Reading Response 14

       All the things we discussed about Jerusalem is about its religion, political, and It is stereotypical image of Jerusalem. However, finishing looked through the websites’ link, it provided a new image of Jerusalem for me. It is about life. I couldn’t say I totally had changed my mind about Jerusalem, but at least there is new perspective coming up.

I am enjoying like the blogger of the Jerusalem Open House. One of blog’s name is “Ani lo mdeberet ivrit!”. To be honest, I don’t know what it is, but the attitude of the blog is optimistic. Especially, in the blogger, it talked about a person named Jay. He said that “the Scripture supports the acceptance of gay people.” This viewpoint is interesting, so I think I would try to borrow the book, God vs. Gay? to read. What’s more, it discussed about The Wizard of Oz in the topic of gay icon. I think it might create a new memory of my childhood.

With knowing a number of organizations supporting for LGBTQ people, and try to help them, it is expressive. As I know, religion doesn’t admit the relationship between people of same gender. However, I don’t know very much. All the things I heard about is from my friend. In this way, I really want to know more about it.

Reading Response 13

     I like two stories written by Suad Amiry, even if lots of times I don’t know the meaning of some calling, such as the Israeli Civil Administration. However, the way she written about her life experience under the occupation is objective but ironically. 

The first story is about gas mask literarily. In fact, I think it is about the way Israel government treating Palestinian. It reminds me of the movie, the Schindler List. How did Nazi lie to Jews, and try to put them into death camp. Innocent Jews went to the train that was taking them to the death camp. It similar but the ending is “much better”. The people who was in the bus came back to the home, but no one got gas mask except Israelis.

Then, the second story is about a dog, but it is not talking about the dog. It is about that a dog could get an Jerusalem passport easily, and how is it possible that Palestinian impossibly to get a Jerusalem passport. The story is funny but also makes people to think more about the reality. What kind of the government is? How is it possible that dog is more easier to get a passport than human being? Isn't ridiculous? No, it is not ridiculous. Everything is common in a ridiculous society.

Journal 4

      This journal is about discussing music, and what is music in our life. For me, it is really difficult to talk about it. To be honest, I really don’t know about music. Music is not an very important part in my life. Most of music I know is from my friends. This is to say if music really plays a role in my life, it is about friendship. From my perspective, people who know music must also be good at singing. Otherwise, it is just people like me who don’t know how to sing. I don’t know how to sing, so I don’t listen music a lot when I was in secondary school. The reason is that comparing to listen music, I am more preferring to read a book. However, things got changed when my friend introduce some famous singer to me. She told me, Qing, try it, you would love it. I tried, and actually, I found that music is not bad as I have thought about. It has some attractive part, and especially I really enjoy the words expressed with music. It is a new world to me. Thus, I begin to listen music after that. However, the most part I focus on music is not about the music, and it is lyric. The only reason I would like a song is based on lyric. In this way, even if I would listen music, but I think music is still a different world.

This is to say when I know the topic of this journal is really driving me ‘crazy.’ I don’t know how to answer questions, such as, “how does music help define who you are as a person?” I have never think about it, because music didn’t help define who I am. I don’t have talent about music, and music is not my thing.

Therefore, when discussing about David and Edward’s career, I really admire them. However, I couldn’t understand how music could help people in the conflicts. I like their perspective of the conflict, but for me, the most easiest way to solve the conflict is absolutely not about music. Music could play a role in the conflict, but it is only a small part of it. Because music is a entertaining way to enjoy life, it could not be a serious thing to solve the conflict. The problem between Israel and Plantain could not be solved by music, and people who are suffering hungry, poor and so on, could enjoy music and say that they are willing to make peace. This was not true. I think music can make a progress of the conflict, but solving the problem must rely on other things.

Reading Response 12

       I learned one thing from these articles, and it is that hip-hop music may help solve the problem between Israel and Palestine. It can play a role as education. 

In the first two articles, it talks about a movie, channels of rage. The movie is about two rappers, Kobi Shimoni and Tamer Nafer. They, as the most popular rap star in Israel, have the common aim in the stage that is, to solve the conflicts between Israel and Palestine in rap music. However, it is as the second said that the reality is too powerful. Even if two of them has good ideas, it is hard to take for a long time. In the end, they are separated.

Then, in the third article, it discusses about the background of the development of rapper music in Israel. We have been told that the rap music in Israel is a culture came from America. This is to say that they don’t have a culture thing in their rap music. The author believe it is dangerous since rap music could not simply present in a way without culture.

Then, I want to skip the link of subliminal. I have nothing to say about it, but I will focus on the last article that is about women.

I feel a strong connection with the last article. It is about how was rap music connected with woman rights. I really feel it is a good way to help developing the idea of woman rights. We alway say that education is important for everyone especially for children. However, I think music is also important. A lot of researches found that music plays an very important role in teenagers’ life. This is to say that if we could use music develop some good perspective, it may change teenagers’ idea. In this way, we may solve a lot of problems.

Reading Response 11

      The article I chose is called “Peace on the Fence? Israel’s Security Culture and the Separation Fence to the West Bank”. Obviously, this article discussed about Israel identity in the separation barrier. As we know, the separation barrier is a way to protect the new born country, Israel. Doing the research today, I found that a number of articles talk about the negative aspects of separation barrier. However, in this article, the author from historical perspective to discusses the separation barrier, and relate to today’s border conflicts. Then, It suggests what did it means to Israel society, and how does it affects Israel and Palestine relationship. I think it is interesting to mention that the opinion of this article about the separation barrier. The author believe that the separation barrier could make a peace in the future on the middle east, because the separation barrier could not be there forever. One day, Israel people and Palestinian will sit together to discuss about this problem. 

The reason I am so interesting of this article is related with my background. Most of people heard about the Great Wall. The Great Wall has been built for the same reason as the separation barrier. It was to prevent the invasion of people from North. At first, it played an important role of protecting Qin Dynasty from the invasion. However, it didn’t work very well, so Qin Dynasty was destroyed. Eventually, the following dynasty, Han Dynasty decided to build a good friendship with people from North, so here is coming, China. Even if there were still a lots of difficulties in this process in the following history, it still proved that the separation barrier could be a way to help solve the problem.

Reading Response 10

In the tenth reading response, I don't have much ideas about the article of Julie. It is interesting, and using graffiti, as an perspective researching national identity of Palestine is different. What's more, it is very objective. It discussed about the use of graffiti, people's idea about it and so on. There are not much personal ideas in this article, so I don't have a position to argue it. All the things I could remember from the article is how people communicating through graffiti, and different groups has different color in graffiti. However, I don't know things about graffiti still existing in Israel, but if it was, I couldn't wait to see it, and take a great number of pictures.

Then, I like the idea of new definition of nationalism in Noura's article. We always have problem in dealing with national identity of Palestine and Israel. However, if we could redefine these national identity, and create a new one, it would solve a lot of problems. It is a good solution. Nevertheless, there is a problem about this idea. It is how. How could we create a new idea of national identity in a conflict, such as Israel-Palestine. Palestinian and people living in Israel has been separated from the wall, so there is no way for them to communicate and create a common identity based on new country.  

Thus, I think the first way to solve this problem should be "the wall problem". 

outline of my final project

            My final project for this class would be attitude about Jerusalem between ‘me’and ‘my friends’. As I know, almost all of my friends tell the same statement when they know I am going to Jerusalem. It is that “Qing, you are insane.” So am I. Before learning about the city, I also believe that I am insane. However, I think it is a meaningful decision now with much better understanding about Jerusalem, so I am going to using video as a way to present my final project.

       I will first ask several questions to my friends about their attitude of Jerusalem. For example, “When knowing I am going to Jerusalem, what kind of idea you have? Can you explain about your idea?”

        Then, I will provide some information about Jerusalem. In the end of semester, I will use the same question to ask them.

       Thus, I will do the comparison between these two, and to show is it possible that information or education can change peoples’ attitude.

         In conclusion, my final project is about comparing attitude before knowing Jerusalem, and attitude after knowing it.