Your Thoughts and Feedback Are Appreciated!

Well another quarter has come and gone!  I have enjoyed getting to know all of you and hearing your opinions in class!  You make my job fun! I wish all of you blessings and success in the future, and hope that you stay in touch.

So for our last blog post, I would like to get your thoughts and feedback on the class.  "What did you like or dislike about the class?  What could I do to make it better?"  Answers are due no later than Wednesday, September 21,  2016.  After that, the blog will be down until class resumes next quarter.

United We Stand

It’s hard to believe that the September 11^th attacks were fifteen years ago this week.  Like most of you, I remember exactly where I was that September morning.  Eleven days earlier I had graduated from Indiana University and moved to Indianapolis.  I was excited and hopeful about starting what I liked to call my “real life”.  That morning, I slept in and missed both planes hitting the World Trade Center.  By the time I saw the first images of people running down the street from a big cloud of dust and debris – I could scarcely comprehend what was happening.

It’s easy to look back now at the decisions we have made since as a country and find fault.  My “real life” turned out to be full of more heartache, war and an economy that never quite recovered.  I suppose like everyone else, my life changed a little that day.  America changed a little that day.

I will never forget the feelings I felt as I watched our country under attack.  I was sad, I was angry, I was horrified, but most of all, I was proud to be American.  I don’t say that often, but it’s true.  I have never felt so connected to my fellow citizens as I did on that day.  That is what I remember as I think about how to best memorialize the 15^th anniversary of the September 11^th attacks – our unity.  Police and recue workers from around the country left their families and went to New York to help in the recue and recovery efforts.  Blood donations soared and all around the nation, people were helping people. Something good came out of something so bad – even if it only lasted a short while.

So this week, in honor of the September 11^th victims, I will be focusing on the good, not the bad.  I will do my part to bring back that feeling of unity that I had on September 11^th.  It may be just a small random act of kindness to a stranger. It may be spending time with people I love, or giving back to my community.  I may just be one person, but it’s a start. So my question to you this week is, “Where were you during the September 11^th attacks? Most of you were probably little kids. What could you do to make your world a little brighter?”  Answers are due no later than Wednesday, September 12^th, 2016.  My thoughts and prayers go out to the victims of September 11^th, and our country’s servicemen and women who have sacrificed so much – thank you!

I Pledge Allegiance.....Or Not.

It was just a few weeks ago in Rio that U.S. gymnast Gabby Douglas was vilified in the media for failure to place her hand over her heart as the U.S. national anthem played during her gold medal ceremony.  Then, this week, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick refused to stand for the playing of the anthem because as he said “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color."

Both Douglas and Kaepernick stand to lose thousands of dollars in endorsements and sponsors because of what some are calling their “unpatriotic” actions.  An often-repeated criticism of Kaepernick has been that his actions are offensive to members of the US military. Guidelines say all Americans should stand and face the flag during the anthem - by not doing so, as the argument goes, Kaepernick was insulting people prepared to die for it. Some former servicemen and women disagree, however, and have been offering their support using the #VeteransForKaepernick hashtag.  For their part, a spokesperson for the San Francisco 49ers stated, “In respecting such American principles as freedom of religion and freedom of expression, we recognize the right of an individual to choose and participate, or not, in our celebration of the national anthem."

I never had to say the Pledge of Allegiance in school on a regular basis.  The national anthem was played at sporting events, and I always stood like everyone else.  So my question to you this week is two-fold: “Did you have to regularly stand for the Pledge of Allegiance in school?  Do you think athletes should be punished if they decide they don’t want to participate?”  You must answer both questions for full credit.  Answers are due no later than Wednesday, September 7, 2016.

DIY Abortions

I was shocked earlier this summer when I opened my latest issue of Glamour magazine to read an article on at-home abortions.   Many women who can’t afford to travel, who don’t want their parents or the father of the baby to know they’re pregnant, or who simply can’t afford a child are finding themselves with very limited options.  As access to safe, legal methods of abortion becomes increasingly limited, women are resorting to black-market remedies, which could ultimately land them in jail.  Consider the following:

·         There are still over 1 million legal abortions performed each year in the United States.

·         A 2015 survey in Texas found that 240,000 women had attempted to induce an abortion on their own – and that’s just in Texas!

·         Last year, Google reported there were over 700,000 searches done on “How to give yourself an abortion.”

In the past 5 years, Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers (TARP) state laws have shut down 162 clinics, or prevented them from offering abortion services.  Here in Indiana, a federal judge recently suspended our new abortion law deeming it unconstitutional.  The Indiana law would’ve prohibited abortions on the basis of disability or race, and required abortion providers to bury or cremate fetal tissue.

Abortion is a hard topic to come to terms with, at least for me.  I’d like to think if I were pregnant, my faith would prevent me from considering abortion, but I’m also realistic enough to know that if I were young, and scared, abortion would certainly be on my mind.  I think it’s just a sad situation all around, and I’m glad I don’t have the responsibility of legislating what is a personal and very emotional decision. 

Next week in class we’re going to discuss the right to privacy that most Americans feel they are entitled to.  As part of that discussion, we’ll look at some of the groundbreaking abortion legislation that has come out of the Courts over the years.  So, I’m interested in knowing what you think – “Do you think we should continue to place restrictions and limitations on when, where and how woman can obtain abortions?  Please explain your answer.”  Answers are due no later than Wednesday, August 31^st, 2016.

Educated and Homeless

Last week, I read an article about the rise of college students in poverty.  The cost of attending college usually focuses on the tuition and fees; rarely does the conversation ever include the cost of living.  Now we all know that most college students would say they were poor.  I know there were weeks in college where I subsisted on Ramen noodles, Kool-Aid and McDonalds – which also happened to be where I worked.  However, looking back, I realize I really wasn’t that poor. Yes, I worked a low-paying job, and yes, I incurred a large amount of student loan debt, but I had a roof over my head and food in my belly – even if it wasn’t high quality food.  What’s more, even though my parents couldn’t help me much financially, they lived right down the street.  There was no chance of me ever becoming homeless, and I knew I could always stop by for a home-cooked meal. Most of you know my entire career has been focused on the complex issues related to poverty, which is why I found the statistics in this article so troubling.  Consider the following:

·         1:5 college students have gone hungry in the past year because they didn’t have money for food.

·         8-12% of college students are homeless, or lack permanent housing.

·         20% of college students have gone an entire day without food because money was tight.

These numbers broke my heart. Some say the numbers are even higher, and that the issue hasn’t been studied enough to know for sure.  Many students don’t talk about it because of the stigma associated with poverty.  Others who do talk about it are often rebuffed by family and friends who consider college poverty a rite of passage that comes with the territory.  I’m interested to know what you think, so my question this week is, “Do these numbers seem high to you – or is this what you would expect?  Do you think schools and universities have a responsibility to help address these issues – and if so, how?”  Answers are due no later than Wednesday, 25^th, 2016.  Please note that you have two weeks to complete this blog because I will be out of town next week. If you or someone you know is dealing with homelessness or food insecurity, please feel free to reach out – I may have resources that can help!

***I would be remiss this week if I didn’t dedicate this post to Shay Gaither, an Art Institute student who lost her life this past week.  I will always remember Shay’s infectious laugh and beautiful light. As I’ve mourned this past week, I’ve been comforted by the fact that we’re forever sisters, and somewhere, her soul lives on.  Shine on, sister, shine on!***

Ready for Rio!

The Summer Olympics begin on Friday! For those who know me, you know that I am a HUGE fan of the Olympics (An election and the Olympics?!  I'm in television heaven!). I love the artistry of the opening ceremonies. I get all caught up in the emotional stories of the athletes who have struggled so hard and overcome so many obstacles just to make their Olympic dreams come true. I watch sports I've never even heard of before (like curling) and I always, always cheer for the underdog.

So, to have a little fun this week, I’ll go easy on you.  My question this week is, "What is your favorite Olympic sport, and why?"  It's funny because I'm way too uncoordinated to play sports, but I love watching them on television.  My favorite Olympic sports are gymnastics and swimming in the Summer Olympics and snowboarding during the Winter Olympics. Their tricks look amazing!  Answers are due no later than Wednesday, August 10th, 2016.

Deciding I'm With Her

Like a lot of you, I’ve been feeling pretty disillusioned with the candidates this election cycle.  I know politics and campaigns can get pretty nasty, but this year has topped any year in recent history.  Between the vile, misogynistic and discriminatory language coming from the Trump campaign and the shadiness and dishonesty surrounding the Clinton campaign, even I was starting to avoid discussions surrounding the candidates – primarily because I didn’t want to have to fight anyone.

Which is why I was surprised to find myself feeling proud this week, as our country nominated the first woman candidate for President.  Suddenly, all the controversy surrounding Clinton didn’t seem to matter as much as the glass ceiling she’s worked so hard to shatter.  For just a brief moment she wasn’t Hillary with the email scandals, and Benghazi hanging over her head – she was Hillary, the first woman candidate to be nominated for President – and in that moment, I was proud.  Proud of the fact that although we have a long way to go, we’ve come so far since women first gained the right to vote in 1920.  Proud of the fact that my four year old niece lives in a world where a Black man is President and a woman may be next.  Proud of the fact that my gender just took a giant leap forward.

So my question to you this week is three-fold: First, I would like to know “Do you think this country is ready for a woman President?”  Second, I would like you to take this quiz, which will ask you about your thoughts on certain topics, and then tell you which candidate most closely matches your own viewpoints.  It also allows you to tell it how important an issue is to you. You can access the quiz here:  https://www.isidewith.com/                       Then tell me “Which candidate’s viewpoints did the quiz match you up with?  Did that surprise you, or were you already planning to vote for that person?” 

You must answer all three parts to earn full credit.  Answers are due no later than Wednesday, August 3^rd, 2016. 

P.S.  If you or someone you know needs to register vote, you can register here:

https://indianavoters.in.gov/PublicSite/OVR/Introduction.aspx