Proposal 8... Banning Same sex marriages passed

In light of the issues regarding the LBGT community discussed in class, I found it relevant to highlight Proposal 8. This act banned same sex marriages in California, a place where they were once legal. I found it interesting that Proposition 8 was the most expensive proposition on any ballot in the nation this year. This alone shows how big of an issue this is in society.

Considering the role of marriage in American society, this is a major issue. Marriage being allowed for homosexual couples devalues the union of marriage in the eyes of some, it causes confusion amongst children and it brings change to society that many are not ready for. On the other hand, people feel as though homosexual couples  are being deprived of their freedoms by not being allowed to marry and that it is their right.

Regardless of the stance that one takes, this is an issue that effects our  community. As future educators, it is imperative that we continue to stay abreast on decisions affecting our communities 

Footage can be seen relating to this proposal at 

http://www.latimes.com/video/?slug=la-me-gaymarriage5-2008nov05-vid

The Tyra Banks Show

So, ironically I was flipping through channels and began to watch the Tyra Show. The topic of today’s show was on lesbian marriages and familial stances on them. I found that this would be important to blog about considering that we are dealing with issues of the BLGT community in our class.  The show focused on one lesbian couple who was solidifying their commitment through marriage in California. The resentment that one of the Brides families possed was taking a toll on them and they needed Tyra for intervention. It was extremely hurtful to watch this episode. Both sides of this struggle were hard to digest  The parents felt torn between their beliefs and their daughters choices. The daughters were hurt because of the lack of support.  One on the women had full support from her family and the other women had hardly any. Both of the girls families were religious and neither agreed with their decision. The more and more I familiarize myself with the BGLT community I sympathize with them. I refuse to state my personal beliefs however; I believe that no one should be discriminated against. Tyra made a valid point, she said that of all the crimes in the bible including, murder, adultery and stealing, parents still continue to stand by their children even to the extent of visiting them in jail. So, how come you shun your child for being lesbian?  This was an insightful episode and it really helped me in seeing this issue from different sides. 

A Day In the Life of a Disability

Tuesday November 18,2008 I was altered from being the traditional Shane who could run up and down stairs, carry tons of groceries in the house at once and who loved to watch television for fun.  A program that I attended hosted by an on campus student organization called T.E.A.M. (Tomorrows Educators for the Advancement of Multiculturalism) placed non-disabled participants in a disabled state. In order to emulate Autism, I placed thick gloves on my hands and attempted to right and play with a basketball. The difficulty of this task helped to sympathize and understand some of the difficulties these people face with regarding fine motor skills.  I was also placed in a wheelchair and assigned to do multiple tasks including picking up things off the floor, maneuvering through hallways and doors and attempt to play a sport. This was not easy! Another task I had was to walk across a line and follow walking directions while blind folded in order to emulate blindness. Finally, I had to wear weights on my arms and legs while walking and playing sports. This highlighted the struggles of students with spina bifida and muscular dystrophy. Overall, this was a phenomenal program. It helped me to physically to better understand some of the struggles of people with physical disabilities. I would recommend this type of program to others in order to create awareness. 

International Day at MSU

I attended “International Day” at the College of Engineering yesterday. This was a great opportunity to witness different cultures embracing one another in a traditional way. During the hour that I was there, I was able to see two performances, each one highlighting a different culture. One was an African performance by a young boy and his mother. The young boy was about eight years old and he played the snare drum and the Congo. He was amazingly talented. In addition to his solo consisting of three songs, he played accompanying his mother while she sang. The mother was so kind to make her song a community effort by teaching the audience the song called “Sunshine in Africa”. The young boy representing Africa also played along side a man representing the Mexican culture while he sang. This was the highlight of my experience; this event focused on exposing individual cultures and these two people took it amongst themselves to embrace one another. The second performance that I saw was a traditional Mexican dance by a local Lansing dance group called “Fanticia”. They were extremely good, entertaining and professional. I truly enjoyed this showcase of other cultures. I was able to mix-and-mingle with a diverse group of MSU faculty and students, observe beautiful cultural traditions and best of all, learn the song “Sunshine in Africa”. 

Books for Final Project

Hello Class!!!!

I wanted to post the announcement that I made in class on our blog...

The book store Everybody Reads is in need of our help! Economic times are hard and this is taking a toll on Scott's bookstore. With our upcoming projects, this is a perfect time to patronize the store and purchase books. I visited the store last week and would encourage you all to do the same. There is a large selection of book's regarding Multicultural literature and if the specific titles you want are not there, the staff can order them. Please help Scott and think about how he helps us as well as the rest of the community. 

EveryBody Reads 

(517)346-9900

2019 E Michigan Ave
Lansing, MI 48912

www.becauseeverybodyreads.com