One Picture Can Change Everything

This Pulitzer Prize winning photograph that portrayed Sudan's starvation changed everything. It changed the way we look at poverty, it changed the way we feel for others, it changed people's hearts in good and negative ways. You might be confused after reading that sentence, but after reading my views on this picture, you would truly realize the truth behind poverty. Kevin Carter, the photographer of this photo, was born in 1960, the year Nelson Mandela's African National Congress was banned. As his parents were religious Roman Catholics, Carter often argued with them about African rights and why they all couldn't do anything about it. Even as a teenager, he clearly believed in righteous and just issues. Kevin Carter struggled finding the right job numerous times. However, he finally became a journalist, taking pictures with a group of Caucasian men who wanted to expose the ferociousness of apartheid and discrimination in parts of Southern Africa. They were arrested a couple of times, but they never gave up in what they genuinely believed in. On a trip to tropical Sudan,Carter took this influential yet extremely cruel photo shown above, careful enough not to disturb the vulture in the setting. After taking the photo, he flew the vulture away and just watched the little girl struggle to reach to her feeding center. Carter then sat under a tree, cried, and prayed to god. Silva, his partner, recalled that Kevin kept on saying that he wanted to hug his daughter, most probably the one that he never ever saw. This photograph of carelessness was then added to the New York Times on March 26th, 1993, but thousands of people were under criticism at Kevin Carter because he took no initiative to help the starving girl. He was depressed, frequently doing drugs, and having weak, negative thoughts. For example, when his friend Ken was shot, Carter told his group of friends that the the bullet should have been shot in him. And at the young age of 33, Carter committed suicide. His suicide note was dark and haunting. He wrote, he was, "depressed . . . without phone . . . money for rent . . . money for child support . . . money for debts . . . money!!! . . . I am haunted by the vivid memories of killings & corpses & anger & pain . . . of starving or wounded children, of trigger-happy madmen, often police, of killer executioners . . . " And then this: "I have gone to join Ken if I am that lucky." Carter had a intellect and a desire. His mind told him to sincerely help the young child, but his weak desire told him to hurry and go back to taking more shots of starvng people. Unfortunately, he listened to his desire, the one that was so weak that it simply and eventually dissolved into depression, darkness, and death. 

Read more at: http://www.thisisyesterday.com/ints/KCarter.html
(suicide note of Kevin Carter and facts and information taken from there)

Citation of Image: 

"Iconic Photos." Iconic Photos. N.p., Scott Macleod. Web. 31 July 2013. <http://iconicphotos.wordpress.com/2009/08/12/vulture-stalking-a-child/>.

Milkha Singh: The Flying Sikh

Recently, I watched a fantastic Bollywood sports biography called "Bhaag Milkha Bhaag," or "Run Milkha Run." This true story is about an Indian champion runner, Milkha Singh, who faced  many struggles as a child. For example, he lived in present-day Pakistan, but in 1947 India and Pakistan got divided into two separate countries. Hindus had no choice but to live in India, and Muslims resided in Pakistan. As Milkha was a Hindu, he went to India, and in his journey there, his whole family except his sister got gruesomely killed by Pakistani soldiers. His father's last meaningful words were "Bhaag, Milkha, bhaag." Even though he faced this tragedy, Milkha participated in a race set in Pakistan towards the end of his career, and there he won a gold medal. Over there, he was given the name of "The Flying Sikh" by the president of Pakistan. Milkha started his running career in the army, where he got abused by senior players and overcame conflicts before he broke the national record. In the eve of his big race, after Milkha got physically assaulted in areas of his leg, he ran bare feet with his injury. In spite of his coach warning him that his leg could get permanently damaged, Milkha insisted to run. However, even with this leg injury, he stayed strong and he trained with several coaches such as Gurudev Singh and Ranveer Singh. And finally, after this magnificent amount of hard work, Milkha overcame battles and won international races around the whole globe. For instance, he won his first race with a gold medal at 400 meters. At later years, he continued his success at the Asian Games and Summer Olympics. Although Milkha Singh's incredible story was set in the 1950s and 60s, he is still known today not only for his athletic ability, but for his determination, power, and persistence. Moreover, he is known for pride in his country, India. At Milkha's last race in the Rome Olympics, he was leading and suddenly he looked back for whatever reason. Later, it was known that all four participants broke the international record. Milkha is famous in India for becoming a great athlete in a newly independent country. In spite of his humble personality, Milkha Singh brings pride and faith to India today. 
                                         

Citation for Image:

"Milkha Singh." Http://upload.wikimedia.org. Wikipedia, n.d. Web. 17 July 2013. <http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9d/Milkha_Singh.jpg/220px-Milkha_Singh.jpg>.