This week in RCL we submitted our TED Talk videos. After watching Haley’s video, I better understand the perceptions surrounding marijuana. I always believed that people had negative views on weed because of the label it has of being a “drug”. While this idea is partially true, there is so much more regarding the topic and the reason that society has had evolving thoughts towards it. I never knew that this product was cultivated globally and that people were encouraged to do so. I also didn’t know of Nixon’s stance and harsh response towards marijuana and those associated with it. I definitely think that there is no going back on the acceptance that people have grown to have towards marijuana. With more and more states legalizing its medical and recreational use, it won’t be long until it becomes federally legalized. There are many economic, social, and medicinal benefits to legalizing this drug that it would be irrational not to do so. As for Haley’s presentation skills, I think she did an excellent job in the execution of her project. Her slides were engaging and well-prepared, so as I listened to her speech and examined her slides, I remained fully engaged in what she was talking about. Her pace was perfect, not too slow or fast. She also took the time to fully explain her ideas, rather than rushing through a presentation just to get it done. I am very proud of her work.

For the History of a Public Controversy, I had a few ideas come to mind. I think that an interesting topic could be cancel culture. I feel like it’s very relevant to our society considering the impact that the media has on all our lives. It would be interesting to discuss whether people deserve to be shamed for their wrongdoings to such high extents, and what exactly determines if a person should be canceled for a specific occurrence. Another idea I had was the ongoing debates regarding gun control. While some people insist that it is a violation of one’s rights, others believe that changes need to be made regardless. Gun violence has caused some of the most traumatic events, including mass and school shootings. My favorite topic, however, was one that we discussed in our group during class. We are most likely going to go through with the topic of Guantanamo Bay. I personally did not know that this prison even existed. After doing some research, there are many questions to ask regarding the existence and morality of this place. I think it is a very unique topic and I think we can raise interesting questions about it.