Cluster Reflection

The common themes that have appeared throughout the courses in our clusters so far are: what are human rights, what's the language of human rights, how is language used to affirm or deny these rights, most important emotional knowledge communicated by slaves, and the linguistics course which breaks the language down to see how languages are written, spoken, and influenced by other languages to create a new language such our own American English. The different disciplines approach subjects and material differently from each other. law and Human Rights points to what the Constitution says about rights and how they should be implemented throughout societies. Linguistics allows us to look into a how a language is formed by showing differences and similarities in patterns, and American Studies, most challenging of all requires our brains to think critical like intelligent thinkers and writers approaching different tasks, thinking outside the box, and coming to a conclusion or a solution to a problem through the process of writing. Being in a diverse cultural learning community, I feel more confident, effecient,  and open minded sharing differnt ideas and thoughts from different backgrounds. The LIB 110 activity makes it easier for us to freely express ourselves through writing that relates to what we are learning in all our courses. One of the Themes that is most relevent from English class is how to use language and the tools of pen and voice that were used in history in order to change people's minds if the change is compulsary. I would like the cluster to make the kind of a connection where everyone becomes enthusiastic and understand the need to take an action towards those who are still under oppression and desperately need our help, to restore their natural born rights who are deprived of living in peace and harmony.

Comparison and Contrast

    Mary Reynolds and Henry Smith both Afro-Americans, had one thing in common and another different. Mary was blamed for having the information of a slave boy who was hired by her master and soon ran away from there. In response to that, her master tied her and then stripped her before she was hanged in crusifiction style, feet tied together and legs spread open and beat her to death. He beated her so severly that Mary passed out. When she came back to conscience, she found herself in a bed and couldn't care less even if she was dead. Henry Smith faced the consequences of his actions from being arrested to taking revenge which costed him of his life. First he was arrested for being drunk and disorderly by a deputy policeman where he was beaten by a baton and swore to take revenge on the deputy. According to the deputy. Smith swore to taeke revenge which he did by commiting a crime on deputy's daughter which took his life. Smith was placed on a scaffold, "here the victim was tortured by a red-hot iron brand, placed against him inch by inch until they were thrust against his face" and was killed in public. He was then poured kerosene upon then burnt to ashes. The way they are similar is that they were both victims of torture in an excruciating and painful way. The difference was that they were both charged with different crimes while being punished one by a master, another by a deputy policeman.

Legal way of Crusifiction, Forms of Lynching

    In this blog I will discuss the a specific passage from a text Southern Horrors and Other Writings, of Ida B. Wells edited by Jacqueline Jones royster, a pamphlet of "Lynch Law in All its Phases" with critical thinking strategies. According to Ida B. Wells, an African American Journalist, editer and a publisher, born in 1862, during slavery, Afro-Americans were the property of whites and after the Civil War in an attempt to gain their self-sufficiency, were  demoralized through a process of lynching. Lynching was used by white southerners/supremacists in a legal form of  affliction, Degration, decapitation, and demoralization to remind the Afro-Americans that this is a white man's land and if they rebelled against them, Africans will be executed. Whites used law, political power and mob strength by accusing them of raping their precious women and executing them. The true cause can be explained and understood in a quote from a specific passage in "Lynch Law in All its Phases" as follows. "The utterances of the leading white men show that with them it is not the crime but the class", (Wells, p58). In other words, with the whites it was honor they valued more than the seriousness of the actual crime committed against them.  To maintain their role and status as the the true owners of the country, white supremacists used the false accusations of African Americans of raping their respectable women.
    Two disturbing incidents occured involving white men and Afro-Americans girls in Nashville, Tennesse, stated  in a passage from "Lynch law in all its Phases", introduced by Ida b. Wells, edited by Jacqueline Jones Royster. In the first case which is brief but important, a white man assaulted a a little girl whose physical injuries caused by the man ruined her life. Ironically, "He was jailed for six months, discharged and is now a detective in that city". This shows how corrupt the south government was at that time and was still run only by the whites who shared same mentality towards Afro-American race. In the other case, tables were turned as the African Americans became the Lynchers and white the victim. In the same city a white man was also arrested and released on a bail at the trial for outraging a an Afro-American girl in a drug store. An ironic reaction occured by a race known to be lynched reversed the idea from being the victims of lynching to being outrageously executioners for taking the law in their hands and assassins. For the protection of the white, State Militia was placed in from of his house. "Two hundred and fifty white Americans armed themselves with Winchesters and guarded him. A canon was placed in front of his home". When it came to defending themselves and their honor as white supremacists, whites joined together for the same cause that was to keep the African American race suppressed. We have never seen or heard of such a case where so much protection was given to a criminal in the history of mankind.   

The use of Language articulating Human Rights

    The language of Human Rights are ideas, beliefs, opinions, and experiences of an individual. The thoughts to what can be done to improvise their condition and their societies by using the tool of language. The language is used by an individual to express their feelings, thoughts and perspectives about life and the lives of others throughout the world.The language is used by an individual's beliefs and ideas about their lives and the lives of others. Human Rights are ideas that are written, spoken or conveyed in order for an individual's protection. These ideas are written down as laws which are enforced throughout the societies by the legislative branch of government and the one that enforces it is executive. The judicial branch is there to interpret these laws. There are ways in which language can be used to promote or to deny human rights. For instance some people use language to fight for their rights other use it to deny these rights. The language of human rights can be described a person's experiences in life, how their rights were favored or abused by others and the governments who have control over its citizens.

     The significance of knowing Urdu, national language of Pakistan, had a great impact on my life in terms of manners. Although it was not easy growing up without a mother, I did somehow manage to adopt to a whole new enviroment where the people are educated, civilized and open minded more than the people back home. Unfortunately due to the rate of poverty and ignorance caused by a weak economy and a vulnerable political regime, the people in Pakistan are under constant challenges financially, socially, and economically. My personal experience of how language plays a role in our lives is to constantly learn new things and trying to implement the ones that are applicable and useful in my life. Learning English became compulsory for me in order to adjust myself and be able to communicate to the surroundings around me. Going to high school without knowing English was tough for me. Most of the time I was bullied around because of the fact I didn't speak English nor did I understand anything. I struggled from not knowing a whole sentence in English to becoming fluent in the language. Now that I can communicate in English I feel more confident and comfortable speaking. The gift of language will help me achieve the things I've always dreamed of and progress towards achieving my goals. Everything we learn in our lives is useful and we can teach others from what we have learned in our own lives so far. This experience of teaching others can be influential to yourself in the way you keep reminding yourself of the stuff that you think is important and passing it on to someone else.

Violation of Right to Nationality

Rashid Ali

    I chose the Topic of Right to Nationality because there are still people out there in this modern and civilized world who do not have a country. The two Case- Studies or examples I will focus on are The Issue of Kashmir and the State of Palestine. The issue of Kashmir dates back to the year of 1947, when a War occured between India and Pakistan for Independence and Partitioned Kashmir dividing it into both Territories. India seized the region of Kashmir and claims it it's property whereas Pakistan claims that it belongs to them. According to the 1947 agreement, the West Bank belonged to Paletine. Now there are thousands of Illegal Jew Settlers living there with the full permission of their government. Both of these nations, India and Israil are breaking the internatioanl law knowingly and no takes an action to help the poor Kashmiris and Paletineans. Their natural rights as Humans are violated and they've become the victims of Oppresssion by the Powerful nations that control their lives.

    The Neologism of the word "Stanguage" which stands for "study of langauge",
may be possible to exist in future as an English word through the process of Coinage.
The word formation processes that were used to make up this word would be,
'Blending', because it's accomplished by taking only the beginning of one word
and joining it to the end of the other. If I were to use thsi word in a sentence,
it would sound like; Are you making any progress in your 'stanguage' class with Pr.Jerskey?