Wow.... this term has gone by so fast! It's sad that class is over because we had such great discussions and the episodes were all awesome and the speakers were AMAZING to say the least....
The "monstrous maternal" episode was great, I had of course seen it before (hee-hee) and remember it as being one where I just kept thinking "Where was the intervention!" clearly that woman needed help and people knew that she was "a little off" but no one did anything to help her. That is sort of like what we talked about in class with Andrea Yates (The woman who drowned her kids); people knew she was "off" and her doctor specifically advised her not to have more children but her family did not help her, her husband got her pregnant again, and no one stepped in even "in the name of the kids" and at least helped her watch them during the day... and its like so many people turned their backs on her (and the mom in the episode) which leads to the isolation that these mothers feel/felt
The guest speaker was really interesting and it was cool to hear about what it is really like to be a judge.... i wished she would have had some stories about the crazy vigilante people that shoot the defendants like on law and order but i guess that does not happen that much in real life :(
GOOD LUCK ON FINALS EVERYONE!!!
as of right now... (5:00 on wednesday 6/4) I am done with Oregon State! I am off to start my "real life"
TAKE CARE!!!!
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Monday, June 2, 2008
There is never enough chung-chunging
First of all, that Sesame Street video is hilarious! It is making a whole new generation of Law and Order addicts. However, why doesn't the female detective get to bring in her version of an "m"? Is there perhaps some patriarchy here?
Today's class was excellent as per usual. The episode was more somber than most, or at least we were all rather contemplative after watching it. Whereas I would not say that the mother was stable or should have more children, I do not believe that she had the proper amount of aid for her condition. Many people around her noticed her mental difficulties, yet no one did anything. If her husband loved her so much, why couldn't he get her help? Her in-laws and doctors both saw something amiss, yet that didn't seem to compel them to action. Were they blinded by the fact that she was having problems with motherhood, which is something all women are assumed to know how to do? Society so stigmatizes mothers who resent, even for a moment, mothering responsibilities, yet if people were honest I think a large proportion of mothers would admit to these feelings of helplessness and being overwhelmed. Part of fighting the patriarchal norms that restrict women will have to include implementing open conversations about post-pardem depression and providing communities to help new mothers to cope with their new situations. Having kids is wonderful, but it is not all roses and fun, which is normal, not something to lie to oneself about. Part of creating equality in society is embracing honesty, even when it involves something that has been demonized like the "maniacal maternal" we saw in today's episode.
How can Benton County only have had one judge until now? Judge Holcomb was really interesting and a great storyteller. I hope that she gets her purple robes soon and I really admire her work with the adult drug treatment program. However, I am a little sad that the hostile witnesses and maverick lawyers aren't such a reality. They are some of the best parts of the show!
I will so miss our class! This has been my favorite course to date in college and I loved the camaraderie we developed. All the speakers were amazing and I can't believe how much we learned from a TV show. I'm so glad to know that others appreciate L&O as much as I do. We should have a reunion during the next marathon!
Today's class was excellent as per usual. The episode was more somber than most, or at least we were all rather contemplative after watching it. Whereas I would not say that the mother was stable or should have more children, I do not believe that she had the proper amount of aid for her condition. Many people around her noticed her mental difficulties, yet no one did anything. If her husband loved her so much, why couldn't he get her help? Her in-laws and doctors both saw something amiss, yet that didn't seem to compel them to action. Were they blinded by the fact that she was having problems with motherhood, which is something all women are assumed to know how to do? Society so stigmatizes mothers who resent, even for a moment, mothering responsibilities, yet if people were honest I think a large proportion of mothers would admit to these feelings of helplessness and being overwhelmed. Part of fighting the patriarchal norms that restrict women will have to include implementing open conversations about post-pardem depression and providing communities to help new mothers to cope with their new situations. Having kids is wonderful, but it is not all roses and fun, which is normal, not something to lie to oneself about. Part of creating equality in society is embracing honesty, even when it involves something that has been demonized like the "maniacal maternal" we saw in today's episode.
How can Benton County only have had one judge until now? Judge Holcomb was really interesting and a great storyteller. I hope that she gets her purple robes soon and I really admire her work with the adult drug treatment program. However, I am a little sad that the hostile witnesses and maverick lawyers aren't such a reality. They are some of the best parts of the show!
I will so miss our class! This has been my favorite course to date in college and I loved the camaraderie we developed. All the speakers were amazing and I can't believe how much we learned from a TV show. I'm so glad to know that others appreciate L&O as much as I do. We should have a reunion during the next marathon!
Adieu, Auf Weidersehen, Goooooodbyyyyeee!
I am so sad that this class is over with! I really, really enjoyed coming to this class. It was definitely the highlight of my Mondays. I looked forward to hearing our guest speakers. They have been some of the most fascinating women I have ever listened to. It is really inspiring to hear from women involved in the real "Law and Order." I enjoyed listening to their opinions and how the criminal justice system works from the police, to the morgue, to the court room. The whole process is truly fascinating. I wish I had this class all the time!
This "monstrous maternal" episode was interesting and disconcerting at the same time. For example, McCoy was advocating a forced sterilization of the mom. While this is sort of a good idea for the safety of any children she may have without the surgery, if they allowed it, it would set a precedent of sterilization when a mother is unfit. This sort of makes me think about the commercials for permanent birth control. It shows an inner monologue with a woman and a voice is narrating saying "Not ready to have another child?" Essentially, they are putting all responsibility for contraception on the woman. They want women to have a permanent birth control that is irreversible, while the husband could go get a vasectomy (which can be reversible). It is never the man who has to worry about birth control or having another baby. It's always the woman. ACK.
In closing, I have to say, thank you for making this class so fun and stimulating and interesting and just plain fabulous! I wish you all the best of luck on finals!!!! I will definitely miss our weekly Law and Order episodes together! :)
This "monstrous maternal" episode was interesting and disconcerting at the same time. For example, McCoy was advocating a forced sterilization of the mom. While this is sort of a good idea for the safety of any children she may have without the surgery, if they allowed it, it would set a precedent of sterilization when a mother is unfit. This sort of makes me think about the commercials for permanent birth control. It shows an inner monologue with a woman and a voice is narrating saying "Not ready to have another child?" Essentially, they are putting all responsibility for contraception on the woman. They want women to have a permanent birth control that is irreversible, while the husband could go get a vasectomy (which can be reversible). It is never the man who has to worry about birth control or having another baby. It's always the woman. ACK.
In closing, I have to say, thank you for making this class so fun and stimulating and interesting and just plain fabulous! I wish you all the best of luck on finals!!!! I will definitely miss our weekly Law and Order episodes together! :)
Never really thought of it that way...
For some reason I thought I commented on the last class. Maybe I had a dream about it or something! Weird...
Anyways, as I read the assigned reading for today I thought about the issues discussed during our last class in terms of sentencing and the death penalty. I think it is very interesting that usually more men favor the death penalty over women. It definitely seems connected with gendered behaviors and especially the socialization of violence between genders. In regards to women serving as judges, I did not realize the obstacles that they can face. I loved (as in appreciate not actually liking the process) the notion of the "gatekeeping" system that obviously favors men. While reading and discussing themes like this, I frequently ask myself why other people do not see the problem in this? Why is it that we must take a class to formally recognize the oppressive behaviors???? Why is it that men who go to law school do not seek justice for their female counterparts? We have been asking all term "who's justice?" and it is evident at this point that the only people who actually get justice are the rich white men of the world! Damn the white male privilege!
As I continue my studies in sociology and women's studies I often get an overwhelming feeling of frustration and sadness at the close of a term. On one hand it is good because I try to turn my feelings into perseverance to continue in the future, but on the other hand-I'm depressed and exhausted and angry!
Anyways, as I read the assigned reading for today I thought about the issues discussed during our last class in terms of sentencing and the death penalty. I think it is very interesting that usually more men favor the death penalty over women. It definitely seems connected with gendered behaviors and especially the socialization of violence between genders. In regards to women serving as judges, I did not realize the obstacles that they can face. I loved (as in appreciate not actually liking the process) the notion of the "gatekeeping" system that obviously favors men. While reading and discussing themes like this, I frequently ask myself why other people do not see the problem in this? Why is it that we must take a class to formally recognize the oppressive behaviors???? Why is it that men who go to law school do not seek justice for their female counterparts? We have been asking all term "who's justice?" and it is evident at this point that the only people who actually get justice are the rich white men of the world! Damn the white male privilege!
As I continue my studies in sociology and women's studies I often get an overwhelming feeling of frustration and sadness at the close of a term. On one hand it is good because I try to turn my feelings into perseverance to continue in the future, but on the other hand-I'm depressed and exhausted and angry!
Sunday, June 1, 2008
What is it about the Law and Order?
I wonder what it is exactly that draws us to Law and Order? What makes it more addicting than the other crime dramas? I have heard that it is because the show focuses on the cases, not the characters, but I am pretty attached to some of the characters too. Whatever it is, I hope the new cast works out, because I don't know what I would do with my Memorial and Veteran's Days without Law and Order marathons.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
May 19th Class
again, like always, LOVED THE SPEAKER!!!!! her story about the eyewitness was horrible because you know that a lot of times if there's an "eyewitness" i think juries can be just totally swayed by one person that saw something and a lot of times i am sure that those people are correct in what they saw, but there are so many ways that memory can be effect and altered. I know just day to day in seeing things and then trying to recall them its hard, i can't imagine being in a crime or witnessing one and then trying to recall that because you would be all cracked out on adrenaline and fear and then the PRESSURE to be a "good witness" i think that can have a real impact on what people "remember"
i am doing a project in a class about memory and being an eyewitness and i am going to show a clip of something (maybe a car wreck or a crime) and then ask people a few minutes later what they can recall from that and see what they describe and then compare that again with the video clip... i think that should be interesting
the episode was great (hello its L&O when is it ever NOT good!) and it really just made me think, ok why do we even care that these people are lesbians.... i mean they are PARENTS and GOOD PARENTS i mean so many children would be happy to have GOOD PARENTS i dont think kids would care much if it was two moms or two days.... i hate it when people say that a family is only a mom and a dad WHY??? there are sooo many dysfunctional "traditional" families that it take a true hypocrite to say that the nuclear family is the ONLY way to have a family.
for me, I dont care at all about people's preference for anything as long as they dont harm other people/create victims in their wake... why cant people just let others do their thing (in this episode be a lesbian couple with a child)...
one of my friends is a female-to-male transgender and when he was going through the early parts of his transition (around the time i met him) i tried to explain his situation to someone and the FIRST THING THEY ASKED was a "below the waist" question and i was like "he doesnt ask whats in my pants i dont ask whats in his pants" and what bothered is that people cant just be like "oh ok cool" they have to act like anything not "straight and normal" is completely foreign and weird... uggg it bothers me
there are just so many other things to me angry/upset about in the world that what people do in their private lives is not on my list at all....
but also in the episode it did bother me that the child was given to child services, i think that maybe either of the women's parents could have taken the child in... she had grandparents that were available and wanted to help her... so i dont think that was a good decision for the child... again.. whose justice? that girl lost her mom and her other mom is going to jail and instead of being with family she is with child services? i did not like that, but sadly i know that happens.... :(
again, GREAT CLASS!!! see everyone in week 10! have a great 3-day weekend!
i am doing a project in a class about memory and being an eyewitness and i am going to show a clip of something (maybe a car wreck or a crime) and then ask people a few minutes later what they can recall from that and see what they describe and then compare that again with the video clip... i think that should be interesting
the episode was great (hello its L&O when is it ever NOT good!) and it really just made me think, ok why do we even care that these people are lesbians.... i mean they are PARENTS and GOOD PARENTS i mean so many children would be happy to have GOOD PARENTS i dont think kids would care much if it was two moms or two days.... i hate it when people say that a family is only a mom and a dad WHY??? there are sooo many dysfunctional "traditional" families that it take a true hypocrite to say that the nuclear family is the ONLY way to have a family.
for me, I dont care at all about people's preference for anything as long as they dont harm other people/create victims in their wake... why cant people just let others do their thing (in this episode be a lesbian couple with a child)...
one of my friends is a female-to-male transgender and when he was going through the early parts of his transition (around the time i met him) i tried to explain his situation to someone and the FIRST THING THEY ASKED was a "below the waist" question and i was like "he doesnt ask whats in my pants i dont ask whats in his pants" and what bothered is that people cant just be like "oh ok cool" they have to act like anything not "straight and normal" is completely foreign and weird... uggg it bothers me
there are just so many other things to me angry/upset about in the world that what people do in their private lives is not on my list at all....
but also in the episode it did bother me that the child was given to child services, i think that maybe either of the women's parents could have taken the child in... she had grandparents that were available and wanted to help her... so i dont think that was a good decision for the child... again.. whose justice? that girl lost her mom and her other mom is going to jail and instead of being with family she is with child services? i did not like that, but sadly i know that happens.... :(
again, GREAT CLASS!!! see everyone in week 10! have a great 3-day weekend!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
