Here is my third Challenge to you, STEP UP. Take a role in your community. Become a mentor to children. Become a peer mediator, or join a RESPECT club. Start one if need be. There is so much you can do to make a difference in your community and your world!
So I lied,there is another post for school. I have found two arguments to this topic that could be important. One is specific to males.
The War Against Boys:
How Misguided Feminism Is Harming Our Young Men
Wow, that is a very powerful statement. This book, which i thought would help with a research paper, actually came in more handy for this. You see, the author, Christina Hoff Sommers, believes that teaching boys to be more delicate and to work their problems out without fighting is wrong. She believes we should let boys be boys and fight. And while this may be true to an extent, violence only begets more violence. Those two boys fighting on the playground today might be robbing a QuickStop tomorrow. I know that sounds a little drastic, but from my own experience, I know. My best friend and I used to wrestle and beat each other up when we had problems. I turned out pretty good, I HOPE.... He on the other hand is serving life in prison. He kept getting more and more violent and actually stabbed someone his senior year in high school. Boys should learn to coexist with each other, or maybe one day they will cause ANOTHER unnecessary war.
It's all about money!
Why should we not coexist? Well, it's the answer to everything, MONEY! Thats right. Look at most of the wars America has been in. The last several were all about money. So, we choose to fight because of money. But that goes against all they teach you in public school. Money does not equal happiness. But that is why we are in war. Yet it won't make us happy in the end.
So, here is the last post I have to do for class. I do plan to keep posting though. So here is the thing, I talked to you as a global community and as Americans, now let us look at our own back yards. This one is gonna be more of a story though.
Everything in Pleasantville is, well, Pleasant.Kids could ride their bikes without worries, family was everything, and people generally get along. Everything is black and white. It's the perfect, 1950's town. Bud and Mary Sue Parker are just two ordinary teens living in Pleasantville.
Bud and Mary Sue
Betty and George Parker, Bud and Mary Sue's Parents
Bud at Work with Mr. Johnson
Kids attending Pleasantville High
The Mayor Bowling
George and Betty Parker
Everything in pleasantville wasn't so pleasant though. Bud and Mary Sue soon brought changes to Pleasantville... Instead of black and white, they brought color to the town.
Slowly, Pleasantville unravels as more and more color enters the town. The conservative towns people are outraged as Teenagers are turning colors and the town is turned upside down.
Pleasantville's first fire
Painting on Mr. Johnson's Soda Shop
Soon after Mr. Johnson paints his first painting laws are passed in Pleasantville, segregating those of color, and those that are black and white. You see, there is no tolerance in Pleasantville for anything that is different. They burned books, and chased down anyone who was different.
Soon, Bud and Mr. Johnson tried to make a point by painting a mural to show how Pleasantville needs to change.
This got the both of them into a lot of trouble. They were arrested and brought to court. The one thing they used in their defense, Tolerance. They were able to get everyone to realize that they were the same, no matter what color, or lack there of. The whole town realized they were right and changed colors like the rest.
The Point?
So yeah, Pleasantville is just a movie, but the scenario is based off of racism in the 1950's and 1960's. Teaching Tolerance can benefit a town. Kid's would actually get along instead of bullying one another. Maybe kids would actually stand up for each other and bully's would really get punished. A town without tolerance is like Pleasantville, where nothing goes right.
So now that we looked at the global effects of tolerance, how about in our own country! Teaching tolerance in America is really important. This country, thought it's come a long way since the early 20th century, there are still many problems. In the early 20th century, women got the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote. In the 1960’s, the Civil Rights Act was passed, prohibiting segregation and discrimination based on a person’s race. In the summer of 2011, New york passed a Gay Marriage law, allowing same sex couples to wed. Each of these groups have come a long way since the beginning of the 20th century. Even though these laws and bills were passed, all receive some sort of prejudice against them.
So, how affective can teaching tolerance be in 2011 within America? instead of Gay Marriage being legal in some states, it would be legal in all states. There would be no looking into race on applications for jobs or college. There would be no gender bias when it comes to sports in high school, college, or professionally.
Second Challenge!
Here is my second challenge to all you human beings! Speak up in your community! What I mean by this, try to get coed sports in your high school. Write to your senator and congressmen and push for gay rights. There is so much you can do!
This past Wednesday marked the 70th anniversary of Pearl Harbor. Since the attack on Pearl Harbor, America has dropped an atomic bomb on Japan, fought communism in the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Cold War. We also fought in the Middle East during Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom, and The War on Terror. America, in all these conflicts since the end of WWII, has been attacked just once. (http://www.historycentral.com/wars.html) The only two times since 1900 that America was attacked, were in Pearl Harbor and 9/11.
Out of all the countries in the world, 14 have nuclear weapons. Since their invention, the United States is the only country to have used a nuclear warhead against another country. We used two. That is two too many.
So, why all this talk of nuclear warfare? If there hasn't been a need to drop these horrible devices on each other in almost 70 years, than why do 14 countries need to own them? It’s all a part of a power struggle within our world. Instead of power, we should be looking for peace.
That’s where TEACHING TOLERANCE comes in. With tolerance comes negotiating and understanding skills. Instead of having to drop bombs, tolerance will maybe have people get along. We are a GLOBAL COMMUNITY, it’s time we start acting like one.
As a side post, I found this video. I feel like it goes perfectly with my theme of Coexisting. This kid is tormented everyday. He is different and his peers can't accept it. Please view.
So yesterday, December 3rd, 2011, I went to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Wow, what an amazing experience. It chronicled the events of the Holocaust and the aftermath. What I found most amazing, was a wall. On this wall, it listed the names of people who rescued Jews during the Holocaust. These people were heroes because they were just being human. They cared for the safety of the human race. This got me thinking more about my next post. The 1930's and 40's were a time where few coexisted very well. The Germans were looking for someone to blame for their recession, and Adolph Hitler fed on their anger. He had a dislike for anyone that was different. Hate was taught in schools, in movies and on the radio.
The mind of youth is impressionable and they will do what they are told by adults. In grade schools, they tech kids to hate, even now. According to motivational speaker, Michael Fowlin (http://www.michaelfowlin.com/booking.htm), they teach kids to x out the things that don't belong. This teaches the kids to x out the things in real life that don't belong.
Is There A Solution?
Yes, there is a solution tot this problem. TEACH ACCEPTANCE!
Instead of telling kids to x things out, have them put a heart around it. Instead of letting kids gang up on one another, teach them to get along. Same with parents. Don't teach your kids to bully. Be a good role model for them. This is just one way to coexist in the modern way.
Here is a poem that inspired me while I was bullied as a kid. Even though I was being tormented by students and teachers alike, I was still there, keeping strong.
Still Here Langston Hughes I been scarred and battered My hopes the wind done scattered Snow has friz me Sun has baked me Looks like between 'em they done tried to make me Stop laughin' stop lovin' stop livin' But I don't care I'm still here
About Me:Hi everyone, my name is Bobby Kolesar. I am a Freshmen at Caldwell College. So I have to make this for my Writing Power class. I am of Irish, Hungarian, Lithuanian, German, Scottish, French, Bulgarian, Czech, Slovak, and Native American dissent. I know that is a mouthful, but that's what makes me unique. As a kid I was bullied a lot. None of the kids wanted to be near me, and the school supported that. I feel that these experiences have made me more accepting.
Graffiti on the Berlin Wall.
I want to talk to you about Coexisting in the modern world. Now, whats that supposed to mean? Look at a map of the world. There are about 43 conflicts going on in the world at this time, four of which involve the United States. The U.S. is involved in Afghanistan, Djibouti, Iraq, and the Philippines at the moment. This information is from Global Security Organization, which is not affiliated with any government.(http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/index.html)
The Problem
The problem that I have found is that t he world cannot coexist with each other. I'm not just talking about America and Iraq. Within our towns and cities there are problems as well. Racism, Homophobia, Bullying, these are all common problems in the world today. I can safely assume anyone who is reading this has experienced at least one of these things within their lives. If not, sorry for assuming.
My Challenge to you
My challenge to you is simple. Next time you see someone being bullied, or someone using racism, or being homophobic, STAND UP. Make a difference for the person who is having this done against them
"We must be the change we wish to see in the world." Gandhi
e
