Weekly Article Summary

http://cnn.com/video/?/video/bestoftv/2010/01/11/nr.scholar.ladies.cnn

My article is about a group of students at Hope Christian School in Milwaukee, that were challenged to make an educational video. They made a music video and changed the words of, Beyonce's "Single Ladies". In the video, the lyrics of the song say things like, "scholar ladies" instead of "single ladies", and they also say things about getting a degree and looking forward to graduating.
This article is important because it's showing that kids do care about their futures and things that will effect them. They are trying to influence younger kids by using something that is popular. This is trying to reach an audience of basically any student still in school, or maybe even people who dropped out of school. I think it will effect a large population of people because it's in an "up to date" way to spread the word about it. What is important about this article is, it's young kids who are showing that they care about their education.
My opinion about this article is, I think it's cool, but not very important because plenty of students around the world have had to do projects for things like that but don't get the same publicity. I think this would work better with younger kids, but not really older. I also think the things said in this were very toned down, they didn't say much and when I watched it, it didn't really make me think twice about how I was doing in school.

Scholarly diversity article

http://www.helium.com/items/327517-celebrating-diversity-in-schools-without-making-minority-students-feel-different

Part One:
In this article, a language teacher lists different ways diversity can be brought into schools without offending or discriminating against one race. One of her methods was to make a Valentine's Day bulletin board where she wrote "I love you" in different languages and used images showing different types of love from different countries and such. Another method she used was, when newsletters were sent out, instead of using the "stereotpyical white male or female", she used a black man or a person of a different race. Her last example was to have a talent show and have the kids of different races perform things from their cultures or a potlock that focuses on the different cultures and each person could bring a food of their culture.

Part Two:
1. What aspect of diversity does it cover?
This article covers racial diversity.
2. What does the author say about diversity? What kind of audience is the author trying to reach?
The author says that she wants to "celebrate the wonderful diversity of the world's culture".
The audience she is trying to reach is pretty much everyone, but I think she is mainly speaking to other school teachers or adults who associate with kids from different cultures.
3. Who is it going to affect? How is it going to affect a large population of the world and possibly you?
This is going to affect children from other cultures in schools and their teachers. It could affect a large population because if a lot of people do this in their schools and children don't feel like they are being attacked for their race or being discriminated against anymore, less fights will occur and people might be more mature about things. This could affect me because the immature people in my class couldn't say "you're only saying that because i'm black" and other stupid things like that!
4. What is it that makes this an important article about diversity?
This is an important article about diversity because it's a "solution" that isn't disruptive but could still make a difference.

Part Three:
My opinion on this article is, it's a very good idea but may not work out in the long run. If you put this in elementary schools it may take more affect that in high schools or middle schools. In middle or high schools I don't think the students pay much attention to things that are hanging up around the school and if it had to do with race I think they're care even less about it or turn it around some how and try to make it racist in some way. One of her "solutions" to have a potluck or a talent show with the students displaying different things from their cultures is a good idea and even if it doesn't change people from feeling discriminated against, I think it will still bring people together.

Song Analysis

Song: Two Weeks From Twenty
Artist: Yellowcard
Genre: Rock/Pop
Time Period/Date of Release: January 24, 2006
What is the issue being addressed by the song? The issue being addressed in the song is war.
What is the song artist's point of view or opinion? The song artist's point of view is kind of two different ones. They look at it from the point of view of the family but also the point of view of other people in the world.

"And then you hear em' say

That miles away

We lost another one that we sent with a gun

His momma missed him

He was two weeks from twenty

And there's still no shame

From the man to Blame

No there's still no shame

And we're all to blame"

Contextual Factors

What are contextual factors surrounding the writing of this song? There was nothing going on in that point in time, but the war in Iraq had started a few years before. We were sort of going through an economic crisis, which is increasing as the years go by.

Facts and Statistics

• The US 2009 Monthly spending as of October 2009, was $7.3 Billion
• In 2008 it was $12 Billion
• The cost of sending one soldier to Iraq for one year is $390,000
• As of September 30th, 2009. There are 124,000 soldiers in Iraq
• George Bush is the man responsible for sending the troops in the first place.
• Barack Obama promises to pull troops out of Iraq by 2011.

I think the public's attitude toward this war is divided; some think we should be over fighting, and some think we shouldn't. From various tv shows and newspaper articles, "Return to Duty" for example, they talk about and show soldiers that have been through the war, and a lot of them were for the war before they went and when they came back their opinions completely changed.

What is the issue? The issue is the war in Iraq and the fact that people are dying over there.
Who is affected? Everyone is affected, whether it is a soldier that is fighting over seas, a family member of a soldier who is over there, a friend, and there are many other ways it affects others. But it affects everyone one in some way.
What is the severity of this issue? The entire united states is affected by this at least a little bit. The number of us troops casualties is 4,366 and counting. The number of us troops wounded is 31,571 and counting. This war is not only doing damage to the minds and hearts of Americans and Iraqis mentally and emotionally but economically also. There is so much money being wasted because of this war, the US is in terrible debt.
What is the significance of this issue? This issue is significant because there are so many soldiers over seas risking their lives for the American people. They are over there trying to protect us.
Is this a moral, ethical, economical, political issue? This issue is both economical and political.
Is there any one in control of the issue, or who has strong influence over the issue? I think the president has control of this issue. If he wanted to, he could pull the troops out right now, but so far he hasn't. He says that he will in 2011, I guess we'll have to see if that happens.

Is the issue being resolved or becoming more controversial? This issue seems to be a little more resolved, the topic doesn't come up so frequently in the news and such, but it is still a big deal. People are over there dying, at a rapid rate.

Did you find information in your research that supported the artist’s point of view? Identify parts of the artist’s opinion that were supported by your research and explain how they were supported using the information from your research.
Well the artist doesn't straight up come out and say his point of view or opinion in the song. He is just talking about a soldier losing his life, and that is most definitely happening in the war looking at the casualties occurring.
Identify parts of the artist’s opinion that were not supported by your research and explain how your research opposed the artist’s view.
The economical part of this issue was not addressed in the song, but a lot of things from doing research would not oppose or agree with this song. The song is just telling about a young man's life being cut short because of the war.
Do you share the artist’s opinion on this issue? Why or why not? Support your arguments with your research.
Well like I said before, the artist doesn't really have an opinion in the song. He just talks about something that is happening over there. But my personal opinion on the war in Iraq is, we should not be over there. We started to pick a fight with them just because of suspicion that they would initiate another terrorist attack. There are a lot of elements about the war that I am not aware of, but I don't think that we should be over there, costing soldiers their lives.

RESOURCES

http://www.thenation.com/sections/iraq_war

http://usliberals.about.com/od/homelandsecurit1/a/IraqNumbers.htm

http://www.lyrics.com/two-weeks-from-twenty-lyrics-yellowcard.html

Fort Hood.

1. What are your thoughts, feelings, etc, as you read these articles?
I think a lot of these are just thinking of excuses for his behavior. Looking at his background, looking at the type of person he was, and the way he treated other people on a regular basis. It seems like they can't deal with the fact that he was just a sick evil person.
2. What role do you think terrorism played in this massacre, if any? Why? Do you think that there was an terrorist organization behind the shooting?
I don't know if it's terrorism really. I think he was trying to get back at the people who discriminated against him and said things to him about his race, because he was in helping during war. I don't think there was a terrorist organization behind it, mostly just because of the things the other people said; things like, "he was a quiet man and kept to himself." Also because he had gone to war and served, so he was kind of fighting against his own "people" that would have created this organization for him to be involved with.
3. What role did racism or religious persecution play in this incident? Why?
Hasan felt some racism being directed towards him so I think that was definitely a factor in this incident because he wanted to get back at the people who were calling him names or making assumptions about him. I think the religious part particularly for his race, goes hand and hand because most people think that people of his race are all the same and believe in the same religion. So people would discriminate against him in both ways.
4. Do you think a lot of Muslim Americans have the same feelings as this man? Why or why not?
I think if they're being judged and accused of things just because of their race, then definitely, because no one appreciates being discriminated against. Especially if they are being blamed for things they didn't do just because of their race.
5. What do you think the military could have done to prevent this from happening? Why do you believe this? Were there signs that this man had the potential to do something like this? What were they?
I don't think there was much the military could have done. They could have possibly taken him from war. But if they did that just because he was depressed and stuff, they would have to do that to so many other people. They could have been able to tell from blogs, things he said, and the way he acted, but like I said, they would have to do that to so many other people if they just gave him special treatment.
6. Talk about the leadership of Kimberly Munley (the woman who stopped the shooter). What did she do? How would you have reacted in the same situation?
What she did was incredibly brave. By her stepping in instead of waiting for back up, she saved so many more lives. If I were put into that situation I'm almost positive I wouldn't be able to do it and I'd have to wait for back up.
7. What does this incident say about race relations in America? Specifically with Arab-Americans and Muslims? Is there a reason that Muslims and people from the Arab world feel a certain way about
America?
I think it's saying that America just can't get along with anybody. When someone in America sees a Muslim or Arab person, I'm sure the first thing that comes to mind is something racist, we think back to what happened on September 11th, or we think about whats going on in Iraq, Afghanistan, etc. right now. Right now I'm sure they don't like us because we started a war in their country for no reason, and we won't leave!

2nd Leadership Article

My article was written by Andrew Cox and is about how one man gained respect, and teaches you how to get respect. It goes over the different things a person should do to gain respect from his or her peers. He talks about a man that he met through work. The man was a hardworker and was quiet. This man was really appreciated at his workplace and after a while he would go months and leave, then show up again, then disappear again. Cox always showed him respect through this time because he knew he was a good worker and would show up again.

This article covers the aspect of Respect. What the author is sort of saying about leadership from his article is, if you obey the rules and treat everyone like a human being, they will respect you. You need to be respectful to every person you come in contact with, whether you like them or not to be a leader. The author is trying to reach the working class audience which is older individuals. If you were to put this into action, it would affect whoever you were doing it to, it would affect a large population if you worked at a large company and you treated all of your workers with respect so they worked harder on the job. This is going to affect me because I can do this when I get a job, and maybe I'll be more successful. The fact that it talks about something that a lot of people could actually do in their own lives, and involves working hard is what makes this an important article about leadership.

I think this article is very influential because he affected this man's life whether he realizes it or not. They actually affected each other, but Andrew Cox was being more of a leader I'd say, since Mr. Bentley kept to himself more. "He would come back every night, get his draw, and leave. No talk, no socializing - nobody messed with Mr Bentley." Cox treated Bentley like a real person and he appreciated it, in the end Bentley turned his attitude around and was a more open person.

Headbutt Article

I can go both ways about this, I think some people expect players to get rough in contact sports, but I also don't think that there is enough reason behind it for a player to just headbutt another kid, especially since the other kid didn't have a helmet on. But personally I think criminally charging him for it is taking it a little far.

I don't think there SHOULD be an expectation of violence, but there definitely is. The thing is, in the sport you usually have protection, but when you're just walking around in the real world you don't have anything to protect you unless you have a gun or a knife on you.

How would this make you feel?
What would you want done about this situation?
What would you do about this situation?

Attacker: I would feel pretty bad after I did it, because even if I was mad in the moment.. it was a stupid decision. Of course I wouldn't want anything to happen to me, but I deserve suspension.
Victim: I would feel attacked and like I did something wrong. I would want the guy to get the worst punishment they could give him, but I don't think charging him criminally is necessary.
Attacker's Parent: I would think my child made a stupid decision, I feel embarrassed and disappointed that my child would do such a thing, that is not how I raised him. I think he should be kicked off the team
Victim's Parent:
Police:
Teammate of Attacker: I would be disappointed in my teammate, but I would still be there to back him up no matter what. I think he should be suspended for a while though.
Teammate of Victim: I
Coach: I would feel embarrassed and disappointed at the time, but he is also not my child and I didn't raise him that way.

Leadership Article Summary.

The article I chose is about the difference in Leadership styles in hotels in different places. For example America compared to Australia. Australia gets their leadership styles from different places, and so does America. In the article they talk about hospitality and how hospitality in Australia was most influential.

The article covers educational/ethical leadership. The author says that leadership is thought about the same in most places, but the way they go about the leadership is different. In countries other than America, they are more polite and initiate leadership in different ways. I think the author is trying to reach older/middle-aged people. I think it will affect anyone who works in hotels or that type of work place. It will affect a large population if it were read in like a big setting, maybe at a place where hotel owners and workers get together? Or it could be required by workers to act in this manner, then it would make people more happy and satisfied by the hotel employees attitudes and manners. This is an important article about leadership because people daily have to deal with hotel employees and owners, and we all know that they don't always have the best attitudes. So maybe this could make a difference in that "industry".
I think this article is beneficial for people who work in hotels and all but I don't think that it would actually have an impact on the people who read it because the way people act, especially if they are older people, aren't going to change for anyone.