G06 Social Studies: Comfort Women Poster (March 27, 2025)

 

G06 Language Arts: The Assassination of Julius Caesar (March 19, 2025)

 The Assassination of Julius Caesar (March 19, 2025)

 

                  On March 15, 44 B.C., Julius Caesar was assassinated by Roman senators led by Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus at the Roman Senate House. This event was the result of Caesar expanding his power, as he declared himself a dictator earlier that year. His opponents believed that he was going against the founding principles of the Roman Republic, which included the principle that no kings shall rule. 

 

                  Caesar’s assassination date was called the Ides of March. (Ides referred to the full moon, coming from the Latin iduare, meaning the division of the month. In the case of March, it was on the 15th.) ^[1] While Caesar was on the way to the Senate House, a soothsayer said, “Beware the Ides of March.”

 

                  At the Senate House, Caesar saw the senators who were secretly planning to kill him. Brutus, the ringleader, was not always an enemy of Caesar, as he kept switching sides. In the 50s B.C., he opposed General Gaius Pompey, but supported him in the wake of Caesar’s crossing of the Rubicon. Caesar won, eventually pardoning Brutus (probably due to the fact that Brutus’s mother, Servilia, was Caesar’s lover).  Brutus then joined the Senate. It was there that Caesar declared himself perpetual dictator, and Brutus redeveloped his opposition to Caesar and started a plot to assassinate him. ^[2] Caesar was stabbed and killed. 

 

According to the play Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, Caesar’s last words were “Et tu, Brute?” meaning “And you, Brutus?” But that was likely invented by Shakespeare himself, as there is no historical proof he said so. ^[3]

 

Following Caesar’s assassination, the citizens of Rome were furious. The Second Triumvirate was formed among Octavian (Julius Caesar’s nephew), Marc Antony^[4] (Caesar’s best friend), and Marcus Lepidus, with the aim of avenging Caesar. The Second Triumvirate fought Brutus and Cassius at Philippi in 42 B.C., ousting the assassins.  ^[5]

 

However, the Second Triumvirate soon broke up, much like Julius Caesar’s triumvirate with Pompey and Marcus Crassus. Marc Antony formed an alliance with the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra, and lost to Octavian at Actium in 31 B.C. In 27 B.C., Octavian was renamed Augustus and crowned Emperor. This is important because it shows how Caesar’s assassination impacted Roman history. 

  

In conclusion, Julius Caesar’s assassination changed Roman history forever. It led to the dissolution of the Roman Republic and the formation of the Roman Empire, both of which were vital parts of Roman history. Assassinations come with consequences, and those consequences are often profound and change world history forever, as seen with Caesar’s assassination and the assassination of Franz Ferdinand in 1914 (which started World War I). Such an action could have an irreversible impact. 

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^[1] Ostberg, René. "Ides of March". Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Oct. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ides-of-March. Accessed 19 March 2025.

^[2] Badian, E.. "Marcus Junius Brutus". Encyclopedia Britannica, 12 Feb. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Marcus-Junius-Brutus. Accessed 19 March 2025.

^[3] “What Were Julius Caesar’s Last Words During His Assassination? Did He Say ‘Et Tu, Brute?’” HistoryExtra, 11 Oct. 2024, www.historyextra.com/period/roman/julius-caesars-last-words-et-tu-brute. Accessed 19 March 2025.  

 

^[4] Also spelled Mark Antony. 

^[5] “What Were Julius Caesar’s Last Words During His Assassination? Did He Say ‘Et Tu, Brute?’” HistoryExtra, supra.

G06 MOH: Modernized Version of Joan of Arc's Letter to the Hussites

 

G06 Social Studies: How the Japanese Era Affected the Philippines (March 14, 2025)

 How the Japanese Era Affected the Philippines (March 14, 2025)

In late 1941, during World War II, the Empire of Japan invaded the Philippines. The invasion resulted in Filipinos bringing out the best and worst of their traits. Filipinos are known to be resourceful but also selfish, so these traits affected everyday life during the Japanese occupation. 

One good trait brought out was that Filipinos became resourceful. Amid the lack of coffee, for instance, Filipinos would roast rice and corn and add sweetening to create the deception. Additionally, to cope with the bad feelings of the war, entertainment became quite popular. For instance, the company Dramatic Philippines, Inc. created stage plays. Classic plays (including Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar) were translated into Tagalog. 

Selfishness was a bad trait revealed during the war. Some Filipinos would collaborate with the Japanese just to avoid punishment. Sari-sari stores and supermarkets were robbed. Cable wires were pulled. People would rather survive for their own good than die for their country. Some even robbed gold teeth and looted graves for shirts. 

However, not everyone was selfish. Jose P. Laurel collaborated with Japan just to lessen the pain for his country. In reality, he was not a Japanese puppet, but a nationalist infiltrator. Today, President Laurel is often misunderstood for his collaboration, which was a calculated and principled move rather than a betrayal to his country. Quezon actually ordered Laurel to cooperate. Another major infiltrator was Benigno S. Aquino, Sr., the father of Ninoy Aquino. He served as one of two Vice-Presidents during the Japanese era. When dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos developed a rivalry with Ninoy Aquino, he used the collaboration as an attack point; however, he cannot be blamed. 

In conclusion, the Japanese occupation brought out the best and worst in Filipinos. Some were selfless and supported their country. Others prioritized their personal ego. Good and bad traits were revealed by the occupation, and they largely continue to this day. 

My Reaction to the “Comfort Women”

(TRIGGER WARNING: VIDEO AND REACTION MIGHT HAVE SENSITIVE CONTENT)

Hey, I’m back! I haven’t been here in a long time, but at last, I have returned. Today, I’ll be reacting to this video about “comfort women,” women who were abused by the Japanese during World War II. The video was specifically about Filipino “comfort women”; however, “comfort women” also exist in China and the Koreas. You can watch the video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S89fxI6TFuI , but viewer discretion is required due to some sensitive content. 

The first segment was about Lola Isang, a grandmother who was raped at just 13 during the war. (In Tagalog, lola means grandmother.) The story was very sad and showed the horrors of war. And the worst part? Justice has not been done. The lolas did receive consolation money, but it was from the Japanese people, not the government itself. To this day, the Japanese government evades justice, and justice will likely never be seen. 

The second segment was about a lawyer named Virginia who fights for these peoples’ rights. The maker of the video interviewed a lola who said she was still angry; however, the lola’s sister said she forgave the Japanese. 

What are my thoughts? The sister is wrong. The Japanese government continues to evade justice. They should only be forgiven should they admit they did it. Which will likely never happen. 

Today, the Japanese government looks like it has moved on. It has not. They refuse to admit the atrocities during the war. Their reparations have never been enough. To the Prime Minister: Repay your debts now or we will never forgive you. We will not stop until you stop pretending the Japanese never did it. To the Japanese people: please keep pressuring your government to repay their debts. Justice has not been served. Perhaps it will never be served. 

This story may have been dark. But it’s true. War is horrifying, and there is no glory in war. Justice must be served. Anyway, that’s it for now, but I’ll be making another one soon.

G06 Bible: My Parents

 

 

My parents have a lot of responsibilities. They do a lot and work hard to support me. Without them, I would not exist. The Fourth Commandment says “Honor thy father and thy mother.” My parents were chosen by God to lead me to salvation. 

One thing about being a parent is choosing a child’s freedoms. Should the child strongly rely on the parents or have some freedoms? My parents are a bit of a balance - they give me some freedom while still doing things for me. As a child grows up, parents might have to give their child more liberties to decide on their own, and by adulthood, their bond may no longer be as strong. Still, a parent and child will always love each other. 

Another responsibility is introducing the child to Christ. Parents care about their children and want them to be happy in Heaven with God. When parents receive a child, they are leading them on a trip to Heaven. Thus, a parent must make sure their child follows God and receives the gift of eternal life. 

Lastly, parents must sacrifice for their children. They sacrifice time and money to help their kids. They send their children to school. They help their children in times of trouble. Without parents, children would have a difficult life. Parents are there to support their children, and the children must pay the parents back with respect and obedience. 

In conclusion, parenting comes with responsibilities, and for taking those responsibilities, the child must respect the parents and obey them. 

G06 Language Arts: The Addams Family Review

 The Addams Family Review (March 6, 2025)

The Addams Family is a musical play. The main story is that Wednesday Addams wants to marry a man named Lucas. Her father, Gomez, is more open to it and keeps it a secret from Wednesday’s mother, Morticia. In Lucas’s family, it is the opposite. His father Mal does not want Lucas to marry Wednesday, while his mother Alice thinks Lucas should “follow his heart.” 

The musical, despite having a medieval feel to it, is set in the modern day, as proved by the mention of TikTok and Pennsylvania as a swing state (things that were only largely observed in modern times). Pennsylvania is also Lucas’s home, while the Addams live in New York. 

The main conflict during the show was that there was one parent on both sides who did not want the marriage to happen—Morticia for Wednesday and Mal for Lucas. To make matters worse, Pugsley Addams, Wednesday’s younger brother, was afraid of being lonely. 

Another problem was the marital pledge. When Gomez and Morticia first got married, he pledged never to keep anything from her. However, Wednesday wanted Gomez to keep the engagement a secret from Morticia. Gomez was now in a dilemma—never would he say no to his wife, but also to his daughter. Gomez was exposed during their traditional family game, Full Disclosure, where somebody would drink from the family chalice and tell a secret to everyone. 

After seeing her parents fight over the engagement, Wednesday decided she did not want to marry Lucas. However, after Lucas pledged he would die for her, she accepted. Then, the truth about why Mal was hesitant was revealed. Mal was once a happy person who played the guitar and was very funny. But eventually, he lost his sense of humor. After Wednesday and Lucas got engaged, Mal rediscovered his old heart. Soon, everything began coming together. Everything was resolved. 

The show was great with many songs that made the atmosphere fun. There were many actors who had great costumes. But the best part was likely how the sets were done. Instead of mere projections, there was a big screen, and there were also objects that moved around. It felt real and not just like acting. Additionally, the curtains usually did not go down when the sets moved, meaning that it was possible to see the objects get rearranged. 

In conclusion, The Addams Family is a dramatic yet humorous musical. With strong attention to detail and realism, the show is a good watch for anyone looking for an exciting story—even those not interested in music or literature.