Capital Punishment

Conservatives believe in capital punishment. They think "do the crime, do the time". If you are willing to commit a murder, you have to accept the consequences, and for murder, that is death. Liberals are against capital punishment because there are other options. Being executed is basically taking the easy way out and escaping the guilt. The person should have to live with the guilt and they can also become better people in jail and think about what they did.
I am against the death penalty. I think that killing the murderer won't bring the person back, and in my opinion, being executed is an escape. I think that the person should suffer in jail for his/her whole life. Even though it is suffering to await your own death, it is worse to be in jail for life. I think the person should be in jail to reflect on what they did, even if they are happy with what they did, I think after years and years in prison they will start to feel guilty, and definitely bored and they will suffer in jail.

I think the presentation today went really well and we had a long discussion, which was good.

Gun Control

Liberals believe there needs to be more regulation in gun control. There needs to be laws that make it harder for people to buy guns. We can do this by regulating sales through stronger background checks and improving the safety features on guns (ex. make them childproof). We need to prevent gun violence before it happens. Conservatives believe that people kill people, not guns. They believe that we have the right to the second amendment, so we have the right to bear arms and own firearms. We need to be able to protect ourselves/our families and we cannot always rely and wait on the police.

I believe that we definitely need stricter gun control legislation. I think it's sad how many school shootings there have been where kids have had access to intense firearms that should be used in the military and even just their parents' handguns. I don't think people need these weapons just sitting around their houses. I think the police are armed for a reason, so we don't have to be. I also think that it's really sad how the US' death rate by guns is extremely higher than other countries', like we saw in the Bowling for Columbine clip, and that is linked to our relaxed gun control legislation. I think that if people kill people, why would you give them a gun? I think that we need to prevent gun violence before it happens. I don't think people shouldn't be able to own guns in certain circumstances, it just needs to be regulated more thoroughly. I think there need to be more things like the Brady Act, which has worked to stop about 400,000 people from buying guns that shouldn't be able to because of a mandated background check.

I think our presentation went really well. I think our clips could have been shorter so that our discussion could have been longer, but I'm pretty sure almost everyone talked during class except for maybe 1-2 people who didn't raise their hands.

Gay Marriage

Liberals believe in gay marraige. They believe that gay people are just like everyone else and they can't be denied a human right to marriage just because they are gay. They believe that it's discrimination to deny gay people the right to marriage, and it is going against the separation of church and state because not everyone believes in the Bible. They believe marriage is based on love and it doesn't matter who it is between. On the other hand, conservatives believe that the point of marriage is procreation and that the Bible states that marriage is between a man and a woman. Some think that being gay is a hate crime against the Bible. They think gay marraige is being promiscuous and that it changes the image of a traditional American family. They think it's bad for a child to be raised by two parents of the same gender.
I support gay marriage. I think that marriage is based on love, and who are we to deny a marriage to our fellow Americans just because they love someone of the same sex. I think marriage is a human right that should be available to everyone. I do not believe that the function of marriage today is procreation. There are lots of single parents and children born out of wedlock and I do not believe it is bad for a child to be raised by two parents of the same gender. I think we need families like that so that people become more aware and tolerant. I don't think people should be defined by their sexuality in general. I think the struggle for gay marriage is similar to the struggle of blacks during the Civil Rights Movement. People don't choose to be gay- they are born that way, and it is uncontrollable, just like one's skin color. I think it's ridiculous that just because the Bible states that marriage is between a man and a woman that legislation reflects this for everyone who doesn't neccessarily believe in the Bible. I think the world is changing and people are becoming more accepting.

Abortion

Liberals believe in pro-choice. They think that the government shouldn't have control over a woman's body and that women should be able to make this personal choice for themselves. People will do what they want regardless of whether abortion is legal, such as drinking too much to kill the baby or using a hanger to physically kill the baby, so abortion should be legalized so it can be done safely. When someone is raped, they didn't give conscent, and if they get pregnant, they should be able to have an abortion. On the other hand, conservatives believe in pro-life. They think people have to take responsibility for their actions and that if they get pregnant, they have to deal with the consequences. They think it is morally wrong to kill a baby through abortion- abortion is murder because even cells are living. They believe in other options besides abortion if the mother cannot raise the baby in a safe environment, such as adoption.
I believe in pro-choice. I think that abortion is a woman's choice and that the government shouldn't be able to impact it. I think that abortion needs to be legalized because women are going to extremes to have unsafe abortions. I thought it was really interesting and shocking that Romania has the highest death rate and 87% of them are from illegal abortions. I think that abortion is a good option because people make mistakes.

Liberal vs. Conservative

Liberals believe that the government should be involved to make sure the poor are taken care of and that everyone has a decent standard of living. They think there should be programs for healthcare and food stamps for the poor so that no one lives below poverty. There should be the separation of church and state and the government should stay out of religious views and how people live their daily lives. Liberals tend to be more accepting and open.

Conservatives believe in limited government control. They think that people are responsible for themselves. They believe in low taxes for everyone and they want to reduce government subsidized programs for the poor, and they don’t believe the wealthy should be taxed more to subsidize programs for the poor. They believe in the right to life. They believe in faith based government programs and prayer in schools.

Our Culture Is Lacking Authenticity

As sad as it is, I honestly do not think our culture has anything authentic. I don’t think our generation has anything that we can call our own. I think this is because of corporate sponsorship and the fact that the media has pretty much taken over our lives. Everywhere we look there are advertisements that are constantly telling us what is “cool” and accepted. They tell us what to buy to fit in. While I do believe that everyone is unique in their personality, I do believe that this significant role of the media has led to conformity and less individuality. We are all more alike because we all buy the same things that are shown through the media. Advertisements infiltrate our daily lives so much that it becomes hard to ignore them, and when we have to make a choice of what to buy, we buy what we have seen advertised. I think this has led to our culture becoming so brand and label conscious. I think it is sad but very realistic that our culture doesn’t have anything unique to it. Almost everything starts out as “unique” but then becomes mainstream and for everyone. For example, the clown band in the movie we watched in class was unique because it was only for people who would listen to their live concerts. The band definitely prided themselves on this, but eventually sold out to a music label. I think the fact that our generation doesn’t have anything unique matters to me because it shows how we are losing a sense of identity and we are all conforming to what the media tells us to be, which is really unfortunate.

Why do we listen to others?

I definately think the statement, "It's a shame that the people who are listening to you the most are only interested in you because they want you and your peers to buy their product" is true today. It's sad, but this statement is definitely valid. People today listen to others usually for their own personal gain. They are looking for something to get out of it that will help them, and they usually don't just listen to listen. I think this definitely shows in advertising companies. They listen to what consumers say so they know what works and what doesn't. They need to know which of their marketing techniques lure consumers to buy their products so they can ultimately use them to make more money. This is also shown in other aspects of life, such as when teenagers only listen to their parents before they tell them they want money for something or that they broke their cell phone and need a new one. We interact with others for a personal gain, not just to be nice.

A Place in This World

It's really hard to choose my favorite Taylor Swift song, but I would have to say it is "Teardrops on my Guitar."

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/taylorswift/teardropsonmyguitar.html

In this song, Taylor Swift is writing about how she is heartbroken over her ex-boyfriend. She sees him walking by with another girl and just pretends like everything is okay and she is fine, but she really sits up looking at his picture all night crying over him. She puts on a front to look like she is okay and that she is happy for him.

I had never really considered the lyrics to this song. I'm not sure why they resonate with me, maybe because something like this has never happened to me, but it might be because I've seen friends get their hearts broken by guys and they just act like they are okay even if they aren't because that's what they think he wants to see. After considering the lyrics, I think Taylor Swift is suggesting that all guys are heart breakers like this and that guys are insensitive. She says, "Drew looks at me, I fake a smile so he can't see that I want and I'm needing everything we can't be." I don't really identify with these lyrics. Most of her songs are about her relationship with her ex-boyfriend and how she is so heartbroken, and that is not the position I am in, so I'm not sure why I identify with the song.

Thinking about the lyrics even more, I actually think they send a bad message to girls in a way. She talks about how she just stays up all night crying over a guy and puts on a false front around him, so she is kind of encouraging girls to do this. She isn't suggesting that girls should go out and get over their exes, or that girls don't need a guy or that girls can be independent. She's basically saying it's okay to sit home and cry and be fake around a guy, which I don't agree with. I understand this happens sometimes, but I got the impression that she cries over him a lot, because she says, "So I drive home alone, as I turn out the light, I'll put his picture down and maybe get some sleep tonight," implying that many other nights she hasn't slept because she has been up crying over him.

Taylor Swift

For my CD project, I researched Taylor Swift. She is a relatively new artist, since 2006, and has only made one CD so far. Most of her songs are about her relationship with her ex-boyfriend. She writes about her anger towards him and how he just walked right out of her life with another girl.
I think that in a way, her lyrics represent one value of our generation. I think we are starting to value short term commitments and promiscuity. I think that celebrities these days send the message to teens that it's okay to be promiscuous. It's not uncommon for people to have short relationships or casual, "no strings attached" relationships. I think Taylor Swift shows through her lyrics that she has anger towards her ex-boyfriend for leaving her for another girl. Taylor Swift's emotions show that these things are wrote and hurtful, but they still happen in today's society. Although she is talking solely about her ex-boyfriend, it is a universal appeal to all girls who have gone through that, and she's showing how girls feel in those situations. She doesn't write about any of our generation's other values, such as beauty or materialism.
I think that through her image, she represents society's "ideal" girl because she is young, pretty, and famous. She also gives off the wholesome girl image through her charity work. She started a foundation to protect kids from online predators. I think she represents our generation's value of giving to charity and safety.

How to Become Famous Hasn't Changed

The seemingly revolutionary way that Colonel Parker, Elvis' manager, used to make him a star is the same manner that most stars use to become famous today. He first decided to promote Elvis' sexuality. Elvis' infamous gyrating of the hips was considered dirty and some cities banned his dancing and performances. He was seen as a player and knew that a relationship would be detrimental to his image, and ultimately his career. Many stars today capitalize on their sexuality to become famous. For example, Paris Hilton first became famous because of her leaked sex tape. Additionally, many stars today give the impression that they do not want to settle down or have a serious relationship when they are always seen at clubs with different people and are romantically/sexually linked to many others. Many singers dance a lot more sexually than Elvis' gyrating hips-- Elvis seems modest compared to many stars today! Next, Elvis' manager started a new business/Elvis brand name. They sold different kinds of Elvis merchandise. This is still prevalent today where countless stars, including Britney Spears, Hilary Duff, Paris Hilton, Jennifer Lopez, etc. have made their own perfume lines. Many have also made clothing lines and sold other merchandise. The way Elvis became famous in the 1950s is still the same way that many stars today become famous. The sexuality is much more extreme today but it is based on the same idea.

Spice Up Your Life

My first favorite group was the Spice Girls. I was 9 years old and in 4th grade. I remember wanting to go to their concert really badly but we couldn't get tickets. I remember one of my friends went and I was really jealous because she said it was the best concert ever. I liked the Spice Girls' music because it is very fun, energetic, and upbeat. The songs are very catchy and easy to sing and dance to. At the time, the Spice Girls seemed like role models because they were very trendy, pretty, and famous. I think so many people liked the Spice Girls because each Spice Girl represented a different kind of person and almost everyone could relate to one. My favorite was Sporty Spice because I was very into sports and this point in my life basically revolved around playing travel soccer and basketball. I still love the song "Wannabe" and it's important to me because it brings back many memories from elementary school and camp.