Reading Response for 10/31

    Out of the to reading we are responsible for reading for tomorrow, I found Galit Hasan-Rokem's short essay more thought provoking. While it is somewhat short and abstract, the parallels in which it draws are interesting and revealing to how Jerusalem has been seen throughout history. For the most part, and I'm not saying I'm happy or agree with it, society has been dominated by men. Also throughout history, it has been stereotypical for men to often dominate over women. Assigning a specific sex to Jerusalem is interesting because it provides a human perspective to the situation. To me the comparison makes Jerusalem out to be a beautiful women that many powerful men are trying to obtain- they fight over her, want to be "her master", and "adorn her with pearls of stone and brick". But like most people know, one can't own a person, much like one can't "own" a city. Yet, people have not realized this; Jerusalem, like any other city, doesn't belong to one single person. Instead, it is a group entity that can't be shared and must be seen as a sovereign being. What I feel is the most important aspect of this essay is that because of its beauty, importance, and grandeur, Jerusalem can be easily seen as a "female" figure, but it is in assigning these humanistic qualities that one realizes that Jerusalem is a "thing" that must be shared, not owned.
    The pieces from Ramallah Diaries were also interesting, and one of the most fu readings we have had yet. Reading real life stories as opposed to academic articles was a nice change of pace; it's often times easier to get a more personal tie  with a situation if you read personal stories of those who experience it, it gives you an inside view. The part about gas masks was truly infuriating and reveals carelessness on the part of the Israeli government. The excerpt entitled "A Dog's Life" was also interesting, but also aggravating in that it also shows the carelessness on the part of some in the Israeli Government and how they feel towards the Occupied Territories. The fact that a child couldn't get a passport is absurd! It's like the Palestinians are put on a sub-human level. It's humorous, but makes you think of the absurdity of the whole situation....