#mah378

[drcknowledgeandpower]

My Thoughts on Political Correctness

As we discussed this in plenary #5, I felt the need to speak up but I was a little nervous to express my opinion in front of everyone, especially with my seriously clogged sinuses. 

However, I think that political correctness is super important in leadership, especially during presidential elections, because candidates represent the country as a whole. When someone runs to become leader of a country like America, they aren’t just representing themselves and their personal beliefs. They are representing the entirety of the United States, which is not an all-white, all male, Protestant nation. People of all ethnicities and races, genders, religious backgrounds, sexual orientations, etc. are responsible for who represents them. If someone cannot be respectful of all of these variations of citizen, they don’t deserve their respect either.

[drcknowledgeandpower]

Phenomenal Women’s Brunch

Because I live in Woodbury-Bunting Cobb, one of the DRC dorms, we were notified of this event that took place on Sunday, April 3. At first, I signed up for the free food and feminist discussion. When I arrived, I was more than grateful for signing up. There weren’t a lot of girls there, and I was one of the few to experience amazing speeches and performances, one of which was a spoken word piece that brought tears to my eyes. However, the part that really struck me was the open mic section, occurring after all of the inspiring acts. Woman after woman went up to the front of the room and described the phenomenal women that they had brought with them, expressing love, compassion and gratefulness. I was crying by the end of each little presentation, and inspired by the way that all of us were there for each other despite our differences. Some girls spoke about their moms, and some moms spoke about their daughters, and it made me realize how truly grateful I am for the women in my life. Aside from the array of delicious food, the event itself was truly amazing. 

[drcknowledgeandpower]

Here is a video of Lady Gaga’s Academy Awards performance, something that I just watched and felt the need to share. Please be warned that it might be triggering to some.

In the video, she begins on stage, alone, and towards the end she is joined by survivors of sexual assault. I have never felt more moved and emotional after a single performance.

[drcknowledgeandpower]

The Vicious Cycle of Underground Lifestyles

One of the things that she discussed that really piqued my interest was about the underground market of selling stolen bikes. She didn’t delve into the topic too much, but she did touch upon how this hidden lifestyle was a major part of the lives of these certain people, including the person who retrieved and sold the bikes. People exist in ways that are typically frowned upon by society, but often they have no other choice.

What I took away from this was that there are many lives that depend on illegal activity, mostly because that is the only method of survival available for them. And the fact that Caitlin Kenney was almost unbiased and understanding of the situation people like the bike thief were stuck in was very refreshing. It also reminded me of the legal system and how people who become incarcerated often resort to lifestyles such as this because they are not welcomed at other places of employment and are discriminated against for having a record.

This story reminded me of a friend of mine; her birth mom was a victim of the system, and although it was her fault that she ended up in prison, when she got out, she looked for a serious job so that she could get back on her feet and turn her life around. The harsh reality of the situation, despite new laws in place that prevented the places she applied to from asking if she had ever been convicted of a crime, she did not have any success getting a secure job and was homeless for a long period of time. She eventually resorted to selling illegal substances again, because she was left with no other options. She couldn’t find a job that would hire an ex-drug dealer, and the only way for her to support herself became what got her incarcerated to begin with.

When I hear about stories like this, it stirs something within me and I wish to make a change if I am able. I know of places that offer shelter and employment to women who are released from prison, but that they are almost as bad as the prisons themselves when it comes to safety and support. One of the biggest issues these women and others face is getting caught in the vicious cycle of committing crime, incarceration, and then returning to the life of crime because they have no other options. One day I hope to put an end to the pattern, or at least contribute to it.

One of the biggest issues that this topic has is a lack of understanding, because people have this belief that a person is inferior to them if they do bad things. One of the steps in solving these types of problems is to open our eyes to the situations of others, and to have respect for lifestyles that aren't necessarily ideal.