The Blurb

Opening the Door to Darfur. . .

As a part of our recent efforts to raise awareness on the genocide occurring in Darfur, we've written an open letter to the President of Sudan and created our own pledge to fight against Genocide. We're also working on a Voicethread presentation where we're studying political cartoons on Sudan.

Here's another interesting image from that Voicethread...and the conversation that we've had about it so far:

Dancer 96:  In this picture, I noticed that people from Darfur or the whole country of Darfur is begging the US for food, or possibly protection.  Another thing: Notice how they are so skinny. What message do you think the author is trying to send to the world?

The Belgian Waffle:  Dancer 96 says: Notice how they are so skinny. What message do you think the author is trying to send to the world?

I noticed that the picture is looking from the peep-hole. It seems as if U.S.A. is NOT helping them, and doesn't really want to in a way...or else the door would be opened. The rubbish behind them is horrible, it looks like they climbed all the way to the door for help.

So why no give it?

The Writing Lunatic:  Interesting, Belgian Waffle.  My question is will we ever open the door, or is it their door that is shut not letting us help?  Do we have too many doors shutting everyone out of each others lives.  Maybe we all just have too much pride for our countries.

The Belgian Waffle:  Well, what kind of gets me wondering is that why DO we allow these doors to close? One day, we may get stuck in the same situation...for the sake of our country and Darfur, we should help.

God forbid that something like that should happen here, and we have no one to help us when we need it most. I say, who cares whether or not the genocide is near or far, if we can close doors, we may be just as easily able to open them.

So why isn't it happening? Does anyone think we shouldn't care? That caring is a waste of our time?

Dance Star #1:  I agree with Belgian Waffle about the idea of opening the door to Darfur.  She asked the question if we should care about this conflict and if it is worth it.

What pops into my mind is the phrase “Treat other people the way you want to be treated." If in the future we get stuck in a situation like Darfur is in will Darfur open their door to us? I don’t think that it is fair if they helped us and we didn’t help them. Right now it doesn’t look like they would help us only because were not helping them.

I could also connect this situation to a friendship. If you help and care about your friend then they sure would help you back and that is how your friendship lasts. It also looks like that Darfur is asking for something because they have a bowl in the people’s hand. There asking for food but should we give it to them?

Do you think that if we help them now that they will help us when we are in help or vice versa.

The Writing Lunatic:  Well, let me tell you one thing, to make it easier for you to understand the misery families go through---the brutalism that they endure---imagine your our blood or best friend or teacher or even enemy being slaughtered, or handling the deserts in Chad.

Just because of their race.

Is that fair at all? Imagine the pain one family would endure for something like that to happen.  It's hard, isn't it? Because its most likely never happened to you.  Well what's even harder to think about is that an entire race is going through it right now.

This second.

And we can help stop it!

Should We Care About Darfur?

By now you know that we're working with Mr. Mayo's class to raise awareness on the genocide occurring in Darfur, right? We've written an open letter to the President of Sudan and created our own pledge to fight against Genocide. We're also working on a Voicethread presentation where we're studying political cartoons on Sudan.

Here's one of the more interesting images...and the conversation that we've had about it so far:

Big Bird: Look at this political cartoon. You can see that the man is writing down the things that need to be fixed or solved. I think the author is trying to tell us that America has a lot of problems.
Also look on the shirt. It has a lot of useless problems more than the big problems around the world.

Billy Burrito:  I think that big bird is right because on his shirt he has a lot of useless and pointless jobs like save his SUV. So there kinda saying that the genocide in Darfur isn't a problem and that we don't need to help them.

Do you think that we should help Darfur with there Genocide?

Drama Queen:  I partly disagree with you Billy. These may sound like dumb things to do, but that is what the average person has to usually think about. (Save maybe, the illegal nanny).

For example, think about your parents. What do they worry about? Gas prices, taxes, bills? These things sound pretty dumb, but you have to worry about these things in order for YOU to survive!

But I think the people represent the USA, and all they are doing to help. Which is nothing. Nothing, but asking about Darfur. People in the US of A are trying to survive in the world themselves, and except for an occasional thought about world issues.

But SHOULD we care?

Pooh Bear: I partly disagree with Big Bird because the things written on the mans shirt are not all useless problems for America, they are average problems for the world.

I do think, though, that the author thinks that these things are useless problems. Or why did he make the man and women look useless themselves?

The women says "What about Darfur?" I think that the author was trying to say that American people are only caring about themselves instead of Darfur, not that they are caring about stupid things instead of Darfur. What do you think?

Drama Queen:  Pooh Bear I agreed with you on that these problems are typical but save New Orleans and save our troops are important not typical.

Take New Orleans,after Hurricane Katrina New Orleans was gone and still it needs more help almost 3 years later. 

Our troops need help too. we've lost so many people there and the families who have a family member in Iraq are devastated so most are typical.

I think that the author is trying to say that most Americans think that their problems are more important and few like the woman care about real problems like the genocide in Darfur.

Mental Muffin:  i agree with billy burrito because all of the information he put on his shirt is useless. i also wonder if one of th reasons he put useless information on his shirt because of his body shape

i also think the author is saying that we shouldn't do anything about the genocide because the guy in the political cartoon says he doesn't have and more room but he probably could of wrote something on the back of his shirt about Darfur.

Jake the Snake:  Well I agree that some of these ideas are useless but not when he says "save the troops" that is a serious topic that we are dealing with today. It’s also a huge topic being discussed in our presidential elections.

Or what about all of the families that got hit by hurricane Katrina?  Do you really think those people have it as good as we do?

So do you really think these ideas are dumb to think about?

Vlad the Impaler: Listen Billy B and Drama Brat I'm in the neutral zone between you two.
Drama girl says "well we need these stuff to survive ( forgetting illegal nanny) so stuff this Darfur Genocide . Billy says Americans are too greedy and selfish with themselves .

I really don't know what to think . Is it our job to care about the worlds problems around us or the government?  Why should we care?  Is worrying about  our affairs too greedy ? Should we care about the
world a little more than we do now ? Does the world care about us the same ?

Horse Freak:  I also agree with billy, why should we be worrying about our problems when there are helpless people in Darfur who are dying every day!! To me were being selfish i know we have to worry about things like taxes, jobs and cars, but those are such small things compared to genocide!!

What do you think are we selfish and don't know how well we have it? Should we complain less and help more just in case the problem is reverse and its happening in our country?

Political Cartoonists Speak Out on Sudan!

So, by now you know that we're working with Mr. Mayo's class to raise awareness on the genocide occurring in Darfur, right?  We've written an open letter to the President of Sudan and created our own pledge to fight against Genocide. 

We're also starting to work on a Voicethread presentation looking at political cartoons about Darfur and trying to figure out how political cartoonists feel about the world's response to the genocide in Darfur. 

Do you want to add some comments with us?  If so, you can check out our growing Voicethread here:

http://ed.voicethread.com/share/62276/

(Comments are moderated.  That means they won't appear until they're approved by us!)

Here's a small version that you can see right on our site:

Here are some questions that you can ask when looking at political cartoons:

• What is the subject of this cartoon?
• What is the cartoon's purpose?
• Who is the intendend audience for this cartoon?  Why are they the intended audience?
• What point is the cartoonist trying to make?  How do you know?
• Wht is left unsaid in the cartoon?
• What opposing views are left out of the cartoon?
• What is the artist's personal bias?  How do you know?

And here is a handout that gives you tips about how to be a great Voicethreader:

Download commenting_tips_for_voicethreaders_93.doc

Remember that Voicethreads are conversations between viewers!  The best commenters respond to the thinking of others.  Challenge their thinking.  Add to their thinking.  Elaborate on their thinking. 

And don't forget tha Mr. Mayo's 8th grade class is working to help raise awarness of the cause.  On March 6th and 7th, they hope to get over 1,000 comments on their blog.  Help us make this cause a world issue and stop it once and for all.

Image retrieved from http://www.soschildrensvillages.org.uk/imgs/content/sudan-child-soldier.jpg on February 19, 2008.

Political Cartoon 1: I Voted for Eli

One of the things that has caught our attention here in Blurb Nation are political cartoons.  That probably makes sense, doesn't it?  After all, we study current events all the time----and political cartoons typically comment on current events. 

Here's a cartoon we studied recently and the conversation that we had about it on Voicethread.  Be sure to leave us a comment and challenge our thinking:

 

Big Bird: 

In " I voted for Eli" I think that the author of this cartoon thinks  America is not a mature -enough country to be able to vote for the MOST  important people for our govermental reasons. Do you think America is mature enough to vote for a leader?

Darth Tater: 

Big Bird thought this cartoon meant that Americans aren't mature enough to select a new leader. 

Interesting thoughts, Bird.  I was wondering whether or not it meant that Americans were more interested in sports---and sports heroes---than they were in politicians and the future leaders of our country. 

After all, 95 million people watched the Super Bowl.  How many do you think watched Super Tuesday?

Do you think Americans have given up on politics and politicians?

Batman:

Big Bird, you asked:
Do you think America is mature enough to vote for a leader?

I thnk that America is  mature enough to vote because America voted for the best candidate 43 or 44 times!

-The Batman(The Joker)

Uncle Sam:

Batman wrote:
I thnk that America is  mature enough to vote because America voted for the best candidate 43 or 44 times!

So here's an interesting question, then:  What makes someone the "best candidate?"

Is that an opinion word that we'll never be able to come to any agreement over---or are there some traits that every good leader just has to have?

Dance 4 Life:

I don't think America has given up on our leaders and politics.  Some people really don't care becuase they are lazy but some people do and we haven't been ignoring it.  There has been a lot of articles about it.  A lot of Americans do care about football but don't you think they could pay attention to both?  Do you think Americans have become lazy?