Female Participation in the Mwxican Revolution as Narrated by Elena Essay

Female Participation in the Mwxican Revolution as Narrated by Elena Ponitowska and Anna Macias - Essay Example This paper is aimed at providing a brief yet comprehensive overview of the female participation in the Mexican revolution. To provide authentic details acclaimed works by reputed Mexican journalists Elena Poniatowska and Anna Macias will be the focus of this paper. Poniatowska and Macias have resurrected the astonishing stories of various female participants to provide a clear picture of how Mexican Revolution came as an awakening for women and opened the door for their active involvement in political affairs. Poniatowska celebrates the soldaderas' courage and fortitude in â€Å"Las Soldaderas: Women of the Mexican Revolution† and declares, "Without the soldaderas, there is no Mexican Revolution--they kept it alive and fertile, like the earth."1 (Poniatowska, 2006. p. 16) Mexican women who were vulnerable to rape, abductions and mistreatment willingly chose to fight for their land. They were ready to care for the wounded despite the fact that all those people have been deprivi ng them their own civil and political rights for centuries. Large scale warfare began in 1910 and lasted until 1917 during which women were actively engaged in every aspect of the Revolution, contributing intellectual leadership as well as supporting soldiers during the fierce war. Soldaderas were women who traveled with and supported the Revolutionary armies of generals like Villa, Carranza, and Zapata. 2 (King, p. 1) Soldaderas as a term encompasses various aspects in this context. Soldaderas performed most laboring tasks like finding and preparing food for the male soldiers, taking care of the gunpowder so that it does not get wet, collecting firewood and providing medical attention along with the main task of fighting on the front lines of combat. Elena describes that these women mostly belonged to the middle or lower classes. She also narrated the stories of warriors like Rosa Bobadilla who fought in more than 168 combats and became a colonel in the Zapatista army, Carmen Ameli a who Elena writes â€Å"wouldn’t stop caressing the pistol she carried on her right thigh. She’d shoot with her right hand and hold her cigar with her left† 3 (Poniatowska, 2006. p. 19) and Petra Ruiz who was nicknamed as El Echa Balas (the shooter) due to her unparalleled shooting skills. Elena has used the pictures of La Soldaderas by the acclaimed photographer Agustin Victor Casasola on the cover and inside the book to authenticate her narration. Casasola has not only provided pictorial identities of the soldaderas and their images of fighting during the war but also garnered the much required acclaim and dignity to these underrated participants. Countless images of fully armed Mexican women ready to fight were captured by Casasola during the revolution to establish the fact that women did play a prominent role. The pictures also exhibit the difficulties women faced during the revolution at an individual basis. Anna Macias has described the great role played by women and the sacrifices they made during the Revolution with reference to the unfavorable social conditions for females in the era of President Porfirio Diaz. Macias narrated stories of the soldier’s woman. She used the term â€Å"soldier's woman† because of the fact that a female fighter existed in the army via a relationship with a soldier.4 (Macias, 1982. p. 40) It was for this soldier that a soldadera labored. When that soldier died, she would

To Sin by Silence When They Sould Protest Makes Cowards of Men Essay Example for Free

To Sin by Silence When They Sould Protest Makes Cowards of Men Essay To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men Never be afraid to raise your voice for honesty and truth and compassion against injustice and lying and greed. If people all over the world†¦would do this, it would change the earth said William Faulkner. Being suppressed by an entity powerful then us we lose the courage to use our tongue and that is the thing what makes us a coward. When an individual refrains from voicing his/her beliefs and becomes a passive observer of endless oppression he/she is as guilty of the crime as the oppressor. Standing your ground for what is right is, thus, our moral obligation and efforts which are taken in distress are never gone in vain. Injustices in the world would never be hindered if there was no one to stop them. Take a look around and see innumerous people suffering, some being killed because of sectarian differences, some being crucified like goats because of the greed of power. Thousands have been killed in Quetta, million lives have been shattered and they have been forced to spend their whole lives to shoulder a heavy burden which is not theirs to carry. Acceptance of their misery is perverse when there is a way out. Individuals who are uninvolved witnesses to their heartache are obliged to speak up and help the victims attain their rights. As Shakespeare commented, in the time of crisis, I was not hurt by the harsh words of my enemies, but by the silence of my friends. (Simple secrets to a positive attitude) . Stepping up for someone is not just supported by the heartwarming words of a thousand minds but also by the legal system, which tells us that the court trial requires witnesses without which a criminal doesnt get the penalty he/she deserves. Without anyone courageous enough to testify against a crime justice can never be rise. The oppressor would continue with the transgression unhindered. Silence becomes cowardice when occasion demands speaking out the whole truth and acting accordingly said Gandhi. History embarks us with a series of intense and astonishing events which enlightens us with what the strength of our voice can achieve if we stand as one. It all started in 1977 when a body of people initiated the demonstrations to overthrow the Pahlavi Dynasty under Shah Mohammad Raza Pahlavi. Tired of watching their rights being snatched out of their hands and their assets  being taken away by their hypocrite leader to feed America and United Kingdom whose support he had. The movement turned into a campaign of civil resistance, it intensified in 1978 and with their determined leader, Ayatollah Khomeini, they were able to overthrow the existing government in 1979 and Ayatollah Khomeini emerged as a victorious leader. The Shah left Iran in January 1979 and the era of falsehood and injustice dissolved. An entire nation got their fundamental rights because the witnesses to the oppression werent apathetic enough to let this injustice prevail. Despite the pernicious circumstances a voice which is raised to call out for justice has never gone feckless. Justice is a long and beautiful road. Being scared of the fact that your call for help would never reach the ears of the considerate is just an excuse we use to sneak through the blames for being equally responsible for the prevailing injustice around us. It makes us equally responsible for the situation up surging around us and As Leonardo Da Vinci summed it, â€Å"Nothing strengthens authority so Much as silence. Being so threatened by the fear of being suppressed, we ignore how the enemy stumbles each time we raise our voice, drowned in this hopelessness makes us ignore the shaking authority of the enemy. Realizing the strength of your voice is the first step towards justice, no matter if at the end you are bruised you should realize that the enemy is not in its best shape either and if you can put them in this hideous situation and break their pride, that is nothing short than a victory. No step taken for the right act has ever become a lost cause. The public needs to express the disapproval of the biased policies in order to make way for new concepts and that can only be done by getting on the road of justice, which can never go to waste. The revolutions and protests which were, though, unable to achieve their destined aim were able to smash the authority of enemy into pieces. Many Czechs might recall the events of 1968 with brackishness and as a defeat by the soviet tanks, and the uprisings reformist leader, Alexander Dubcek. But agreed by many, it was a political awakening. Standing as one in a wave of protests, that great of global rebellion, the demonstration was a cry for liberty, both raw and sophisticated, by the people against the forces of Moscow. Prague, an activist, reporting on this event stated, â€Å"a tank was a tank no matter what color it wore and our moment was a color of liberty against whomsoever it pitched itself, communist or capitalist (Prague spring and uprising 1968). Though, many would agree that enduring the pain is the key to freedom. But for how long can you seal your lips when you know you are being wronged? Unlimited patience is not a virtue that most humans can withstand. The anger would keep building inside you until you reach your limit of patience and burst. The feeling of anger and revenge can lead to individual taking innumerous regrettable steps. History sheds light on the French Revolution which is looked at as, by many, an event which was won by the revolution yet the humanity lost at that very instance. It was the bloodiest shift from monarchy to democracy where every leader was beheaded on the guillotine by the poor and oppressed factions of society. Hundreds of innocent men were killed. To prevent such situations from arising people should be given a chance to express their feelings right from the beginning and planned protests should be carried out to promote amongst the people a sense of freedom of expression. Knowing one has a safety valve to vent the steam a build-up of pressure and a violent outburst is unlikely to occur. Dictatorships where protests are banned are overthrown through revolutions whereas democracies evolve overtime where individuals have freedom of expression and freedom to vote. However there are exceptions to this idea. The Stockholm syndrome highlighted that there are some individuals who develop affectionate feelings toward their oppressors as a gradual acceptance of their situation settles in. Though this approach ignores the psychological impact these people suffers. Their judgment abilities are affected and they might not even be able to distinguish between what is beneficial for them and what is harmful. They tend to lack confidence in all aspects of life and are always shy when it comes to expressing themselves. Such people can be deteriorated by anyone and will never be able to work out their true rights. They might become less human as our thinking ability is what makes us human in the first place. For instance, we cant conceive the immense psychological breakdown a women of lower class endures in Pakistan. A woman facing constant abuse from her husband would gradually accept it as her fate. As it is hammered in her head that it is her duty, being a woman, to praise that. She would never speak up no matter what is done to disrupt her life and she would even lose the courage to help the victims floating on the same boat as her. Thus confidence and freedom of expression along with awareness is essential in making an individual a positive contributor to the society. It is believed by many that the best defense to oppression is the patience to endure the hardships. No harm would be done and no wars will break out. But what is the worth of this meaningless life when the sole purpose of the life itself is taken away from you? When even if you are breathing there is a little part of you that is dying inside. Each day you get off the bed, you lose the courage and the guts to speak your heart out. Setting someone right and standing for what you deserve is worth fighting for. Dying is better than living a life miserably. Not standing up for what we truly believe in is what makes us a coward and we will always gain from being vocal instead of covering our eyes when injustice and the immoral practices prevail. As Bob Marley said it in his own style , get up stand up, stand up for your right, get up stand up dont give up the fight.

The Cycle of Technology Integration Essay -- Education Teaching

The Cycle of Technology Integration The cycle of technology integration begins with planning, investigation, and experimentation. Schools go through an initial stage of planning and experimentation in which a few educators begin using technology in new ways. Then, these individuals become technology proponents. The next step in the cycle of technology integration is initial capital investments. This allows the department to determine the value of technology necessary in the schools. The ideal situation would be to have a computer in every classroom and have all of the teachers and students know and understand how to use it and receive a better education due to the technological advancements in the classrooms. After all of the costs are determined, readjustments are made. Technology Integration is a learned process requiring schools to continually re-figure their investments and methods of teaching with technology in schools. It allows the school to know how much money they have and what they will need. After t he readjusting process, new work and organizational models are created. Technology integration allows for students to greatly benefit. It allows for collaborative learning to take place with students peers and improves ones performance academically. In the United States today, most schools are currently in the first two stages of the process of technology integration (CEO 2000). Technology Innovations Technology Integration can truly only occur once the technology has been created. Film, radio, and the television were a few of the first ever created technologies in the world. In 1920, the first radio was created. This was just the beginning of the technological boom in America, which is quickly growi... ... Monitoring School Quality: An Indicators Report. Washington D.C: GPO, 2000. -A magazine article giving statistics and discussing how the learning ability of students is different from integrating the classroom. Hopkins, Gary. Education World. Principals Talk Tech: How is Technology Integration going? Retrieved November 5, 2002. http://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/admin268.shtml -An article talking about technology integration in the classroom from the principal’s point of view. It also discusses the current status of a few local schools. â€Å"Technology Integration in Education.† Edgewater Technology Teams With ASA to . Retrieved Novemeber 24, 2002 from Academic Search/Lexisnexis database. -The article talks about how a partnership allows for the Education Department of Missouri to have both better technology and cuts the cost down.

Genie †The Wild Child Essay

Genie was discovered at the age of thirteen living completely isolated in a room in her parent’s house, with nothing to look at, restrained to a potty chair for most of her life. At this time, Genie was still wearing a diaper, did not have the ability to communicate and could barely walk. Her father’s reason for keeping Genie isolated was that he believed that she was retarded from birth. Her mother takes no responsibility, claiming she too was abused by her controlling husband. Both of her parents were charged with child abuse; but her father killed himself shortly after and her mother was able to beat the charges. Genie was taken to The Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles where she would meet several specialist assigned to her case. Shirley, an isolation specialist, stated that Genie was the most extreme case of isolation that he had encountered. Specialist started to run test to diagnose the extent of Genie’s deficiencies. Genie had a strange bunny walk, spat and clawed. It was believed that she was beat for making noise, so she remained silent. Was she born brain dead or did she become mentally challenged? First they conducted a test to monitor the electric activity in her brain. This four night study showed that Genie had a high number of sleep spindles, which shows abnormal brain wave patterns. By that spring, Genie had learned a hundred words and was beginning to speak verbally; which allowed her to express herself. Signs of her mental and physical growth were striving. She explored things using her lips and face. Doctors showed confidence in her success. Genie moved in with her Special Education teacher, Mrs. Butler. This was Genie’s first run in a foster home. Notes were taken on Genie’s obsession with hoarding objects, especially containers of liquid. This has also been recorded in other cases of isolated children. Mrs. Butler took it upon herself to cut off all contact with the other members of Genie’s case and filed a request to gain permanent custody, which was rejected by Social Services and Genie returned to Children’s Hospital for a short period of time. Genie was then placed with Mr. Riddler, who took on many of the roles in the case. Mrs. Riddler worked with Genie and taught her how to express her rage through fits, instead of physically hitting herself. She soon learned to verbally communicate her degree of unhappiness. Mrs. Riddle also helped Genie to verbalize memories from her past. Genie was able to use words and her vocabulary continued to grow. She started going to a nursery school and learned sign language. Case members still disagreed on Genie’s prognoses. Some believed that Genie was still brain dead from birth due to abnormal brain activity; while others believed that she had mental delays due to isolation, showing that her mental age was increasing. With all of Genie’s verbal achievements, she was not able to make grammatical sentences. In 1975 the research case on Genie ended and she returned to her mother’s care. Soon her mother realized that Genie was too much for her to handle and she was moved from foster family to foster family. Genie faced abuse and harassment during this time. In one situation, Genie was punished for vomiting, resulting in Genie refusing to open her mouth; ultimately, regressing Genie’s progress. Genie’s case strongly sides with the nurture debate. Emphasis is placed on Genie’s ability to overcome her early environment by allowing her to experience the world and to gain personal relationships. Genie’s ability to learn to verbalize after puberty shows that human development can occur and does not need to be learned during infancy. By Genie gaining personal relationships, she was able to learn how to express her emotions (happy, sad, angry). This proves that her environment is an important factor in her development. This study seems to be most consistent with Skinner’s Behavior Theory. Skinner believed that a person’s development was caused by the consequences of their behavior. An example would be when Genie was encouraged to speak and socialize, she did and enjoyed it. When Genie was punished for vomiting, she felt that opening her mouth was bad and stopped. Skinner also believed that the nurture side of the debate was important, development depends on experiences and people are shaped by their environment. All of which seem to be a theme in Genie’s case.

Epifanio de los Santos Avenue

How shameful a Filipino would be, not knowing his nations own history. The history that brought his parents and his own freedom. Who would even forget the sacrifices that former President Corazon â€Å"Cory† Cojuangco Aquino had given not only for her own good but also for the improvement of the next Filipino generations. Corazon Aquino had been known because of her nonviolent revolution held at Epifanio de los Santos Avenue Quezon City, Metropolitan Manila , with the help of 2,000,000 Filipino citizens as well as several political, military and religious figures, such as Cardinal Jaime Sin who had push their way for a democracy from the hands of an authoritarian President. This revolution had last for four days it is popularly known as EDSA Revolution or People Power and also named as Yellow Revolution because of the scattered yellow ribbons. This protest had been brought by the years of corruption in Marcos government. This history had been shortened and summarize for the leaders of this nation to realize the importance of the freedom that they’re enjoying now, not only for the leaders but also for the citizens of this nation. No one wants to suffer the pain that other countries have to suffer just for them to get there freedom. No one wants to be a slave or to be a prisoner that can be raped, tortured, and can even be killed, killed by the same color, the same nationality and by the same blood that runs through the veins of every Filipino. No one will never give up his or her own freedom just for money, for jewelry and not even for power. No one don’t want to lost it even the highest leader of this nation would not give it off. Remember the quote â€Å"The Filipino is worth dying for†? This quote is given Benigno â€Å"Ninoy† Aquino Jr. when he was interviewed about the death threats his receiving from the military and other pro-Marcos group including former First Lady now Congresswoman of Ilocos Norte Imelda Marcos. August 21, 1983, after a three-year exile in the United States, he was shot at Manila International Airport now known as Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). His assassination gave shock to many Filipinos, who lost confidence in the Marcos Administration. His assassination caused the economic problems of the country to deteriorate even further, and the government plunged further into debt. And by the end of the year, the country was bankrupt, and the economy contracted by 6. 8%. The assassination of Benigno Aquino also gave Corazon Aquino the guts to continue what her husband had started. â€Å"Money is the root of all evil† seems that it’s true. Even now in the present we hear news about the execution of witnesses and deaths of innocent citizens just to cover up the sins of a suspect or even a leader who wants to eliminate his opponents.