link to help

The Bosnian War began in 1992 and lasted for three years. It is estimated that in that time at least 100,000 people were killed- half of them civilians. A lot of ethnic cleansing episodes went on during this war in which the Serbs were determined to eliminate Bosnia Muslims.

The people in this picture had fled what was left of their homes and belongings hoping to find safety. Young men are absent from this picture because they had either been sent to war or already been killed. The women were an easy target for the Serbs to show that they had control. They set up camps for the women and then would proceed to repeatedly and publically rape them.

Thirteen years later, conditions have politically stabilized. However, a war does not end without scarring. The repercussions of war as described by Wikipedia

"Common profound complications among surviving women and girls include gynaecological, physical and psychological (post traumatic) disorders, as well as unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. The survivors often feel uncomfortable/frustrated/sickened with men, sex and relationships; ultimately affecting the growth/development of a population and/or society as such (thus constituting a slow genocide according to some). In accordance with the Muslim society, most of the girls not married were virgins at the time of rape; further traumatizing the situation."

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosnian_War  2009

Salgado, Sebastiao. Photograph. Migrations: Humanity in Transition. Aperture. New York, 2000. 129.

This looks like to me this could be a snapshot from the early to mid 1900's depicting a city full old abandoned farms that some kids were rough-housing around in. The picture is actually from 1997; I was nine years old. I am not exactly sure on how God decides to who and what circumstance we are all born in, but I very easily could have been another blended in bare-foot trampling along in this picture. Their village, with many more just like it, was destroyed by the fighting between the Turkish Army and seperatist group known as the PKK. With much of their neighboring villages left in the same situation, finding solace is difficult. A very limited few are getting any kind of support form the Turkish government. The village destruction is constant as the fighting continues to this day in the Turkish area. The government has promised to rebuild the villages, but have yet to make significant action. With the recent earthquake in Haiti, many of the people there are in the same situation. Their city is destroyed, resources are limited and there is nowhere to go. However, they are getting tons of media actions, will likely be getting a lot of support to help rebuild, and better preperations for future earthquakes can be made.

Salgado, Sebastiao. Photograph. Migrations: Humanity in Transition. Aperture. New York, 2000. 105

This is a picture taken by Sabastiao Salgado. Salgado travelled through about thirty different countries taking pictures to show a stark reality that is oblivious to many Americans and most of the world. In his book Migrations, from which this picture is taken, he writes and depicts the life of refugees. This particular picture is of a road used by those fleeing from the Rwanda genocide. Hutu extremists in the early 90's swept up the support of other Hutus in the country to entirely exterminate Tutsi tribe members. Friends became enemies, and neighbors became rivals as the both male and female, young and old Tutsi members were killed.  It is estimated that between 500,000 to 1,000,000 were murdered in less than a year. As you can see, many along side the road did not make it.

It's important to realize what has gone and what is going on in the world around us. The issues seem so distanced and removed from our reality that it can be hard to truly understand the situation and be motivated to action. Often we are weighed down by the idea that being touched by these stories requires radical changes in our behavior. Just helping others become aware is a positive step forward.  Furthermore, these stories can make a tremendous amount of difference in our own lives. Keeping up with society's endless supply of standards and expectations of what we should look like and who we should be, fades in importance as we reflect on the lives of those who have endured so much. Peeling off this superficial layer opens our eyes to what is really essential to our happiness, and allows us to live our lives more fully.

Work cited:
Salgado, Sebastiao. Photograph. Migrations: Humanity in Transition. Aperture. New York, 2000. 189
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rwandan_Genocide

Who Me?

 Alright, so, well, hey! I am Kelly, and I want you to know that it sadly took me forever to figure out how to write under this picture and not on the sides or on the top or in hyperlink. Probably, the most frustrating ten minutes of my day... probably. Anyways, this is a beautiful picture of my favorite place in Alaska. It's about fifteen minutes out of Anchorage and that slab of rock in the chilled water is called Beluga Point. Supposedly, some have seen whales from this point. I have not. In fact I have never seen a whale and am doubtful that they actually exist Once, My friend and I were sitting pondering about life when we noticed this low-set cloud hanging out with the mountain across from us. It would slowly move to the right and then disappear as it hit some kind of imaginary wall, then reappear back where it started, and do it all over again. That's when I decided I wanted to be a cloud. It would mean I could travel wherever I wanted, take part in beautiful sunrises and sunsets, hang out with the mountains, rain on someone and perhaps their parade, or spend the day forming shapes for the imaginative and young and confuse the otherwise. Maybe some are thinking, "Why, a cloud is really just water." Well, I've thought of that too, and it is a bit overwhelming and not exactly what I am looking for anyways. My main form would be cloud. So, while this wasn't suppose to include a picture of me, I am kind of hanging out in the left hand corner. That's all, bye.