I think the reason why we stay enclosed in our own “little cultural boxes” is due to the fact that many of us fear change and the unknown. We grow up with our own customs, traditions, and rituals that become normative and safe to us. When we go out into the world and are exposed to other cultures, traditions, ideas, etc, we may feel threatened. Learning and exposing ourselves to new things often times causes us to move out of our comfort zones. I think that this can be extremely challenging for many people because they fear of being told that their practices and traditions are different or wrong. Some people may have tried to step outside of their boxes in the past and may have had uncomfortable experiences, causing them to become reluctant to do so again. For me personally, I enjoy being exposed to different opinions, ideas, and cultural experiences. Although I have deep ties to my own religious beliefs, traditions, etc, I still find it very interesting to learn about others’. I have many friends from different religious and cultural backgrounds. There have been many times where I have gone with them to their places of worship to experience what their services are like, eat traditional meals and listen to music normative to their cultural and ethnic roots. I will not lie, sometimes these experiences can be intimidating and uncomfortable at first, but they are always interesting and fun learning experiences. I am so thankful when people let me ask them questions about their religion and cultural traditions. Sometimes I fear that I am being intrusive or offensive, but most often, people are proud of their heritage and beliefs, so they enjoy sharing. This is also true for me. I love when I can share my experiences, religious beliefs, points of view, and family/ cultural traditions with others.
It baffles me that some people stay in their “boxes” their whole lives. As the saying goes, “variety is the spice of life.” Life is boring when stay safe and contained in our “boxes.” Some people may be comfortable with this, but I am a person who cannot settle for boring and normal. I love to travel and try new things. Stepping out of our comfort zones is definitely a risk, but what is life without a little risk? When we have the courage to step outside our “boxes,” we open ourselves to new learning experiences and ideas. Experiencing new cultures or listening to others’ beliefs and opinions, does not mean we must reject or change our primary beliefs and ideals to accept theirs. Instead, cultural awareness and diversity enables us to become more knowledgeable, accepting and understanding of one another. By learning and exploring other cultures, traditions, and beliefs, it is not necessary to pick which is right or better. No one is right or wrong in their beliefs and traditions. Instead they are just different from one another. If more of us had the courage to break the barriers between “us” and “them” and were open to learn and share with one another, the world might become a more peaceful place.

Sam asked a very interesting question about what it would take for us personally to have the drive to kill another human being. He stated in his question that our answer should not be based around the thought of killing in self-defense or for the protection of our families in eminent danger. This question is purely based off of killing in the name of hate. Personally, I do not believe that I could ever have so much hate inside of me for a person or a specific group of people that would drive me to take their lives. I won’t lie I am a very emotional person when it comes to circumstances of injustice. When I see reports on the news about children and other innocent civilians losing their lives over war and hate, I get angry. I feel anger and hatred towards others who are doing the killing. I view these people as monsters, people who have no heart, no soul. How can they justify their acts? This is why I have a difficult time understanding the war in the Middle East. I have a lot of anger and hate towards the extremist who bombed the World Trade Center Towers, as do a lot of Americans, but it does not mean that I think that all Middle Eastern people are evil. There are extremists in every group. I understand the United States government needed to take action to ensure that another 9/11 event did not occur, but both sides of the war make me angry. Of course, I am so thankful that there are American men and women risking their own lives so that I can have the peace of mind and freedom to live in a safe and protected country, but it is hard for me to understand why people would want to enlist. I do not think that I could ever personally adapt to the way of live that our soldiers have to. I could NEVER strap on a gun and go fight, knowing that the ammunition in my hand had the ability to take away another life, whether or not it were an enemy of mine. I am not taking a jab at military men and women, I am so grateful for their commitment, but I guess I am more so sad for them. There are quite a few close people to me in my life who are currently serving in various branches of the military. Listening to their stories and experiences causes me to become very disheartened. I am sad for them, because I see what the war has done to them. They come home different people. My close friend who is in the Marines told me stories of having to kill people. After talking to him more about it, he told me that he has had to do it and seen it happen so many times that he has become desensitized to it. Hearing him say that scared me. His story is the same as many others in the military I am sure. Sadly, I know that we will never live in a world free of war, violence, and crime, but I can honestly say that I would probably lay down my own life, before I would ever take a hit on someone else’s. I could never live with myself knowing that I took a life.

Jorge from the video we watched in class is no doubt living a selfless life for God. One of the main goals of Christianity is to definitely live a life that is holy and pleasing to God. As Christians, we are taught to model our lives and actions here on earth as Jesus would. There is a famous saying “What Would Jesus Do?” It is not our goal as Christians to be as good as Jesus, for we know that we are all sinners and could NEVER match up close to Jesus no matter how hard we try. Instead, it is important as followers of God that we take a step back from situations and think about what Jesus would do if he were in our situation, before we immediately react with our human instinct. For example, when someone does wrong to us, instead of seeking revenge, we are taught to treat that person with love and forgiveness. Or when we see injustice, we are taught to stand up for what is right. We are taught to do unto others as you would want done to you, for this is the Golden Rule.

In the video, it was apparent that Jorge was not wealthy by any means, but still he gave all of his time and money to helping others who were worse off than him. As Christians, we believe that the Lord will always take care of His people. This is what faith is all about. We do not fear what the future will bring, if we will have enough money or security, for God will provide if we have faith in Him. Jorge and his family probably have many struggles of their own financially, but they are not worried, because they know that God will provide for them in need, and that they will be blessed for the work they are doing. In the Bible Matthew 25:40 states, “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ This is the verse that Jorge is living out in the world for God. It is our belief as Christians that when we serve others, we are directly serving the Lord up above. Now I must address a common misconception about good deeds and Christianity. Many times people think that the more good deeds we do, the better chance we have of going to heaven. This is simply not the case. The Lord delights in our good deeds for we are showing kindness and compassion to others, but the Bible clearly states in Isaiah 64:6, “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.” This is saying that no matter how good we are here on earth or how many hours we rack up helping others, it does not necessarily mean we will enter the Kingdom of God. The only way we are welcomed into the “Pearly Gates” is through our faith and acceptance that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and that we acknowledge that Jesus is our one and only personal Savior. Therefore, Jorge could serve others until the day he parishes, but if he does not believe in Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, he will not enter the Kingdom. God wants us to serve others, but he also and more importantly wants us to have faith in Him.

The issue of abortion is one of extreme controversy in the United States. In our society it seems as if you have to either be Democrat or Republican, pro-choice or pro-life, and there is no in between. People have strong attitudes and opinions on either side of the debate. To be pro-life, one believes that the government has the obligation to preserve all human life, regardless of intent, viability, or quality of life concerns. Pro-choice on the other hand, takes the stance that women should have complete autonomy over the decisions pertaining to their bodies and reproductive system. Abortion is a topic that I have had changing views on over the years. Growing up in a religious household, I was taught that abortion was an awful and selfish sin. As time has passed and I have been exposed to more information and different perspectives on the debate, my harsh views on abortion have changed to a certain degree. I do not know how to classify my views and opinions of abortion under the specific sides of pro-life or pro-choice. I feel as though I am somewhere in between. It is very easy to have an opinion against abortion if you have never been faced with a situation where it had to be considered. Fortunately, I have never had to consider abortion as an option for myself, but I have people close to me that have had to grapple with the difficult decision. When these individuals close to me were considering their options, my views began to change. I put my opinions aside and put myself in their shoes. The hypothetical situation was troublesome to think about. Seeing these individuals close to be struggle was painful, but I ultimately supported them in whatever decision they saw fit for themselves. After thinking a great deal about it, I personally could never go through with an abortion, but I do not think that the government, which is predominantly made up of men, should have the right to decide for every woman in the country. With that being said, I do think that abortions need to be regulated to a certain extent. In cases of rape, incest, and danger of the mother, I think that abortions should be allowed. Although that unborn child did not ask to be conceived in the traumatic manner in which they were, I think that a woman should be able to decide her option for herself. The issues I have with abortion is that I fear that young girls will use abortion as a form of birth control. Accidents do happen, but abortion is not something that should be taken lightly. I think that abortion should be accessible regardless of their reasoning, but women and girls need to be educated on the impact and consequences of their choices. If made completely illegal, abortions will still continue to be performed, but they will not be performed in a manner that protects the health of the mother. The government needs to make it safe for women and girls to seek out the option of abortion if they choose. Providing counseling and support both before and after abortions is extremely important. Ultimately, I feel as though improved education on sexual health and accessibility to birth control and other contraceptives will decrease the abortion rate greatly.

I am very excited that we are finally talking about this subject in class. Ending slave labor is something I am truly passionate about. I hope someday I can devote my life’s work to advocating for those whose voices have been silenced by such brutality. I like the student in the video, still use an outdated flip phone. Sure, iPhones are neat gadgets, but I don’t think that I could ever purchase one and not feel guilty. I realize that it is just not iPhones or Apple products that are producing and selling slave labor goods. Televisions, the clothes that hang in my closet, and even the laptop I am writing this response on have probably all been touched by the hands of slaves. It makes me feel sick and extremely guilty, knowing that I own things that people have been inhumanly treated and threatened to produce all for my convenience and enjoyment. It is almost impossible to fully get around purchasing and using slave produced products in the world we live in, but I feel that I need to use my money and purchasing power carefully and as morally as I can. Last year, I stumbled upon a website called slaveryfootprint.org. This website allows you to plug in the everyday products you use and calculates the number of slaves that you have working for you around the world. Although, lower than others, my slavery number was 30. Thirty slaves, thirty lives, thirty people who have families, feelings, and emotions, just like the rest of us are working for me so that I can maintain the lifestyle I have been accustomed to. These are not machines, these are human beings! After seeing the part that I play in modern day slavery, I have tried to make more conscious decisions in regards to my purchasing power. I try to live my life as simply as possible, which ironically, can be very difficult. For instance, instead of buying mass produced products that line the shelves in most of our stores, I try to buy locally produced goods, organic, and ethically produced fair trade goods as much as I can. This can be difficult sometimes, because of how much more expensive these goods are in comparison to mass produced products, but I am willing to buy less and pay more if I know that I am not supporting unethical treatment of human beings. I hope that one day I can play an even bigger part in the change to end modern day slavery and human trafficking. I know that I cannot end this brutality as an individual, but I feel like my small choices still matter.
The developed world is so technologically dependent and functions on the system of supply and demand. The United States is a very status driven society, causing everyone to want the latest gadgets, so they don’t feel cut off or out of date. My friends often poke fun at my flip phone. They tell me that I am not going to end the market of slavery alone and that eventually I will have no choice but to purchase an iPhone. They’re right when they say that I am not going to end these inhumane practices alone, but I can still be an example and use my individual power in a morally conscious way. I can be an example to those around me and help to raise awareness on this issue. It is my hope that our society will become more aware of the power they have in this world to change the quality of other’s lives. We need to educate one another on this issue, investigate what our money supports, and we need to consider what life would be like for us if we were in the shoes of these slaves. If we don’t demand, there will be no need to supply. We must use our voices and demand that companies develop more ethical ways to do business, instead of demanding more unethical products. If every one of us gave in and conformed to society completely, nothing would ever change or improve. Although it can be a difficult, uphill battle, it is always important to stand up for what you believe to be true and just.

It is not shocking to me that most of our beliefs and views are based on assumptions, personal experience and miscommunication, rather than on factual information. As children, we are socialized by our main caregivers, normally our parents. It is our parents who teach us, and shape and mold the lens through which we begin to view the world through. Their beliefs and views tend to become our core beliefs. Not only do our immediate families shape these opinions and assumptions, so does our community and environments. These core beliefs are carried with us into adulthood. If we grow up in small secluded area, living with only people who look similar to us and have the same core beliefs, we tend to think that these views are the normative. If we leave that area to explore, we encounter new people, ideas, and beliefs. These new perspectives are alien to us. We think our way is the right way, and we then apply what we know from our past experiences and the beliefs we were socialized by to this new environment. This is where conflict can occur, and most often does. Ideally, each and every individual needs to educate and inform themselves on the beliefs of the world outside of their own.
As a society, I think that we tend to assume and prepare for the worst to happen. We are a society that lives in fear, because we operate out of assumptions and skewed perceptions. Sam did great job of demonstrating this in class last week, when he asked the poll question pertaining to the number of non-family child abductions each year. I voted that there were at least 6,000 each year, but the answer was actually only 100. This was shocking! We grow up learning that we should never talk to strangers or trust people we don’t know. Sam also noted that children are more likely to die in a car accident or be struck by lightning than getting abducted. Instead of basing our view of child abductions on statistical and factual evidence, we base it off of what we are told by our misinformed family and media portrayals. Even though there are only 100 child abductions each year, I still don’t think I will be a parent who will let her young children walk to school by themselves or play outside without watching. Even though the risk is small, there is still a risk and I don’t think there is anything wrong with being cautious.
When it comes to religion, government, and ethical and moral issues, I think that it is important for individuals to investigate and make themselves aware of the genuine truth. I feel it is our moral duty to ensure that every voice and view is considered. It is vital that we remain open to new views, beliefs, and ideals. If we investigate the truth and make others aware, then maybe we can breakdown these misinformed belief systems.

When we think of America, we think of freedom, liberty and justice for all. After class last week when we discussed the extreme state of poverty that the Native American’s are living in in this country, the statement above seems so unbelievable hypocritical. How can we believe that we are a nation of freedom and justice after looking at current circumstances of Native Americans in this country? According to Forbes.com, The United States of America doles out more than “$58 billion a year in foreign assistance.” This foreign assistance is used to “lift people out of poverty, and promote democracy and economic stability.” The foreign aid we give to other countries needs to be monitored. A lot of the aid we give is given directly to the governments of these foreign countries. These governments are often corrupt and fail to distribute the aid properly in their country. I think it is important that the United States lends a hand to other countries in need, but America needs to take a look in its own backyard. The Native American population is living in a third world country within the borders of the United States. If America can afford to help people in other countries, why aren’t we helping the people in our own country?
I have always been somewhat aware that the Native American people have been struggling, but I never realized to what extent. It seems like the Native American population is one that is swept under the rug in our country. Schools in America “sugar-coat” the history between the first settlers and the Native American people. When we think about Native Americans, we tend to think of pilgrims and Thanksgiving. We don’t talk about the murders, the savage cruelty, and the driving out of the Native people. When we hear the word genocide, we automatically think about the Holocaust or the genocide in Rwanda between the Hutu and the Tutsi’s that occurred in 1994. We fail to look at the very beginning of our own country and the genocide of the Native American people. It makes me sick and outraged by the injustice toward the Native American people in this country. I understand that we cannot go back and change history, but I feel that we need to help write the wrongs of forefathers, by helping the Native Americans struggling today.
I have always had the desire to go out in the world in help others, but I’ve always pictured myself helping the people in underdeveloped countries like Africa or Haiti. After hearing the conditions that the Native American people are living in, I am strongly considering focusing my efforts in my own country. If we are going to truly consider ourselves the “land of the freedom and equality,” we need to start focusing our efforts on helping our own people.

For every one soldier killed in war, twenty-seven commit suicide. I can’t say that I am that shocked by this statistic. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a very serious condition that military men and women have to grapple with when the return home. We often thank and honor the troops for the sacrifices they have made, but pats on the back for their effort are not enough. Many war veterans are returning home with heavy burdens and trauma. They are expected to easily reintegrate themselves back into civilian society. Sure we can tie yellow ribbons around our trees and fly our American flags high, but in all honesty, we cannot truly consider this as support of the troops. These military men and women come home and need employment, education and training, and most importantly, they are in desperate need of counseling and mental health assistance. With the things they have seen and experienced, with the duties they were forced to carry out, how can we expect these men and women to adapt back into society immediately? We can’t. We need to change how we “support our troops.” We as Americans need to make it easier for military veterans to find jobs to support their families, we need to help them financially with their training and education, and we need to stop minimizing the need for therapy of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Depression.
From talking to some of my friends in the military, as well as reading the stories of many veterans online, it is not only devastating to hear what they have endured and experienced during war, but I think it is worse to hear what they have to deal with when the return. A good friend of mine told me how he saw many civilians, including innocent children die. I began to cry as he talked, and asked him how he was able to deal with it all. He told me that he was “emotionally-hardened”. The military broke him down in boot camp and training, and after seeing the horrific things he described to me, he said he became so desensitized that he learned to not let it bother him. Death and conflict became normal to him. I believe that with military training, emotional-hardening, and desensitization, veterans feel pathetic for seeking out counseling and therapy. They have learned to hold back their emotions, bury them, and solider on. This is very disheartening to me, and I strongly feel that military men especially are struggling to seek help, because they are expected to be tough and strong. The proof is in the numbers we need to do more to help and support our troops. Our troops will not reject our kind words of gratitude, but they need to tell their stories and we owe it to them to listen. We need to talk to them about what it is that they need from us. Regardless of whether we support the war or not, it is every the responsibility of every American to face the aftermath and consequences of war, and take ACTION to help our troops and veterans.

Gender roles and expectations are constructions of our society. Gender socialization begins from the time when we are young children. Little girls play with dolls, while little boys play with trucks. Girls are taught to be “lady-like”, and boys learn that they should be rough and tough. The emotions of girls are fostered and tended to, while the emotions of boys are squelched. This socialization is influenced and reinforced not only by parents, but by schools and the media especially. Gender socialization and conformity are presented to us in many ways. Family is our primary source of socialization. When something is broken around the house, Dad is normally the one to fix it. Mom normally prepares the meals and cleans up the messes. Not only do we see our parents maintain certain roles, as we grow older, our parent of the same sex begins to teach and include us in the roles we will take on later in life. Mom may ask her daughter to help her with the cooking, while dad teaches his son to cut the grass and work on the cars. When mothers put on make-up and invest time into their appearances, their children take notice believe it or not. Little girls learn that they will need make-up someday to be considered “pretty”, and little boys begin to believe that make-up and vanity is a norm for females.
Media is probably the biggest influence of gender socialization. Distorted images of women on billboards, magazines, the internet and television show both males and females the unrealistic expectations of what women “should” look like. These images teach girls from young ages that if you do not look like the models, then something is wrong with them. Boys are also heavily influenced by these images of females believe it or not. They expect that these are true images and grow up believing that women in the advertisements really exist. If women do not follow all the beauty and vanity ideals that are placed on them by society, they are looked down on by both men and women.
It is very difficult to avoid conforming to the ideals of society, because our norms are so profoundly engrained into our culture. I salute women who have the strength to disregard the expectations placed on females and follow what they feel is right for their bodies. Our conversation in class 2 weeks ago, about women shaving their legs in order to conform really got me thinking. I started shaving my legs when I was a young girl, because of the influence of the other girls around me, as well as my mother. I was socialized to use certain products and do certain things to adjust my appearance to align with social ideals. Because I have been doing these “beauty” practices for most of my life, I could never imagine not practicing them. I strongly believe that women should take care of their bodies they way they wish (shaving vs. not shaving.) I think that the media is the root of the problem. It pains me that young girls are suffering from eating disorders too look like the distorted and demented images that surround them. It is also upsetting that boys are growing into men with unrealistic expectations of women. It makes me so angered by the lies that the media is allowed to profit from. As the generation that is up incoming into positions of more power and influence, I feel that is our duty to clean up the media, and educate and promote true and real beauty to the younger generations in hopes that they do not feel the pressure of unrealistic expectations.

I would like to start off by saying that Balpreet Kaur is an amazingly strong individual. I have the utmost respect for her dedication to her faith and her ability to take a situation so negative and hurtful, and make it into a positive opportunity to educate others. Her response says a lot about her character and it is something that I admire greatly. After reading the responses on the New York Daily News website, sadly, I am not shocked by the continuation of the negative and ignorant comments I read.
As human beings, it is natural to be shocked by things that are not a part of our normative everyday culture. It is sometimes very hard for us to understand what we do not know, but such negative responses like the ones that have been posted on Reddit and the NYDN website, reflect pure ignorance. Instead of mocking what we do not know, or what is out of our cultural norms, we should seek to understand. It is okay that some may disagree with Balpreet’s beliefs, we are all entitled to our own opinions, but to make such a mockery out of them is disgraceful. Saying that Balpreet is “brainwashed by her religion,” “lacks hygiene,” or that “she is going to have a difficult time finding a mate with a beard,” just reflects the outright ignorance and intolerance that is alive in our society. Because it is not what you wish do with your body, or a practice that does not fit your lifestyle, does not make it wrong for others to follow.
One of the many things that struck me about this article was near the end where it states that Balpreet is a part of an “Interfaith Youth Core, a group that promotes tolerance and encourages young people to learn about multiple faiths.” I admire Balpreet for the time she dedicates to her faith, but also the time she dedicates to educating herself about other’s belief systems and values. A major problem with our society today is that most people have a way of thinking that causes them to believe that their beliefs and values are the only way for everyone to live by. People who develop this model of thinking are probably the very people who are making uninformed comments such as the ones on the NYDN and Reddit websites. Education on others’ beliefs, religions, and worldviews is something that is vital for the establishment of a more tolerant society. Balpreet may not agree with the practices or beliefs of other faiths, but that does not stop her from taking the time to understand and appreciate perspectives outside of her own. If there is any hope for a more tolerant and peaceful world in the future, we must take the time and effort to learn and appreciate diversity, after all, variety is the spice of life!