Racism

there are two types of racism prevalent in todays society, implicit and explicit. implicit is hidden racism where it is not shown on purpose but is in the back of our minds. an example of implicit racism can be the news article where a minority is 'looting' food while a white couple 'finds' the food. this wasnt done on purpose but it just goes to show what is going on in our subconscious. explicit is shown racism where it is quite obvious that some individuals are racist. an example of explicit racism is groups such as the KKK showing their hatred for jews and others through demonstrations and parades. although implicit might seem less demeaning than explicit, both are still very bad. it is because of the society before us and the society we live in today that has had these effects on us. people are always being judged first solely on the color of their skin or ethnicity. although some ethnicities can be different from others but look the same we put them in the same category stereotyping them. in order for us to overcome these stereotypes we must look past the color and ethnicities of others and look into the person that they actually are.

Habitat For Humanity

This past saturday i volunteered at habitat for humanity for 4 hours. when i was on my there i didnt know what i was going to be like and if i was going to know anybody there. this past saturday was also the day of prom, so i knew that i was going to have a long day ahead of me. when i first got there i met some of the leaders of the project and started doing little tasks that they had asked me to do. after a while some friends of mine came by so it was good to have some company. after seeing that i was capable of doing these tasks, they had asked me and my two other friends to start making a pathway to the house. we had to line everything up perfectly so that the walk way would be level. it was very hard work as it took alot of time and precise measurements. even though this was hard work i knew that i was doing something good for the less fortunate. i started to think that some people aren't as priveleged as i am and cant afford or arent able to buy and own their own house. it wasnt a big house but it would make due for the single woman who would be living in it. i was really happy that i could help out with someone less fortunate by helping create a house to live in.

High School Class

No matter where you go every high school is filled with many different cliques. In class this past week we were talking about how social class affects what kind of people one associates themselves with and how different cliques are viewed by society and by other cliques. The two most prevalent cliques in every high school is the popular kids and the nerds. Both of these groups are very well stereotyped. The nerds think that the popular kids are all rich and snobby, and the popular kids think that the nerds are all smart and for some poor. In the video we watched in class it was easy to see what kids fell into what kind of groups. And every single group based their opinions on one another just by the way they look, not by what kind of person they actually are. Even in shs this kind of thing happens. As you walk down the hall it is easy to spot out which kid belongs in which group. I myself try to avoid "judging a book by its cover". I play sports so in part i could be called a jock but in other aspects my grades would reflect that of a nerd. I try to keep myself as well rounded and well liked as possible to avoid the typical stereotype of a popular kid or nerd. I feel that if every high school student had time to talk to kids from different groups they would see that they are all not so bad.

Prison's Revolving Door

One of the worst systems in America today is its justice system. The United States is the leading nation in the number of people in prison. Not is it only the worlds leading nation in amount of people in jail but the largest percent of people in jail. We have over two million people in jail. more than some countries have a population of. The thing is a majority of these people that leave prison after their sentence is over they are most likely to go back. It is like the doorways to prison are a revolving door. Most of the prisoners in prison are minor offenders, mostly drug users and drug dealers. In order to fix this problem that we have in our country, we must seek out to advise and counsel these prisoners so that they will not be as likely to go back. Ultimately we will have less prisoners in jail and keep the streets safer.

Drugs

In class a couple weeks ago we were talking about drugs, mostly marijuana and how society views it. Some states have different punishments for marijuana then other states. I remember hearing that in Louisiana, someone having a specific amount of marijuana or more can be arrested and taken to jail for 25 years, while someone in New York carrying the same amount would get a $500 fine. I think its ridiculous how we are treating this subject so poorly. I believe that its a fear that was installed in us during the Reagan administration that marijuana and other drugs are ruining the fabric of our society. Also, there are many other drugs that have worse side effects than marijuana that are sold over the counter. Such drugs as, alcohol and nicotine. These are two of the most widely used drugs in the US and they are legal at a certain age. These two drugs also account for the many deaths in the US. I feel that as a government we have to reconstruct our attitude and view on many of the drugs in our nation today.

Cherished Children

This past Monday, I volunteered at the Cherished Children's day care for 2 hours. Overall I had a great time! once we first got there and got off the bus you could see the excitement in all the kids faces. it was so cute. we first had to wash our hands before we played with the kids so we wouldnt spread any germs. Some other volunteers and I went out in the play ground to play with the kids. it was really fun as we played duck duck goose, tag, and catch with a football. there were these two kids in particular, ryan and tony, who would tackle each other once they got the ball. it was pretty funny to see but the supervisor of the playground was mad that we let them fight. it was still alot of fun though. i remember when i was a kid playing on the playground running around without a care in the world. those were the days.

Community Service 4.5 hours

This past Tuesday, I volunteered at the Shriner's Hospital for Children for 4.5 hours. This is a hospital for physically and mentally challenged children. While I was there we played wheelchair basketball. Going into this I didn't know what to expect. As we first entered the facility, I was unsure on what exactly we were supposed to be doing and how we were going to be able to play with the kids and communicate with each other. When we first started playing it was very hard to maneuver the wheelchair while holding the basketball and shooting it into the hoops, but after a while I got the hang of it. There were three patients that we were going to be playing with, Jasmine, Andrea, and Justin. As we started playing, I noticed that these the patients were more than capable of playing. It was very impressive to see them play and have a good time despite their disabilities. I had a great time playing and would enjoy going again. After we were done playing I felt that we had made a difference to these kids and their parents that were there. I could tell on their faces that they also had a good time playing and that the parents were also very happy that we came by to play with them. It made me think that sometimes I take some things for granted such as playing basketball and moving without the use of a wheelchair. Not only do I feel lucky that I am able bodied but I am also so proud of these patients and how they cope with their disabilities and still have a good time. It was a very heartwarming experience. I left with two blisters on my hands, but it was all worth it to bring joy to the patients and their parents.