So we made it to the end of the semester and for our final assignment we had to write an editorial based on a theme we picked from our blogs. I was between two choices but SURPRISE! SURPRISE! I ended up doing my editorial about Disney Movies.

After a clash between my wonderful experiences and special attachment to Disney, and what we discussed in class, I ended up recognizing many of the things I saw in the Mickey Mouse Monopoly documentary. However I also recognized what I deemed were positive facts about Disney and also wanted to give credit to it. In the end I guess it’s a matter of individual opinion.

Anyways here is my editorial on The NOT so Wonderful World of Disney. It was great meeting those of you I hadn’t met before. The class was interesting… I had fun! See you around!

Rosa Parks taught us that you don't have to be a politician or a community leader or someone of great status to be remembered in history. A person can make history with a simple act. Rosa contributed greatly to Black History by one act of courage: refusing to give her seat in a bus. This happened on December 1st, 1955. 

Because of segregation, it was against the law for an African American like her to sit in the seats labeled "White Section". She did not break that rule seating on the middle of the bus, but if the bus got full and more white passengers got on, any black passenger had to give up his/her seat immediately. Rosa didn't. Of course, she got arrested and later convicted of violating the laws of segregation, known as “Jim Crow laws.” Rosa appealed her conviction and since she was in the civil rights movement she challenged the legality of segregation. Her arrest influenced an agreement  that black people would boycott the "Montgomery Buses" until fair seating was arranged. Since African Americans made up about 75 percent of the riders in Montgomery, the boycott posed a serious economic threat to the company.

This boycott may seem insignificant if we compare it to all the battles black people had gone through to stand up for their rights.  this simple act of Rosa Parks was fundamental to ignite the Civil Rights Movement. Today we still remember her courage and we are reminded that anyone can make a difference in this world.



http://www.thehenryford.org/exhibits/rosaparks/story.asp 
http://www.rosaparksfacts.com/montgomery-bus-boycott.php 

  Documentary: In Plane Sight (2004)
  
I'm not really infatuated with watching documenteries. However, this documentary had a huge impact on me because it came out 3 years after the events of 9/11, event that shocked a lot of people, including myself. I was in 8th grade and still remember every detail vivdly and how my whole class reunited in an office and watched everything on TV. The following day everybody was talking about the tragedy because nobody understood what happened and how it happened. I remember that our history teacher brought newspapers to the whole class and discussed it with us. The images that were printed are pictures that I haven't forgotten; specifically images about people throwing themselves down are images I will carry in my mind forever.   But nobody understood what was behind this really. Even I kind of got hung up on finding an explanation. Tipically, a lot of theories were told. But on the 5th anniversary (2005) this documentary came up in a class discussion and the professor made copies for all of us. I still keep mine. It talks about conspiracy theories behind the attacks and opens our eyes to evidence and facts that were overlooked or that the government tried to hide. That's why I liked it so much. It helped me question the events and research to find the truth behind it! Watching it may lead you to other possibilities and/or theories, but that's the point: to make you question the facts and maybe make sense into something that never made sense to much of us. 

I actually found that there's a Director's Cut footage on YouTube. Im not sure if it is the original or not but when you get the chance, please watch it. It'll make you think!!!!

  Disney certainly has been a big part of my life and some of my greatest childhood memories can be associated to Disney.... my movie collection (which I still treasure today), my 1st trip to Disney world, my decorations, my pin collection, etc. etc. Yes! Disney is a part of me.

However,  Disney has relied on propaganda to help sell their products. It is only natural. They are not the 1st to do it, so we can't really hold it against them. The question here is.. to what extent?   The documentary "Mickey Mouse Monopoly" brought up questions that most people probably have never asked themselves, mainly because they are blinded by the "magical world of Disney". Even I, a die-hard fan of everything Disney related, have noticed some recurrent themes in movies. For example, one recurrent theme in princesses fairy tales is showing the girl as a damsel in distress that  no matter how strong or intellectual she is, she will always need the presence and help of a man to rescue and complete her. The documentary did a good job explaining the impact that it has on little girls that grow up feeling like they need a prince to rescue them so they can live happily ever after. I mean, deep down, women today still believe that. I've seen it happen and think that is really, really disturbing!! Even MY favorite... Little Mermaid :( shows the submissive role of women who have no voice in a patriarchal society. I know, it is true!!.

These are valid points. But Disney has a special place in my heart for many reasons and I have to defend many valuable memories through three following arguments: FIRST, these factors are only analyzed and scrutinized by adults who know the social implications. Children don't have the malice to see these factors as an issue. As a kid I watched the movies just because I liked them. Like s favorite toy, a favorite movie, or a favorite story. No need to look beyond that. SECOND, why the attack on Disney movies? Most of the classics were written a long time ago in different times in history by different authors, so the stories are not really Disney related. Has anyone read the REAL story about The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen?? Would the movie be as successful if Disney presented the real story? No. Because it is not appealing and it is fantasy after all. LAST but NOT LEAST, are Disney movies the only one with hidden messages that may be harmful for children? Umm.... what about Looney Tunes? Everybody loves them. But how do Bugs Bunny, Daffy, and the others make children laugh? They teach children to be mischievous and the episodes show that it is okay to pull cruel pranks, to be a bully, to steal, to lie, to shoot someone and in some cases to kill, just for the sake of LAUGHTER!!!! So, actually any cartoon or movie our children watch and play with can have a huge impact on their social behavior.

Newspapers & Editorials
According to Merriam Webster definition, a newspaper is a a paper that is printed and distributed usually daily or weekly and that contains news, articles of opinion, features, and advertising.

An editorial, on the other hand, is an article in a publication (or newspaer) expressing the opinion of its editors or publishers. You can usually find this in certain columns within that newspaper. Here are some examples of USA and PR newspapers.
Chicago Sun Times
USA Today
Orlando Sentinel
New York Times
El Nuevo Dia
Metro PR

Newspaper in spanish:
Metro PR: If you are an UPR student and your means of transportation consists of trips on the "tren urbano" you have definitely seen  this newspaper before. Today, everybody usually has access to the newspapers via smartphones applications or social networks like Facebook. That is a fact and it may be more accesible to people. Although you have access to this newspaper the same way, by having people here give out copies to us, there is a higher chance of the students (the youth) reading it. At least, I tend to read this newspaper from time to time. It is shorter, so less time consuming when you are at the university and it keeps you informed on different topics, which are redacted in a concise manner.

For example,  this report Relación sociohistórica la pasión del boricua por el béisbol talks about our social and historical connection to baseball. Carlos Sanchez from the General Studies Faculty at UPR Rio Piedras believes that sport events seem to socially and culturally unite our country more and it functions as a therapeutic escape from our problematic reality because the Puerto Rican community needs joy and happiness. I found it interesting because I remember how much I enjoyed going with my dad and my grandpa to Cangrejeros vs Senadores baseball games as a kid. People really are passionate about sports and usually baseball was very important. Now some of those teams don’t even exist and Puerto Rican baseball is almost a thing of the past. Somehow the passion for this sport has been forgotten and it is something to think about.  

PART 2: (Social and Personal Lists)

PERSONAL LIST
-I hate when people cut in front of you on line.
-People that always want to be the center of attention.
-I can't stand when cashiers are doing everything but their work, especially on their phones while working!!
-When my dog starts barking loudly at 3 am.
-When I have to do a group presentation and somebody doesn't do ANY of the work.
-Can't stand the movie AVATAR and worse when people try to convince me that it is a good movie.
-Can't stand when someone borrows my van and Im late and I see the gas on EmPtY. Ugh!!!
-When my neighbor wakes me up at 4:30 am with his truck.
-I have a huge amount of work and somebody asks for a favor and I can't say NO.
-THE HARLEM SHAKE ANNOYS ME TO DEATHHH!!!!!! IT"S STUPID!!!
-I hate getting older.
-I can't stand people who use profanity every 5 seconds!!!

SOCIAL LIST
-It pisses me off when I see a kid hitting and disrespecting his/her mother in front of me and he doesn't get disciplined.
-When I ride on the train and GO DEAF! with the 100 teenagers sitting behind me with LOUD music.
-I hate the press of PR.
-When my neighbors only talk about soap operas.
-I hate politicians.
-People who have bad manners
- Commuting in Puerto Rico
-It pisses me off having the power go out almost weekly at my neighborhood.
-I hate hypocrites!!
-I hate when people are not loyal.
-False friends piss me off A LOT!.
-Vengeful and people that hold a grudge forever.
 

IN THIS VENTING EXERCISE LOL, THESE ARE THE THINGS I CANNOT STAND OR LIKE OR ANNOY ME TO DEATH

1. I hate when people cut in front of you on line.
2. When my dog starts barking loudly at 3 am.
3. When I have to do a group presentation and somebody doesn't do ANY of the work.
4. Can't stand the movie AVATAR and worse when people try to convince me that it is a good movie.
5. Can't stand when someone borrows my van and Im late and I see the gas on EmPtY. Ugh!!!
6. It pisses me off when I see a kid hitting and disrespecting his/her mother in front of me and he doesn't get disciplined.
7. When my neighbor wakes me up at 4:30 am with his truck.
8. I have a huge amount of work and somebody asks for a favor and I can't say NO.
9. When my brother borrows and loses my cellphone charger.
10. When I ride on the train and GO DEAF! with the 100 teenagers sitting behind me with LOUD music.
11. I hate the press of PR.
12. When my neighbors talk only about soap operas.
13. I hate politicians.
14. It pisses me off having the power go out almost weekly at my neighborhood.
15. I hate mosquitoes.
16. I hate hypocrites!!
17. I HATE ANYYYY WILL FERRELL MOVIE, SHOW OR PRESENTATION!!!!!!!!
18. I don't really care for basketball, even more so when my dad wants me to go to games with him.
19. I despise Macy's.
20. I hate when people are not loyal.
21. False friends piss me off A LOT!.
22. When people get jealous for the stupidest things.
23. I hate 40 year-old women who think they are still Barbie dolls.
 24. I hate going inside a Capri store.
25. I don't like vengeful and people that hold a grudge forever.
26. I  get annoyed when people start clicking the caps of their pens.
27. I hate Twitter.
28. I can't stand Billy Van.
29. THE HARLEM SHAKE ANNOYS ME TO DEATHHH!!!!!! IT"S STUPID!!!
30. The obssession with Justin Bieber annoys me!
31. It pissed me off everytime someone sent me a forward of EL POLLITO PIO video.
32. I hate action movies!
33. I hate getting older.
34. I can't stand people who use profanity every 5 seconds!!!
35. I hate HUMA class!
36. Hate Harry Potter.
37. But I hate Twilight even more! Sorry
38. I hate people that always want to be the center of attention.
39. I can't stand when cashiers are doing everything but their work, especially on their phones while working!!
40. I hate when people gossip and don't really know crap about anything.
  

Going through my blog I can point out an assignment that I actually enjoyed, not only mine but reading my peers' blogs as well. I actually enjoyed the love-hate songs&videos post we did on February 14th. Although I don't neccesarily believe in Valentine's Day, I had so much fun going on YouTube for a journey through time and past experiences. I remembered good and bad times. But most of all I was SURPRISED of how many people here, who are still on their teens or starting their 20's are such fans of the 80's like myself! Of course, I'm not an old lady either! But I grew up listening to those songs.

I didn't really care for the post on the Scavenger Hunt. It's not that I don't find it interesting, because I do, it's just that there are many different things one would like to kbnow about, and there was NOT a lot of time for decision making and to look for information and come back to report the findings. Also, not being permitted to access online databases when you had to bring that many references complicated things a little, even though I know that was part of the idea. And on another note, totally shocked about the "Ley 54" post. Did not find it appropiate for the class. Well, that is a personal opinion. So, I won't say anything else.

Why do people believe that in order to be emphatic when they speak, or show specific emotions, either sadness or angryness, they NEED profanity? And I'm sorry but, I don't believe it is a matter of being old-fashioned!I think it is a matter of showing respect to the people we are around when we have a conversation with them. For example, there was a time when bad words used to be a huge insult if you said it to someone, but lately people greet each other using profanity, naming the other with a bad word: "Hello b**h" or "Que es la que hay cab$@*" as if they were saying "hey buddy" to each other. Um... come on! Isn't it better to use the actual word. I find it completely disrespctful. And the worse part is that children are repeating that same pattern and they don't even understand its meaning.

I've always wanted to learn more about Julia de Burgos, and not only to read a couple of her poems, especially since I love her poem "Yo misma fui mi Ruta" but because I believe that since she was a pioneer in feminism, her life and her work caused a great impact on Puerto Rican women.

Interesting fact: Julia de Burgos was a teacher. I plan to  become a teacher soon. A couple of years ago, I had the chance to help and cover a teacher friend's maternity leave at a school called Julia de Burgos (curious) and I've always had an inkling to find out a bit about her. So, I went to the Seminario de Estudios Hispanicos at this faculty to gather some information about her work and how her writing resembled women's feelings and aspirations back at the time. 

Here is the bibliography of different articles where I found information about Julia de Burgos and women's education in PR.

Almenas Velasco, Ángeles. “La participación de la mujer puertorriqueña en la educación superior de la isla: reconstrucción histórica”. Homines 10. 2 (1986): 207-213. Impreso.

Beaupied, Aida M.  “Auto-reconocimiento y autogénesis en la poesía de Julia de Burgos”. Caribbean Studies 25. 3-4 (1992): 373-388

De Burgos, Julia.  Poema en Veinte Surcos.  Río Piedras: Ediciones Huracán. (1982): 9-10; 70-71. Impreso.

López Springfield, Consuelo. “I am the Life, the Strength, the Woman: Feminism in Julia de Burgos’ Autobiographical Poetry”. Daughters of the Diaspora: Afro-Hispanic Writers. Callaloo: John Hopkins University Press, 17.3,(1994): 701-714.  


Valle Ferrer, Norma. “Educación y feminismo en la obra de Eugenio María de Hostos”.  Revista del Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña. 19. 2 (2010): 76-81. Red cibernética.

Yoshiko, Shigaki. “Julia de Burgos y Yosano Akiko: La comparación de dos poetas precursoras de la liberación de la mujer en Puerto Rico y Japón”. Homines, 19. 2 (1996): 8-11.

Zayas, Yolanda. “La mujer  puertorriqueña como líder”.  Homines, 20.1 (1996): 275-281.

The following articles demonstrate what has been happening on Puerto Rico regarding the different points of view of conservative vs. liberal people in the country with the issues concerning Law 54. This law attends the problem and fights against domestic violence, for the main part. The amendments people want to make in the Law 54 focuses on equal rights for all. But the topic has become controversial because of issues surrounding the possibility that these benefits would be given same sex couples that are also fighting for their rights in a society that discriminates against them.

The article "Se excedieron nuestras expectativas" discusses how different denominations of the religious community protested against the possibility of gay people benefiting from the law, because mainly they want to defend the traditional family in Puerto Rico. Since this sector has been asking for the approval and benefits of the law to be applied to them, the traditional and conservative majority of our country feel that this threatens what a family, marriage and normal childhood should be.

Either in favor or against the amendments to the law 54, people have been asking for a major involvement from the government. In the article "Exigen una posición clara del Gobernador en cuanto a Ley 54" representatives and women from CLADEM  are protesting and asking for the ensuring of all the campaign promises governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla made of making amendments that benefited women and victims. Nobody is clear on wat to expect by now. They want promises delivered concerning these rights  and are not keen to keep waitin for a response and more than vain promises, they are expecting action and involvement from the government.
 

My opinion
I know that many people are passionate in fighting for equal rights and persuading society into the acceptance of expanding the view of family. I think anybody and everybody is entitled to an opinion, especially since times are changing and whether we like it or not, whether we agree or not,   the concept of family is clearly changing. The purpose of  Law 54 is to protect our rights and lend a hand to those who fall victim in social and political problems that the justice of our country is failing miserably in protecting.  For example, domestic violence needs to be stopped. Nothing major is being done to protect peoples’ lives.  That worries me.

But the problem in Puerto Rico is that no one ever discusses things rationally. They waste so much time thinking about themselves and give more importance to what they want and what they need that all they ever do is form riots and make protests. "Todo es si o si" and like little kids they want it by now or they start making "berrinches". Everybody speaks and wants to be heard. But that is precisely the problem. No one ever listens to each other. No one values the other person's opinion. And frankly, that’s why is so hard to deal with politics and social problems in Puerto Rico. We're always defensive and people do not learn how to PEACEFULLY resolve our problems. So, how can they expect a response without cooperation?

 Concerning the participation and the rights of the gay and lesbian community, all I can say is that I respect all my classmates that have or choose an alternative lifestyle, but some of us have religious beliefs so I believe this is a delicate and controversial topic to address in this class. So I will remain neutral in discussing it.