Omri Brinner
Professor Gabor
February 2009
Extreme Advocacy
I enjoyed reading Jennifer Squires’ article about the case of the animal activists, their actions, and the authorities response on the Mercury website. Squires stated that four animal activists were arrested last week following their extreme advocacy methods that included violent protests, terrorized propaganda, and property invasion. The activists aimed their anger towards UC system researchers in Santa Cruz, Riverside, and Berkeley, calling them murderers and abusers. Last week four of those activists were arrested by the FBI and face court accusations against them.
The article’s content applies to me since I too have gotten involved in advocacy for ideals and issues that are important to me. Even before I entered the circle of advocacy I wondered where lies the limit of the actions taken by activists and who defines this limit? At this point it seems to me as if it is a personal/group decision. One group for example might think that the animal activists actions are blessed and should be increased while another might see them as criminal, unethical, and irresponsible actions. I believe that any sort of demonstration or protest is a lost cause if one does not use some kind of violence. It does not have to be over aggressive or terrorizing, but a peaceful march will not do. It does not attract enough and changes absolutely nothing.
Having said that, the actions that were taken by the animal activists will probably not help their cause and will only damage their reputation and legitimacy.
http://www.mercurynews.com/crime/ci_11750410?nclick_check=1
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Work or Service?
Omri Brinner
February 2009
Work or Service?
I will start by stating that the word “AVODAH” doe not mean “service”; the meaning of the word is either work or labor. A more accurate translation of the word “service” in Hebrew would be “She’irut”. In answering the given question it is important to ask which word came first as the name of the organization, Avodah or Service.
The religious affiliations in the website and in its content may change in some way depending which word is used. If the word is Avodah (work, labor) then one can claim the organization has missionary agendas (although it is not common in Judaism) in the way the young volunteers present their mission and their background. The word “service” on the other hand has more social connotations and it seems as if the true mission of the organization and its men and women is to help and serve less privileged and fortunate communities. This theory is backed by the way the “AVODAH” volunteers look in the website pictures: secular and modern.
Two different aspects that I noticed in the website design are the usage of the colors Blue and White, Israel’s colors, and the term “Jewish life”. Although these two aspects seem to have national-Jewish affiliations that support the missionary theory, I believe they actually strengthen the “service” theory by the fact that they are part of an agenda and not dominant aspects of this organization.
February 2009
Work or Service?
I will start by stating that the word “AVODAH” doe not mean “service”; the meaning of the word is either work or labor. A more accurate translation of the word “service” in Hebrew would be “She’irut”. In answering the given question it is important to ask which word came first as the name of the organization, Avodah or Service.
The religious affiliations in the website and in its content may change in some way depending which word is used. If the word is Avodah (work, labor) then one can claim the organization has missionary agendas (although it is not common in Judaism) in the way the young volunteers present their mission and their background. The word “service” on the other hand has more social connotations and it seems as if the true mission of the organization and its men and women is to help and serve less privileged and fortunate communities. This theory is backed by the way the “AVODAH” volunteers look in the website pictures: secular and modern.
Two different aspects that I noticed in the website design are the usage of the colors Blue and White, Israel’s colors, and the term “Jewish life”. Although these two aspects seem to have national-Jewish affiliations that support the missionary theory, I believe they actually strengthen the “service” theory by the fact that they are part of an agenda and not dominant aspects of this organization.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
The role of media
Omri Brinner
February 2009
The ideas in chapter 13 of Compose Design Advocate mainly made me think of the power modern media has over people, governments, armies, and economics. I believe that today, in an era where censorship on the one hand is no longer seen as a legitimate tool of reporting for the benefit of the people and the state and on the other hand the creation of unnecessarily drama through over-reporting for self interests is authorized, media has “smashed” its initial idea of informing and educating rather than making money or promoting a certain agenda. Thomas Cooper’s 1799 broadside for example represents the true ideals of media, through which he informs, educates, criticizes, but mostly looks to improve certain aspects in the American government. The two argument publications about the necessity of affirmative action also support my idea of good media and even if I agree with one side it does not cancels the other side’s right to express their opinion. Although the other kind of media I mentioned does not appear in the textbook, it exist in radio stations, television channels, newspaper, and websites. As for Jack Turner’s essay, all I can say is that I do not agree with his approach regarding handling difficult tasks. He obviously criticize peoples behavior for the way they confront certain situations, advising instead to take a stride in the park and clear the mind… I would like to see Mr. Turner take his time when critical decisions are to be made in short time.
February 2009
The ideas in chapter 13 of Compose Design Advocate mainly made me think of the power modern media has over people, governments, armies, and economics. I believe that today, in an era where censorship on the one hand is no longer seen as a legitimate tool of reporting for the benefit of the people and the state and on the other hand the creation of unnecessarily drama through over-reporting for self interests is authorized, media has “smashed” its initial idea of informing and educating rather than making money or promoting a certain agenda. Thomas Cooper’s 1799 broadside for example represents the true ideals of media, through which he informs, educates, criticizes, but mostly looks to improve certain aspects in the American government. The two argument publications about the necessity of affirmative action also support my idea of good media and even if I agree with one side it does not cancels the other side’s right to express their opinion. Although the other kind of media I mentioned does not appear in the textbook, it exist in radio stations, television channels, newspaper, and websites. As for Jack Turner’s essay, all I can say is that I do not agree with his approach regarding handling difficult tasks. He obviously criticize peoples behavior for the way they confront certain situations, advising instead to take a stride in the park and clear the mind… I would like to see Mr. Turner take his time when critical decisions are to be made in short time.
Suicide attacks- A terrorizing reality
Omri Brinner
February 2009
The article I chose for this assignment, be it a possible topic for my research paper, deals with an awful suicide attack in Karbala, Iraq in which at least 34 people were killed, most of whom women and children. The offensive act was committed by a Sunni woman and was directed at faithful Shi’ites as they were resting, eating, and drinking before or after prayer at a religious site. The long lasting conflict between Sunnis and Shi’ites in Iraq has increased in the past few years or at least has gotten heavier media coverage since the presence of the United States military forces. The two Muslim sects have been divided for centuries, through which they have fought each other endlessly, over religious disputes and differences. In Iraq for example the Sunnis were allied with Sadam Hussein’s regime and have killed millions of Shiite believers throughout the dark times of his rule and even after, as happened several days ago. On the other hand, it is not common at all to hear about a Shi’ite attack on Sunnis. The main point from this article is not the act itself or whoever committed it but rather the response of a man who survived the attack. He said: "This explosion does not frighten us… Four years of violence in Diyala didn't stop us from coming to visit Karbala and neither will this”. The thing that interests me the most is how people deal with suicide attacks and terrorized life in different places around the world. Having been born and raised at a city which is the heart of the Israeli-Muslim conflict and experienced dozens of such regretful events, I believe I can analyze such behavior better than a simple clerk who sits in a small office somewhere in Washington D.C and who claims to understand the different views and cultures of two groups that genuinely hate each other.
The link that I’m attaching leads to the website of the movie Obsession, which deals with radical Islam and evolves around several suicide attacks around the world. Hopefully I can create an interesting thesis statement that will lead to good research.
Article: http://www.mercurynews.com/nationworld/ci_11703044
Attached link: http://www.obsessionthemovie.com/
February 2009
The article I chose for this assignment, be it a possible topic for my research paper, deals with an awful suicide attack in Karbala, Iraq in which at least 34 people were killed, most of whom women and children. The offensive act was committed by a Sunni woman and was directed at faithful Shi’ites as they were resting, eating, and drinking before or after prayer at a religious site. The long lasting conflict between Sunnis and Shi’ites in Iraq has increased in the past few years or at least has gotten heavier media coverage since the presence of the United States military forces. The two Muslim sects have been divided for centuries, through which they have fought each other endlessly, over religious disputes and differences. In Iraq for example the Sunnis were allied with Sadam Hussein’s regime and have killed millions of Shiite believers throughout the dark times of his rule and even after, as happened several days ago. On the other hand, it is not common at all to hear about a Shi’ite attack on Sunnis. The main point from this article is not the act itself or whoever committed it but rather the response of a man who survived the attack. He said: "This explosion does not frighten us… Four years of violence in Diyala didn't stop us from coming to visit Karbala and neither will this”. The thing that interests me the most is how people deal with suicide attacks and terrorized life in different places around the world. Having been born and raised at a city which is the heart of the Israeli-Muslim conflict and experienced dozens of such regretful events, I believe I can analyze such behavior better than a simple clerk who sits in a small office somewhere in Washington D.C and who claims to understand the different views and cultures of two groups that genuinely hate each other.
The link that I’m attaching leads to the website of the movie Obsession, which deals with radical Islam and evolves around several suicide attacks around the world. Hopefully I can create an interesting thesis statement that will lead to good research.
Article: http://www.mercurynews.com/nationworld/ci_11703044
Attached link: http://www.obsessionthemovie.com/
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Blogs-not quite my cup of tea
Omri Brinner
February 2009
Blogs- not quite my cup of tea
The basic idea of blogging does not appeal to me at all. Sharing my personal information with people whom are close to me is one thing but releasing ideas and details about myself with strangers is another, at least for now. I have always held this attitude towards blogging, even after reading some very convincing essays from educators who have chosen to blog and to share un-academic related materials over the Internet.
The essay I was impressed with the most is Amy E. Earhart’s work about the usefulness of certain blogs. She starts off by writing that just like myself, she had with a negative attitude towards this form of communication but once she found what she was looking for she realized how useful these blogs might be. Needless to say that I found it hard to relate to the subject she was blogging for, knitting; nevertheless, if Earhart could become productive in her field of work or hobby through a certain blog, I imagine someone else can do the same with a more significant issue. Another writer that shared something in common with me is Jeff McIntire-Strasburg. Jeff had a certain mood in his essay that made it easier for me to consider the idea of blogs. I especially connected well with his style when he wrote that he rather stay an educator rather than an another servant of the capitalist economy: “…I've also found myself much less willing to leave academia for the corporate world…” (Paragraph Two). All in all, I feel like the concept of relating and liking an essay more than another based on its context and ideas rather than its rhetorical style has strengthen in my mind during this project. In Nels P. Highberg’s essay for example I did not like the title nor the fact the he thinks normalization is necessarily good, but I appreciate his interest in history and the way he approaches historical documents.
Although I am a guy who prefers an old fashion style of tutoring and have managed to dodge many modernized assignments in the past I look forward to create my first academic blog, which is un-arguably a new challenge.
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