Wuthering Heights Anticipation

One of the statements in the anticipation guide was "Children are responsible for their parents mistakes". I think that this statement is false. Young children are innocent and do not know what proper conduct is or how to conduct themselves until they are taught to do so by their parents. Also, children often never have the power to correct their parents, in the case that they even realize that whatever actions their parents' are doing are wrong. In fact, I believe this statement is backwards; parents are responsible for their child's mistakes. From the time of birth, a child is lost and needs guidance to grow and evolve. If the parent's do not teach the child proper morals, manners, etc., it is the parent's responsibility for whatever evil actions the child commits. 

Another statement in the anticipation guide was "Revenge is justified when someone beats you or insults you on a daily basis". I thought this statement was totally false. I personally believe that you should not retaliate with "revenge" when someone mistreats you and adhere to the philosophy of an 'arm for an arm and a leg for a leg'. I believe that if you commit revenge on someone else, you are no different then them, as you are sinking down to their level to commit the act of revenge. These acts will eventually go on till someone is severely injured. Of course, I am not saying that you should just sit there and accept the insult or beatings, I am just suggesting that it is not proper to get revenge. My point is illustrated by famous Chinese philosopher who said, "Before you embark on a journey for revenge, dig two graves". Confucius say waaat?

My Comments to Others

Jesse

I totally agree with you that Malcolm has had a complete transformation in his style of thinking. As I discussed in my blog, it must have been really hard for Malcolm to completely change his view on the subject that he preached to millions of African Americans on fervently and passionately. Even though this was a colossal change in his life, Malcolm dealt with the change in his view remarkably well. I believe that this strength came from his experience hustling in the streets (for this required adaptability) and his spiritual experience in Mecca.  

I also whole-heartedly agree with you on the subject of auto-racism. No one should be called any offensive term that degrades their self or racial pride. I personally believe that people should be proud of whoever they are and should not call themselves or others offensive names. I found the link to the site very interesting. It if amazing how such a offensive term could come about just from the ignorance of the Ancient Greeks!

Allison

I both agree and disagree with you. First of all, I was not shocked at Malcolm's acceptance of the hospitality that he was shown. I felt that Malcolm would accept the hospitality that was shown to him for a couple of reasons. First of all, he was in the Holy Land...a place where everybody could be trusted without being hustled. Second of all, as Malcolm later stated, mostly all the people in Mecca were dark skinned; the white skinned people did not act with white superiority was did the whites in America. Also, I did not think that Malcolm was trying to teach the system. Malcolm stayed for a lot of time in the place provided for him and every one waiting for a audience to the Chief Musharaff.  

Also, I disagree with you on your observation that Mecca was not the place to relax. Mecca was a holy city that many came to in order to gain enlightenment and experience bliss. In the aspect that it was not the quietest, I agree with you. But I think it would do the city of Mecca injustice to call it a place of hostility. However, you are definitely right your observation that in most places where you go, the people are mean to you after you pass the chief province where revenue is collected. I had this same experience on my trip to Virginia. I also found the website to be very interesting. Great research and ideas!

Yuma

I personally feel the religion can bring much more benefit than good when it is utilized for the correct purposes. If religion is used to give you morals and make you a better person, it is being used for the correct purpose. But when it reaches a extremist point where people use the words of great men and twist them around (as is the case with extremist Islamic groups such as the Taliban), religion turns into an evil. 

I totally agree with you in stating that violence can NEVER be justified. The blog on terrorism that you linked to is also very interesting. In this article, the author states, "Understanding others (even those who will your destruction) can make them more human". I think that Malcolm was inadvertently doing exactly this after he reflected on his pilgrimage to Mecca. Very nice blog post and article!

Benny

I totally agree to your view on racism. In the times that Malcolm lived, racism was evident every where... in restaurants, in schools, on buses, etc. Malcolm was also wise to point out that all the oppressed African American's could have possessed great minds. Imagine if all those great minds were used in the service of this country intellectually instead of laboriously... where would we be today??? It is sad, but unconscious racism is present even today. I personally feel that humankind will have to go through a few more generations before unconscious racism is completely eliminated. It is only young minds fostered with ideals of equality that can lead to a world scot-free of any type of racism.  

P.S. Its really funny that we both linked to the same article and mentioned the same episode of Lie to Me! Great minds think alike!

Malcolm X Post V-Malcolm's New Experiences

Towards the end of the book, Malcolm's life totally changes. It is safe to say that he was totally unprepared for all the events which led to him going on the Hajj and the Hajj itself. If  I were Malcolm, I would be totally disappointed and crushed in my rejection by Elijah Muhammad, a man who I would have respected for over 10 years of my life. Malcolm definitely would have saw this coming if he did not so blindly follow the Nation of Islam with his soul and mind; so much, that he refused to acknowledge subliminal clues which indicated this event. Also, it was kind of ironic that Elijah Muhammad could drink and have affairs with his secretary and not be punished, while Malcolm was punished for saying "the chickens coming home to roost" (Haley 307). In fact, Malcolm's response to this event was "But believe me when I tell you this: for me even to consider believing anything as insane-sounding as any slightest implication of any immortal behavior of Mr. Muhammad-why, the very idea made me shake with fear" (Haley 301). When Malcolm did leave the Nation of Islam, he went to Mecca with funding from Ella, his sister. It was here, that he TRULY had new eye-opening experiences. I wonder, why must people go outside there normal residence and surround themselves with other people just to have a revelation about the true nature of things? Anyway, Malcolm experienced many new things on the way to Mecca. Merely on his flight there, he saw people of all races and colors in Mecca, which brought about his major revelation that it was possible for the members of the white race to truly care about the Black man. That single revelation alone changed his almost life-long philosophy that the white man was the devil and that he would also hurt, never help the African Americans. I can most closely relate Malcolm's experience to my life when I learned that there was no such thing as the tooth fairy. I was very sad, as this caused a change in the firm belief I had in the tooth fairy for three years. Of course, this no way impacted my life as was the event in Malcolm's life, but it did give me a experience in that I was deeply saddened about. In the airport in Mecca, Malcolm saw people talking many different languages and in different garbs. I can definitely relate to this. When I was eight years old, I was taken to India for the by my parents. In Frankfurt airport, I saw signs in German and saw people talking this weird language that I couldn't understand. I saw people that wore weird clothes and that wore straggly beards which made them look like a monster (sorry, no offense). Frankly, I was scared and in awe at the same time. I saw many different types of clothes that I never saw before, like traditional clothes from Japan and Africa. On this site, there is a comprehensive list of traditional clothes of different countries that are very intricate and interesting and include the dress which Malcolm wore on the Hajj. Malcolm's  new experiences most definitely made him a changed man after he returned to from Mecca to America.

Malcolm X Post IV.5-Malcolm's Foreshadowing into the Future (A Semi-Post I guess)

"My pilgrimage broadened my scope. It blessed me with a new insight. In two weeks in the Holy Land, I saw what I never had seen in thirty-none years in America. I saw all races, all colors, -blue eyed blonds to black-skinned Americans-in true brotherhood! In unity! Living as one! Worshipping as one! No segregationists-no liberals; they would not have know how to interpret the meaning of those words" (Haley 369).

In speaking these words, I believe that Malcolm has really seen the light for the future of the world. I believe that if there is a greater amount of unity in this world, the human race can solve any problem and move forward as humankind, not as one race or country. In the world today, there is too much sectionalism, racism, division, and "superiority complex" (as Malcolm X said). If we were to unite, and become a united species, we could cure many of the problems facing the Earth today that could include global warming, poverty, disease, etc. Imagine, all of the world's greatest minds working together for a common cause in the spirit of helping each other! There is no limit to what could be achieved. 

In reading this quote, school life also came to my mind. In school, there are so many "cliques" and such that keep student from interacting. Many times, the feeling of difference among individuals also leads to bullying and peer pressure according to http://teenadvice.about.com/library/weekly/aa102902c.htm . I've witnessed people going home and crying due to peer pressure and being affected in a negative fashion. As a class, unity could lead to us doing greater things at out time at PV and could lead to the additional benefit for individuals who resort to bad practices in order to feel good about themselves.

Malcolm X Post IV-Malcolm X vs. Mahatma Gandhi

                                               VS.    

Reading Malcolm X, I can't help but relate him to the leader of my people, Mahatma Gandhi. Mahatma Gandhi was a great man who liberated India from British tyranny. Gandhi was born in the state of Gujarat in India (that's where I'm from!!). Like Malcolm X, Gandhi was imprisoned many times; however, Gandhi was imprisoned by the British for protesting against their policies in India which hurt the people. Unlike Malcolm X, Gandhi preferred to use non-violent means in liberating India and used to fast for days to protest while he was in jail. Also similar to Malcolm X, Gandhi hoped to become a lawyer (he did but quit when treated like a member of an inferior race). Ironically, these two leaders, half way around the world from each other, and living in approximately the same period, fought for the freedom of their race from tyranny, and from the white man. Both strived to achieve "a spirit of unity and brotherhood" between their respective kind (Haley 347).

I personally consider Mahatma Gandhi to be a role model to me. Not only did he achieve the independence of India, but he did so in a non-violent fashion; something that had been unheard of at that time. Furthermore, Gandhi underwent physical torture upon himself by fasting for weeks on end until his demands were met. He was willing to sacrifice anything in the service of his country. I am personally influenced by Gandhi as I now try to be as non-violent as I can be. Often, I strive to not get mad and settle different matters in a peaceful manner, as Gandhi demonstrated. Like Gandhi, I am also try be truthful all the time and benefit from that. An interesting fact is that I can also trace some of my lineage to Gandhi. My grandmother's maiden name before she was married was Gandhi. Therefore in contrast to many of the African American's in Malcolm's time, and many people today, I know my lineage and am aware that I am 100% Indian.

Source: http://www.kamat.com/mmgandhi/gandhi.htm

Malcolm X Post III-Religious Pilgrimages

"The literal meaning of Hajj in Arabic is to set out toward a definite objective. In Islamic Lw, it means to set out to for Ka'ba, the Sacred House, and to fulfill the pilgrimage rights" (Haley 329).

In Chapter 17, Malcolm goes on the Hajj, a traditional Islamic practice where the Muslim travels to Mecca. Why do they do this? Is it necessary? According to http://www.religioustolerance.org/isla1.htm, Muslims undergo this practice because it is one of their five, Pillars of Islam. It is estimated that 10,000 Muslim Americans make this trip a year! The definite purpose of the Hajj was dictated by Prophet Muhammad who claimed that anyone undertaking this journey would "return as a newly born baby [free of all sins]. The pilgrimmage also enables Muslims from all around the world of different colors, languages, races, and ethnicities, to come together in a spirit of universal brotherhood and sisterhood to worship one god together".

I found this aspect of Malcolm's life very interesting. It was interesting to learn about a new religion and the purpose for their various ceremonial rights such as the use of the rug: "I began to see what an important role the rug played in the overall cultural life of the Muslims" (Haley 334). It was also interesting how Muslims ate and slept together in order to practice brotherhood and sisterhood. 

In Hinduism, it is also common to take pilgrimages, but for different reasons. Many people from all around the world, including whites and African American's, flock to India each area to visit holy places. Some of the most popular destinations are Shirdi, Brindavan, and Ayodyha. These are very important because they are the birthplaces of people of divinity. The purpose of a pilgrimage in Hinduism is to gain benefit from the spiritual vibrations that these great persons left behind, and higher your own spiritual prospects by visiting these places. Because of this, many people meditate in these places with the help of other gurus that reside there.

 I personally have gone on one of these pilgrimages and have found it to have a profound calming effect on me. The vibrations and the feel of these places are like none other on Earth. When you go there, you feel as you are in a heavenly environment, full of peace and morality. Like many other pilgrims before me, I returned from the pilgrimage feeling humbled and serene. Therefore, in this aspect, I feel as I can relate to Malcolm in his experience of the Hajj. I can understand his influx of emotions that swelled through his body as he first entered the Holy City. 

Malcolm X Post II-RACISM

About after Chapter 12, you hear Malcolm constantly ragging and ranting on and about "integration crazy negroes". As I read Chapter 15, I came across a NY times article by Nicolas Kristof (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/05/opinion/05kristof.html?_r=2&scp=1&sq=racism&st=cse) and saw how closely this related to Malcolm's observations. Kristof in this article discusses the unconscious racism that occurs towards African Americans in today, the 21th century. In his article, he cites research from a professor at Yale, whose studies have shown that conscious racism has been on a low, but unconscious racism (or aversive racism) has not been diminished. Malcolm, in Chapter 15, saw this future for African American's, which I thought was amazing. Haley illustrated this point and foresight of Malcolm when Malcolm stated to the black Ph. D "Do you know what white racists call blacks Ph. D's...Nigger" (Haley 290). 

I think that this study perfectly demonstrates what is occurring in the world today. Many people don't realize they are being racist, and make unconscious racist judgements of people of another skin color or religious sect. This was actually the main storyline in a episode of Lie to Me in which the crime investigation team helped solve a crime by testing the repsonse time of both white and black candidates towards pictures in which candidates had to choose if the person in the pitcture was honorable or not. The greater the response time was, the bigger racist the person was. This experiment took advantage of the concept of aversive racism, discussed earlier in this blog.

While reading this book, I am mostly unbiased. I am neither black or white, nor Christian, Jewish, or Muslim. Therefore, I don't really relate to Malcolm's whole discussion about racism. However, being "non-white", I do face a few stereotypes. These include that Indian's eat curry all the time, are always smart, and are good at mathematics. Even though these are all good things, it is never good to stereotype are is hurtful to people who do not fulfill these stereotypes (fortunately I do). However, there is the offensive word for Indians which is sometimes used by British people-Paki (as in Pakistani). This bears equal offense to the African American's offensive name N----r. I would feel equally as offended as Malcolm was offended when called a N----r if someone called me this.

Another interesting and funny thing I came across while reading Chapter 15 was his description of the "malignant white superiority complex". Malcolm stated that as long as a Negro leader kept assuring the white man that everything was under control a "situation which permitted Negro combustion to slowly build up to the revolution point , without the white man realizing it" (Haley 279). This highlighted Malcolm's belief that they were superior to all non-whites would eventually lead to their demise.