Extra Credit: Wade Davis Culture Ted Talk

"All of these peoples teach us that there are other ways of being, other ways of thinking, other ways of orienting yourself with the earth." - Wade Davis

1. Why is language loss a problem?
Wade Davis explains that language is the vehicle for a particular culture. He says that language loss, or the new generation not speaking a language of the previous generation, makes it impossible for that old generation to explain its culture - its myths and stories, its ancestors, and its significance. On one level, language loss causes a disconnect between generations (my own conclusion). More importantly, language loss causes the loss of cultures.

2. Are these people “Noble savages” or a “Valuable Resource for Humanity”? What do we lose when ancient cultures die out? Isn’t this just natural selection? What’s the urgency?

We don't want to lose these ancient cultures, because it causes death of people as well as destruction of a group of people's beliefs and ideals. We want to live in an interesting "polychromatic world of diversity." Having fewer cultures makes people more narrow-minded and less able to develop a large array of ideals as a whole species. Wade Davis makes it clear we do not "have all the answers to all the questions that will confront us in the coming millennia," so we need these varied ideas and thoughts, and therefore, these people of other cultures are a "valuable resource for humanity."

3. Why was Canada’s Nunavut decision so courageous?

Canada's decision was courageous because it went against how all other countries were treating their native cultures. It was also courageous because it could have upset a large population of Canadian people who might have wanted that land or those resources for themselves. A lot of Candians could have benefitted from the land and resources and the country's economy could have created benefitted from the land, but it was instead returned to the Nunavut group, which I think is very courageous.

Was Malcom X a "human rights activist" or a "terrorist"? What are your thoughts about Malcolm X and his methods to address inequalities and oppression during the Civil Rights Movement?

Malcolm X is a terrorist. Though I do not believe he used violence himself, he did encourage it and he did use threats to intimidate whites and coerce blacks to follow his beliefs in Black Nationalism. 

I grew up not knowing much about Malcolm X, only know that he promoted violence whereas Martin Luther King Jr did not. I viewed it as very black and white: Malcolm X is bad and Martin Luther King Jr is good. However, this is not the case; there are certainly shades of gray. Some of what Malcolm X says in his "The Ballot or the Bullet" speech does make sense. He was beginning to convince me when talking about how all past revolutions have been bloody, including the American Revolution. I recognize that as someone in the 21st century I am viewing this very differently than someone in 1964, in a period of time where they didn't believe peaceful action would work, as we know now. I have always been a pacifist, and reading Malcolm X's speech made me doubt that for a moment, especially when he was talking about revolutionary history. However, even if I was in 1964, experiencing everything as it happened rather than looking back on it now, I would recognize that much of his views are wrong.

Malcolm X is a terrorist, because he believes that African Americans - and blacks in Africa - are superior to white people. Even if I were a black person at the time, I would have been a follower of Martin Luther King Jr, because he was a proponent of equality. Malcolm X called whites his "enemies." MLK may have thought that white people are dragging down blacks just as Malcolm X did, but he had the view that people everyone is equal and should be treated that way, not that blacks should take revenge on those who have oppressed them. Therefore, I do not agree with his methods of addressing inequalities. 

What was the major breakthrough legislation from the Civil Rights Era?

A major breakthrough in the Civil Rights Era was the Civil Rights Act, which was backed by John F. Kennedy. It banned racial segregation, therefore limiting chances for Americans to discriminate against African Americans openly and in public. More specifically, it outlawed the entire idea of “separate but equal”; it was no longer legal or accepted to allow public facilities such as water fountains, bathrooms, restaurants, and stores. This extended to schools. Education was no longer separated between whites and any other races, and all children, no matter their race, were allowed to attend public schools.  It also secured the right for African Americans to vote and provided African Americans with equal opportunities for employment. The entire Civil Rights Act aimed to prevent discrimination against and segregation from African Americans, Hispanics, Jews, and other minorities. 

Letter From Birmingham Jail

Martin Luther King Jr wrote a lot about religion in his note. He said that he was disappointed in the church, because he thought they could have done more to help. There were a lot of religious references made throughout the letter. He also strongly encouraged nonviolent action and that was one of the major purposes for the letter, because it got his message across.