K. Dani Davis

Introduction to International Studies

Reaction Paper

 

I think that the topic/discussion from class that stuck with me the longest was the honor killings in Pakistan.  The coverage on that video hit me like a cinder block.  I had only heard of such “honor killings” briefly in passing.  It seems to me that the manifestations of the “honor mutilations” are a lot worse than the actual killings.  I know that what we saw on the video was just a small portion of what really goes on in those rural areas.  A lot can happen behind closed doors, even in places closer to home than one would like.

I can understand how people being ignorant can cause misinterpretations of rules and laws.  But I’ll never understand how any sane human being could even think of justifying the cruelty that had been inflicted upon these women.  In the case of the woman who had lost all her facial features, I don’t understand how that man could feel absolutely no remorse.  If that had happened in a highly populated city, he would have gotten psychological evaluations and solitary confinement or the death penalty instead of 14 months in jail. 

If it were possible for me to hate my worst enemy from the pit of my soul, with a heart full of darkness, I don’t think I could even consider contemplating the horrible “punishments” we saw the end results of.  Even if I did go through with it, I’d have to stop in the middle of what I was doing.  I’d possibly consider beating someone with a wooden pole to be “punishment”, not the gouging out of eyeballs with my fingers.  There’s quite a difference between “punishment” and “mutilation”.  I don’t want/mean to sound all high and mighty, but there are just some things that people shouldn’t do.

  On the other hand, I don’t think that Americans need to go jumping in everyone’s business.  We, as Americans, need to drop this arrogant ethnocentricity that we seem to have about us, and stop judging these other areas of the world.  In fact, I think this country needs to fix its own problems before it goes pointing fingers.

“Hello...Pot?  Hi, this is Kettle.   …Yeah…   You’re black.”

Seriously, I don’t know who issued this country the Certificate of High Moral Standards, but I think there should be a recount of the votes.  It seems like with every election, we discover some other foul thing.  It’s not about Democrats or Republicans-- it’s about corruption, and twisting laws, and making convenient exceptions to rules.  I’ve been told I don’t have a right to complain about anything because I don’t vote.   The truth is, I don’t want to feel guilty for voting in the Anti-Christ in disguise.  It’ll happen soon.  In the meantime, I’ll keep practicing my own measures of preventing the damnation of my soul.  Even if this isn’t the answer, I’ll still feel somewhat better about it in my own mind.

There might be some people that’ll read this paper later on, and they’ll say something like, “Oh, listen to this girl!  Who does she think she is?  He who is without sin, cast the first stone!”

I ain’t gonna throw stones, ‘cause I’ve done my fair share of foul deeds.  Only difference between me and some people is, I’ll readily admit what I did.  Unfortunately, this paper isn’t the time to list them all.  Plus, the school will take the cost of all that printer paper out of my tuition. Personally, I believe that if everyone were completely honest with each other, the world would be a better place.  If we’d all admit when we’re wrong, maybe we’d have no reason to cast judgment upon others.  My advice to the world is to remember that we’re little more than just carbon-based life forms.  As such, we are bound by nature to make mistakes.  Don’t look at what your fellow creature has done as shameful, because you’re guaranteed to have done something foul in your own day. 

Now it’s time for me to admit that I was wrong, once again.  I’ve digressed terribly, but at least now you know where I’m coming from…I think.