After watching the clips about the Somali pirates and seeing two different sides of the story, can you identify the personal and professional motivators for both sides? In your opinion, is one side more legitimate than the other? Why? In the videos, are there any images or words that influence your opinion more than others?
K'naan Interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTxJLlQCe4U
CNN Coverage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3NKQNoC_tY
K'naan Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0DUuZpZwyk
Birmingham, Alabama
16 years ago
Well, I understood what really happened when K'naan told his side of the story. Had those people not dumped those illegal toxic waste in Somolia, then the people of Somolia would not have felt the need to make that a very unpleasent place to visit. They wanted to send a message to the people dumping the waste. "Stop contaminating out country". I am saying this because people do this all the time. People with power I mean. They think that they can do whatever that feel fit. And know one can say anything to them about it because they have dominion over the people who might have said something. So the Somolians did the only thing they could. And thats rob every ship that comes to, or near the island. That way they might convince the people dumping the waste to stop and realize what they are doing. The Somolians are only trying to protect their country
ReplyDeleteyea.....so, I think for the countries fighting the pirates was like K'naan said, they just want to defeat the pirates so they can continue dumping. I've seen the some of the pirates stories on the news and the media says nothing about private companies dumping into the ocean near Somalia. The pirates really just want to protect their country and they don't deserve the death penalty because they are only stealing supplies, and if they have killed, they're killing people who are offending their county it seems, if suspicous boat comes to close to the U.S I'm sure they will take everyone on that ship hostage without a question. So I believe that the pirates are brave men who just lost their way to greed for the money, hopefully they will eventually remember what they're fighting for
ReplyDeleteIn high school i took a geography and global issues class where we talked about how to media portarys things and how the people from that actual area portrays things. Specifically the terrorist problems and the wars between the Jews and the Arabic people.This seems to be the same situation. The media portrayed the pirates to be ruthless and wreckless killers which in fact they are actually doing what their doing for a legitimate reason.
ReplyDeleteso being an environmentalist, i have to agree with k'naan. if it wasnt for all of the neuclear waste that was being dumpped and thrown into somalian waters, there wouldnt be AS MANY pirates. because he also stated that now some of the pirates are doing it just for the money. no i do not agree that if we stop putting waist thier all of the pirates will withdrawl but the majority who are pirating for the right reasons will subside. its rediculous that its necessary to esccort food into a rapidly starving country.
ReplyDeleteI heard about the pirates in Somalia but never heard their side of the story. Nuclear waste is real dammage to a country, and they are doing what they can by attacking the ships to defend their land from being corroded.
ReplyDeleteAfter watching the clips about Somali pirates and seeing two different sides of the story, I don't think either side is more legitimate than the other. The issue with the pirates and the dumping of toxic waste on the shore are both life threatening.
ReplyDeleteSomolians are just trying to protect what they have. People are ruining their country by dumping all of that toxic waste on the shore. I think piracy is wrong but their doing the only thing they can do, rob the ships that come near them.
ReplyDeleteWhen we watched the cnn interview it didnt really make any sence to me. It seemed like no one really cared about whats happening. When they really started carrying, was they strted takeing over there own ships. The only reason why they didnt send any body in the first place was they didnt attack there ships. When K'naan said his side, made sence. If they started duping wast, it started to kill the fish. That was the only way they got food, by fishing. The fisher men got mad at them and toke over the ships to stop them from doing it. It mad sence why they were doing it. It seems like every body else is not really carying whata happening. Don't you think they should stop dumping wast in the water?
ReplyDeleteI remember hearing a little about this from my boyfriend Christian and I honestly didn't pay much attention while he talked about it because like the lady mentioned I heard Pirates and automatically thought Disney movie and my favorite actors. I didn't understand the serious side of real pirates. I think the reaosn for the dumping of toxic waste is crazy. I know they could have found some way to rid the toxic without destroying a precious home to many people. But I do understand that serious side of having to have protection to ship food. Because if no one is making sure that the food gets where it needs to get without being robbed then how is it truly helping the people of Somalia? Then after I heard K'naan speak on the situation I strongly agree. If the government had been more responsible with the duty of finding a safe place to rid waste the pirates might have not seen such a place as somewhere to be crazy. Because like he said the Pirates aren wrong but they don't kill and the toxic waste does. So would you rather be held responsible for the deaths of Somalia people or would you rather do something about it?
ReplyDeleteThere are always cause and effect. The crazy thing about it is that i think the Somalians are going about the situation the best they can. It seems like the government meant to hush everything up and they did a great job. But the effect was like a slap in the face. Now they are looked upon as barbarians and murderers through the media to the public. It's really sad. The tables change so much that you start to wonder who you should really point the finger at.
ReplyDeleteI can understand why samalian cittizens are joining the pirate movement, but making more problems wont solve their own. I feel samalia as a country need to further adress this problem while at the same token they need to come up with compramisable solution. I dont think niether side of the situation is truly legit, but every cause has an effect. Knaan words had allot influence, and he has showed how people have ignorance to the worlds problems
ReplyDeleteJust adding that I totally agree with k.o.!! I honestly don;t know where to point the finger of wrong doings at because as you saw in the videos, there are a lot of different views and when something might seem to have a soltuion it either backfires in their faces or no one responds to it. It's just sad to hear.
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