Kmartinez1987's Blog

Reflection on Peace Studies

kmartinez1987 — Tue, 19 May 2009 02:17:06 +0000

The one thing that surprised me this semester in Peace studies was the movie we watched about sexism in society. I was shocked to hear that around forty percent of girls aged nine and ten have become weight conscientious. I have nieces and little cousins who fall into that category. When I was young weight was the furthest notion from my mind. I was too worried about what I was going to do after school or if my friend was going to be able to come outside and play. After watching that video I started to pay attention to the pressures to the possible pressures my family might be going through.
However nothing compared to what I learned during our class presentations. After listening to that presentation I really took a look into the products they sold. To hear that Nestle would hire individuals to dress up like nurses and hand formula to new mothers to get the babies dependent on the formula is sickening. To think of all the mothers who cannot provide milk for their babies and having to pay outrageous prices for formula is saddening. It made me wonder what kind of a world we live in? I don’t want to contribute to a company that has a poor regard to life and respect for others. There is more to life than money and I don’t want to be a contributor to the very factors that are destroying the earth.
The one thing that I felt was hard to believe or even aspire too was the notion of global peace. I feel it is not a realistic goal but it is a starting point. I doubt there will be a day where all issues of poverty and corruption will an issue of the past. Of course I hope for this but I also know it will not occur. However just because I feel that day will never come does not mean we shouldn’t act like it could occur. I want there to be change I want the world to be a better place for our future generations. I know there needs to be a collaborative effort to save our planet. I took a lot of lessons and eye opener notions from this course. I am glad I received the opportunity to see how one action affects millions of others.

A Look Back

kmartinez1987 — Mon, 11 May 2009 22:01:29 +0000

It has been many years later since the United States declared war on Iraq. I find it sad to note that there are still individuals who are not aware that Osama bin Laden and his group of Islamic extremist, al-Qaeda were responsible for the terrorist attack that occurred on September 11, 2001. As I was wondering around campus I could not help but over hear a conversation among a group of peers who were discussing the war in Iraq. At first I did not pay attention but then I heard a young individual speak about how, “It serves them right for bombing the Twin Towers.” I was shocked at this statement. One it was not Iraq and two it was not a literal bomb that went off and destroyed the building. Perhaps it was just his choice of words but I want to say he knew the twin towers collapsed because of a plane hijacking crash. Nonetheless I could not help but wonder how many more people think that it was Saddam Hussein who attacked the United States? Upon returning to my room I decided to look up on Google some statistics that some how captured the people’s confusion on the matter. As I was researching I came across this interesting article. It was a little out-dated but the information was overwhelming. This article, Poll: No Rush To War, talks about the United States’ citizens response to the Iraq and US conflict, it is dated 2002. I was happy to read that an overwhelming number, 61%, believed there should be more support before going into Iraq and that there should be a recommendation from the United Nation, 52% favored this. However what I felt confusing was the number individuals who felt the greater threat to the United States was Saddam Hussein, 46% believed this notion. This was puzzling, the person responsible for the organization of the terrorist attack is still free to roam and plot while the person not responsible is more dangerous. Why is this? Then it became clear, the media. On every channel during that time it was rare to see the events of 9/11 not be mentioned with Saddam Hussein. Just by reflecting on the past I was able to recall numerous of channels reporting on the after math of 9/11 and then shortly after mentioning how dangerous the Saddam Hussein is to the nation. Promises of weapons of mass destruction and chaos were promised if Saddam Hussein was not captured. I find it disturbing that years later people are still being mislead.

Works Cited
Roberts, Joel. CBS News. September 24, 2002. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories2002/24/opinion/polls (accessed May 9, 2009).

Mexico City Policy

kmartinez1987 — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 22:33:18 +0000

The Mexico City Policy was first established under the Reagan administration. This policy call for all NGOs receiving U.S. funds to not promote anything that had to do with abortion when speaking about family planning. This policy took no consideration of the legality of abortion in that country. This policy has been an issue of great debate and has proved to cause great side effects. Over the years women clinics have lost funding and closed due to a lack of funds. Although in theory this policy is suppose to save the lives of many children it in reality caused greater deaths. Many of the clinics that could not afford to stay open without U.S. aid had no choice but to close. These clinics were the same clinics that provided prenatal care and after birth care as well. Education about family planning and contraceptives were lost with the clinics. Although the policy does allow for abortion in cases of rape, incest, and medical necessity it was not enough to help save many women and children. U.S. political has dealt with this policy by treating it like a ball. When republicans control the white house the policy stands. When the democrats control the white house the policy is terminated. However this does not help anyone, once clinics close it is very difficult to start a new clinic and it is always the third world countries that will suffer. This issue has been a topic of great debate and while we, Americans, fight about it the fact never changes that more and more poor women and children are dying because of a lack of health care. There needs to be education and contraceptives should be available for all those that need it. Times are hard enough we do not need to make things even harder. I feel there needs be consistency and a more devotion to help others instead of figuring out who is right or wrong.

BBC News, “Obama lifts ban on abortion funds”. BBC. April 22,2009 .

Peace in Numbers

kmartinez1987 — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 20:25:54 +0000

We hear this phrase “power in numbers,” all the time. Ideally it makes sense, if everyone were to unite there would be a great amount of change. From public policy to the treatment of others, no issue would be left silenced. So I began to wonder, where are all the people? Everyday I hear complaints of corruption in government or about the unjust policies affecting the poor. All it takes is one letter, one response, and one action. You would think knowing this would change everything and of course everyone has time for that one simple response. Especially now, I have seen letters already drafted and ready to go out, including postage, all that is needed is a signature and even those attempts have not been as successful. As I watched the clip on Mahatma Gandhi in class I began to realize how many things people, including I, take for granted. It took extreme abuse on the people for there finally to be a person to say enough and encourage others to resist. The peaceful tactics applied showed a form of severity. It showed others to focus on the issue and not get caught into a cycle of abuse. A peaceful protest is more impactful and also states a movement, which can involve everyone. Granted the fear of incarceration and police brutality comes to mind but everything goes to the cause. Mahatma Gandhi knew this concept and urged people to look beyond their comfort zone and not settle with the corruption and make a difference not only for themselves but also for future generations. To see the salt protest moved me there were kids and adults of all ages participating. It was an event that no one would forget and it demonstrated the power that comes in numbers. I urge everyone who may read this to know they can make a difference, despite the size. If everything is left for someone else to do it then nothing will change and we will live in a society that reflects are failures.

Eco-Freindly Houseing

kmartinez1987 — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 22:42:00 +0000

As I was reading the newspaper today I came upon a very interesting article that discussed low mortgage rates for eco-friendly housing. This article is essentially about providing the consumers with more information about the houses we buy. As it is today when we look for a home, we focus on the stability and the room sizes. Before this article I would have never thought to stop and ask my realtor how much does it cost to operate this house, that is the furthest thought from my mind. The only concerns I would have would be how much is my monthly payment going to be and will it still be here when the big earthquake hits. I think it is a brilliant idea to start a system where there is a scale in place to tell about how it would take run this home. Along with this idea of a new scale the article also mentions new tax breaks, sort of speak, for eco friendly home. We already know that when we buy green we receive tax breaks but a lower mortgage would be ideal. I know this would definitely inspire more people to think consciously about how they are living. Right now it is very expensive to buy eco friendly materials let alone a house. I feel a lower mortgage would definitely help push people into thinking about an eco friendly life. During these very hard economic times people need more incentives to pay a little more. Although there still much to be worked out in this plan I feel it is off to a great start and it is about time we had more policies that help the earth and also our pockets. The article also mentions how it will not only go out to homeowners but also to renters in the apartment complexes. This type of outreach will definitely inspire all people to think green.

Works Cited
Hamey, Kenneth R. HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan wants mortgage incentives for energy-efficient homes. 12 April 2009. 13 April 2009 .

Fist Stick Gun Knife

kmartinez1987 — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 01:31:18 +0000

David Barash in, “Fist Stick Gun Knife”, portrays a life of human aggression and the failure of society to protect its young. In reading this novel I felt drawn to every page and continued to wonder how hard life was back then for that generation. It was not until recently when I discovered that although the majority of the book took place in the 70′s and 80′s, it was like reading a story of the present. As I flip through the newspaper I see pages dedicated to gang violence and the innocent lives lost in the endless war. Just a few days of ago I was informed not to go to a certain store or fast food place because there was going to be gang initiations taking place and the word was they were looking for two males and a female to harm maybe even kill. I spent moments wondering how did society come to this? When did gang violence become causal and expected?
David Barash portrays how violence became expected and apart of coming of age. To read how the legal system and the school’s system failed time after time angers me. We are supposed to be a modern society; we are so modern we cannot take care of our younger generation. Barash dedicated his life to help make a difference in the lives of many. He gave kids a chance to excel and change the outcome of their life. The legal system rather than helping cure the issue went extreme with laws such as the Rockefeller law. This law called for severe punishment for drug affiliations. It was like undergoing radiation treatment for an unknown infection. In using extreme forms of punishment the problem grew worst and the kids targeted grew younger and younger. I believe society has focused so much on curing the symptoms rather than finding the root problem. Why are these kids alone? Why do they have the time to fall into drugs? For every action there is a reason and that is the fact that needs to be addressed.

Younger Generation

kmartinez1987 — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 22:12:19 +0000

Stereotypes exist for every gender and culture. This has been a fact for many years and it is a constant battle to breakdown the ignorance and make way for a new way of thinking. This battle has over the years has taken many casualties and continues to be a threat to the younger generation. The statistic that forty percent of young girls ranging from nine to ten years have already been on a diet is devastating. Although this is shocking I am not surprised. There I all these young programs, even the Disney channel, that show how weight does not matter and all that matters is your personality. However most of the lead characters are thin and trendy young girls there is only one type of starlet and many times of people. It sad to see a generation of young girls be reduced to their physical appearance and dream of being a starlet with all the attention. There is more to life then the outer beauty and attention. Many girls and young boys are being led down an impossible path of perfection. With the technology there is today it is hard to find a real person. These kids are growing up with false role models.
I have younger nieces and nephews and they are growing up with false perceptions of beauty and fame. There is not enough information about the realities of fame and the harsh realities to stay thin. It is sad that in this modern age where eating disorders are made known to the public there is nothing done to change the starlet perception. I work in the Pomona school district and young girls who obsess about boys and having to be thin in order to be liked and popular surround me. The battle over shattering these false perceptions is far from over and I think there needs to be a great amount attention to the youth in order to help nurture the younger generation realize the difference between television and reality.

Dog Fight

kmartinez1987 — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 01:36:53 +0000

Although the majority of the movie was based on one long evening it is an eye opening of a generational change. Each of the characters presents a different aspect of the “good times”. The United States was on the verge of being the head power and society was booming. The ideologies that were presented in this novel show the evolvement of women and society. For one moment it is all about men and their needs. The characters of the bees demonstrate this. These four unique men display the power of youth and being in the service, for the world was at their feet. The women in this novel were merely passing figures or amusement for the men. However, one of the main characters portrays a woman with changing liberal ideas. A woman who breaks tradition by her own terms and is a foreshadowing of a new era.
In the beginning the young boys view the world as a playground. There is a type of innocence that is seen the boys characters. They are troublemakers and still need to be pointed in the right direction. Although most of their actions are appalling it demonstrates their immaturity and what little experience they have about life. Their lack of maturity is further demonstrated by the comments of the main male character, for he thinks he is going to Vietnam as a consultant for the Vietnamese. This topic also brings up a gullible society. This is clearly shown by the scene where the two bys on the bus begin to talk about bullshit and how everything is bullshit. The 1950′s are characterized as the safe good old days. World war II had ended the economy was booming, people were having kids and all was great. The news of Vietnam would change that perception forever. The short clip of the bees on the battleground being bombed shows the change from advisor to combatant. The movie ends with the remaining bee coming back to his ‘playground’ and realizes all has changed. As he walked the streets he was no longer looked up to for being a soldier instead he was ridiculed and called a baby killer. This was a good film that demonstrated in a short amount of time the difference of two generations.