Blog # 12 ( Chapter 23 & 24)- Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela had pleaded guilty to 156 acts of public violence, and even Amnesty International asserted that he had committed violent crimes and had a fair trial and reasonable sentence of 27 years in prison. In spite of all that, he became South Africa's first president to win in a fully democratic election. His role in Africa's struggle for unity is now recognized. I guess, it's either people had forgotten about his crimes, chose not to remember it out of desperation for the needed change, or have truly just forgiven him.
Last Sunday, July 18, the U.N. commemorated the first "Nelson Mandela International Day." It was a resolution adopted in November 2009 by the 192-member world body which would now be a yearly remembrance of Mandela's contributions to Africa's liberation. Since I was not born in the 60's, when he became the leader and co-founder of the ANC's (African National Congress) armed wing Umkhonto we Sizwe (abbreviated as MK), I realized that I knew almost nothing about him. So, I did a quick search. I learned that he initially committed to nonviolent resistance, but later on coordinated bombing campaigns against government targets like post offices, courts, government offices, and even the Johannesburg railway station which caused the death of many women and children. MK's move to armed struggle against the apartheid regime resulted in many civilian casualties especially in the 1980's. Mandela admitted that his group violated human rights that's why he and his ANC party members were prohibited from entering the U.S., and were branded as terrorists at some point.
Here's other interesting info about his life:
-----He was 75 yrs. old when he took office as South Africa's President in 1994.
-----He has been married 3 times and his last marriage was on his 80th birthday in 1998
-----His eldest son died in a car crash
-----His second son died of AIDS
-----His eldest daughter was married to a prince

Chapter 21 & 22 Communism

Communist ideals seem attractive at first glance, but a careful look at it reveals a contradictory practice of a communist government. For me, communism just makes all its citizens poor and only the very few in power decides where the wealth goes. I know that capitalism itself is not a perfect system, but when people diligently give out of love for God and their neighbor, it makes a tremendous impact. I would rather freely give and without regulation of how much I should give or to whom I would give it to, because that would reflect of who I am...my values and my character. I very much disagree in a government that forces its people to give all their earnings to support a theory that only benefits the few. There is that sense of fulfillment gained when someone gives out of a cheerful heart. On the contrary, when one is forced to give and is lacking the proper motivation, resentment develops and the delight in sharing is alienated. I mean, when someone got blessed with wealth, let's say through one's honest hard work or inheritance, that person should have the right to choose how the wealth should be redistributed. Good stewardship should come to play, but the decision regarding how the finances should be handled or which charities are deemed worthy of aid should be a private decision. Letting good people exercise their freedom to do good works is healthy and strengthens the society. Communism is not a generous act of reform to stop oppression, but is actually another form of suppression.

Chapter 17, 18 and 20 The Abolition of Slavery and The Beginnings of Feminist Movement

The American abolition movement was a by-product of religious revivalism. They condemned slavery based on moral grounds, and insisted that slavery was not compatible to Christian teachings. It was called The Second Great Awakening. Thanks to the efforts of the Society of Friends (Quakers), who originally formed the core of abolition, and later on was joined by others who were persuaded by their cause. They lobbied hard until their thinking became widespread and their cry gained support. Their lives got endangered as they faced furious opposition. Yet, they persevered. It was indeed, in my opinion, a selfless act. The original evengelical religious movement hoped for repentance and love as the ultimate result, but slavery ended through military coercion. Later on, the movement split into 2 factions and other leaders added other causes to anti-slavery like women's rights.
The feminist movement was another effect of the Atlantic Revolution. I really think that it started as a great cause, but slowly shaped into a more radical movement. According to Strayer, " Most operated through peaceful protest and persuasion, but the British Women's Social and Political Union organized a campaign of violence that included blowing up railroad stations, slashing works of art, and smashing department store windows. One British activist, Emily Davison, threw herself in front of the king's horse during a race in Britain in 1913 and was trampled to death" (p.521). I consider all these as senseless actions. What did they hope to accomplish in ruining public properties and committing suicide? To get public attention? Well, they sure got that, but did they get the support of the majority? I highly doubt it. I view defiance of these kinds as arrogance. Although, I understand that the heavy oppression must have caused much misery and ultimately led to these radical actions. It's just that I see violence as fruitless. They tend to hurt others and also themselves...

Chapters14-16 Slavery should never be tolerated

Other than empire building and growing commerce, what else was significant from 1450-1750 and even beyond? Unfortunately, it was slavery. According to Strayer, "...the New World slavery was largely based on plantation agriculture and treated slave as a form of dehumanized property, lacking any rights in the society of their owners. Slave status throughout the Americas was inherited across generations and there was little hope of eventual freedom for the vast majority" (450). The whole scenario would easily infuriate anyone in a clear mind. Family structure was destroyed as each member went to the auction block. Parents had to shoulder the anxiety of being separated from their children. Children had to go through the emotional trauma of being taken away by strangers as they were sold. The memory of involuntary separation between family members must have caused much anguish. To add insult to injury, they were considered as the "master's property." They had no possession and were subjected to extreme cruelty. Many slaves innocently accepted their troubled plight until they finally realized that nobody had to endure such injustice.
Even today, different forms of slavery exists. I personally think that when pride and greed smothers the heart and blinds the eyes, one's compassion is overshadowed. We have to learn to resist the temptation to desire to be superior. It is not morally right to take advantage of anyone. Slavery in any form is unacceptable.

Unfairness in Islam even in the Punishment of Death?

In connection to my recent post about men and women in Islam, I just wanted to share a few things about the many things that I discovered regarding the punishment of death (specifically in Iran). According to this article, with regards to the penalty for adultery, "Married offenders may be punished by stoning regardless of their gender, but the method laid down for a man involves his burial up to his waist, and for a woman up to her neck (article 102)." It continued to say that, "The law provides that if a person who is to be stoned manages to escape, he or she will be allowed to go free." Hey, wait a minute!!! Who has a better chance of escaping---a man buried up to his waist or a woman buried up to her neck? Tsk, tsk...I guess, it does not really matter. Why? The article mentioned that, " in some instances, when the woman miraculously managed to escape, contrary to the regime's own law, she was recaptured and either stoned again or killed on the spot." One woman was recaptured and shot to death, and one woman charged with adultery was thrown off a 10-story building. This is beyond cruelty!!! Okay, please do not get me wrong. I am not hoping for a less escape for men as I do not want both genders to suffer that way, but I would think that there would be no case of adultery charges for males since they are legally allowed to have up to 4 wives anyway (provided he can equally sustain all 4).
Again, I do not condone adultery, but these are horrific examples of punishment by death. We have to consider also the possibility that charges of adultery could be just false accusations to reign terror or maybe admission is under duress. Anyway, I am very grateful for the freedom that we have here in the U.S. and makes me hope that everyone can enjoy it the same way. In other countries, both men and women are under the same terror and tragic situation, and yet, women and children still suffers most.

If interested, here is the link to the article where I got those info:
www.iran-e-azad.org/stoning/women.html

Genghis Khan Exhibit at the Tech Museum

I was so afraid to drive to the unfamiliar roads of downtown San Jose, but my daughter and I safely made it to the Tech Museum last week. I originally searched for a hotel for an overnight stay because I was ridiculously fearful of ending up in one way streets. Then, I had to abandon the plan when it dawned to me that the museum has extended hours, until 8 PM, on a holiday. Holiday means no cars and less people in a business area, right? Just to make sure, we went in the mid-afternoon. It was such a relief to find out that my intuition was correct. However, after a couple of driving mistakes, I added a total of 4 more blocks to our already long walk because we went in the opposite direction (Yikes! I do not have a sense of direction not only in driving, but also in walking? That is terrible!!!). I believe we walked a minimum of 8 blocks before we made it to the exhibit.
The $37 tickets for both of us included a full access to the other Tech galleries (except the Imax Theatre) so it was viable. We really took our time. There was a big statue of Genghis Khan and life-size statues of warriors, plenty of artifacts, preserved human remain, short clips to watch, wall murals to look at, etc. I noticed that the artifacts were borrowed from The National Museum of Mongolia, Military Museum of Mongolia, and The Institute of Archaeology of the Mongolian Academy of Sciences. Much effort and diplomacy must have been exerted to put this exhibit together. Everything was just indescribably valuable.
Before going there, I read an advertisement that said, "Participate in several engaging, family-friendly activities. Watch live cultural performances by traditional Mongolian singers and musicians." Those were either missing or partly missing. There was not a single live performance when we were there. The fact that it was a holiday must have changed things. There was a small Ger set up with a few costumes that people were allowed to try on. The person manning the area was willing to answer questions. I guess, that can be considered the, "engaging, family-friendly activity" that they were talking about plus the small digging site that children can go in at the end of the exhibit.
Anyway, we read everything in the exhibit, took notes, and watched all the video clips. My daughter said she really liked it although she never knew who Genghis Khan was before that experience. To sum it up, we both came out satisfied with what we have accomplished and learned. I promised to bring her again soon.

Chapters 11-13 Islam, Mongol Moment, and The 15th century

Chapter 11, regarding men and women in Islam, reminded me of my 2 favorite former co-workers. They are both male American Muslim converts that has served in the U.S. military. Here in the U.S. , their wives work, are not subjected to cover their bodies from head to toe, and are respected enough to be consulted first if they ever agree to share their husband to a second, third, or fourth wife. My friends love their wives enough not to abuse them physically nor verbally, and have chosen not to have more than one wife. Outside the U.S. , where monogamy is not the norm, my friends might be tempted to take wives no. 2 to 4. So, to keep the peace that they currently have within their household, they better keep their feet within the U.S. grounds : >)) .
Other Muslim women in other countries, especially in the Middle East, does not have the same liberty or consideration. Just last week, an Iranian woman was reported to be facing death by stoning for adultery under a duress.Yesterday, it was confirmed that she will no longer be stoned to death, but most likely face execution by hanging. So, is stoning to death an Islamic rule based on the Quran or does their culture play the major role? America has a more embracing culture then. Most of these women must have been wrongly accused and forced to confess adultery. They also normally receive 99 lashes before imprisonment and still gets final death sentence. I do not condone adultery, but I also cannot help but think that stoning and hanging anyone is inhumane.
"Negative views of women, presenting them variously as weak, deficient, and a sexually charged threat to men and social stability, emerged in the hadiths, traditions about the sayings or actions of Muhammad, which became an important source of Islamic law"(Strayer p. 316). For me, it is a matter of getting to know the woman to discover her strength. For anything that she is lacking, the purpose of the existence of the opposite sex is there: to complement each other and not to degrade one another. This quote describes it better:

"Woman was taken out
of man; not out of his head to top him, nor out of his feet to be trampled
underfoot; but out of his side to be equal to him, under his arm to be
protected, and near his heart to be loved." (Just something to think about...)

I prefer not to say much about the Mongol Empire as I would be posting something separate about my trip to the Genghis Khan exhibit. However, I would like to emphasize here what our text has reiterated about Genghis Khan being a charismatic leader and his people being skillful horse-back riders. Together, they passionately conquered and ruled. Loyalty was rewarded while betrayal meant death. Their beginning seemed impossible, and the far-reaching result was remarkable.

Chapter 8-10 Trades, Cinderella's Shoes, and Extortion

TRADES

Silk Roads, Sea Roads, and Sand Roads in the post classical era contributed a great deal of change in the Afro-Eurasian world. Here's why:
---For one thing, long distance trade catered to the elite groups as most of the items were considered luxury products. So, possession of these prestigious goods signified a high level of social status.
--- Also, it helped religious ideas to spread voluntarily without the need to use any military enforcement, and more monasteries were built by Buddhist merchants as a place of rest for other traders.
--- Lastly, outbreaks of epidemic disease, like the spread of the Black Death, drastically wiped out about a third of the population of Europe.

Good or bad, change was bound to happen (though the effect of trade was different in the Western Hemisphere). In the Eastern Hemisphere, status in life, religion, and health was greatly impacted. It created wealth for some, but it caused death for many.
Just a very quick note on p. 229. It is mentioned that, "The capital city of Palembang was a cosmopolitan place, where even the parrots were said to speak 4 languages." Hmmm...so a human bilingual skill is no match to this multilingual parrot? : > )) I'm sure that they are referring to an "all-memorized" foreign language words, but that is still a talent! Or was it a hoax?

CINDERELLA'S SHOES

Ever wondered why Cinderella's story evolved around the search for the owner of that perfect small feet? Well, reading Chapter 9 made me assume that its idea was partly inspired by the foot binding practice. There's too many versions to the story, but a good example of this is, "Aschenputtel,"by the Grimm brothers. It is very graphic in details, and the 1st stepsister had to cut off her big toe while the 2nd stepsister cut off part of her heel just so they'll have the "perfect feet" and get a chance to better their lives. It did not work out for them in the story. However, it depicted a message that small feet is perfect feet. Clean, healthy, and pain-free feet versus stinky, broken, and painful feet...why sacrifice? For me, there should not even be an insane option. Shouldn't inner beauty and intellect be of higher value?

EXTORTION

I am very surprise with China's acceptance of extortion agreement (though China considers it as a Tribute System and not extortion). Based on its immense population and capability to produce war materials and tools, it would have been able to stage any war, but did not. Is it possible that the Buddhism religion had any influence on this issue? I am glad that diplomacy or skilled negotiation worked on this situation. China was taken advantage, but it was a better choice than to experience a blood bath. I just hope that its military strength would not be put to test again as it might entertain the opportunity this time...

World's Largest Pyramid Discovered, Lost Mayan City Of Mirador Guatemala...

This City of Mirador is often referred to as the "cradle of Mayan civilization." It is now facing threat from loggers and looters.

Chapter 7-Classical Era Variations (Africa and the Americas-500 B.C.E. -1200 C.E.)

I truly apologize for this late posting. I meant to do this much earlier, but too many overwhelming situations held me from doing so. I hope everyone will find the information from Chapter 7 helpful.
In classical era, about 80 percent of the world population was from Eurasia. Its writing was highly developed and civilization was very distinct. However, the Mesoamerican Maya, Peruvian Moche, and several civilizations in Africa (Meroe, Axum, and the Niger River valley) has also historical developments.
It's good to note that Africa is "bisected by the equator and was the most tropical of the world's 3 supercontinents (p.184)." It had poor soil and disease-carrying insects and parasites which caused serious health problems to its people. Geographically, its location helped make its history. Parts of Africa had the opportunity to interact with Eurasian civilizations.
The Kingdom of Meroe, a civilization in Africa, was ruled by mighty and sacred monarch. I personally find it shocking to know that their rulers were buried with human sacrificial victims (p. 186, top). It made me wonder how they decide on who should be the perfect sacrificial offering. Maybe, helpless children and virgins were on top of the list. What poor unfortunate souls!!! Anyway, its city had merchants, weavers, potters, slaves, etc. It amassed its wealth and power through the smelting of iron and the manufacture of iron tools and weapons. Its kingdom declined because of deforestation.
Axum, another civilization in Africa, was a highly productive agriculture and generated wheat, barley, millet, and teff. Its capital city had monumental building like obelisks. Through its connection to the Roman world and Red Sea trade, Axum was introduced to Christianity. The Axumite state slowly declined due to soil exhaustion, erosion, deforestation, and the rise of Islam.
Niger River in West Africa had a city-based civilization. The city of Jenne-jeno and the other cities operated "without the coercive authority of a state (p. 188)." Iron smithing was the earliest specialized occupation. Villages of cotton weaving, pottery, etc. followed. Their communities became occupational castes which means they could only marry within their own specialized jobs and skills. With its interaction with North Africa and the Mediterranian, Islam spread in the region and created a cultural change.
In Africa south of the equator, the slow movement of Bantu-speaking people brought "cultural and linguistic commonality (p. 190)." They had 400 distant but closely related languages. Some resolved issues and maintained peace by kinship stucture among other things. They also believed in ancestral and nature spirits, and even witches.
The Western Hemisphere was not exposed to African and Eurasian people because the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean secluded them from one another. A careful look at the civilization of Mesoamerica is quite striking. Mesoamerican Maya were very intelligent people. They developed a mathematical system to be able to predict eclipses and to even figure out the length of the solar system. Their temples, pyramids, and palaces had painted murals. I am very much impressed with the fact that they even constructed a water management system to support their agriculture. Very sadly, though, their population dropped by 85% or more due to famine, epidemic, and warfare. In the end, construction of giant cities were abandoned. We can now just imagine what else they could have built or discovered if those sudden deaths did not occur.
Teotihuacan, to the north in the valley of Mexico, was the largest urban complex in the Americas. Archaelogists have found the remains of about 200 people at the Temple of the Feathered Serpent. It is good to assume that those must be sacrificial victims because their hands and arms were tied behind them. My heart goes to those who were unjustly killed even if it was religiously mandated. I find no justification for that purpose. However, it is interesting to know that its great metropolis was dubbed as the "city of the gods" by the people of the Aztec Empire. Other than that, much is unknown about its language and government.
For me, it was horrifying to read that archaelogists have uncovered human trophy heads in the region of Peru. It was an indication of warfare and violence in the area. Chavin de Huantar, was a village with a strategic location in the Andean highlands. Major deities were represented as jaguars, crocodiles, and snakes in their religious beliefs. Chavin had no empires, but its religious cult was widespread.
Peruvian Moche was ruled by warrior-priests, and their ritual human sacrifice were the prisoners of war. I can't imagine the immense chaos and fear that must have covered the entire society due to wars and sacrificial rituals. Archaelogists have discovered burials of high-status individuals. Funeral objects made of gold were laid to rest with them. The region was subject to drought, earthquakes, and aggressive neighbors which caused its civilization to be just a part of history.

Creationism and Big Bang Theory

On my way to school the other night, I almost got hit by a speeding car trying to do a last-minute exit in Daly City. I lost control of my car for a moment and ended up almost hitting other cars. Before I made a complete spin, I was able to stop the car and managed to pull myself on the side of the freeway. I had a hard time absorbing the class lecture as I was still in a "shock mode," but I'm so glad I came out of that situation without injuries.
I finally got the textbook. I personally believe in Creationism so there are things suggested in the book that I do not agree with. I strongly believe that man and woman were created separately from animals and other living things. If that was the case, then the theory of how the monkeys evolved into human form just does not make sense to me. The gravitational force, the electromagnetism, the perfect position of Earth (being not too far from the sun and not too close as well), the rotation of the Earth and all the other planets, the human biological genetic code, etc. just seems too perfect and not a product of coincidence. In the Big Bang Theory, scientists believe that the universe had a beginning, but an explosion or an expansion happened afterwards. For me, it was a supernatural event. It was not an accident nor just a natural realm. There was a Creator and it was all well planned.
This is a World History class so the data regarding the sequence of events matters. What I'm not quite sure about is if I misread or if there's really a typographical error between "Snapshot" on page 13 and "Into Eurasia" on page 16. In "Snapshot," human migration started in Africa onto Eastern Asia, then Australia, Europe, etc. On the other hand, "Into Eurasia" stated that human migration started in Africa to the Middle East, Europe, then Asia. I am not good in geography, but I know that Middle East is in Western Asia (not Eastern). Eastern Asia is composed of China, Japan, Korea, etc. Even with the author's addition of Middle East, it still raises the other question of whether Europe is before Asia in terms of human migration. So is "Snapshot" correct or is "Into Eurasia" more accurate?
It is interesting to note that there were already separate cemeteries for dogs even on Paleolithic Era (p. 24). Hmmm... weren't they supposed to be still hunting animals for food during that time? I am not doubting what was presented as fact, but since the author did not provide his source, then I would like to assume that the information must be from cave drawings.
All in all, I gained knowledge from all the readings. I also developed an inquisitive character as I clamored for more facts. Humans came a long way from Paleolithic Era to Agricultural and Industrial Revolution. It's really good to know our past so we can move forward to a better future. We're a different generation, but somehow, there are values that we can still integrate into our lives like living a simpler life. Our ancestors wanted less so they needed less. With that in mind, I hope none of us would ever have to work 3 jobs again. I tried that long time ago and it's not worth it considering that it affects health and happiness.

An Accomplishment

I've set up my blog and updated my profile over 2 hours ago. It's now way past 3:00 AM and I'm still trying to familiarize myself with this blog. Nothing seemed complicated, but I just got stuck with trying to figure out how to change my display name, choosing the template and thinking what to write.
I am so glad there was an overflow of students from the other World History class. Originally, there was only 3 registered students for this particular class, and that raised my concern for a better group discussion. There's an immense workload up ahead, and I truly hope that we all survive. The topic last Monday night was very interesting. I still don't have a book yet, but I plan on acquiring one soon.
All in all, I consider this as an accomplishment. I may not have a full sleep, but I know that I'm in the right track pushing myself to do what I'm supposed to do. Sometimes, sacrifice is needed.