Activity #1 Three Modern Day Totalitarian Countries

I found that Libya is definitely a Totalitarian country especially when Qaddafi seized power and up  until his death on October 20 2011. I found that Libya  is a Totalitarian Country because it was actually illegal to even set foot there until recently. This place is filled with oppression. You cant escape the state without leaving the country or going off road and into the desert. Apparently the Informers and secret police are omnipresent and all but omniscient. No one can travel from one city to another without a thick stack of permits and papers. There are propaganda posters and billboards literally everywhere, even alongside roads in the wilderness where nobody lived. State propaganda is even carved into the sides of the mountains. Pictures of Qaddafi hang inside every building, and an entire floor of the museum in the capital is dedicated to glorifying him personally. Libya even looks like a communist country, with its Stalinist tower blocks outside Tripoli’s old city center and its socialist-realist paintings depicting happy proletarians in their Workers’ Paradise.

I read that that this girl recently went there and this is what she had to say about the place was that no one that she met would talk about politics and if there was the slightest chance that someone would there is a high chance of being over heard. Those who did open up when they were safely in private were unanimous in their hatred, fear, and loathing of the regime. And they made sure to tell her that their entire families would be thrown in prison if she had repeated what they said to anyone.

 I found that Cuba is also a totalitarian country. Raul, 80, the younger brother of frail Fidel, 85, has generally maintained his sibling’s legacy of repressive leadership. Raul was named acting President of the Council of State of Cuba in July 2006, assuming presidential duties, and he was officially elected president of Cuba in 2008. The Communist Party of Cuba controls all aspects of the government, and there is no free press. The island nation’s 11.3 million citizens are not allowed to leave the country without permission, which is often denied. However, the number of political prisoners has decreased significantly in the last couple of years, and Raul has introduced some economic reforms, including privatizing some agricultural land and other real estate. Yet unjustly punitive laws persist, including a selectively-enforced prohibition on the unauthorized assembly of more than three people, which is punishable with up to three months in prison and a fine, and a “dangerousness” provision that allows the government to imprison people who seem like they might commit a crime in the future. The total number of political prisoners is unknown because the government does not disclose such information and keeps its prisons off-limits to human right organizations. The government incarcerates people for their peaceful political beliefs and activities. Workers lose their jobs because of their political beliefs and the law does not allow Cuban workers to form and join unions of their choice. Salaries are not high enough to meet food and clothing costs. Despite the government’s decision to permit Cubans to purchase personal computers, access to the Internet is strictly controlled and given only to those who are considered trustworthy. The government also restricts freedom of movement and prevents some citizens from emigrating because of their political views.  The government is tasked with monitoring, infiltrating, and controlling the country's human rights community.

I also found that Turkmenistan is another totalitarian country.Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov, a trained dentist, once cleaned the teeth of predecessor, Saparmurat Niyazov. In 1997 he was appointed minister of healthcare and medical industry, and he became president in 2006. Although Berdymukhammedov had vowed to dismantle Niyazov’s cult of personality, experts say he has simply replaced it with one of his own. Portraits of the 54-year-old leader are displayed all over the capital. Displaying Soviet-style paranoia and brutality, government security forces ruthlessly hunt down and arrest anyone suspected of dissent. Political opposition is not tolerated. The government controls the media, blocking access to websites they deem objectionable and confiscating any foreign literature at the airport that is brought in by visitors. Because human rights groups are reportedly forbidden to enter the country, it’s unable for the outside world to assess how good or bad conditions really are.

Activity #2 Four Infamous, Historical Totalitarian Leaders

Joseph Stalin was one of the undisputed leaders of the Union Of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) from 1928 till his death. After a terrible civil war and death of Valdimir Lenin, Joseph Stalin took power in the Soviet Union. He immediately started putting his opponents to death and began a ruthless program to build up industry in the Union Of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), killing anyone in his way.  He was the Soviet dictator, who was responsible for the deaths of around 15 million people during his 31-year reign of terror. In the time that Joseph Stalin was political leader in the USSR he had accomplished many things. One of these many things is the one that made him a very infamous leader. He was one o the first totalitarian leaders. By this it meant that he had complete power over everyone in the USSR. He could help someone or just kill someone he had a god-like status.

                                                                                                                                                                       Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin from 1928 to 1953.

Examples of totalitarian:

• Single party dictatorship (Communist Party)
• Ruled through fear and terror (Reign Of Terror)
• Used censorship and propaganda - schools, newspapers, and government 
• Secret Police  

"Agriculture is developing slowly, comrades. This is because we have about 25 million individually owned farms. They are the most primitive and undeveloped form of economy we must do our utmost to develop large farms and to convert them into grain factories for the country organized on a modern scientific basis."

Benito Mussolini was in Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party. He is one of the key figures in the creation of fascism. Mussolini and his fascist followers, known as the "blackshirts" marched on Rome ans seized power in Italy in 1922. He began using the title II Duce ("The Leader") by 1925 and set up an efficient but brutal rule over Italy. 1925 was around the time which he had established dictatorial authority by both legal and extraordinary means, aspiring to create a totalitarian state.  After 1936, his official title was Sua Eccellenza Benito Mussolini, Capo del Governo, Duce del Fascismo e Fondatore dell'Impero ("His Excellency Benito Mussolini, Head of Government, Duce of Fascism, and Founder of the Empire")

                                                                                             Italy under Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini from 1922 to 1943

Examples of totalitarian: 

• No Criticism of the state allowed
• "Everything is the state" Forced Italian men to join military, and women should have babies
• Used censorship and propaganda- newspapers, schools, and government
• Secret Police, the OVRA

"War is to man what maternity is to a  woman. From a philosophical and doctrinal viewpoint, I do not believe in perpetual peace."

Francisco Franco was a Spanish general, dictator and the leader of the Nationalist military rebellion in the Spanish Civil War, and authoritarian head of state of Spain. In 1936, civil war broke out in Spain between the Republicans and General Franco's Nationalists. Mussolini and Hitler sent men and aircraft to help Franco. Stalin sent money to help the Republicans. After two years of bitter fighting, Franco won the war and took control of Spain. from October 1939 until his death in November 1975. He came to power while recognizing the principles of the far-right Falange movement, although this was for propaganda reasons, as he belonged to no political party before becoming Head of State. As head of state, Franco used the titles Caudillo de España and Generalísimo, but also was called formally as His Excellency, The Head of State.

                                                                                                                                                                                         Spain under Francisco Franco y Bahamonde from 1936 to 1975

Examples of totalitarian: 

• Established one party government (Falange)
• Continued to support conservative and traditional activities (bullfighting and flamenco dancing)
• Imprisonment of political opponents and limited trade unions      
• Censorship, Secret police 

  "In the panel on which I am working, which I shall call Guernica, and in all my recent works of art, I clearly express my abhorrence of the military castle which has sunk Spain in an ocean of pain and death." 

  
  
  
  
  
  Hideki Tōjō was a general of the Imperial Japanese Army, the leader of the Taisei Yokusankai  and the 40th Prime Minister of Japan during most of World War II,  from 17 October 1941 to 22 July 1944. As Prime Minister, he was directly responsible for the Attack of Pearl Harbor, which led to the war between Japan and the United States, although planning for it had begun before he entered office. After the end of the war, Tōjō was arrested, sentenced to death for Japanese War Crimes by the International Military Tribunal for the Far East, and was hanged on December 23 1948.  During the Great Depressions, nations could not afford to buy Japanese goods and many factories closed. Some Japanese blamed the democracy movement for the economic problems and thought that a return to military rule would be the solution to Japan's problems.
  
  
                                                                                           Japan under Hideki Tōjō from 1941 to 1944
  

   Examples of totalitarian:

• Preached service to the state and to honor Emperor Hirohito as a god
• Invaded Manchuria and China
• Used censorship and propaganda- schools, newspapers, and government
• Secret Police

  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

Activity # 4 Modern Day Police Using Electronic Devices To Track People

Police have so many ways that they are able to track people. They can track you through your credit cards, your phones, GPS, Facebook and other social media networks. Also by using the cameras in their police vehicles on the dash, and the cameras that they now have at the lights. They can track your GPS systems and find out where you are and where you are going. In 2010 Police were actually taught how to track down killers and other criminals on Facebook, Twitter and other social networks. They also took training exercises to examine how to gather the best information from computers, mobile phones and other electronic devices. The cameras in their police vehicles can get license plate numbers, and videotape footage that may turn out to be good evidence to help solve a case.

Activity # 8 Blogs/Twitter/Facebook Used To Resist Totalitarian State?

 Whatever you post on the internet meaning a Blog, Facebook, or Twitter is going to be out there for the public and could get around very easily and spread far around the world in the matter of no time. If someone wanted to get something out and spread it so other people could see their opinions all they would have to do is tweet, or follow someone higher then them and then tell them about there feelings and opinions towards that specific topic. They could start a group on Facebook and get a lot of people to like it, share it,  and join the group so that they can make comments and express their feeling and strong opinions on the topic. Some people even make blogs just so they can get a point of a certain topic that they feel needs to be heard and recognized. People post whatever they want on the internet nowadays. They post pictures of them doing things that they know they shouldn't be doing or even post updates that should not be posted. People feel that they are free when they go on these sites because unless it is something really threatening then you get away with it. Everything is done over the sites pretty much nowadays and in my opinion people usually do not follow the rules and understandings and agreements for these sites. To me that would be considered a resist to totalitarian because they are not listening to the rules and still post pictures and write things that are inappropriate for the internet. Things that you normally wouldn't be able to do in public or even say to someones face because then you will get in trouble if they actually saw you were doing that in person.

Activity # 9 Photo Essay ...Protest In Libya Against Gaddafi

 

Level of Language

1. All three of these articles are talking about the new omnibus bill being passed. They are all writing to share their own thoughts and opinions about this situation.

2. I found that Toronto Sun was the least confusing and the easiest article to read. I found this to be because they didn't use difficult words and they made it very understanding to read and to get what their point across.

3. I found that the most complex and difficult article to read was the Globe And Mail. I found this because I thought that it was a little harder to understand and that they didn't really get there point across as easily.

4. I think that the pigs in Animal Farm got subscriptions to newspapers and magazines because they wanted to learn more and learn how the humans were doing things. The pigs are higher up then the other animals and they wanted to know more ways that they can control the other animals and ways to keep themselves higher up then all of them. They even start acting like humans and become more educated and learned how to be like them.

5. I find that vocabulary already limits us because even though there are so many words out there not everyone knows them and knows the definition to them. For me I only know what I would call the basic forms of vocabulary. I find myself already shortened on knowledge with words and vocabulary. If somebody asked me how I was feeling I would express to them how I am feeling by saying I am great, wonderful, excited, or mad, angry, anxious, or upset and then go on to why. It is a way to express yourself and your feelings and thoughts. That's how people are different and unique and If they shortened vocabulary or took words out then it would make it even harder because you would be forced to a short limit of words and that makes everybody pretty much all the same. You wouldn't be able to express you true self your are limit to what you are actually feeling or thinking.

6. I find that Facebook, Twitter, and texting can really mess up someones vocabulary. I would say this because you always find that people are using short forms. It seems that there is a short form for every word now. You also see that there is a lot of spelling mistakes on Facebook and when people text you. I even notice that when people are writing homework or writing something down they don't realize but they are writing short forms of words and using u instead or you or b instead of be or also 2 instead of to. I have even caught myself doing it a couple of times. Then if you go and talk to your grandma she is using full words and using very good choices of words. My grandma has Facebook and i have noticed that her page all her spelling is correct and she uses full words not short forms. It all depends on the person, not everyone does that but i have noticed that recently my dad started texting and at the beginning when he would text it was talk to you later, how are are you, be there in five minutes.  Now its ttyl, how r u, and b there in 5 because he is getting more used to it and learning more about it all. So I find that these things  can effect your vocabulary.

Animal Farm and Fahrenheit 451

1. After reading the two pieces about Animal Farm and Fahrenheit 451 on Wikipedia I feel that they are accurate. They got the point of both stories across. They even give a description of all the characters and their parts in the stories of which were correct as well. I found that they were very descriptive on the plot and got all the main things across especially for Animal Farm. They put things like the 7 commandments and how they end up getting changed.


I checked 3 references on both Animal Farm And Fahrenheit 451.
Here is one for Animal Farm and one for Fahrenheit 451.


2. We include these two pieces of literature in a course where we also study 1984 because they are all based on the same concept. All three of them the people or animals are forced to do things that they dont want to or even believe in doing. They are being lied to and being treated like they are nothing. They arent allowed to do anything and they are always being watched. In all three stories the people/animals do as they are told and dont speak their minds because they are not able too. Their lives are lived pretty much by other people telling them what they have to do weather they like it or not.


3. The term "dystopia" means the idea of a society in a repressive and controlled state. A society characterized by human misery,as squalor, oppression, disease, and overcrowding.
An example of this from real life I think would be China.


4. "Mindless entertainment would replace recreational free thinking" to me this statement means that you are to busy with entertainment and letting it think for you instead of thinking for yourself. Your thoughts are taken over by someone else.

For example in Animal Farm Snowball and Napoleon take charge and start thinking to highly of themselves and start making it hard on the other animals. They have control over the farm and dont let the other animals think for themselves because they are more educated and have more skills then a lot of the other animals.
Another example would be in Fahrenheit 451 when the wife is drugged up on pills and she watches the show "The Family" and believes that she is actually on it and that they are really asking her the questions. While on these pills she forgets everything that is important and starts worrying about little things like the t.v and being popular.


5.

  Animal Farm

Author's/Director's opinion of free speech - George Orwell believes in free speech.
I found this quote - "At any given moment there is an orthodoxy, a body of ideas of which it is assumed that all right-thinking people will accept without question. It is not exactly forbidden to say this, that or the other, but it is "not done" to say it... Anyone who challenges the prevailing orthodoxy finds himself silenced with surprising effectiveness. A genuinely unfashionable opinion is almost never given a fair hearing, either in the popular press or in the high-brow periodicals."
George Orwell, 1945, Introduction to Animal Farm

Government's opinion of free speech - All desicions must be taken to Napoleon and he is always right. The other animals have no free speech and have to do as Napoleon says.

How the lead characters resisted - When Snowball announces his idea for a windmill and tries to make the farm a better place. Napoleon Gets the dogs to chase him out of the barn. Or to all the animals that disagreed with what was being said and Napoleon tried to have them all killed.

 Fahrenheit 451

Author's/Director's opinion of free speech - From what I read Ray Bradbury does not believe in free speech.

I found this saying - "Ray Bradbury has given a disappointing speech in which he claims that his inspirational novel Fahrenheit 451 has nothing to do with censorship -- as has long been held. Bradbury says that the book was intended as a jeremiad against television."

Opinion

Government's opinion of free speech - They also believe that books are bad and they put the thoughts of books being bad and makes people non equal in their heads.

How the lead characters resisted - Montag starts reading and hiding books. By the end Montag and Clarisse go join other people where they become the books. They recite thenm and then after they finish they burn the books cause so that they cant come and take them away from them. 

How To Vote

1. The last federal election was held on Monday May 2,2011


Kyle Seeback won

2. There are 21 political parties in Ontario.

The one that I totally agree with is the Family Coalition Party of Ontario.

I agree with this one because I am all about family and I think that they are the most important people in my life. After clicking on it and reading about it I also learned that they are about bullying too and I think that is awesome !!!

3. The Mayor of Brampton is Susan Fennell

She was last elected on Monday October 25,2010 

4. I  found that Susan Fennell has Facebook, and Twitter.

I also found that Kyle Seeback has Facebook, and Twitter as well.

5. I found that this assignment was pretty easy and straight forward. The only problem I had was putting it on my blog but after I got help with that and learned then it was just then pretty much Google, search, read, type and publish!!!

 

 

Chesser Told Me To Write This !!!