Emma Dahl

This afternoon our honors class had the opportunity to listen to yet another wonderful speaker at the noon convocation. Anil Singh- Morales was the speaker, he is the visiting Woodrow Wilson Fellow. He had spoke in our class this past Monday night and I was anxious to get to hear more about him. He told us about his vast multicultural background: Spanish mother, Indian father, born in Holland, lived in London and Belgium, father was Hindu... the list is quite extensive. When speaking of his experience growing up in Belgium he said that he and his brothers, "did but didn't fit in." He also spoke of the many interesting life experiences he has had. He was a translator, went to school for the hard sciences, dropped out and went to Harvard, he was a journalist, he worked at Microsoft for a few years and pitched an idea to Bill Gates that started the Strategic Partner Program, but had to leave because he was "bored." He also served as a Monk apprentice, was a stay at home dad and had now founded is own company and non profit organizations. Because of his multicultural background he was able to use it to his advantage in furthering his career by traveling to France, Spain, Japan and understanding that in order to understand how they work we must try and understand and appreciate their culture. A favorite quote that he shared when discussing how he used all the money he made working for Microsoft was that, "you need to give back as much as you are taking or getting." And that is exactly what he has done.

At the end, Anil made a connection to the book of the year, The Middle of Everywhere, and spoke of how immigrants are welcomed/ unwelcomed into America. I really liked his analogy that it was a two-way street, we each have to do our share. It was so interesting to hear about all of the places he had been and how cultured he was, it's all very new to me still because as far as culture goes I am very basic. I'm a white American with almost 100% Norwegian background, who had had almost no interaction with other cultures until coming to Concordia. The way he spoke about traveling makes me want to travel abroad with such a great passion. I really hope I get to.

 I really enjoyed the convocation. By the end of today I felt like Anil and I were bff because I heard him speak about 4 times; twice on Monday and twice today (he came to my intercultural communications class). I am not complaining about it one bit though. He is a really great speaker and he has truly lived his life to the fullest, in my opinion. He was really full of great motivational and inspirational advice as well. He said that we all bring something special from our background, and that was really neat to hear because it is so true. Everyone has had different experiences with different people and different places that makes each one of us special and unique. He told us to do as many things as you can, as well as you can, and to not let your education limit you; you can do anything if you want to. In my communications class he stressed one point that I think everyone should try and follow... do what makes YOU happy. To him, that was most important and  I think it is a really great statement to live by.

Last night our Honor's class had the pleasure of listening to Hmong artist Seexeng Lee who came to speak to us. He began with an overview of art in general, and then went specifically into Hmong art and his personal story. He told us how Hmong art isn't meant to sit in a museum and have people simply look at it; it is meant to be used and to be functional. He told us about his journey to where he is now. His family wasn't accepting of his desire to be an artist, but he pursued it anyways with an immense amount of passion. A quote from his website says, "Many may say that living with the collision of two cultures is a burden but I find it a blessing in disguise." I think that this is a really neat view and it was interesting to see how he coped with his Hmong culture while adapting to life in America. I feel like his pieces are so beautiful in looks and in the passion that went into making them. He spoke about the evolution of Hmong art and how it has become more hybrid; mixing classic Hmong with American. One last quote that he left us with that I really liked was, "It is my job to make the invisible, visible."

We have had the privilege of getting to hear from so many wonderful speakers and last night was another great addition t our list. It was especially enjoyable to hear of Seexeng Lee's personal views and story since we have previously viewed his work in the convocation a few weeks ago as well as in the Center for Hmong Studies. It feels like a backstage pass when we get to learn the behind the scenes details. Having very little art experience myself, I really enjoy listening to artists speak. For me, it reopens my eyes to their work and helps me remember to widen my, usually narrow, perspective. I feel a little bad after learning about what the mural in the Buetow is, because though I haven't passed by it often, when I did I didn't pay that much attention to it. I think too often I take things like art for granted, because I am no artist myself, I sometimes forget all of the work and passion and thought that goes into a piece and Lee did a good job of helping remind of that.

Though I was very tired and mentally and physically drained last night, even though it was the first night back from break, to be honest I was not looking forward to another speaker at all. I am very happy to say, however, that I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Lee speak. I don't know if it was his intention but he gave some good life advice. This has actually been true of almost all speakers, the more I listen to them the more I learn about myself. It makes me really excited now to learn more about my Norwegian background through our research paper. He spoke a student  who said that he wished he was like him because his culture was "so cool!" and he said he told that student to dig a little deeper and they too would discover really great things about their culture. You should be proud and knowledgeable of where you came from and I can't wait to learn more about lovely Norway. Uff da!

This past Monday night we continued our trend and had 3 guest speakers come to share their stories with us. Xang Lee, PaHoua Yang and Xia Yang are all students here at Concordia. I believe Xang and PaHoua are sophomores and Xia will graduate in the fall. I enjoyed getting to hear students speak of their experience because it's very different of our guests from last week who were adults during their experiences. They each talked about their story of growing up and coming to the United States. It's just crazy to think about all they went through at such a young age, even if they don't really remember it. They each also shared about life in America and why they came to CSP. It was interesting to hear about the different aspects of their cultures that sometimes makes it hard for them to fit in. I can't imagine never being able to go out and having to have the women do all of the work. It was interesting though, that even with the work both girls said they would want to raise their kids traditionally. I think that really says something about how important their culture is to them.

I felt a little bit more of a connection getting to hear from kids my own age, but disconnected at the same time. It's hard to explain but what I mean is though they are my age and so I can relate in some ways to some of their experiences (fitting in at school etc.) I have no idea what they went through at all. I just love getting to hear each of their stories, and throughout this semester I have realized that we all have a story about how we got here. Some may be more "eventful" than others, but that story is a part of who we are and the fact that we each have a story is something that we all have in common. (My apologies if this makes no sense... I'm quite tired and feel like I'm talking gibberish.)

I really enjoyed getting to hear from kids who are my own age tell of their stories. I honestly am just blown away that we have been focusing on one topic and yet every week I feel like I learn something new and different.  Getting to hear kids tell their stories was a new angle on our quest to learn all that's possible about Hmong immigration. Hearing things from a students point of view is just different in the way that they express their feelings; it's more "real" and something that is easier for us kids to relate to because they are "speaking our language" and more in terms we understand.

This afternoon we attended the convocation, Art in the Middle of Everywhere. There were about 5 or 6 artists who displayed their work. They each had a connection to the theme of this years book of the year, The Middle of Everywhere. They had either been refugees/ immigrants themselves or had worked in close contact with others who were. I was excited to go and get a chance to look at the artwork. I have gotten involved with Art Club this year through my roommate, Panda, who is the Vice- President/ President and I have really enjoyed it. I have really learned to fully appreciate art much more than I hade before, and to look for the not so obvious meaning behind the work. It was nice to get to hear the artist's speak about their work and their story and why they created what they did. It's just incredible how much thought, work and emotion go in to all of these pieces, and how one picture or sculpture can tell a story.

I think that this was a very neat idea to bring the book of the year, The Middle of Everywhere, to life, in a sense. I am more of a visual learner so being able to have things that I can look at and relate things to really helps me understand things. Reading the book can only get me so far in having any idea whatsoever about all of the emotion of the experiences of the immigrants and refugees. I am not very artistic myself, so I am just so amazed sometimes how people think of the things that they do. To put a whole story, or emotion on to canvas for others to see and learn from and feel, is a really awesome thing. Some of them you might not agree with, some may make you see things in a whole new way, and some may be exact feelings or thoughts that you have as well; it doesn't matter which effect it has on you as long as you're open to it.

I really liked this convocation, and not just because there was free food and refreshments. I think it adds another dimension to what we have been learning about immigrants and refugees. So far we have read books and listened to speakers tell stories, but today we got a chance to view artwork that told the story. Though we got to hear from many of the artists about the meaning behind the work, I think it's really neat to look at it yourself and try and figure out what the artist is trying to convey and feeling, and how I interpret it and what it means to me.

This past evening in Honors we had the privilege of having two guest speakers, Mr. Long Yang and Ms. Choua Thao, come to share their story with us.  They told us stories that sometimes seem as if there is no way it could be true, they have lived and then some. It was nice to hear stories from people who were adults during the war, their stories had a little more "meat" to them versus stories told by those who were children during that time. Both of them have had absolutely fascinating experiences, some good and some bad but they both worked through all of the bumps in the road with determination. Mr. Yang spoke with a smile always on his face and you could tell he really enjoyed getting to share his story with us. Ms. Thao impacted me more than I was prepared for. She is a feisty little woman who isn't going to let anyone stand in her way. Listening to her story was truly inspirational. She had a passion behind her voice that got to me more than anyone ever has when talking about the typical, "follow your dreams" idea.

The experience of listening to them was similar to that of last weeks session with Lee Pao Xiong. It's amazing to me how we can listen to so many people and they have each been through completely different experiences. Each class period I realize more and more how sheltered my life has been. Until this year I honestly had never heard of Hmong people, aside from knowing there was a building called Hmong Center. I loved growing up in a smaller town, but it has been an eye opening experience living up in the cities where there are so many different types of cultures. Each of their stories captures me and helps me forget about being tired, in class on a Monday night.

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to both Mr. Yan and Ms. Thao. Not only were their stories different, but their personalities were completely opposite. I appreciated Mr. Yang's sweet storytelling of his days in the CIA and Ms. Thao's captivating spirit of her days in the hospitals. Both of them are such strong individuals and I have an immense amount of respect for them. I honestly have been thinking of what my dream is ever since last night. Her voice is in the back of my mind yelling, "Have a dream!, even if you don't get there, if you don't have a dream, you fail." I hope to take some of her feistiness with me to help me better stand up for myself, and what I want.

I have always wondered, well always since I have been at Concordia, what this brick building that I see every time I look out my window is.  I knew that it was the Center for Hmong Studies, and that's only because there is a sign right in front of the building.  I was very curious to go inside and see what it was like; I had no idea what to expect.  Well I got to have my questions answered this past Monday night as the Honors class got to spend half of our class period in their listening to Professor Lee Pao Xiong.  I really enjoyed listening to him explain about Hmong studies at Concordia as well as his own personal story; he has had so many interesting experiences!  I was surprised to learn that the Center is open to all students all the time; it had always seemed exclusive.  I learned a ton of new information from Professor Xiong and it was all very interesting.  I was very unaware of Concordia's great involvement with the Hmong culture. It was really neat to get to look at all the artifacts, models, clothing and jewelry that is in the center.

Professor Xiong stated that the town which he is from, Long Cheng, is talked about it Dr. Hillmer's work.  It was helpful to my understanding of Hmong culture to be able to listen to someone's own story.  It is unparalleled in its power to capture your attention and make you really understand what things were like.  Hearing personal stories makes it seem more real to me, than just reading about it. Professor Xiong was a good storyteller, which helped, and he always had a smile on his face no matter what he was talking about. 

Listening to Professor Xiong didn't alter my thoughts, he only made them more clear for me to understand.   I was surprised to learn about all of the Hmong activities that happen, but have all had very poor showing of Concordia students.  He said that people travel from all over to listen to these lectures right here on our campus, but we can't seem to make the walk to go to them.  It was also nice to learn that the Center is open for everyone to come and study or look around.

This past Friday afternoon a friend and I went to go see the movie, Gran Torino. Until being assigned to go see it for this class, I had never even heard about it. I was unsure of what to expect, and I wasn't too excited about going until I talked to my dad who told me that everyone at work had been buzzing about how good it was. I went into the movie with high expectations due to all the praise I had heard about it, which isn't always a good thing since it makes it easier to be disappointed. The movie ended up fulfilling my expectations, and then some. From the first scene I was drawn into the movie. I laughed, gasped, held my breath, was frustrated, angry and I cried. Clint Eastwood's character, Walt Kowalski, was a cranky old man who lived next door to a Hmong family. He wants nothing to do with his family, his pastor and most of all, his neighbors. Being able to watch Walt grow as a person from seeing that he has more in common with his Hmong neighbors than he would have ever imagined, to developing a bond with the family, especially Thao, all leading up to heartbreaking ending. It was such a powerful movie, not just for me but for everyone in the theatre because absolutely nobody moved until the screen was blank, and then everyone exited in silence. It was by far one of the best movies I have ever seen.

I saw a connection between Gran Torino and the book we just read, The Middle of Everywhere. As Mary Pipher talked about in her book, Americans are often too quick to judge others because they are different. When Walt attends the families barbeque one afternoon he states that he has more in common with "these people" than he does with his own family. That stood out to me because I think that people sometimes think that because immigrants are different, there is no way that we could have anything in common with them. Another connection to The Middle of Everywhere and Gran Torino was how the book talked about the ability to succeed in America and the line Sue says, "Girls go to college, boys go to jail."

This movie had more of an impact on me that I ever dreamed it would. It really opened up my eyes, and changed my typical American perspective on Hmong people as well as other refugees in general. I come from a town where there is not much exposure at all to other cultures, but through learning in class as well as this movie I feel like I have a better grasp on what it is like for other cultures. I am a visual learner so seeing it on screen really put it all together for me. I am very anxious and excited to learn more about the Hmong people and their culture throughout the rest of this semester. I am so happy we were assigned to see this movie because it isn't one I probably would have went to see on my own, which would have been a shame because it taught me so much.  Anyone reading this who hasn't seen it... GO!! (and bring some kleenex) 

 This past Monday we got a chance to sit down as a class and discuss our responses and reactions to the book, The Middle of Everywhere. Every time we have class discussions I end up getting much more out of it then if I had only my personal thoughts to go by. Everyone has different points of view and has had different experiences which bring something new to the table. It was very interesting to hear how others interpreted different stories and how similar and/or different our experiences are compared to those in the book. Through the questions provided we each got to learn more about others in the class and their backgrounds.  It was interesting to see all of the similarities and differences between everyone in the class.

While reading this book I found myself inadvertently stopping and reflecting on what my life is like compared to those in the book. Many times, however, things were so different that I could not even fathom  what it would be like to experience so much of what these immigrants had to endure. I had never realized how different things could be, it is so easy to just assume that everyone has it just as good as I do, but the truth is so far from that. In our discussion it was nice to hear that others feel the same way. It was also a very nice feeling to hear that so many people value family as much as I do, and I loved getting to hear about how unique every family is.

I went through a lot of self reflection reading this book. I have always been very appreciative of how blessed I am, but now I want to be sure that I am always expressing my gratitude. I am so lucky to have all that I have, and it could be all gone tomorrow, so I don't want to take anything for granted. I had a very small perspective on what life is like in other cultures, but this book has opened my eyes and shown a light on what feels like a completely different world. It all seems like something that you only read about, something that couldn't possibly be true, but it is. It has created in me a yearning for more knowledge of other cultures because the more I learn about other people, the more I seem to learn about myself.

Direct Writing 6

            Can religion and science co-exist in an interactive harmony? Some may say no, but that is not the answer for Phil Dowe. Dowe, an author and philosopher, finds a harmony between the two which he illustrates in his book, Galileo, Darwin, and Hawking: The Interplay of Science, Reason and Religion. In this book Dowe sequentially addresses some approaches and topics which some say preclude a harmonious interaction between religion and science. For the purpose of this writing this author will focus on the topic of miracles and the laws of nature.      

            "Miracles, if they occur, challenge the naturalistic idea that the scientific domain of explanation is all-embracing. But even if we think of science and religion as separate domains, each legitimate, miracles seem to force a point of contract between the two" (82). The noun, miracle, raises many questions when dealing with whether or not they are about to provide a rational basis for the belief in God. Hume includes the thoughts and analysis' of several philosophers that have studied the relationship between religion and miracles, but the main focus is on the Scottish philosopher, David Hume.

            Hume has a theory of rational belief which states that beliefs are to come in degrees, and the degree to which one believes should correspond with the amount of evidence. Next, Hume discusses how the laws of nature tie into it all. If there is absolute agreement in the evidence it shall be called a 'proof.' This theory can be applied in nature, such as the evidence of when it shall rain, which in itself validates titling it a law of nature. Probability is different in that the occurrence does not happen all of the time, but only an explicit proportion of the time. Another factor is assessing the validity of a miracle is the testimony of the witness. "Testimonial evidence is evidence we learn about on the reports of other people" (86). When evaluating the testimonies it is vital to keep some questions in mind. How probable is it that this event actually happened, is it a compound testimony, how reliable is the witness, etc.

The other important thing to know is how a 'miracle' is defined. There are many definitions out there to what exactly a miracle is; when more closely examined, however, these miracles can be contradictory to the statements made by philosophers, such as Hume. Popular definitions usually consist of sayings such as a very unlikely event. Hume's personal definition of a miracle is "a violation of the laws of nature" (88). By laws of nature Hume is referring to uniform regularities.

In Dowe's argument he states that there two rules to understanding miracles. The first rule is that people can never rationally believe on the basis of a testimony that a miracle has occurred. The second rule is then to determine whether or not the miracle has occurred and then to see if it supports a religious claim which be to violate a uniform experience. These are two difficult rules to please simultaneously. From these rules Dowe states a more "correct" version of the definition of a miracle. A miracle is not only a violation of the laws of nature but more specifically a violation of the laws of nature brought about by God.

There are two different parts of the argument which Dowe states that have both strong and weak points, in the opinion of this author. The two parts to Dowe's argument are the probability of the occurrence of a miracle and whether the occurrence of a miracle, if it was able to be established, could be evidence of God. The first part of Dowe's argument bring people to the conclusion that under no circumstances it is never rational to believe, on the strength of a testimony, that a miracle has actually occurred. Based on the points which were made by Hume previously in this chapter this makes sense. It is simply not logical to believe that the testimony which if given by the witness is actually valid. The second part of the argument ties everything together. If a miracle is possible, that is simply not enough for Dowe. Not only does the miracle actually have to have occurred but it also must possess the possibility of being evidence of God.

            On the other hand those arguments can be taken a different way and thus could be a weakness in the opinion of this author. It seems as though the actual answer to the question is "danced around" throughout the whole chapter but never actually answered to in whole. It is the opinion of this author that while Dowe presents good thoughts and theories to the question of miracles, the reader is left right back where they started from.

Emma Dahl

Directed Writing 5

            On July 4, 1776 the United States Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Continental Congress. The primary writer of this document was Thomas Jefferson. The purpose of the Declaration of Independence was to formally announce that the thirteen colonies were now to be independent from Great Britain. This date is better known today as Independence Day, the birth of United States of America. The purpose of this writing is to take a deeper look into the document that gave the United States of America its freedom; the Declaration of Independence. This author will attempt to discuss how Thomas Jefferson uses Enlightenment thought as well as Deism in the Declaration of Independence.

            Before going any further this author will provide an overview of Enlightenment and Deism. The Enlightenment, sometimes referred to as the Age of Reason, was a period during the eighteenth century. During this period scholars attempted to take the ideas from the Scientific Revolution and use them in areas to look at the sciences in a more extensive manner. "Western thinkers were speculating on the broader meaning of science- its ethical, political, social, and economic implications." (Harrison 469) The philosophers of the Enlightenment felt a need for change, "people were ready to become enlightened." (Harrison 469) There are three core concepts that represent the philosophy of the Enlightenment; reason, nature, and change and progress.

            Reason states that, "All we know and all we ever know is what we perceive from our senses and interpret with our reason." (Harrison 469) People should not just accept things simply because they have existed for a lengthy period of time. They should be carefully critiqued both critically and empirically. Nature is summed as, "governed by a few simple and unchangeable laws. Those who think they can change one of these laws... are dupes of their own egotism...Nature is good and beautiful in its simplicity." (Harrison 469) The laws of nature are set in stone, absolutely not subject to change. When humans take away the complexities of life that are placed upon it, then it can properly work harmoniously with in line with the laws of reason. Change and progress says that, "Human beings are naturally rational and good, but the proponents of mystic religions have distorted human thinking...Rid people's minds of these religious hindrances and they will build for themselves a more perfect society." (Harrison 469)

            When deciphering the Thomas Jefferson's writing in Declaration of Independence one must be familiar with Deism as well as the concepts of the Enlightenment. Deism was an Enlightenment religion which was especially prominent during the eighteenth century. It was more of a realistic religion which "assumes a correspondence between the rational structure of the physical universe and the rational capacity of the human mind." (Reid) Reid also writes that, "As rational people come to know the physical universe, they also come to know its creator- the Deity. God revealed himself in nature and through reason." (Reid) Being a rationalistic religion, Deism, believes that all men have the natural ability to know the universe's deity through reason.

            Right from the start Thomas Jefferson displays an influence from the Enlightenment in his writing. Jefferson writes, "When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another..." (Jefferson 1) In simpler terms it is necessary for change, it is no longer acceptable to keep things they way they are merely because that is they way have always been. This is similar to the statement made to describe the concept of reason. Jefferson makes his second connection in the famous preamble. "We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness." (Jefferson 1) In this statement Jefferson shows an influence from the concept of nature which is, "governed by a few simple and unchangeable laws." (Harrison 469) Humans are gifted with certain rights that cannot be changed, among which are those that Jefferson lists. There is a small influence of the concept of change and progress when Jefferson writes, "That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute a new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles, and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness." (Jefferson 1) This connects into the concept of change and progress in the sense that Jefferson is stating that the Rights have been wronged and it is important to take them away and change them to create a better world for the people. In change and progress it talks about riding away the destructive thoughts and if that happens people will create for them a more perfect society. Jefferson wants to give the people the chance to create that society.

            The influence which is derived from the religion, Deism, is stated within the preamble. Jefferson writes, "... that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights..." (Jefferson 1) This relates to the Deism belief that, "assumes that all men naturally possess the ability to know the universe's deity through reason..." (Reid) In the preamble Jefferson makes a point that men were given certain "rights." Among the rights that Jefferson listed the assumption of men having a natural sense of reason would fit right in.