Racism in America

I disagree with Mr. Smiley because I do not believe that racism is the most intractable issue facing our nation today. Instead, I believe that poverty and unemployment are the most difficult issues that the country must confront. However, I do agree with Mr. Smiley somewhat because I definitely think that most people are uncomfortable, and sometimes, unwilling, to discuss race in the United States because of the fear of not being politically correct and offending a group of people. However, the only way that the citizens of the United States will be able to sort out their mixed feelings about race will be if a candid conversation about race and racism takes place, preferably on a national scale, with representatives of every racial group represented in America. The way to make such a conversation easier and smooth would be if everyone involved did not try to be politically correct, while showing basic respect for the dignity of every person involved. During this conversation, the racism that has occurred in the past in this country would not be forgotten, but would be used as a cautionary tale against racism ever taking place ever again.

"Dead Man Walking"

My own views regarding capital punishment were not affected by the movie, “Dead Man Walking.” I think this is because the movie does an excellent job of not attempting to sway the audience’s opinions about capital punishment. The movie presents both sides of the issue, and during parts of the movie, I felt sympathy for both the families of the victims, but also for Matthew Poncelet. In presenting different views about capital punishment, the movie helps to facilitate conversation about the death penalty. I learned that Pennsylvania has the death penalty, but that it has not been used in years, and I also learned that usually, it costs taxpayers more for the government to carry out executions than for prisoners to be kept in jail for the rest of their lives.

"Restorative Justice"

I think that “restorative justice” is an excellent alternative to the usual justice system. If the family of the victim, and even the family of the criminal, are willing to participate, I think that it is a wonderful way for the families to find healing after a tragic event occurs that affects them forever. In the case of Connor McBride, since he was barely an adult, I think this process was necessary in order for him to find redemption, but also to sit face-to-face with the family of Ann and realize just how his actions had permanently changed that family. Also, the process was beneficial for the family of Ann because they because they wanted to shorten Connor’s jail time, because they think that a person should not be judged by their worst act. I think that “restorative justice” is only realistic if the criminal has the will to participate; otherwise, the process will be pointless. “Restorative justice” is more in keeping with Catholic Social Teaching, because one of the tenets of Catholic Social Teaching is that forgiveness should always be given to someone who has done wrong, especially if the person seeks forgiveness.

Hotel Rwanda

I think that Jack is right for the vast majority of people. Many individuals see news stories about horrific events and say that they will do anything they can to help, when in reality they just move on with their lives and forget about suffering that is occurring across the world, or even in their own country. However, I disagree with Jack slightly because I do not believe that most people are indifferent to the suffering of others; on the contrary, I just think that they lose interest in learning more about one catastrophic event when another one occurs. Most of the time, I think that people want to help alleviate the suffering of their dear neighbor, but they are intimidated by the scale of the problem and do not think that their contribution would be of any significance. However, several Church leaders, such as Mother Teresa, have preached that doing little things end up solving problems better than trying to tackle the entire issue at once. I would try to get people to help, because I believe that most people are good at heart and have the desire to help others who are suffering. Once given an opportunity to help, most individuals will rise to the challenge and make a difference in the world.

Social Justice Issues in Our Society Today

Unfortunately, social justice issues have been always been present in past societies, and are still extremely prevalent in the world today. With the advent of modern technologies, such as chemical, radiological, and nuclear weapons, any individual or group has the potential to bring about mass destruction. A current example of this type of warfare is the crisis occuring in Syria right now. President Bashar al-Assad has utilized chemical weapons against the citizens of his country, who he is supposed to protect, and has caused the death of an estimated 100,000 men, women, and children. Tonight, President Barack Obama will address the United States about Syria, and he will call for a hold on a congressional vote regarding potential military action in Syria. Russia has proposed a plan in which Syria would hand over its chemical weapons to the international community, which Obama is considering endorsing. President Bashar al-Assad has not shown a regard for the precious nature of human life, and hopefully he will be brought to justice and the mindless murdering of Syrians will cease to occur. Another critical social justice issue today is the mistreatment and oppression of women in several nations around the world. Women in some Muslim countries are treated in an inhumane manner. For example, in these nations, if a woman is raped, the tragedy is considered her fault. In some extreme cases, she may be thought unfit for marriage, and then sentenced to death. In most nations around the world, women legally have the right to vote; however, due to social or cultural traditions, many women are not able to vote. In other areas of the world, women are denied the right to a basic education, so they are not aware of their ability to vote. In regions of the Middle East and of Africa, women may attend school for less than a year. These are just two of several social justice issues plaguing our world today. The most effective way to fight against these outrages is to educate others about social injustice.