Emmapemma Wenjun Xu

This is a video from BBC.com.uk. It’s about the new rising Neo-Nazis in Russia. According to the video, some Russian young people are trying to use physical violence to force non-white migrants leave the country. A parliament man who is running for president of the country said,”only educated white people should be allowed to come.” I find this movement is dehumanizing migrants. In fact, the migrants bring in cheap labour and economic opportunities to Russia although some Russian lose their jobs. The Russian government should focus on how to balance between unemployment and globalization. Undoubtedly, Neo-Nazis is absolutely infamous.

 Here is the link to the video: http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_7100000/newsid_7106700/7106706.stm?bw=bb&mp=wm&asb=1&news=1&ms3=54

The title of this entry is quoted from a speech of Mia Farrow, an award-winning actress but now an Darfur activist. Since the beginning of the genocide in Darfur region of Sudan, approximately 200,000 have been killed and 2.5 million more were displaced. The tragedy of Darfur again proved the failure of international support. Why after witnessing the loss in Rwanda and Bosnia, the world stands by once again? The United Nation did not sent out troops until early this year when the genocide has been going on for about four years. Why the People’s Republic of China rejected proposals on sending UN troops or abstained from voting? What is the standpoints of other world powers? What caused the genocide? Who are the killers?

This video series called On Our Watch and the articles on the websites will help us answer at least some of our doubts about the ongoing genocide.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/darfur/?campaign=pbshomefeatures_1_frontlinebronourwatch_2007-11-21

Another website http://www.sudanreeves.org/ , which is sponsored by Eric Reeves, a Professor of English Language and Literature at Smith College, provide us more details.

Check them out.

good documentary on a woman who always seeks freedom but feels puzzled in her 40’s about marriage.

     Nobel peace prize Laureat Elie Wiesel talked about his life and the concerns for the future of mankind in the documentary ELIE WIESEL (the video is available in the library). After his survival from Auschwitz, he became a journalist and later novelist. He sums up his life of seeking to understand human behavior, mourns the tendency of humans to dehumanize each other in order to kill with impunity. In the documentary, he expressed his view of September 11 (42ed-48th min). His words are calm and pregnant with meaning. Will the 21st century recreate the nightmares of the 20th? He analyzed the re-emergence of terrorism in this century.

      Another video BEYOND HATE, which is about the global violence is also available in the library.

      I watch the movie called  Stolen Childhoods during the break. It’s a documentary, filmed in seven countries: Brazil, India, USA, Mexico, Indonesia, Kenya and Nepal, on global child labor. The facts which were told in the documentary are shocking.  We accept the reality that everyone is not born equal in the world, since the society will never be absolutely  equal. However, can we allow those children losing their childhood at such an early age? Their childhood is stolen as well as their future and whole lives.

     I was just folding my cloth from laundry, 2 sport pants were made in Kenya; 3 tops made in India and 1 skirts was made in Indonesia. Was child labor used in the manufacturing process of these cloth? I don’t know. However, I feel guilty when I know the posibilities exist.

http://video.on.nytimes.com/?fr_story=d2ac92f32b31bd10a798d1338f13e831e6049d77

Last Saturday, I attended the 2007 Washington DC AIDS Walk along with SGAC members.According to the organization, which organized this event, there were about 6,000 people registered for the walk.  On the front of our AIDS walk T-shirts, it says that among every 20 adults in DC, there is one who has HIV.

      I felt astonished about this fact. In this capital city, HIV is threatening people’s lives step by step, while busy people always neglect this fact. Fortunately, some people decided to get together to raise awareness of AIDS, to support AIDS research, and to fight back. No one knew or cared who among us had HIV. People walked 5K for the same purpose and they moved each other. Our group finished that 5K in 1 h and 15 minutes.

Family weekend is going very well. You can see excited families around the campus. They enjoyed listening ghost stories, singing college songs, taking part in 4 miles cross country games, and attending auctions and the amazing Pumpkin Parade. Some of them are alumnae of this college. This is the most amazing thing of this college. Hearing students mention that their grandmother’s grandmother graduated from this college is not a strange thing here. History and students are the assets of this college, and they are the power that support the college survives till now. I can imagine how excited my families will be if they can come. They will fall in love with this fascinating college as me.

Last Wednesday, I attended a speech given by Dr. Sam Fuller, a plastic surgeon in
Lynchburg. Dr. Fuller has been a volunteer with Operation Smile, an organization made up of medical volunteers who go to locations around world to repair children’s cleft lips and cleft palates, since 1988.  

During the two-hour speech, Dr. Fuller showed us photos from his volunteering trips. I have seen some people who have cleft lips before, but they are far from being considered as serious, comparing to those photos. People who are born healthily will never understand how much those people are suffering. However, healthy people are trying to help those are suffering. Stories between those volunteering professional surgeons and patients are touching. As Dr. Fuller said, volunteering surgeons would no longer consider themselves, the only thing they think about is help as much as they can. They know, at this time, one more operation means one more child’s life is changed. Eventually, they realize that they are changing the future and that is the best reward they get. 

I was moved and decide to take action. Something I can do here in
Lynchburg to support Operation Smile, such as organizing a fundraising march to downtown. I will start planning as soon as possible.

Eventually, Pumpkin Parade is taking place. I cannot remember how many times I was told the traditions of this college were fascinating, for there were too many. For a month, I am excited to wait for these events to happen and to be a witness, not just listener.  

After attending the event, I think I now understand why Randy-Mac girls protested so hard last year. The strength of women can only be fully explored in an all women’s college. You can see that in their eyes, you can hear that in their voices, you can feel that in their spirits. I will change subject to “we” now, for I am one of them. We know we are not alone, for we have sisters. No matter if we know her, she is there, somewhere. Love each other and feel being loved. 

Don’t say a woman’s college is conservative or ideological. Don’t ask if these women can survive after being thrown into the cruel world. These women are enthusiastic, intelligent, competitive and strong enough to meet challenges. 

The tradition will not die out. No one will allow it to happen.