BeyondLabels

The Crops are all in and the peaches are rotting
The oranges piled in their creosote dumps
They're flying you back to the Mexican border
To pay all your money to wade back again
My father's own father, he waded that river
They took all the money he made in his life
My brothers and sisters come working the fruit trees
And they rode the truck till they took down and died

(chorus)
Good-bye to my Juan, good-bye Rosalita
Adios mis amigos, Jesus y Maria
You won't have your names when you ride the big air-plane
All they call you will be deportees
Some of us are illegal, and some are not wanted
Our work contract's out and we have to move move on
Six hundred miles to that Mexican border
They chase us like outlaws, like rustlers, like thieves.
We died in your hills, we died in your deserts
We died in your valleys and died on you plains
We died 'neath your trees and we died in your bushes
Both sides of the river, we died just the same

(chorus)
The sky plane cought fire over Los Gatos canyon
A fireball of lightening, it shook all our hills
Who are all these friends, all scattered like dry leaves?
The radio says they are just deportees.
Is this the best way we can grow our big orchards?
Is this the best way we can grow our good fruit?
To fall like dry leaves to rot on the topsoil
And be called by no name except deportees?

Complexities of cultural diversity are interwoven into the social fabric of regions, states and transnational communities, and this is viewed as one of the most significant socio-economic challenges of this decade. In some countries and regions today’s ethic minority groups will become the majority illustrating both the unprecedented rise in both social and economic migration. Despite initiatives to foster positive and productive relationships among culturally diverse learners there is a distinct gap between theory and practice and this is compounded when considering the use of information and communications technologies (ICT). This is evidenced by unequal access to educational technology and limited support for the educational development of the ethnic minority and migrant learners. ICT has enormous potential to address exclusion and inequality.

Multicultural education and diagnostics as a means of supporting the learning in the educations experience is an area that needs exploring. In particular major research project have been undertaken into personal and group learning needs and how the way people learn, based on individual preferences, directly impacts on education performance (Dunn & Dunn, 1997).

An issue that has always been a problem for educational institutions is how to apply many of the learning styles techniques to large groups and mass education. Technology is undertaking an important role in making learning styles possible for large group sizes and also as a means of enabling teachers to connect again with learners. For example have a picture of detailed profile of individual learners and potential impact on group dynamics has great potential. Learning diagnostics tools are important as enablers and as it indicates diagnostics is view as next generational tools to say Honey & Mumford style 'learning inventories'. As learning diagnostics indicates there is a need for profiling but diagnosing as a means of supporting pedagogy of equity. MC-DIP as an initiative is further developing this an on-going initiative led by the University of Huddersfield. Also Knownet are transforming existing software into a web services application.

“My students, many times, are urged to forget who they are, or told that they must ‘become British’, as if they could. The message that they get many times is that they must discard themselves of their own racial, ethnic or linguistic identity. In their attempt to assimilate, many of them lose themselves. They get frustrated because no matter how much they try, they will never be accepted as ‘American’. Others, because they resent the message that they must shed every facet of their own identity, resist the pressure and alienate themselves. These students usually drop out of formal education, get in trouble with the law (authorities) and are put in jail or deported. It seems that those who become bicultural have a strong sense of identity that adds balance in their lives……” Ambrizeth Lima (teacher)

Some words/thoughts to support forthcoming 6 page article in HK that collaborating on and led by a friend. Terrorism, terrorist, terrorise. What does all this mean away from the emotions of media madness. Some reflections that came from watching some of the Conference on Islamaphobia based in Copenhagen on satudary just gone. The quote from Phil Rees one of the speakers was a useful one and does put things into perspective. the word terrorist clearly so emotive and many groups easily slip between the being political to terrorist. For example BBC taken the view that terrorism can be used in the context of Hamas. At the same time many western countries strangling Palestine through cutting funds and also supply of funds from funders. So how do states really see such groups. Issues of 800 US military installations on foreign soil

Issues of climate and border madness and at the same time acknowledging migrants with now papers underpinning many of our industries... in Europe and US. Refering to people as illegal and how it is set in immigration documentation as a so called acceptable word. In the UK we treat so called 'illegal immigrants' as illegal before conviction. Phrase by Elie Weisel 'no one is illegal' states this very clearly that how can there be such a thing and launch a politcal movement based on the powerful words. Constant anti islamic words on the media set a very difficult and oppressive climate for many in our communities. Some how media needs to move on and shout about the prosperity and productivity provided by migrants.

interesting thought I was reading about terrorism in the Israel-Palestine conflict and the terrorism to Arabs living in Israel and in particular Jerusalem area. terrorism through trying to take away identity through taking ID cards. Take away for a familiy and issues of identity issues for the family and extended family and tribal links. ID cards according to this article taken frequently and view by Arabs as a form of terrorism.

words: dealing with torrism in UK taken out from the criminal justice system. 'US acting as new member state in EU (Liz Fekete, 2006)'. 1373 legislation. Uk broadened definaition of terrorism: extreme acts of violence now been redefined and braodened. Mixed views on Hamas - collaborate or not. Expulsion/deportation - bypass legislation in many countries. muslim/refugees communities targeted as foreign nationals - on what basis. UK internment route. discriminatory religious profiling. Germany 6 million personnel records of what is viewed as potential through people. impetous in europe coming from national up rather than EU down. e.g. France , Denmark, Germany, Austria. Multiculturalism as a term 'wipping boy since 9/11. not about citizenship but asymulation ?? some countries immigrants in EU being put through interogation style interviewing before allowed in country. Netherlands pre-arrival examination - those suffering most Morrocans/Turkish. struggle against racism is fight for civil rights.Islamophobia is the 'wolf on terror'. 'Integration' code is becoming in many EU countries a word for symulation.