Walden

               

         Thoreau is an author who calls out ‘simplicity’ when he himself is a complex man.  Going to the woods to rethink about the facts of life, the virtues, and the genuine meanness of it is a hard decision not made by many common, average men. He suggests, “In that case did Thoreau actually have one meal in the woods? Did he take action in his words? Later he changes his mind to jump back to the troubles of life. He realizes he has Before that, did he grasp all the values he sought in the beginning when he first decided to go to the woods? It certainly says he has “wished to live deliberately…see if I could not learn what [life] had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived”, yet it only took him a week to figure it out or run away from it. Despite all the conflicts, Thoreau’s experience with Walden teaches a lesson: Everything comes easy if you take an easier perspective of life. Nature is kept simple, therefore the world should be less complex.

King Still King?

If Martin Luther King Jr. returned back to life in this modern day, he would be overwhelmed by the great change over the years. It is true how time cures everything, after all, even if it may not be complete. However, since the problem with racism isn’t as extreme as it was back than in the 60’s, King Jr.’s campaign towards equality probably wouldn’t take much effect nowadays. If so, the change would be so little, since people learned to adapt better with one another. Nonetheless, his leading role in history can relate to us in other ways than just racial discrimination. He is a king of different crowns who can influence the people in various ways.

 Martin Luther King Jr.’s peaceful mentality along with his morals is something to take as we live our lives. His idea of a “non-violent campaign” should be considered as the basic step to fight for justice. Violence can never be just; therefore his work with peace is probably what changed the minds of many people. At the same time, Martin Luther’s accomplishments through his great deeds were what touched people’s hearts more than they should. On the other hand, there are many other organizations and protestant groups using force to get their ways, breaking the law of their own. They not only achieve, but end up losing their main focus of what they wanted from the beginning. In that matter, the admired Martin Luther King Jr. remains in our textbooks, articles, documents, and history. As much as he is remembered, he influences the education and society still today.

 Besides Martin Luther’s passion toward equality among race, his determination in his faith is something we can all take. His strong belief towards Christianity and his will to spread the message like St. Paul despite the struggles was an inspiration to many believers. We learn something new from him every day; his courage to dream and achieve his goals even if it occurred after his life tells all that he can never be forgotten.

I believe that when Rosa Parks reunited with Martin Luther few years ago in heaven, they held their own amazing celebration along with the people who sacrificed their lives for the racial movement. Martin Luther King Jr. was probably overjoyed with a slight self-satisfaction of himself completing his purpose to the world. As much as people’s view towards race has improved over the 50 years, I strongly believe it is possible for the equality of America in the future.

Response to This Sacred Soil

                The reading of Chief Seattle’s words has blown my heart. Feeling of sympathy and anger gushed over me as I read the short yet deep pages of This Sacred Soil. Many quotes stood out in my heart, but most importantly, “Your God is not our God. Your God loves your people and hates mine” (Seattle, p100).

As I learned about European history and their wars between religion, a question stuck to my head ever since: If Europeans were devoted Christians, why did they cause wars, killing men which is the biggest sin you could possibly commit? Then I scold myself, as a believer of Christianity, I commit sin continuously as well. However the matter is different, I have never killed a man. So how could the Christians, who probably were more passionate, defy against God’s law?

I felt great shame as Chief Seattle stated the words, “Your God loves your people and hates mine”. Not only I was ashamed of the people who committed wrong acts to the Natives but I felt shame since they showed an unrighteous image of  God to them.  God is holy, loving, and affectionate no matter what. God doesn’t differentiate among people but loves us all equally. How could the white people, the so called “Christians”, represent a false impression of God that way? Chief Seattle continues, “The white man’s God cannot love our people or he would protect them”.  It is sad that is how God was portrayed in the Native Americans’ eyes. If I could go back in history, I would want to stop the wrong doings of these Christians and ask my question, “Why kill a man if God forbade you to do so?”