Kill Bill Vol. 1 and 2

My all-time favorite movie is Kill Bill Vol.'s 1 and 2. There are many justice issues in this movie.  The issues dealing with the criminal justice system are the first that come to mind. This movie is centered around the lives and revenge of deadly assassins. While watching this film I was always asking myself, where are the police? why haven't these assassins been caught? There is a scene in the first movie where cops find the main character seemingly dead, among many others. The conclusion is that she died from a deadly massacre at the hands of professionals. But other than that scene, the characters actions are never apprehended by the law. This reflects the flaws and helplessness of the criminal justice system at times. However, this movie deals a lot with individual responsibility and agency. The main character, played by Uma Thurman, is a deadly assassin who seeks "bloody revenge" on a group of other deadly assassins. There is a lot of violence and murder which is obviously a breach on the justice system. However, this movie transforms the popular idea that people have to rely on a justice system to bring them justice, instead of doing it by themselves. Thurman deals with many justice issues on her own. She was victim of an attempted murder, which resulted in the fatality of her unborn child, her fiance, her friends, and her future family. There are also times when her credibility as a challenging contender is questioned only because she is an American woman. With all of its justice issues aside, I think this is a fantastically shot, creative and classic movie by Quintin Tarantino. You must see it if you haven't already!

Jewel: I'm sensitive

The song I am going to post is called "I'm Sensitive" by Jewel. I tried to post other blogs with more music but each time it wouldn't allow me to, so by the fourth time I gave up. the music I was also going to include were songs by N.W.A. and the Flobots. If you are interested in these songs just let me know, also, I love music so I know a lot of really good artists and a lot of subtle or explicit songs which protest injustice.

Jewel's song:

I was thinking that I might fly today
Just to disprove all the things you say
It doesn't take a talent to be mean
Your words can crush things that are unseen
So please be careful with me, I'm sensitive
And I'd like to stay that way.
You always tell me that is impossible
To be respected and be a girl
Why's it gotta be so complicated?
Why you gotta tell me if I'm hated?
So please be careful with me, I'm sensitive
And I'd like to stay that way.
I was thinking that it might do some good
If we robbed the cynics and took all their food
That way what they believe will have taken place
And we can give it to people who have some faith
So please be careful with me, I'm sensitive
And I'd like to stay that way.
I have this theory that if we're told we're bad
Then that's the only idea we'll ever have
But maybe if we are surrounded in beauty
Someday we will become what we see
'Cause anyone can start a conflict
it's harder yet to disregard it
I'd rather see the world from another angle
We are everyday angels
Be careful with me 'cause I'd like to stay that way

This song covers the topics of women's oppression and the responsibility of the public to bring more beauty in the world. I like how she expresses the need to maintain her sensitivity, because in so much of our everyday lives we are desensitized to a lot of injustice, such as racial oppression, women's oppression, classist oppression, and so on. She demands her right to stay sensitive because compassion and sensitivty are inherent in human beings, it can just be stifled by current society and even belittled to being "weak".

The Complexity of Human Emotion

The guest lecturer on suicide really made me think about the complexities of human emotion and how it can be interpreted. Many people I have talked to discussed suicide as a cowardly way to approach problems. The lecture (and my own ideas) made me find this completely wrong. The reason people end their life is because they think that is the only way to escape their misery. The lecture was eye opening because many people, I think, show certain signs of suicide, or of just depression. It happens so much among our age group, and it is preventable. The lecture taught me that even if I have a slight and unsure idea that someone could have suicidal tendencies, to just ask them and talk to them. I am now more aware of what it looks like and can actually be productive in helping them. Suicide is a strategy to find happiness, much like different types of substance abuse, or over eating, etc. These are all issues that can be prevented if those around the person conduct themselves in a caring and empathic way.