May 30, Day 6 Puritian's Heading Over The Ocean

     Today was a shortened day but still packed with knowledgeable information.  We touched on when the "Three Worlds Collide" from the European point of view.  From Kindergarten we all learn about the pilgrims setting forth across the Atlantic Ocean in search of new land and hence landing on Plymouth Rock.  As an adult American if you do not know this basic historical information then you should be ashamed of yourself.  But today's class dug in a bit more deeper on the subject getting into the meat of the story. 

     Some time ago my family and I watched a show on PBS about how protestant emerged from the Catholic faith.  Since I grew up in a catholic home, but now consider myself protestant, I was interested in how the church evolved.  Henry the 8th was mentioned as a main factor in allowing England to have a protestant faith due to his anger at the catholic church for not allowing him to divorce one of his wives.  Our professor talked about that a little bit and I was thinking to myself, YES!  I KNOW THIS!  I UNDERSTAND WHAT HE IS TALKING ABOUT!  Henry the 8th could probably care less on which religious stand point he took as long as it would benefit him.  Therefore he still kept bishops in place to help his throne rule. 

     The puritians didn't like this.  Their goal was to purify the Catholic church.  They set out looking for new land so they can worship the Bible freely without the government telling them to learn the Bible certain ways.  They wanted to read the Bible on their own and study from it versus the Bishops telling them what the Bible says and the rules from it. 

     Now I have read somewhere, and please correct me if I am wrong, that the pilgrims coming over were supposed to be indentured servants to the area around Jamestown.  This way they can get their own land after they served as slaves for a few years.  A storm came and blew them off course and they landed, unprepared, on Plymouth Rock.  Actually, they hit a swampy area first then moved down along the coast and found a more suitable piece of land to dock at.  Since they were not prepared for winter season, (because they were supposed to be in Jamestown area) they didn't have the means to survive and majority of them died.  When they landed they thought, "we don't know where we are at but we don't have to be indentured servants and we can start our own town and have the freedom to worship God as we wish."  It was a strict way of life. 

     There is an recent article that the professor mentioned where the pilgrims were cannibals or resorted for cannibalist ways to survive.  Cannibal is a term widely used for eating human flesh.  There is another term that I learned while watching an info-show about the Uruguayan Flight 571 that was carrying a rugby team that crashed in the Andes (the movie Alive is based on it).  True, they ate human flesh but they did not kill for the flesh.  They already at the dead.  That is called Endocannibalism.  Donner Party that was wagon training to California had the same thing happen.  They ate the dead to survive.  I don't believe they killed anyone for their meat.  I can see where the pilgrims would do the same thing.  They had to survive and they didn't have the means to live out a bitter winter.  They would take the dead and cook them.  They weren't cannibal's in the since where they were out killing each other for food.  They were just using to sources that they had on them which were the dead bodies.  I heard most of the survivors were children.  If you put the story of them being cannibals and then remembering that most of the survivors were children this could turn out to be another "Children of the Corn" or "Lord of the Flies" type of Hollywood movie.  I can see the title of the movie now, "Silence of the Pilgrims" and the cover can show older children, wearing the traditional pilgrim garb, all standing around a Thanksgiving dinner spread over a table.  One child would look like he was getting ready to carve into a turkey with blood dripping off the knife and instead of a turkey it would be grandma.  Sorry, I can be morbid at times. 

May 29; Day 5 Deadwood

     Today in class we watched a segment from a HBO show called Deadwood.  It is about a gold mining town in the black hills of South Dakota which is the far western side of the state that took place around the 1870's.  I am not one to enjoy western's but knowing this is based off a true town and had characters of Wild Bill and Calamity Jane who was part of the town at the time I ended up taking some interest in it.

     Deadwood, at the time I learned, was not actually part of the United States yet.  This area was reserved for indian reservation.  Since this town was not a legitmate town law was also absent.  People took matters into their own hands.  Corruption ran rampant and if someone didn't like you then you were shot and no one really batted an eye about it. 

     Honestly, I didn't know too much about Wild Bill and Calamity Jane.  I heard about them and knew they were western gun-shooting pioneers but I didn't know much more than that.  This movie encouraged me to look deeper into the lives of Will Bill and Calamity Jane.  I learned that Wild Bill was shot in the head while playing poker one night.  He liked having his back to the wall so he can see what is going on around him.  This one night the seats were taken to he ended up taking a seat with his back to the door.  A guy by the last name McCall came in and shot Wild Bill killing him instantly.

     Calamity Jane, I learned, met up with Wild Bill in a wagon train heading to Deadwood.  She took a liking to him but it is unclear if they were involved romantically.  Wild Bill, at the time of his death, was married to another lady.  She was a good shooter but was not a typical lady of that time.  She liked hanging with the boys, smoking and drinking and using foul language.  She liked to keep moving around the west but under her hard shell of a person there was also a gentle side to her. 

     The town of Deadwood still survives today with a lawfull set government in place.  During the summer they re-enact the shooting of Wild Bill and McCall for tourists to see.  Some of the old buildings are still there and some were rebuilt due to fires.  Overall, I guess I can say I learned new information about our country today.

May 28th Day 4. Koyaanisatsi Film

     In class today we watched a film by Francis Ford Coppola called "Koyaanisatsi".  It is from the ancient hopi language meaning life out of balance, life in turmoil and a state of life that calls for another way of living.  Background music was from composer Philip Glass. 

     In the beginning of the movie there was desert scenes from west America.  As I sat there watching the camera zoom around the plateau and the desert rock formations I couldn't help but think who would want to live in this area.  The Navajo Indian's did live around this area of America (Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada) but I cannot see how they enjoyed it.  It was depressing watching it.  I wondered if they every tasted a fresh apple off the tree or a juicy strawberry plucked fresh from its branches.  Their food must of been simply survival verses our myriad of selections today.

     The camera moved on switching back and forth between the clouds and the river.  There was a similarity between watching it and society today.  The clouds swirled and dipped like a raging river current.  The river did the same.  Both out of control and at the mercy at where the stream (either jet stream of water stream) takes it.  Just like a large city they showed later on in the movie.  The cars and people were stuck in this streak moving rapidly along its roadways and sidewalks.  A person has to keep going and move with the current for things to go smoothly.

     Towards the ending New York City was being shown.  Everyone was in a hurry, rushing about minding their own business.  I understand where the producer wanted the film to make it look like cities were evil and bad.  I didn't see it that way.  I seen the beauty of it.  Factories were showing how cars were made and hot dogs and twinkies.  To me, this was progress.  People do not want to hang around in solidary type of places staying near one place.  As a society we are meant to expand, explore and create progress.   Every generation progresses from the one before and adds to it in some way.  Recently, America has progressed rapidly but that isn't necessarily evil or bad.  It is just a new lifestyle of living.

Thoughts On The Matriarchal System

Thoughts On The Matriarchal System

     Matriarchal systems were popular with the Native American tribes especially the Iroquois tribes.  Basically that meant that a woman, generally an elderly woman, would be the head of the tribe.  In today's society we are used to just the opposite, the Patriarch where the man is head of government.  We are used to that way because that is the time we are living in.  It is what we know.  Why would a tribe choose to have a woman in control of the tribe she is in?  

     I thought of that question for a moment and looked deep into my family lifestyle and how it's parallel to the Matriarchal system.  My husband is the head of my family.  He has the final say.  But there is a saying that the woman is the neck in a marriage.  Her imput can turn her husband's decision and thoughts just like a neck can turn a head.  Traditionally, the woman tends to her home (or tribe as in a Matriarchal society) by making sure food is provided for, that everyone has a soft place to call home, educating the children and is aware of what is going on in the area.  The men went out to hunt as physically they are stronger than women but since they are gone they didn't always know what is going on around the village.  Women can be deep listeners and have a keen since of intuition which can make a home or society run smoothly.  Men tend to react and want immediate solutions for problems and that quick decision may not always be the best. 

     Mother's are nurturing.  When a lady becomes with child there is a more than a physical change that goes on inside of her.  She becomes protective just like a leader will be protective of his tribe.  She wants to make sure her children, or the tribe, is safe.  When chaos is afoot a mother will be quick to correct the child to behave so in society the grown child will be a model citizen of the community.  However, at the same time a mother can be gentle and tend to the needs of those who are sick and weak.  There is a reason there is a saying, "Don't mess with mother bear!"

     

First Day Thoughts - May 21

First Day Thoughts

　

　

     While signing up for classes I was eager to pick a history class as I have a passion for history, especially US history.  The counselor told me that the professor has a certain style about him and that some people love him or some people are overwhelmed by his methods of teaching.  Upon hearing this the first thoughts that entered my head was from the movie "Back To School" with Rodney Dangerfield.  As Rodney Dangerfield's character goes back to school as a mature adult, well over the average college freshman age, he enters into a history class where the teacher is played by Sam Kinison.  Sam's character starts out nice and sincere when he asks a college student about the Vietnam Conflict.  Her reply is that of a textbook answer and she was proud to know it.  He asks the class if she is right and they mumble in agreement.  Then Sam's character goes off on a tanget screaming about how he served over in Vietnam.  He gets her in face shouting, "SAY IT! SAY IT! ARGUHHHHHH!"  Rodney Dangerfield's character breaks up the shouting and gives his imput where he raises his voice for his answer in a anger type of tone and the professor nods his head and smiles, "Good answer. Good answer."

     Students start to file into the classroom not knowing what to expect.  Dr. Mehler enters the room and he has our complete attention.  He takes the remote control in his hand and tries to turn on the media device hanging from the ceiling.  It doesn't work.  A negative comment to God escapes from his lips.  He walks out of the room and comes back with another remote.  That doesn't work.  Colorful language spews out of his mouth.  The class is wide-eyed and flabbergasted over what we are witnessing.  We knew at that point that we need to expect the unexpected.  Dr. Mehler will tell us how it is in whatever language he needs to use.

     Dr. Mehler compared his grading style to that of the Calvin Doctrine - Predestination.  Instead of a class lecture it was like we were sitting in a Sunday service listening to a very good preacher.  At some points I wanted to shout out, "Amen" but refrained.  He went on to explain how the Catholic's pray for their dead for their souls to be saved.  Calvin's predestination is about God predetermining who will go to Heaven and who will go to Hell.  Good works does not get you into the kingdom of Heaven.  It is only through God's good graces.  Only God can have us enter into His kingdom.  Who are we to question God's judgement? God's judgement is what it is.  Just like Dr. Mehler's grading system.  It is what it is.  We cannot argue our way to an A.  We cannot be perfect in our eyes and get an A because we think we deserve it.  It is only through Dr. Mehler's good grace that we pass this course.

     If our grades are predestined then why continue to take this course?  Does it matter to me if I pass this course?  Absolutely.  But it matters more what I learn from it, whether I pass or fail.  I want to learn American History for MY enjoyment and to enrich my knowledge of history.  To me, my grade is secondary.  Yes, I can memorize facts, figures and dates like most people just to regurgitate it out for an exam but that is only surface level learning.  I want to hear the stories and feel the history for it all to become a deeper meaning to me.