reaction to home and honor and excellence byetbeltran3

8/7/2019 Reaction to Home and Honor and Excellence byETBeltran3

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Home, the Movie

For me, the film is literally a moving portrait, a masterpiece, of the origin, essence, significance,and essential timeless beauty of the earth, our one and only Home. It powerfully teaches viewers abouthow the earth was formed from the essential primordial elements and how this process can still beproven by examining the rock layers and the composition of the glaciers. Learning about how the saidprocess has taken place over billions of years, the movie makes me realize the state of magnificenceand permanency of the earth as our habitat relative to the origin and our lifespan as humans along withother living species. Graphically showing how the first life forms began, how they evolved and how theydepend on the earths essential elements, especially the atmosphere, the waters and even the mineralsfrom the core of the earth, the movie stresses the interdependence of life forms to the inanimate earthand how essentially survival depends on the balance in the processes that takes place in theenvironment. The prognosis of the tragic consequences of global warming is stressed in the moviesreminder that if the said balance is upset by mans culpable use, and negligent abuse, the earth alongwith its inhabitants will be seared by the heat which will result from global warming.

I have enjoyed watching the movie which showed the most beautiful corners of the earth in allrange of colors, scenes which are shown in a manner much like how one would want ones home beviewed by others in its most beautiful angles. After watching it, I felt a hundredfold so much moreblessed I am its inhabitant the movie because I was able to see scenes so beautiful I have neverimagined existed that I am now fully convinced that God is the greatest artist and that only from Him all

the most beautiful colors and scenery emanate. The movie, Home is a subtle and artful version of theinconvenient truth about global warming and its eventual consequences. It is subtle but powerful as itrealistically and comprehensively presents the features of the earth as our habitat in dimensions I canonly describe as beauty in its extreme form. The movie made me realized that this Home of ours whichis rapidly being destroyed by unbridled capitalism, mass consumption, and lack of awareness,commitment and care from people, will soon be destroyed unless the united efforts of all its humaninhabitants will be devoted to its preservation and protection. The maker of the movie effectivelyconveyed the urgent challenge to viewers to make a personal commitment to the efforts to arrest globalwarming and to preserve nature as a means to ensure the survival of living species . Having watchedthe movie, I felt mournful as if the earth is a person dear to me who is terminally ill and waiting for histime on his deathbed. This makes the movie for me an officially tragic beautiful movie.

I think the thesis of the film is contained in these lines: Our earth belies on a balance in whichevery being has a role to play. The engine of life is linkage. Everything is linked. Nothing is self-sufficient. Sharing is everything. Every organism exists only based on anothers existence. It is a subtleand fragile harmony that is easily shattered. How multi-celled magnificent and complex organismdepend on the oxygen that algae produce stress this interdependence. That the upsetting of thisinterdependence can instantly put an end to the existence the diverse flora and fauna of the earth.

All throughout the film, the narrator exalts the superior intelligence and ingenuity of the homosapiens and at the same time admonishes their unwise acts in that despite their 200,000 years ofexistence they have changed and destroyed so much of the face of the 4billion year old planet, ourhabitat. The indiscriminate depletion of non-renewable resources (fossil fuel and fossil water) seems tonegate the cognitive and analytical superiority of the homo-sapiens. But in the end, the story-teller stillhopes and believes that we can recover from our environmental crimes and blunders through solidarityand accountabilityaccountability to nature, to other human beings, and to other organisms on earth.

Human Rights Insights

The following human rights insights, among many others, can be inferred from the message ofthe movie: 1) origin and essence of human rights; 2) characteristics of human rights; 3) inequality anddiscrimination as the worst form of human rights violations; and 4) right to a balanced and healthfulecology. These insights are elaborated as follows:

Insights on Home with Honor and Excellence. ETBeltran (AUSL 2010-0019) 1


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1) In the movie, it was made so clear that human rights are inborn. Humans are entitled to them oncethey are born into this earth. Both life or existence and human rights co-exist. They are essentiallynaturally given so as to give meaning to life; to live without these rights, is to live as lesser than beinghuman;

2) Human rights are indivisible, inalienable, interdependent, substantially equal, inherent; andaccountability co-exists with it. The right to a sustainable and healthful ecology possess thischaracteristics; there are no negotiations as to these traits. If one of these be lacking, then this right isimperfect;

3) The concept of inequality between the rich and the poor or the powerful and weak nations is vividlyportrayed in the movie. Inequality and discrimination in the enjoyment of God-given natural resourcesoriginated in the variations of technology and political structures that pre-historic communitiesdeveloped. The basic and early forms of infringement of rights by various groups through war overterritories reminds us of the fact that HR violations never change in character and purpose. Theydegrade a person, deny liberty, and destroys life and property.

4) However much the modern laws provide for a balanced and healthful ecology as a basic right, itcannot be fully fulfilled. Along with the fact that the challenges of global warming seem to beinsurmountable, inequality and abject disregard by the rich and powerful of the possible infringements ofthe rights of the lesser-endowed, make the problem even worse.

The movie stressed that for 1.5 billion (more than that of the combined population of all the wealthynations) people who live below the poverty line, health and education are a rare privilege and thatchildren are a familys only asset only insofar as they provide additional labor which is source of income.Life expectancy is shorter among the poor people who are exposed to the harsh realities and risks ofnature. While the poor suffer hunger, illness, dearth in education and decent dwelling, health, medical,and other services necessary to ensure a dignified life, 80% of the worlds resources are consumed onlyby 20% (the rich) of the people on earth. While the poor depend on the output of manual labor, the richsystematically rapidly deplete natural resources to feed the demand of mass consumerist societies in amanner that is obviously so profit-driven. The motive is revealed in how the ocean and forest resourcesare rapidly drained and destroyed in exchange for financial gain. The manner of consumption shows theculpable neglect of human beings who do not care about resources exhaustion and species extinction,who do not care whether there will be some more left over for the poor. As the movie shouts that by year

2050 a quarter of the worlds species will be threatened with extinction, I just wonder if by then there willbe enough food for all. Even more frightening is the threat of the eventual tragic consequences of globalwarming of how the sea level will rise by seven (7) meters when the icecaps in Greenland melt withthe earths rising temperatures due to greenhouse gases emitted elsewhere on earth. This shows theneglect of humans and countries of their accountability to nature for just as we are privileged to reapnatures benefits, we are also accountable in ensuring that it is not destroyed. Unfortunately, those whoare environmentally blinded outnumber those who are aware and responsible.

When the issue is unequal access and inequitable distribution of resources and accountability, Ithink it is the rich who have a greater edge in ensuring balance. For the poor can only count on theirnumbers which can easily be offset by the power of the rich especially in this age of information andtechnological revolution. Unfortunately, as the narrator states our ecosystem has no border, whereverwe are, our actions have repercussions everywhere else. The fearful eventual melting of the permafrostin Siberia and elsewhere which will release the methane trapped therein will destroy the earth as aclimactic timebomb 20 time more powerful than carbondioxide. I have come to the thought that whenwe abuse nature, we are guilty of species-cide or culpable extinction of species. Our acts after all aredeliberate. It is only that we choose to close our eyes and deliberately withhold our participation in thecare of this earth that we can so blindly do environmentally irresponsible acts. Who are guilty of theseacts? Arent BODs of corporations or leaders of organizations and heads of nations who issue warrantsto denude the last forest reserves, or expel toxic wastes into the rivers and dump non-biodegradablewaste on land or exhaust carbon-laden fumes into the atmosphere? Or I argue simply, if one is wise,why would one leave open the door of an airconditioned room, or leave a car engine running while traffic



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Mendiola as they fought for their right to food and equity) amidst the bounty (those of the families of mywealthy classmates and obviously of the majority of the students of the supposedly Pamantasan ngmasa) was what motivated me to understand more deeply this reality which wherein the poor is deprivedof their basic rights and the better off to abuse their position at the expense of the poor.

I have come to the conclusion that when one is cognizant of the defects of the institutions thatbar the government from addressing or fulfilling the rights of ordinary citizens, one should be even morebe compliant to the calling of being honorable. Prof, Monsod rightly stressed that Honor first, andExcellence with follow; once we follow our conscience, we will be aspiring for the best. When we,because of our appreciation of the problems in our society or when we are egged by our conscience tobe more compassionate to the poor, the needy, and the marginalized of society, have come to askourselves who shall initiate intervention? Who will undertake the much required changes? Who will dothe positive acts needed?... it is a sign that we are being called to excellence. To heed the call is to behonorable. It takes a lot of personal sacrifice to take an honorable stance. It means giving up moreprofitable ventures, opportunities for higher paying job, or simply the choice against being comfortable,against struggling with oneself to be a better citizen.

In addition, taking up law as an advocate for women and environment is an honorable thingbecause it entails great sacrifices of giving up most of my comforts of sleepless nights, of paying for thehigh cost of education with the hope that one day one can be more empowered and better equipped tospeak, act and think in behalf and for the sector I represent. To become excellent is literally to be betterin everything one does, going one more step ahead, climbing the arch a little bit higher. This is

excellence. Because I think when finally I will become a lawyer, my voice for the poor will be louder andbetter heard and I will be more visible and known as an advocate as lawyers are better heard, seen andrespected.

And finally, as to honor and excellence, as an alumnae of UP Diliman, having finished a socialscience degree, having had, as a student the privileged of being educated about, exposed to therealities as well as being equipped with the cognitive tools in analyzing as well as prescribing solution tosocial problems such as poverty, corruption, and inefficiency and ineffectiveness of the government, Ihave long taken the challenge of assuming the responsibility, obligation, and privilege of being achange-agent. Presently, being an educator and an administrator in my own university, I possess theprivilege of being a catalyst in my own way, and to have watched the lecture of a former professor, Irealized I have been uttering the very same sermon every semester to my students in whom I see hope,

and with whom I gamble my very own energies, talents, intelligence, even part of my limited wealth inthe hope that they also will take on the role of a change agent, a protector of rights and of theenvironment. I never grew tired for fear that I would be guilty of not fulfilling a self-imposed promise Imade before I graduated from my alma mater that I would do something and be a change agent for thepoor homeless scavengers I have spent my days with in Diliman. And so far. I thing to some extent, Ihave already accomplished something. I have seen a countless numbers of these fine studentstransformed from innocent, uninitiated and apathetic youth into fully capacitated change-agents, who arenow professionals on their own right and also being leaders in their own respective fields and agencies.In my sixteen (16) years of teaching, I have seen them become entrepreneurs, business managers,educators, law enforcers, administrators and even some taking the radical way by opting to join rebelgroups. I know in my heart that I have been doing well in sharing a bit or in full the honor and excellenceI have gained from my alma matter and from the countless other institutions in which I was trained and

equipped with a host of other capabilities. And I have resolved in my heart, with the inspiration of thereminders from former mentors and the memory of their intense lectures about love of country, love ofnature, and love of others, I will continue in my commitment towards the changing of our society througheducation and advocacy in my province and in my region. I will continue to strive to level-up with mycapabilities for the sake of others. I will never grow tired of my advocacies for women, for children, andfor the environment because I know in my heart that once one acquires honor and excellence, one gainsmuch more when such virtues are effectively shared to others.


reaction to home and honor and excellence byetbeltran3

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