http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkwxMYiyd_M Look Into My Eyes - Outlandish
As a result of this class I have thought more about what I can do in this world to make it a better place to live. I have learned a lot about what it means to speak the truth. The more I learn about the world the sadder it makes me. If only people knew how to love each other and understand that we are all humans. Margret Randall taught me a lot about this along with Demetria Martinez. Throughout my entire life I have lived with the struggle of being misunderstood. Not to say my problems are any greater than another's and I don't live in the same fear that my brothers and sisters overseas do, but I hope that we can feel for them and understand that there is a bigger picture than the one that America gives us. I like this song because it speaks all of the things I wish I could have said. Please enjoy!
If you all have any thoughts on this or possibly some things in your life that you find a major issue of today's economy please talk about it.
Of course, we have some pretty major issues in today's economy, which I'm sure you're all aware of. I guess I'll go ahead and talk about one: illegal immigration. Many people are kind of ridiculous when it comes to this. Illegal immigrants come here and take the jobs we don't want. So whenever people get really upset about immigrants coming here and stealing our jobs, I'm just like...seriously? You want to go pick fruit in California? I am not saying illegal immigration is 100% a good thing, but most people like cheap labor because then things aren't so expensive. At the same time, those immigrants are not getting paid as much as a citizen or legal immigrant would get paid, and it's difficult for them. It's a huge problem, and people who act like it's as simple as making it more difficult for them to cross the border need a reality check.
ReplyDeleteAlso, generally speaking, a growing population is better for the economy, and immigrants keep our population growing. Nations with declining populations consider it a huge problem (for example, Japan).
Most of the people I speak to who say, "Yes, deport them!" don't seem to realize that that would cause some more problems at home.
I admire Margaret Randall and Demetria Martinez very much for talking about contentious issues. I try to be cautious when talking about this stuff, especially around the conservatives in my family. There's actually a lot of other things I could say about the economy and our society, but I'll restrain myself.
And Summer, that video was great. :) If you wanted to write about such issues, I would be very interested in reading your stuff.
Summer, I read the lyrics of the song you posted and I think they are very powerful. It is so true when the author says that we do not know where our money goes. It is sad to realize that we are constantly being lied to by our government and then find out fifty years later what our money was really used for. I think our government has done such a great job at keeping us dumb and passive on social issues. Look at people like Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, and even John F. Kennedy that were all silenced because of their stance on human rights.
ReplyDeleteHowever, we live in America and it is our responsibility to step up. I've been told that because we are growing up here, we have a greater voice in what happens in the world. Like Peter Parker's gradpa once said, "with great power comes great responsibility". This past week Nelson Mandela died and I think he is a great example to all of us that one person really can change the world. The only thing we need is enough passion and drive to actually go out and do it!
I think in general we need more people to feel sympathy for those in a struggles. We need to one day walk in their shoes to really understand where they come from. Like you said Anna, many people don't understand immigration. When someone says "illegal immigrant", they are incapable of connecting a face to a history and to a struggle. People cross the border not because they want to but because that is their only choice. I would be willing to do anything if I saw my children starving and my neighbors being raped and murdered. We really do have an obligation to change the world. Power to free speech!