Tank Man!

Hello, class!
I attached the Dateline video strip for the Tank man video here. We only watched Section 1: "The Prologue" during class today. Enjoy watching the other sections. Pay special attention to section 6, because that is the video clip where researchers specifically focus on censorship as we discussed in class. Please post your comments and responses here. Focus specifically on the question: Is censorship justifiable? When and why?

How was class today?

Hi, class! I'm here in Spokane . . . thinking of you as I learn how to make our time together EVEN MORE MEANINGFUL! I have so many great ideas that I'm excited to share with you! How did things go today? I wish I was there with you! I'll see you next Wednesday! I'm loving your posts on Yellow Journalism. What are your thoughts on "Thank you, m'am"? Particularly in light of conversations on mariginilized people groups . . . (P.S.: gold star for the first person to define "marginilized." The last gold star was given to Jacob Kowalsky.)

The Justice of Primative Animals

Kaelyn said...

Social injustice is something primative animals don't notice don't care, they live they help each other, if we have the bigger brains why can't we make better desicions?

November 4, 2008 8:44 PM

Hmmm . . . a good question from Kaelyn. Thoughts, anyone?

I'm interested to see what you all come up with for yellow journalism. Seek hard! Do what you can to look up information about the Tank Man from Tienanmen Square as well. Enjoy class tomorrow!

Who cares?

Anna asked a great question on her blog -- why do some people care about issues of social justice, environment, poverty, etc. -- and other people just DON'T?

This is free -- a follow up question for any takers:

What inspires people to "care"? Why do some people care, and some people just . . . don't? What do you think inspires people to build value systems and prioritize certain things over others?

I frustrates me when people say, "I don't care," because not caring has cost so many people their futures . . . their dreams . . . their lives. What are examples of this?

Social Justice Issues

So, class: I looked up a definition for "social justice" on dictionary.com to satiate your relentless thirst for knowledge. (Gold star for the first person to post the definition for "satiate.") Here are the results:

1 dictionary results for: social justice

Webster's New Millennium™ Dictionary of English - Cite This Source - Share This

Main Entry:	social justice
Part of Speech:	n
Definition:	the distribution of advantages and disadvantages within a society

I am somewhat disapointed with this definition. Let our references to SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES refer particularly to issues within society in which advantages and disadvantages are not equitably distributed. In other words, "social justice issues" are concerns within society in which certain individuals or people groups are somehow treated unfairly, or face a particular disadvantage that is forced upon them.

Some examples provided in class today:
1) Extreme poverty in underdeveloped nations
2) Lack of pure drinking water for some communities
3) Illiteracy (the inability to read and write) in certain communities/regions
4) Racism -- for example, in employment
5) Human trafficking -- using other people (often children) as slaves

Looking at the definition and explanation given above as well as the examples we briefly discussed in class, what is another example of a social justice issue that you can think of? If you cannot think of a new one, which one of these are you particularly passionate about? Why? What information would you love to discover concerning that particular issue (besides "why does this happen")?