Schindler’s List is a 1993 American Drama Film about Oskar Schindler, a German Businessman who saved the lives of more than one thousand Jewish Refugees during the Holocaust. In the beginning of the movie, Oskar Schindler is a money hungry businessman. Working with the Nazi Party, he acquires a factory for the production of Army mess kits. Schindler first chooses to hire Jews instead of Poles because they cost less to employ. As the movie progresses, his motive to hire Jews slowly changes. After being exposed to the harsh cruelty many Jews were enduring at concentration camps, his main motive turns into saving as many Jews as he can. This desire to save Jews is very risky since he is working with the Nazi Party.
Like many, I was confused as to why they would try to give this movie a happy ending. The holocaust was certainly not happy from beginning to end, millions of innocent people died, while a million others where aware but were too afraid to do anything. Not only that, but the movie was shot in black and white. As we learned earlier in class, some movies did this to portray the gloomy subject they were covering better. Since this is the case, why try to put a happy ending and contradict the whole movie?
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
FDR Four Freedom
Franklin D. Roosevelts “Four Freedom” speech was one he gave with the urgency of his wife behind him. The speech spoke of the four freedoms everyone in the world should abide by, as well as enjoy. The four freedoms mentioned are:
1. Freedom of Speech and Expression
2. Freedom of Religion
3. Freedom from Want
4. Freedom from Fear
I thought the speech was great, as did many other.s The four freedoms he highlights are not only one that I can agree with, but I believe they are some that our country institutes daily. Everyday we are blessed with the right to go out and speak our mind on any topic, ranging from sports, or to how we think the President is not doing the right thing. In many other countries, this luxury is not allowed. I have experienced this first hand. Being born and raised in Iraq, I was constantly aware of my parents always watching what they say. When they wanted to speak about the government, they made sure they were doing it inside a closed room with no possible way a stranger could listen in. They did this because it was not very uncommon for people to be killed because they spoke negatively about the Iraqi government.
I was also a Christian being raised in a predominately Muslim country. While we weren’t outcasted by most, some did hassle us about it. During school in Iraq, it was a requirement to take a religion class, except only one religion was offered, Islam. During this period, my sisters and I would ask to be excused outside until the end of the session. Some teachers were not very accepting of this, and would force us to remain in class, and the majority of the time, they would hit us (a common tactic used in Iraqi schools). For that, we had to keep our religion a secret.
Freedom from Fear is something we also take for granted. I remember the days I spent in Iraq, at least once a year we would here the sirens go off, warning us of an oncoming attack. I spent many days as a child hurled up in the center of a room in my mothers arm afraid of what is going outside, while my mother was frantically trying to convince me it is just thunder.
Living in Iraq made me experience the polar opposite of these four freedoms, and for that, I appreciate this speech that much more. Everyday I wake up in Michigan I’m thankful for these four freedoms that were once void in my life.
1. Freedom of Speech and Expression
2. Freedom of Religion
3. Freedom from Want
4. Freedom from Fear
I thought the speech was great, as did many other.s The four freedoms he highlights are not only one that I can agree with, but I believe they are some that our country institutes daily. Everyday we are blessed with the right to go out and speak our mind on any topic, ranging from sports, or to how we think the President is not doing the right thing. In many other countries, this luxury is not allowed. I have experienced this first hand. Being born and raised in Iraq, I was constantly aware of my parents always watching what they say. When they wanted to speak about the government, they made sure they were doing it inside a closed room with no possible way a stranger could listen in. They did this because it was not very uncommon for people to be killed because they spoke negatively about the Iraqi government.
I was also a Christian being raised in a predominately Muslim country. While we weren’t outcasted by most, some did hassle us about it. During school in Iraq, it was a requirement to take a religion class, except only one religion was offered, Islam. During this period, my sisters and I would ask to be excused outside until the end of the session. Some teachers were not very accepting of this, and would force us to remain in class, and the majority of the time, they would hit us (a common tactic used in Iraqi schools). For that, we had to keep our religion a secret.
Freedom from Fear is something we also take for granted. I remember the days I spent in Iraq, at least once a year we would here the sirens go off, warning us of an oncoming attack. I spent many days as a child hurled up in the center of a room in my mothers arm afraid of what is going outside, while my mother was frantically trying to convince me it is just thunder.
Living in Iraq made me experience the polar opposite of these four freedoms, and for that, I appreciate this speech that much more. Everyday I wake up in Michigan I’m thankful for these four freedoms that were once void in my life.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
First Snow- Rough Beginning
We got first snow tonight, how exciting!
I decided to drive my girlfriend home at around 1:30 today after deeming it unsafe for her to be driving alone. I drop her off, and everything is fine, until I'm a mile away from home...My car stalls out on me. After a few minutes, I managed to get my ol' focus running again. I'm typing this with wet hands, and too many layers on.
I hope you all had a better experience than I on our first of many snows!
I decided to drive my girlfriend home at around 1:30 today after deeming it unsafe for her to be driving alone. I drop her off, and everything is fine, until I'm a mile away from home...My car stalls out on me. After a few minutes, I managed to get my ol' focus running again. I'm typing this with wet hands, and too many layers on.
I hope you all had a better experience than I on our first of many snows!
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
Detroit Lions
I'd like to formally thank the Detroit Lions on the impressive victory they had against the Cleveland Browns yesterday. Who would have thought we'd win two games this early into the season? You boys have really stepped it up, you have enough victories this season alone to let you coast through the next couple of years. Maybe next week we can do what Kansas City did to Pittsburgh.
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