Opening Question
We started our unit by examining Halloween costumes…
To what extent should universities hold students responsible for their Halloween costumes or other clothing for that matter? How does one determine what costumes or clothing are so offensive that expulsion or reprimand is needed? What about the first amendment and the freedom of speech, especially on university campuses which are traditionally seen as a bastion of free speech?
Universities should hold students responsible for their Halloween costumes and other clothing to a great extent. Students at these universities are at the age of their first sign of independence. Students at that age are more than likely to make mistakes, but when it comes to the topic of halloween costumes and the way they dress, students should be well aware of what is and what is not appropriate. What Yale did to me was appropriate. They let the student decide upon themselves if their costume is appropriate, but still warned them. I believe that the school set the tone that they are watching, and for those who still wear offensive clothing or costumes, that they will face consequences.
Determining how offensive a costume is can be tricky, as it depends on many different factors. I see it as there are different levels of offensiveness: very offensive, offensive, and not offensive. In the very offensive tier, there are costumes such as: dressing up as a mass murderer, making fun of a terrorist attack or terrible event, blackface/whiteface, stereotypes, making fun of sexual assault, transgender costumes, and making fun of serious diseases and disabilities. The reason being is that these in no-way are funny, and aims to be offensive. The second level of offensiveness is the offensive tier, which consists of costumes such as: appropriating a culture in a less harmful way, abortion, gender roles, and more. The reason being is that they are not to the same degree of offensiveness as the ones listed above, as sometimes there is a level of humor involved. And the last level of offensiveness is the not-offensive tier. I believe that costumes such as the “Jon Snow White” costume and the ‘Three Blind Mice’ costumes would fall into this category. The reason being is that they are fictional characters that people were dressing up as, and I do not think the intent was to offend these communities.
In regards to the arguments of freedom of speech and the first amendment, I believe that offensive costumes and clothing have the same effectiveness as hate speech. I believe that it should be treated the same, which is to limit it as much as possible and set consequences for those who cross the line.
Word Count: 378
Core Question #1
Our third treading packet examined the idea of racial profiling. Discuss the pros and cons of profiling. To what extent do you think racial profiling should be used, if at all? Explain the answer with details.
There are not many pros to racial profiling, and in addition, there are many cons. A pro of racial profiling is that if it works, it can catch someone and take them off the streets. For instance, if a cop questions a man based on the neighborhood he is in, the way he dresses, and the color of his skin, question and search him only to find he had drugs in his pocket, it can be viewed upon as a success. And, if the police continue to do this and see a trend, they can take pride in knowing that it was all based on their instincts. But, those seem to be the only pros.
There are many cons to racial profiling. For starters, it restricts the rights of a person. If a cop were to stop a person just because they “looked” guilty, and had to be searched as a result, it not only violates their rights, but invades their privacy. There is no guarantee that stopping and searching someone based on their looks will work, and more often than not, this action will backfire and will look bad on the police. People will lose trust in the police and would not feel safe in their own community, resulting in a sense of diversion and a loss of connection of the relationship between the community and the police. Stopping or questioning someone based on their look is a decision made by police officers, therefore if they do it to one community more than the other, it can be deemed as racist and could result in public backlash.
I do not think racial profiling should be used at all, though I think it is inevitable. The action of questioning someone based on stereotype and the way they look is just disgusting. This negativity in our society belittles minorities, whether it is gender, race, or sex, and should have no part in it.
Word Count: 321
Core Question #2
Our fourth reading packet covered the #livesMatter movements. Which of the four #’s do you feel most attached to. Why and to what extend? Discuss how social media has created and defined these moevements and their role in the national spotlight. How have these movements used language and images to portray their messages and their power.
I feel most attached to the #BlackLivesMatter movement. I believe in what they believe in, and I feel the things they are fighting for. As an African American and a Muslim, I know what it feels like to be profiled and treated unequal to my majority counterparts.
Social media has most definitely created and defined these movements and has had a major role in each hashtags national spotlight. Black Lives Matter definitely blew up thanks to social media. It has more of a voice and can its message can be reached to hundreds of millions of people domestically and internationally. Black Lives Matter uses language to encourage people to join the fight for equality and bring justice. They use images to a great extent, using them to get their message across. The Black Lives Matter movement’s logo consists of a raised fist famously used by John Carlos and Tommie Smith in the 1968 olympics. The raised fist signifies unity and solidarity.
The #BlueLivesMatter campaign was made as a result of the Black Lives Matter campaign. Though there is a need, it is not consistent with the message it is trying to send, as the campaign does not necessarily tend to fight for all cops. They use language to at times belittle the Black Lives Matter movement, and magnify themselves. They use imagery to show how brave they are and to put shame on the opposition of the police.
The #AllLivesMatter campaign and the #WhiteLivesMatter was made for those who do not want to feel left out. This campaign does not understand what the Black Lives Matter movement is fighting for, as they think that black people are fighting to be better than their counterparts instead of being equal. White Lives Matter tend to consist of white nationalists who want their race to be superior to others, and are willing to use violence to stand up for what they believe in. Social media has magnified their voice as their opinions are now reaching more and more people.
Word Count: 336 words
Closing Question
We finished the unit by exploring the current debate on sexual harassment, assault, and abuse. Why do you think that this has been such a “taboo” topic for so long, What social, cultural, economic, political factors have brought these issues to the forefront?
I think that sexual harassment, assault, and abuse has been a taboo topic for so long because women did not have a voice in the past, and they feared for their lives. Men were so dominant in the past that even if women were able to speak out, and tell their story, that they would not be given justice, and the men would continue to abuse and harass these women. Women now have a much bigger role in society and have much more respect, and as a result are able to talk about these things easily.
With the evolution of the internet and social media, it is now much easier for women to speak out about harassment, assault, abuse, and many more things. I think it is easier for the assaulted person to speak out once someone else has already done it. For example, The New York Times first reported the Harvey Weinstein allegations, since then over 75 women have accused him of sexual harassment. Though it is easier nowadays to speak out, falsely accusing someone of sexual assault is very damaging to the accused. It is an extreme possibility that sexual harassment, abuse, and assault could happen without there being evidence, but it is hard to come up with a decision when the only evidence there is is your voice.
Of the 14 ways men should respond to #metoo, I agree with the ones that says to not belittle women, to make sure there is consent, and to teach your elders to do better. The reason I agree with them is because there is no reason to look down upon women, and I definitely want to make sure of consent as I do not want to harass, assault, or abuse women. I strongly agree with #13 as elders tend to have strong views, as growing up, they lived in a society that is not like today. I do not agree with number two as I should not be forced to read and follow feminist writers.
Word Count : 336 words