RD 4 Who Is the Chicken?

Uyen Nguyen Hill

27 April 2012

RD4

Who Is the Chicken?

Many people do not appreciate this peaceful country of American and the rights and benefits it offers. One of those people is Ward Churchill, former professor of ethnic studies and Chairman of Department of Ethic Studies at the University of Colorado at Boulder. In his essay in 2001, "Some People Push Back" On the Justice of Roosting Chickens, he immorally compared some of the World Trade Center victims of the September 11 attack as “little Eichmanns,” which is a reference to Adolf Eichmann, a Nazi who played a key role in the killing of Jews during the Second World War. [THESIS] More than many other non-educated civilian, Ward Churchill has abused his Freedom of Speech and attack innocent victims of the September 11 attack. [THESIS]

According to the First Amendment, “The Supreme Court has also recognized that the government may prohibit some speech that may cause a breach of the peace or cause violence.” Obviously what Professor Churchill said has caused serious anger and antagonism to certain group of people. Being ambitiously irrational, Ward Churchill takes advantage of the First Amendment and turns it into a brutal attack to innocent people. Churchill starts off his article by reminding people of the damages which he thinks caused by subjective or physical violence such as “a massive military presence and periodic bombing raids,” “physical debilitation”, and deaths.  While spinning a long yarn about the ruthless violence caused by the U.S. in Iraq, Churchill himself creates systemic violence, a socio-economic ordering. He goes on about how very not innocent the people in World Trade Center and the Pentagon were, “sat at computer consoles aboard ships in the Persian Gulf, enjoying air-conditioned comfort while launching cruise missiles into neighborhoods filled with random human beings.” However, Churchill forgets how hard these people were working for peace and freedom of this country. Churchill ridiculously both sympathizes and criticizes people whom he never met.

Churchill never gets the real picture of what life would be without the U.S. Government and Armed Forces for the United States of America and the world in general. The U.S.A’s significance to the world can be compared to gravity’s. Gravity physically holds objects and living things on the ground, while the U.S.’s Government balances everything else by an invisible and irreplaceable power. One fact that we can all agree on is that no matter how bad the economy in the U.S. is getting, every single well-mined person wants to visit our country at least once in their life. Some people who are more ambitious than others want to stay longer and build their life here. Some just simply enjoy the most fascinating civilization of world. The U.S.’s Armed Forces are not any less critical than the Government. Churchill is well-packed with world and U.S. history, but he has used it to wrongly defense himself. The U.S. military practically does not only protect our lives and freedom, but also the world’s peace. Think about how Japan would be without the serious and mandatory support from U.S.’s military, North Korea’s spontaneous nuclear power bomb tests at any place of their choice, or Islamic power’s determination and motivation to conquer the world. Churchill only sees one side of the picture where people were treating like animals and dying in the possibly worst way. If Churchill had completely looked the global economic and political picture that had been painted and preserved by the U.S.’s Government and Armed Forces, he would have had disregarded the minor defects.

Many people may defense Churchill by the direct quote from the First Amendment, “The right to freedom of speech allows individuals to express themselves without interference or constraint by the government.” We certainly cannot deny Churchill’s rights to express what he thinks publically. However, it is not about what people can do legally or illegally based on the soulless words of the laws. It’s the matter of rational morality and ethnicity, should or should not Ward Churchill have done what he did? I cannot agree more with Sharlen McCarthy, “While freedom of speech is exercised, it should be used with respect […]. You are allowed to say whatever you want to say, but it is just rude and inhumane to attack people who are still mourning.”  Churchill might mean well to protest against the war, but he certainly did not think it through before putting his thoughts in words properly. After all, Churchill’s reaction to the related questions only provokes people’s anger. Donna Olivas-Kaohi also expressed her idea, “Though his words are […] cruel, hurtful and could draw even the most timid into a seething outrage. Nonetheless, this seems to be the reaction he loves to create.”

Jennifer Tamai asserted when defensing Churchill, “In publicly disclosing his ideas, Churchill is simply exercising his freedom, which is a fundamental part of what makes him an American citizen.” Her statement reminds me of sex. This is like saying, since sex is legal for all adults, every American citizen over eighteen should exercise sex anyway they want to take advantage of their rights. Sex itself is great because we all love to have children and descendants. Nonetheless, so many people all over the U.S. are abusing sex because they absolutely do not understand the great meaning of it. If everyone is educated that sex is something so sacred to connect two people who are truly in love, they will not take it for granted and mistreat it. As a Professor and Chairman of Department of Ethnic Studies, Churchill should know better the true outcomes that the First Amendment is meant to make so that he would not have abused it.

People like Ward Churchill might not appreciate the values of Freedom of Speech that they are enjoying and, in fact, abusing. However, I can really relate my own experience with this matter. I am from a Socialist and Communist country where people’s rights of speech are so minimized that most of the times I feel deaf and mute. Students are not allowed to talk back at teachers in class. History books are altered and rewritten in the way the Government wants to students to believe. However, as I get older, I have many chances to meet live witnesses of the war and realized what I was taught in twelve years was a total crap. Many Vietnamese elderly I know who served in the Vietnam War for the U.S. Government are fearful to go back. The reason is that many of their friends have died trying to go back and visit the country. Some tried to bring their money back and start building a business. Things just got hard for them and eventually they lost all their investment. If they were lucky, some got back to America safely, some died in their home country by hands of their own people. Things have greatly changed in the past few years. However, every Vietnamese citizen knows that to keep your live and your loved ones’, you should shut it for the goods of all. Even right now, Facebook is banned over the country because the Government is afraid that anyone could use Facebook to spread Republican or Democrat ideas. They absolutely do not want to see people stand up and take over the country like what happened in Egypt in 2011.

When Ward Churchill was invited to speak at the University of Hawaii at Manoa in 2005, many could not help but write letter to express their opinions about this issue. The idea that got my attention most was the one from Scott Minium from Waipahu, “I have to ask, however, if McClain would have extended this invitation had the murderers of 9/11 struck Oahu instead of a place thousands of miles away.” This statement is thoughtful and true. What would people have felt about his presence here? Actually what would people have done to him? For me personally, if the September 11 incident struck Oahu, I would have responded very strongly. Even if none of my relatives or acquaintances was hurt, I would still be angry and not know what I might do to react to the fact that Churchill was invited to Hawaii. 

Many may argue that for a doctorate level professional like Professor Churchill, he absolutely knows the line. I agree that his great knowledge is in fact the main resources for his statement.  And of course, the fact that Churchill is a Professor and former Chairman of Department of Ethic Studies does not affect Churchill’s right to express his point of view as legal civilian of the U.S. Nevertheless, he should be questioned about his understanding about ethical values. Most certainly, no authority can arrest him nor should anyone assault him either physically or mentally for what he did. However, honestly, they do not have to. Churchill’s absurd and insensitive article has dumped his humanity and reputation down the lowest level of mankind’s brute. Even though Professor Churchill has stepped down from his position as Chairman of Department of Ethnic Studies, people will never forget the disordered reputation he has created.

One certain thing we know is that Churchill’s article is like acetone being poured on the pain of September 11 victims’ families and friends. The most ironic thing is who could have thought a Chairman of Department of Ethic Studies could be so immorally anti-ethical. Has Ward Churchill ever thought to him what his article could have solved? Could he bring back the life of the deaths in Iraq or stop the war there? Could be rebuild the solid economy and strong political that this country has created for centuries? Life goes on, people are forgotten and forgiven, so is Ward Churchill. However, when mentioned, everyone must agree what Ward Churchill has done is wicked, thoughtless and sociopathic like Alexandra Foster’s exact words for him, “an insecure, pathetic, insignificant little boy.” Churchill, after all, is a real hen.

Works Cited

Badua, Vidal. “Vidal Badua’s Position.” Online posting. 23 Apr. 2012. Laulima Discussion. 23 Apr. 2012 [https://laulima.hawaii.edu].

"First Amendment: An Overview." N.d. Legal Information Instiitute. Cornell Law School. 5 June 2003 [http://www.law.cornell.edu/topics/first_amendment.html].

Foster, Alexandra. “Alexandra Foster’s Position.” Online posting. 16 Apr. 2012. Laulima Discussion. 23 Apr. 2012 [https://laulima.hawaii.edu].

McCarthy, Sharlen. “Sharlen McCarthy’s Position.” Online posting. 23 Apr. 2012. Laulima Discussion. 23 Apr. 2012 [https://laulima.hawaii.edu].

Minium, Scott. Letter. _Honolulu Advertiser_. 23 Feb. 2005. 26 Apr. 2005 [http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2005/Feb/23/op/op12pletters.html].

Olivas-Kaohi, Donna. “Donna Olivas-Kaohi’s Position.” Online posting. 17 Apr. 2012. Laulima Discussion. 23 Apr. 2012 [https://laulima.hawaii.edu].

"Some People Push Back: On the Justice of Roosting Chickens." N.d. _Dark Night Press_. From _Pockets of Resistance_, 11 Sep. 2001. 14 Nov. 2006 [http://www.darknightpress.org/index.php?i=news&c=recent&view=9&long=1].

Tamai, Jennifer. “Jennifer Tamai’s Position.” Online posting. 23 Apr. 2012. Laulima Discussion. 23 Apr. 2012 [https://laulima.hawaii.edu].

RFD3 Honesty in Our Relationships

Uyen Nguyen Hill
2 April 2012

RFD3

Honesty in Our Relationships

Good morning graduating class of 2010, congratulations you on your accomplishments. I would like to ask you to think back at all of the relationships you have had during your life and the short two years at our Kapiolani Community College. Ask yourself, what is the main foundation for all of those relationships? As for me, honesty has always been the foundation on which I build my relationships. [THESIS]Therefore, among many things I could talk about today, I have picked the topic of honesty and its long-term consequences in our personal and professional lives. [THESIS]

I would like to start off with a quote from Canadian Psychologist Timothy Quek,

“…compulsive lying usually accompanies other problem behaviors such as stealing, cheating, aggression, violent temper tantrums, skipping school, constantly losing items, and poor behavior in groups, social settings or figures.”

This sentence says it all. Lying is most popular form of dishonesty. Even though children and teenagers are Dr. Quek’s most frequent customers, his statement is true for everyone. When people steal, cheat, skip school, lose items and have poor behavior, they lie about it. Instead of being honest and admitting the truth, they would rather defense themselves by telling lies. And for those who have chosen lies to be their friends, honest people would become their biggest enemies.

I have always remembered what my classmate Jasmine Nardo from Argumentative English class said, “In my opinion, the most compelling reason to be honest at all times is when I am with great friends asking them for honest advice and vice versa.” Her statement is very true. Many times the truth hurts when lies don’t but true friends always choose the truth. They would rather risk the friendship than letting you have a blind confidence in something or someone. Most of all, one cannot become a better person if he is on his own with no family and friends who sincerely care and tell him the truth. I cannot rephrase better myself what Ben Best, President and CEO of the world’s second largest cryonics organization Cryonics Institute asserted,

“But people justify lying to friends, associates and loved-ones on the grounds of being people of value. To maintain or enhance the esteem of those valued it can be tempting to exaggerate personal accomplishments or to cover-up embarrassing mistakes. If we cannot trust the truth to those we love, to some extent we treat them as adversaries. While this may be emotionally safe or gratifying, it is also distancing.”

When I was watching “Dancing with the Stars” last Monday night, I could see in each swing, swirl, jump and hoop, there was an invisible bond of trust between the dance partners. Without complete trust, a dancer cannot rely on his or her partner enough to throw him or herself out there to the flow of the song. This shows me the significance of trust. I am quite sure that you have been in a group assignment at least once. At first, you feel confident because you are a hard core task completer, and expect your group mates to do the same. However, along comes this slacker who always promises to finish his work and post it on Google Docs by midnight. Next time you check, there is nothing, and this delays the entire project. The slacker then justifies that he had an emergency. Time through time, the group automatically stops assigning work to that person because he appears to be a dishonest procrastinator.

This is like doing business with partners or having your own employees. All parties need to be honest to build up trust within the organization and be able to trust others. From here, everyone believes others are doing what they are supposed to do and does not worry about being used or cheated. Productivity will increase greatly. At end of the day, when the work is done accordingly, everyone will strengthen the bond of trust and look forward to more projects to come.

Far beyond than just losing trust from others, a dishonest employee could face legal problems. Ben Best states, “In business, broken promises are broken contracts — and can be the equivalent of fraud and lying.” I’m sure you still remember Bernard Ebbers, co-founder and CEO of WorldCom, former second largest phone service company after AT&T. Ebbers is now serving his twenty five year prison term for convicting of fraud, conspiracy and false financial reporting, and subsequent loss of one hundred billion U.S. dollars to investors. If Ebbers was an honest person and WorldCom was still standing, we might be able to hear more ads like, Join the WorldCom’s Strikingly Fast 4G LTE Network.

Let’s go back to our current time. If you’re an American Idol fan, I’m pretty sure you still remember Jermaine Jones who’s titled “Gentle Giant”. He was brought back after failing to make the top twenty four finals. Even I thought he deserved it. However, he was recently kicked out of the show because his dishonesty about his past criminal records. While confronting Jones about his lying, the producers addressed his continuous dishonesty because he had had many chances to reveal the truth. One of the producers even stated that if he had been honest since the beginning, they could have helped him. In the end, no matters what he excused himself with, “I didn’t want to get judged. I didn’t want to get penalized for anything that happened in the past” everyone has already had in mind the Dishonest Giant.

One of the most significant relationships in life is with your partner or your spouse, who you may spend your entire life with. Speaking of honesty and trust in romantic relationships, I would like to share my own story. My husband and I just had our first anniversary in January, then he left for a one-year deployment a few days after. We had busy lives and cherished every moment spent with each other; thus, we’d always felt like newlyweds. Therefore, the separation was harsh. However, thanks to the honesty we’ve always had with each other; we’re confident to be apart for the whole coming year. His trusting my faithfulness will take a big burden off his shoulders. One less thing to worry about will help him through the tough time without his family, complete his tasks to protect his fellow troops and our country.

Finally, the biggest consequence of a continuous dishonesty is the loss of personal dignity. Doctor Sally Caldwell states, “The fact that he lies on a regular basis might be a problem for his girlfriend or any number of other people, but it isn't a problem for him.” Once a person gets away with a tiny thing, he will lie under any circumstances. Then lying too much takes away his ability to separate truth and lies. At that point, he’s no longer a proper adult but rather a rotten lying machine. “The lying may be the one thing that lets him get through the day with his self-image intact.”

We usually do not think about honesty on a daily basis. We assume that people tell the truth even though we know that people do not always do. I know that I have not always been honest.  I will be honest with you now as I look at you, your friends, and family. Endless dishonesty will cost you trust from others, risk your romantic relationship and take away your dignity. These long-term consequences are cruel and almost unfixable. There will be times when you look back and say, “Glad I told the truth.” Thank you and I wish you all the best of luck on your journey ahead. And remember, stay honest!

 Works Cited                                     

Best, Ben. “Some Philosophizing About Lying.” Welcome to the World of Ben Best Webpage. 20 March 2012 [http://www.benbest.com/philo/lying.html#loved_ones].

Caldwell, Sally. "Is Your Mate Lying?" InnerSelf Webpage. 19 June 2003 [http://www.innerself.com/Relationships/is_he_lying.htm].

Nardo, Jasmine. “Jasmine’s Position.” Online posting. 13 March 2012. Laulima Discussion. 22 March 2012 [https://laulima.hawaii.edu].

Quek, Timothy. "The Truth about a Child's Compulsive Lying." Timothy K. Quek's Webpage. 8 Apr. 2003 [http://webhome.idirect.com/~readon/lies.html].

 Log of Completed Activities
_x__ Mar. 5- Intro to Paper #3. Read the Guidelines for Paper #3.
_x__ Mar. 9- Laulima Discussion #1
_x__ Mar. 12- Complete readings for paper #3 for paper #3.
_x__ Mar. 14- Laulima Discussion #2
_x__ Mar. 19- Submit RD3 [50 pts] Review the guidelines.
_x__ Mar. 23- Submit three RD3 evaluations [50 pts] Review the guidelines.
_x__ Apr. 4- Submit RFD3 [125 pts] Review the guidelines.