How to deal with a dictator

 Dictators can dangerous rulers are oppressive and restrict their society from basic rights and needs. No, not all dictators are like this but they do have the potential to be. You may think that dictators only existed in our past, yet there are still currently 33 dictators out there in the world today. Our problems haven't subsided as some of these dictators are ruthless but there are people out there fighting against this. Those fight have the deal with the dictator but organizing revolts to replace the dictator in power, forming protests to make the dictator aware that the citizens will have no more, campaigning against them, or asking their neighboring countries for help to negotiating terms with the dictator. Obviously going against a dictator takes many brave individuals and even then it is difficult to limit a dictators powers.

 Some brave individuals who were in a Russian puck band made up of three young women were arrested for going into Moscow's main Russia Orthodox cathedral. They danced in front of the altar singing a song asking for Russia to be free of President Vladimir Putin. Putin has received a few more political pranks like this one as he has started to restrict peoples freedoms within the country such as how there is now a fine of $9,000 for protesting when the average yearly salary is $8,500. He has also put controls on the Internet and nonprofit organizations, meaning that the he can block websites that pose a "danger". The UN has taken noticed that this can be a bit worrying as it seems he could be taking the country back to where it started when the Soviet Union was in place. If this does happen or the situation seem to worsen a good solution would be to let the UN to take it into their own hand and negotiate him out of power in the best interests of Russia.

 Putin is not the only dictator that is raising concern so is North Korea's Kim Jung Un who the world knows almost nothing about. He has his the people of North Korea isolated from the world and worshiping him like a god. Some of the ways he has done this is by only giving internet access to the government, keeping citizen in North Korea only (very few get in or out), and not allowing people to watch television programs from other made in anywhere but North Korea. Kim Jung Un has also led the country into famine as their not producing enough crops to feed the country because of the drought and he refuses to take in many imports. Not is he only a threat to his people but also to his opposing countries (mainly South Korea) as on multiple occasion he has threatened them with nuclear weapons. This has made the United Nation impose an embargo as they are wanting the government to stop threatening South Korea and take better care of their economy. This is still undergo and we are yet to see improvement but with solutions there will always be trail and error. They main thing to remember when dealing with a difficult dictator is to never give up even if you do go through a lot of trail and error it may be hard at the start but it will be worth it in the end.
 

Making the Invisible, Visible

In class we have decided to address police corruption in Malaysia as it is a large issue. Police corruption is defined as when the police as a whole unit are dishonest or abuse their authority to their advantage, typically involving bribery. Our main topic was Human Rights but as it is a very wide spectrum we wanted to learn about issues close to home. We started of by learning about human trafficking, foreign works, education, and the right to essential needs like food, water and shelter. We learnt these things through stations that were set up. After we had a larger idea of our spectrum we decided on one issue as a class to study and my class chose police corruption. We picked police corruption because it affects our safety and well being as a country as it can make our streets unsafe if there are criminals wondering around as well as people can get hurt if they don't get the help they need from the police. The most shocking thing that I learnt was that the police unit is then most corrupt unit in Malaysia. Also police will interfere in investigations for large sums of money that can be up to about RM 10,000. I guess learning about this aggravates me, the police are meant to enforce the law not break it! I am not used to the way things run here as I lived in the UK before this and although the UK is not perfect it is evident that many places have better security/police forces than others. This should not be the case as we should all have the right to protection and a proper organized police force.

Assassination

During class we created a poster about a person in history that had been assassinated. Our group got Leon Trotsky who was a Russian communist. He played a major role in the eventual Russian communist revolutions. His assassination, although brutal, had a back-story. Trotsky had enemies and powerful ones like Joseph Stalin who was so paranoid that Trotsky would take his place in the communist party so he ‘dealt’ with him. This connects to the assassination of Julius Caesar as there is a constant struggle for power. In Julius Caesar the decision to kill Caesar was only baced on what could happen if he were to get the crown, "And therefore think him as a serpent's egg, which hatch'd would, as his kind, grow mischievous." Lines 31-32 This is also like Stalin's decision to order Trotsky's death. He thought Trotsky could be a threat to him and his status. One word I would use to sum up Trotsky's assassination would be paranoia. Also the motives are easily spotted in both cases the enemy gets too much power so the enemy has to be silenced. There are many other different motives behind assassination such as revenge, jealousy, money, etc. Motives are not a reason for justification, as no one should really have to die even if they deserve it. Julius Caesar’s killers didn’t even take the time to try any other way, at least Joseph Stalin sent Leon Trotsky out of the country first to try and get rid of him. I would have compared my case to others in the class but unfortunately we didn’t have time but I do think I pulled something out of this it doesn’t matter why or who you assassin, it is not right and it is sad to hear about this happening throughout history.    

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Chaeli Mycroft

   A staggering 1.7 million individuals, in other words, 4.3% of the population in South Africa are disabled. One incredible young girl is trying to aid these poor people. The International Children's Peace Prize of  2011 was designated to Chaeli Mycroft, at the age of seventeen.  Living all her life in South Africa, Chaeli Mycroft was born with Cerebral Palsy and at the age of nine started her journey with the support of her three best friends, sister and mother. They helped her with her first project that inspired her to start helping others, earning money for her first electrical wheelchair. This encouraged Chaeli’s determination to help disabled children all over South Africa through her organization, The Chaeli Campaign. Perseverance, is what led her to being presented with the prize. Throughout Chaeli Mycroft’s journey she is fighting to stop discrimination towards disabled children and the right to assistance no matter who you are.

   In South Africa not all disabled children are born into a society that accepts them, instead they are discriminated against and Chaeli Mycroft  helps to prevent this with her organisation. She goes and meets disabled children in their homes and at their schools doing workshops and getting them the medical care they need to be able to be more independent and in control of their lives. “The Chaeli Campaigns helps 3,000 people a year with assistant devices, therapies, and emotional support.” In giving the disabled children the assistance they need she lets them be more “normal” which lets them be more accepted in their societies. This causes less discrimination to be pointed their way. Chaeli is disabled and understands the limitation on her abilities and knows what it is like to be discriminated against. “Chaeli was born with Cerebral Palsy, through which the function of her arms and legs is limited.” Even with Cerebral Palsy Chaeli has followed her dreams and is fighting for what she feels is right, to stop discrimination towards disabled children just like her.

   Rights are important, not everyone has equal rights and unfortunately that is the case of many disabled children in South Africa. Not only has Chaeli fought for the stopping of discrimination she also have devoted her life to share the gift of equal rights. She has been help children gain the rights to assistant devices, therapies, and emotional support. Most of the kids Chaeli visits would never have the opportunities she has given them. She has saved their lives. The Chaeli Campaign goes to communities and bring to light the fact that a lot of their disabled children need attention, care, and love. They breaf people on how to do this or help them do this. “Chaeli received the prize for her commitment to the rights of children with disabilities in South Africa through her project: the Chaeli Campaign.” Rights, a morally good, justified, or acceptable way. Chaeli is giving children the right they deserve in the world. She does this because as I said before she is disabled and feels that every disabled person should have the same rights as everyone else in the world. “Disabled people are still people, who have the same needs and rights” Chaeli is an inspiration and should be heard because her message is important RIGHTS MATTER and with her message comes a story, her story, her life!

  Chaeli’s work as changed the lives of many people and children alike, with her drive to stopping discrimination and helping giving right to disabled children. People such as Chaeli help change the world for the better. She has taken her disability and made it into her message the message that everyone should be equal, no matter who they are. That is why the Peace Prize is so important because it reminds us of all the beautiful things that are happening in the world every day. Such as the Chaeli Campaign and it helps us realize all the little things that we can do to help contribute to making the world a better place to live for me and for you. This would help the 1.7 million people in South Africa who are disabled with their everyday life. IMAGINE!

Sources used:
1 "Disability Statistics - SignGenius." 2004. 1 Nov. 2012 <http://www.signgenius.com/info-statistics.shtml>
2 "Children's Peace Prize winner Chaeli Mycroft in South Africa ..." 2012. 1 Nov. 2012 <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24zQ13hQfKI>
3"Dreams Begin With Dreamers: Chaeli Mycroft." 2012. 1 Nov. 2012 <http://ctang17.blogspot.com/2012/10/chaeli-mycroft.html>

Harrison Bergeron- Vonnegut's Message

In the story of Harrison Bergeron the author Vonnegut is trying to send us/the world the message that we can't have perfect equality. We should know that we, (people) are not flawless and can't achieve perfect equality in the world. 

Everyone is equal in the Harrison Bergeron story yet there is still something wrong, “everyone is finally equal...Some things about living still weren’t quite right,

though.” (pg. 130) In the short story of Harrison Bergeron the government or ruler has tried to accomplish equality but in making everybody at the same intelligence and ability level they have created a dystopian instead of an utopia society. "And George, while his intelligence was way above

normal, had a little mental handicap radio in his ear. He was required by law to wear it at all times. It was tuned to a government transmitter. Every twenty seconds or so, the transmitter would send out some sharp noise to keep people like George from taking unfair advantage of their brains." (pg.130) Diana Moon Glampers and the rulers of the world in 2081 have made everyone like Hazel, "stupid" (quote Olivia Gardiner) or under the average intelligence for our world. You would of thought that this would have make the world a utopian place but in pursuit of equality the rulers of 2081 were blinded in the haze of fog. They were led through the fog by the idea that we/people can reach complete equality. The world can come to a form of equality, I am sure, but we shouldn't be chancing rainbows. 

Our Identity

Where I'm From?

I am from Polly Pockets,
Barbies, Ellie the elephantand my worry dolls.
I am from the Teletubbies, Dexter's Laboratory,
Winnie the Poohand all the Home Alone movies.


I am from sailing around the Greek Islands
and dressing my brother up as a girl.
I am from Scotland;
cold, wet, and green.
I am from playing in the snow.
I am from my marshmallow jacket.
I am from the old scary Dell computer
and the scar on my right upper lip.


I am from Tiddle Pop, Looly, tinternet, consputer and d’migusting!

I am from the blinding colours of a picture,
that swirl into a beautiful image.
I am from the single picture concealed in a stack of thousands.
I am from that single, unique, and complex picture.




Me!

Blue sandals from Zara.Long tanned legs
with about a thousand scars on them.
Small navy school shorts
with a small panther head
on the left leg,
lend up by a new navy belt I got from my mum
over the holiday.
I have on a light blue polo shirt
with my school logo in the left hand corner.
On top of that I have a navy cardigan from my aunt
that she got in Gap because French class is COLD!
My favorite turquoise
that I got for my birthday last year lies on my left wrist.
I had to put my hair up in science so it is very messy like me!   

Is Identity Worth Fighting For

A person’s identity is with out a doubt, worth fighting for.  If we didn’t have an identity everyone would be the same and that is just plane BORING. Your identity forms who you are not just on the inside but on the outside too. Occasionally others can stamp our identity on our foreheads with permanent ink. A great example of this would be the poem that we read in class,

Maybe Dats Youwr Pwoblem Too. In this poem "Spiderman" wants to be something other than "Spiderman" but you just can't quit being "Spiderman", people depend on you. "Spiderman’s" suit is "fwame wesistent". This means that he can't just give up his identity of being "Spiderman" because people have this image of him and his identity, keeping him confined to that identity ONLY. We need to fight for our identities they are important, don't let anyone tell you different!