Main Points 2

This source talks about the U.S.A. and how the people of this government should be more careful in attacking our ‘targets’ because many of the ‘targets’ we are attacking could just be civilians. If those civilians were to be attacked by the U.S.A. we would have more enemies than we had at the beginning. In order to actually effectively get our enemies, we have to be more careful in following ‘targets’. We should study them more and have more proof before we attack our targets. The U.S.A. can beat religious extremists like Al-Qaida but we have to do it carefully. http://indiafirsthand.com/2010/08/07/about-a-synagogue-in-mecca-mosque-in-new-york/

Thesis: In order for the citizens of the United States to have a safer community where all of us could live without fear from terrorist attacks, we have to come together, that means EVERYONE has to come together and help each other out with compassion and whatever needs need to be met. With this people that can be influenced easier than everyone else like the poor and children, we can put a road block in between terrorists and the good people around the world. By giving people the honor, respect and needs they need, there is no reason to go with terrorists.

Main points

My topic is about Religious Extremism. Now looking at Religious Extremism, I wondered how one could counter it. Not only to counter it but to give people here a reason and to convince them that they could help during my presentation. Now one of the few solutions to Religious Extremism is having religious freedom. While religious freedom may not completely rid any country of extremists, it most definitely reduces the amount of people who go to religious extremes.  One of the articles I read completely agrees with this idea stating “The best, if not the only way to counter religious extremism, Gasimoglu maintains, is to open up society to religious freedom for all, democracy, and free discussion – even including Islamist groups. This is the only way, he argues, of depriving Islamic extremism of support by revealing the reality of what extremism in power would mean.” (http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=338).

This source is recent from October of 2010 and states how America is trying to have better relations with the Muslim community in the Middle East but at the same time they are trying to target militants who are extremists in the Middle East. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3918518,00.html

This source from 2006 explains that if you want to beat Extremists, you have to beat them at their own game. What they mean is that you have to appeal to the poor and children. Extremists target children and the poor and try to give them a sense of honor by stating their religion is the only way to have honor and to honor their ‘God’ they must become religious activists that go to extremes. The U.S. and all people’s around the world in order to coexist need to not build a tolerance to religious extremists, but to appeal to the poor, help them and give them a sense of honor. http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0907/p09s02-coop.html.

April 29th BLog

Today I made a poster that I will ask to be approved in class and I made notes on all of the research I have gathered. I researched about the phsychology of why a person would become an extremist and how our country should be instead of being so concerned with religion. If people were to tolerate each other they would learn that they could coexist and we could forge stronger relationships with each other and reduce violence. I think people should be educated about their religion so that they understand that they can change themselves and to not try to change other people. They could suggest it to a person in a polite manner or come up with logical reasons as to why it would be good to folow their religion but sextremes should not be taken.

Last research sites

These are the last research sites that descirbe religious extremism in different ways and view points:

1) This mainly talks about terrorism and how we as The United States should be careful in seaking to extinguish our enemies because we could make some on accident thinking that they were terrorists.
http://www.brookings.edu/testimony/2005/1103middleeast_telhami.aspx

2) This talks about the U.S.A. and how it should face the religious extremism that happens on U.S. soils.
http://indiafirsthand.com/2010/08/07/about-a-synagogue-in-mecca-mosque-in-new-york/

3) Here is a website that is dedicated to reveal religious extremisim in our country and gorups that attack certain people's.
http://www.adl.org/learn/ext_us/

4) Here is an Athiest website that describes Christian extremisim from an Athiest point of view
http://www.atheistrev.com/2008/01/what-is-christian-extremism.html

5) This is an anti relgious extremism website describing what they think it is and a survey to see if you are.
http://religiousextremism.wordpress.com/2011/03/11/what-is-religious-extremism/

6) This is the definition of extremism.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/extremism

7) I haven't done this yet but I will be interviewing a man I know who is an expert in philosophy and I will be asking him multiple questions as to what he thinks religious extremism is and where it roots from as well as a common theme between all religions.

I wasn't in class but here is a website I need to read more about

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/political-bookworm/2010/09/defeating_religious_extremism.html

Websites that I've been using

1) Brief summary encompassing the physcological aspect and the history of why it goes on. Also how in modern days it has been going on more frequently because its easier to get acces to weapons.
http://issues.abc-clio.com/Topics/Display/913440

2) Here is a blog created by someone of an athiest belief and his output with logic within it instead of religon.
http://atheism.about.com/b/2005/05/03/religious-extremism.htm

3)A sceintific way at looking at extremists.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100706103404.htm

Religious Extremism: New topic

I think I have finally found something I would like to pursue studying. I find it intriguing to see the reasons people try resolving they're problems with violence because they were "told to" by they're God or whomever it may be. It's frightening to see that people get killed all the time for they're religious beliefs even here in America. I started to look on the websites given for a topic and fell upon this one on a list. I thought it would be interesting so I clicked it and seconds later there was a page or so summary giving me much detail that I learned. To see that people act out like this because they feel that when other's disagree they misinterpret it as a threat against they're sense of self. I noticed how much this goes into the physcological aspect of the actual person which I was expecting but I think is really cool.
This is the remains of a bombing in Jerusalem caused by a Palestinian suicide bomber that is being sift through by Israeli forensic experts.

Its things like this that interest me on why they happen. I know that they happen because the person strongly believes in whatever has been told to them and in some religion's interpretation. I would like to see thought if there could be a way to stop this. To get a peaceful understanding between all. But then again you could say as long as there is religion, there will be violence between groups with different beliefs.

Egypt Protests and Healthy rats. Do we as humans have the potential to be like the rats?

Egypt erupted in a mass protest in January 2011 against they're President Hosni Mubarak. After 18 days the president resigned and gave all the power to the army on January 2011 ending his 30 year rule and changing history in the Egypt and Arabic world. On a different note, studies also have shown that excerise could actually keep you youthfull for longer. The professors of McMaster University found that excerise could keep you alive and youthfull for a onger period of time with a study they conducted on rats. They changed all the rats DNA so they would grow old at an extremely fast pace. Half of the mice were dead or extremely gray and frail in a year but the other half were running 45 minutes a day, 3 days a week and they still were youthful with no gray hairs, strong and fit. Extreme results that the professors did not expect.

Mock Trial recap and Response

1)    During the trial of sexual harassment I thought it could have gone either way even though I sided more with guilty because what he did was sexual harassment because she told him to stop and he did not stop plus the company did nothing to help. The trial of date rape I was not pleased with the jury. I wasn’t heard but ignored and I had something to say. She was raped I thought because of how you mentioned the clothes and how she tried to get up but was pulled back. If she was trying to get up and her clothes were still on, it was probably rape. The defendant might not even know he raped her and feels innocent but even he describes it and clearly he raped her. Plus if you look at the people representing each the plaintiff and the defendant the plaintiff had much better people aiding her case. David had a child psychologist on his case and a friend. Not credible at all. I thought he was guilty for rape even if he didn’t see it as rape but should have been charged for something less. We’re trying to teach him a lesson not put him in prison for life. He didn’t even know what he did was wrong but I think he should have been put in prison anywhere from 1-3 years.

2)    I think people need to know where the line is for sexual harassment and even date rape. It’s scary because what is considered people may not know and if they were informed they wouldn’t have gone so far I think. For instance David I thought was a nice, innocent guy and respectful to a certain degree and if he was told before or informed about what sexual harassment or date rape was I don’t think he would have raped Susan. From what I know there aren’t problems here about date rape it’s more of the sexual harassment maybe. And I say maybe because maybe some girls don’t take to kindly to jokes that may have sexual references and I know a lot of them are made here. But I haven’t really heard girls stand up for themselves either and say stop so maybe they’re fine with it I don’t know. It might add to the problems around here if anything but very minimal. I don’t see it being a problem and if others do I think they should speak out to let people know it’s uncomfortable for them. For these problems to be addressed the person(‘s) being offended by sexual behavior, comments, references whatever it may be should say they’re uncomfortable with that type of behavior and that the person should stop. If the person doesn’t stop simply tell a teacher or someone with authority. If they don’t report it, they feel targeted. So they should seek someone who can stop it right away if the assailant is persistent with the harassment.  

State of the Union address 2011

I believe that in order for the things to be possible presented in Obama's speech America would have to take turn to new solutions that America might not be willing to do for a very long time especially since we as a country are very oil dependent and finding other solutions takes a lot of research and it would have to be less pricey than oil. Also the funding for schools is a very touchy subject. After hearing the classroom take the disscussion and heat it up let me see how realistic the idea is of giving money to other communities. I would like to but being in this community my parents want to fund its schools like Deerfield and such because they want me to have a better education. My parents aren't funding Chicago schools because I don't go there. Its cool to think that if we had the money to spare we could give to help Illinois education as a whole but realistically the people of the communities they live in have to fund the schools themselves. I mean unless there are alternative ways to helping the schools financialy or maybe using volunteers to complete renovasions around the school. I just want to see where America will be in 2015 or 2030 and by that time I hope I can help America by putting in more than my share of work to help those around me because in order for you to help others, you need to be able to take care of yourself.

LAST ZEITOUN POST

This book was awsome. It revealed America's inability to help New Orleans simply because it wasn't the first priority. But usually when a whole town is under water, it takes first priority to help anyone out of the city and rebuild it as fast as humanly possible. This was an eye opener because not only was the reader shown the negligance of the U.S government but also the racism and the rights of the people being taken away just because they're town is destroyed. These people aren't refugees. They still are citizens of the United States of America and the fact that the governement and police/army ext. ignored the rights of the people? Not only that but they took days weeks to actually start providing care and help. Katrina is a huge mess that the U.S will have to live with. Does our government only care about us this much? That is this were to happen to Chicago it would take weeks for help to actually come? Its the governments duty to help the people in a time of crisis like Katrina and the fact that they didn't try helping the people of New Orleans head of heel is shameful to me. Don't even get me started with FEMA. What where they even doing? In this book Zeitoun was captured and taken to a jail simular to Guantanimo Bay and then sent to Hunt in complete solitude. What are they doing imprisoning people? I thought they were supposed to be putting they're back into helping the people on the front lines down in the city with the people evacuating any people alive and helping any animals or people to find safety. Our country shouldn't be represented that way but if something like this happens again I never want to see the negligance the government had during this crisis. It will make me hurt to see that.

Zeitoun Post NUMBA 5 pg. 291

I am so glad Zeitoun was released. But thats besides the fact. He was totally innocent and the fact that he was treated like a rat, coming out of the prison twenty pounds lighter than when he was taken in and his hair turned gray? Thats not right someone has to pay for the fact he went through this and I hope CNN or whatever news station Kathy called will put this on the news and his story will be heard. His innocence and the fact that he should have never been there in the first place. FEMA should have to pay for what they have done.

Zeitoun Blog 4 pg 168

Is this justice? To take a man without reason into prison equal to that of Guantanimo bay and the lack of care for the prisoners itself is horrific. I thought this was America not some dictatorship like that Trujillo had done. This is disturbing to see that the country I live in didn't bust its ass to go in New Orleans and help these people not hurt them. They had the time and materials to build the caged prison Zeitoun was in why didn't they take they're resources to help the people instead of capturing people. The fact that he was assumed to be Al Kida or Taliban was ridiculous. Did the soldiers actually think that Zeitoun and his friends were planning on doing some major destruction to a city well underwater? Were they going to loot like the rest of the people in the town and since his friend Nassear and him had a dark skin tone that looked middle eastern they were assumed Taliban? Cmon America! This is ridiculous. The conditions of which he lives in and the abuse he has undergone were torturous and they were caused to him because?....Because he was found in the city? At this point of the book Americas government really looks like it gives a rats ass about its people but the legal and financial issues that go into helping. Who cares!? Just go down and send every capable man of helping down to New Orleans to revive the city and its people. When they are treated like this what does the governemnt expect? Im ashamed of our country and how it broke promise after promise. All the people trusted the govvernment and after the government turns its back on them who are they supposed to trust? They have to fend for themselves thats what happens and it shouldn't be like that this isn't a third world country. The government has the money to help when it wants to its just a whole major city being underwater isn't as important as the war on terror. If its more important than those peoples lives I would like to ask a question "Where is this war on terror occuring and is it actually helping? Are we preventing what could happen here?" I'd like to see Pres. Bushes response but I doubt it would be different than any other responses he's given. Im just severely dissipointed.

Zeitoun Blog 3 pg. 195

This book is amazing. It keeps me reading so much but Im reading it now out of curiousity of the where abouts of Zeitoun. Im taking this whole book in but to see how damaged his family is by this is horrifying and sad. To see people all over the world all sad and griefing already for one man is eye opening because if this is happening for one man, this is happening all over the world for all the individuals lost and not found. To see how the lost of they're father affects the kids alot too. The one girls hair was falling out because she was so worried about her dad. His wife has more white hairs on her head now than ever! Its really sad and I hope he lives because I want to see his story plus I dont want to see his family getting used to living without him. He did so much for them and was a great father, I hope he still lives.

Zeitoun Blog 2 pg. 135

At this point of the book the disaster already took place and the crimes are now starting to happen within the city of New Orleans. Despite all of the crimes and the excuses to get out of the city, Zeitoun stays though. Its amazing to me that a guy would stay and help people it just inspires me to do the same thing (not wade through water and help people but to help people in general). Its really great to see that there were people like this in the city and to hear this perspective. Its totally different than any other thing i have heard or seen. Like the videos we watched in class, those people were scared and seemed defensless against the theifs and such dwelling in the city's aftermath but Zeitoun was a champion within it all. It gave him a purpose in such a dire time. So far this book is awsome and I cant wait to read the rest so Im going to read more for my next entry!

1st Post on Zeitoun pg. 65

So far I'm impressed by the books way of telling a story in detail and the way it paints a picture so you can see what the setting is during the time. The writing is easy to read but at this point of the book I am really intrigued by the Islamic religion. Many of the things Kathy was explaining she had found out about Islam after reading books from her friend Yuko I hadn't known myself. I like the way how the Islamic religion aknowledges the other books written by Judaism, Christianity and there was another one called Psalms. They consider the fourth book the Qur'an the center of they're beliefs but I like the fact that it see's other religions books as factual and true. I also read during these pages that Kathy has been through many experiences being harassed about her religion and clothing which bothered me because even her family did it. I like the way Zeitoun explains that no one in the news that is brought up because they killed a bunch of people or stole or any offence has they're religion stated in the news unless they are Muslim. They dont bring up Christian peoples religion up when they kill people and make an offence but when an Islamic person makes and offence it hits the fornt of the news because they believe in Islam. It doesn't make sense that people do that and try to point out others and discriminate even in this day and age. I mean after 9-11 iIcould see how it is hard for some people to forgive but that could've been anybody in those planes piloting them. Those terrorrists percieved the Qur'an in a different way which anybody could do to a religion. Look at the KKK they were strong Christians but they interpreted things differently than what was actually told in the Bible. Its really ridiculous how Muslims are pointed out for the smallest things and that they have to feel scared and alone in this country.

Zeitoun

I think this is a great book. As I read more I'll let my followers know alittle more about it each time I blog. Thanks.