SHOTIME Blog #2: Global Perspective and Service

Originally, I applied to Penn State as a biology major. Anyone who knows me knows that was not my brightest idea, seeing as I hate working in labs and at the mention of the word chemistry my whole body starts to break out in hives. Please see the bottom of this blog for a poem about my loathing. This seemingly endless hatred I grew towards my science classes pushed me more and more to explore new fields and majors( yes this rant does have a point). Hence, I signed up for a Distinguished Honors Faculty Program trip with Dr.Stoller to D.C. concerning lobbyists. I loved it much, that I attended a second DHFP trip in the fall concentrated on national security and global aid. 

As a security and risk analysis major, I thought I had a pretty good gist of the whole “national security” thing but the truth is I didn’t. Sure I knew about cyber security, national surveillance, and securing our nation’s borders, but it had never occurred that national security wasn’t just about attacking “bad guys” like the Nazis or the Russians. My image of national security can basically be summed up in this one picture:

However, after visiting several non-profits and USAID I realized that the scope of America’s security system was much larger than I had originally imagined. It turns out that in order to ensure our success as a nation, we help other country’s to grow and prosper. The most important term I learned from this trip is found in USAID: international development.

The US, and many independent companies, provide aid in agricultural, economical, educational, health, and political areas as well as generally improving the lives of citizens around the globe. While visiting a Schreyer grad working at the Department of State, I realized how important the U.S’s involvement in politics of developing, as well developed nations can allow the US to prevent war, gain allies, and make the world a better place to live in. These benefits are also seen from disaster relief as well as acts of the peace corps.

All in all, I was surprised to see how much international involvement the country preforms in the name of “security”. It excites me to be working in a global field, and I’m glad that I was able to see the depth my major will be going into. Through seeing how actual Schreyer grads promote protecting American lives through enhancing the lives of global citizens, I was inspired to focus on a more global level with my studies. I’m now aspiring to get a Master’s in international development (something I had never even heard of until this DHFP trip) and perhaps even join the Peace Corps or work for a non-profit in the name of our wonderful nation’s security.

SHOtime Blog #1: Favorite Honors Course

My favorite honors course was actually my honors option. Being a Security and Risk Analysis major, there aren’t a lot of honors courses available in my field, so in order to reach the appropriate amount of honors credits I honors optioned the course SRA 111. Going into it, I wan’t really sure what an honors option was, but after discussing it with my professor we decided on writing a paper that would replace the grade of my semester long group project, while still completing the group project. It was really great being able to work with my professor on a one-on -one level, and the paper provided a chance for me to see how the subjects we were learning about it class were applied to a real-life situation of national importance.

My professor helped me learn how to organize the biggest research paper I’ve written yet (I’m really proud of all 28 pages of it), as well as how to tie in the information to the course. It gave me a new insight into immigration and border control, as well as the strategies that people use on a personal, enterprise, and national level to maintain security. As I wrote about in my e-portfolio, I described the project as: “This report was originally written in order to honors option the course SRA 111. It examines how the history of border control, as well as Obama’s new proposal, is related to the different sides of the security cube that SRA 111 is based on. The project brings together aspects of the course and applies it to a real-life situation of national importance. The security cube was analyzed by using specific examples of control tools,and seeing how the different levels and types of security can be used to strengthen border control and immigration laws. The thesis of the paper is: The College of IST’s course SRA 111 presents a visual representation for the nation’s current and future policies concerning border control, and the purpose of this document is to describe the United States’ future, past, and present immigration initiatives.
Now, I hope to make this a living document, which I will continue to update on the Updates on Immigration page on this site. This will keep me, as well as those following me on Somos Americanos, up-to-date on issues concerning immigration and border control. It is also the best example of my professional writing so far. This paper integrates research from valid sources into a comprehensive overview of immigration and border patrol policies in the United States and how they relate to the course SRA 111. ”

The project is available here: http://adelinarichards.weebly.com/immigration-report.html

All in all, it was great to sort of construct my own honors course, with an even greater level of teacher interaction that is found in nearly every honor course. It was an invaluable experience, and I plan to honors option more courses in the future.

Outlin’ AAAALLLLLLL NIGGGGHHHHTTT LOOOOOONNNGGGGG

I. Introduction:Social Views

II. People’s Beliefs

III.Taxpayers money wasted on border security

IV. Immigrants Create Jobs

V. Stealing American Jobs? More Like Keeping Them Here.

VI.Undocumented Workers Don’t Cause Unemployment

VII.Illegal Immigrants Pay Taxes

VIII. What Happens to the Money they Send Overseas?

IX.What Should We Do?/Conclusion

-including pictures?

 

 

“There are many humorous things in the world, among them the white man’s notion that he is less savage than the other savages”-Mark Twain

“Your white privilege is showing!” my sassy black coworker announced last week to a group of white girls shopping at our store. They had come in, blatantly ignored him and started trashing the store figuring out what to get with the money daddy put in their bank accounts. They either didn’t hear him, or simply chose not to.

I hope to discuss a stereotype not commonly recognized, the classic “white person” well described by Lawrence Auster:

“For example the area of Pennsylvania where I am now residing. It’s just twenty miles from the black-dominated jungle of Philadelphia, yet it is all white, and its all-whiteness is reflected in the extraordinary pleasantness, peacefulness, freedom from disorder and crime. The people here are clearly drawn to such a white environment, but they never state openly that that’s why they’re here. In fact they are ultra liberals in their politics.So they are divided beings: they passionately prefer to live in an all-white community, and they pay exhorbitantly to live here, but they would never say that.”

Whites are racist  arrogant, and ignorant. Whites are all republican. Whites are spoiled and rich. According to urban dictionary white people are:

Single handedly, the most violent race of human beings throughout the history of mankind. No other race of human beings has killed more people, raped more women, destroyed more cultures, or has stolen as much land as white people. White people are the most hated race of human beings.
Read any university level history book to learn the truth about “White people”.

Have whites earned this stereotype? Anyone of a different color would answer: yes. However, my dad would rant for hours that he isn’t paid any more than anyone else, he certainly isn’t rich, and that he does NOT hate other cultures.

The truth is that Whites are judged almost entirely off the actions of their ancestors and the way they are treated. White privilege is a statistical fact, but not one that applies to all. Not all whites are racist. Not all white girls are spoiled. Not all white people are murderers and rapists. I was shocked and appalled to learn that something this serious was joked about. Yes, we’ve all seen the spoiled white girls and the successful business men who literally do nothing but inherit daddy’s wealth, but NOT ALL STEREOTYPES ARE TRUE. The atrocious acts done by white ancestors, which span an extremely broad span of European countries, must be forgiven. If we can get past the Japanese for Pearl Harbor, the Germans for the Halocaust, and the Huns for conquering the Germanic tribes leading to the demis of the Roman Empire and the dawn of the Dark Ages, we can get over the acts done by people long buried. In the civil war, hundreds of thousands of white men died for the freedom of slaves, proving not all of them are bad.

In order for whites to be accepted, society would have to change its ways. White privilege IS a thing, a thing that isn’t commonly recognized by the white race.

 

We associate with people we are most like, and often without realizing it exclude others. Although whites are not the overall global majority, they hold the most power and influence in the world. Stereotypes are always an exaggeration of a small truth, and it’s easy to see where the hatred of whites comes from. When you’re constantly being asked if you’re the help, falsely accused of crime, or judged based on your skin color, you tend to hate its source. White people stereotypes stem from more then just hate, they extend from envy.

 

 

This is an issue that will never go away, with two of the seven deadly sins fueling it. We are still far from equality, and only with tolerance and peace will other cultures stop hating whites. Rascism is a viscous cycle, it is a crime committed by people of all colors. Just remember, don’t live up to your stereotypes.

On another note, the definition of white people on urban dictionary: people who are white and the only people who change color

PersonA: You look a little red there child.

PersonB: Damn white people always changing colors when they’re sick or hot.

Pondering

I am considering the following topics for my ci blog:

1. Racial injustice in the Latin American community

2.Stereotypes in American Society

3. The conflicts in the middle East and how history is repeating itself continuosly.

I may jump around if I read a really inspiring new article, or such.

A Fresh Start

Well folks, it’s a new semester, I’m in a new major, anda new English class. Although I loved telling the world my awkward stories, I think it’s time to dwelve deeper. I plan on either writing my blog on the lost generation in paris and relating it to my life, or a blog about ancient civilazations. I really miss history and I really want to explore some topics I’m not learning in class on this blog.