Proposal

Lopez Jose

English

Proff. Reyes

Air Pollution Proposal

                           To be able to reduce air pollution, we would like to request $150 Million dollars. The money will be used to stop the pollution of our planet, in order to help many people, animals, and nature itself.

                          Tesla Motors Inc. is an american born company that especializes in Automotive and energy storage. We are a public company that trades on the NASQAD stock exchange under the symbol TSLA. We are now currently very interested in solar energy, which we belive could help fight pollution. Most pollution comes from fossil fuels, so we plan on helping earth by  moving away from Fossil Fuels into a more clean and renewable energy. 

                          

Killing Earth

Imagine yourself in a city where a grey blanket is the first thing you see, then you look around and you notice people wearing heavy duty face masks. Your mind keeps you telling you that this isn't reality; your mind keeps telling you that you might be in a dream. A dream that takes place in futuristic apocalyptic movie that you might have watched. Except that you are not dreaming. You're in Beijing and the incessant environmental pollution has made the city almost uninhabitable.

Beijing's air pollution is at all times high. Air pollution has gotten so bad, it has made paper masks obsolete; it has made people opt for heavy-duty masks instead. Heavy duty masks are masks with purifying canisters filters, which are commonly used to remove asbestos.

Along with heavy-duty masks, you might also notice the deserted streets of Beijing. During bad days and when the red flag is up; people are warned to stay indoors at all times. Buildings are being reconfigured; People retreat to conditioned environments; Artificial bubbles over playgrounds are being built. It all looks as if China is getting ready for the apocalypse. An apocalypse that is already there, and if we don't do anything to stop this. The whole world will become inhabitable.

Article:http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2014/dec/16/beijing-airpocalypse-city-almost-uninhabitable-pollution-china

Exhibition Rough Draft

Eric Riojas

12-2-2015

Professor Reyes

My exhibit is a reflection of how I view the issue of genetically modified foods in America. Since the early 90s corporations, with the only goal of becoming rich, have been pushing the implementation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the United States. They have used false advertisement, lobbied government officials, threatened farmers, and slandered subject matter experts in order to push their agenda. The whole time the American people paying for their selfish desires. Their products have not been adequately tested and have produced dangerous breeds of weeds and insects. No one knows for sure the dangers they pose to people. Some experts believe people can develop food allergies and various forms of cancer. The four pieces of art work I choose shed light on each aspect of the GMO world in America. Starting with Humanity vs the Machine, which depicts how an a elite control the masses pushing certain agendas. Next in sequence is Freedom for Humanity, this piece shows the resistance to the system we currently live in. Third in my exhibition is Tomorrows Children. It gives a glimpse into our future, a toxic one, if we continue down the path we are on. I followed up with the last piece DMT Mountain. This piece reflects what our world could look like if we put what was import first and not money or power. 

I choose Mear One’s work because of his passionate views on social issues. Mine being the labeling of GMOs in America which he shares. He expresses himself very well though his art. His personal bio from his web site is as follows:

MEAR ONE (Kalen Ockerman) has been at the forefront of LA’s graffiti and mural culture for nearly three decades. He is  famous for having pioneered the Melrose graffiti art movement in the late 80s and is considered by many to be LA’s most prolific public muralist. Early on in his career, MEAR gained his recognition for building the bridge between graffiti art and fine art. He was the first graffiti artist to exhibit at the infamous 01 Gallery on Melrose, as well as at 33 1/3 Gallery in Silverlake, where Banksy would later debut his first North American show. MEAR ONE’s work was part of the landmark Art in the Streets 2011 exhibit at the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art. He is perhaps best known for constructing powerful narratives juxtaposing philosophy, ancient mythology and modern politics to inspire an evolved conscious. This interpretation of reality is achieved through balanced dialogue between realism and the supernatural. MEAR ONE helps us envision the sublime spirit of our time – not by escaping reality, but by confronting it head on. 

His bio lays out what his beliefs are, and how prominent a figure he is in our community. He is a great voice against GMOs.

Humanity vs The Machine

Summary:

Humanity vs The Machine is on display on the side of The Wood Cafe in Culver City. This piece  was created a few weeks after Prop. 37, a proposition that would require the labeling of GMOs, was voted on and rejected. The left half of the mural shows an industrial area full of smog with chem trails (chemical trails) stretching across the sky. A massive migration of people, animals, plants, and automobiles head toward a hovering green head over the industrial area. The label GMO is across the forehead of the head and an all seeing eye is positioned over the head. Behind the hovering head is a mountain of industries and nuclear power plants. The left edge of the mural has a power grid laid out. An erie green tint covers the left half of the mural. To the right is a man, woman, and child standing over a garden. Their hands extended toward the left half in a protective posture. At their feet is a lush garden with various fruits and vegetables in it. Laid out behind the family is farm land that reaches out into the distance. Purple mountains are at the horizon that turn into a golden orange sky. Clouds are painted in a rolling motion through out the sky. To the left of the farm land filled with crops is a row of wind turbines. 

Analysis:

This mural reflects my views on GMOs in our society today. It shows the relation ship between the elitist in control, the sheep who blindlessly follow, and the few who don’t wish to be subjected to harsh chemicals. I also believe this piece was created in direct response to the rejection of Prop. 37. Mear One is showing his views on GMOs in our society. He is also touching on how the government has put aside the environment for fiscal prosperity. The hovering head with an all seeing eye above it represents the elite few that control the masses. The lone family standing over their naturally grown food gives the impression of how few know the struggle of organic living, and how alone they are in their stance against the elitist. The left half of the mural is representative of what corrupt individuals have turned our world into. Also how the majority of society accepts what they are told with out question. That world is dark, polluted and sick. On the other hand the left is clean, natural, and how we should interact with nature. The citizens of this great nation should have the opportunity to know what they are buying from their local markets. We have the right to control what enters into our bodies. We also have The corporations that have created these GMOs shouldn’t be allowed to influence our government to the point that they ignore the people’s voice. If we continue to genetically engineer the DNA of organisms we will irreversibly harm our planet and our selves. 

Tomorrow’s Children

Summary: 

Tomorrow’s Children is mural that was created in Echo Park. Mear One was inspired to make this mural as a result of the Fukushima reactor melt down. A dark world is painted for the surroundings. Green skies with numerous chem trails (chemical trails) criss-crossed across the sky. Smog flowing vertically from an industrial area fills the air. A glowing white light is emitted from the industrial area, which blends into the green skies above. A military helicopter patrols in the distance over the industrial complex. The main character of the image is a young girl. She is sitting next to a chemical barrel. The barrel has an all seeing eye that has been crossed out stamped on it. The image of the eye is placed at the top of the barrel. She is covered with a blanket from her neck down to her feet. The blanket has black interrupted stripes running horizontally. The blanket covers all but her feet that are dressed with sandals. She has a distressed look on her face. Her hair is black and falls just bellow chin level. Just a few feet from her lay dead birds. Multiple barrels like the one she is leaning on riddle the back ground. The young girl makes direct eye contact with who ever views the image. The image has a cold and toxic feel to it. 

Analysis:

To me the name alone describes the art piece. Tomorrow’s Children is explaining what we are leaving for future generations. Based on this image the future for our children isn’t good at all. Who would want to live in a world full of pollutants like GMOs and the products they make? Like super weeds that have the potential to kill naturally growing plant life. Or create supper bugs that can be saturated in pesticides without being affected. This young girl is in a world she does not want to belong to. There is no life in this image besides the girl, and the other life that was is know laying dead next to her. The forces at work here, like in our world, care for nothing but their own selfish gains. Future generations can not grow up in a world filled with unnatural products that choke out the natural life of this planet. We should be leaving our children with a better world not condemning them to deadly chemicals and false foods. Foods that have not been properly screened and could potentially harm us and our families. Mear One making  this mural in response to Fukushima was his way of showing enough is enough. We can’t continue to treat our planet like this and expect not damage it. GMOs are not only dangerous to humans, but also to the planet. Nature can not combat man made weeds that over come naturally growing plant life, or insects that have become resistant to toxic pesticides like glyphosate.

Freedom For Humanity

Summary:

The center piece of the image is a young man holding a make shift shield in front of himself with his left hand. The words Freedom for Humanity! are written on it in neon pink.The font is made to look like graffiti. In his right hand he holds an orange spray can. He is dawning a grey gas mask.  Green goggles cover the mans eyes  A shamal is wrapped around his neck with the excess blowing to his rear. He is dressed with a olive green T-shirt and dark grey to purple pants. His shoes are standard running shoes. They have olive green soles and tongue. There is also some purple on them. He has the stance of preparing to take an impact. Behind him is a list of words: Revolution, Mind Control, Monsanto, GMO, FEMA, Genocide, FEMA, Fast Food, War and Lies to name a few. The back ground of the image fades from yellow to white from top to bottom. The man’s shadow is project to his rear. It gives the illusion that he is larger than he really is. 

Analysis:

This image doesn’t only touch on my social issue of GMOs but also on a number of others. His shield represents how freedom is suppose to shield us from these oppressive structures. The United States is credited as the freest nation on the planet, yet we don’t have the freedom to choose what we put into our bodies. Multiple nations around the world have set legislation into act that requires the labeling of GMOs. As of November 19, 2015 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the sale and consumption of genetically engineered salmon. This was done with the majority of Americans in disapproval. Markets in the U.S. aren’t even required to label these fish. I believe this image addresses this very circumstance. The people of this great nation will not let the corporations who are pushing for GMOs to hijack our government. Multiple times legislation has been proposed for the labeling of GMOs only to be voted to reject them by bought out politicians. But that does not discourage the spirt of the ones who feel like the man in this image. They continue to fight the greed of Washington. One day their relentless spirt will overcome corporations like Monsanto, Dupont, and Dow Agrosciences.

Man, Woman, & Nature

Summary:

Positioned in the upper back of the picture is a mountain covered in snow with some rocks protruding through. Behind the mountain are rolling white clouds masking a blue sky. Hints of purple dash through the clouds. The tip of the mountain is crowned with a moon. Just in front of the mountain are tall, what seem to be, pine trees. At the base of the trees is a green carpet of grass that runs the entire width of the picture. Small boulders are positioned through out the grass. Just below the grass centered in the painting is a small river. In that river a man is shown with half his body submerged and a woman stands right above him. The mans body blocks the woman from her knees down. The man’s head is angled down towards the water. The woman’s arms spread out horizontal and parallel to the ground. Her head is tilted to the rear to show her looking towards the sky. Both individuals are transparent, and both seem to have electricity flowing through their bodies. Orange fall like leaves produce a circle around this woman. A large log lays on the bank to the left of the two beings. Rays of sun light shine in from the left moving to the right. As you continue down the image hovering just above the water are geometric shapes that are also transparent. They have shades of pink and blue in them. From there the river seams to flow off the bottom of the canvas. 

Analysis:

This image shows is representing how humans should interact with nature. How human beings and nature are intertwined and dependent on one another. What we do and how we treat this planet reflects the health of mother Earth. Unlike Tomorrows Children a dark a broken world, this image is showing how the people of this fragile planet should interact with it. When I look at it I  see noting but natural life. In tune to the soul of the Earth and living in harmony with it. The people of this planet don’t need GMOs in our plants or animals. The Earth can literally provide for each man, woman, and child on this planet. We can feed every one with organic farming. Organic farming is not only healthier for people but its better for the ground too. The organic farming gives the top soil time to replenish preventing erosion. This image shows nature taking care of itself with clean water and fresh air. In the world of GMOs hazardous side affects are produced. Aggressive supper weeds that can not be killed with herbicides, and supper insects that resist harmful pesticides. Both of these thing were created from using GMOs in our food crops. Now with the approval of GMO salmon who knows what affects they will cause on the environment. Life like the this image represents is attainable if we want it bad enough.

Work Cited

http://mearone.com/bio/

Final Blogger

Booze Is Never The Answer...

“Intro”

When we look at the history of Alcohol, it goes back for ages and ages. Even today, alcohol is bigger than ever and its only growing. From adults enjoying a bottle of wine with friends, to the underage teens chugging a cheap bottle of vodka at college, it is time to really educate society on the effects of alcohol. With my exhibit, I plan to show the full spectrum of how alcohol can affect someone. The theme of my pieces are to show you to what extent Alcoholism has on different individuals in different scenarios. One of my pictures has to do with a man drinking because of PTSD. The next is a man heading to a wedding and chugging a flask. Following is man leaving a hard day at work and drinking a few beers on the way home. Lastly, i will conclude with a homeless man who is getting drunk on cheap wine. All of these pieces are different in their own way, some are happy some are sad but they all lead to the same thing, problems. With the growing popularity of this “legal” substance it is now time to ramp up the education on alcohol and alcoholism. People need to see first hand what drinking may lead to and the consequences of it. We may not be able to stop every single incident, but if we stop a couple, we are progressing. 

 

1.)

Summary: Alcoholism & PTSD

Its been three months now since I've been back from the desert and still i get these visions. People dying, getting blown up by an IED and losing my brothers just plays on repeat in my head. I can't focus on anything, my anxiety is driving me crazy and nothing seems to make it go away. The only thing that temporarily resolves the issue is this bottle of scotch. As, I sit at my dinner table alone, I ponder about my life. It looks as if there is no ending to this madness in my head. The more and more I drink I feel as it I'm drifting away from society and the norm, but its my only escape. Every time I go to the VA for help, I feel as if I'm only a burden. They just shoot me with a bunch of medications and send me on my way. Ive pushed everyone I love away and now I'm alone. I don't think I can take it anymore..

Analysis: Alcoholism & PTSD

The theme of the piece is to show a Veteran with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) suffering from alcoholism. Drinking for him has become an escape from the terrible disease from war, but in the end will lead to no resolution. That gentleman actually drank himself into a coma that day and is under life support. His friends and family all have tried to help and intervene on his drinking problem, but ended up pushing everyone away. The morale of the story is that though drinking provided an escape for his problems in the present, he was ultimately destroying his future. Many people in society choose to do this as well. They drink to cover their daily problems, without knowing that they put themselves in jeopardy of getting alcoholism. This is where we come in to educate society on the true understanding of alcohol. We need to influence the people that there are better and safer alternatives than alcohol and not to resort to it because its easy. There are countless people daily suffering from the disease and its time to make a change.  

2.)

                             Summary: The Best Man “Jack Daniels”

Exactly a year ago today my best friend Josh said he was going to propose to his girlfriend and that he wanted me to be his best man. Overly excited i shouted “Hell Yes”! Wait... that means I have to give the best mans’ speech right? For years I've had a public speaking problem and all I could think about was giving a best mans speech for over 400 people. Well that year quickly flew by and it was time for that big speech. With very minimal preparation throughout that year, I feel as if Im finally ready for it. But, Im definitely going to need to be drunk for this. Dressed in my Grey blazer with my lucky red tie, my hair spiked and my aviators on I make my way to the alter. As i quickly drink out of my best mans flask, I start to realize I may have had one too many to drink. I hope this speech goes well..  

Analysis: The Best Man “Jack Daniels”

The theme of the piece is to illustrate how a gentlemen who uses Alcohol to calm nerves or inebriate himself to the point to which he doesn't care. Well, unfortunately the driver never made it to that wedding to give that big speech. Less than 2 miles from the alter his car was found smashed into a building where he was pronounced dead on impact. This man who had a happy celebration to embrace was taken from it because of Alcohol. The scary thing is that these type of things happen everyday and its absolutely sad. That even when its a good or happy moment chaos can still ensue. And the terrible thing is that it could all have been avoided. The Morale of the piece is that again alcohol is not the answer to your problems. Though it may have helped this guy out with his speech and his nerves, his decision to drink ultimately cost him his life. If only he would have been more educated on the alcohol, he may still be around today.

3.)

Summary: Work Will Be The Death Of Me

Finally after a 14 work day I'm leaving this horrible thing called a job. I of course had to stop and pick up my twelve pack of Heineken for the ride home to reflect on my day. As I'm casually driving down the freeway beer in hand, I think about how the day could not have gone any worse. First, I was late again because my car wouldn't start this morning. Then I was chewed out for at least an hour, because the shipping order was incorrect. Finally the cherry on top was being laid off from the company that i have worked at now for 20 years. What do I do now? Im too old to find another job, nobody is going to hire me. How am I going to pay my bills and support my family? As I continually drive around the city thinking about what I'm going to do, I realize that the case is now empty. As inebriation begins to set in, I no longer care. These beers will get me through anything. 

Analysis: Work Will Be The Death Of Me

The theme of the piece is to illustrate how a man uses alcohol to escape from the dreaded thing he calls life. After being laid off from his job the man decides to drink and booze. Well, on his joy ride pondering about life he crashed into a school bus injuring numerous children and paralyzing himself. This man just ruined the rest of his life because he resorted to alcohol. There are countless cases of this happening daily with no resolution in sight. People are resorting to booze to get them past their issues and this isn't the answer. We need to come up with a better, safer alternative. I can't iterate enough the importance of educating the people about this “legal” substance. The numbers are only rising when it comes to alcoholism. The frightening thing is its going to continue to happen unless we all take a stab at it together. 

4.)

Summary: Spare Change For Booze?

I have officially lost it all. My job, my house and most importantly my family all because of alcohol. How did I let myself get to this point in my life?  After spending the last six dollars I had on a bottle of cheap wine all I could do was sit by this smelly trash can and think about when it all went wrong. The countless nights coming home drunk pushed my family away, getting buzzed at work cost me my job and well losing my job ultimately left me to losing my house. As i quickly drink the entire bottle of cheap wine, questions begin running through my head what I'm going to do. When was the last time I showered? Was this brown long sleeve shirt going to hold up through the winter? What am i going to do without shoes? How long with these socks hold up without getting holes? Hell the cleanest thing i have on are these jeans.. As i grew more and more sad about my situation I realize that I am out of booze and money.. Spare some change anyone?

Analysis: Spare Change For Booze?

The theme of the piece is to show how a man lost it all because of alcoholism. He had a stable paying job, a great family and a beautiful home. As a drinking problem began to arise thats when everything fell apart for him. He came home drunk every night only to fight with his wife. After some time she couldn't take it anymore and left. He then would drink on the job ultimately sacrificing his career. Then when he lost his career, everything else went as well all for alcohol. Now he's staying in the park behind Walmart living in a cardboard box begging for food and change. The morale of the story is that Alcohol isn't the answer to anything. We see here a man who had it all decided to give in to the temptations of alcohol and lost it all.That even though he wasn't drinking to rid or escape of anything, it still had a negative impact on his life. Educate yourselves people, there are countless stories just like this that happen everyday. Don't let it be you. 

An Opportunity

Sanchez Monica
English 105, M-W
Professor: Amanda Reyes

Summary of piece #1

A pastel colored picture shows two immigrants looking through what appears to be the boarder that divides Mexico with the United States. The wall is very high and at the very top you can the sharp pointy spirals that make it impossible for anyone to climb it. In this picture you can see crosses attached to the wall going across the wall. If you look closely to the crosses you'll notice there's names written on each cross a long with the country the person lived in. Each cross represents someone who dies attempting to cross the boarder. The clouds look a bit dark as if the day was gloomy. There is a lot of dirt as if they're in a desert place. One of the guys is sitting on top of his belongings on him while the other one just has a sweater tied around his waist.

Analysis of piece #1

This painting is called two immigrants created by Christian Faltis. He is a professor and oil painter. Many people can relate to what's going on in this picture because loosing someone in attempt to coming to the United States is a common problem. It is very sad when you don't know what happened to your love one and last time you spoke to that person they told you they were coming to the United States but never made it. People die in attempting to cross the boarder daily. There is always risks in coming here as illegal immigrants.

Summary of piece #2

Young hard working children/adults working on a hot day. In this picture you can see three children dressed very poorly. They are carrying heavy buckets on their shoulder. Their face expressions show that the buckets are heavy. One kid looks tired, he is closing his eyes while carrying the bucket, the other kid is in the middle with  a hat on and the other kid looks red and tired. In the background you can see a lot of green plants and dirt on the ground. Second picture you can see hard working adults all wearing straw hats in a hot day. All the adults are sitting down with  their knees on what appears to be a vegetable field. There is buckets and big bags around the field where they are putting the stuff in, and you can see someone wearing a total different outfit then the rest so I'm guessing that's their boss.

Analysis of piece #2

Children in other countries start working at a very young age. They start helping out their parents really young due to their financial struggle. Illegal immigrants work so hard to provide for their families. They are willing to work long hours on hot days without complaints.

Summary of piece #3.

A picture taken of Central American people on board of La bestia (deadly train) shows exactly how packed the train gets of people trying to come to the United States. This train is very long. You can see adults, children, babies on board. There is hardly any space, people are literally hanging from one arm, others are standing. People are way at the top while others are way at the bottom. Their is a lot of trees around them. Aside of the people who are already on board you can see other people are still standing on the bottom waiting to catch a spot on the deadly train.

Analysis of piece #3

La bestia is a primary travel way that Central Americans prefer. Risking their lives they board this deadly train. A lot of people have died while on board or have been critically injured. Some examples are people falling asleep while on board they have slipped off and died, some others have been shot by gangs on board, others have lost their legs or arms. Its a big risk boarding this train. Pretty scary if you ask me.

Summary of piece #4

In this painting you can see an American flag in one half and Mexican flag on the other side. People on the side of the Mexican flag walking towards the American flag. There is one girl in the middle which you can see a shower above her head wetting her completely. People are walking in a straight line. The front guy is green, some people are bare footed, while others are wearing boots or sandals. It must be a hot day because most people are wearing shorts and you can see a guy wearing his muscle shirt while his t-shirt is folded on top of his shoulder.

Analysis of piece #4

This painting was painted by Juan Carlos Marcia's. This painting is displayed in the National museum. In this picture he is describing the code-switching of crossing the boarder from being Mexican, to what people consider a white washed Mexican American. This is a transition that every Chicano/Chicana can relate to.

death with dignity activist exhibition

Taylor Hosea

Amanda Reyes

English 105

26 November 2015

Summary of Piece 1

A black and white photo depicts a small frail body that is laying in a hospital bed.  The individual is bald and has a blank stare on their face.  The patient is abnormally thin and is propped up in their hospital bed.  There is a woman who is feeding the patient what looks like some type of food with a liquid consistency.  The woman who is feeding the patient has a look of concern and fear on her face but the patient shows no interest to the woman.  All around the patient’s bed are hospital machines; some include an IV and what looks like a heart monitor.  You can tell that the patient is propped up in their bed by the angle of the hospital bed they are laying on.  Although the patient is bald you can tell she is a woman by her long painted acrylic nails and her earrings.  The patient looks to the left but you cannot see what she is looking at.  The woman who is trying to feed her is in a white lab coat but it is unclear if she is a doctor or a loved one.  The patient is the main focus of this image because she is located in the center of the image; the woman feeding her is located off to the right of the image.  The people in this photo are either in some sort of hospital or a setting where there is hospital equipment present.

Analysis of Piece 1

This image of a lady laying in a hospital bed being spoon fed by another woman shows the ultimate suffering people with terminal illness have to endure.  The way the woman is positioned it is clear that she is so frail and weak that they had to prop her up in her own hospital bed so that she is able to sit up.  The blank stare that she wears on her face can either be a drug induced stare or it can also be that she is so indifferent to the suffering she is enduring because it has been going on for so long.  When I saw this image the first thing I thought of was the Holocaust because the people you see in the photos who have been starved for weeks resemble the patient in the photo.  The woman looks as though she has not eaten in weeks and looks very weak.  People with terminal illnesses do not have the choice to decide to not live like this they have to simply live their life like this daily.  Imagine what it would be like not being able to feed yourself because you or so weak or not being able to lift your own body up.  No human being deserves to live like the woman in the picture but each year people with terminal illnesses spend the last days of their lives suffering; if we made death with dignity laws less people would have to suffer and more people would be able to die a humane, dignified death.

Summary of Piece 2

This song is written by Sufjan Stevens and it is entitled “Death with Dignity”.  The song opens up with the line, “Spirit of my silence I can hear you” and then goes on to state that the person does not know where to begin.  The artist then in the next verse repeats again that he does not know where to begin and also speaks about a tired old mare.  The artist sings about how he or she has lost their strength, however, the listener is unsure if it is physical or mental because they do not give this away.  In the third verse which is the next verse the artist ponders on whether or not a person is a friend and goes on to say that you never know until the end, but the listener does not know what he means by the end because he does not come out and say it directly.  In the fourth verse the artist repeats a line twice, “What is that song you sing for the dead?”  The artist also repeats the line, “Well I got nothing to prove.”  The final verse the artist sings about a road ending and that their mother’s apparition passes them through the willows.  The song closes with “You’ll never see us again.”

Analysis of Piece 2:

This song is written and recorded by Sufjan Stevens who can be classified as an Indie Folk artist.  Stevens was born in the U.S and was raised by his father and step mother; he saw his biological mother occasionally throughout his life but not often because they did not have a great relationship.  Stevens wrote this song in order to deal with the death of his mother and the guilt he felt due to the lack of relationship he had with her.  The tired old mare that Stevens refers to is symbolic of his mother; a mare is a female horse.  When he continuously repeats “I don’t know” he is inferring to the listener that he is unsure of how to deal with the loss of his mother; Stevens does not know what to feel.  When he talks about amethyst and flowers he does so because amethyst represents protection; the amethyst can either represent the lack of protection he felt from his mother or the protection he felt from her.  Since he did not have a good relationship with her I interpreted that the amethyst was symbolic of the lack of protection he felt from his mother due to the lack of her presence in his life.  The desert symbolizes his loneliness and seclusion because a desert is bare an empty which is how the death of his loved one has caused him to feel.  The searchlight on his window can be his endless search for the ability to come to terms with his mother’s death.  Stevens says that he forgives his mother and longs to be near her which can show the guilt he may feel for her suffering or for his absence in her time of need.  The reference to willows can represent emotion because willows are symbolic of deep emotion and intuition or dreaming which could be why he sees her apparition in the willows.  An apparition is a ghost of a loved one.  Ultimately this song is about a man’s struggle to cope with his mother’s death; he realizes that he must be at peace with her death in order to move on with his life.  The reason that this song can tie into the idea of death with dignity is because when someone is dying of a terminal illness it is not just the person dying who is suffering it is the people around them as well.  No one wants to see a family member suffering and often when someone is terminally ill they spend the final moment of their lives suffering the most.  If death with dignity was an option for people it would not only help the terminally ill patient but also help the family as well to suffer less pain emotionally.  Death with dignity would let the family members cope with the loss of their loved one without feeling guilt brought on by their family member’s suffering.

Summary of Piece 3:

This photo is a black and white photo where there if a quote on the left portion of the image and a man and a woman on the right portion.  The man and woman look fairly young and they have wedding clothes on.  The woman is in a white wedding dress and is holding a bouquet of flowers.  Her hair is long and healthy and she has a smile on her face; it looks as though she is mid-laugh.  The man is in a tuxedo and is staring at the woman and also has a very happy expression on his face as well.  The background looks like there are many trees behind them; the leaves are not falling they are intact on the trees and the trees look like they are possibly blossoming some sort of flower.  To the left of the bride and groom is a quote that reads, “To have control of my own mind…to go with dignity is less terrifying.  When I look at both options I have to die, I feel this is far more humane.”  The quote is in white bold writing so it is very clear what it reads, also, the quote takes up a little more surface area spatially then then image of the bride and groom. 

Analysis of Piece 3:

The woman in the picture is Brittany Maynard and her husband.  Brittany Maynard was diagnosed with an aggressive brain cancer at the age of 29 and was given a very short amount of time to live.  The reason I chose this photo is because when we think of terminal illness we often think of the elderly, however, terminal illness knows no age, race or sex.  Anyone who is living can have something like this happen to them no matter how young or old.  Maynard decided that she did not want her loved ones to see her suffer and that she did not want to endure more pain than she needed to endure.  She made the decision to move to Oregon with her family where she could die with dignity because Oregon is one of the few states where there is laws for this.  Maynard wanted the world to see death with dignity in a different perspective; she wanted people to feel positive about it and realize that this should be an option to all.  Often when interview Maynard would say that she was going to die either way but that she was just choosing to die a death where she was in control of the amount of pain she would endure.  Brittany Maynard, although, she is no longer living has made a large impact on the social issue of death with dignity and has helped influence many people in becoming more open to this idea.  Maynard’s final days were spent with the people she loved doing the activities she loved.  On November 1, 2014 Maynard ended her life in the most dignified way possible.

Summary of Piece 4:

This song is called “Streets of Philadelphia” and the artist is Bruce Springstein.  The first verse of the song says how he is bruised and battered and that he can no longer recognize himself in a window; he no longer can see himself and he is on the streets of Philadelphia.  The next verse sings that when he is walking that he can hear voices of friends that have vanished and gone.  He also says that he walks down the street until his legs cannot move anymore (his legs feel like stone).  At night he can hear the blood in his veins; he refers to his blood as black and whispering.  In the third verse he says that no angel will greet him and that it is just him and his friend.  The listener does not know who he is referring to as his friend.  He also says that his clothes no longer fit him.  In the final verse of the song he talks about how he is slowly fading away and that he will be left on the streets of Philadelphia alone.

Analysis of Piece 4:

This song was written in the late 1980’s early 1990’s when AIDS had just became a public scare.  I believe that Springstein is talking about the terminal illness of AIDS in this song but it can really be applied to any sort of terminal illness.  The first verse when he is saying that he does not recognize himself this can be true of many terminal illnesses because when you get that sick you often lose weight, your hair, your skin pigmentation and many other physical traits that make you who you are.  When someone is terminally ill they are often frail and thin which is what Springstein is referring to in the first verse when he says he does not recognize himself and that he is “wastin’ away”.  In the second verse when he sings about walking the streets alone this is symbolic of how a person who is dying feels very alone in the world and although they have people by their side feelings of loneliness can overcome them.  The third verse is about the person coming to terms with dying.  They are reflecting on their life and are scared of what happens after they die because they do not believe they are going to be greeted by an angel; they refer to some being as their friend and I believe they are referring to a grim reaper.  A grim reaper represents death; which the person in the song is meeting.  The last and final verse is about the person taking their last final breath and how they are trying to stay awake but they are slowly slipping away.  This song is very sad and really helps you to try to understand what a terminally ill person is going through.  I could not imagine not being able to recognize myself because I am so sick; it must be terrifying.  If death with dignity was at least an option so many people would not have to feel alone and helpless in their final days like the person in this song.  They would have the option of not having to not be able to recognize themselves in the mirror; they would be able to have their loved ones remember them as healthy and happy.  Although some may not agree with this idea we should at least be able to decide for ourselves when put in situations such as this.

Styles of Appropriation

1. A white woman with blushing cheeks and green eyes stands center looking to her audience with a smirk. She’s out at a park with the sun shining on her big curly Afro-like hair. The curls of her hair have defined loops and has been teased to give a wilder look to it. It’s from page 136 saying “You can have an Afro *even if you have straight hair*” Below the title it gives instructions to go from bone straight hair to the intended Afro above. It explains by the end of the instructions to fluff up your hair with your fingers and “viola the Afro the straight-haired girl”.

The editor approved of a Caucasian woman to appear in her magazine to appropriate African American hair. The beauty of African American hair has to be shared as a new trend among those of non-African descent. She goes to explain to make extra slippery hair stiffer by adding a holding hair spray. The Caucasian woman gives a smirk in the photo appearing confident and without error. The curls in her hair still don’t resemble African American hair and have more of a Spanish wave to them and have been frizzed in attempt to replicate an Afro. (Cultural appropriation)

2. An African Indian child with fuchsia and white paint spread across her cheeks, chin and nose. She is off centered looking to her audience with a stern look. On her head is a head dress that is fuchsia with big feathers, beads and silk. The beads are embroider to make round patterns using diamonds and rubies. Her hair is bonded into to two pig tails draped over to the front of her shoulders with pink silk ribbons to keep them in place. Her garment is fuchsia with silk, beads and frills with a picture of a Native American chief and buffalo on her chest made from bead as well.

The child looks very stern and engulfed into the culture. Her attire has Native American roots yet have been altered with colors that are not traditionally Native American. The picture of a Native American and buffalo on her chest made out in beads gives story of why should could be dressed in feathers with pig tails. The paint on her cheeks and chin gives a feeling of celebratory war paint. The fuchsia paint mixed with white to give shadow effect to show the intentional smearing of the celebratory war paint. The gems and beads are to identify prestige or royalty of a divine figure. Her headdress is of a crown and he hair to provide emphasis on her beauty. (Cultural exchange/appreciation)

3. A Latino man explains his name change on his resume from Jose to Joe. He has tan skin and soft accent and wears clothing of typical American culture. A button up blue collar shirt, a blue thermal and a blue long sleeved striped shirt all with a backwards cap. He has a goatee that is neatly shaved. His voice is monotone. He is sitting down for most of the video. He types on his computer searching for job listings and makes edits to his resume.

An average American man of Latin descent has a common name, Jose’. He is an average American with no threatening tones and no threatening build. He dresses in American culture fabrics because he is American. He cannot survive in America by continuing forth with his birth name. He has to assimilate his name to be a competitor when job searching. He white washes his name from Jose’ to Joe. He immediately gets call backs and a new job. Jose had to appropriate the dominate culture or assimilate for his survival. (Assimilation/cultural dominance)

4. A white man sitting with his legs crossed. He has long deep brown hair with a long beard to his chest. His mustache is thick and brown with the ends curled and twisted. As he sits with his legs crossed he places the back of his hands on his knees with his fingers touching each other to the sky. He is in a bright gold like dress with beige pants and soft shoes. His dress like attire has embroidered designs in red. Around his neck are wooden beads and a varmala. He sits on top of a blood red pillow with golden embroider. He has blue sun rays glittering behind him

A white man is attempting to use satire on the Indian culture. His eyebrow is raised as if he is confident of his position.