Child of God
by Steve Siler
Music for the Soul
I paint on the face
I strap on the heels
I shut down my heart so it won’t have to feel
the hands that don’t know me all over my skin
and the eyes that don’t love me drinking me in
Under this make up
I’m black and blue
The petals were crushed before I could bloom
I didn’t choose this
No one ever would
And I’d break these chains if only I could
I’m a child of God
I hide in plain sight
I’m a child of God
Slave to the night
Powerless, broken, abandoned, abused
Do you see a child of God
Or just a prostitute?
The world looks away and calls me a whore
and each day I die just a little bit more
A disposable person to keep at arms length
Human trash…
Is that what you think?
I’m a child of God
I hide in plain sight
I’m a child of God
Slave to the night
Powerless, broken, abandoned, abused
Do you see a child of God
Or just a prostitute?
What I’ve become is not who I am
We both were created by the very same hand
I’m a child of God
I hide in plain sight
I’m a child of God
This isn’t right
See my humanity
Look for the truth
I am a child of God
I am a child of God
Not a prostitute
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Monday, November 8, 2010
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Genre: Advise Column
Dear Abby,
I was a victim of sex trafficking when I was fourteen years old. I am now seventeen and am having difficulties moving on with my life. What can I do to help me get through this pain?
-Victim
Dear Victim,
A sex-abuse therapist and a spiritual director familiar with this type of abuse are helpful in the healing process. In addition, it is vital for the victim and her family to find the support of someone who has lived through a sittuation of your matter, because it is unlikely you will find support in their current circle of friends since they do not know what you are going through.
-Abby
I was a victim of sex trafficking when I was fourteen years old. I am now seventeen and am having difficulties moving on with my life. What can I do to help me get through this pain?
-Victim
Dear Victim,
A sex-abuse therapist and a spiritual director familiar with this type of abuse are helpful in the healing process. In addition, it is vital for the victim and her family to find the support of someone who has lived through a sittuation of your matter, because it is unlikely you will find support in their current circle of friends since they do not know what you are going through.
-Abby
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Genre: How to Help a Sex Slave Manual
1. Become aware of the extent of sexual slavery throughout the world.
2. Decide that you are going to help.
3. Join Meetup.com and look for groups around the world that are already joined together to help put a stop to human trafficking and sexual slavery.
4. Learn about the various bills going through your local, state and federal governments that relate to human trafficking.
5. Do research on the topic and share your information with the public.
6. Refuse to support establishments in your area like brothels, sex clubs or bars where "exotic dancers" perform.
2. Decide that you are going to help.
3. Join Meetup.com and look for groups around the world that are already joined together to help put a stop to human trafficking and sexual slavery.
4. Learn about the various bills going through your local, state and federal governments that relate to human trafficking.
5. Do research on the topic and share your information with the public.
6. Refuse to support establishments in your area like brothels, sex clubs or bars where "exotic dancers" perform.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Genre: Advertisement
Stilettos: $60
Dress: $50
Necklace: $30
The life of a sex trafficking victim: Priceless
There’s some things money can’t buy
For everything else there’s MasterCard
Dress: $50
Necklace: $30
The life of a sex trafficking victim: Priceless
There’s some things money can’t buy
For everything else there’s MasterCard
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Research Log #5
Farley, Melissa. "Aboriginal Survivor from AWAN, Vancouver ." Prostitution
Research & Education. PRE, 1998-2010. Web. 13 Oct. 2010.
http://www.prostitutionresearch.com/survivor_writings/000245.html.
The article, “Aboriginal Survivor from AWAN, Vancouver”,
was about a woman who had to move to Vancouver because he mother had died and she was being put into foster homes there. She said that she felt bad for her foster mom trying to live pay check to pay check every month. She met a boy who became her boyfriend. After awhile he persuaded her to prostitute so her family would have more money. She didn’t know that her current boyfriend would soon become her pimp. After she had been in prostitution for awhile she turned to drugs and alcohol. Her pimp convinced her that no one else would ever want her because she was now worthless and sadly she believed him and kept going along with what he told her to do. She turned to an organization that gave her no hope and that confirmed her destiny of prostitution. She was abused sexually and physically on the streets by knives and guns from so many men. She said that she was always hearing about women who were on the streets going missing and being murdered. She also said that many of her friends didn’t get to tell their story because they were found dead before they were able to speak out. There have been many suicides due to being a sex slave. Most women think it’s their only way out. At the time there were no programs the woman had known about for help to exit the streets. She claims prostitution is one of the oldest professions and it should not be left for the children to take care of it once they have to. Finally she ran away from her foster home and found a women in the feminist movement who helped her realize she was a woman and had rights and her destiny was not to be a prostitute.
A huge problem in this article is that the woman talked about how frequent is was not just how the women were sex slaves, but also about death. So many of these women’s lives turns out to be death weather or not if they take their own life or someone else takes it from them. The violence that she explained and what was normal for a prostitute to go through daily is so scary and no woman or anyone for that matter should ever have to go through what she and all the other prostitutes she knew went through. TO hear that a lot of woman feel like there’s nothing they can do to fix their lives and they are ruined forever, and to feel that the only thing to turn to is killing themselves is just horrible. Sex trafficking needs to stop and we as a nation need to work on it so our children and their children’s children do not have to endure the things these woman do today.
Research & Education. PRE, 1998-2010. Web. 13 Oct. 2010.
http://www.prostitutionresearch.com/survivor_writings/000245.html.
The article, “Aboriginal Survivor from AWAN, Vancouver”,
was about a woman who had to move to Vancouver because he mother had died and she was being put into foster homes there. She said that she felt bad for her foster mom trying to live pay check to pay check every month. She met a boy who became her boyfriend. After awhile he persuaded her to prostitute so her family would have more money. She didn’t know that her current boyfriend would soon become her pimp. After she had been in prostitution for awhile she turned to drugs and alcohol. Her pimp convinced her that no one else would ever want her because she was now worthless and sadly she believed him and kept going along with what he told her to do. She turned to an organization that gave her no hope and that confirmed her destiny of prostitution. She was abused sexually and physically on the streets by knives and guns from so many men. She said that she was always hearing about women who were on the streets going missing and being murdered. She also said that many of her friends didn’t get to tell their story because they were found dead before they were able to speak out. There have been many suicides due to being a sex slave. Most women think it’s their only way out. At the time there were no programs the woman had known about for help to exit the streets. She claims prostitution is one of the oldest professions and it should not be left for the children to take care of it once they have to. Finally she ran away from her foster home and found a women in the feminist movement who helped her realize she was a woman and had rights and her destiny was not to be a prostitute.
A huge problem in this article is that the woman talked about how frequent is was not just how the women were sex slaves, but also about death. So many of these women’s lives turns out to be death weather or not if they take their own life or someone else takes it from them. The violence that she explained and what was normal for a prostitute to go through daily is so scary and no woman or anyone for that matter should ever have to go through what she and all the other prostitutes she knew went through. TO hear that a lot of woman feel like there’s nothing they can do to fix their lives and they are ruined forever, and to feel that the only thing to turn to is killing themselves is just horrible. Sex trafficking needs to stop and we as a nation need to work on it so our children and their children’s children do not have to endure the things these woman do today.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Research Log #4
India: The Sex Workers. PBS Frontline , 2004. Frontline World. Web. 12 Oct.
2010. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/video/flv/
generic.html?s=frow03p359>.
The documentary I watched, India: Sex Workers, was a document with young women who had escaped the life of sex trafficking and also interviewed women who were choosing to be prostitutes. Mumbai, India has over 60,000 sex workers which makes then number one in their country. They have AIDS and HIV crisis all throughout their city which threatens the lives of many. The young girls are the most valuable commodity. Many customers will pay a lot more to pimps if they get a younger girl. In interviews with some young girls who had escaped the life of a sex trafficker, many had mentioned that they were sold by a family member to a pimp. One girl had said it wasn’t her dad’s fault that he sold her because he was on drugs and he didn’t know what he was doing. Many of the young girls at the rescue shelter, where they are all living now because families don’t take back their kids after they’ve been in prostitution, had no clue what AIDS and HIV were and had never even heard of them. Many pimps try to keep their workers from not knowing of such things because the customers hate to wear condoms and pay more not to wear them. The pimps certainly do not care about the health of these girls they just care about the money. Prostitution is illegal in Mumbai but the victims said that the police only make situations worse for them because they arrest them, keep them for their sexual pleasure, and don’t let them leave until they can pay them off. One girl had said she once tried to escape in the beginning but her pimp caught her and then chained her up tight to where she bled. Another said that when she was captured along with six other girls, the ones who almost escaped were found and had their ears cut off and then were brutally killed.
It’s hard to hear these stories and to think what would you do if you were in their shoes. When they see others who try and escape being brutally tortured then murdered, I can see why it is hard for many to think escaping is even an option. When many know so little about these diseases, it puts the country at risk because people go to other cities and spread the diseases without knowing or no caring. I don’t get why pimps would let this happen when the easy prevention is to just use condoms. Especially when they may know someone or a family member with the disease. It is crazy to think that these women have no one to turn to for example they can’t even trust their own policemen to do the right thing. It would more likely make them accept the life they live as a sex worker because they can’t be saved or can’t escape.
This documentary seemed very reliable was very nice to be able to listen to the victims that had escaped the life of a sex worker. To listen and hear their own point of view and not from another persons. It made it sadder having to look at the victims and listen to the things they explained but it was a good resource.
2010. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/video/flv/
generic.html?s=frow03p359>.
The documentary I watched, India: Sex Workers, was a document with young women who had escaped the life of sex trafficking and also interviewed women who were choosing to be prostitutes. Mumbai, India has over 60,000 sex workers which makes then number one in their country. They have AIDS and HIV crisis all throughout their city which threatens the lives of many. The young girls are the most valuable commodity. Many customers will pay a lot more to pimps if they get a younger girl. In interviews with some young girls who had escaped the life of a sex trafficker, many had mentioned that they were sold by a family member to a pimp. One girl had said it wasn’t her dad’s fault that he sold her because he was on drugs and he didn’t know what he was doing. Many of the young girls at the rescue shelter, where they are all living now because families don’t take back their kids after they’ve been in prostitution, had no clue what AIDS and HIV were and had never even heard of them. Many pimps try to keep their workers from not knowing of such things because the customers hate to wear condoms and pay more not to wear them. The pimps certainly do not care about the health of these girls they just care about the money. Prostitution is illegal in Mumbai but the victims said that the police only make situations worse for them because they arrest them, keep them for their sexual pleasure, and don’t let them leave until they can pay them off. One girl had said she once tried to escape in the beginning but her pimp caught her and then chained her up tight to where she bled. Another said that when she was captured along with six other girls, the ones who almost escaped were found and had their ears cut off and then were brutally killed.
It’s hard to hear these stories and to think what would you do if you were in their shoes. When they see others who try and escape being brutally tortured then murdered, I can see why it is hard for many to think escaping is even an option. When many know so little about these diseases, it puts the country at risk because people go to other cities and spread the diseases without knowing or no caring. I don’t get why pimps would let this happen when the easy prevention is to just use condoms. Especially when they may know someone or a family member with the disease. It is crazy to think that these women have no one to turn to for example they can’t even trust their own policemen to do the right thing. It would more likely make them accept the life they live as a sex worker because they can’t be saved or can’t escape.
This documentary seemed very reliable was very nice to be able to listen to the victims that had escaped the life of a sex worker. To listen and hear their own point of view and not from another persons. It made it sadder having to look at the victims and listen to the things they explained but it was a good resource.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Research Log #3
Sex Slaves. Dir. Barak Goodman. PBS Frontline, 2010. Free Documentaries. Web. 10
Oct. 2010. http://freedocumentaries.org/int.php?filmID=161.
In this film, “Sex Slaves”, from PBS, was about different stories of victims that had been sold for sex. The story I was most interested in was a story about a man trying to get his wife back from the pimp she was sold to. An acquaintance, Vlan, of the wife Katia and her husband Virel, tricked Katia and lied to her. He told her he was going to be going to Turkey and if she wanted to go with him to get cheap groceries she was welcome to. Katia trusted Vlan and went with him to Turkey where she would soon find out that she would be sold to a pimp named Aldo and his wife Maria to be a sex slave. Virel knew the mutual friend had taken his wife and did this after two weeks of her being gone. Vlan finally admitted to Virel that he had sold Katia but would help Virel get her back because Vlan found out she was sold to a violent pimp. Virel got the pimp’s number from Vlan and called him asking for Katia back and that he would pay him money. The pimp agreed, but after they had planned a meeting place the pimp grew suspicious of all the police and left right away. Virel thought he had ruined his chances by going to the authorities because they did nothing and just watched the pimp ride away in his car. After that happened the pimp no longer trusted Virel so he reused to give Katia back to her husband. Virel kept calling the pimp who’s name is Aldo and his wife Maria. Maria would talk to Virel and she agreed to meet up with him alone. Later Maria and Aldo cut off their conversations with Virel and Virel thought it would be the end of his journey trying to get his wife back. The pimp’s grew scared that Virel would cause too many problems for their business so they decided to send Katia back to Virel safely to their home. Later Vlad their acquaintance went to court but the court never told Katia or Virel of the court date so Katia wasn’t able to testify as a witness and instead Vlad was sentenced to 5 years probation and Virel and Katia were devastated.
I think that this film was the best resource I have come across so far because I know for a fact it is from an organization so it is legitimate. Also it is a much different perspective of sex trafficking then I have been getting with my other resources. It makes it all more real when watching and listening to people’s stories and what they tell you how they felt at that exact moment. It was hard to watch at times because it was so sad to actually see these victims faces and see how they reacted while they told their stories. Katia’s story was sad but it ended in a way where there is a bit of closure since she was able to come back to her family and home.
From here I think I could try and get an interview of a victim or try to find websites that offer victim’s who could answer some questions via email. I think that would be one of the main things I should focus on next for my next two research logs. If not then I would like to watch another film/documentary of victims because it was the most informing and more real of my resources so far.
Oct. 2010. http://freedocumentaries.org/int.php?filmID=161.
In this film, “Sex Slaves”, from PBS, was about different stories of victims that had been sold for sex. The story I was most interested in was a story about a man trying to get his wife back from the pimp she was sold to. An acquaintance, Vlan, of the wife Katia and her husband Virel, tricked Katia and lied to her. He told her he was going to be going to Turkey and if she wanted to go with him to get cheap groceries she was welcome to. Katia trusted Vlan and went with him to Turkey where she would soon find out that she would be sold to a pimp named Aldo and his wife Maria to be a sex slave. Virel knew the mutual friend had taken his wife and did this after two weeks of her being gone. Vlan finally admitted to Virel that he had sold Katia but would help Virel get her back because Vlan found out she was sold to a violent pimp. Virel got the pimp’s number from Vlan and called him asking for Katia back and that he would pay him money. The pimp agreed, but after they had planned a meeting place the pimp grew suspicious of all the police and left right away. Virel thought he had ruined his chances by going to the authorities because they did nothing and just watched the pimp ride away in his car. After that happened the pimp no longer trusted Virel so he reused to give Katia back to her husband. Virel kept calling the pimp who’s name is Aldo and his wife Maria. Maria would talk to Virel and she agreed to meet up with him alone. Later Maria and Aldo cut off their conversations with Virel and Virel thought it would be the end of his journey trying to get his wife back. The pimp’s grew scared that Virel would cause too many problems for their business so they decided to send Katia back to Virel safely to their home. Later Vlad their acquaintance went to court but the court never told Katia or Virel of the court date so Katia wasn’t able to testify as a witness and instead Vlad was sentenced to 5 years probation and Virel and Katia were devastated.
I think that this film was the best resource I have come across so far because I know for a fact it is from an organization so it is legitimate. Also it is a much different perspective of sex trafficking then I have been getting with my other resources. It makes it all more real when watching and listening to people’s stories and what they tell you how they felt at that exact moment. It was hard to watch at times because it was so sad to actually see these victims faces and see how they reacted while they told their stories. Katia’s story was sad but it ended in a way where there is a bit of closure since she was able to come back to her family and home.
From here I think I could try and get an interview of a victim or try to find websites that offer victim’s who could answer some questions via email. I think that would be one of the main things I should focus on next for my next two research logs. If not then I would like to watch another film/documentary of victims because it was the most informing and more real of my resources so far.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Research Log #2
Goodyear, Michael, Dan Brook, and Sally Stoecker. "Hype and Horror in Human
Trafficking." The Washington Post 26 Sept. 2007, Regional Edition ed.: 587
words. LexisNexis Academic. Web. 5 Oct. 2010. <http://www.lexisnexis.com/
hottopics/lnacademic/>.
Currently the conversation about human sex trafficking is not much of a conversation at all. Many don’t understand the topic enough to make conversation about it. But according to The Washington Post, “Hype and Horror in Human Trafficking”, many law enforcements don’t even understand the human trafficking laws themselves so this is why there “crimes are underreported”. This is one main problem as to why there are not many people being put away for these crimes. The human sex trafficking business is one that is highly hidden. This makes it very hard for people to be caught and for the most part if people are caught the victims are too afraid to speak out. These cases are extremely hard to build and can be very high priced. These days many can confuse the difference in prostitution with trafficking and vise versa. Many now enter the trafficking world underground which can make it that much more difficult for them to be caught. And sadly for the most part, many people believe that the women who are being sex trafficked should blame themselves and that it is their own fault.
After reading this article I became more aware of why it is we don’t catch these traffickers as common as we would like to. It is pathetic to hear that many people in law enforcement don’t even know the own laws passed about human trafficking. That gives me no hope for the future of the people to be caught. Shouldn’t you know the laws enough to know and be able to catch the people breaking the laws. It is their jobs and it may not be their own fault as to why they don’t understand or have any knowledge of the laws, but whoever’s fault it is needs to fix it. I think once that factor is changed we can have a more positive outlook on this topic of human sex trafficking and have the ability to stop it.
I chose this source because I thought it would be reliable since it was an article in The Washington Post. Also while I was reading it I was learning many things I hadn’t learned in the past articles I had read. The article an interesting piece and intrigued me. From here I would think to go in the direction of what happens to victims if they survive, after the tragedy. I would like to research and learn about some victims’ stories and their own experience.
Trafficking." The Washington Post 26 Sept. 2007, Regional Edition ed.: 587
words. LexisNexis Academic. Web. 5 Oct. 2010. <http://www.lexisnexis.com/
hottopics/lnacademic/>.
Currently the conversation about human sex trafficking is not much of a conversation at all. Many don’t understand the topic enough to make conversation about it. But according to The Washington Post, “Hype and Horror in Human Trafficking”, many law enforcements don’t even understand the human trafficking laws themselves so this is why there “crimes are underreported”. This is one main problem as to why there are not many people being put away for these crimes. The human sex trafficking business is one that is highly hidden. This makes it very hard for people to be caught and for the most part if people are caught the victims are too afraid to speak out. These cases are extremely hard to build and can be very high priced. These days many can confuse the difference in prostitution with trafficking and vise versa. Many now enter the trafficking world underground which can make it that much more difficult for them to be caught. And sadly for the most part, many people believe that the women who are being sex trafficked should blame themselves and that it is their own fault.
After reading this article I became more aware of why it is we don’t catch these traffickers as common as we would like to. It is pathetic to hear that many people in law enforcement don’t even know the own laws passed about human trafficking. That gives me no hope for the future of the people to be caught. Shouldn’t you know the laws enough to know and be able to catch the people breaking the laws. It is their jobs and it may not be their own fault as to why they don’t understand or have any knowledge of the laws, but whoever’s fault it is needs to fix it. I think once that factor is changed we can have a more positive outlook on this topic of human sex trafficking and have the ability to stop it.
I chose this source because I thought it would be reliable since it was an article in The Washington Post. Also while I was reading it I was learning many things I hadn’t learned in the past articles I had read. The article an interesting piece and intrigued me. From here I would think to go in the direction of what happens to victims if they survive, after the tragedy. I would like to research and learn about some victims’ stories and their own experience.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
research log #1
"Factors That Contribute to Trafficking in Women." Stop Violence Against Women.
The Advocates, 1 Sept. 2005. Web. 3 Oct. 2010. <http://stopvaw.org/
Economic_Factors.html>.
There has been the question as to why human trafficking is still occurring in the United States and why so often is it the women being the victims. There are many reasons as to why it is happening today. People are really naive and know nothing about human trafficking so they think it doesn’t exist these days but it does and if you‘re not aware you‘re not helping stop it. That is one of the main problems we are having because awareness can help prevent human trafficking and if no one is aware then it will not be stopped. There are many different factors as to why women are being number one victims of traffickers. One huge factor is the economy. There are many reasons as to why it is more common for men to be in a more stable state in the economy then women. Also, women are usually the parent that has a child with no mate not the men, which can bring them into even deeper poverty. Women in many cases are much more vulnerable than men are and it makes them easier prey and easier targets for men to seek out as a trafficker. There are studies that prove when traffickers have women to sell for sex instead of men, they gain more income from the women and that makes them target women to sell. When traffickers are men which in most cases it is, then they aren’t only selling the woman for sex and gaining all the income for themselves, but they are also using the woman for their pleasure as well but for free. So this makes it all that much more profitable and enjoyable for the man trafficker who is selling the woman. All these make it way more likely for a woman to be in a state of vulnerability to become a trafficker.
In this article it really made me sad and scared for women and young girls because so many aren’t aware of human trafficking and to just be a little aware of it could prevent them from being trapped into such a nightmare. I’m sure if all the other people out there that have been trafficked were aware and could pan out the signs before they became in the situation, they could’ve prevented it all from happening. It really all makes sense too how the article had all the details like women can’t defend themselves easily against men, how men would much rather traffic a women to have them for their own pleasure as well as others, and it is all just put into perspective now that I actually read about the article.
I thought this source had a lot of information and a lot of details to all the subjects and co-subjects about human trafficking so it made me more informed about more specific things which were interesting that I didn’t know from all the other websites. I think from here I could research why it is so hard for these traffickers to be caught and more about the victims who speak out about their own experiences with human sex trafficking.
The Advocates, 1 Sept. 2005. Web. 3 Oct. 2010. <http://stopvaw.org/
Economic_Factors.html>.
There has been the question as to why human trafficking is still occurring in the United States and why so often is it the women being the victims. There are many reasons as to why it is happening today. People are really naive and know nothing about human trafficking so they think it doesn’t exist these days but it does and if you‘re not aware you‘re not helping stop it. That is one of the main problems we are having because awareness can help prevent human trafficking and if no one is aware then it will not be stopped. There are many different factors as to why women are being number one victims of traffickers. One huge factor is the economy. There are many reasons as to why it is more common for men to be in a more stable state in the economy then women. Also, women are usually the parent that has a child with no mate not the men, which can bring them into even deeper poverty. Women in many cases are much more vulnerable than men are and it makes them easier prey and easier targets for men to seek out as a trafficker. There are studies that prove when traffickers have women to sell for sex instead of men, they gain more income from the women and that makes them target women to sell. When traffickers are men which in most cases it is, then they aren’t only selling the woman for sex and gaining all the income for themselves, but they are also using the woman for their pleasure as well but for free. So this makes it all that much more profitable and enjoyable for the man trafficker who is selling the woman. All these make it way more likely for a woman to be in a state of vulnerability to become a trafficker.
In this article it really made me sad and scared for women and young girls because so many aren’t aware of human trafficking and to just be a little aware of it could prevent them from being trapped into such a nightmare. I’m sure if all the other people out there that have been trafficked were aware and could pan out the signs before they became in the situation, they could’ve prevented it all from happening. It really all makes sense too how the article had all the details like women can’t defend themselves easily against men, how men would much rather traffic a women to have them for their own pleasure as well as others, and it is all just put into perspective now that I actually read about the article.
I thought this source had a lot of information and a lot of details to all the subjects and co-subjects about human trafficking so it made me more informed about more specific things which were interesting that I didn’t know from all the other websites. I think from here I could research why it is so hard for these traffickers to be caught and more about the victims who speak out about their own experiences with human sex trafficking.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Three-fold citizenship Issues: Local, National, Gobal
Local: In Elk Grove, Sacramento, there's some issues that aren't talked about that i have seen in Elk Grove. One that i witness, hear, and see about is how cops in the town pull people over with no reason. They sometimes make up a false reason or sometimes don't give a reason. My friend once pulled over his vehicle to stop and get something out of his trunk real quick and it wasn't illegal how he did it, and since it was at night the cop put his lights on behind him and asked if he had been drinking. He asked the cop if it seemed like he was drinking or why the cop was asking him this and he just said because it was a weekend night. I think that is total crap that cops are allowed to do that because they have been pulling over innocent people at night just because other people are idiots and they can't catch them, so they try to make the innocent people feel like they're doing something wrong when they aren't. It has happened to me once and i believe he pulled me over because it was a Saturday night and it was around 1 and i had a full car. I wasn't breaking any rules because i was 18 so i wasn't out after curfew. It made me so mad because it was just a waste of my time. I think they do this just because they never catch some of the people being idiots. But it would be obvious if they were being idiots to pull them over with a reason instead of pointlessly pulling over people for no reason.
National: An issue that always catches my eyes in the nation that many people do not take seriously, is smoking ads. These ads are so horrible and drive me crazy. They are on billboards, in mostly every magazine i have seen, commercials, and so much more. For some reason these companies want to poison the nation and want to make it look like it's cool while they're doing it. All the ads are the most disgusting misleading ads of all. When young teens see a hot person that is smoking in an ad and that teen is insecure of coarse they will think it looks cool and then will start smoking. The advertisement basically said it is cool by doing this by the pictures and things the ads say. I feel like ads like this shouldn't be able to be posted anywhere because they do nothing but damage people. They only damage people because it leads to addiction and health risks. Yes so maybe it is a relaxer for people who do it but how many other healthy things could you be doing to relax you or make the stress go away? So many other things can be advertised that are not something that will cause people to die!
Global: Issues that trigger my mind when i think globally would be be poverty because sometimes people in America do not think of us being a country full of poverty but globally there's a lot of problems in the world with how much poverty there is. There will always be the people who may not deserve to be poor but have been so called lazy and don't work hard to not be in poverty. But for alot of people it isn't by choice and they can't do much about it due to maybe their countries, government, etc. Often times when it happens to deal with their countries and government there is not much they can do about the huge population in poverty. This is because usually the people with the control over that government and country are the rich people and do not care that alot of their country or even the majority of it is full of poverty. The government can sometimes be helpless to this situation and can do nothing to help. Although this happens I think if we came together as a nation and really worked together on it, it seems to me it could work. There just may be too many careless people in the world that don't care about the other countries who suffer which can be a big problem. One day though I would hope that this issue can be taken care of completely or cleaned up alot for the sake of all the countries who do suffer from so much poverty.
National: An issue that always catches my eyes in the nation that many people do not take seriously, is smoking ads. These ads are so horrible and drive me crazy. They are on billboards, in mostly every magazine i have seen, commercials, and so much more. For some reason these companies want to poison the nation and want to make it look like it's cool while they're doing it. All the ads are the most disgusting misleading ads of all. When young teens see a hot person that is smoking in an ad and that teen is insecure of coarse they will think it looks cool and then will start smoking. The advertisement basically said it is cool by doing this by the pictures and things the ads say. I feel like ads like this shouldn't be able to be posted anywhere because they do nothing but damage people. They only damage people because it leads to addiction and health risks. Yes so maybe it is a relaxer for people who do it but how many other healthy things could you be doing to relax you or make the stress go away? So many other things can be advertised that are not something that will cause people to die!
Global: Issues that trigger my mind when i think globally would be be poverty because sometimes people in America do not think of us being a country full of poverty but globally there's a lot of problems in the world with how much poverty there is. There will always be the people who may not deserve to be poor but have been so called lazy and don't work hard to not be in poverty. But for alot of people it isn't by choice and they can't do much about it due to maybe their countries, government, etc. Often times when it happens to deal with their countries and government there is not much they can do about the huge population in poverty. This is because usually the people with the control over that government and country are the rich people and do not care that alot of their country or even the majority of it is full of poverty. The government can sometimes be helpless to this situation and can do nothing to help. Although this happens I think if we came together as a nation and really worked together on it, it seems to me it could work. There just may be too many careless people in the world that don't care about the other countries who suffer which can be a big problem. One day though I would hope that this issue can be taken care of completely or cleaned up alot for the sake of all the countries who do suffer from so much poverty.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Can There Be World Citizenship?
World Citizenship is great but not realistic in my eyes. I think that worldwide it’s just not as possible as people make it out to seem to be. First off we alienate people from other countries and when we think worldwide no one is an alien if it’s about world citizenship I would think. But not just that, there’s too many people in the world with beliefs, morals, opinions, etc. that conflict with each other that makes it not possible for world citizenship to be even close to realistic because some people just can’t accept others the way we should all be accepted. Many people are not responsible and aren't good citizens in their own countries. Doing that seems to be a challenge enough so what would make worldwide citizenship any easier? I think that it is a dream for the future that maybe someday it'll come through and start to see more results of it but at this point in time in our history I just don’t see it. Many people are very judging in this world some of other ethnics, or even other countries. When not everyone can fully accept people of different race, religion, beliefs, other cultures, etc. in our country today, if you could imagine that being blown up into world wide it would be only worse because it’s not just our country we are thinking about. It is the whole world that is judging each other when we are supposed to have this idea that we are brothers and sisters from this world that should all be citizens with each other and for the world to accept each other for this plan to work and that doesn’t work out.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
The Ways We Lie
White Lie: If you're wife is pregnant and she asks if she looks fat the husband will lie and say no honey you look skinny and beautiful.
Facades: When people are texting me sometimes i have just gotten out of the shower and i am naked and they think i am dressed.
Ignoring the plains facts: A police officer is in his own car and is driving way over the speed limit and he gets pulled over but he tells the cop he was driving to the office and needs to be their immediately so the cop lets the guy go.
Deflecting: So say if you slyly want to tell them that they're breather stinks you're going to complain about how you hate when people don't brush their teeth or use mouth wash or chew gum or take mints.
Omission: My friend had a two year warranty for her camera and right before the two years was up she smashed it ad said it got ran over so they replaced it for a brand new one even though her contract was up in a week.
Stereotypes and Cliches: A lot of people have stereotypes of if you work at fast food then your fat, ugly, or something is wrong with you, when for the most part that's the opposite of the workers.
Groupthink: Back in the 19th century people would have stereotyped woman and blacks and would never have thought they would have rights or let alone to ever become president. That certainly proved them wrong with us having a now black president and having a women run for president.
Out-and-Out lies: One time i saw my little cousin clearly picking his buggers and flicking them and i asked him if he just did that and of coarse he answered no.
Dismissal: I cut my knee this summer while i was going floating down the river. I wasn't sure what i had cute it on but it was bleeding and it kind of hurt. A few days later there was a red thick line trailing under my skin from my cut towards up my thigh. It was numb and i thought this wasn't good so i told my mom and showed her and told her all that had happened. She told me i was fine to put a band aid on it. I believed her of coarse and listened to her. I later that day went to my best friends house and her mom freaked out when she saw my cut and told me to go to urgent care ASAP. So i called my mom and told her so she took me. When i got there the Dr. said if i had waited any longer to get medication the infection would have crawled up to my leg into my pelvic area and i basically would've been in deep shit.
Delusion: My sister goes shopping at least every weekend and sometimes during the day. She never goes ANYWHERE without buying something. It is the most annoying thing i have ever witnessed because she definitely doesn't have the money she acts like she has. She buys the most expensive things when she doesn't need them. My mom and i both have tried to tell her she is a shopaholic and she needs help but she of coarse disagrees and tells us that she doesn't shop that much anymore but she lies because we know she does when she has tags on all her cloths she brings home.
Facades: When people are texting me sometimes i have just gotten out of the shower and i am naked and they think i am dressed.
Ignoring the plains facts: A police officer is in his own car and is driving way over the speed limit and he gets pulled over but he tells the cop he was driving to the office and needs to be their immediately so the cop lets the guy go.
Deflecting: So say if you slyly want to tell them that they're breather stinks you're going to complain about how you hate when people don't brush their teeth or use mouth wash or chew gum or take mints.
Omission: My friend had a two year warranty for her camera and right before the two years was up she smashed it ad said it got ran over so they replaced it for a brand new one even though her contract was up in a week.
Stereotypes and Cliches: A lot of people have stereotypes of if you work at fast food then your fat, ugly, or something is wrong with you, when for the most part that's the opposite of the workers.
Groupthink: Back in the 19th century people would have stereotyped woman and blacks and would never have thought they would have rights or let alone to ever become president. That certainly proved them wrong with us having a now black president and having a women run for president.
Out-and-Out lies: One time i saw my little cousin clearly picking his buggers and flicking them and i asked him if he just did that and of coarse he answered no.
Dismissal: I cut my knee this summer while i was going floating down the river. I wasn't sure what i had cute it on but it was bleeding and it kind of hurt. A few days later there was a red thick line trailing under my skin from my cut towards up my thigh. It was numb and i thought this wasn't good so i told my mom and showed her and told her all that had happened. She told me i was fine to put a band aid on it. I believed her of coarse and listened to her. I later that day went to my best friends house and her mom freaked out when she saw my cut and told me to go to urgent care ASAP. So i called my mom and told her so she took me. When i got there the Dr. said if i had waited any longer to get medication the infection would have crawled up to my leg into my pelvic area and i basically would've been in deep shit.
Delusion: My sister goes shopping at least every weekend and sometimes during the day. She never goes ANYWHERE without buying something. It is the most annoying thing i have ever witnessed because she definitely doesn't have the money she acts like she has. She buys the most expensive things when she doesn't need them. My mom and i both have tried to tell her she is a shopaholic and she needs help but she of coarse disagrees and tells us that she doesn't shop that much anymore but she lies because we know she does when she has tags on all her cloths she brings home.
Rant
I hate it when people don't say excuse me it bugs the crap out of me. I always say excuse me my parents taught me manners and when someone walks by me obviously in the way and doesn't say excuse me i want to punch them. My worst pet peave is when dumb drun people on the streets ram into you and literally say nothing and don't even glance at you as if they did nothing wrong. Even if I am not entirely in someones way I will always say excuse me because it is extremely rude if you don't. I don't lnow if they just never leanred when to say excuse me or not but people need to start learning because it's ridiculous. It is two little words you have to say by being polite and to not offend the person's way your in. Especially when you bump someone like how could you not say excuse me after bumping someone? How rude. I want to know what goes through those peoples minds in that second because if they really think it's alright it's not. Like if you're in the grocery store and you're trying to look for any item and someone just stnds right in front of what you are CLEARLY looking at like what the hell say excuse me and get your item then move out of the way. People obviously need to learn more manners because I rarely ever hear excuse me unless t is coming out of my mouth lately.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Civil Disobedience
I though that Thoreau was trying to make strong points i his essay about criticizing us as people and how sometimes we speak but don't act. The paragraph that i focused on was paragraph ten and i thought that he wasn't seeing people actually step up for change and that they were against all these specific topics and things going on in the world but they would never act on them they would sit around and wait for one person to act on it and rely on them and then it would never end up happening. His whole essay is pretty much based around his criticism of the people and the government and how the government can be unjust but the people just go along with it. he wants them to stand up and no go along with it just because i is the government and people don't think they can be wrong but he thinks they can be and no one will stop them from doing unjust things in the country. He also claims that the government does many things don't do much for the country and that they are pointless. He does say that the government will not be needed someday in the future at all. He also believe that we think the government is doing much better than it really is and give it was more credit than it deserves to get. Thoreau mentions that not everyone is going to wipe clean every bad thing that everyone else does but if we do things right by ourselves than we won't have to worry about others because they should be doing right by them also.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Quotes from first two readings
Quotes
"When a person comments anonymously, we're told, they're putting a mask on. But the more time I spend online the more I'm convinced that this analogy gets it backward." (page 39)
"What do I call for? Action!" (page 40)
"...friend says'they're all like that' when she hears about a Tea Partier who utters a racial epithet, correct her gently." (page 40)
"...friend compares Obama to Hitler and the health care bill to the USSR, correct him gently." (page 40)
"Surely we can take a minute to let them know that this is not the right way to express legitimate anger against the people in charge." (page 41)
"...assume that your opponent's motives are at least as pure as your own." (page 41)
Rules
1. Be able to discuss and debate topics without all the hatred words people use
2. Not be able to post things anonymously
3. Certain words should be blocked from people's discussions
"When a person comments anonymously, we're told, they're putting a mask on. But the more time I spend online the more I'm convinced that this analogy gets it backward." (page 39)
"What do I call for? Action!" (page 40)
"...friend says'they're all like that' when she hears about a Tea Partier who utters a racial epithet, correct her gently." (page 40)
"...friend compares Obama to Hitler and the health care bill to the USSR, correct him gently." (page 40)
"Surely we can take a minute to let them know that this is not the right way to express legitimate anger against the people in charge." (page 41)
"...assume that your opponent's motives are at least as pure as your own." (page 41)
Rules
1. Be able to discuss and debate topics without all the hatred words people use
2. Not be able to post things anonymously
3. Certain words should be blocked from people's discussions
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Make Our Ugly Discourse Better: Join the Civilogue
I agree completely with this author's article. There are so many people out there that hate on every one's ideas and beliefs just because it may not be what they believe is right. Everyone needs to be able to let everyone have opinion's without them being evil or crazy for that belief. There are so many things that offend people because of what others judge them on their own beliefs. You may not necessarily know where that person is from, what has happened to them in their life, or how they were brought up. All those things are that make people believe what they believe and most have some good reasons as to why the do believe that or not. It is completely ridiculous when people don't care to even listen to why there are so many different opinions of things and even f they do listen, they aren't really listening because they aren't sympathetic as to why t is that persons opinion. This text made me realize that this is a huge problem that we have in this country. For example I was in a different class last week and Prop 8 was brought up and was discussed within the class. It was just an example that was brought up that change into a debate that was clearly being argued between two different opinions in the class. The two main opinions that stood out were of coarse were for gay marriage and not for gay marriage. This one kid was being extremely rude to a girl who was saying she is really religious and that she was brought up in a family that gay marriage was not okay. From my point of view that is completely understandable but for this one kid in class it wasn't and he was saying rude things and was disrespectful. People can't help that it may offend you if they believe something you don't believe. I think it should just make people understand more from their own experiences and to know that if you believe something for a reason then that person with the opposite belief probably has just as good of a reason as to why they believe the opposite.
Why I like vicious, anonymous online comments
This article had me a little confused because when i started to read it I thought it was going to go into a different direction than it did. I do think that people are more open to be rude and hurtful through anonymity because no one knows who you are and you don't feel as guilty or embarrassed. I still would think that just knowing that you can say such bad things anonymously it would eat you up inside. I guess that people just feel more powerful being able to say things that they normally wouldn't say. I agree but disagree with the author only because when she says that she thinks the analogy of they're putting on a mask is backwards I totally think that it isn't backwards and the mask is why people say the things they do anonymously. When you go online it's a completely different world because people can't exactly judge you for what you're saying. This is why it is so easy for everyone to say things. In a way it can be a good thing because people can discuss things like, opinions about politics or topics that some are afraid to talk about, and discuss them freely with no restrictions. I'm still confused as to why the author says the analogy is backwards i don't understand what she meant by that and how the civil self is the mask. This article made me wonder if it is healthy to have things able to be anonymous because many people can be hurt by things said. But if things were not said anonymous I wonder if people would claim half of the stuff they say. I don't think may people would which could be bad in ways that, we may never hear some important opinions of people, and many things are left unsaid, in some cases good and bad things.
Friday, August 27, 2010
What is Freedom?
Freedom is to be able to believe what you want to believe without being afraid of getting punished by that belief. It is to be able to do things you want to do under circumstances that if you're obeying the law. Freedom is if you feel safe in you're own country and being able to have a voice without punishment. Freedom has some restraints on it to protect people in America but for the most part I agree with the restraints because it has to do with our safety. Freedom is valued because it can be rare for people to have.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Two Wars
This segment brought out points that made me question what I thought about the war in Iraq. When all the people who talked to the Iraqi, none seemed to be ale to come up with a logical point as to what we were doing there. Every time they would say why, it would be things like "Fighting for America's freedom" and the Iraqi would just question them and the American people just looked dumb. It made me really question as to why we really are in Iraq and if we have made a difference in a good way or bad. It makes me sad to hear about the Iraqis family and how they are all over the world split up but he still thought he was one of the lucky ones from Iraq. I was shocked when he said that with Saddam it was bad but now it's worse. I don't think I could imagine how worse it could be after Saddam but I don't live there so of coarse I don't know everything that is going on there. At first I was assuming I would not have agreed with the Iraqi but by the end of the segment I saw where he was coming from and understood why he was saying the things he did. Being an American I would've gone up to the stand just like one of the other Americans and would've argued that we are right and we are doing the right thing going into Iraq. I think now it's just based on what you choose is easier to believe like the Iraqi mentioned American people choose what they want to hear and listen to based on what will make them feel better about the war. I think that now I don't know what to believe because from the Iraqi's point of view all we are doing is more damage, but everyone in America is telling us we are right for going there.
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