In the article, "The Children Will Keep Coming" published in The Nation, the author, Oscar Martinez, discusses the horrific dangers in Central America. The beginning of this article starts off straight to the point - a young boy being murdered by gang members all because he refused to join the gang. The only option to avoid gang members in countries in Central America such as, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, young children must escape to the United States. These young children are not just murdered, but they are tortured or cut into pieces. It is very horrific. In 2013, the United Nations ranked Honduras as the most violent country in the world. The majority of these young children who were being murdered by gang members were at very young ages, from 14-25 years old. Gang controlled neighbors, business and even schools. If there is a school in the area of where the gang members are, they will not allow the children go to school. Gang members recruit young children because it is easier for them to evade detection by police, since most children are used as messengers or drug runners. There is a story from a young man name Auner, who told his story on why he decided to flea his town. Auner, along with his two brothers made the move to try to reach the United States because their mother had witnessed a murder outside of their very own home and was then murdered a couple days after. They knew that they might've been next, so they made the decision to run away. In America, 5,000 visas are offered to low skilled workers every year. Many of the parents who had left their children behind to venture off to the United States, wants and needs their children with them in the states for safety. Some will reach to desperate measures and will hire a coyote, which is someone who will help people in the U.S bring their children to the States. The number of migrant parents wanting to bring their children up north has increased as they want their children out and away from the trouble that the gang members cause.
After reading this article, I felt very uneasy about the topic. The fact that young children are not only being murdered, but also tortured for a decision that they had made for not joining a gang is very upsetting. I honestly didn't realize how bad these gangs were before reading this article, and now it has definitely opened my eyes on how life is for children in Central America. If I were an migrant parent who made the journey to the States, I will do whatever it takes to help get my children with me. Even if the children were my nieces or nephews. To see how bad the children have it in Central America is nothing compared to how bad some people have it here in the United States.
Thursday, March 23, 2017
Thursday, March 16, 2017
Blog 7 - Rwanda's Carnage
Link to article - Rwanda's Carnage
In the article, "Rwanda's Carnage" published in Christianity Today, the author, Gary Haugen tells the horrific scenes of the Rwanda's genocide that took place in 1994. Hundreds and thousands of men, women and even children were murdered in a small country in Central Africa called Rwanda. It is mentioned in the article that mostly people of the Tutsi ethnic group were the main targets of the genocide. Most of them were beaten and butchered by machetes and clubs. Back in 1854, when the Europeans first arrived, the Tutsi feudal elite had ruled the majority of the Hutu people. The death of the president at the time, Juvenal Habyarimana, was the reason why the Hutu's decided to fight back against the Tutsi which led to the horrific genocide. Haugen describes that what he saw was the most difficult part of his job when he visited Rwanda. He saw the skulls of many men, women and young children which was hard for him to see. He was able to talk to a few survivors and they told their story on what they did to survive during the genocide. A women told him that she hid for two and a half days next to corpses and severed limps after the massacre. Another survive mentioned that how he crawled among the dead in a cathedral for three days, starving and thirsty. Many of the Tutsi were dragged out of their homes, they turned to churches in order to survive but in the end, going to a church was just a trap for them to get killed. It is told in the article that many of these Hutu people who were doing the killings, were just regular, people. A neighbor, teacher, friend, etc. who did the killings.
I cannot fathom that genocide is even a thing. I wonder why it happens, and why people do it. In my opinion, most genocides happens for no reason or because of hate. In my family's home country in Laos, during the 1970's many of the Hmong people were killed because they helped the U.S with the war against Vietnam. After the war ended, the Vietnamese invaded our home country of Laos and killed everyone that they saw because in some way, they felt betrayed. Hearing the story of how different countries causes a genocide over things that are out of their control or because of hate, in my eyes, is disgusting. I can't imagine what is would be like to ever experience the horrific massacre, and even seeing how things are after in a country who had just experienced a genocide. Knowing that your family and friends be can killed for something who they are or what they've done is something I don't think anyone would want to see happen. I understand that most genocides happens in different countries, small countries to say the least. I can definitely say that I am blessed to live in a country and generation where it is less likely to happen in the United States.
In the article, "Rwanda's Carnage" published in Christianity Today, the author, Gary Haugen tells the horrific scenes of the Rwanda's genocide that took place in 1994. Hundreds and thousands of men, women and even children were murdered in a small country in Central Africa called Rwanda. It is mentioned in the article that mostly people of the Tutsi ethnic group were the main targets of the genocide. Most of them were beaten and butchered by machetes and clubs. Back in 1854, when the Europeans first arrived, the Tutsi feudal elite had ruled the majority of the Hutu people. The death of the president at the time, Juvenal Habyarimana, was the reason why the Hutu's decided to fight back against the Tutsi which led to the horrific genocide. Haugen describes that what he saw was the most difficult part of his job when he visited Rwanda. He saw the skulls of many men, women and young children which was hard for him to see. He was able to talk to a few survivors and they told their story on what they did to survive during the genocide. A women told him that she hid for two and a half days next to corpses and severed limps after the massacre. Another survive mentioned that how he crawled among the dead in a cathedral for three days, starving and thirsty. Many of the Tutsi were dragged out of their homes, they turned to churches in order to survive but in the end, going to a church was just a trap for them to get killed. It is told in the article that many of these Hutu people who were doing the killings, were just regular, people. A neighbor, teacher, friend, etc. who did the killings.
I cannot fathom that genocide is even a thing. I wonder why it happens, and why people do it. In my opinion, most genocides happens for no reason or because of hate. In my family's home country in Laos, during the 1970's many of the Hmong people were killed because they helped the U.S with the war against Vietnam. After the war ended, the Vietnamese invaded our home country of Laos and killed everyone that they saw because in some way, they felt betrayed. Hearing the story of how different countries causes a genocide over things that are out of their control or because of hate, in my eyes, is disgusting. I can't imagine what is would be like to ever experience the horrific massacre, and even seeing how things are after in a country who had just experienced a genocide. Knowing that your family and friends be can killed for something who they are or what they've done is something I don't think anyone would want to see happen. I understand that most genocides happens in different countries, small countries to say the least. I can definitely say that I am blessed to live in a country and generation where it is less likely to happen in the United States.
Thursday, March 2, 2017
Blog 6 - A Civil Education
Link to article - A Civil Education
In the article, "A Civil Education" published in Humanities, the author, Igor Torgeson, provides us information about the first boarding school for Native Americans. A U.S. Army Captain named Richard Pratt opened the first federal government Indian boarding school in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The Indian boarding schools were believe to be a manifestation of the federal governments approach to dealing with the Indian tribes. We learn that the regimen of the school was tough for the students. When the children arrived at school, their clothes would be removed and destroyed. The students would also have their hair cut, and sometimes even shaved off completely. The students were taken out of their cultural clothing and put into uniforms, basically starting a new life. Many former students have said in interviews that they had a horrible experience at the boarding schools and compared it to boot camp. One former student had said, "it was the worst experience that has ever happened to me." The curriculum destroyed the culture of the Natives, families and traumatized by the forced separation of their family members going to boarding school. Also, many children had passed away because the health conditions at the school were so poor. Not only did the affect the children, but the families as well. Indian parents were told that the schools their children would be going to would provide healthier environments for their children. It was the opposite. The schools were aided with a rapid spread of sickness and diseases. Tuberculosis caused many children to have pass away. There were so many students that passed away, the cemetery they were buried in became a regular school ground. Margaret Archuleta, curator of fine art at the Heard Museum stated, "Just as the non-Indian population doesn't know about the schools, neither do we." He estimates that between 1880 and 1910, as many as 80 percent of all Indian children were enrolled in boarding schools.
In my opinion, I believe that this is a sad way for children to have an education. I am glad that today, there aren't as many schools like this who would traumatize young kids while trying to get an education. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to have experience what these kids had to go through. I feel very grateful that growing up, my schools were great to me. From elementary school, even to college, I have had great memories and amazing teachers who had helped me with my education. It saddens me that it was not that way back then. For the Indian students to have been treated in such a horrible way, and were basically forced to forget about their culture, are strong survivors. The fact that the children at the boarding schools were so young, and that some of them had their lives taken due to bad health conditions, had a huge affect on their family. I would not want my family to experience the pain while I am away at school.
In the article, "A Civil Education" published in Humanities, the author, Igor Torgeson, provides us information about the first boarding school for Native Americans. A U.S. Army Captain named Richard Pratt opened the first federal government Indian boarding school in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The Indian boarding schools were believe to be a manifestation of the federal governments approach to dealing with the Indian tribes. We learn that the regimen of the school was tough for the students. When the children arrived at school, their clothes would be removed and destroyed. The students would also have their hair cut, and sometimes even shaved off completely. The students were taken out of their cultural clothing and put into uniforms, basically starting a new life. Many former students have said in interviews that they had a horrible experience at the boarding schools and compared it to boot camp. One former student had said, "it was the worst experience that has ever happened to me." The curriculum destroyed the culture of the Natives, families and traumatized by the forced separation of their family members going to boarding school. Also, many children had passed away because the health conditions at the school were so poor. Not only did the affect the children, but the families as well. Indian parents were told that the schools their children would be going to would provide healthier environments for their children. It was the opposite. The schools were aided with a rapid spread of sickness and diseases. Tuberculosis caused many children to have pass away. There were so many students that passed away, the cemetery they were buried in became a regular school ground. Margaret Archuleta, curator of fine art at the Heard Museum stated, "Just as the non-Indian population doesn't know about the schools, neither do we." He estimates that between 1880 and 1910, as many as 80 percent of all Indian children were enrolled in boarding schools.
In my opinion, I believe that this is a sad way for children to have an education. I am glad that today, there aren't as many schools like this who would traumatize young kids while trying to get an education. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to have experience what these kids had to go through. I feel very grateful that growing up, my schools were great to me. From elementary school, even to college, I have had great memories and amazing teachers who had helped me with my education. It saddens me that it was not that way back then. For the Indian students to have been treated in such a horrible way, and were basically forced to forget about their culture, are strong survivors. The fact that the children at the boarding schools were so young, and that some of them had their lives taken due to bad health conditions, had a huge affect on their family. I would not want my family to experience the pain while I am away at school.
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