Final Assessment Journal

Final Assessment Journal

After being out of college for 30+ years I was not looking forward to taking a writing class. However, I thoroughly enjoyed taking your class. I was apprehensive about the format, watching a documentary and choosing a subject matter seemed daunting. I believe the format allowed the student to be creative and write about subject matter that intrigued the student. I feel sure that you enjoy not having to read and grade 20+ papers on the same subject matter week after week.

     Being a fulltime employee and a part time student taking a couple of classes, I felt one week to write a good paper was a challenge. Having said that, I believe the format of your class made that challenge easier by allowing me to write about something that I found interesting.  I enjoyed the subject matter of the documentaries.

Thank you,

Dannie Gray                 

Perfecting a Race - Forgiving Dr. Mengele Essay

Perfecting a Race

     In January 1933 Adolf Hitler is appointed chancellor of Germany. Mein Kampf outlined Hitler’s plans for Germany and the Jewish people. He intended to create a united Germany, a pure Aryan race, and exterminate the Jews. While Hitler was very specific about Germany and the Jews, he was not very specific about how he was going to create a pure Aryan race. As disturbing as his plans were for the Jews, even more disturbing was the ultimate plan to exterminate the mentally and physically handicapped Germans as part of creating a pure Aryan race. Eugenics was the foundation of Hitler’s master plan to creating the perfect German.            
 

Eugenics is a science that deals with improving the qualities of the human species, by such means as encouraging reproduction by persons that have inheritable desirable traits. Francis Galton, a cousin of Charles Darwin, invented the term eugenics in 1883. Galton defined eugenics as the science of improving stock, not only by judicious mating, but whatever tends to give the more suitable races or strains of blood a better chance of prevailing over the less suitable than they otherwise would have had (Wikler 184). Galton believed that talents, virtues of character, personality, and other traits were inherited and as such offered their bearers an advantage in natural selection. Through his research, he was convinced that society would benefit if members of families with quality genetics were to increase their rate of child bearing. Conversely, Galton believed that people having genetic defects or presumed to have inheritable undesirable traits should be discouraged from reproducing.  

Galton’s eugenics movement became popular in many countries and was taught in many leading universities. In 1905 Germany formed the Racial Hygiene Society and in 1907 Great Britain formed the English Eugenics Education Society, with Galton elected honorary president. Other countries drawn to the movement were the United Kingdom, United States, Soviet Union, Norway, France, Brazil, and Germany. In the United States, eugenics organizations created events and exhibits at public expositions and state fairs. They also held competitions promoting ‘Fitter Families’, with awards being handed out by senators and governors.   

Eugenic program content varied from country to country. While most eugenicists agreed that the human race was becoming more genetically unfit however, they could not agree on the cause and remedy. Several countries eugenics programs were as concerned with new born care as much as hereditary, believing that parents passed on to their children traits acquired during their lifetimes. Yet other countries accepted Galton’s view that heredity was determined by selection rather than environment. This view tends to imply that medical care frustrates evolution by allowing people with genetic inferiority to survive and reproduce. A number of eugenicists in several countries, such as the United States, Scandinavia, and Germany, used intimidation and force to deal with the unfit. These measures included sexual segregation and involuntary sterilization to prevent their undesirable genes from propagating.    

Galton, along with many of the eugenicists, believed that those who excelled in fields such as literature and science possessed great natural, inherited talent that distinguished them from others. They believed that a person’s position in society reflected their capabilities and was a good indication of the genes likely to be passed down to future generations. Eugenics tended to lean towards xenophobia, class bias, and racism. These tendencies embodied Nazi Germany‘s embrace of eugenic doctrines.

The eugenics program in Germany had the same difference of opinion as the programs in other countries. However, the Nazis created a uniformity of viewpoint that allowed them to use any means to achieve their pursuit of a pure Aryan race. Eugenics was the foundation for the Nazis to accomplish racial hygiene. The emphasis on ‘blood’ called for a purifying of the nation’s gene pool so that Germans could regain nobility and greatness of their genetically pure forbears (Wikler 185). The Nazis euthanized unfit Aryans, mostly children, to improve the native Aryan stock from its degenerated condition. Later the Nazis will add the euthanasia of the Jews to prevent further adulteration of the pure Aryan race with inferior genes. Racial hygiene, racial purity, and national health were the over-riding principles used by Hitler and the Nazis to justify the removal of those deemed unfit to live and produce inferior offspring.        

     Many countries, including the United States, wanted to create the perfect citizen. Adolf Hitler had a vision to create a pure Aryan race. He approved of the euthanasia of tens of thousands of German adults and children. Hitler and the Nazis took what was learned from euthanizing German citizens to create the death camps that killed millions of Jews. Eugenics was the foundation for Adolf Hitler’s plan to create a pure Aryan race and the Holocaust.       

                             

                                                                                     

    

                                                                                     

 

Works Cited

Dikotter, Frank. "Race Culture: Recent Perspectives On The History Of Eugenics." American Historical Review 103.2 (1998): 467. Military & Government Collection. Web. 29 Mar. 2014.

Reed-Purvis, Julian. "From `mercy death' to genocide: Julian Reed-Purvis examines the origins and consequences of Nazi euthanasia. (The Unpredictable Past)." History Review (2003): 36+. Academic OneFile. Web. 29 Mar. 2014.

Wikler, Daniel. "Can we learn from eugenics?" Journal of Medical Ethics Apr. 1999: 183. Academic OneFile. Web. 29 Mar. 2014.

Waiting for Superman Journal

     The documentary ‘Waiting for Superman’ is about the state of public education. The documentary mainly talks about the decline of the public school system and the alternatives. The decline is across all socioeconomic classes. The alternatives to the public schools are private, charter, and magnet schools. Unfortunately, the number of available seats in the alternative schools cannot accommodate the number of students trying to get in. Parents, students, and educators are frustrated with the politics surrounding education.  

     The public school system is just as much about politics as it is about educated students. For example, the teachers unions protects the teachers even when the teacher is not doing their job. The union created tenure which protects a teacher’s position whether they are providing students a quality education or not. A tenured teacher’s contract is renewed automatically from year-to-year. It takes more than a handful of reasons before a teacher can be dismissed. If a tenured teacher’s position is eliminated they can bump an untenured position. A tenured teacher that has been terminated they can appeal and request a hearing before the Superior Court. The teachers union is also the biggest contributor to the Democratic Party. Another issue is that there is no single decision making body.

     There are options for students, while somewhat limited, to achieve a quality education. A couple of obvious choices are private schools and magnet schools. An intriguing option are charter schools, which do not have to abide by the rules of the teachers unions. Charter schools have established that they have created a system that put’s the student first and the teachers are dedicated to ensuring their success. Ninety percent of the students that attend a charter school attend college.

     This documentary provides numerous topics to write about on the education provided to students in the United States. Politics, options, educators, demographics, and society are just a few topics. Bottom line is our education system is failing students and changes are needed.     

Its the Law - Miss Representation Essay

It’s the Law

     In 1972 the law known as Title IX was passed. The law requires gender equity for males and females in every educational program that receives federal money. Many people have not heard of Title IX and those that have believe it only pertains to sports. While the law is not perfect, it has provided females opportunities they otherwise would not have had. Title IX provides females equal opportunities in sports, education, and employment.

     Prior to Title IX becoming law females were excluded from participating in school athletics at any level. The schools are allowed to separate the sports teams by sex, but must determine how many opportunities they will provide female athletes. Schools must meet two out of three qualifications to be in compliance. Those qualifications are: 1) The percentage of male and female athletes must be in proportion to the number of male and female students enrolled, 2) It has a history of expanding athletic opportunities for the underrepresented sex, 3) The athletics program fully and effectively accommodates the interest and abilities of the underrepresented sex. Fewer than 300,000 females participated in high school sports, prior to the law. By 2011 there were more than three million females participating. In college athletics the increase was significant as well: The number of female athletes went from under 30,000 to almost 200,000.] The improvement in athletic opportunities has significantly contributed to improvements in the short-term and long-term public health signified by a seven percent decline in obesity among former female athletes (Buchanan 91). Female athletes also reduce their risk of developing breast cancer. Middle school and high school female athletes are fifty percent less likely to experience an unintended pregnancy than their non-athlete peers. This decrease in pregnancies is universal across nationalities.

     Not only were females not allowed to participate in sports, but prior to the 70’s many colleges and universities refused to admit females. It was believed that females were more interested in marriage and raising a family than higher education. Because of Title IX females have been afforded equal access to higher education institutions and financial aid. Females earn more undergraduate and graduate degrees at higher rates than they use to. They also go into fields traditionally dominated by males, such as law, medicine, and politics. While females have made great strides they still face obstacles in higher education. Females still lag behind their male counterparts in earning doctoral and professional degrees, particularly in non-traditional disciplines like math and science. Affirmative action programs responsible for increasing access to higher education for minorities and females are being eliminated.  

     As with sports and education, there was inequalities in employment at higher education institutions. Before Title IX the majority of females working in education were teaching in elementary and secondary schools. Females who did teach in college were primarily at women’s colleges and earned smaller salaries than their male counterparts. Since Title IX the number of female faculty members has increased significantly. They are instructors, lecturers, assistant professors, and some can be found in top administrative positions. While the wage gap has decreased, there is still an inequality. Even with Title IX females on average earn less, hold lower ranking positions, and are less likely to have tenure.           

     Title IX became law to create equality for females in sports, education, and employment. The law has afforded many opportunities to females that they otherwise would not have had. Females have access to scholarships, financial aid, sports, education, and employment because of Title IX. While Title IX has helped bridge the gaps between males and females there are still inequalities that exist. Many changes have been made to the law and many more will no doubt be made in the future in the hope of bridging the gaps.         

Works Cited

Aiston, Sarah Jane. "Equality, Justice And Gender: Barriers To The Ethical University For Women." Ethics & Education 6.3 (2011): 279-291. Education Research Complete. Web. 7 Apr. 2014.

Buchanan, Maggie Jo Poertner. "Title IX Turns 40: A Brief History And Look Forward." Texas Review Of Entertainment & Sports Law 14.1 (2012): 91-93. Legal Collection. Web. 7 Apr. 2014.

Paule-Koba, Amanda L., Othello Harris, and Valeria J. Freysinger. "'What do I think about Title IX?' Voices from a university community." Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport 84.1 (2013): 115+.

Academic OneFile. Web. 7 Apr. 2014.

Miss Representation Journal

The documentary ‘Miss Representation’ is about the influence the media and culture has on females and those around them. The documentary mainly talks about how the media portrays women and how that portrayal influences peoples’ views of women. The media tends to portray women merely as physical objects that are emotionally unstable.  

     The documentary talked about women in power or the lack thereof, both political and in the business world. On several occasions there were news articles on women in politics and the focus was on their looks. Interestingly, this documentary brought to light that women tend to not support other women, especially women in power. 

     The documentary followed a couple of young ladies in high school running for school government positions and the struggles of fighting the stigmatization that only men should hold leader positions. It also talks about the lack of role models for young ladies to look up to. One of the few females to have gained respect in the political arena and as a role model is Condoleezza Rice.

     There are quite a few topics that can be explored from this documentary. The physical and mental impacts on young girls from being bombarded by the media’s view of the perfect woman. What women earn versus their male counterparts. How the media uses computer technology to create the ‘perfect’ woman. A look at laws that promote equality, such as Title IX which provides equality in college academics and sports. These are just a few topics that could be explored based on this documentary.       

What's in a Date? - Dive! Living off America's Waste Essay

What’s in a Date?

     More than 90% of American consumers throw away food prematurely, and 40% of the U.S. food supply is thrown away unused every year. Food waste is the biggest contributor to landfills, 96 billion pounds a year. The primary reason American’s throw away food prematurely, is due to the confusion over what expiration dates mean. Standardizing food dating will assist the consumer in determining when to actually discard food. Until the dates are standardized, consumers should educate themselves on the origin and meaning of the various dates, such as ‘Sell by’, ‘Best by’, and ‘Use by’. This knowledge will help households save hundreds of dollars a year on food bills.    

     Food dating began in the 1970s, as Americans produced less of their own food they still wanted information about how it was made. The government does not regulate food labeling, except for baby food. The Food Marketing institute determined that confusion over food labeling causes up to 90% of food waste . The Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Agriculture have regulatory purview over food labels, but have left methodology up to the discretion of individual manufacturers (Tuttle). "It's like the Wild West," NRDC scientist Dana Gunders told Time magazine (Tuttle).

     The date most commonly recognized is the ‘Sell by’ date that appears on packaged food. This date is a stocking and marketing tool provided by the manufacturer. The ‘Sell by’ date printed on packaged food is meant to assist the retailer with store stock and product turnover. This date is usually found on highly perishable foods with a short shelf life, such as milk, bread, and meat. It also ensures the product still has a long shelf life after the consumer buys them. The ‘Sell by’ date represents peak quality, not safety. Manufacturers want consumers to use their product when it is at its best, and they have an economic incentive to move older product off the shelf to be replaced by newer product. The result is that the ‘Sell by’ dates tend to be rather conservative contributing to food being discarded weeks before it needs to be.  Consumers lose hundreds of dollars a year by discarding food they incorrectly assume has gone bad.  It has been suggested that the ‘Sell by’ date should be made invisible to the consumer. ‘Sell by’ dates need to be standardized nationwide and should be representative of when food will spoil, not as a way to boost sales for manufacturers.

     While the ‘Sell by’ date is meant for the retailer, the ‘Best before’ and ‘Best if used by’ are intended for consumer use. These dates are found on products like baked goods, cereals, snacks, and some canned goods. These dates are when the manufacturer estimates the product has reached its peak freshness. The intent of these dates is to ensure the product still has a shelf life after the consumers purchase them by the printed date. They do not indicate spoilage or that the food is unsafe to eat. The manufacturers want to make sure the consumer eats and tastes a high quality product. However, the food is still safe to eat after this date. For example, the other day I went into my pantry and grabbed a package of tortilla wraps. The package was stamped with the following: PB (purchase by) Mar 7 14. The tortillas were still soft and tasted no different than the day they were purchased. 

    Other consumer dates are ‘Expiration’, ‘Use by’, and ‘Use before’. These dates appear on yogurt, eggs, and other refrigerated foods. These dates are supposed to represent a product is no longer sufficient to consume beyond its ‘expiration’ date. Again, as with the other dates, they are established by the manufacturer and are very conservative. Eggs, for example, can be consumed up to five weeks after being purchased, even though the ‘use by’ date is much earlier. Another example is a box of mac-and-cheese with a ‘use by’ date of March 2013 can be enjoyed on March 2014, most likely with no noticeable changes in quality or taste.

     Unfortunately, Congress and the food manufacturers have not taken the initiative to standardize food dating. It is up to the consumer to educate themselves on food dating. Understanding food dating will save households money and reduce the amount of food waste in landfills. There is a quote about life that could be applied to food, and it reads ‘Enjoy life now, it has an expiration date’.          

    

     

Works Cited

Tuttle, Hilary. "'Use by' leaves food unused." Risk Management Nov. 2013: 12. Academic OneFile. Web. 22 Mar. 2014.

Schiffman, Richard. "What a waste! Food advocates call for grocery stores to combat food waste."   

May-June 2013: 14+. Academic OneFile. Web. 22 Mar. 2014.

"Decoding the freshness dates on food labels." Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter Nov. 1997:  3.  Academic OneFile. Web. 22 Mar. 2014.

 

 

    

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dive! Living off Americas Waste Journal

     The documentary ‘Dive! Living off America’s Waste’ is about people who dumpster dive for food. The documentary primarily follows a family of four who live off the food found in dumpsters located behind grocery stores. However, there are other stories and facts that are brought to light. The father discusses the waste across the food chain from the farm to the store to the household, landfills, and feeding the homeless.

     The father goes out to the various grocery stores dumpster after the stores have closed. The stores throw away food that is perfectly safe to eat. Food that is close to or outside the ‘sell by date’, meat that has turned a little brown, and pre-packaged food such as fruit that may have one piece that has rotted is thrown away daily. Another interesting point was that the people who dumpster dive followed a couple of unwritten rules such as leave the dumpster area cleaner than you found it and take only what you can consume. The impression that I got was these people could afford to buy their food, but wanted to make a bigger statement about the waste of perfectly good food.   

     The United States throws away 96 billion pounds of food per year.  Half of the food grown is never harvested. The amount of food wasted cost more money than what is spent on food stamps. The amount of food wasted could feed the homeless here in the United States and abroad. The documentary made it very clear that the grocery stores do not want to address the issue. President Bill Clinton passed ‘The Good Samaritan Act’ to absolve stores’ from liability if they donate food and someone becomes ill.  

     There are several different areas to research such as how is the ‘sell by date’ determined and what does it mean what, what criteria do stores use when discarding food, and why does the United States waste so much food even before it makes it to the store.