It's Not Power That Corrupts, But Fear

Losing your freedom for other people is a hard thing to do. People would ask, why should I do these kind of things for other people, its not like it give benefits to myself? Well, that is why I think Aung San Suu Kyi as a hero. She sacrifices her own freedom just for other people.


Aung San Suu Kyi is a pro- democracy leader of Burma, who was finally released after serving 15 out of 21 years under house arrest. Since she has been released, the world attention was up on her. They asked her lots of questions and she answered them. I listened to her interview and was impressed how she didn't complain about the arrest instead talked about how she was sorry for others who ended up in the jail just like her. She spoke to the community without fear and declaimed to the military government of Burma. Free the people that is house arrested. When she knew speaking of the military government was too much risk, she still have done it, just for other people. I believe that she is a hero. She went through all those hardship and sacrificed herself for others when she could not say anything and stay safe. She knows how to respect and value other people. Right now I just wish the innocent people would be free and the military government of Burma would change.

The story of Aung San Suu Kyi relates to the Greek philosopher called Socrates. Socrates spoke to the children and told to them to not believe in many gods. He was trying to teach them justice, moderation, courage, and devotion with heart that respects knowledge. Unfortunately the goverment was very sensitive and made him end up dying by drinking hemlock for the execution . Aung San Suu Kyi too, is trying to free the other house arrested people. She is taking humongous risk because the military goverment is after her but she is still denies to give up. Both Aung San Suu Kyi and Socrates gives up their own things to do goods to other people.

I have a personal story to talk about this. It didn't happen long ago. My friend said that he forgot his homework and begged me to print a copy of mine. By then, I have finished all my homework and was having my free time, my free time wasn't really long and I could only have it twice a week. I had to use that time to print a copy of my homework. That, even though I hated doing his favor, I still did it. I lost some of my own freedom but helped him finish his homework. I am glad I did that just like Aung San Suu Kyi. It was a small thing however I felt really happy to see him saying "Thank you very much" to me.

This is a very famous painting called 'The Scream' by Edward Munch. There is a guy screaming in the middle, what is he afraid of? I think the background strokes are perfectly describing the fear. Therefore, I think the background of this painting matches the idea of the fear that Aung San Suu Kyi talked about. I mean the quote she said, “It is not power that corrupts, but fear. Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it.”

 Aung San Suu Kyi does things that are very dangerous for herself. I respect her just like people in Burma because of her brave actions and sacrifices she had to make to help other people. She gives big impressions to people around the world and we think the military goverment should free the people. Therefore, I believe that it was her true heart that moved people and made us know what kind of trouble that people in Burma are dealing with.

Two Voice Poem Persephone & Demeter

Mankind is No Island

Island what does that mean? A piece of land that is completely surrounded by water. What can it feel like to be an island? Lonely. I can only describe it this way but I know that there are more than just that. In these both poems, they are saying that no man should or is an island. We are all binded to each other and needs to care about each other. Give each other the love.

In the poem No Man is an Island by John Donne, it indicates that every single men is connected to each other. This line really stands out 'Any men's death diminishes me, becuase I am involved in the manikind.' I think he is trying to explain to us that we are all same mankind, and we are all in this together. We are connected to each other by relationship like friends. It's like every men is taking a part of a continent but when one falls off the others will be effected. Yes, just like a chain.

In the visual peom Mankind is No Island by Jason van Genderen, it also indicates that  we should care about each other. The line that really moved me was the one that talked about do we care about each other with donations? I don't think so, if there is no heart or care in them, its no use. I think giving them our love is the best way. They all have a story to tell, and we should hear about it and share the pain that person is getting just by him/her self.

The poem Island reminds me of a feeling when I first came to an American school. It really feels like an island when you come to a new school. There is no one you know. They all use different language and so you feel so left out. That's when other Koreans came over to me and invited me to play with them. I felt really grateful. It is really thankful for the new students if we give them some friendliness.

The picture is (as you see) an island by Walfrido. It really looks deserted, there is absolutely no land around the island and the trees seems so lonely. The island is like in the dead centre of the ocean. But actually there are two trees. Which I found it interesting because there are two trees in a single island. There are only two, but I'm guessing that's better than just one.

These two poems relate to the story 'Island'. There was a man who was so different from the others and was treated differently even though they were all same man kind. He had a story to tell but no one actually lended him ears to speak to. But there was this fisherman who opened his heart and took care of this man. It also relates to Aung San Su Kyi because she spoke for the people who are arrested just like her. She knows all the trouble she is going to have but doesn't care about her personal matters. She tries to give people their needs. To conclude, the two poems, Aung San Su Kyi, and 'Island' emphasize the bond between each other and the love we have to give to each other.

We are all the same mankind and are bonded, so why not stop by the people who needs love and share it?

No Man Is an Island

The painting


-The Video

Little Things Can Shape Our Identity

Jesus Colon is a man who talks about his past. He saw a white woman with her children and one suit case when he was on a late night train in New York. He and she were getting off at the same station and it looked like she needed help. He thought, 'Should I offer my help?' However Jesus Colon hesitated; it is because he was uncertain. 'What would the white lady say, what would be her first reaction, and will she accept my help or would she think I am trying to get too familiar or even worse than that?' All these thoughts came into his mind. He put himself in the groups of black people, he was not sure the white people would appreciate him. He had hard time making a decision, and there was the white woman desperately needing help. If he was a white American, he would have definitely offer help without any hesitation, because there was no reason to not help the lady, but that wasn't the reality. He, like an rude animal, escaped the reality. He ran upstairs ignoring the woman's  gaze. Leaving someone needing help behind like you never saw him/her didn't feel very nice. He regretted it. He felt guilt. He felt shame. Therefore, he made a promise to himself. If he were to be in a situation like that again, he will offer help no matter how they will react to it, and so he can keep his courtesy.

So who is the victim in this story-Colon, the woman, or the larger society? I would say both the woman and Colon were victims. The women didn't have any choice to get help, and it all depended on Colon. It was for Colon to choose and Colon chose not to help her.Howvere, Colon's identity was created by the way society judges people of colour. Colon was hurt by the differentiation with the white people and black people. He wanted to help but because he was black and different from others, he thought that this white woman might not like his help, might feel threatened by him. In the end, he was not brave enough to speak to the lady and felt guilt with his actions. He knows he is more than one aspect of his identity- 'black' or Puerto Rican, he is also kind, caring courteous, yet he feels this woman would only see and judge him by one piece of his identity.

The Jesus Colon incident relates to the 'Blokes' In this story by Alan Gibbons, the Kosovan boy is treated differently because he is not white and because he is not one of 'the Blokes', a white racist group of bullies. At first he tried to ignore the fact but later on, he accepts the truth; the ruined Kosovan village, and sorts it out his own way just like Jesus Colon.

The author of this picture is Juan Sepulveda. The picture is depicting a boy reaching out hand to help. The faces on the cliff are looking sad. Maybe the boy tried to help but someone fell off the cliff? In that case the boy would be Jesus Colon and already fallen person would be white lady because Jesus Colon failed to help the lady. But the picture matched the situation very well.

His story reminded me of a incident as well. It was about 2 years ago, when I went to Korea for vacation and were in a shopping center with my family. I bought a hat for my grandfather and was going up the escalator to go eat. There was a grandma going up and she was carrying a heavy bag. On the half-way she lost her balance and fell. I acted exact opposite from Jesus Colon. I ran towards her as quick as I can and helped her go up. So unlike Jesus Colon, I don't have any regrets.

 This video gave me some big impressions. What things actually change our identity? I wasn't very sure. And he , Jesus Colon, gave me the answer. How you look at yourself and little tiny experiences change our identity, that was what he told me through the video.Colon as a black Puerto Rican must have experienced discrimination or racial insults in his life so that this made him pause when he went to help the white woman with things in her hands .This video clip was a great video to see, because it made me look back on my past experiences that have shaped my identity. and how I should change now.


The painting

-The video