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

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. 

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.

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.