Analysis: Poem About My Rights, June Jordan

Analysis: Poem About My Rights, June Jordan Poem about My Rights This form of struggle and protest poetry, written by June Jordan (Poem about My Rights, 2015) truly captures and speaks for the voice of the oppressed and silent women in South Africa. When reading this poem, I was inspired and shaken by how powerful and moving it was, and how Jordan managed to get such a graphic and empowering message across through the reading of her poem. Her use of diction greatly emphasizes the harsh circumstances faced by woman, as well as Jordan’s anger towards the little political action and support against such abuse and neglect. The poem vulgarly refers to sexual violence experienced by woman and how they are victimized, harassed and abused by men who are physically and ‘socially’ stronger. Jordan speaks about rape, and how excuses are provided to the law, by the offender, which makes the rape seem okay and reasonable. This results in no justice taking place and the victim being left alone, feeling unsafe, with bursting anger and frustration – making them feel even more unwanted and like an outcast. This reveals the poor justice system; corrupt police work and fraudulent government systems – an entirely different theme in the poem. Clear evidence of racism is shown when Jordan says â€Å"We are the wrong people of the wrong skin on the wrong continent† (line 45 and 46). This expresses her view of how African Americans are made to feel like outcasts because of their skin colour and culture. Power, status, wealth and authority were determined by the colour of your skin, and many stereotypical views regarding racism are still present in the world. We can see through the line ‘I should have been lighter skinned’ (line 60) that being ‘white’ was the preferred skin colour, because it determined a family’s wealth and social status. The ‘wrong continent’ (line 46) in my view is referring to refugees that have moved and travelled across the world seeking job opportunities, better living conditions and housing because of the minimal resources and opportunities available in their own country because of their race. However this could make them seem like outcasts in the c ountry that they are not locally from, despite having as much of a right to belong there as another. Perhaps Jordan is looking at herself from a local Europeans perspective when she says â€Å"wrong people of the wrong skin on the wrong continent† (line 45 and 46) – as if to say these judgments and thoughts are going through their heads when they see a foreigner on their land. This clearly adds to the judgment and dis-belonging felt by Native Americans when moving countries, and how they themselves could start to see themselves this way and begin to blame themselves, causing self hate and pain. This occurs during the poem when Jordan blames herself for all the wrongs things that she is, and how she is a disappointment to her family and society. She speaks about how her parents are both disappointed with her and the way she is (line 58-67). However the poem does have an optimistic and unexpected ending when Jordan says that she will now defend herself, leaving the listeners/readers with a hopeful and encouraging ending. An important theme in this poem is gender inequality. In the past and still today, men are dominant to woman in many aspects including financial capability, decision-making, household-roles and various occupations. Men are generally earning more than women, and in many families and traditions, women stay at home for family duties, while men are the breadwinners. In the line ‘I should have been a boy because he wanted one/a boy’ (line 59) reveals two important aspects. One referring to ‘he’ – signifying the father of the child who is now a girl. Secondly referring to the stereotype and generalization which states that giving birth to a boy often promises the family more wealth and financial security in comparison to having a girl, and therefore boys were preferred and wanted. Stereotypically speaking, men have more authority and control in their families and generally make all the decisions regarding their child’s education and freedom – and we can see Jordan has personal experiences with this, through the harsh and cruel way she refers to it in her poem, and how there is no love, genuine care or concern that she expresses when referring to her parents. In the poem, the â€Å"wrong† elements and characteristics of June Jordan are constantly repeated. This is to emphasize the poet’s anger about her lack of acceptance that she feels not only by society but by her family. When listening to the poem we witness the harsh and judgmental comments and remarks made, for example â€Å"I am the history of the rejection of who I am† (line 78). Another example of where Jordan feels judged and unaccepted is when she says â€Å"it was my mother pleading plastic surgery for my nose and braces for my teeth† (line 6) a mother is supposed to be a woman who supports and loves their child for who they are, and not try to change them into what they aren’t. By Jordan using very visual and graphics words, it allows us to sympathize and even empathize for the way she has been treated and feels, making the audience connect with the poem on an even more personal and emotional level. From reading the entire poem several times and listening to Jordan’s reading of it, I get a sense of anger that Jordan expresses towards the people who â€Å"set things up like this† (line 21) – referring to the independence and self-restriction that Jordan feels. I believe that the people who set these things up would be society itself. Society set up racial prejudice, gender inequality, violence and abuse. Without the abuse of power of the people who have the control and the ability to make a true difference and positive change in this world, the world would be more controlled and at peace. Less crime, poverty, unemployment, violence and under-development would take place, resulting in a safer, happier place. When listening to the poem, I found that Jordan speaks clearly and uses pauses, creating a steady pace. Her tone in the beginning is not particularly aggressive or angry, however she does raise her voice to emphasize that she is upset and that the issues that she is talking about are personal. However as the poem progresses, so her voice becomes louder and more dominating, emphasizing particular words and phrases. This is particularly effective because the listeners now get a sense of how the poet feels about her own poem, adding a more personal and emotional touch. Her last few closing lines show her desperate cry out for independence and freedom. From my perspective I see it as Jordan’s determination to speak up for herself and finally take the will-power to stand up and defend herself against the negligence and abuse of others. I found this poem to be incredibly motivating and inspiring in terms of taking a stand against gender inequality and violence, and I believe Jordan should be remembered for her passion, bravery and courage for speaking out for the silenced and oppressed. Reference List: June Jordan Poem About My Rights, 13 November 2011 (video file). [Online]. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUSTxhYu7-4 [2015, April 20]. Poem about My Rights. 2015. [Online]. Available: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/178526. [2015, April 20].

Does My Head Looks Big in This?

The novel, ‘Does my head look big in this? ,’ written by Randa Abdel-Fattah the main character had the challenging decision to wear the hijab which came with not only advantages, but disadvantages. Amal was concerned about her appearance and what others’ thoughts. Amal feared being judges by others and she also was concerned that she wouldn’t have the necessary courage to commit to wearing the hijab. Furthermore, she really did not want to have to justify her decision whenever she went out in public.Amal managed these challenges in a mature way by talking to others about her problems. One challenge Amal faced in wearing the hijab is being judged by people (at school). Tia and her friends made nasty racist comments and teased. The manager of the fish and chip shop didn’t allow Amal to be hired because she was wearing the hijab, Amal then doubted or decision on whether it was a good idea to wear the hijab. Judging and comments made Amal feel insecure a nd doubtful about her decision.Another challenge Amal faced to decide whether she was able to stick to her decision. She realised there were many disadvantages in wearing the hijab as a full-timer, having to justify to teasing, racist comments and pressure. â€Å"Mum, maybe I shouldn’t have worn it†¦Maybe I was stupid†¦Where am I going to go now? † Amal cries to her mother after she is rejected for her interest in a job. Once you wear it, there’s no backing out, Amal has many doubts if wearing the hijab was a good decision or not.A challenge that Amal faced was the likelihood of racist comments when she wore the hijab in public. Tia and others in her life were rude and disrespectful towards Amal. Another challenge was having to explain her decision to everyone. Her class thought because Amal was Muslim, she was an impact on the Muslim terrorists. Mr Pearse was thoughtful towards Amal and was always lending a hand if she needed any help. When Amal start ed wearing the hijab at school, everyone stared and thought differently about her.Amal tried to make it clear, that it was her decision, not her parents, especially to Ms Walsh and her Aunt and Uncle. Amal is Australian, and it was her choice to wear the hijab as a full-timer because she thought it respected her religion and beliefs and everyone has the right to make their own choice. Amal’s friends and most of her family, respected her decision and supported her through the tough times. Amal realised she wasn’t wearing it for attention, she was wearing it because it’s what made her feel comfortable about herself and she is proud of it.

Organizational Culture, Reengineering Services Process, and HR Organization Description Essay

Magneti Marelli Holding S. p. A. , a division of Fiat, is headquartered in Corbetta, Italy, and is an international manufacturer that designs, produces, and supplies high-tech automotive components. The primary product range is engine control systems for gasoline and diesel engines. Magneti Marelli is currently present in five continents and 18 countries (Fiat, 2010). To create a more consistent environment in the global process, World Class Manufacturing (WCM) has been implemented in all Fiat manufacturing companies. World Class Manufacturing is an international methodology for the organization of the manufacturing cycle to manage plants in accordance with the best standards. The application of WCM principles and methods resulted in logistics and quality and significant cost reductions. Fiat’s manufacturing structure has become increasingly efficient and flexible and has enabled the company to gain a competitive edge. Strategy Description For several years, the Fiat Group has been working to develop into a global manufacturing entity with the highest standards. The implementation of World Class Manufacturing addresses all aspects of the organization including environmental, health and safety, quality, maintenance, cost and logistic issues from the standpoint of continuous improvement. The entire process revolves around the methodical identification and decrease or elimination of waste through application of standardized techniques and tools and involves everyone in the company. WCM recognizes that employee involvement and empowerment are critical to attaining continuous improvement in all fundamentals of the manufacturing system. Organizational development occurs predominantly through employee involvement. World Class companies invest relatively more in their worker relationships and offer appreciably more training. For program achievement, Human Resources needs to be a business strategic partner and a key member of the management team overseeing and providing operational leadership (Entrepreneur, 1996). Strategy Application The key to developing and maintaining a workforce capable of supporting World Class Manufacturing is to cultivate an atmosphere of employee engagement and team building. Developing a skilled and flexible workforce creates value for external customers. To sustain a talented labor force, Human Resources initiatives involve recruitment and hiring; performance management; employee development and training; leadership development and training; team building; and safety and health programs (Scondanibbio, 2010). By recruiting and retaining top talent by identifying skill gaps and focus training as characterized by WCM, turnover and absenteeism rates are lowered and productivity and efficiency from workers increases. Training employees provides the chance to take ownership of their daily activities. Working in teams and cross-functional training increases efficiency and eliminates clutter and confusion on the plant floor. One section of World Class Manufacturing is People Development (Scondanibbio, 2010). HR provides team facilitation, leadership, and direction guidance in meeting instructional needs. The second activity in leading and managing change involves creating a vision that depicts the core values and purpose that guide the organization. It provides a worthwhile direction for designing, implementing, and assessing needed organizational changes. HR Professionals must sustain the change momentum through to completion by providing resources for change, developing new competencies and skills, and reinforcing new behaviors. Strategy Implications Organizational change involves moving from the known to the unknown which can impact worker competencies and coping abilities. Human Resources must prepare the workforce by meeting instructional needs. The second activity in leading and managing change involves creating readiness for change and overcoming resistance to change. This requires HR to be both the constant and supporter in the middle of the turmoil of change. The organization looks to HR to provide needed structures, processes and approaches to support change management and to ensure the efforts deliver results (Belilos, 1997). World Class Manufacturing has defined key principles that define the organization and inspires doing things better and improving quality, delivery, cost, and customer satisfaction. It is important to understand exactly what waste is and where it exists. For each identified waste, a strategy is prepared so performance and quality are improved. The identical process is also applied to human errors and gap analysis. Specific training models are designed applicable to the need. As the phrase indicates, World Class Manufacturing enhances an organization to be a global leader in performance and quality. Human Resources should have a clear understanding of the value of metrics and continuous measurement as the key to achieving sustainable efficiency and effectiveness. Using these outcomes, HR will have a thorough focus on talent and performance management to establish an integrated workforce management system that is closely aligned to the business needs and brand.

Animal Testing Should Be Banned - 971 Words

Animal Testing When it comes to the topic of animal testing, most of us will readily agree that the use of animals as research for the purpose of the humans concerns, that the drug is efficacy with the cosmetics to endeavor controversy and may have experience discomfort, suffering towards animals. â€Å"As the consumer in Europe would not have access to any new products, because we can’t really ensure that some of the ingredient’s will be safe to be without suitable an adequate testing†. Where this agreement usually ends, however, is on the question of animal testing, â€Å"special use of this cosmetics wave products (shampoo, hair removal, dye), will continue to mandatory the animal testing†. Whereas some are convinced that the types of animals testing will be continuing, others maintain that when the full sales ban is in place, they will simply conduct (animal testing) in non-Europe companies. There is some support for animal testing for medicine use b ecause it helps in human health and extends human life as well. As some point they don’t support animal testing for cosmetics because it will cost and won’t justify the research on animals. Although there is no finish cosmetics products, still have some substances that have both cosmetics and medical use, Example, â€Å"include the wrinkle treatment botulinum toxin, sold and advertised under the name Botox, (Murnaghan)†. My own view, however, is that it works better than any other alternative in human testing and especially animalShow MoreRelatedShould Animal Testing Be Banned?844 Words   |  3 PagesShould animal testing be banned? Nowadays, a lot of animals has been tested on a range of experiments over the world. You could be supporting animal teasing cruelty without knowing it. Have you ever check if there’s animal testing on the cosmetics before you buy it? 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