Gabriela's Final Presentation

Gabriela’s blog taught me many things that I had never known before. For example, I had never heard of a “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Policy.” Gabriela stated that this means, “It forbids homosexuals in the military from revealing their sexual orientation and others from "asking" about it while in the military.” I had assumed that our country was much more accepting of gays today. They are part of mainstream America’s TV shows, accepted much more within both politics and social life. However, this policy made me realize that America still has a long way to go. Would someone actually respect a solider risking his life for his country less because he is gay? That sounds ridiculous to me. And according to Gabriela’s statistics, 7 out of 10 America’s would agree with me. Another thing I found very interesting was the pros and cons of legalizing same sex marriage. Many people argued that same sex marriage is a civil right issue. However, those against it have reasons such as religion, and compromising tradition. Church and state are supposed to be separate within America, therefore religious beliefs should not be a determining factor as to whether gays and lesbians should legally be banned from being married. It is also interesting that many people are against it because it compromises traditions such as the union of men and women and children’s happiness. America is a country that grows from change. For example, technology is a change that goes against many traditions, yet we accept it. If you had gone back 60 years and asked someone if blacks should be allowed in the same schools as whites, they would have rejected the idea because it was not the way things worked. Yet look at the country today, that tradition is broken. Therefore, I think that lesbians and gays have hope in the future of being accepted.

Alyssa's Final Presentation

I had always known that Child Labor existed throughout the world. However, I never knew how severe the issue actually was. For example, there are 246,000,000 kids who are working 77 hour a week jobs. In America, children rarely work and the average person’s work week is around 44 hours. Children ¼ the age of an average working person are working double the amount of time, and for much less money. The videos within this showed a lot of poverty, injury, and over hardships. It really made me consider my life. Thinking about it, I don’t think that there is any way that I could possibly live, let alone live happily, on only $2 an hour. I earn around $60 dollars babysitting in one night, which is how much these children would make a week. However, child labor has not been as common within the United States. The blog talks about how there was child labor during the great depression, working in sweat shops. Even these children were earning more than child labors do today. Therefore, I never thought that the United States could truly do anything to help. However, the blog stated that many popular companies employ and promote child labors overseas. For example, Nike and Gap are two stores that I have shopped at in my past, and two stores who I learned employ child labors. This is truly sad and makes me re-think even shopping there again. It almost says something about America; material things are more valuable than human life. These children make a choice that people in Deerfield would never have to think twice about, work or food. America is in need of jobs, and therefore a possible solution is to bring jobs back to the United States and to stop employing children. At the same time, the blog also points out the possibilities that could happen if child labor is completely eliminated. It could leave more children homeless, and increase poverty. Basically, child labor is a lose- lose situation: you go hungry or you work.

Jill's Final Presentation

I have always looked at music as a way for people to express emotions, ideas, and stories. However, I never thought of music as a way for people to come together. One of the biggest ways that this blog portrayed this idea was through the video, “We Are the World.” This song was sung as a fundraiser for Haiti. Different styles of music, and many, many famous people, all came together in order to support a country in need. These styles of music that often separate people came together to make an extremely powerful song that truly touched many people. However, this video also showed that Music does not just unite a Nation, but the world. People were using music as a fundraiser. By singing, people were taking action towards helping, not just saying they wanted to help. This fundraiser allowed America to show its support for Haiti in a time that it was most needed. As the blog said, music allowed American’s to come together for humanity. I also found it very interesting that music was seen as a way to feel free. According to the short story that was mentioned in this presentation, “Sonny’s Blues,” gave the character a chance to feel limitless. No one had any control over his music, and he was truly free to express his own thoughts. The blog said that the character felt that there were not racial boundaries. Music is words that are sung and words that are expressed with true passion. I think it is very unique that a change in the way as idea is expressed, such as through music, could give Sonny the chance to feel true freedom. The blog shows how music has grown over the years, and that different types of music have been created throughout history. One of the most popular and recent genres of music is rap. This blog brings up a big idea as to whether rap influences violence, or whether it is just another form of expression. Rap is one of the most blunt and vivid genres of music. However, I think that it is a form of expression just like any other type of music. I think that Music is one of the most honest ways to express an idea. Rap, like many other genres, is a form of music that expresses true America. Just because there is violence and harsh ideas within Rap does not mean that they are wrong, and more importantly confronts the idea that violence and bad things do happen in America. Music expresses the truth.

CURRENT EVENT ANALYTIC ENTRY

Religion within America is constantly running into new challenges. One of the greatest challenges today is religious tolerance. In today’s society, religious beliefs affect American's acceptance. America’s religious beliefs are more diverse than ever. However, an ironic trend today is out casting Religions that are minorities. In America, the majority vote holds the most influence. With religions such as Christianity leading religion in the country, less popular religions are often looked down upon. “Buddhists and people without a religion are all viewed more warily by Americans." All of these religions are religions that do not have as many followers within America. Since these religions hold ideas that do not necessarily agree with the majorities’ religious ideas, they are looked at as wrong. Though, these actions are supported by the Constitution. Our Constitution guarantees all citizens the rights to practice free religion, but it also entitles American's to freedom of their own thoughts and ideas. Because of their strong beliefs of their own religion, many American’s are unwilling to accept and tolerate other ideas that do not correspond with their beliefs. "Prohibitions against worshipping other gods have led to intolerance, hatred, and even destruction of those who have other religious beliefs." Many choose to justify their beliefs by trying to disprove, or eliminate other religions. An example of this could be extremists. Many extremists use teachings of their religion, and twist them into a belief that their religion promotes violence towards those who do not agree with their ideas. American Religion struggles for tolerance. The constant idea of intolerance causes religious conflict. However, recently, there are more and more people who are not tolerating the idea of religion all together. This group of people is known as Atheists. Atheists have a need for a logical truth. People who chose to generate their own ideas might find that their religious beliefs do not necessarily support their ideas, thus leading them to look at their religion as limiting. Atheists do not find the ideas of faith enough. The idea of science and religion then comes into play. Many people do not agree with scientific teachings such as evolution because those ideas are not supported by the Bible. However, Atheists accept science for the exact same reason. The idea that there is a physical proof to explain something is the evidence they use to create their beliefs causes past to disappear with concepts that science illustrated. They do not see how one could argue that something is false or wrong when it is physically proven. "A person with integrity doesn't claim to know supernatural things that he or she doesn't know. An honest person wants solid evidence to support assertions, and is leery of baseless claims." This supports the idea that Atheists do not believe in faith or religious teachings because there is no backbone of evidence to support it. Thus leading them to believe that one who believes something solely because of faith is ignorant. However, the majority of American society looks down upon Atheists because they believe in faith and the Bible. There is on right idea. Mitt Romney illustrated an understanding and acceptance that different religions exist. "Each religion has its own unique doctrines and history. These are not bases for criticism but rather a test of our tolerance." Romney illustrates here that people must accept that with diversity comes different religions, ideas, and beliefs. America is a country run by the people. These people are made up of every majority and minority. Therefore, Romney’s concept is important. If America wants to continue to thrive, people should not be focusing on what they disagree with about certain religions. Instead, Romney conveys the idea that religion is part of America's diversity, and that diversity will continue to thrive only if different religions or beliefs can learn to accept one another.

BACKGROUND ANALYTIC ENTRY

The Founding fathers came to America motivated by a want for freedom and choice. One of the most sought after freedoms was the freedom of religion. The bill of rights defends religious freedom within the first Amendment. Some of the earliest religious groups within America were the Pilgrims and the Puritans. Although these groups of people were searching for religious freedom, they ironically were very spiteful towards other religions which did not correlate with their beliefs. There was a mass expansion of different religious from the time of the founding fathers to throughout the nineteenth century. Protestants were another early religious group within America who supported the beliefs of Christianity. This religious group influenced Mormonism, who identified with Christianity, yet believed that churches needed a major reform. Immigration was also a large contributing factor to the diversity religions that America has today. Immigration brought new religions to America such as Judaism, Buddhism, Islam, etc. However, each new religion that arrived into America had a common connection: intolerance. The Pilgrims and Puritans didn’t like other beliefs or religions, The protestants looked down upon the Mormon’s. Jews faced hostility, and even more recent religions such as Islam face intolerance. Religions had to work up a group of people to support them, and uphold the beliefs within those religions. New religions with differing ideas pose a threat to “more established” religions because those established religions feel as if their power and way of life is being threatened. However, it is not only new religious groups that had faced, and still face, religious intolerance. Take for example, the idea of church and state. Throughout history there has been a great debate on how and if religious values should affect a certain society. However, with the many religions within the United States. Therefore, one religion controlling ideas, education, and society, cannot satisfy all people within the United States. However. history shows that the government does not always enforce the ideas of separation of church and state. Fundamentalists argued that Darwin’s theory of evolution did not support the bible, and their religious beliefs. Therefore, teaching the theories of evolution were banned from many schools. This supports the idea that although we live in a country full “freedom,” the “religious majority” still have a more powerful influence. Even today, religious beliefs and conflicts are growing. The pledge of Allegiance includes the controversial words, "Under God." "President Dwight Eisenhower stated, 'Everybody should have religious faith, and I don't care what it is." However, who is one man to say what a whole country should believe in? Even The Declaration of Independence suggests a belief in a God many times. Most if not all who came to the New World shared common beliefs. Since they were the majority, they assumed that everyone in future eras would have the same beliefs. Escaping England was not so much escaping their beliefs but giving themselves the freedom to choose what they want to believe. Religion continues to grow within the country. A majority influences religion, and what are accepted by “our country.” However, as the Founding Fathers, the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution suggest, America is a country full of diversity, freedom, and equality, and therefore, no one idea or religion should control a whole country.

LITERARY ANALYTICAL RESPONSE

The character Ozzie, a young 13 year old Jewish boy, helps illuminate many connections between religions that seem very different. Take for example, Jesus. Jews believe that Jesus existed, but they believe he was human just like they were. Christian’s however, believe that Jesus was both human and God. They believe that Jesus was the Messiah, while Jews still believe that the messiah has yet to come. Catholics believe that Jesus is God, and is also the son of God. They believe that Mary was a virgin, and that Jesus was the miracle. However, Jews do not believe that it was possible for Mary to have a baby without intercourse. These stories are so similar, yet so different. The same idea is interpreted two different ways, creating two different religions. This is many ways can explain the tension between Jews and Christians. Jews believe one thing, Christians believe another, and both believe that the others are wrong. The idea of having faith as support for beliefs is often followed within religions. Most people accept a certain religious idea or belief because that is what they are told to, and they trust their faith to bring the right beliefs. The character Ozzie, however, is very different. He is willing to challenge his religious ideas. “"' I asked Binder (the Rabbi) if he could make all that in six days, and he could pick the six days he wanted out of nowhere, why couldn't He let a woman have a baby without intercourse.” Ozzie is very similar to an atheistic way of thinking in such way that he needs a logical answer. If God could create everything on this earth, how is it that his religion could support the belief that God could create a baby without intercourse? When he says this idea to his Rabbi, however, it is instantly rejected. It is not that the rabbi has any kind of proof against what Ozzie suggests, simply that his faith tells him that it is not possible. The rabbi represents a majority of religious followers who are content with faith as evidence. This faith in his religious ideas even causes the Rabbi to slap Ozzie for suggesting terrible things about God. “You don’t know, you don’t know anything about God!... Rabbi Binder’s hand flicked out at Ozzie’s cheek.” Many religions do not support the idea of questing God. They look at God as the most superior being, the almighty power. To question God is not only looked at as immoral, but as ignorant, and insulting. However, it may have been the fact that these ideas were forced upon Ozzie that caused him to rebel. Ozzie like many atheists may have felt that his religion limited his ideas and beliefs. Ozzie, a Jew, felt that he could agree more with Christianity’s teachings about Jesus. In an act of rebellion Ozzie locks himself on a roof top of his synagogue with his peers and Rabbi left watching his every move at the bottom. Ozzie now has a sense of power, and personal influence. Ozzie has control over his own religious beliefs, and can force others to say what he wants them to. He threatens that if they do not, he will jump. Although this was not Ozzie’s immediate idea, he uses the threat of violence, and jumping off the roof, as a way to explain and justify his religious beliefs. More than that, Ozzie is doing the exact thing that he hated most about religion, he is forcing people to admit a belief that they do not truly believe in. “He made them say that they all believed in Jesus Christ- first one at a time, then all together.” To his peers, these Christian beliefs do not make sense to them, just as Ozzie’s Jewish beliefs had not made sense to him. However, Ozzie is forcing those people to admit to certain beliefs because HE believes that they are right. More ironically, Ozzie’s character illustrates the exact opposite ideas of those he had when standing on the roof. He said, “Promise you'll never hit anyone over God" (20). This idea goes far beyond a physical slap. It supports the concept that people should not be punished for believing something, even if other religious ideas to not agree with them. This concept further implies that each person should have their own ideas, and create their own beliefs about God.

CURRENT EVENT: "ATHEISM BENEFITS SOCIETY"

What if one was asked, what is the meaning of life? How would they answer? Author James A. Haught says that an appropriate and acceptable answer would be "I don't know." Within the article, the author describes why he became an Atheist, and why Atheism can be beneficial. He believed that Atheists are among the most honest people. He claims that Atheists do not solely invest their ideas in beliefs that cannot be proven. "Nobody actually knows where beliefs come from." Implying that faith can only prove so much. Like many Atheists, the author relies on physical evidence. Many religious followers base their ideas off of their faith, and the things that their religions have taught them to accept and believe. However, the author helps illustrate the idea that many people do not believe in a certain religion because they need logic. Their ideas only take them so far, and therefore evidence, or some logical understand of how and why things happen cause them to identify as Atheists. Religion ideas do not satisfy their want for proof and logic. "It was a revelation explaining much of existence. Science became an obsession, a portal to understanding reality. Slowly, religion's claims of invisible gods, devils, heavens, hells, angels, demons, miracles and messiahs turned into fairy tales." To the author, this physical proof created his beliefs and ideas. Past faiths in things such as miracles and messiahs disappeared with the concepts that science illustrated. As the author illustrates, many Atheists use religion as an example of why faith could be false. The author uses examples such as earthquakes, wars, suicide bombings, etc., and tries to contradict the ideas of religion by stating things such as, "No compassionate creator would devise killer earthquakes and hurricanes." Furthermore, the author illustrates that the root of his atheism is distrust, and doubt. "Religion offers no proof except writings left by long-dead holy men." These writings are not enough proof in his mind. He doubts their holiness and the ideas they convey because there is no logical evidence that says he should. Faith is not enough to him. "A person with integrity doesn't claim to know supernatural things that he or she doesn't know. An honest person wants solid evidence to support assertions, and is leery of baseless claims." Within his claim he implies that those who believe in religious ideas and faith are actually the wrong ones. There is no logic behind their ideas, and they are passing along an unproven, possibly false message. Therefore, in the author's mind, honesty and integrity come from those who have cold, hard, logical, proof.

James A. Haught. "Atheism Benefits Society." Opposing Viewpoints: Atheism. Ed. Beth Rosenthal. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 10 Feb. 2010 .