Proceed and Be Bold

The documentary Proceed and Be Bold is about an African American man named Amos Paul Kennedy Jr. On the outside appearance Amos would appear to be an uneducated southern farmer. However, underneath his pink button up shirt and overalls is an educated former business man who gave up the business life in order that he might live his dream; his dream of owning his own printing press.

Amos' printing press is not any ordinary printing press. His style of printing is what any person would consider a work of art. Each poster that Amos printed has a bolded statement or word on the front in order to capture his audiences attention. This bolded statement or word speaks of Amos' opinion upon whichever issue he addresses and tries to get his audience to look at that issue in a whole new light. The fact that he is  willing to put his opinions in the public eye and not be afraid of what others will think is very inspiring to me.

Although, I may not agree with all of his opinions, I do agree that we all can make a difference through the little things we do and that we should make our voice heard.

While watching the movie I felt that many of Amos' ideas were extreme, however, the message he is sending through his actions is bold. This is a man gave up his career in order that he might live his dream.I would imagine that Amos would have made much more continuing on with his previous career path as a business man, but living his dream was much more important. I believe this message is stronger than any poster that Amos could have ever printed. I believe that we should not worry about what the world thinks of us and that we should pursue our dreams: even if it means wearing a pink shirt and overalls. Our dreams are what make us, and as said in the movie, it is not a sacrifice if you are loving what you are doing. Live your dream.

Works Cited:

Proceed and Be Bold. Dir. Laura Zinger. Perf. Amos Paul Kennedy Jr. 2008. Web.

Vietnam

We are again educated by a photo taken by Sebastio Salgado found in his book Migrations on page 345. This photo shows a Vietnamese man with two framed photographs. One of them is of him in his younger years, dressed in his military attire, and with his medals clearly visible. The other photograph is of his wife who had passed away years previous. The man's face gives the evidence of the life he has lived, full of trials and hardship. He is an older man who gives the impression to the viewer that he posses knowledge only experience can give.

In 1954 war erupted in Vietnam. This war was between northern Vietnam  southern Vietnam. The north was wanting to unify the country under a communist rule, while the south fought against it, along with her ally, the United States. At the peak of the war in 1969, there were over 500,000 American soldiers in Vietnam fighting. Then in 1973 Richard Nixon ordered the American troops to come home. It wasn't long after ( in 1975) that the north took over the country making it a communist government. It is estimated that over 3 million people were killed in the Vietnam war, more than half of them being civilians.

 As stated earlier, one of the photos the older man is holding is of him when he was younger in his military uniform. This photo was taken when he was in the Vietnam war, fighting against the American troops. The medals on his uniform make it obvious that he was a good solider. However, despite the fact of him being a strong solider and being on the "winning team", his face is still a face of solemnity. This face of solemnity I believe illustrates the after effects of war. The after effects of war are most often emotionally scarring to a country and its population, as I have stated many times in this blog. Even though this man was a decorated solider, and fought on the side that eventually claimed the victory, he was still suffering from the effects of war, and the loss of his wife. As there are many reasons that different nations go to war, some justified others not, I would hope that we would support our troops in whatever global conflict they may be involved in. Remember that they aren't the ones who started the war, and yet they often are the ones who suffer with the greatest emotional harm.

Salgado, Sebastião, and Lélia Wanick. Salgado. Migrations: Humanity in Transition. New York:    Aperture, 2000. 345 Print.


Salgado, Sebastião, and Lélia Wanick. Salgado. Migrations: Humanity in Transition. (Pamphlet) New York:    Aperture, 2000. 26  Print.


"Vietnam War." http://www.history.com. History . Web. 14 Nov 2013.

Abandoned Babies

One of the most intriguing and symbolic photos I have seen this year is found in the book Migrations by Sebastio Salgado. This photo shows dozens of babies on the roof of a FEBEM center. And in the middle of the page we one baby sitting on a high chair. Where did all of these babies come from? Why are they there? These are children who have been abandoned by their families. 35% of these children were found abandoned on the city streets of Sao Paulo, while the rest were delivered up by their parents to the center FEBEM.
There are two very interesting insights I find about this photo. First, we need to realize that there are children out there who are in need. There are children out there who have been abandoned. Maybe they still live at home and have not been abandoned physically by their parents, but they have still been abandoned by their parents. Poor relationships between a child and their parents lead to complex problems such ad substance abuse, crime, and emotional challenges. Where in this photo these children have been physically abandoned, we see this issue each day of children who have been emotionally abandoned by their parents. The problem is still the same. In both cases neither child gets to know their parents.
The second insight I found interesting was of the baby in the high chair. With dozens of babies on the ground, we have only one in a chair, away from the chaos. I feel this represents those who are well off in the world. I feel this most likely represents you and me. We sit on our "high chair" of comfort in the world but away from it at the same time. We can see from our position those who are struggling on the ground and from our "high chair" we cant do anything about it, or we choose not to. Let us choose to help those who are crawling on the ground by helping those who have been abondend. Being placed on the "high chair" gives us that opportunity to help them.


Salgado, Sebastião, and Lélia Wanick. Salgado. Migrations: Humanity in Transition. New York:    Aperture, 2000. 314-315 Print.
Salgado, Sebastião, and Lélia Wanick. Salgado. Migrations: Humanity in Transition. (Pamphlet) New York:    Aperture, 2000. 23-24 Print.

Left To Tell

This unbelievable story captures the emotions of the Rwandan genocide. The author of the book succeeds in relating her story by using her personal experience of the genocide. Her experiences are about everyday life such as school work, family, and boys. She is just an everyday human being who is about to experience a nightmare--the genocide.

  Each evening as I read this book I found myself having trouble putting it down. I wanted to read more and more. Knowing what happened next consumed my mind.  Where this book doesn't focus on the politics or the whole reason why the genocide happened, it really captures what happened to the "everyday" Rwandan. This book really changed my perspective that even the best of people can do stupid things if they put themselves in a wrong situation. It also helped me understand that even in such tragic times there will always be good human beings to fight the evil of the world. This book highlights those individuals who help hide and protect the targeted Rwandans.

One last element of the book is the author’s hope in God. This hope is what sustained her through the genocide and helped her learn to forgive. Whether you believe in God or not her belief in God is very thought provoking and character building. Her beliefs and ideas can help change anyone in a positive way by giving them hope for the future. If a person  needs a boost, or a book that will help them appreciate life, I would highly recommend LEFT TO TELL. This is not an easy book to read; in fact it is very difficult to get through each page because of the high emotion and detail given by the author. However, I would not hesitate in saying that it will change whoever reads it. It helped change me in the understanding of hope and forgiveness. By speaking about her personal experience I believe it can help anyone who is looking for a change in life.

Civil War in Mozambique

War not only affects those involved but also everyone around them. In the book Migrations by Sebastio Salgado on page 238, we see a group of women who have been affected by the traumatic experiences of war. These women have fled civil war in their country, Mozambique, to neighboring country Malawi ("Malawi").  In this photo we see a group of women with their arms held out holding a knives. Their eyes are looking up and it is obvious that this is some form of tribal ritual. These women are performing an exorcism on their husbands who had passed away during a civil war that plagued Mozambique for over 18 years. These women come from both sides of the conflict; their husbands fought for either the rebels of the government. In the pamphlet that goes with Migrations it says: They had to free themselves from the spirits of a nightmarish war that lasted 18 years (16). Only after this ceremony could these women coexist together after such a horrific conflict.

I believe the lasting memories of war are far more detrimental than the actual war itself. Where war is never a good thing, what comes after seems to reveal the real the horror of war. The process of mourning is not always immediate, comes after the tragedy, and almost always lingers for a period of time. Where each of us have a different way of coping with mourning, It doesn't always mean it is easy. For this group of women they result to religious practice to give them comfort. Whether you find comfort in religion during times of crisis or not, there still is period of time that is required to mourn. Mourning can be a lonely process. However, like these women, if we choose to befriend those who are going through this mourning process it eases the pain. I think these women give us a great example by going from enemies to friends to help each other during such difficult times.


Works Cited:

"Malawi." Infoplease. Infoplease, 2012. Web. 31 Oct. 2013.

Salgado, Sebastião, and Lélia Wanick. Salgado. Migrations: Humanity in Transition. New York:    Aperture, 2000. 238 Print.

Salgado, Sebastião, and Lélia Wanick. Salgado. Migrations: Humanity in Transition. (Pamphlet) New York:    Aperture, 2000. 16 Print.

Salgado: Rwandan Genocide (part 2)

For this weeks post, I will continue speaking about the Rwandan genocide and its scarring effects. On page 206 in Migrations by Salgado, we see a picture of an abandoned room. It is an old room with one window, nothing on the walls, and rocks on the floor. As you look at the picture closer you notice that the rubble on the floor isn't rubble at all, but it is the remains of human bodies. What happened here? During the Rwandan genocide in 1994, this former school house was used as a room to harness Tutsi's in a confined area. With them confined in this room it made them easy targets for the Hutu killers. Their remains are shown in this picture, unburied and untouched.

While looking at this photo I think Salgado captures a real moral message. The location of this incident truly speaks a thousand words; this was a former school house. This was once a location for learning and enlightenment. History has shown that when humans turn to their worst, enlightenment and knowledge turns dark and baron: much like school house in the photo. It is our duty to make sure that we use our enlightenment for good, and not for evil. Knowledge is a gift. Not a gift for our benefit, but rather for the benefit of others. It is my prayer that we use this knowledge to act for the better, and help others as we all continue down life's path.

Salgado, Sebastião, and Lélia Wanick. Salgado. Migrations: Humanity in Transition. New York:    Aperture, 2000. 206-207 Print.

Salgado, Sebastião, and Lélia Wanick. Salgado. Migrations: Humanity in Transition. (Pamphlet) New York:    Aperture, 2000. 13 Print.

Rwandan Genocide

This next post may seem a bit dark, but what happened was still fact. On page 20 of Salgado's book Migrations, we see a wrecked truck with dead bodies surrounding it. If you look further into the photo you will see small specks on the bodies. These small specks are flies, meaning that these bodies have been lying on the side of the road for quite some time. What was it that happened it? It was the Rwandan genocide.  To be short, in 1994 the government in Rwanda was controlled by the Hutu tribe. This dominant Hutu government ordered that every individual who belonged to the Tutsi tribe be killed. What was their crime? Being a living Tutsi. Over the next several months it is estimated that over one million Rwandans were slaughtered from these blood thirsty human beings. This particular photo is showing a highway with Tutsi corpses on each side.

 This inexcusable act which was committed in human history cannot be taken back, however we can learn from it. I believe that mankind wants to do good, and that each and every one of us have a special light within out hearts that gives us this desire to be good people. I also think that it is easy to smother this light if we are not careful. History has shown that even the best of people can smother this light if they are exposed to enough evil. Where it is difficult to imagine that mankind is capable of such genocides, mankind is also capable of doing so much good. It is my hope that mankind will not sit back and watch genocide or evil in any form take over, but that we will keep this light burning in the heart of humanity.

Salgado, Sebastião, and Lélia Wanick. Salgado. Migrations: Humanity in Transition. New York:    Aperture, 2000. 100-101 Print.

Salgado, Sebastião, and Lélia Wanick. Salgado. Migrations: Humanity in Transition. (Pamphlet) New York:    Aperture, 2000. 7 Print.

Salgado Post

Salgado captures our attention once again from a photo on page 100 in his book Migrations. This photo shows a woman and her child holding up pictures of their husband and father. Before this photo was taken this was a happy family, with a father at the head of the household. Then on July 31, 1983 all of this changed when Iraqi troops arrived in their village and took away every husband and father. The families of these men had no idea where they took them. They had no idea if they would be returning, why they took them, or even if they were still alive. The only thing that they have now is hope. According to Muslim law they cannot remarry, so now they just continue their lives. They continue their lives with such a huge piece missing from their lives.

When I looked at this picture it reminded me of hope. It made me think that as terrible as this incident was, they still had hope in these men. This hope could range from hoping that these men were still alive, to hoping that they would see them again in the next life. I also was reminded of remembrance. I believe that both hope and remembrance are related. When we hope for something then we never forget it. The memory is always with us, giving us light that tomorrow will be better than today. I believe this mother and daughter are remembering their husband/father by keeping hope. This hope is represented through photos or memories. It is hope that  they will one day (in this life or the next) feel a warm embrace from husband/father again.



Works Cited:Salgado, Sebastião, and Lélia Wanick. Salgado. Migrations: Humanity in Transition. New York:    Aperture, 2000. 100-101 Print.

Salgado, Sebastião, and Lélia Wanick. Salgado. Migrations: Humanity in Transition. (Pamphlet) New York:    Aperture, 2000. 7 Print.

WASTELAND

Wasteland is a documentary that follows world famous photographer Vik Muniz to one of the worlds largest landfills, Jardim Gramacho. At this large landfill are workers (pickers), who find recyclable goods among the garbage which they can sell for money. Vik Muniz uses his skills as a photographer to capture images of the pickers, and using garbage from the landfill, turn these images into a work of art. After selling these images Vik Muniz donates all of the proceeds to the pickers organization in Jardim Gramacho.

The emotional appeal in which this movie uses  comes as we see the kind of lives in which the pickers live. They are ordinary people who have just run into back luck. The movie shows that these pickers have lives and feelings. They have families who they need to support, dreams that they wish to live up to, and hope for a better future for themselves and for their posterity.  

I really liked how the movie showed that each of us have feelings, families and hope. It did this by going into a few of the pickers personal lives. By going into their personal lives it gave me as the viewer a greater sense of sympathy towards them, but also a desire to help others around me. Another powerful message which the movie portrayed was about the power of one. This is illustrated when one of the older pickers says, "99 is not 100."I think in today's society we think of one not being that big of a deal. We often will say to ourselves, "I am only one person" or "It's just one more." The quote "99 is not 100" shows power and meaning by saying that we need everyone and their all the effort, and that our contribution to the world and society whether it be good or bad is still significant.

If you would like to see Wasteland, you can view it on hulu at:  http://www.hulu.com/watch/397079

Jade Maiwan Avenue

                 
                                     

                                                                      (Salgado 74)                                    

http://fotojournalismus.tumblr.com/post/18668885505/the-once-prestigious-jade-maiwan-avenue-kabul

For two years I lived in the south of England, with its beautiful green hills dotted with ruined castles once inhabited by knights. Many of those castles date over a thousand years old. When I saw this photo in Salgado's book, Migrations, that is what I thought I was looking at, a ruined castle that had to have been destroyed long ago. However this wasn't the case. This was "the once-prestigious Jade Maiwan Avenue" in Kabul, Afghanistan (Salgado Pamphlet 6). 

Those who led normal lives like you and I inhabited this once populated area of the city. What was it that leveled this area of the city to ruins? Civil wars.  These civil wars were driven because of the desire for power between two major groups, known as the Taliban and the United Front, and as a result leaving many homeless, jobless, and hopeless (II. AFGHAN.).  

 For me when I have think of war and it’s after effects it often seems that war is due to selfishness. I know this is not always the case, and in many instances it is necessary to go to war, however I do believe that a government or group, should do everything they can to resolve the conflict before war becomes an option. This photograph only captures a glimpse of what really happened here, but what it really captures is the after effects of what war does to society. The after effects of war, I believe, are far more detrimental then the war itself.  To me it is like when we make an unwise decision, and it is only at after that we see the consequences and feel its affects. Thinking before doing is critical, and if we only act upon selfish impulses then our actions will not just affect ourselves, but also those who are around us as well.

Works Cited

II. AFGHANISTAN'S CIVIL WARS." Crisis of Impunity. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2013.

Salgado, Sebastião, and Lélia Wanick. Salgado. Migrations: Humanity in Transition. New York:    Aperture, 2000. 74 Print.

Salgado, Sebastião, and Lélia Wanick. Salgado. Migrations: Humanity in Transition. (Pamphlet) New York:    Aperture, 2000. 6 Print.

Linda Simmons

Yesterday I had the opportunity of attending a lecture by Linda Simmons on BYU campus. Linda serves currently as a full time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, along with her husband. She, a long with many other women (many of which are elderly), make kits for women and children who are fleeing unfortunate circumstances such as abuse.

I had invited a friend to this lecture and I wasn't quite sure what to expect. Once Linda Simmons was introduced, she stood up the first thing I noticed was her missionary name tag. This obviously stood out to everyone, but to me it perk my interest because I knew (after having served as a missionary) that anyone who wore that badge had a message of importance. I thought that I had come to an information lecture of what it was her organization did, but instead I felt like it was more of a fireside. She not only told us what she and her organization did, but she also quoted apostles, told us the miracles she had seen, and explained how God's hand was helping their efforts.

Her theme was "The future is as bright as your faith" (Monson). This came from a quote that LDS prophet Thomas S. Monson said in April 2009. I felt that she tied this into her lecture in two ways. First, she tied it into the lives of those who were fleeing persecution to whom they would give the kits to. Depending on the individual, the age, and gender, the kits would have blankets, toothpaste, stuffed animals, or remote control cars. However, in every kit there was a letter and the essence of that letter spoke of hope and the love which God has for each of His children. Their future is only as bright as their faith. Another way in which she tied this theme in, was how the organization would trust in God. When times would get stressful, like they were running low on certain supplies or if things weren't working out just right, they always placed their trust in God. They knew that if they prayed as if all was relying on God, and worked as if everything were relying upon them, then the Lord would provide.


As I have stated earlier, I loved this lecture! Both my friend and I walked away inspired. The fact that it wasn't just a lecture or information dump, but a spiritual boost really helped inspire me. To know small things bring about great results. That we really can make a difference wherever we are and that this is real happiness. To you reading this blog, I would encourage you to make the difference in others lives, whether this be in your local community, church, or in friendships. The main theme that came to our (my friend and I) heads over and over again was to think less of ourselves and more of others. It was a good reminder of what God has taught me throughout my life, and that is that joy does not come from serving your self needs constantly, but from serving others consistently.


Works Cited:

Monson, Thomas S. "Be of Good Cheer - General-conference." Be of Good Cheer - General-conference. N.p., Apr. 2009. Web. 19 Sept. 2013.

Salgado Photo Journal

As a part of writing class at BYU (the local university I attend), we are posting blogs on photos of which were taken by a man named, Sebastiao Salgado. These photos have a lot to deal with refugees and the poverty in which the world is stricken with. These photos are very moving and emotional. If you any desire to view these photos I would suggest looking more into Sebastiao Salgado and his work, and also taking a look at his book, Migrations. 

In his book Migrations, by Sebastiao Salgado, we see this picture:

                             










U.S. -Mexico Border (Salgado 28)

I have always been one who is more conservative than most individuals, however one of the few issues that I still don't know my stance on is immigration. Each time this is brought up with me (because I enjoy talking about politics) I am not quite sure what to say. The main reason that I am hesitant to go the conservative way is because I believe borders are man made, and not God made.  I believe that those who are seeking a better life and coming to our country are doing exactly what each and every one of us would do if we were in their shoes, and not only that but what each and everyone of us are doing today, and that is securing a better future for ourselves but also for our posterity.
When I saw this picture it brought these emotions to me once again. Words that describe this picture to me are: envy, dreams, and hope. The body language in which each of these men have as the peer through the hole of the wall to a better life is heart breaking. Would we not do the same if we were in their shoes? How can we judge another when our actions reflect theirs.
As I studied briefly on the subject I read how many cross the border each day in hope of a better life. In an article in which I read by PBS, they quoted a smuggler who said,  “The smuggling people business, the pollero business, will stop only when there are no borders... Unless you can stop poverty or hunger, it will never stop, because people will always want to help their families. Doesn’t matter how tall the wall is, they will just dig a hole then.  So you will never stop people getting across [into] the United States" (PBS). 

This statement rung true in my ears. It brought to mind that there will never be an end to "illegal immigration" until poverty is fixed, and we are all treated as God would treat us. It is my hope that we when we see these immigrants come to the United States that we won't judge them immediately, but that we will treat them as we would want to be treated if we were in their shoes, because I believe we would do the same thing as them. 





Works Cited:

PBS. "Mexico: Crimes at the Border." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 17 Sept. 2013.

Salgado, Sebastião, and Lélia Wanick. Salgado. Migrations: Humanity in Transition. New York:    Aperture, 2000. Print.

"God Grew Tired of Us"

I believe that throughout our lives there are defining events that shape who we are today. These events can range from big and noticeable, such as serving a mission, to something smaller like receiving a good grade on an assignment that you put so much energy into. Whatever the event is for you, I believe that these moments in our lives stand out because our heart has experienced a change for the better. I experienced one such event when I watched the movie, "God Grew Tired of Us", a movie about the lost boys of Sudan.

I did not go into the movie expecting it to be a bore. On the contrary, I was rather excited. I did however experience a much stronger change of heart than I expected to that day. I believe this is because of the emotion that was emphasized in this film, such as visual photos of the suffering these men went through, while walking across the desert from one country, only to be driven out and forced to migrate to another. Other men telling their stories of being only eleven years old and seeing their father shot in the midst of this conflict in Sudan. Then to see their story of their immigration to America, contribute to society, earn money, and use that to help their brothers back in Sudan, was truly amazing. Hearing their story of sorrow, but seeing their future to success only inspired me. When comparing what they had in Sudan, to what I have here only drove the message further into my heart. What do I have compared to them? I have everything. I have a family I see often, food each night, shelter to sleep in, a country that wants me here, and much more. So why do I have the right to complain? The answer is simple, I don't.

This movie pulled at my emotional heartstrings. With each story of each lost boy I would think to myself, "Michael, look at what you have been blessed with. Now go and return the favor to the less fortunate." I would call it a spiritual experience, others may say it was just my head, but I know what I felt was the need for me to change. I don't consider myself a selfish person, but to feel that I have so much and to see someone who has so little is truly humbling. Through emotional persuasion this movie caused me to decide to do what I have been taught my whole life, serve others.

If you would like to watch the movie please visit: http://www.hulu.com/watch/294405