Why Do The Rich Own So Much?

After this week in class I couldn't believe how the rich in the United States control so much while the rest of us control next to nothing. One comparison we learned about was that the average wealth of an American is 13 feet high but the richest of the rich have over 20,000 feet. To me this isn't fair to the rest of us considering the top 1% control over 1/3 of our nations wealth. I believe that somehow our wealth needs to be spread more equally and evenly throughout our citizens. We are a culture that likes to believe that we don't have a class system when in reality we do. Living in the area we do most of the kids at our school are in the upper half or the income chart but at the same time they are closer to the bottom than they are to the top. That just goes to show once again the rich are head and shoulders above even people considered in the upper class. 

Courtroom 302

After reading Courtroom 302 I couldn't believe the harsh treatment that these people recieved. They were brought to the courtroom and at the time of their processing had not had their trial yet. Last time I checked if you haven't had a trial you are presumed innocent until you are proven guilty by a court of law not by guards in a holding cell. One man asked a guard where his public defense attorney was and was treated with a response of, "You're guilty." While I understand that some form of order is needed and that the guards need to show they have the power and control I don't believe they need to take it as far as they do. If a person forgets to follow a minor rule there is a guard screaming in your face. I understand that in certain instances this type of reaction is needed and in those instances I have no problem with it but to do it constantly I find obsurd. The treatment of these people reminds me of a military boot camp and how drill instructors will get right up in your face and scream orders to you. This treatment to both soldiers and prisoners alike should be administered sparingly and only as needed. Most importantly all of the detainees in the holding cells should be granted their right of innocence no matter how guilty the guards might think they are. This is a right granted to all people of this country and it should be a right that is followed by everyone guards included.

Boys and Shootings

We read an article in class this week about school shootings. This was an eye opening reading for me as I realized that most school shootings don't take place in city schools in the hood but in the suburbs and rural areas. Also most of these shootings were commited by white kids who had been bullied for not being masculine enough. These kids after the shootings have been known to say that they are extracting revege on those that have bullied them. I can't remember the Columbine our countries most infamous school shooting but I do remember the Virgina Tech shooting. This was done by an Asian man. However, he was a middle class young man. After reading this I realize that making fun of kids could have a bigger influence than we think. At the same time offering someone who has no one to sit with a table could go a long way to. You never know it could save a life.

Toys

I am an only child and growing up I was blessed with my fair share of toys. After this week when we talked about the differences between boys and girls toys I realized I was influenced a lot by my toy selection. I was always given cars and trucks to play with outside in a sandbox. I cant speak for girls but after this lesson it seems as if they are taught to play inside in a pretend kitchen or with a doll house taking care of pretend babies. This contrast starts to shape how we are taught to grow up and eventually live our mature lives. I don't believe that most parents even know that doing this effects their children because it is a cultural norm we have here in America. I believe that we all need to take a step back and look at our norms and how they shape are children and try to make changes for the better.

Parents and their influences

This week in class we talked about how from birth until our death we are constantly influenced by those around us. One of our most important and needed influences is our parents. From birth parents are vital in providing care and nurture. However, they must also interact with us and socialize with us. I did not realize until this unit that a baby's brain is like a sponge and picks up on other people tendencies. This attention stimulates a child's brain and allows for normal physical and mental growth. On the contrary we learned about neglected kids and how they devolp physically as they age but have the mental capacity of an infant. Research found that the longer these children have been neglected the less they can learn later. We learned of a 13 year old who was locked in a closet her whole life until being rescued by authorities. Once rescued doctors tried teaching her to walk, talk, and do things we take for granted. They found it difficult eventually running into a wall where nothing else could be absorbed. Her brain function comparable to a patient in a mental institution. I am thankful for the loving and caring parents that I have and am grateful for their care now and during my infancy.

Tuesday's With Morrie

This week in class we watched the movie Tuesdays With Morrie. It is about a dying man and his former student Mitch. Mitch hears Morrie is dying and decides to visit him one last time before he dies. At first Mitch doesn't take much time to visit as he is constantly caught up with work and is always trying to make his deadlines. Morrie teaches him an important lesson - You need to learn to die before you can live. He expresses that Mitch's busy lifestyle may be making him a lot of money but if he isn't happy he questions him whether or not its worth it. I think this is a valuable lesson for us all because we are all so stressed about school, college, work, etc. While these are important those are only pebbles in our life our rocks or foundations of are life (family, friends, and health) are far more important and we need to focus the majority of our time on the rocks. I believe if we all make more time for our rocks we will live much happier lives.

American Values

This week in class we talked about American values compared to those values in other places around the world. I believe the most important American value is competition. Everywhere we look in our society there is competition whether it be from the two gas stations that are across the street from one another competing for business or from employees competed against fellow co-workers for a raise. It is this competitive nature that makes America great because with so much competition each person keeps striving to do better and better which in turn makes us better as a whole. From my personal experience I face competition in athletics and I know that when I am competing for a spot to start I work much harder trying to prove to the coaches, teammates, and myself that I deserve to be in that spot. The great thing about competition is that words have nothing to do with it and it is our actions that will speak for us. I believe that without our competitive society we would not be as strong as a nation as we are.