Reading Response 16

This class is very different than other classes I've taken before--it's caused me to think in a different way than I usually do in business classes.  It's really caused me to be more aware of what is going on around the world and think about issues in a different light.  I think this class has been very beneficial, but I have also had some difficulty when it comes to this class.

I come from a very non-religious background. I didn't grow up going to church every Sunday or having any strong religious beliefs.  Because of this, coming into the class I had no knowledge of the history of Jerusalem or any of the religious aspects that are involved in the conflict.  Having no real background on the topic before entering the class was a struggle for me because during the first few weeks while we were discussing the history of Jerusalem I felt as though many of my classmates had strong knowledge on the subject.  At first, this intimidated me, but as the weeks went on, I think I learned just as much (if not more) about the conflict from these classmates. I enjoyed listening to their ideas, experiences, and opinions. Although I had difficulty understanding and putting everything together (and still don't completely understand some of it) I do believe I benefited from it.  This class put me in a place that I had never been before, and I think that this is one class I can walk away from knowing that I truly did learn something.

Reading Response 15

Exploring these websites about the LGBTQ community and their efforts in Jerusalem was very interesting.  I thought that the blog was enlightening because it gave me perspective from interns and other people who are involved with the Jerusalem Open House and their experiences.  I think it is really cool that despite all of the conflict that surrounds the city, the Jerusalem Open House puts aside the Arab-Israeli conflict to focus on a different conflict that is just as important.

Another website that I found particularly interesting was the one that was for the documentary call 'City of Borders.' The documentary follows the owner of the only gay bar in Jerusalem, as well as both Israeli and Palestinian community members, and shows the daily issues they encounter. There was a quote on this page that struck me. The Israeli bar owner said, "When I read in the Bible I could be killed for being gay, I understood what it was like to be Palestinian."  I think that it's interesting how he drew this parallel.  Maybe this could help put the conflict into perspective in some way.  I think watching the documentary would give us more insight.

Questions:

1) What other LGBTQ efforts are going on in Jerusalem?

2) What major efforts have been put forth by JOH and has it been able to help change the perspective of people living in Jerusalem?

Reading Response 14

I found both of these readings very interesting.  The first reading by Suad Amiry gave me insight into Palestinian life from someone directly, instead of reading a paper that discusses what the author learned from visiting or researching.  Both chapters also showed humor in their situation. It was nice to read that because most of our articles revolve around emotions of sadness and frustration instead of humor. One part of this reading that stuck out to me was how the Palestinian veterinarian acted when it came to giving the female dog a rabies shot.  I wish we could have gotten more detail as to why the vet acted this way.  I also found it interesting how Suad's second dog obtained a Jerusalem passport just so she could get treatment from the veternarian.  It's crazy to think how a dog can obtain something that many people have been trying to get their whole life, and also that the dog had to obtain a passport in the first place.  It really shows how complicated and confusing the whole conflict is.

I also found the second reading enlightening.  Portraying Jerusalem in a feminine manner gave me a different perspective as to how the city is viewed by those fighting over it.  It shows how both sides want to 'possess' it. She talks about the similarities between men desiring to possess Jerusalem just as they want to 'possess' women, and how instead of wanting to possess them, they should be 'loved with equality' (both women and Jerusalem).  Bringing in this new feminist perspective gives me a clearer picture of how many people (both Israelis and Palestinians) view Jerusalem.

Weblog Journal 4: Music

Music plays a very large part in my life.  Whether it's studying, walking to class, or driving somewhere, I am always listening to music.  Music can be used to calm emotions, to express feelings, and many other things.  I think that music somewhat defines who we are as people.  Some people associate tastes in music to the background of that person.  For example, I come from a very small farm town and only graduated with 68 students in my class, so people could assume that I listen to more country music than other genres.  In my case, this is true, but that is not the case for every person.  I see music as a way to express yourself and who you are.

I think that when it comes to issues (whether it be in the United States or dealing with the Arab-Israeli conflict) music can be used as a large platform to express thoughts.  I think that musicians who reach a very broad audience have more influence over their fans than they think, and by singing or rapping about issues going on in their country they can help influence their opinions.  I think that this really invokes a conversation between people and it can be helpful to get others to really think about what is going on in their country.  I think that this can both be helpful and hurtful when it comes to the Arab-Israeli conflict.  As we saw in the documentary, it seems as though both rappers only invoked more rage between the two groups instead of working towards peace.  I think that if music is used in a positive way, it can be used as a good platform to work towards a better understanding between the two groups.

Reading Response 13

This reading response revolves around the documentary Channel the Rage which follows the friendship (and falling out) of an Israeli rapper and a Palestinian rapper, and the differences between the two that revolve around the conflict.  Another article discussed the background of Israeli hip-hop and its comparison to 'black American hip-hop.'  I think both articles abourt Channel the Rage as well as the one comparing different cultures of hip-hop are good background articles to get us thinking about the conflict when it comes to different cultural aspects.

The first article discussing Channel the Rage gave me a good background and overview of the rappers as well as the documentary itself.  It was interesting to see how their views changed once the Second Intifada happened in 2000.  It was also interesting to read about the background of each rapper and see how they were using their music to take a political stance.  The second article was of interest to me as well because it was a blog plost that was a reflection of the documentary by a student.  I really liked how the student made connections between the violence that was occurring and the relationship between the rappers.  It really shows how events such as the Second Intifada can inflame the conlfict even more, and further identifies the differences between the Israelis and Palestinians.

The third article discusses the culture of Israeli rappers, and how they have taken on some of the 'blackness' from American hip-hop and infused their style (dress and appearance) into their own.  Although the Iraeli rappers have taken on African American rap's style and dress, they fail to see the true culture behind the lyrics and music that is created.  Dorchin, who wrote the book that this article revolves around, criticizes Israeli rappers by saying that they stray away from rapping about political, social, or cultural issues (which is something that is very common in American rap).  I found this interesting because the lyrics that were highlighted in the first Channel the Rage article were strongly politically affiliated.  I think that it is more difficult for Israeli rappers to really make a political stance because the conflict is something that seems to almost consume every person living there, and because of this, many people (and radio stations) do not want to play or listen to songs that hold such strong opinions (especially opinions they may not agree with).  I look forward to learning more about this culture and watching the documentary tomorrow to better understand this issue.