Religion Race

       Everyone has their own beliefs, thinking, religion, cultures and traditions. God said in holy Quran 2:256: " There is no compulsion in religion for the right way is clearly from the wrong way." I believe that everyone has the right to practice their own beliefs and religion, as long as these beliefs will not cause any harm to others and people are not imposing their beliefs on others.

           Firstly, everyone can practice their own beliefs as long as it causing no harm to other people, who are sharing the same country or community. In my religion for example, some Muslims are misunderstanding the religion. Also because of the lack of knowledge, so they think they have the right to kill any sinner or a non-Muslim. This is totally wrong, as Muslims only ordered to resist against those who are attacking them, and defend their beliefs. Pastor Martin Niemoller. wrote a poem about intolerance. Here is a quote from this poem: “ Then they came for me.. And there was no one left to speak out for me”.

           Secondly, everyone can practice their own beliefs as long as they are not imposing their religion on others. For instance, what’s happening in Burma, the extremists Buddhists are killing Muslims there only because they are Muslims and want to have freedom to practice their religion. Furthermore, I read an article in class about a Jew who is abused only because he is a Jew. This is wrong! We have to never treat someone bad because of his/her religion or because of the community he/she is belonging to. In Quran God taught us, that no one carries the sins of another one. Therefor, everyone is responsible for their own deeds.

           Ultimately, racism is always a bad thing that we must get rid off from our communities and ourselves. People can live together in peace with more tolerance to other beliefs and respecting others' right to have their own way in life.  

Amercan Culture & Holidays Compared to My Country

          

        In the American culture when women bring a child, friends give a baby shower for expectant mother and people send flowers to the mother in hospital and they send greeting cards. In my Saudi Arabian culture, people send gifts and visit the mother in the hospital. The mother make a small party for the baby. In birthdays, for Americans they celebrate with families and usually have a cake with candles, children receive prizes, play games, eat cakes and ice creams. In my home country some people prefer to not celebrate their birthdays and some people do. Me myself I don't care to celebrate my birthday but for my younger sister she like to make a small party and invite her friends and family and receive gifts.

         The wedding, engagement American culture and ceremonies.  Fiance gives his future wife a ring usually with a diamond. Friends of the bride give her some gifts and friends of the groom give him a stage party. In Saudi Arabia, they have a period of time called 'Melka'; spouses get to know each other better like an engagement period, actually they are married but still not living in the same house. The groom give the pride an amount of money called 'Maher' and he give her a ring and gold, silver or diamond set. Also they give set of perfumes. For the wedding ceremonies in the American culture guests attend if they are invited,  they give gifts to the couples, things they need or money. In Saudi Arabia, we have separated parties for men and women not mixed together. And they bring a singer to sing, ladies dance the Gulfy dance. And some people let the groom inter with his bride some only let the bride walk down the aisle. With special music or sounds of drums. She cuts her wedding's cake and sit in the stage. A special photographer will talk shots for her in her special day while she's wearing a white, gold or beige dress.

          In American's Culture they wear black and bring flowers. In Saudi Arabian traditions they wash the dead person and cover him with white cloth. Then his Muslim family and friends make a special prayer for him. Then they put him in his grave under the sand and bury him. The funeral will be in his house for three days. His close family and relatives wear white, and the visitors wear dark colored clothes.

The Song 'Bread & Roses'

           

          The Song 'Bread and Roses' became a popular anthem for the American Labor Movement. The reason for this song is the fire happened in Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. The main idea it talks about; is that workers of any kind of company or organization need to have some fun beside gaining money from their monthly salary or minimum wage. Workers need to raise their spirit and ability of working by encouraging them and give them the right kind of treatment and give them some time to enjoy and having a break by eating meals or sitting and chatting with other colleagues. Moreover, if they only work five times a week and for 6-8 hours a day with a high salary that will push them to hard work and achieving better outcomes for the company. The song say in an interesting quote:

" Small art and love and beauty their trudging spirits knew

Yes, it is bread we. fight for, but we fight for roses, too"

          In my country Saudi Arabia there are laws for governmental companies & organization to work only 5 days a week and 6-8 hours a day but some times there is no break and it provides higher salary. On the other hand privet companies give lower salary with about 8-10 hours and 6 days a week of working duty! Some people complain about this by doing some strikes or speaking up and making short videos on youtube to express how they feel towards this matter. However strikes in general in my country are not allowd and can cause many troubles to the indiviual and the society if they started. In my opinion it can cause some kind of chaos and some harm to people who strikes; they may lose their lives.

You can read more about the song here on this link.

http://chawedrosin.wordpress.com/2008/05/09/bread-and-roses-by-james-oppenheim/

If I was a music critic..

          If I was a music critic.. I will choose the song: This Land is Your Land by Pete Seeger to tell my opinion about it.. It’s a nice song in general and I like the type of songs which discuss serious problems like poverty and society standers of living when government is not giving each citizen fair opportunities or donate poor starving people as it was in the period of time called the great depression 1929-1940.. He said:

“ Nobody living can make me turn back

This land was made for you and me

Maybe you’ve been working as hard as you’re able

But you’ve just got crumbs from the rich man’s table”

       Also I like to give my opinion about pink’s song Dear Mr. President which was about president George bush, it was a good way to protest about what’s happening from bad leadership that lead to war in Iraq and unjust society levels that some workers really work hard but have minimum wage and they spent it on rebuilding their houses after wars, and homeless people.. She said:

“ What do you feel when you see all the homeless on the street?

Who do you pray for at night before you go to sleep?

What do you feel when you look in the mirror?

Are you proud? “

        The Song by Bob Dylan The Times They Are A-Changin’ was a great song with powerful lyrics which he arrested for later he was threatening the government to stop the Vietnam War.. It’s a good action that he took as this war was causing a lot of damage and it has no use, The government wanted to stop communism and most of elder people agreed with it while younger people protested against it.. He said:

“Come senators, congressmen

Please heed the call

Don’t stand in the doorway

Don’t block up the hall”

And Bob said in his other song; which was a beautiful one; Also to stop Vietnam War/Blowin’ in the wind:

“How many seas must a white dove sail

Before she sleeps in the sand?

Yes, how many times must the cannon balls fly

Before there are forever banned

The answer my friend is blowin’ in the wind"