Blog #2

“Anger is loaded with information and energy.”

I pulled this quote from Lorde - Master's Tools and Uses of Anger on page 127.  This article talks about different roles of American lives through race, class, sexuality, and age.  Specifically talking about women.  I chose this sentence “Anger is loaded with information and energy.” When reading this article, I thought about refugees.  In my UF200 class we are currently doing a project in raising money and making others aware of what it means to be a refugee.  In class we heard from two refugees and their stories.  Some of the things they went through are intense stories.  The main thing that struck me as interesting was the fact that one of the refugees came to America during the time of Halloween.  Having never seen, heard, or even participated in this holiday she was genuinely terrified.  It’s crazy at just how much refugees go through to become a citizen.  How the little things they have to learn that is second nature to us, we were born into it.

Another thing that I found interesting is the fact that most refugees do not speak English, they come here and learn.  One of the ladies was telling us how she came here with her husband, she didn’t speak any English, her husband did and he used that against her.  She was physically abused by her husband, to the point where she sometimes found herself in the hospital.  She tried telling them how he abused her, but she couldn’t, no one understood her and all her husband would say was that she was crazy, she was mentally ill.  It was a bad situation for her, which years later she ended up getting out and getting a divorce.

This story stuck out to me and helped me in picking out the most important sentence “Anger is loaded with information and energy” For her it was probably very angering and frustrating she was telling the truth yet no one was willing to listen to her, calling her crazy, or saying she was mentally ill.  There is probably a million other stories very similar to hers.  It makes me think we as a society are quick to judge and place people in boxes based on sex, age, gender, and more.  Yet we don’t take the time to look or sit down a get to know others, their stories, or their lives.  We also had an officer who works with refugees come in and talk to us.  One thing he mentioned was, “there is a lot we can learn from them…”

Through these stories “Anger is loaded with information and energy” rings true.  Not only can we learn from anyone If we are willing to sit down, be humble and listen but especially though the eyes of refugees.  The come from different lands, have learned different ways, we can learn from them.  Their anger and even frustrations is understandable.  They could hold information and knowledge of different ideas and things that could maybe improve our society, or inventions that could greatly help communities and people alike.  Anger holds information but if we are not willing to listen and understand how will we ever know, or grow.

Here is a link on more information about one refugee organization:    http://www.unhcr.org/