Jasmine's Homework

In both the movie and the packet, we see blatent examples of how minority groups have been discriminated against beginning at a very early time. Seeing the video personally shocked me. I am African American and I feel as if it is awful how badly we were treated because of something that we simply have no control over. In the video, i was taken back by the scene where the ethnic man loses his citizenship because his race is no longer considered to be caucasian. The man later commits suicide showing the dreadful effects of such a flawed government/system. In addition, i was also shocked by the fact that the courts definied being caucasian as something that can only be decided by a caucasian man. To me this is just outright ridiculous. It was a way for the opressors to continue opresssing the minorities, and it seemed as if they felt they had the right to do so. Do you agree with the quote “Success is sweet and sweeter if long delayed and gotten through many struggles and defeats.”? Or do you believe that that we should just let our government fix this problem?

Brian's Homework

My reaction to the video and the article we watched and read was one of suprise. I find it hard to beleive that the country had such a bizarre view on race and it's restrictions. I was aware that minorities like blacks, hispanics, and asians were discriminated against but when the country is pulling apart fractions of ones ethnicity it is getting out out hand. Those who had the courage to stand up against the injustices of social and political racism were truely heros in my mind. When a society is so politically backwards someone has to stand up against it.

Beyond Race

My first reaction to the article and its statistics shocked me and appalled me because I am a person of African American Decent and it seems like everything was working against my ethnicity and it seems as if everything is automatically working against me since birth. Shortly after reflecting on this article I started to think more into the issue and I went beyond what was on the surface. The article is not just stating that there is a problem with the way certain races have it more difficult it is stating that many issues have got to deal with our history and us being born into issues. I think as a society we favor those with more money and who make up a smaller percentage of the whole population. As a country we give them more such as with tax cuts and power. We should not let this happen because each person should have the same value but in our society the value of a person with money is much higher than a poor person, which is sad. The article is really sad and it is saying that we should step up and do something, but it doesn’t provide any solutions but I think that is good, because people rely too much on people giving them answers instead of thinking of things on their own.

Ellie's Homework Question

What are a few examples of how the government made racism worse after the war (from the movie etc.)? Do you think that if the laws were different people would have been more accepting of different races? (ie. The Hoovervilles did not allow blacks therefore further segregated people)

marco

the packet points out all the problems with the socio-economic system that we live with today and simply i think we need to stop pointing out the facts and do something to change it so what would be good and accomplishable solutions to these problems of racism in the socio-economis-system?

Ashley's Homework Question

In the movie and in the packet it really pointed out how society really is unfair. It states that; socio-economic class communities of color usually are the worse off economically. Society is still segregated when it comes to the way certain neighborhoods are grouped. It shouldn't matter what color you are to define who you are. In the past it was easier to see, but the social locations are ridiculous how human beings are being situated in different areas based on their social relationships and identities. Race and class are the number one ways people are grouped in neighborhoods, but religion and sexual orientation also for example look at Chicago. Do you think society can change and start mingling more in the next 5-10 years, or will it still be the same? 

In the packet, it says that the top ten wealthiest people in the U.S. are all white. Do you think our society shapes this or it is just a coincidence? Furthermore, 24.5% of black people live in poverty. Do you think that these numbers are by chance or by racism or anything else?

Shaquina's homework question

After seeing the movie and learning from the articles we read in class, do you think that it is possible for us to create a society where racism and racial profiling does not exist? If so, what changes would we see in the statistics that we read about in the articles?

Tony's homework question

As seen in the movie watched in class and I'm sure we have all witnessed it first hand, people tend to racially profile people whether you admit it or not. Although it was worse in the past, it still exists today. Thanks to people like Martin Luther King Jr, racism especially has gone down. Why do people need to follow behind one courageous being to finally speak their mind and can not do anything on their own? Is it going to take another man like Martin Luther King Jr to help people speak up?

Nina's homework question

As we've learned in history and shown in the movie that we watched in class on Friday, minority groups have often been discriminated against and white people, in history, have been thought of as superior. Although our country has made huge steps away from the terrible racism that occured during the beginnings of our country through the 20th century, do you think that all races are completely equal today? If not, do you think there will ever be a perfect equality?

Jennifer's Homework Post

This article did a good job of pointing out problems regarding equality in our society. However, it did not seem to point out solutions. I wish it could have narrowed in on some of the wealthiest people's lives and give how much money they donate to the less fortunate. If we were able to go back and redistribute the wealth so everyone is equal do you think society would have progressed as far as it has today? Also, besides a classless society, what are some possible solutions to this article?

The link between race and poverty

Undeniably, we live in a society which racial classification determines a person's access to participation. It is a system we have always lived by and a system that credits levels of ability and achievement to certain members of groups. These levels reflect different ways of access to cultural resources. Lack of access, results in today's poverty and abandonment towards the the poor, especially educational resources of the society. Poverty only furthers restriction of a person's access to participation. The notion that we willing give the rich power of our nation is unreal because the poor are at a disadvantage and attribute no true power in society; yet, we as a people have not done much to help if "the poorest 50% of the world's population owns only 1% of the world's wealth while the richest 1% of adults in the world own 40% of the planet's wealth." Can America truly be a nation which tolerates such an uneven distribution of wealth? On top of that, if the government is disregarding the poor and redlining minority communities, is the government which is supposed to uphold the notion of freedom regardless of race, sex, etc. being hypocritical to its own claims? It is as if we are oppressors of our own country, but only through recognition of how serious this is can real change be done.

Topic 3: Dead Man Walking

“The director did not want the film to be labeled as anti-death penalty. That’s why we see so much about the crime in the movie. [The director] shows the horror of what Poncelet did to balance out the possible view of the prisoner as victim. I have no doubt that some people will leave the theatre saying ‘Fry ‘em’ about everyone on death row.”
(www.salon.com/06/reviews/dead3.html)
Do you agree that the film is not necessarily anti-death penalty? Does it offer a balanced portrayal? Do you understand why some people will still agree with the death penalty after viewing the movie?

Topic 2: Dead Man Walking

How do artists work to affect social change? Has Dead Man Walking made you question ideas you once had about the death penalty? If so, how? Do you believe that plays and movies can ultimately change how you feel about an important universal question?

Topic 1: Dead Man Walking

The following is an excerpt taken from the book Dead Man Walking and it involves Bill Quigley, a local attorney and his young son. Patrick has asked why people wanted to kill Mr. Sonnier. “Because they say he killed people,” Bill had answered. ‘But, Dad, then who is going to kill them for killing him?” (60)
Do you believe that government should engage in the killing of criminals? Do you believe the state has the right to say who lives and who dies?

Topic 3: Early Life

Sex selection is a form of gender discrimination.

Topic 2: Early LIfe

It is unethical not to proceed with embryonic stem cell research if we know that it could potentially offer cures.

Topic 1: Early Life

In this brave new world of reproductive technology, we risk the diminishment of human dignity.

At Life's Beginning

Today in class we read a short editorial titled "At Life's Beginning." I want to open this post up to any comments or reactions that you might have from reading it. Was there anything that struck you or anything that surprised you? Do you agree with the author's argument(s)?

Welcome!

Welcome to Ethics 3- an ongoing class conversation about Ethics. Be sure to follow all our class guidelines for blogging! To demonstrate that you were able to find this blog, please comment below to the question: What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?

Good luck & have fun!