I attended a meeting of the IFC, International fraternity council. This meeting addressed all the freshmen who were pledging a fraternity. There were about three hundred new fraternity members at the meeting in the Great hall. The topic of the meeting was about Hazing. The purpose of the meeting was to inform everyone on what exactly hazing is and the affects it can have on people, including death. The IFC president led off with a talk about the future of fraternities and how what people did ten years ago is no longer acceptable. We were then showed clips of examples of kids who had died because of fraternity hazing. One was of a kid who was forced to consume large amounts of alcohol and passed out in the middle of a frat house. When morning came, someone noticed he wasn't looking so good, and called the ambulance. When they got their, they confirmed he died earlier that night. The fraternity was sued and some of the members faced judicial charges.
This meeting not only brought to my attention all the problems associated with hazing, but informed me with the punishments and backlashes that can result from it. It brought me and my whole pledge class together and taught us of all the consequences of hazing and that it is ok to say no to things. This has broadened my experience as a student becasue I know what is acceptable and am now in a special group of people. My knowledge of how to address a certain typoe of audience has been increased because the way the IFC produced their ideas and point-of-views really got through to me and all of my fraternity brothers.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Event - Performance
I went to see The Glass Menagerie in the PlayMakers Repertory Company. The play began at eight and I was by far the youngest person in there. I had no idea that the plays put on by the students attracted so many viewers. The place had probably 200 people in there and they were very excited for the play. There were many retired couples out on a date that couldn't seem any happier.
Back to the play though. It's about a family living in a shanty apartment just after the Great Depression. The father has "abandoned" the family and the son wants to do the same. Tom, the son, is the main source of income for the family with the money he makes at a local factory. His sister is a shy girl who quit school because she was so nervous and spent her days walking around the park. The mother is oblivious to reality and reminisces about her days as a youth and all the gentlemen callers she had. Tom invites a friend, Jim, from the factory over for dinner in hopes that he will be attracted to laura, the sister. What he doesn't know is that he is already engaged to get married. Jim does find inerest in Laura as he feels he can help be more social and give her confidence. They talk in the living room and he makes laura forget about her crippled leg. They kiss, but then he tells her that he is engaged, but that she should keep the confidence she had with him and act like that all the time. Then Tom's secret about leaving to join the merchant marines is revealed.
At the end of the play, the crowd gave a standign ovation for a good 5 minutes. This play shined a light on somehting I wasn't really interested in or had much experience with. After the play I was very surprised at how much I enjoyed it. It helped broaden my writing and language ability as I was required to write a theatre report analyzing the play.
Back to the play though. It's about a family living in a shanty apartment just after the Great Depression. The father has "abandoned" the family and the son wants to do the same. Tom, the son, is the main source of income for the family with the money he makes at a local factory. His sister is a shy girl who quit school because she was so nervous and spent her days walking around the park. The mother is oblivious to reality and reminisces about her days as a youth and all the gentlemen callers she had. Tom invites a friend, Jim, from the factory over for dinner in hopes that he will be attracted to laura, the sister. What he doesn't know is that he is already engaged to get married. Jim does find inerest in Laura as he feels he can help be more social and give her confidence. They talk in the living room and he makes laura forget about her crippled leg. They kiss, but then he tells her that he is engaged, but that she should keep the confidence she had with him and act like that all the time. Then Tom's secret about leaving to join the merchant marines is revealed.
At the end of the play, the crowd gave a standign ovation for a good 5 minutes. This play shined a light on somehting I wasn't really interested in or had much experience with. After the play I was very surprised at how much I enjoyed it. It helped broaden my writing and language ability as I was required to write a theatre report analyzing the play.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Feeder 3.1 - Draft
Many people have different views on what the south is and what it means to live there. In Tony Horwitz's book, Confederates in the Attic, the south is portrayed as a place where the racial divide is still dictating everyday life. He only writes about his encounters with the most extreme southerners whether they be black or white. His recordings are not an accurate representation of the average southern experience. The Coen Brothers do a much better job illustrating southern beliefs in their movie "O Brother Where Art Thou." The movie doesn't just cover the extreme confederates, but also lets the viewer see the non-extremist southerners.
The Coen Brothers give more than one persons opinion on certain southern issues, namely race. For example, when the Soggy Bottom Boys went to sing on the radio for money, the radio voice wanted to know if they were black because he wasn't going to let them sing if they were. It makes it obvious that the man doesn't think highly of blacks, but it's clear he wouldn't be in the groups that Horwitz encounters. On the opposite side, the three escaped prisoners have to problem with blacks as they befriend one they picked up off the side of the road. Not only did they give him a ride, but when they saw the KKK about to kill him, they stepped up and risked their lives to save his. Of course, the Coen Brothers do show the extreme southerners with the scene just mentioned with the KKK. This movie also provides a little history lesson as it is set in Mississippi in the 1930's. This is important because equal rights has not yet been achieved and so it was common, as portrayed in the movie, for politicians and high-standing members of society to be in the KKK. There's more southern history in the movie than just the racial divide. The fact that the three escapees were in search of "treasure" that Clooney had hidden hits on the fact that people were struggling financially after the Great Depression and also hints at the "American Dream" that is a goal for so many. Also, they way that Clooney's wife divorced him and how she told her children is important because it touches on the domestic south. She tells her children that their father was hit by a train and that he wasn't "bonified" enough to be their father anyway.
The image of the south that is portrayed in Horwitz's book is quite different than that of the Coen Brothers. In the chapter "Cats of the Confederacy", Horwitz's first encounter in Salisbury, North Carolina is with a black man named Jim O'Connor. Their conversation alludes to the south being cleared of all racial tension because Mr. O'Connor says that he was surprised that he was "treated like a normal human being" when he moved to Salisbury. It then takes a turn in the opposite direction when Horwitz talks about the UDC and SCV groups in the South. At first these groups come across as just having southern pride and were mainly for people who wanted to learn about their family history, but after he got to know the members and attended some meetings, it became clear that they weren't only interested in their history, but also the beliefs that their ancestors held and fought for. The war wasn't just an occasional hobby for many of these people, but more like a part-time job. One man that Horwitz meets in an old gun shop is dying of leukemia and is spending his last few months learning his family's war history and attending those type meetings. Horwitz doesn't do a good job getting information from both sides of the racial debate as he spent most of his time with the white war buffs. The really only information given about the blacks perspective was from Michael King, a black preacher, who said how the confederate statues scattered around the town are offensive because they basically mean that they honor the men who fought for the suppression of colored people. The information given by Horwitz is correct, but not an accurate interpretation of most southerners.
Both the Coen Brothers' and Horwitz's visions of the south are correct in their own way and commonly highlight similar southern aspects. They both agree that there is a racial divide that exists, but the Coen Brothers do a better job of showing all parts of the spectrum, not just the two extremes. Obviously the purpose of Horwitz's book was to record the things he encountered, and that influenced his un-balanced accounts. However, he only went to places that housed extreme racial views so thats all he encountered. The disadvantage of the Coen Brothers movie is that it portrays a time that racism was common since the equal rights amendment didn't exist yet. The movie did, however, give a better picture as to what living in the south would be like as long as the seventy year time difference was accounted for.
The Coen Brothers give more than one persons opinion on certain southern issues, namely race. For example, when the Soggy Bottom Boys went to sing on the radio for money, the radio voice wanted to know if they were black because he wasn't going to let them sing if they were. It makes it obvious that the man doesn't think highly of blacks, but it's clear he wouldn't be in the groups that Horwitz encounters. On the opposite side, the three escaped prisoners have to problem with blacks as they befriend one they picked up off the side of the road. Not only did they give him a ride, but when they saw the KKK about to kill him, they stepped up and risked their lives to save his. Of course, the Coen Brothers do show the extreme southerners with the scene just mentioned with the KKK. This movie also provides a little history lesson as it is set in Mississippi in the 1930's. This is important because equal rights has not yet been achieved and so it was common, as portrayed in the movie, for politicians and high-standing members of society to be in the KKK. There's more southern history in the movie than just the racial divide. The fact that the three escapees were in search of "treasure" that Clooney had hidden hits on the fact that people were struggling financially after the Great Depression and also hints at the "American Dream" that is a goal for so many. Also, they way that Clooney's wife divorced him and how she told her children is important because it touches on the domestic south. She tells her children that their father was hit by a train and that he wasn't "bonified" enough to be their father anyway.
The image of the south that is portrayed in Horwitz's book is quite different than that of the Coen Brothers. In the chapter "Cats of the Confederacy", Horwitz's first encounter in Salisbury, North Carolina is with a black man named Jim O'Connor. Their conversation alludes to the south being cleared of all racial tension because Mr. O'Connor says that he was surprised that he was "treated like a normal human being" when he moved to Salisbury. It then takes a turn in the opposite direction when Horwitz talks about the UDC and SCV groups in the South. At first these groups come across as just having southern pride and were mainly for people who wanted to learn about their family history, but after he got to know the members and attended some meetings, it became clear that they weren't only interested in their history, but also the beliefs that their ancestors held and fought for. The war wasn't just an occasional hobby for many of these people, but more like a part-time job. One man that Horwitz meets in an old gun shop is dying of leukemia and is spending his last few months learning his family's war history and attending those type meetings. Horwitz doesn't do a good job getting information from both sides of the racial debate as he spent most of his time with the white war buffs. The really only information given about the blacks perspective was from Michael King, a black preacher, who said how the confederate statues scattered around the town are offensive because they basically mean that they honor the men who fought for the suppression of colored people. The information given by Horwitz is correct, but not an accurate interpretation of most southerners.
Both the Coen Brothers' and Horwitz's visions of the south are correct in their own way and commonly highlight similar southern aspects. They both agree that there is a racial divide that exists, but the Coen Brothers do a better job of showing all parts of the spectrum, not just the two extremes. Obviously the purpose of Horwitz's book was to record the things he encountered, and that influenced his un-balanced accounts. However, he only went to places that housed extreme racial views so thats all he encountered. The disadvantage of the Coen Brothers movie is that it portrays a time that racism was common since the equal rights amendment didn't exist yet. The movie did, however, give a better picture as to what living in the south would be like as long as the seventy year time difference was accounted for.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Auto - Dying for Dixie
Ever since second grade I have gone to private schools that were majority whites. The were a few blacks, but no one discriminated against them. I'm sure a few of the white students didn't like them because of the beliefs they grew up with, but they didn't disrespect them and just went about their business. Alot of my friends and people i went to high school with fall under the "redneck" connotation. They love their big trucks and hunting, etc. It was very common to see someone walking around with clothes that acknowledged the confederate flag, and no one had a problem with it, or atleast didn't voice one. This is probably due to the fact that there were very few blacks, but they didn't seem to mind. I'm just assuming they didn't seem to mind because they didn't express any feelings about it, but I don't know for sure. This school was about a twenty five minute drive from my home so the things I encountered at school and in my hometown were alot different. Parties that people in my high school had were all white, not because they were racists, but because they didn't know any black people. On the other hand, in my hometown all the kids went to a big public high school so their parties had both blacks and whites. I never heard of any fights starting at that school because of a confederate flag or a malcom x shirt. Obviously Guthrie is alot more divided maybe because so much emphasis is placed on the flag and everyone there has a different idea of what it means which causes problems between the different beliefs. I honestly don't have a particular connotation of what it means, but I don't think it should be the root of violence. Everyones beliefs should be respected whether its the confederate flag or malcom x. People will do what others around them do and what they are taught and see in their parents. If good role models began downplaying the significance of the confederate flag in Guthrie I'm sure violence would subside greatly. The influence of everyones associates inevitably makes people do what they do.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Response to Dixie
After reading the Dying for Dixie chapter, I was shocked at how intense the racial problem is in Guthrie. The people that the author encounters are very extreme in their beliefs. Like the people with literature road-blocks that were dressed up and sharing their pamphlets trying to recruit members that were on their way out of church. They were bragging about the positions their kids were in in the group and showed how important this type of life was for them. I also found it crazy that a man was murdered becasue his truck had a confederate flag on it. I would have to believe that something more than just the flag provoked the shooters to follow and shoot at the man. This chapter also showed that some of the extremists just didn't like anybody that didn't have the same beliefs as them. Like the guy in the bar that ripped the authors sleeve just because he was asking questions about their views.
This chapter also brought to view the extreme importance of the confederate flag for many southerners, or atleast many southerners in the Guthrie area. Parents were threatening to withold their tax money and withdraw their children from school because the school board was going to change the mascot from two cartoons holding confederate flags to just an outline of the county. Also, the death of the young man brought many people to the area from many different groups such as SVC and NAACP to record what happens, help to family, and make him a martyr. They buried him with soldiers who died in the world wars and gave him the same type gravestone to symbol that the war hasn't ended, but just subsided a little and suggesting that they think it will rise again.
I found this chapter much more racists than the first, but it was interesting to read how people take the confederacy to the extreme.
This chapter also brought to view the extreme importance of the confederate flag for many southerners, or atleast many southerners in the Guthrie area. Parents were threatening to withold their tax money and withdraw their children from school because the school board was going to change the mascot from two cartoons holding confederate flags to just an outline of the county. Also, the death of the young man brought many people to the area from many different groups such as SVC and NAACP to record what happens, help to family, and make him a martyr. They buried him with soldiers who died in the world wars and gave him the same type gravestone to symbol that the war hasn't ended, but just subsided a little and suggesting that they think it will rise again.
I found this chapter much more racists than the first, but it was interesting to read how people take the confederacy to the extreme.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Me and the south
I was born and raised in the south as I grew up in eastern north carolina. I have gone to private school since second grade that have been pre-dominantly white. Many of the people I went to high school with would fall under the stereotype of red-necks, but none of them act in racist manners. By red-neck stereotype: I mean they hunt, have trucks with tires and loud exhaust, wear jeans and boots, and have a southern accent. None of my friends worship the confederacy and praise the confederate cause. Even though I have lived in thes outh my whole life I don't hunt, but that doesn't make me any less southern.
Since I've been to college I have met all different kinds of people incluing different kinds of southerners. I don't have a problem with any of these different people, but I have grouped myself with other southerners from eatern north caroilina in the selection of my fraternity. Since I'm not a minority in the south I don't know what that would be like, but I know it would be unpleasant and so I make sure that I don't treat anyone different because of the color of their skin, since after all color is only skin deep. Overall, I'm very pleased with my experience living in the south, obviously i can't compare it to living anywhere else because this is the only place I've lived, but I can't imagine living anywhere else.
Since I've been to college I have met all different kinds of people incluing different kinds of southerners. I don't have a problem with any of these different people, but I have grouped myself with other southerners from eatern north caroilina in the selection of my fraternity. Since I'm not a minority in the south I don't know what that would be like, but I know it would be unpleasant and so I make sure that I don't treat anyone different because of the color of their skin, since after all color is only skin deep. Overall, I'm very pleased with my experience living in the south, obviously i can't compare it to living anywhere else because this is the only place I've lived, but I can't imagine living anywhere else.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Response to reading
After reading the chapter from Confederates in the Attic I was shocked to believe that people devote their lives and all spare time to learning and praising the Confederates and their ancestors who participated in the Civil War. I have live in the South my whole life, I have played sports in the town of Salisbury, I went to a high-school that was predominantly southern heritage whites, but I have never met anyone as obsessed with the war as the people in this chapter. I don't doubt that these types of people do exist, but i think the chapter doesn't do a good job making it known that they only make up a small portion of the population. I don't have a problem with people having celebrations and meetings to honor the confederates as long as they don't make it a public event and interupt the lives of people not involved in that kind of society. I like the fact that the writer got the opinion of the other side of the spectrum to help keep his opinion unbiased. It seems as though the writer gave more consideration to the confederate people, but if you think about it the chapter was on the confedrates and the last few pages were just to see what the other side thought about how they acted.
Many people in this chapter are too focused on their history rather than their future. For instance the guy who was dying lof leukemia, he was using his last few months to learn more about the confederacy. If I was on my last few months, I would be enjoying life with my family not spitting tobacco in an old gun shop talking about the Civil War. I'm not saying its unimportant for students and people to learn and know about the civil war, I just think the people in this chapter are taking it a little too far, I know they don't feel the same way, but agree to disagree.
Many people in this chapter are too focused on their history rather than their future. For instance the guy who was dying lof leukemia, he was using his last few months to learn more about the confederacy. If I was on my last few months, I would be enjoying life with my family not spitting tobacco in an old gun shop talking about the Civil War. I'm not saying its unimportant for students and people to learn and know about the civil war, I just think the people in this chapter are taking it a little too far, I know they don't feel the same way, but agree to disagree.
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