This blog is designed for a class at Brigham Young University. Students use this blog to discuss elements of our multicultural society that we learn about in class. Due to the limit in the number of authors allowed, only students will be able to make posts on this blog. We welcome comments to the posts. Our hope is that this blog will foster dialogue about a number of difficult issues regarding diversity, which in turn will help us to better understand other people's diverse perspectives.
Berlin, Germany (CNN) -- Multiculturalism in Germany has "absolutely failed," German Chancellor Angela Merkel told her party's youth wing at a conference Saturday.
"The approach of saying, 'Well, let's just go for a multicultural society, let's coexist and enjoy each other,' this very approach has failed, absolutely failed," she said in a speech.
The remarks echo a comment she made to CNN last month in response to a question from Becky Anderson about Germany's Muslim population.
"We've all understood now that immigrants are a part of our country, (but) they have to speak our language, they have receive an education here," Merkel told CNN's "Connect the World" program September 27.
Germany's population is about 5 percent Muslim, the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life estimated last year. Its roughly 4 million Muslims make up the largest Muslim population in western Europe.
This story of multiculturalism in another country caught my eye. Sounds all too familiar.
If I could pick one thing that Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift have in common, it would be that neither one is a great singer. Even so, they have managed to live their dreams of being in the music industry.
In my opinion, both started out as very sweet innocent girls. Here are two clips from a few years ago that I believe display what I mean:
Both girls have had much success and popularity since the time of these performances. Fame can be a dangerous thing though. Look at pop stars such as Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears. Disagree all you want, but I’m sure the majority feel that Miley Cyrus is following down their path.
This makes me very disappointed. Other popular artists such as Ke$ha, Katy Perry and Lady Gaga have rather outrageous performances, most of which I (as well as I’m sure many others) feel uncomfortable watching. However, these pop stars are the ones who are getting positive attention and drawing in fans. Perhaps that has influenced Miley to have rather risqué performances as well. It seems that these artists have lost a love for music and, rather, have gained a love for attention and fame. If you don’t agree then take a look back at the video and look at Miley’s eyes. I think if one was truly happy and loving what they were doing then there would be a light shining in their eyes. To me, it seems Miley no longer has that light.
Yes, I will admit I don’t think Taylor Swift is a great singer. I think one of the reasons people like her so much is because she is still a sweet, innocent, down-to-earth individual. She’s a very likable person and even if people aren’t a fan of her music, I think they have at least a little bit of an appreciation for her. I feel that she sings with her heart and that it shows in her performances. I admire that she actually writes her own songs. You can tell that it’s her passion and that’s why she’s in the music industry.
I don’t mean to come across as disliking Miley and loving Taylor (which may or may not be true), but I think it is interesting how, despite not being the greatest of singers, both have been able to become successful and popular. Unlike many other pop stars, Taylor has done it without changing her character (and essentially losing herself) to please her audience.
I had been debating whether or not to post this due to the fact that I go to BYU. This being said, with our culture, many people will not appreciate the tastelessness of these videos. I would just like to post a disclaimer that there is offensive material in this post. Please approach this with an open mind and leave comments with your opinions on the subject. I'm not trying to raise controversy, I promise.
My friends had recently shown my some videos on Youtube, at first I chuckled at the first video, then further along I was very offended that my friends could laugh at things so horrendous. After a heated debate with them, they had left me with a serious question, how could I laugh at one of the videos and get offended at the others?
Now before you view these, I have to warn you that this content IS offensive in many ways. The only reason I'm posting this is to ask, what makes racist humor appropriate? Why do people find these things funny? Where can and do we draw the line and just say "This is inappropriate."
While I do have my own opinion, I'll do my best to withhold it. I'll let you decide the level of racism in each.
I would like to state a warning for you to watch at your own risk. If you do watch these videos, make sure you do so with a critical mind and please comment on what you think makes people find that they can joke about things like this.
First I was shown this video from the onion.
Warning: May be offensive
Afterwards, they had started to shown the more offensive videos. I'm not going to lie....these are downright racist and stupid. How can BYU students laugh at videos like these?
The recession has been over for almost a year now and it is still affecting people all over the country. This specific article from MSNBC discusses how people go to the stores late at night, stock up and hit the lines to check out just before midnight when their food stamps are replenished. It's not only people who are in the lower classes in the United States that are using food stamps anymore. Read this article and you will discover that this is really a large problem across the country for not only the people in these situations, but also the stores.
“Somos Republicans, a Hispanic Republican group, copied the media on a letter it sent to Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints President Thomas Monson this week comparing Senate Bill 1070 to an order signed by the governor of Missouri in 1830 calling for the extermination of Mormons.
‘Just as Mormon families were driven out of the state of Missouri in early American history, we are now witnessing Arizona families being driven out and ripped apart,’ Somos founder Dee-Dee Blase wrote.
She goes on to connect the events by noting that SB 1070 sponsor Sen. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, is Mormon, and Kris Kobach, the lawyer who helped write it, is ‘out of Missouri.’
(Kobach is actually from Kansas; he was a law professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City on the Missouri side.)
Blase in her letter challenged the church to oppose SB 1070 and Pearce.
‘Just as the Missouri governor had no regard for the Mormon families being driven out in 1838, and just as the Arizona governor had no regard for the families being driven out…we have to wonder if the Mormon leadership will have the courage to communicate to the people of Mesa, Arizona, that Russell Pearce’s stance and treatment towards Hispanic immigrants is evil,’ Blase wrote.”
Compiled by Republic reporters Mary Jo Pitzl, Alia Beard Rau, and Art Thomason.
Is it strange to think that the abortionist had to sign her birth certificate? Gianna Jessen should not have been born alive, but she survived the abortion. Why are there so many abortions? What side are you on? Until 2002 in her country, survivors of abortion were to be suffocated or thrown away. Is it ethical to get an abortion? Or is it killing a living and innocent baby? A line should be drawn, especially when pregnant women are aborting disabled children. A line should be drawn...
As I was checking my e-mail on MSN, I happened to see this article that really caught my eye. It seems to tie along well with our previous discussion on transgendered people and how they are viewed in society. This schools administration apparently has a problem accepting the fact that this boy wants to live the normal life of any other high school homecoming king. His peers obviously accept him, as they were willing to vote him into the position of homecoming king. The school board said that the ballot stated to "vote for a girl for queen and a boy for king" and they said that was the reason he was not allowed to be king. Come on, this is the 21st century!! Now more than ever is the time that people are becoming comfortable with themselves and this school has the audacity to assign gender roles to their students. Maybe I am completely wrong in thinking of it that way, but it seems like the school is afraid of things that are different and so they are trying to just brush it all under the rug. This was just an eye-opener to me and I hope things work out for the homecoming king!
A Mona Shores teenager is crying foul after administrators in the West Michigan school invalidated the vote of his peers in a race for homecoming king.
Oakleigh Reed says he wanted to run for the position because he was as qualified as any other person running. School officials defend their decision, reports NBC 25:
Assistant Superintendent Todd Geerlings said the issue is simple: The ballots gave two choices, vote for a boy for king and a girl for queen.
In a report Monday night, WOOD TV 8 in Grand Rapids interviewed a school official who claims the district did not violate any nondiscrimination rules by refusing to crown Reed as King. The station first broke the story Sunday night.
But Reed says the school has acknowledge his transition to male by addressing him with male pronouns, allowing him to wear the male uniform for band and the male graduation gown.
The ACLU of Michigan’s Jay Kaplan had this to say on the issue in an e-mail to Michigan Messenger:
We are aware of the situation here and it raises issues as to whether this student is being treated differently by the school district because of his gender identity. Gender identity is not a protected category under our state civil rights laws, nor does Muskegon include it in its anti-discrimination policy. However, discrimination against transgender persons because of gender stereotyping has been found in some cases to be actionable sex or gender discrimination. At any rate, there have been other school districts that have permitted transgender students to serve as Homecoming King or Queen in accordance with the student’s gender identity and expression. It’s disappointing that the Mona Shores School District has decided to take the opposite approach, particularly where previously it has shown sensitivity towards this student, regarding how he is referred to in school (and his ability to wear a male robe at graduation). We hope the district will reconsider its decision.
Julie Nemecek, a nationally recognized transgender activist who was fired from the conservative Christian Spring Arbor University after she began her transition, also weighed in on the controversy in an e-mail to Messenger:
The point that the school is missing is that gender is determined by the brain and not the genitals. Established case law in the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals says that when the Civil Rights Law of 1964 says “sex” it also means gender. The student was discriminated against for being who he is no less than if the school had said the prom king or queen had to be white.
The ACLU has reached out to Reed and requested permission to write a letter to the school district on his behalf, WOOD TV 8 reports. Reed is reportedly considering accepting the offer.
