A melting pot of cultures, diverse with ever changing communities and much to learn. After thirty years starting to pay more attention. Never to late to build a foundation of knowledgeable facts.
October 26, 2011, Classmate blog http://christinaresas,blospot.com/teensexeducationdebate, the article is commentary
from Austin American Statesman. Christina, states that after reading the
article, she questions whether or not sex education should or should not be
taught in Texas. In the United States when it comes to sex education it is
required that students learn about HIV/STD’s. That in the states where it is
taught abstinence is not a requirement. Texas schools are not require to teach
sex education classes unless the school district chooses too, and if they do
offer sex education classes, they are required to teach abstinence.
The National
Center for Health Statistics studies that stated sine the late 1980’s there is
a decline in teens that are sexually active. Female have dropped from 51% to
43%, for males a drop from 60% to 42%. As of 1988 the apparent use of
contraception has increased, during the last 20 years. The article states both
sides to the argument…discusses contraception promotion. So in a sense the
article was contradicting itself. So in the end has sex decreased among teen?
If so why does there seem to be more teens having babies? Why the bigger and
stronger push on condoms?
Christina take on
the subject come from a place of great passion. Christina personal taken on the
subject and I quote “this is just crazy too me! I would say that if anything
within the past 20 years, our population has sky rocketed! And she feels that
the birth rate is ridiculous. “I’m seeing babies having babies; I think all
these young girls just need abstinence education.” I can hear in her writing,
the conflict, disappointment, and also the conviction on the choices provide to
our future generation of adults. She has
a legitimate concern about the promotion of contraceptive and the message
translated by plan parenthood clinics. I must that I agree with Christina, but
I must add not just in Texas be in the whole of the United States, sex
education should be required. But I disagree that they should solely teach
abstinence. She stated, “Its common sense to know what is going to happen, if
you don’t protect yourself, but the entire happy looking condom commercials,
all the spunky plan parenthood workers handing out condoms left and right… is
just not promoting any thing positive.” I don’t feel that sex education is
solely about protection. Children are that children, they need to be taught and
given a clear understanding, about what having sex means, the consequences, and
shown example of the true outcome. This was a good topic and her passionate
inputs add interest to the piece. Some grammar changes needed, and I enjoyed
it, personal passion always gives an article more depth.
Authority and Minority; Have the 1% (beef up) security and pushed back on the Global Occupy Movement. You say in what way? After entering the month November, hundreds of arrests have been made around the United Stated. Why you ask? Are the powers that be, worried about the numbers of servitude that say enough! No more! We are the 99%. The harassment's and the push backs on Occupy Austin and on the Global movement have increased.
Under the disguise of keeping the area clean, the cleaning schedule for City Hall has increased also. Have the occupier fail in following the guides and ordinance for protesting in front of City Hall. By adding more cleanings day and asking the occupiers to vacate, so that the cleaning can take place, is this unreasonable? Here is a quoted from a classmate, “Samantha a frequent occupier said, if they’re going to add more clean then we should make sure they have something to clean”. Is that the right attitude? Is this a peaceful stands to that issue? Or the last minute change in city ordinance like saying it okay to have food, and then say no food and remove all tables, Harassment? In the New York’s park it was stated “the constitution say freedom of speech, there is nothing about tents for sleep and bedrolls”. Raids at 3:00 am in the morning, trash trucks to collect, displacing and destroying the occupier’s personal property, after passing out flyers, which states their property can be reclaimed at the police station.
These events happen surrounding the movement. The daily arrests, the add rule, if you are arrest you can’t physically protest at that locate for two years. And if that’s not enough add the disagreement within the group, as to who the 99% represents. Because the homeless have decided they are part of the 99%. They have taken up hanging out at City Hall also. Some believe that they are there for the free food, which is set up in the evening. The Austin mass have mixed feeling concerning this issue, some say they don’t belong, they’re just there eating up all the food, and taking advantage of the situation. The homeless say they have just as much right to be there as anyone else, they have concerns and there are things they want to see change also. I ask! Aren’t they all one and the same? Is there cause for division? Do they have the same right to occupy and express their disillusion, dissatisfaction and take part in the “We are the 99%?” Another occupier Blanca stated “if we don’t see ourselves as all being the same! If we look down on each, because some have even less that what we perceive ourselves to have! If we continue to let them separate us from each other, and we don’t get to know and help each and most of all have humanity for each other, this is all going no where.”
The act of humanity is the key, to going forward. In reality there is no difference between the homeless and the occupiers of Austin are occupiers anywhere else. 2008 showed a great majority of us that you can be up today and down tomorrow. I can’t say enough that we are ALL headed or in the same boat. We should ALL take the opportunity to exercise our right to freely speak out our concerns. Because if we truly listen, our concerns maybe stated differently, but at the end of the day have the same meaning.
I would like to present some facts, focus on the issues at hand, and there is much that I wish to cover and share with you. Occupy Austin, my sociology class and my social work classes have become intertwined with each other.
How you say? Well in sociology we talked about Karl Marx / Friedrich Engels 1848/ 1982 theory and prediction that we would get here some day. The masses in servitude, laborer, white collar, would rebel against ownership.
How do we challenge and change these systems of power? How do we find a standpoint from which to act? From Sociology we have Paulo Freire (1970) wrote: “that a commitment to social justice requires a moral and ethical attitude toward equality and a belief in the capacity of people as agents who can transform their world. Furthermore, he stated that to create social change and to promote social justice, we must begin this process with ourselves—through a self reflective process that examines the contradictions between our espoused values and our lived experience. We must believe that all people, both from dominant and targeted groups, have a critical role in dismantling oppression and generating a vision for a socially just future. For if only people from oppressed groups take on this responsibility, there is little hope that we will ever achieve our vision.
Society is living in a false consciousness, was created to promote a reality that justifies exploitative actions. This is a reality that influences those who are harmed by it, to accept it without question, and it is critical because it is the primary means by which the powerful classes of 1% in society prevent protest and revolution.
So what is authority? Authority is the possession of some status or quality that compels others to obey (Starr 1982)
A person with authority has the power to order or forbid behavior in others (Wrong 1988)
Such command doesn’t require the use of force or persuasion nor do they need to be explained or justified. Rulers simply have the authority over the ruled. So with power and the ability to affect in ways that benefit, power is related to wealth and prestige.
As long as long numbers of the poor and now add the middle classes believe that wealth and success are solely the products of individual hard work and efforts rather than structural inequalities in society. Clearly stated they believe what in the United Stated has been called the American Dream- resentment and animosity toward the rich will be minimized and people will continue to perceive the inequalities as fair and deserved.
So the next time you see a homeless person or you hear about someone’s house being foreclosed on….. Ask yourself these questions are they to blame? Are they where they are because they have no ambition or drive to do better?
And I ask do you believe, like so many of us that the cornerstone of U.S society is that all people are created equal and that only personal shortcoming can impede a person’s progress up the social ladder? Website: http://www.occupyaustin.org//, http://occupyaustin.org/blog/
One of my classroom colleagues has written a piece: CONSERVE WATER AUSTIN...Why wait so long? the connecting link is http://marineviewperryrun2whouse.blogspot.com/.I would like to start by stating that I can feel the personal concern from the writer on this piece and it comes across as a very important topic to the writer and Austin. I can totally agree that it is important that we conserve our water resources! The source of information came from the Editorial Board of the Austin Statesman (Conserve Water). Information on how many day Texas and the surrounding areas have gone with out water, may have added fuel to the argument of conserving and and driven home the need to implement stage 2 water restriction sooner. Good information on the number of fines before stage 2 went into effect and providing dates. The passion which drives this piece also makes it an interesting read. Providing a reliable example is a plus and clearly stating that it is just that an example. Identifying that it may not work for the whole of earth's population and stating that it's something that is practice to a degree is key. Pointing out the benefits and saving for our water resource. I quote "making conservation a daily habit, it eventually become routine". Adding the number of continuous draught day might have been nice, and connecting it to the firers in Bastrop, TX, drives the message and awareness home.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Is The minority, The majority?
by Sabrina A. Cooper
Education is liberation! when professor Kris Seago "asked in class who knew about Occupy Austin", there was little to no response on the subject. He informed us by stating, he went down to city hall to check it out. He provide some basic info on the status of who and what Occupy Austin is about. I’m also taking a social work class. My professor Ms. Alvarado works very hard to keep us engaged in the social injustice of society. What I mean by this statement is socially we make assumptions about most things in general. We don’t search the facts, and verify their authenticity, that is most of us don’t.
Take the homeless, some of us have empathy, understand and realize that the concepts that everyone that is homeless like it is, that an assumption. With research we could come to a different conclusion and that is they don't wants to be homeless and life event have alter their abilities to function as a working part of society a a whole. This isn’t just an easy way out of dealing with life, not having a jobs and family and etc... Along those same lines we also have immigration. In my social work class, I watch a film about the hundreds of children leaving Belize, Honduras, Guatemala and other undeveloped country to come to America and their love ones allow them to try, in the hope of a better life for them and the family they leave behind. The ages ranged from 6 to 17. Why do they try so hard to come to American, against so many obstacles and dangerous peril? One of my classmate Chrissie in social work class made a comment; " I'm an illegal immigrate, I have paper that allow me to be here to work and most of my family is not here legally. They make it so hard for us to become citizen and the money we are spending is unreal. It cost a lot to send money back home, it cost hundreds of dollars to pay to bring someone to this country, just to work. The fraud among those who claim they will help bring love ones is massive. And this next statement was key: We don't want to be here illegally, we want to do our part in paying taxes, getting our kids educated, but the system, we don't want to beat the system." She asked the professor "why do they make it so hard? and I ask "Could it be money related? Our assumption keep us from connecting to each. The professor asked could this be the goal? If we continue to separate and not connected on a human level then we don't have time to address the real issues?"
The American dream is no different for them, than it is for us. Our democracy, basic freedom, our very way of life, these are the very things we hold dear. The right to be all that we can be, taking care of our families and loves one. I started my piece this way because, my argument or cause is getting more occupy Austin engagement. Hopefully and by the end of this piece more people will get involved with Occupy Austin. Why? you might say it has nothing to do with me and that may or may not be true. But I say deep down everyone of us can see a need for changes in governing body, each one of us has or will be affect, if not now then later. So let's take some time, follow my thought process and reasoning on this subject.
I went down to the City Hall for the first time, thirty something years of living in Texas and I never thought of visiting City Hall. I should be embarrassed you might think, but I’m a believer in the fact that the light bulb go on for all of us. At different times maybe, but the light bulb does go on for everyone sooner or later. I can blame no one for my disinterested, for my lack of motivation to educate myself, to be current on events, which directly and indirectly affect me. I am being critical of myself and in views of my opinion, take on the role that it's never too late to make changes, if you're are still breathing.
The generalization of the new media on the facts and the knowledge that I have allowed them to keep me uninformed is no longer something I 'm willing to except. Occupy Austin is taking place at this time in our history because; we have lost focus and allowed a few to control many. I have decide to exercise my right as an American citizen to be informed in the things that directly and indirectly affect my way of living and I write to encourage you to take a stand also, because you too are directly and indirectly affected. Loosing homes, loosing jobs, student loans that will take our young the next ten to twenty year of there life to pay back. Occupy Austin is asking, and I am asking you to join with me and let’s do just a few small things to let the banks, who are not concerned with how we are fairy out here, know that we make a difference. Realize that the Banking system is fraudulent. Realize that the mainstream media is an instrument used to influence public perception.
One of the newest things is the Banks plan to charge us a fee to withdraw our own money when we use our debit card. Check with your bank to see when this will be implemented. I stopped by my bank today, and I was told that right now they are only charging new customers who open an account these fees. It has not been decide when they will make it across the broad for all of their customers and the bank was Prosperity Bank. When you get a chance, move your account to a credit union. Start shopping locally; visit your local farmers market. Everything is going up around us but our pay, our income, and if you have not gone down to your City Hall take some time and go. If you family and loves are suffering financially, band together and help each other out. In hard times that what we do best and read some of the information on occupy Austin face book, join the events. City Hall is located at 5011 E. Caesar Chavez. We don’t hear much in the news, of how the movement is spreading. On the radio on the Travis Smiley show at the beginning of this week it had grown by 800 city, states and towns
In place that have a population of 11,000 people, they had a hundred people at there town hall that’s 1 % of there population. Try to image Austin have 1% of it population at City Hall. Because we are the 99%
So here what the news is not telling you: “Americans are now realizing that many of their elected officials are simply corporately owned henchmen. And the laws imposed by them are constructed to serve the wealthiest 1% and keep the status quo.” “The occupation is a movement for real democracy and personal liberty. Don’t get this twisted, I am not anti- American, my ancestor gave all for my chance at freedom, and happiness. And so did yours!
“Please join the 99%, you are the 99% any way, instead of serving the 1% unknowingly”.
You are Powerful! Occupy Austin is a movement with people of many colors, genders and political persuasions, committed to abolishing government corruption, or to soften it a little encourage much needed change to a system, that does not work for all the people. One thing we
ALL have in common is that WE ARE THE 99%.
“We can no longer tolerate the greed and corruption of the 1%. Occupy Austin emphasizes nonviolence, peaceful demonstrations I order to maximize the safety of all participants”.
Okay your argument is, I have not said anything new, and I say to that, we all are experiencing foreclosed homes, a choke-hold on lending, or lend at a high rate of return, keeping American out of work and in a position to only get what is given. If you are not affected now, you may continue to do nothing until you are affected, as “Travis Smiley said this is not going away like they though it would.”“Bank of America has $2.2 trillion in assets yet paid $0 in income taxes in 2009 and 2010 and has over 143 tax-sheltered overseas subsidiaries to get out of paying federal taxes.” I will continue to go now that I have made two trip, and yes it so easy to never have the time, it's about more than just what's happening with you. Website: http://www.occupyaustin.org//, http://occupyaustin.org/blog/, also update on Wall Street watch this video from you tube Democracy Now
David Brooks, New York Times Published 7:00 p.m. Tuesday Sept. 72, 2011
This commentary outlines our global state of emergent condition. I would to share a few key quotes by the commentator:
“If you want a big swig of despair, listen to the people who know something about the global economy. Roger Altman, a former deputy treasury secretary, is arguing that America and Europe are on the verge of a disastrous double dip recession. Various economists say it will be at least another three years before we see serious job growth. Others say European banks are teetering if not now, then early next year. Walter Russell Mead, who teaches foreign policy at Bard College, recently laid out some worst-case scenarios on his blog: http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/ “It is about whether the international financial system will survive the next six months in the form we now know it. It’s about whether the foundations of the postwar order are cracking in Europe. It is about whether a global financial crash will further destabilize the Middle East……It is about perhaps even political crisis there. It is about whether the American middle class is about to be knocked off it feet once again. The prognosis for the next few years is bad with a chance of worse. And the economic conditions are not even the scary part. The scary part is the political class inability to think about the economy in a realistic way. The source:David Brooks (born August 11, 1961)[1] is a Canadian-born political and cultural commentator who considers himself a moderate and writes for the New York Times as a conservative.[2] He worked as an editorial writer and film reviewer for the Washington Times[1]; a reporter and later op-ed editor for The Wall Street Journal[3]; a senior editor at The Weekly Standard from its inception; a contributing editor at Newsweek and The Atlantic Monthly; and as a commentator on National Public Radio. He is now a columnist for The New York Times and commentator on PBS News Hour.[1] “His argument is we need an approach that is both grander and more modest. Not band aids, not the ideologues who dominate the political conversation. Who are unable to think holistically, he points out that they pick out the one factor that best conforms to their performed prejudices and, like blind men grabbing a piece of the elephant, they convince themselves that they understand the whole thing. Democrats are predisposed to want more government spending. They keep harping on the one thing they think will cure, more government spending: low consumer demand increase spending will pump up consumer spending. Republican are predisposed to want lower taxes and less regulation. So they continue to harp on they think can be solved with tax and regulatory cuts: low business investment, cut taxes, and reduce regulation. Both orthodoxies take a constricted, mechanistic view of the situation.”
Okay so there is a lack of consumer demand! No jobs, no money, if we have learn nothing else, I think we got it on spending money that you don’t have, it least the middle class and poor got it! Credit crunch: Don’t know if you hear about this but the filling station are doing one better, and make things a little more complex. When you get $10 worth of gas or $50 dollars, there is a hold being place on your bank account of $75 or more dollar until the amount of gas purchase clears. Along with the high interest rates on credit card at the beginning of the economy crisis. Does anyone still deal in credit cards it doesn't matter now they are going after you Debt card as well? We are budgeting and when you think you have one amount in your account and you go to buy food and it read insufficient funds, I don’t know about you but I freak out. Check your with your bank they’re not sending out notices. The holds can last 2 to 4 days at a time, $75 dollars for $10?
The continuing slide in the housing prices, the freeze in business investment. What 401k, what job retirement? The still hefty consumer debt levels and the skill mismatch? Not to mention the regulatory burdens, the business classes utter lack of confidence in the White House, the looming explosion of entitlement costs and the public’s lack of confidence in institutions across board. Will the failure of our country be based on party stalemate? Not what’s good or best for the country as a whole? Is this the way we go down in history? We could harp on this everyday for thenext year that not a solution, maybe small community should to brain storm possible solution.Then the question, might be would they be received on a large scale?Writing and rewriting the problem, doesn’t help. We don’t need an every other day report on where we are in the economy or why it still broken, or why it doesn’twork. Are these panic bottoms, pushed like clockwork to make sure that a big swig of despair is present and accounted for?We can hope against hope that with time everything will fix itself! Or will we start to think outside the box, and conceive the thought of not being lead by our individual greed
Based on the title the overall gist of this story; Illegal immigrants look to be deported back to Mexico at anytime. In Birmingham, Alabama they plan to set strict new immigrant laws. Immigrants making prevision for their kids should this happen, by asking friends, relatives, co-workers, and acquaintances and even their bosses, should they be arrest or deported to please assist their children who will be left alone. Seeking legal documentation and signing document allowing others to care for their kids. There are several underlined topics in this blog. But because the topics don’t tie into Texas immigration issues the article is more suited to Birmingham Ala, or as a national piece. The title leads you down the path of immigrants fearing deportation, a fear and plan strategy for their kids should they be arrested or deported at the drop of a hat. It also leads to nationwide sympathy, which would implement immigration law once and for all and legalizing immigrants in the United States? Is this also about a group of people getting a free ride? Not paying their share of the taxes? Is it about getting a free education for their kids and social service benefits? Is it citizenship for their kids and a better life at any cost regardless of the law? These are key question. Here another should we continue to haggle about money, mores taxes, or just restructure the rules for becoming a citizen in this country, so that they can earn citizenship and we move on to other issues effecting our life style? Would the government pass a law, deporting all illegal immigrants, arrest them once they leave the house, pick them up from work, while there kids are in school? Are these story presented to us by the media as another “cry wolf”? To support this topic there should be a relationship to Texas as a Texas blog. Are these issue similar in Texas? Supporting evidence is not strong enough in relation to topic. The 14thamendments from the U.S. constitution, statements by state officials Senator Scott Beason and parental quotes need a clear and defined relation to Texas as part of the topic. Also by looking at Birmingham, Alabama official documents in relation to citizenship the article would gain more power. Providing and relating issue to Texas this commentary could be a more convincing piece. A lot of data, but it could use more connection to the implementation of the law of deportation, or just more data to support national sympathy on the issue. Data defining the process of when, how, and who will be affected and to what level.
As stated in the article : U. S. Reps. Eddie Bernice Johnson, Henry Cuellar and Al Green asked a three judge panel to throw out the redistricting map drawn by the republican- controlled Texas Legislation that was signed by Gov. Rick Perry this summer. San Antonio is the area of concern. The argument is that the GOP approved map discriminates by crowding blacks and Hispanics into shared districts despite surge in minority growth over the past decade.
So as we embark on yet another election year, so began the push and pull of parties. Could this information insight some voter to pay attention based on the fact of discrimination?
Mr. Weber outlines that” nothing is more satisfying to any minority group than having someone who looks like them represent them which was spoken by Bernice Johnson in Washington. Prominent lineup of witness signal that Democrats were winding down their case after more than a week of calling experts and minority leaders affected by the new map. According to the article the Democrats the new boundaries would create “tension district”. “Over crowded minority districts split among blacks and Hispanics and divide over which candidates to elect.”
Is this a real problem? Was this good strategy for the republican parties? As stated in the article:”It’s difficult to believe that it could happen by accident, the type of surgery that was performed,” by Green in relation to the map. I say: we the people should stop letting them force feed us whatever. Do the research; take a personal interested in who we elect.
This article is worth reading because it demonstrates one of the many examples of politics at work. Mountains and mole hills, get there mines off the facts. What are the key issues we need to focus on, does it really matter how the area is divide up or is it more important to get the people out to vote? Just a little added information, a another word related to prominent-conspicuous.
