Utah Enforcing it's Law

Recently, in the state of Utah, a Lesbian couple is dealing with a stressful situation. According to the recent article, "Utah Judge Drops Order on Lesbians' Foster Child," they are facing the possibility of losing their foster child because of state regulations, The article was published by the New York Times on November 13, 2015. In the article, Judge Scott N. Johansen ordered that the "child be taken away from the parents because it was, "not in the best interest of children to be raised by same-sex couples." However, the judge "temporarily reversed his order and allowed the child to stay with the parents, but claims the matter is not settled." The child that is involved in the situation is a 9 month old baby girl. If you look at the Judge's perspective, the child would grow up with the beliefs of the parents and more than likely may be lesbian. This is due to the fact that her parents are both woman. So, the Judge is only looking out for the child's best interest and wants her to grow up in the situation she so happened to fall into. If you take a look at a situation from the other person's shoes, you find yourself understanding a bit more of their beliefs, and where they are coming from. Moreover, the hearing was scheduled for today and there has not yet been any announcements made yet on the result. Another reason this situation happened to take place, was because, "Gay Activists argued.. the right to marry plainly confers the same rights as other married couples have..." (Utah Judge Drops Order on Lesbians' Foster Child). The Judge Anthony M. Kennedy responded by, "specifically listing adoption among the rights associated with marriage... and wrote children were harmed when their parents' unions weren't recognized."(Utah Judge Drops Order on Lesbians' Foster Child). Thus, the effect this had was that, Same-Sex couples were rejected from being able to adopt a child. Over time, states started being less lenient and stopped enforcing this law of banning Same-Sex couples from adopting. However, as listed in the article, some states still enforce this law such as Mississippi and Nebraska, but "Nebraska no longer enforces it" (Utah Judge Drops Order on Lesbians' Foster Child). Hopefully the couple can keep their foster child, if not, who knows, maybe in the future this rule may be overturned officially instead of temporarily.

Police Officers Bullies?

It seems as if police brutality is resurfacing and becoming a heated topic. There have been many incidents involving police officers using excessive force ranging from a senior citizen all the way to a high school student. It got to the point where "Black Lives Matter" became a trending topic. A majority of police brutality are faced towards African Americans, however not all are. When we take a look at police brutality, not all police officers are abusing their power. There are actually officers out there who are proud to serve and protect the people and wear their badge with honor.
According to an article, "New Jersey Cop Slams, Nearly Kills Female Senior Citizen" a cop used excessive force on an elderly woman, and slammed her face into the ground. In the article, they describe that the woman received multiple fractures and was in critical condition. The worst part was that she was then placed in a medically induced comma and her grandson had to witness this take place. These corrupt officers are giving the good cops a bad name and are building up a hatred towards cops from the public with these police brutality incidents.
Another recent incident happened to take place at a high school in South Carolina to a female student. In the article, "Video shows cop body-slamming high school in SC classroom," you can see in the video clip the girl being slammed out of her desk with excessive force. This is unacceptable and should never lead to that outcome. She is a teenager and he is a strong man who man handles her and the classmates stood back and let it happen, as well as the teacher.
We cannot stand back and let this happen. We as a society need to come together and speak out against this wickedness. If the police department sees that we are serious and we won't back down, we will make change happen. However, we cannot just roll over and allow to be taken advantage of. If we make this issue viral, something is going to have to be done. A similar case is Tarantino's. Tarantino is a movie producer who spoke out against police brutality and as a result started to get bullied by police. In the article, "Tarantino says he won't be intimidated by police boycotts," Tarantino describes that he outraged cops by his comments and they started boycotting his upcoming film. Tarantino also says that instead of the police dealing with the problem, they are singling him out and bashing him. That is a real mature way of handling things, wouldn't you think. If we don't force the issue, nothing will change, but push will come to shove and we can't back down just like Tarantino isn't backing down.

Theres a New Hero in Town

         Remember when Dad used to be there to always save the day, he was the one we called our hero. In this commercial, the car company Hyundai makes an analogy of Dad always being there to save the day to a car now saving the day when Dad can't. The video outlines the many ways Dad has saved the day and how he was always there. However, as time progresses, Dad won't always be there and that is where the new Hyundai Genesis is then introduced into the commercial, at then end.           The plot of Dad saving the day has a huge significance on the audience because it appeals to the audience emotionally. It progresses from Dad saving the day as a child up until teenage years. This makes a connection to a majority of people because the actions taking place are common in the every day life of a parent, not just the father.
          In the video, there isn't much dialogue exchanged, however, after every moment Dad saves the day, he says "i got you" or "woooah" and it shows that he drops everything immediately to protect his son. At the end, the son almost crashes from being distracted and he then says "sorry."A rhetorical technique that is incorporate is metaphor. It compares the many ways Dad saves the day to how the new Hyundai Genesis can now also save the day. It makes a ton of comparisons from almost tripping over, to almost crashing the bike into a truck, from almost falling into the river, to almost getting hit standing next to a pinata. It connects with the audience because it logically appeals to the audience by making them say in their heads "oh, i remember a time like that" or "i remember when that happened."
          We empathize these characters in the video because Dad is saving the day and we almost cringe seeing the child almost get hurt, but Dad then last second steps in and takes the hit or saves the day. It shows how a father will sacrifice his well being for his child. The Dad is dressed as a family man in casual clothes, as well as the child is dressed in normal casual attire. The Dad is fairly young in the beginning and the child is about 3 or 4. The video then progresses by a couple years after each time Dad saves the day. Their ages play a huge significance because it forms a common ground with a majority of families today in society. The setting changes multiple times from being in a park, to going fishing, to being at a family party, all the way to learning to drive in a neighborhood.
          There isn't many cut ins in this commercial, yet the camera angle tends to stay focused on the action taking place. This affects the audience and it keeps them engaged. The commercial takes place outdoors and has a lot of green scenery. The mood is relaxing and it shows the family having a good time. There is a song that plays in the background that complements the theme. The lyrics say how "I will always be there" and "you can count on me like 1, 2, 3." It shows how Dad will always be needed but sometimes he won't be able to control some things. The music impacts the audience emotionally and in a way makes them appreciate Dad more and how we can count on him to be there when we need him.
          Towards the end, the Hyundai Genesis is introduced. It shows the teenager driving with Dad and seeing a pretty girl and getting distracted. He takes his eyes off the road and doesn't see the car in front of him pulling out. He keeps staring at the girl, which is a common thing young teens do as they are driving, they get easily distracted which symbolizes the generation of our society always getting easily distracted. The car then automatically brakes preventing an accident and therefore saving the day. It then says, remember when only Dad can save the day. This appeals to the family audience and those that want to keep their family safe. This car symbolizes safety and that is what families prioritize.
         

Multi Meaning Commercial

            Super Bowl commercials are one of the few things that everyone looks forward to every year. It actually may be the reason some people watch the Super Bowl, for it's commercials. The general ambiance of this commercial is sexual. It creates sexual tension by showing an old Italian couple trying to spice up their relationship. The old man then tries to take a Viagra pill, which also creates sexual tension because the mature audience understands the concept of the pill. The design of the commercial is to make the Fiat, a car not know to be masculine, look more manlier and introducing a bigger size. This is because Fiats are known to be miniature cars as well.
            In the video you see an old Italian couple trying to make love in the bedroom. It takes place in Italy. The old man then attempts to take his last Viagra pill in the restroom, but the pills ends up flying out the window.The pill then travels throughout the town and falls into the gas tank of a Fiat. The Fiat then experiences the after effects of the blue pill. The car then becomes much bigger and more masculine looking. You then see all the women staring at amazement and showing faces of approval. This affects the viewers in a way that gives them a sense of masculinity in this new Fiat. It attempts to attract a male audience.
            The characters talk to each other in Italian. The wife seems to tell him to come to bed and signals him towards her. The old husband then covers his mouth in shock and seems to tell her to hold on in Italian. He then heads to the bathroom to take the pill. The meaning this has on people is first and foremost, this pill can be used by men who need it in the bedroom. Secondly, it gives the new Fiat a sense of manliness.The commercial has sexual humor to it and exaggerates the after effects of the Viagra pill falling into the Fiat's gas tank.
              The old couple humors the audience by the plot taking place. It is a nasty site to take in mind and we feel they unattractive, well at least not the older audience. The husbands facial expression is funny, because he is shocked and wowed by the fact that his wife is in the "mood" sort to speak. The old man becomes excited and rushes to take the blue pill. The wife is in a relax state and is laying in bed signaling for her husband to join her. They are in their nightgowns or pajamas and their age has a huge significance because it pertains to an older audience as well as mean who want to drive a manly car. The setting is coincidentally taking place in Italy because the car is an Italian car.
               There are a few quick cut ins in the video. In the beginning we get the view of the man with a long shot of his wife and then a zoom in when she signals him over. We then get a close up on the man to get a clearer view of his actions and his excitement. It zooms out to see him being sneaky in the restroom and a long shot of his wife waiting. The camera also zooms in in the pill and zooms in the gas tank to compare the intake of a car as to a human's intake of the pill. It shows a before view of the car and then zooms in on the gas tank. These impact the commercial to make it feel as if we are there as well as compare the after effects of the pill on the car.
                There are birds chirping to give off a morning feeling. When the man discovers his wife, a violin starts playing to ease the mood. A piano then plays when he glances at his wife before he takes the pill, then the violin picks up as he tries to take the pill. We then hear the sound effects of the pill zooming through the town and clanking against metal and the wine glasses. A violin then plays in the background that gives off the sense of escape. We then hear the pill clanking and making its way in the gas tank.
                  The commercial uses Viagra as a symbol. It knows that the audience already knows the meaning and effects of the pill. They also know that Fiat's are not known to be masculine cars. So they portray this image of a car digesting a pill and becoming bigger and more masculine, therefore attracting the ladies.
             

Traditional Gender Roles Bad for Society ?

"Stereotypes about gender can cause unequal and unfair treatment because of a person's gender. This is called sexism" (Gender and Gender Identity). Traditional gender roles have caused a huge effect on today's society. "In American culture, masculine roles have traditionally been associated with strength, aggression, dominance, while feminine roles have traditionally been associated with passivity, nurturing, and subordination" (Gender and Sociology). We have categorized and divided the roles between men and women on what they should and should not do. This is extremely wrong! This has an effect on this generation, the generations before us, and the next generations. Now, based on the traditional gender roles, women are expected to stay home and be a house wife, while the male goes out and provides for the family.
"The term "gender role" refers to society's concept of how men and women are expected to act and behave. Gender roles are based on norms, or standards, created by society"(Gender and Sociology).

 Society has created these standards, or norms, that make men and women behave a certain way. They believe that women and men have to act a certain way and dress a certain way. In reality, we are our own person and we live our own life. People should not dictate what is right and what is wrong. If people want to act or dress a certain way, who are you to tell them they cannot? Who are you to tell them how to think? This comes from respect. People lack respect in this society and they expect to be respected. You need to treat people the way you want to be treated. We need to respect the decisions people make for themselves because their choices do not affect your life. "The socialization process in which children learn these gender roles begins at birth. Today, our society is quick to outfit male infants in blue and girls in pink... It is interesting to note that these color associations with gender have not always been what they are today... pink was actually more associated with boys, while blue was more associated with girls..." (Gender and Sociology). Everything is not always what it seems. The root of this comes from implementing these "gender roles" at the beginning of birth. This is based on how society wants you to act, not personal preferences. The problem with this is that the children then grow up being dependent and not being able to make their own decisions because in society it is viewed as wrong. "Children learn at a young age that there are distinct expectations for them based on their assigned gender" (Gender and Sociology).
They say don't judge a book by its cover, but that is exactly what we are doing. "Gender roles shape individual behavior not only by dictating how people of each gender should behave, but also by giving rise to penalties for people who don't conform to the norms" (Gender and Sociology).  We are judging people based on their gender and basically telling them how to act, dress, or talk because they need to "fit in" with society. Truth to the matter is, we are all unique individuals who were born to shine. We were meant to stand out and be different. Children are being limited to certain things and being cheated out of experiences because of society. If children are not allowed to make their own decisions, they grow up being dependent on other people and try to fit in. However, if we allow these children to shine as human beings and allow them to make their own decisions, they become their own person. They are more of an individual and also are independent. They will not depend on other people or society and will make decisions based on personal preferences. We need to allow people, not only children, to be able to express themselves freely. Because at the end of they day, their happiness has nothing to do with your happiness. Do what makes you happy, not because it is what society expects. This are the consequences of dividing roles between men and women. Anybody can do anything as long as they put their mind to it. Gender has nothing to do with it, it is all mental.

  EMPOWERED WOMEN 

                “Women are entitled to live with dignity and with freedom from want and fear” (United Nations Population Fund). Women have always been inferior to men since the stone ages. Men have been seen as the dominant figures and typically are the ones placed in power. However, men and women are both

equal. There have been recent improvements in allowing women to strive and be in place of power. When I say “power,” I am stressing the fact of women having the same opportunities given to men. There needs to be gender equality. Even though, over the years, women have been given more rights and opportunities, there needs to be significantly more. Men are not superior to women. We are both equal human beings who deserve to be treated with the same respect and have the same rights. “Investing in gender equality and women’s empowerment can unlock human potential on a transformational scale” (USAID). 

                “Gender equality is also a precondition for advancing development and reducing poverty: Empowered women contribute to the health and productivity of whole families and communities, and they improve prospects for the next generation” (United Nations Population Fund). Women can have an extreme impact on when given the opportunity to shine. According to an online article, “When women participate in civil society and politics, governments are more open, democratic and responsive to citizens. When women are at the negotiating table, peace agreements are more inclusive and durable. And simply by empowering women farmers with the same access to land, new technologies and capital as men, we can increase crop yields by as much as 30 percent helping to feed a growing population” (USAID). How amazing! Women have so much potential and have a ton to offer. However, women are being limited and are not allowed the opportunity to have an impact on society, government, business, etc. When women are denied the opportunities given to men, they have no other option but to fail. “Lack of an education severely restricts a woman’s access to information and opportunities. Conversely, increasing women’s and girls’ educational attainment benefits both individuals and future generations” (United Nations Population Fund).

We need to come together and form unity between men and women. When men and women are allowed to work together, the results produced can be extraordinary. The solution to this problem is to allow women to participate more fully and equally in the society. Failure only breeds success and when women are given the opportunity to showcase their talents and skills, there is no other option but success. Women and men are more productive and efficient when working together. It is like walking with one leg (the one leg being male dominant), there may be some progress, but to reach your full potential, you need both legs to be productive and efficient. 

The Significance of an Education 

Have you ever considered the importance of an education? Many people would say it is very important, while others would differ. If you think about it, getting a well-paying job is almost difficult without a college education; nobody wants to be stuck working a minimum wage job. However, if we go into depth with this topic, some students can't afford to pay for a college education. So they turn to community colleges because of the low tuition and pathways of transferring to a college or university. America depends on our students to get an education because they will one day be the next teachers, doctors, and presidents of our country. To make matters worse, government often times make funding cuts to community colleges. According to the article, "We All Benefit From Well-Funded Community Colleges: Kevin J. Schreiber" Kevin states,"...we have hear a lot about the significant education funding cuts made in the recent years"(Schreiber). Education should be at the bottom of the list for budget cuts because it effects the students resources and the economy as well.

With funding being cut, this impacts students majorly. Kevin Schreiber adds in the article that with an education, communities can break the cycle of poverty and also be able to compete globally. The effect that college funding has is, it limits the resources available to these students. These resources can include having less teachers, limited or outdated technology, etc. Students need these materials to be successful. It is like a student taking a course without the required textbook. They can get by, but they won't have what they need to be successful. We need students getting an education. We can't be giving them reasons to drop out of school and start working minimum wage jobs. Believe it or not, this effects the economy significantly. If students are not getting an education, they will be left with a dead end job and eventually be living below the poverty line. Someone will eventually take their job, because without a degree you can lose your job to someone with a degree. This will then effect the unemployment rate and then the government will be paying for their welfare.
 If these students get a degree, they can land a good paying job or pursue their career. This then allows them to spend their money on desired goods and services, allowing money to flow into the economy. So all in all, having an education is extremely significant to our country.

Does the U.S. Value Our Teachers

Does the U.S. Value Our Teachers?

          We face multiple problems in our education system today. The world depends on the students of today, because they are the future and the world's next leaders. However, without the proper training or learning, how can the students become successful? How can America allow teachers to quit? In the article of, "The High Cost of Low Teacher salaries" by Dave Egger and Ninive Clements Calegri, they stated that, "Nationwide, 46 percent of teachers quit before their fifth year." If you think about it, have you ever had a teacher bring up something about their salary? Many students have most likely had at least one teacher say something about their pay. We shouldn't blame them because teachers do more than what they get paid to do. This means that they work overtime but don't get paid for those extra hours they put in grading, reading papers, etc. We need to get more teachers teaching and lower the percentage of teachers quitting by raising teachers salaries. 

          The majority of students that pursue careers in college don't pursue teaching. Lets face it, we all know that nobody wants to become a teacher due to the low paying salary. "The average starting salary is $39,000; the average ending salary... is $67,000" (Egger, Calegri). To many people that doesn't look appealing for the amount of time and work that needs to be put in. However "McKinsely polled 900 top-tier American college students and found that 68 percent would consider teaching if salaries started at $65,000 and rose to a minimum of $150,000"(Egger, Calegri). That is our solution! In order to get our teachers to stop quitting and get more students to become teachers, is by raising the salary! It is really simple! In my opinion, 68 percent is a lot of students, and with the teacher to student ratio being low, this is the perfect solution to our problem. This is a great investment in our teachers, given the fact that the students of today are the world's next leaders.