Friday, March 30, 2012
Sexism and Trayvon Martin
HEY everyone this week we had some really hot topics to discuss! I would like to start with Trayvon Martin because it is a topic that I still don't understand very well.
So in class everyone has many feelings toward the case and I feel pretty sad for the kid and for the family I would never want something like this to happen to my little brother that is now 5 growing up or my brother who is 22, it's pretty scary. As much as everyone wants to say this was not racism it was self-defense, well why was Zimmerman following him? I mean was he a security watcher or police to be doing such a "look out"? I feel pretty shitty because he was left to go without any charges. SO here is a little scope for everyone that didn't know Zimmerman had prior police charges and I believe a felony or two and he was released of these charges because, I believe his father or grandfather is an all-time important retired judge. OK! So this just sounds super fishy! It's truly unfair to be using family power like this to cover something like this death, if that is what they are doing! IT'S the 21st century this needs to STOP! I know it will take years or even centuries to change this irrational hate we have for each other and differences but we need to start. WE! ALL of us even if it is all the social workers of the world or even the United States.
I understand the complexity of this case, of the world, but I don't want to rely on the complexity of it and leave it alone because of that because as much as we want to say that we have social order we don't. We have American privilege, I understand, to even speak our minds which is something other people in the world don't have, but we have it and it's our choice to make a change in this discriminatory world, society, life!
This case is just a match to the fire we can bring to the justice flaming lantern.
SEXISM
Oh, how I liked these chapters on Sexim! I especially liked chapter 72 where the author spoke about his grandmother. I see my mother and I think to my self, wow, she has done so much for me, and she still does. My father has done so much for me too but man MOM you brought me to life, you could have chosen to not have me but you chose to, you chose to give me life and now I am here. Like I said not saying dad is not important because of course he also contributed to my being and my well-being still, I'm happy to have my parents I really do!
Moving on to chapter 73 with the poem I picked out a great part that the poem talked about and that was the love we have to give ourselves as women. A lot of the times we are discriminated by men in the work force, at home, in school, but as women we discriminate against ourselves too. I feel that it's important to know that and to change that because we can't expect to change anything if we still have those negative feelings toward each other that way. Chapter 75 was really important for me too because as I am reading these chapters I kind of start to see a correlation of interest, I want to become an "accredited feminist" I really want to take a feminist class during the my experience at UT to find how to create change this way as I had mentioned in my argument before in this blog. I want my voice heard and my hands to change some aspect of this injustice life. Why not? Why can we not dream of change? The woman part of that wall is gone, I know I can make a change, I need education, experience and strength, that is all achievable and yes I will create change. This all leads to the last chapter on sexism and this one touched my heart the most for this: " The compelling reason behind activism is that our most personal lives-even the intimacy of death- are actually embroidered in the reality of public policy, foreign policy, military aid, and economics. Each day, then, I like the women in my family before me, and like so many other women in the world, recommit to continue this struggle for life, and to celebrate it's beauty in the process. That struggle and that celebration are who we are as women, as we take responsibility for our destinies." (Winona LaDuke, pg.369). I just loved this ending paragraph because I really see myself becoming an activist, a woman who will fight for what she thinks is right and will challenge anything or any one who wants to put my feelings down.
I am the kind of person that loves to hear other opinions and I really take in consideration of what everyone says, that is at most why I am so quiet, I am an analyzing sponge, so when I make a decision I have had knowledge from various parts of different opinions from all sides. I feel that this is something that makes me very special and unique. I think this will be something very useful to keep as I move on in my studies and change for the world in my life. =D
Live, love, and keep the peace everyone!
So in class everyone has many feelings toward the case and I feel pretty sad for the kid and for the family I would never want something like this to happen to my little brother that is now 5 growing up or my brother who is 22, it's pretty scary. As much as everyone wants to say this was not racism it was self-defense, well why was Zimmerman following him? I mean was he a security watcher or police to be doing such a "look out"? I feel pretty shitty because he was left to go without any charges. SO here is a little scope for everyone that didn't know Zimmerman had prior police charges and I believe a felony or two and he was released of these charges because, I believe his father or grandfather is an all-time important retired judge. OK! So this just sounds super fishy! It's truly unfair to be using family power like this to cover something like this death, if that is what they are doing! IT'S the 21st century this needs to STOP! I know it will take years or even centuries to change this irrational hate we have for each other and differences but we need to start. WE! ALL of us even if it is all the social workers of the world or even the United States.
I understand the complexity of this case, of the world, but I don't want to rely on the complexity of it and leave it alone because of that because as much as we want to say that we have social order we don't. We have American privilege, I understand, to even speak our minds which is something other people in the world don't have, but we have it and it's our choice to make a change in this discriminatory world, society, life!
This case is just a match to the fire we can bring to the justice flaming lantern.
SEXISM
Oh, how I liked these chapters on Sexim! I especially liked chapter 72 where the author spoke about his grandmother. I see my mother and I think to my self, wow, she has done so much for me, and she still does. My father has done so much for me too but man MOM you brought me to life, you could have chosen to not have me but you chose to, you chose to give me life and now I am here. Like I said not saying dad is not important because of course he also contributed to my being and my well-being still, I'm happy to have my parents I really do!
Moving on to chapter 73 with the poem I picked out a great part that the poem talked about and that was the love we have to give ourselves as women. A lot of the times we are discriminated by men in the work force, at home, in school, but as women we discriminate against ourselves too. I feel that it's important to know that and to change that because we can't expect to change anything if we still have those negative feelings toward each other that way. Chapter 75 was really important for me too because as I am reading these chapters I kind of start to see a correlation of interest, I want to become an "accredited feminist" I really want to take a feminist class during the my experience at UT to find how to create change this way as I had mentioned in my argument before in this blog. I want my voice heard and my hands to change some aspect of this injustice life. Why not? Why can we not dream of change? The woman part of that wall is gone, I know I can make a change, I need education, experience and strength, that is all achievable and yes I will create change. This all leads to the last chapter on sexism and this one touched my heart the most for this: " The compelling reason behind activism is that our most personal lives-even the intimacy of death- are actually embroidered in the reality of public policy, foreign policy, military aid, and economics. Each day, then, I like the women in my family before me, and like so many other women in the world, recommit to continue this struggle for life, and to celebrate it's beauty in the process. That struggle and that celebration are who we are as women, as we take responsibility for our destinies." (Winona LaDuke, pg.369). I just loved this ending paragraph because I really see myself becoming an activist, a woman who will fight for what she thinks is right and will challenge anything or any one who wants to put my feelings down.
I am the kind of person that loves to hear other opinions and I really take in consideration of what everyone says, that is at most why I am so quiet, I am an analyzing sponge, so when I make a decision I have had knowledge from various parts of different opinions from all sides. I feel that this is something that makes me very special and unique. I think this will be something very useful to keep as I move on in my studies and change for the world in my life. =D
Live, love, and keep the peace everyone!
Thursday, March 22, 2012
EXCERPT FROM ZEN AND THE ART OF MOTORCYCLE MAINTENANCE ON GRADELESS SYSTEMS
I read this excerpt and I was just shocked; with happiness!
I feel like the greatest times I have learned is through classes that do not grade me but that push me to participate and become engaged in the conversation. (I'm totally being biased with my social work classes) But really, classes that don't grade me don't put that pressure. Other classes make me feel that when I take a test and get a 65 on it I'm a total loser and I should not be in the class in the first place, when to be really honest I really enjoyed the class.
I do have to admit that if there was a no-grade curriculum then I'm not sure that I would be able to have all the theoretical information I need to use in my work outside of school. I would have to do extra work on the side to find information to back-up arguments.
Well, that was just a quick blog on this awesome excerpt! Thank Prof G!
I feel like the greatest times I have learned is through classes that do not grade me but that push me to participate and become engaged in the conversation. (I'm totally being biased with my social work classes) But really, classes that don't grade me don't put that pressure. Other classes make me feel that when I take a test and get a 65 on it I'm a total loser and I should not be in the class in the first place, when to be really honest I really enjoyed the class.
I do have to admit that if there was a no-grade curriculum then I'm not sure that I would be able to have all the theoretical information I need to use in my work outside of school. I would have to do extra work on the side to find information to back-up arguments.
Well, that was just a quick blog on this awesome excerpt! Thank Prof G!
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Important quotes I took from the "Lagging Behind" NYT article
Mr. Ferguson said that while minorities lag behind whites in things like homework completion, it is wrong to infer that they aren't interested in school. ''High achievers are more often accused of acting white than low achievers, but it's because the low achievers suspect the high achievers believe they are superior.'' ( when I was younger and in my honors classes I was often seen my my ethnic friends as trying to be white, or high achiever, I can see how this still goes on, it's not right and to be honest I would do the same with some of my black, aisan, or ethnic classmates that I would see, but my problem was that I didn't know why they were more educated or seemed to be, and the only way to go was to pick on them because everyone else was doing the same; true ignorance there.)
''I would agree with Ogbu that there are youth cultural patterns and behaviors that are counterproductive for academic success,'' he went on, mentioning socializing in class and spending too much time watching television. ''But when they engage in those behaviors, they are not purposely avoiding academic success.'' ( I agree with this comment because even a white kid or any race kid can be a total freak for TV and lag behind because of that but truly a kid that is not white will get the negative connotation that they are just not trying hard enough, that is why they keep failing, NOT TRUE!)
Roslyn Arlin Mickelson, a sociology professor at the University of North Carolina, instead concluded "I believe, based on my own research, that the center of gravity lies with the school system." ( schools are the ones that are not tending to all the students needs equally and it keeps happening it's not right!)
Professor Mickelson of the University of North Carolina found that working class whites as well as middle-class blacks were more apt to believe that doing well in school compromised their identity. (what is this about white-working class and black-middle class? Isn't the same thing merely?)
''The kids turn on it, they sacrifice their spots in gifted and talented classes to belong to a group where they feel good.'' (this reminds me of how Prof. G mentioned about her daughter transfering to another university to feel more comfortable because at the one she was prior she really wasn't because of judgement by other students (correct me if I am wrong).
''I would agree with Ogbu that there are youth cultural patterns and behaviors that are counterproductive for academic success,'' he went on, mentioning socializing in class and spending too much time watching television. ''But when they engage in those behaviors, they are not purposely avoiding academic success.'' ( I agree with this comment because even a white kid or any race kid can be a total freak for TV and lag behind because of that but truly a kid that is not white will get the negative connotation that they are just not trying hard enough, that is why they keep failing, NOT TRUE!)
Roslyn Arlin Mickelson, a sociology professor at the University of North Carolina, instead concluded "I believe, based on my own research, that the center of gravity lies with the school system." ( schools are the ones that are not tending to all the students needs equally and it keeps happening it's not right!)
Professor Mickelson of the University of North Carolina found that working class whites as well as middle-class blacks were more apt to believe that doing well in school compromised their identity. (what is this about white-working class and black-middle class? Isn't the same thing merely?)
''The kids turn on it, they sacrifice their spots in gifted and talented classes to belong to a group where they feel good.'' (this reminds me of how Prof. G mentioned about her daughter transfering to another university to feel more comfortable because at the one she was prior she really wasn't because of judgement by other students (correct me if I am wrong).
Kony 2012 More facts not stated before
I found another article that talks about Kony and the other things that were stirred when the Kony 2012 campaign was made. Again I do not mean to shun this, I'm just laying out the facts.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/21/opinion/in-uganda-kony-is-not-the-only-problem.html?_r=2&ref=todayspaper
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/21/opinion/in-uganda-kony-is-not-the-only-problem.html?_r=2&ref=todayspaper
Sexism, The Achievement Gap, and Kony
Whew! It's been a pretty crazy week!
KONY 2012:
I want to start off with the Kony business because over the break I heard a few things that kind of stirred my thoughts about the actions that are being taken against this situation with the Invisible Children organization. Firstly, I found out that Kony is in the top 10 list of the most wanted in the world. BUT, I was surprised to learn that a big reason for that is because Kony is ageing. The most wanted in the list are listed by age; before in the 80's, I believe (correct me if I am wrong), he was doing a lot of this and he was doing it without any kind of army fighting against him. Since he has become older he is becoming easier to track down. I also felt pretty bad that the Ugandan army is actually helping him; to no surprise that is also how the Mexican government has been acting with the drug cartels, anyway, Below I attached an article that tells some facts that were not told by Mr. Russell who created the Kony2012 organization. Although I am disappointed to say that they really should not be asking for any more money because there really is no need for donations if the campaign will end soon, I do appreciate the fact that they want to put out there that Kony is real, and that he needs to be stopped! I still believe in bringing him to justice but I don't believe too much in the whole Invisible Children campaign as much as I did before.
http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/invisible-children-hides-truth-article-1.1041118
SEXISM
GOSH! today I saw so much of this doing gender thing and I thought to my self wow, how crazy is this. Before I would think yeah I do act like a girl and guys do tend to act like guys but to actually see it and think why does this happen in the first place, it's just amazing. I guess what I am trying to say is, yea we biologically are different from men but where do we draw the line at that and then become equal? It's as bad as classism is, and back to that oppression argument: I am a woman and I will always get payed less than a male would doing the exact same job that I do. Why is that?! I am intrigued to learn more about this and to make a change. See I know that many things are made for men to handle and some are for women to handle as well but I'm still struggling with the question well when can we both perform the same tasks without being called a Tom-Boy or a Fag; you know!? I feel that I do wrong when I think more deeply. For any of you who watch TV now a days I see men looking more feministic, like cleaning up their eyebrows, putting tighter clothes on and wearing shorter shorts, I will admit I did say "wow they look like girls!" I feel really bad now but here I am admitting to my mistake, Please be proud of me.
The whole sexism discussion is pretty intense because I have always had to deal with the analogy from friends like in soccer: "if you want to play with boys then get ready to get hurt!" like really, why do men have to feel that just because they are somehow able to build more powerful fit think that girls have to get to their level when having to do a type of sport or job that they do because it is more characterized with them than with women? Any thoughts Girls and Guys? I'm really not mad I am just questioning something that I see everyday.
The Achievement Gap Presentation
Oh, "make a change social workers because you are the only ones that can save our little kiddos". Look, I personally do want to join a board to get to know more about the types of changes they are doing to the educational districts of our children and even college students like us.
I do agree, like many in our class, that the speech by Dr. Johah was a bit too one sided and BROAD, I mean yeah let's make a change, but how? Ok just be mentor, be part of a board, but what else what else did he have to say about education? What I needed from this lecture was to learn about how race and ethnicity is still playing a role in our grades between people of color and whites. What are the educational boards doing to change this? I was really disturbed when Gwen asked her question and he asked her back swiftly, he almost made her look like, well woman use common sense what are you doing now that is working?, yeah just keep doing that and you will be fine. I feel like he made it look like "common sense people" use your common sense! That just doesn't help us.
I do like how he mentioned in the beginning to act collectively so if anyone is able to get connected to a way where we can send comments to Dr. Jonah or our Dean about this matter please let me know. I really will take this from the lecture "give back to the people who have helped you" I did like that because I love my parents, my teachers in my school years, and little people who are hungry for education and I WILL GIVE BACK. I don't dream to become rich, I dream to bring peace and harmony to the world and I will be poor the rest of my life for this dream but I really don't care.
Alright guys don't have nightmares now. Comment please! =D
KONY 2012:
I want to start off with the Kony business because over the break I heard a few things that kind of stirred my thoughts about the actions that are being taken against this situation with the Invisible Children organization. Firstly, I found out that Kony is in the top 10 list of the most wanted in the world. BUT, I was surprised to learn that a big reason for that is because Kony is ageing. The most wanted in the list are listed by age; before in the 80's, I believe (correct me if I am wrong), he was doing a lot of this and he was doing it without any kind of army fighting against him. Since he has become older he is becoming easier to track down. I also felt pretty bad that the Ugandan army is actually helping him; to no surprise that is also how the Mexican government has been acting with the drug cartels, anyway, Below I attached an article that tells some facts that were not told by Mr. Russell who created the Kony2012 organization. Although I am disappointed to say that they really should not be asking for any more money because there really is no need for donations if the campaign will end soon, I do appreciate the fact that they want to put out there that Kony is real, and that he needs to be stopped! I still believe in bringing him to justice but I don't believe too much in the whole Invisible Children campaign as much as I did before.
http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/invisible-children-hides-truth-article-1.1041118
SEXISM
GOSH! today I saw so much of this doing gender thing and I thought to my self wow, how crazy is this. Before I would think yeah I do act like a girl and guys do tend to act like guys but to actually see it and think why does this happen in the first place, it's just amazing. I guess what I am trying to say is, yea we biologically are different from men but where do we draw the line at that and then become equal? It's as bad as classism is, and back to that oppression argument: I am a woman and I will always get payed less than a male would doing the exact same job that I do. Why is that?! I am intrigued to learn more about this and to make a change. See I know that many things are made for men to handle and some are for women to handle as well but I'm still struggling with the question well when can we both perform the same tasks without being called a Tom-Boy or a Fag; you know!? I feel that I do wrong when I think more deeply. For any of you who watch TV now a days I see men looking more feministic, like cleaning up their eyebrows, putting tighter clothes on and wearing shorter shorts, I will admit I did say "wow they look like girls!" I feel really bad now but here I am admitting to my mistake, Please be proud of me.
The whole sexism discussion is pretty intense because I have always had to deal with the analogy from friends like in soccer: "if you want to play with boys then get ready to get hurt!" like really, why do men have to feel that just because they are somehow able to build more powerful fit think that girls have to get to their level when having to do a type of sport or job that they do because it is more characterized with them than with women? Any thoughts Girls and Guys? I'm really not mad I am just questioning something that I see everyday.
The Achievement Gap Presentation
Oh, "make a change social workers because you are the only ones that can save our little kiddos". Look, I personally do want to join a board to get to know more about the types of changes they are doing to the educational districts of our children and even college students like us.
I do agree, like many in our class, that the speech by Dr. Johah was a bit too one sided and BROAD, I mean yeah let's make a change, but how? Ok just be mentor, be part of a board, but what else what else did he have to say about education? What I needed from this lecture was to learn about how race and ethnicity is still playing a role in our grades between people of color and whites. What are the educational boards doing to change this? I was really disturbed when Gwen asked her question and he asked her back swiftly, he almost made her look like, well woman use common sense what are you doing now that is working?, yeah just keep doing that and you will be fine. I feel like he made it look like "common sense people" use your common sense! That just doesn't help us.
I do like how he mentioned in the beginning to act collectively so if anyone is able to get connected to a way where we can send comments to Dr. Jonah or our Dean about this matter please let me know. I really will take this from the lecture "give back to the people who have helped you" I did like that because I love my parents, my teachers in my school years, and little people who are hungry for education and I WILL GIVE BACK. I don't dream to become rich, I dream to bring peace and harmony to the world and I will be poor the rest of my life for this dream but I really don't care.
Alright guys don't have nightmares now. Comment please! =D
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Professor Alexander
I began to read the article Professor G sent us and I decided to google the speech that Professor Alexander spoke when she was promoting her book "The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness". I was just stunned when she mentioned that the Jim Crow laws are not so different from the criminal justice system that there is today. Not just because the Jim Crow laws are gone does it mean that there is not a racial cast system. There is. "The individual success stories of today of Blacks today suggest that the old system does not exist..."
So I guess there is just a reshaping of the system that there was before when there was slavery! That's ridiculous and sad and true. I should also add that it's not just black individuals that do through this discrimination its basically anyone who has been "convicted of a felony" I hate that question that they ask you when you are filling up an application for assistance or work.
Any thoughts??
Friday, March 9, 2012
Religion Blog
Let me tell you a little bit about what I know about religion. I know that there are many types of religions and that I am Catholic by default because my parents are Catholic too. My parents and I would go to church on Sunday but when we would come out my parents would start to argue about every little thing going on in their lives. So in effect I ended up not believing in church, I actually thought church would bring more problems to my life especially because every time we went they would keep asking for money. Well that's me and religion.
Though this experience with church didn't go so well, I still felt safe, like something or someone far but close was taking care of me. I got to go to college, I learned to drive, I got a great job cutting hair, I met my loving boyfriend, my family has gotten a bit better, and I have great health, I never go hungry, and I always have someone to go to when I'm scared about something. Soooo, how does this all connect, well it turns out that I do believe in GOD, it might be that I don't believe in the church system but I know that somewhere somehow God is taking care of me and my loved ones. I believe God is within me in my heart and that he will always take care of me. I not only believe in him I believe in myself. And I think I am ENOUGH just like Brene Brown said in her Ted talk.
The readings:
I liked how professor G mentioned the different myths in our society that "there is freedom of religion" like the Constitution states and that "there is separation between church and state" (yea not true at all)!
Wow, really intense readings in the Adams chapters. As I live in this society I didn't fully capt how embedded we are with religion. Of course now it's obvious because the foundation of our nation began with religion; it'still very common today to use religion for many reasons: to do bad things and to do good things. It was interesting to know that Thomas Jefferson was the person that began the now famous myth about "separation of church and state" when what he really meant was that there would be a wall between the state and church no true separation (correct me if I am wrong).
About "everyone can practice their religion they want" I was really astounded about how much hatred has been implicated on people who practice basically any religion that is not Protestant in this country. I could not believe how religion was used to justify murders, discrimination, hate crimes, and just any horrid things done to people who were different. It's true but a lot of the times we see that someone was beaten or hurt because they were seen as different; going against the norm. The normal religion in this country has been Christian and that's just not right. Our country if full of diverse people and cultures that there should not be one religion that can take over others. I was really upset at how there was a lot of hatred after 9/11 against Muslims, Jews, Sikhs, and Hindus because they were also seen as targets of danger. It's just sad to see this all happen and keeps happening still. Diana Eck wrote " Different may trigger uncomfortable feelings or fear...we are afraid of ourselves'' (pg.240) That is really strong because I feel like that when I see something I don't know I am suddenly afraid of it, but what do you do with that? Do you run away? Do you stay to find out more about it? Or do you fight with it and try to destroy it because it's not like you? This is tough and yea, to be honest, I would probably run away scared.
Oh holidays in the US. Columbus Day, (which I now will dedicate the rest of my life to tell everyone I know that he was not a hero but a killer who should not be celebrated ever!!!!), Christmas, Thanksgiving, President's Day, Easter, Sundays= no work days...Oh the list goes on. I really did not see how many holidays there were already dedicated to Christianity it's quite amazing.
I mentioned that religion can be good too and I mean that with all of my heart. I can kind of see all of this how Brene Brown said in the Ted talk: that when you see negative things it's really hard to see the good things because the negatives blur out the rest. I can see how many Christians are discriminated against too; so the tables turn. My friend was a very faithful Christian, very devoted to his religion. He is a very loving person and really polite I have never seen him offend anyone. I basically always see him smile. So one day another one of my friends asked him things about the bible and about different things that made him uncomfortable about his faith; questions like "did you know in the bible it says nothing about going against slavery... did you know that Christianity is the most corrupt religion in the world..." Man I could tell he was not liking the conversation so I decided to just talk about something else. A few weeks later my friend decided to talk to me very seriously about his religion and he had decided to become Atheist. I was just in shock. I asked myself, did that uncomfortable talk really affect him so much to make him change his religion affiliation? I could just see how the tables had turned and how Christians are also discriminated against, in some form of revenge, and that just doesn't make things good either.
So to end this blog I leave you with this last question. When faced with something that one doesn't know enough about does one run away? Does one stay to find out more about that/it? Or does one try to destroy it because they fear that they are too different?
HAVE A GREAT SPRING BREAK EVERYONE!!!
Though this experience with church didn't go so well, I still felt safe, like something or someone far but close was taking care of me. I got to go to college, I learned to drive, I got a great job cutting hair, I met my loving boyfriend, my family has gotten a bit better, and I have great health, I never go hungry, and I always have someone to go to when I'm scared about something. Soooo, how does this all connect, well it turns out that I do believe in GOD, it might be that I don't believe in the church system but I know that somewhere somehow God is taking care of me and my loved ones. I believe God is within me in my heart and that he will always take care of me. I not only believe in him I believe in myself. And I think I am ENOUGH just like Brene Brown said in her Ted talk.
The readings:
I liked how professor G mentioned the different myths in our society that "there is freedom of religion" like the Constitution states and that "there is separation between church and state" (yea not true at all)!
Wow, really intense readings in the Adams chapters. As I live in this society I didn't fully capt how embedded we are with religion. Of course now it's obvious because the foundation of our nation began with religion; it'still very common today to use religion for many reasons: to do bad things and to do good things. It was interesting to know that Thomas Jefferson was the person that began the now famous myth about "separation of church and state" when what he really meant was that there would be a wall between the state and church no true separation (correct me if I am wrong).
About "everyone can practice their religion they want" I was really astounded about how much hatred has been implicated on people who practice basically any religion that is not Protestant in this country. I could not believe how religion was used to justify murders, discrimination, hate crimes, and just any horrid things done to people who were different. It's true but a lot of the times we see that someone was beaten or hurt because they were seen as different; going against the norm. The normal religion in this country has been Christian and that's just not right. Our country if full of diverse people and cultures that there should not be one religion that can take over others. I was really upset at how there was a lot of hatred after 9/11 against Muslims, Jews, Sikhs, and Hindus because they were also seen as targets of danger. It's just sad to see this all happen and keeps happening still. Diana Eck wrote " Different may trigger uncomfortable feelings or fear...we are afraid of ourselves'' (pg.240) That is really strong because I feel like that when I see something I don't know I am suddenly afraid of it, but what do you do with that? Do you run away? Do you stay to find out more about it? Or do you fight with it and try to destroy it because it's not like you? This is tough and yea, to be honest, I would probably run away scared.
Oh holidays in the US. Columbus Day, (which I now will dedicate the rest of my life to tell everyone I know that he was not a hero but a killer who should not be celebrated ever!!!!), Christmas, Thanksgiving, President's Day, Easter, Sundays= no work days...Oh the list goes on. I really did not see how many holidays there were already dedicated to Christianity it's quite amazing.
I mentioned that religion can be good too and I mean that with all of my heart. I can kind of see all of this how Brene Brown said in the Ted talk: that when you see negative things it's really hard to see the good things because the negatives blur out the rest. I can see how many Christians are discriminated against too; so the tables turn. My friend was a very faithful Christian, very devoted to his religion. He is a very loving person and really polite I have never seen him offend anyone. I basically always see him smile. So one day another one of my friends asked him things about the bible and about different things that made him uncomfortable about his faith; questions like "did you know in the bible it says nothing about going against slavery... did you know that Christianity is the most corrupt religion in the world..." Man I could tell he was not liking the conversation so I decided to just talk about something else. A few weeks later my friend decided to talk to me very seriously about his religion and he had decided to become Atheist. I was just in shock. I asked myself, did that uncomfortable talk really affect him so much to make him change his religion affiliation? I could just see how the tables had turned and how Christians are also discriminated against, in some form of revenge, and that just doesn't make things good either.
So to end this blog I leave you with this last question. When faced with something that one doesn't know enough about does one run away? Does one stay to find out more about that/it? Or does one try to destroy it because they fear that they are too different?
HAVE A GREAT SPRING BREAK EVERYONE!!!
KONY 2012
Don't mean to copy Desiree but I was deeply inspired to make a change this April 20th so I will post this link to remind myself and the rest who follow my blog. Let's help the kiddos go back home and have Kony arrested for the horrid things he has been doing! It's enough already!
http://vimeo.com/invisible/kony2012
http://vimeo.com/invisible/kony2012
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Thoughts about Walmart and Vulnerability
I want to say that this class is really changing my life. In many ways I have been learning these "hard-to-talk-about" topics and it has been alright. No one has punched anyone in the face for speaking their mind and that is something I am really proud of because I know how sensitive some topics can be.
I really enjoyed talking about Wal-Mart on Monday because I had built this little shell around me that I would not got to Wal-Mart ever in my life again because they were corrupt and unjust to their workers. I can see now that it should not be that way. I understood what Morgan said about her having a job and when the company went through a hard time she also saw her hours being cut and that affected her negatively. I feel that if I would still have the mentality that I was never going to go back to Wal-Mart and convinced more people to not go shop there, then many workers would lose jobs. I feel that a different approach can be taken now and that is to help organize workers to fight for their rights as workers and build organizations that will help workers. That way workers will keep their jobs and they will have policies and laws backing them up if they are facing discrimination or injustice at work. I also decided to stop going to the little "self-check-out boxes" when I went to Wal-Mart today because I do not want workers to have their jobs taken away by a machine (besides they make less mistakes when they check me out unlike the dumb machine that ends up charging me twice for an item).
Ohh vulnerability.
I really thought that vulnerabilty was a bad thing. I really did because I see myself as very vulnerable. In my experience at UT I have been sick at least 70% of the time. When we saw the clip of Brene Brown speaking about vulnerability I felt like her, that it was something that needed to be intervened! While she kept talking and she finally got to the realization that it really was not such a bad thing, that it was actually good, then I felt like WOW! My mind changed completely because all of this time being vulnerable is helpful; you have to be "whole-hearted" give your all even if your all means that you have to show your weak/bad sides. I like how she said we live in a vulnerable world and it's true you don't know when you will die, it's something that you just have to keep in the back of your mind and move forward embracing every day. "You cannot numb bad feelings because when we do that you numb good feelings too..." (Brene Brown, TED talk) I really liked this quote because I feel that I personally do this all the time. When I am stressed about something at home like with my parents fighting I can't see the positive things we have been through, I don't see the strengths in their relationship and that is not helpful. In having those issues I tend to over think them and then it ends up hurting my relationship with my boyfriend because I stop talking to him because I am so worried about my parents that I leave him behind. So from no on I have decided that I AM ENOUGH and I think that everyone is too, no matter SES, gender, class, race, political affiliation, or what ever else.
I leave you with this awesome video of Brene Brown " The Power of Vulnerability"
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Classism
Wow! The classism readings for the Adams book were intense!
I didn’t realize that there was more to classism than just lower, middle and
upper class.
I want to start off with one of many myths that exist in
this great nation: “if you try hard enough you can become a millionaire just as
the other 1% of the US”. This is so
depressing because it is NOT true! Even
if someone tried hard enough in this nation to become wealthy and stable for
their family they cannot do this without facing hardships and discrimination. Other few myths are: “We are all getting
richer…Everyone has equal chance to succeed…” (pp148) I work as a hairstylist and I was once
talking to a client about equal chances in success in this country. I told him
I would like it if we had a society where everyone helped each other; somewhere
where people could only reach a certain point in wealth and could not go above
because they had to let the rest that were down the latter get up eventually. He did not agree with me; he said that if he
was able to succeed where he is, that it was not okay with him helping others
that have not worked “as hard as he has to be where he is today…” I really did
not know what to say. I understand he
could have been a “one in a million” case that actually started from level zero
and worked his way up, or in contrast, he could probably just be someone whom
inherited some wealth from his family and thus feels his family worked hard and
he thinks “he worked hard to be where he is now” too. But to the point, I personally feel that
everyone should get the chance to succeed and if there is someone in need then
they should be helped by his/her fellow citizens not just the government. I know I will never become a millionaire
because for one: I do not have accumulated wealth in my family, I do not have
the income flowing into my bank account like crazy, I am a woman who will
always face discrimination in the work
field, and my heritage (being Hispanic).
It’s kind of sad to put it in this perspective it almost sounds like I
am complaining that I will never move up on the economic latter but it’s just reality
per se.
Education correlates with class: I think this is true. I know that I did not go to a high rating
school, I went to a middle-lower division type of school and to be honest I was
absolutely not ready for college! I did
not know what to do; high school did not prepare me.
Another important thing I learned was that “class divisions
arise from the differences between those who won and control corporate
enterprise and those who do not” (pp154).
I think this division is important to know because I see the Wal-Mart
case and I think they are a corporate business and they are definitely doing
whatever they want with the workers; paying them low wages and discriminating
awfully. Something else is that I have
personally feel that has happened in my family is the decline of leisure time
and break down of civil relations. My
parents could never spend time with us at night to do homework with us because
they would get home very late from work and were too tired to help us or even
watch some television with us on the weekend.
I see the same thing happening to my sister who is a single mother, working
two jobs for my niece and paying bills for her new home. It hurts me to see her that way because I
know that she is not the only one who goes through this.
I learned in the readings that debt is accumulated because
families or individuals want to keep a high standard of living and in result
they end up with hundreds of dollars in debt.
One thing that really upsets me is the loans: “…needed-based loans have
risen 95% and merit-based have risen by 350%...” So only the “smart” kids can
get the best loans. There is also less
and less money being put in savings accounts; there is no money to save when
the little money earned at work and is spent in the first week of the month
with all the home bills. Another is
health insurance: many families including mine do not have health
insurance. The premiums set by the
health insurance companies are tremendous and sometimes they don’t even cover
the doctor visits or medicines needed.
Classism connects with discrimination a lot. I think that the idea of class in our society
is so wrong. I can probably stress this
idea until I die, but I feel that everyone should get an equal chance to the
pie that is wealth and prosperity. It
sucks that some people think that they have “worked harder than others” when in
reality everyone is working hard to try to make their way up the economic
latter.
Any thoughts…
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Workers going against Walmart
http://www.jwj.org/walmart/index.html
Ok guys this is a link to the organization that is doing its best to change walmart!
Ok guys this is a link to the organization that is doing its best to change walmart!
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