Comments for PTPI Blog http://blog.ptpi.org The PTPI Blog aims to provide a place to share our members' stories. They inspire us and they will inspire others. Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:07:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 Comment on 5 Minutes with Cindy Spake by Rita Kopecki http://blog.ptpi.org/2010/07/26/5-minutes-with-cindy-spake/comment-page-1/#comment-31367 Rita Kopecki Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:07:20 +0000 http://blog.ptpi.org/?p=970#comment-31367 It sounds like your dream and mine are the same. It sounds like your dream and mine are the same.

]]> Comment on Discussion Questions for Trail of Tears by Rita Kopecki http://blog.ptpi.org/2010/07/06/discussion-questions-for-trail-of-tears/comment-page-1/#comment-31365 Rita Kopecki Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:03:37 +0000 http://blog.ptpi.org/?p=1081#comment-31365 1. My father was raised Amish; my mother was a Swiss Mennonite. My walk of faith is like neither of these sects, nor the cultures that went with them. Any person in the U.S. who does or doesn't follow their heritage makes a choice. All choices attach value to something, so you will always gain / lose something valuable. 2. The fact that all cultures practice some sort of marriage / covenant proves the power of its existence whatever the norms of the day or peoples. I don't know that progress or regression are an issue so much as the wonder that marriage exists and remains. 3. The White Man saw possession of land as imperative to self-rule and independance. Own the land and you have identity and provision. Without it you are at the mercy of others. 4. We have the legal age, drinking age, and so forth...but no over-all practices. 5. I think Andrew Jackson was a flawed human with flawed reasoning, and in this case, terribly inhumane and even genocidal reasoning. The Indians could have built a holocaust museum about his era. 6. There is much to appreciate, but to judge it? They saw what they saw and so moved. 7. The intent was to take, to displace and to do so in a way that seemed somewhat reasonable. It was not. I would be grieving and I would trust God. I would take things to remind me of who we were and to build anew. 8. The march of the animals into the ark. The march of Israel from Egypt. The march of Europenans fleeing from Nazi / Communist oppression. The march of boys to (forced) wars in Africa, Europe, the U.S....marches to freedom and marches to death. As long as people believe they have power by taking the same from others there is survival, not learning. Only when changes are brought to empower, help and serve is there learning. 1. My father was raised Amish; my mother was a Swiss Mennonite. My walk of faith is like neither of these sects, nor the cultures that went with them. Any person in the U.S. who does or doesn’t follow their heritage makes a choice. All choices attach value to something, so you will always gain / lose something valuable.
2. The fact that all cultures practice some sort of marriage / covenant proves the power of its existence whatever the norms of the day or peoples. I don’t know that progress or regression are an issue so much as the wonder that marriage exists and remains.
3. The White Man saw possession of land as imperative to self-rule and independance. Own the land and you have identity and provision. Without it you are at the mercy of others.
4. We have the legal age, drinking age, and so forth…but no over-all practices.
5. I think Andrew Jackson was a flawed human with flawed reasoning, and in this case, terribly inhumane and even genocidal reasoning. The Indians could have built a holocaust museum about his era.
6. There is much to appreciate, but to judge it? They saw what they saw and so moved.
7. The intent was to take, to displace and to do so in a way that seemed somewhat reasonable. It was not. I would be grieving and I would trust God. I would take things to remind me of who we were and to build anew.
8. The march of the animals into the ark. The march of Israel from Egypt. The march of Europenans fleeing from Nazi / Communist oppression. The march of boys to (forced) wars in Africa, Europe, the U.S….marches to freedom and marches to death. As long as people believe they have power by taking the same from others there is survival, not learning. Only when changes are brought to empower, help and serve is there learning.

]]> Comment on 5 Minutes with Mary Jean Eisenhower by Rita Kopecki http://blog.ptpi.org/2010/07/07/5-minutes-with-mary-jean-eisenhower/comment-page-1/#comment-31363 Rita Kopecki Thu, 29 Jul 2010 23:27:49 +0000 http://blog.ptpi.org/?p=962#comment-31363 I'm so glad you are doing this! Miss Mary Jean, I've wanted to meet you since I started working with People to People on my first trip to Egypt. I almost met you this year in Turkey, but ended up going a different way. There are many things I would love to ask you, but your answers here are a start! Thanks for carrying on this great work and enlarging it ! Rita Kopecki I’m so glad you are doing this! Miss Mary Jean, I’ve wanted to meet you since I started working with People to People on my first trip to Egypt. I almost met you this year in Turkey, but ended up going a different way. There are many things I would love to ask you, but your answers here are a start! Thanks for carrying on this great work and enlarging it !
Rita Kopecki

]]> Comment on A Note From Piya Radia: YG Dinner Series by Ruth http://blog.ptpi.org/2010/07/28/a-note-from-piya-radia-yg-dinner-series/comment-page-1/#comment-31333 Ruth Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:25:21 +0000 http://blog.ptpi.org/?p=1162#comment-31333 Sounds like you learned a lot about refugees, I would be interested in hearing about your programming ideas! Sounds like you learned a lot about refugees, I would be interested in hearing about your programming ideas!

]]> Comment on A Note From Piya Radia: YG Dinner Series by Rosanne Rosen http://blog.ptpi.org/2010/07/28/a-note-from-piya-radia-yg-dinner-series/comment-page-1/#comment-31312 Rosanne Rosen Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:42:25 +0000 http://blog.ptpi.org/?p=1162#comment-31312 Thanks for sharing -- sounds like a fascinating evening! Thanks for sharing — sounds like a fascinating evening!

]]> Comment on 5 Minutes with Cindy Spake by Paige http://blog.ptpi.org/2010/07/26/5-minutes-with-cindy-spake/comment-page-1/#comment-31105 Paige Tue, 27 Jul 2010 15:44:07 +0000 http://blog.ptpi.org/?p=970#comment-31105 I hope you get your trip to Africa! I hope you get your trip to Africa!

]]> Comment on Discussion Question 2 for Trail of Tears by Paige http://blog.ptpi.org/2010/07/23/discussion-question-2-for-trail-of-tears/comment-page-1/#comment-31033 Paige Mon, 26 Jul 2010 18:42:43 +0000 http://blog.ptpi.org/?p=1095#comment-31033 I agree! Fair and equal education is a symbol of progressive societies. I honestly didn't take notice that the women were not in school when I was reading the book. I am so used to public education here in the U.S. being available to all that I didn't notice the women were not in school in the book. I agree! Fair and equal education is a symbol of progressive societies. I honestly didn’t take notice that the women were not in school when I was reading the book. I am so used to public education here in the U.S. being available to all that I didn’t notice the women were not in school in the book.

]]> Comment on Discussion Question 2 for Trail of Tears by K.R. SAROJA http://blog.ptpi.org/2010/07/23/discussion-question-2-for-trail-of-tears/comment-page-1/#comment-30963 K.R. SAROJA Mon, 26 Jul 2010 01:09:28 +0000 http://blog.ptpi.org/?p=1095#comment-30963 It is true that Cherokee women had more power and appears that they were ahead of their times. This progress, if we can call it as a progress seem to confine to the matrimonial issues though. Cherokee woman had the freedom to marry anyone she wanted across the board. But reading the book, I did not see a Cherokee girl learning English or going for a higher education the way the boys did. I wondered about that. The girls learnt to paint, knit and sow clothes and etc. I do not know whether this was by choice or the way the things were planned, or if I am missing something. Educated women are symbolic of a progressive culture I think. It is interesting to know that marriage laws are very simple in tribal communities whether it is a marriage or a divorce. I am almost positive that this true around the world. For some reason tribal women have more power than women in a civilized society in this regard. I have heard that this is true in some tribes in India. The cultural changes which have occurred in this society are, because of human evolution and because it is right thing to happen. It is kind of cruel behavior of European immigrants to force American Indians to move to West and take their lands. On the happy note it is nice to know that US Govt has made/ making efforts to nullify some of those unkind acts. It is true that Cherokee women had more power and appears that they were ahead of their times. This progress, if we can call it as a progress seem to confine to the matrimonial issues though. Cherokee woman had the freedom to marry anyone she wanted across the board. But reading the book, I did not see a Cherokee girl learning English or going for a higher education the way the boys did. I wondered about that. The girls learnt to paint, knit and sow clothes and etc. I do not know whether this was by choice or the way the things were planned, or if I am missing something. Educated women are symbolic of a progressive culture I think.
It is interesting to know that marriage laws are very simple in tribal communities whether it is a marriage or a divorce. I am almost positive that this true around the world. For some reason tribal women have more power than women in a civilized society in this regard. I have heard that this is true in some tribes in India.

The cultural changes which have occurred in this society are, because of human evolution and because it is right thing to happen.

It is kind of cruel behavior of European immigrants to force American Indians to move to West and take their lands. On the happy note it is nice to know that US Govt has made/ making efforts to nullify some of those unkind acts.

]]> Comment on Discussion Question 1 for Trail of Tears by Linda Weiland http://blog.ptpi.org/2010/07/19/discussion-question-1-for-trail-of-tears/comment-page-1/#comment-30851 Linda Weiland Sat, 24 Jul 2010 17:15:50 +0000 http://blog.ptpi.org/?p=1141#comment-30851 Having been born a female and American with way to many nations in gene pool to mention I am biased to democracy and a culture that mitigates religious hatred. I also believe mitigating religious hatred helps with allowing men and women to be equal and contribute to all cultures. Having said that I have been lucky enough to spend almost thirty years in the military traveling. I try to assimilate to the countries culture I am in as long as it is not fanatic and always look for people to discuss our good and not so good points to our cultures. I believe some assimilation helps us understand each other and makes the world a better place. Having been born a female and American with way to many nations in gene pool to mention I am biased to democracy and a culture that mitigates religious hatred. I also believe mitigating religious hatred helps with allowing men and women to be equal and contribute to all cultures.
Having said that I have been lucky enough to spend almost thirty years in the military traveling. I try to assimilate to the countries culture I am in as long as it is not fanatic and always look for people to discuss our good and not so good points to our cultures. I believe some assimilation helps us understand each other and makes the world a better place.

]]> Comment on Discussion Question 1 for Trail of Tears by admin http://blog.ptpi.org/2010/07/19/discussion-question-1-for-trail-of-tears/comment-page-1/#comment-30792 admin Fri, 23 Jul 2010 21:23:17 +0000 http://blog.ptpi.org/?p=1141#comment-30792 K. Saroja, we always look forward to your insights and perspectives. We hoped that people from all over the world would share their personal opinions and experience and love the knowledge that we can all gain from reading your comments! Thank you so much for sharing! K. Saroja, we always look forward to your insights and perspectives. We hoped that people from all over the world would share their personal opinions and experience and love the knowledge that we can all gain from reading your comments! Thank you so much for sharing!

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