed by people who blindly, or knowingly, obeyed orders.
Quote from: http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/04/the-banality-of-sudans-president/
In thinking about the ideas testimony produces via how it is produced, I wonder if convicting al Bashir will really be that helpful. While the crimes of Darfur are terrible, and while one person can be held accountable, making al Bashir a poster-child for monstrosity seems ill-directed. In reading the new stories provided by the links, I get the sense many already feel this man is guilty. While I feel that he probably is, this defeats the purpose of a fair and unbiased trial. I think there needs to be a distinction between testimony for the purpose of conviction and testimony that seeks to elicit emotion. The Eichmann Trial sought the latter, and I feel the current trial is seeking to do both. There is an attempt to stop crimes against humanity and at the same time, expose others to what is really going on.
My issue is this: Even though Omar al Bashir may be the organizer of such crimes, it is impossible that he is the only perpetrator. Thus, he has become more of a figure and an example than an actual person standing trial. I think that in times of gross human rights violations, examples need to be made of people because it is too difficult, if not impossible, for all involved to be called out. However, I feel that placing the blame on a single individual takes the focus off of the crimes everyday civilians have committed in this situation. Rather than hating the neighbor who raped them, victims can now center all their anger on one figure. Placing blame on one person is necessary to bring justice when blame lays on the shoulders of multiple individuals. I just worry that with a villain identified, one who is already painted as someone with "no presence, no charisma, no charm, no magnetism", those who stand against him will forget
the atrocities committed by people who blindly, or knowingly, obeyed orders.
Quote from: http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/04/the-banality-of-sudans-president/
Cambodian pictures
I viewed this link, the Cambodian photo essay: http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/03/cambodia_and_its_war_tribunal.html.
When looking at this photoessay, it wasn't the photos that got to me the most, it was reading the captions about the photos.
When the captions explained everything about the trials, the victims, the genocide,the meaning of the
picture came to life. When they showed the pictures of the bones, it did not strike any emotion in me,
they were just pictures taken, possibly for archeological purposes. But, because they had a caption, there
was more meaning to the skulls. Unless you knew the who story, then you would
be able to understand and possibly have some emotion attached to the picture that you see. I know the
one picture and caption that got to me was the one where the men were looking for old land mines, and
it stated that a family of three happened upon one and were killed. Just thinking about how tragic that was
after the genocide was over, that people still have to fear for their lives. Comparing this
to our lecture last week, when we talked about listening to a tape from a holocaust survivor or reading
their statement, i feel that a person will show more emotion, over hearing someone speak or reading their
testimonies, because the most powerful thing to me are the words. Describing in details what happened
to you whether in a book or in a video or a tape recording, it portrays a lot of emotional and pulls on your
heart strings!! Looking at pictures on the other hand, such as those from Cambodia, they do not pull
on your heart strings because you didn't know what they were about and what happened to those people
unless you read their testimonies.
Words are louder then pictures i believe. In words a person can communicate everything they are feeling
detail by detail. In a picture, you can just see so much. You can possibly see sadness, happiness, anger,
but it doesnt tell you what the person is thinking or going through unless you have information
and facts that explain the time period, and who the person is in the photo and when happened. I am not
saying that pictures don't say a thousand words, but i am saying that pictures can just tell you so much.
And its not what is in the picture that gets to a person, it is the story behind the picture.
The Future of Global Criminal Prevention
This week I chose to focus on the recent indictment of Sudanese President Omar Hassan Ahmad Al Bashir by the International Criminal Court-- an action that will surely reverberate throughout the world. If the charges stick, the seven year old council will have the ability to display its power as a worldwide preventer and prosecutor of crimes against humanity. The joint efforts of 108 nations will hopefully provide an unbiased trial for Bashir, whether he be found guilty or not guilty on the accusations of murder, extermination, rape, torture, forced relocation of civilians and pillaging. As we discussed in class, the verdicts of past events like the Eichmann and Nuremberg Trials were surely influenced by personal belief. The presence of the ICC may help to establish a balance for which to try future criminals among the likes of Hitler and Bashir. The United States is not currently a member and has not expressed its intention to join, however maybe one day all the world’s nations will be fortunate enough to have the opportunity to work hand in hand to bring about justice on a global scale. The charge of genocide has been strangely omitted from Bashir’s counts, maybe due in part to a lack of evidence or the ability to pursue such a severe crime. We have heard tales of the horrific events occurring in Darfur, and many people are doing what they can to assist those in need, but now the ICC’s actions demonstrate that those in power are also committed to end such travesties. By bringing this situation to light, it really puts a nation’s problems in perspective. However low Former President Bush’s ratings reached, we as a people never came anywhere remotely close to the level of fear of government that those in Sudan are experiencing. The ICC is doing what is necessary to stop the crimes of humanity that are currently happening in other parts of the world, and I can only hope that the outcome of Bashir’s trial will help prevent similar events from occurring in the future.
Forgotten Victims
I looked at the article about the horrors in Cambodia from the viewpoint of a Khmer Rouge member. While it is true the regime committed horrible acts against the people it ruled, people often forget that the regime's own members can be victims as well. In the scramble to figure out what happened and who should be punished, it is these people, the lower ranking members of the regime, that are often forgotten.
No one can deny that actions performed by Him Huy and others like him were horrendous. Lining up prisoners and hitting them in the head with an iron bar is never acceptable. However, at least in my opinion, the situation changes drastically when the "executioner" could just as likely end up on the other end of the iron bar. Mr. Huy speaks of eating lunch with co-workers, then that night seeing the same co-worker on the recieving end of one of the bars. In fact, he moved up to be a high ranking prison official for precisely this reason - those above him were arrested and killed.
The article discusses how Mr. Huy's friends, family, and neighbors do not hold his actions against him, and I agree with them. A former prisoner even commented that he had nothing against Mr. Huy, as the prisoner did not know what he would do if it was him. This is precisely the dilema that is so easily forgotten. If your job was to kill people, or be killed yourself, how many people could honestly say they would refuse to do their job?
It is this that shows the almost forgotten attrocities of the regime. Yes, killing millions of people are wrong. But is recruiting kids(Mr. Huy was 12) and then brainwashing them to assist in your evil any better? And just in case the brainwash is not complete, the regime members can just as easily find themselves the prisoners.
However, when speaking of the horrors commited by the regime, this often goes forgotten, or barely mentioned. In order to hold those responsible truly accountable, all their wrong doings must be brought to light. The absolute stranglehold regime leaders have over their own followers is often forgotten, and should not be. It is these people who are often the forgotten victims.
No one can deny that actions performed by Him Huy and others like him were horrendous. Lining up prisoners and hitting them in the head with an iron bar is never acceptable. However, at least in my opinion, the situation changes drastically when the "executioner" could just as likely end up on the other end of the iron bar. Mr. Huy speaks of eating lunch with co-workers, then that night seeing the same co-worker on the recieving end of one of the bars. In fact, he moved up to be a high ranking prison official for precisely this reason - those above him were arrested and killed.
The article discusses how Mr. Huy's friends, family, and neighbors do not hold his actions against him, and I agree with them. A former prisoner even commented that he had nothing against Mr. Huy, as the prisoner did not know what he would do if it was him. This is precisely the dilema that is so easily forgotten. If your job was to kill people, or be killed yourself, how many people could honestly say they would refuse to do their job?
It is this that shows the almost forgotten attrocities of the regime. Yes, killing millions of people are wrong. But is recruiting kids(Mr. Huy was 12) and then brainwashing them to assist in your evil any better? And just in case the brainwash is not complete, the regime members can just as easily find themselves the prisoners.
However, when speaking of the horrors commited by the regime, this often goes forgotten, or barely mentioned. In order to hold those responsible truly accountable, all their wrong doings must be brought to light. The absolute stranglehold regime leaders have over their own followers is often forgotten, and should not be. It is these people who are often the forgotten victims.
The World's Perception on Sudan
I have chosen to do my assignment on the international criminal courts and Sudan. I will first go into detail on the New York Time’s article and small clip called, “ Impressions of Sudan’s President.” Next, I will go into detail on the news stories of Sudan’s President Omar Al Bashir, and how this relates to Wieviorka's book. Lastly, I will explain my personal experience with a survivor from Sudan, and how his life is perceived as a part of history.
Throughout the article, “Impressions of Sudan’s President” it became apparent that Sudan’s President showed no remorse throughout the years of genocide, rape crimes, and the destruction of his people. The President of Sudan states that the charges and accusations were “made up.” Nonetheless, I believe that the International Criminal Court will face pressure from the entire world to seek justice because this has been viewed in society as a “massacre” on innocent people. Which brings up the question: Will the President of Sudan receive a fair trial? Throughout class we’ve touch on the fact that the perception in the public sphere can have a big impact on vital decisions.
We also touch on Wieviorka’s point of view about how historical content structures everything. I believe the crimes in Sudan will finally get justice. On the other hand, many people fear that the indictment on Omar Al Bashir will result in more violence and hate crimes. In this article it states:
“Some have contended that an ICC indictment of the President of Sudan, which enforces international law and holds him accountable for his crimes, is necessary for sustained peace. Others are concerned that such an indictment could negatively impact the peace negotiations, prolonging war or perhaps even accelerating it – resulting in more deaths, sexual violence, destruction, and misery.” (http://www.icc-cpi.int/NR/exeres/0EF62173-05ED-403A-80C8-F15EE1D25BB3.htm)
Either way the indictment of Omar Al Bashir” will be seen throughout the world is an example of a world leader being punished, and hopefully it will become a step towards progression for the people in Sudan. Overall, I believe the pictures, video clips, pod casts, and television send a strong message throughout the entire world. The material that is being shown from Sudan clearly shows the ongoing genocide that is happening. As a result, society only knows what they see through media outlets, and I believe this method will have a big influence on the decision of Omar Al Bashir’s indictment.
A good friend of mine in college, Ayuen (AJ) Garang was known on campus as a survivor of Sudan’s war. At first, I had no idea of his past history. We stood on the same floor together and immediately became friends. He was looked upon as an iconic figure throughout campus. It wasn’t until the spring semester that I had realized I was hanging out with a person who came from the struggle of Sudan. I remember it was the first day of the spring semester, and the professor wanted to know our names and what described us as a person. When the question was asked to Ayuen, he took out a piece of medal from his pocket, and said, “ My name is Ayuen Garang… and I am like this medal. Nothing can break me.” Ayuen can be compared to Holocaust survivors in many ways. The reason I say this is because in society he is viewed as a “survivor from Sudan,” and will be known as one for the rest of his life. The same can be said for Holocaust survivors as well because of the fact society perceives them as historical figures.
Throughout the article, “Impressions of Sudan’s President” it became apparent that Sudan’s President showed no remorse throughout the years of genocide, rape crimes, and the destruction of his people. The President of Sudan states that the charges and accusations were “made up.” Nonetheless, I believe that the International Criminal Court will face pressure from the entire world to seek justice because this has been viewed in society as a “massacre” on innocent people. Which brings up the question: Will the President of Sudan receive a fair trial? Throughout class we’ve touch on the fact that the perception in the public sphere can have a big impact on vital decisions.
We also touch on Wieviorka’s point of view about how historical content structures everything. I believe the crimes in Sudan will finally get justice. On the other hand, many people fear that the indictment on Omar Al Bashir will result in more violence and hate crimes. In this article it states:
“Some have contended that an ICC indictment of the President of Sudan, which enforces international law and holds him accountable for his crimes, is necessary for sustained peace. Others are concerned that such an indictment could negatively impact the peace negotiations, prolonging war or perhaps even accelerating it – resulting in more deaths, sexual violence, destruction, and misery.” (http://www.icc-cpi.int/NR/exeres/0EF62173-05ED-403A-80C8-F15EE1D25BB3.htm)
Either way the indictment of Omar Al Bashir” will be seen throughout the world is an example of a world leader being punished, and hopefully it will become a step towards progression for the people in Sudan. Overall, I believe the pictures, video clips, pod casts, and television send a strong message throughout the entire world. The material that is being shown from Sudan clearly shows the ongoing genocide that is happening. As a result, society only knows what they see through media outlets, and I believe this method will have a big influence on the decision of Omar Al Bashir’s indictment.
A good friend of mine in college, Ayuen (AJ) Garang was known on campus as a survivor of Sudan’s war. At first, I had no idea of his past history. We stood on the same floor together and immediately became friends. He was looked upon as an iconic figure throughout campus. It wasn’t until the spring semester that I had realized I was hanging out with a person who came from the struggle of Sudan. I remember it was the first day of the spring semester, and the professor wanted to know our names and what described us as a person. When the question was asked to Ayuen, he took out a piece of medal from his pocket, and said, “ My name is Ayuen Garang… and I am like this medal. Nothing can break me.” Ayuen can be compared to Holocaust survivors in many ways. The reason I say this is because in society he is viewed as a “survivor from Sudan,” and will be known as one for the rest of his life. The same can be said for Holocaust survivors as well because of the fact society perceives them as historical figures.
Conflict in Darfur
I watched the article here, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/06/world/africa/06sudan.html?_r=1, and watched the video inside of the article.
As is clear from this article and this video, we do not live in a black and white world. In my opinion, the Sudanese president Omar Hassan al-Bashir was guilty of "war crimes charges stemming from the conflict in Darfur". This indictment came from the "International Criminal Court, which was formed in 2002 with the idea of creating a permanent venue to pursue the type of war criminals who had emerged in conflicts in the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda". The ICC has become a permanent venue to pursue war criminals, and I believe that Bashir should be pursued.
There is talk in the video saying that if Bashir was suddenly taken out, then the country would crack and collapse from his abscense. I think that is a poor reason to not pursue justice, the truth, and people taking responsibility for their actions. Just as Wieviorka argues, testimony can enters the public sphere through trials. These trials leave an imprint of those testimonies. Bashir is not only trying to avoid these criminal charges, but I think he is also trying to not allow the creation of a public sphere in favor of his enemies. By not allowing your enemies to have the smae public platform as you, you create an unfair advantage and are not taking responsibility for your actions.
As is clear from this article and this video, we do not live in a black and white world. In my opinion, the Sudanese president Omar Hassan al-Bashir was guilty of "war crimes charges stemming from the conflict in Darfur". This indictment came from the "International Criminal Court, which was formed in 2002 with the idea of creating a permanent venue to pursue the type of war criminals who had emerged in conflicts in the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda". The ICC has become a permanent venue to pursue war criminals, and I believe that Bashir should be pursued.
There is talk in the video saying that if Bashir was suddenly taken out, then the country would crack and collapse from his abscense. I think that is a poor reason to not pursue justice, the truth, and people taking responsibility for their actions. Just as Wieviorka argues, testimony can enters the public sphere through trials. These trials leave an imprint of those testimonies. Bashir is not only trying to avoid these criminal charges, but I think he is also trying to not allow the creation of a public sphere in favor of his enemies. By not allowing your enemies to have the smae public platform as you, you create an unfair advantage and are not taking responsibility for your actions.
Cambodia and its War Tribunals
I looked at Cambodia and its War Tribunals. http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/03/cambodia_and_its_war_tribunal.html
The first thing I could not help but notice is the length of time it took for trials to occur. These crime against humanity are now being taken up in trials three decades after they occurred. Its hard to believe that death of 1.4 million Cambodians look three decades to address and punish.
The site shows the numbers of bones that are just piled up and its disturbing. Human skulls and appendages are just arranged neatly in a pile, and I honestly wondered why the time was taken to do this.
Just as we have no smoking signs, there is a no laughing sign posted on a wall. I found it hard to believe that laughing, a way of expression joy and emotion, is prohibited. I couldn't help but to keep comparing it to signs we see everyday: no smoking; no turn on red; no u-turn; no laughing . . .one of these just doesn't belong.
Last week when I read articles and watched videos of Holocaust survivors, I remember reading something about how horribly intellectuals were treated. The same type of event occurred in Cambodia. Intellectuals were tortured and interrogated before they were killed and drown into mass graves.
There were also pictures of the fields of landmines, and soldiers attempting to find them. I'm not sure how landmines are generally found and recovered, but I found it surprising that they were using pick axes and shovels to recover a delicate explosive. The following picture was a man with a prosthetic leg at a rehabilitation center.
30 years after strict labor laws, executions, starvation, and torture due to the power of the Khmer Rouge, the country is still suffering with a destroyed agricultural system and extreme poverty being only two of their many problems.
The first thing I could not help but notice is the length of time it took for trials to occur. These crime against humanity are now being taken up in trials three decades after they occurred. Its hard to believe that death of 1.4 million Cambodians look three decades to address and punish.
The site shows the numbers of bones that are just piled up and its disturbing. Human skulls and appendages are just arranged neatly in a pile, and I honestly wondered why the time was taken to do this.
Just as we have no smoking signs, there is a no laughing sign posted on a wall. I found it hard to believe that laughing, a way of expression joy and emotion, is prohibited. I couldn't help but to keep comparing it to signs we see everyday: no smoking; no turn on red; no u-turn; no laughing . . .one of these just doesn't belong.
Last week when I read articles and watched videos of Holocaust survivors, I remember reading something about how horribly intellectuals were treated. The same type of event occurred in Cambodia. Intellectuals were tortured and interrogated before they were killed and drown into mass graves.
There were also pictures of the fields of landmines, and soldiers attempting to find them. I'm not sure how landmines are generally found and recovered, but I found it surprising that they were using pick axes and shovels to recover a delicate explosive. The following picture was a man with a prosthetic leg at a rehabilitation center.
30 years after strict labor laws, executions, starvation, and torture due to the power of the Khmer Rouge, the country is still suffering with a destroyed agricultural system and extreme poverty being only two of their many problems.
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