Week 6: West Bank Story & Waiting for Superman

Two contrasting films, one created for laughter and flushed faces filled with smiles, the other for analysis, perception, and thought. West Bank Story, a parody of the "Middle East Romeo and Juliet" West Side Story, is a short film portraying the feud between the Palestinians and the Jewish as a battle between restaurant business and service. In the midst of the show ups, rhythmic footwork, and musical comedy, a Romeo and a Juliet fervently daydream about each other. Upon meeting, David and Fantima quickly show symptoms of lovebug bites. The lovers, star-crossed as they may be, try to stop the overblown competition between the two restaurants, Hummus Hut of the Palestinians and Kosher King of the Jewish. After a series of accidents involving embers and ash, both restaurants fall victim to fire. In attempts to continue service, the two restaurants band together with a somewhat peaceful state of mind.

I thought this film was hilarious in a way that was short and sweet. The relationship between the two restaurants was rather ridiculous but, at the same time, creates mood. I also enjoyed the lovers... especially when David let a terrorist pass the borders while he was in a trance because of Fantima, haha! It really was like Romeo and Juliet. Well, I suppose most stories that have star-crossed lovers are compared to Romeo and Juliet, so that analogy wasn't accurate. I mean, it's not a tragedy, but the exact opposite! However, I have not seen the original, which may be much less comedic and fun. In that case, maybe the comparison would actually work.

As for Waiting for Superman, you are left to wonder why the children of each generation must have their future decided by luck? Your name is put into some sort of random generating machine (lotteries too) and if you aren't picked, too bad. The reason this happens is because there aren't enough spots in the good schools that everyone wants to be enrolled in. This is caused by the lacking amount of good teachers to make a good school. A good teacher is dedication, patience, and capability. Looks like we don't have enough people like this who will spend their time educating people. Either that or many of them are out looking for higher paying jobs and leaving the future generation of children behind, although they may not realize it themselves. Then that means that the amount of children well-educated gradually decreases.

Of course, this is a very general way of thinking. I can bet there are more complicated reasons pulling the strings, like some problems that arise as the government tries to improve the schools so the whole idea is simply dropped... Ask yourself though. Is it worth it?

Here are some other interesting discussions about school and education in general: CLICK

The other topic to be mentioned regards GLBT. You may know that the number of gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgenders is much larger now that it was years ago. I believe the number is, in fact, rising. My question is why? Why are there so many more nowadays? Is it because we are more lenient with same-sex relationships? Or because of change in culture and hormones (I actually have no idea if hormones is the right word to use at the moment, sorry)?

I think it's pretty obvious that, although GLBT is often rejected in the modern time, it is also accepted and encouraged, making those who do fall into this category more free to do as they please and also less chastising of themselves. Our society also makes it easier to become a GLBT. You could say that, compared to the olden days, gender roles have been slightly mixed up. You find masculine women and feminine men every so often. If it were back in the, perhaps 1800s to early 1900s, these people would likely be shunned and become dishonorable to their family.

For the people who do not support GLBT, I suppose I can understand why. We have been living with a man-with-woman culture for so long that a change like this irks us. Bothers. Disgusts. Especially since it is something that regards humans, just like themselves. It has been etched into their minds that a man romantically belongs with a woman and a woman only. The science of the human body also gives more reason to not support GLBT. If you think about it scientifically, and only scientifically, a female exists to prolong the survival of a species while a male exists to allow the female to do so. That is why each sex has a different set of organs and body functions. If you have two males, they were both obviously not made to give birth. If you have two females, they were both obviously not made to impregnate one another. Therefore, scientifically, it is wrong and should not happen. Of course, we humans are born with emotions so we often disregard this fact, especially since technology has been improved so that the limitations of the science of same-sex relationships can be surpassed. Obviously, you can always adopt, but that child is a child that has been abandoned by someone or something (and, before I get bad responses, I say abandoned as either figuratively or literally, so please do not misunderstand) and is not one you have created with your special other. So, while regarding the fact that you may be the parent of the heart, you are not the parent of the body as you are not biologically connected. Of course, this fact is also commonly unacknowledged or ignored because we humans opt for emotions instead of science, particularly, if I may say so, GLBTs.

I hope this post about GLBT doesn't sound like I'm on one side, because, frankly, I am not sure myself whether to support or not. I'll leave that for another time to decide.