The only reason I can decipher is that nobody is truly interested in verbal communication.

Now, this has been happening since our cell phones had the capability to text message. It is undeniably easier and at times more productive to just send a quick text confirming a meeting or a date. But, I’ve gotten entire stories via text message. I’ve had “one text” take up seven text messages. SEVEN.

Now that’s just unnecessary.

From text messaging, our anti-social eyes were opened to social networking sites like Xanga and LiveJournal where you can tell everyone (and I mean everyone) about what’s going on in your life. No need to write letter or call. All anyone needs to know is the URL and they’ll never have to actually talk to you again.

Social networking transformed from the traditional journals in the more complex MySpace and Facebook and then the world changed.

Three years ago in San Francisco at a podcasting company called Odeo, Inc., in an attempt to “reinvent themselves,” an idea was born: to use SMS to tell small groups what you’re doing at the time.

Alas, Twitter.

Fastforward to now, every person in the entire world has a Twitter account. You can log on to see what P. Diddy (or whatever he calls himself now), Sarah Palin and Ellen DeGeneres are doing at this very second. All of your friends can tell you the food they’re craving and can even respond to direct messages from you.

What a wonderful world we live in where we can be as lazy as possible. Now we can know everything about everyone, but we won’t ever actually talk to them about it. Even if you’ve never met this person before, you can know everything about them, at least within 140 characters.

And so Bubba the Love Sponge, like Howard Stern and later Don Imus, all felt the wrath of people with their panties in a bunch.  

Opinions, last I checked, weren’t considered slander or libel.  It seems that in the process of preaching free thought, free will and free speech, that disclaimers have been attached to each with where they may not go.  It seems ironic that Don Imus can get fired for calling a black female basketball player a “nappy headed ho” and stoke the flames of controversy into a blazing firestorm, yet a church can stand on the street holding signs that say “Thank God for IED’s” and they get away with a finger shaking by the media.

Soccer moms far and wide will get into an uproar about Bubba the Love Sponge or Buckethead, all while they go and buy their teenage kids beers for the party after the big game.  The same soccer mom that will deprive a child of any of life’s experiences in the name of protection, firmly sticking to a warped set of ethics that don’t approve of morally questionable thoughts yet they couldn’t care less about those who love the fact our soldiers are fighting a war across the world, and in some cases, even condone the protests that shame our troops.

America as a whole has become fat and content with a way of life filled with selfish ideals and corruption.  Anyone with an opinion that falls outside their strict line of thought is looked at with daggers and if they even so much as plant the seed of doubt into a child about the so called values these slave driver parents have beaten into their minds, all hell breaks loose.

Sorry soccer moms of the world. The world is not as you wish it would be, and denying a child the right to experience things for himself or herself is only going to ensure that they won’t be prepared to make any decisions, or the right ones, when the time comes.

Shielding is not parenting.  Guiding is.

As time went on, the culture as a whole mingled without slavery and later segregation, a new breed of discrimination has risen.  This discrimination hides itself behind “fairness” and “tolerance,” but it is actually the greatest form of social oppression possible in a free country.

Political correctness is a disease that cripples creativity and free thought.  It represents the chains that hold our society back from evolution, all while keeping the population from completely melding together as a whole.  Racism, sexism and religious intolerance are all reinforced by the politically correct, while people believe it is an effective means at proving they aren’t.

Don’t agree?  Just think about how it’s used today to divide society along common lines: black and white.

Being politically correct means that you must toe a fine line between what is thought to be “proper,” when it really is just a way to create less offensive terms to separate them from you.  

Sixty years ago, a black man was a negro and drank from a different fountain and sat at the back of the bus.  Today, he’s an African American, but still is looked at based on the color of his skin.  He identifies himself as an African American, black man, or various other descriptive words, but by believing in the label and accepting it, many of these individuals who would otherwise have had great potential now live as underachievers because that is how society looks at them.

A black man is no less capable of being as successful as any white man.  The fact that they identify with their “people” and hold strict ties to that ethnicity rather than thinking about what it is that they truly value and where they want to go in life, throws the chains of social slavery back on them.  This doesn’t apply to all, because there are those who have decided that he or she matters as an individual, and therefore has been able to achieve great things. Barack Obama is one of them, whether you love him or hate him.  Even though he is guilty of feeding into the class system, reinforcing that black people as a whole are expected to do less simply because they are black.

If you hold them to a higher standard of accountability, the problem herein vanishes.  White culture has its failures as well, but is held to a higher standard, where these individuals have lost the respect of their peers by making bad choices and walking down a path that obviously could only end in failure.

People say respect is earned.  I say it is willingly given, and it takes an effort, or lack of effort, to lose it.  As long as you try, society responds favorably.  Don’t try, and society will forever hold you to where you belong.

At the bottom.

(What I found may surprise you. I know it did me.)

Overall, it seems that my three interview subjects, ethnicity aside, have generally the same feeling on the Civil Rights Movement in that it was a very important and certainly constructive progress that truly needed to take place in order to provide a few more stepping stones on the path toward bringing the United States closer to having a society where all men may truly believe that they are created equal. Not one of my three participants took any sort of radical racist point of view or explained that they felt blacks were “unjustified” or that this event should never have taken place. This is something I found to be quite interesting. Although each of my interviewees were from relatively different areas geographically, they were all born and raised in up north, a fact that I think had a very significant impact on how each one of them experienced this epic event in history.

As any historical text on the time period suggest, many of the violent racial acts committed against blacks during this period were performed in the South. Obviously, this reason is deep rooted in the history of our country, with ties back to the early colonial period of our nation, or even more specifically, the Civil War era where one of the plights of the South with the North was over the right of mostly white male plantation owners to maintain ownership of African American human beings, or slaves at that time.

Between all three of the interviews I conducted, there was only one real mention of any hands on experience, or even first hand sighting of any serious racial act over the approximate fifteen years each one of my interview subjects spent living through this period. All three make note of barely seeing any discrimination in their hometowns or anything truly prejudice where they grew up during the Civil Rights era.

“It was if it was another world,” Jerry, my second subject, said.

“We didn’t even differentiate between them. They played sports. They were treated just like everyone else,” my first subject, Joyce, pointed out.

“We were the only black family, for probably about…I mean, I only had white friends until I went to junior high and there was never any difference,” Debbie, the third person I interviewed, explained.

Each interviewee agreed that hearing about what was going on in the South, with regard to the violence and harsh segregation, had only been seen on television or on the news. I have to wonder if this is because of the region of the U.S. that each person was living in during this time that this is so. I didn’t think the North was that different from the South in the way that blacks were treated. I mean, if this were true, why didn’t all the blacks down south come rushing like ants out of the woodwork for protection up north?

Each one of my participants’ views on this monumental affair in history seem only to differ slightly from one another, but it is here that these minute details are key.

During my first interview, with Joyce, I came to find out that her take on the whole civil rights situation was very much in support of national equality and overall worldwide equality. From what she told me, it seemed almost as if the whole 400 years of slavery in our country never existed, or at least not in her home town. She spoke about other people and how she never heard or witnessed any prejudicial acts generated toward anyone and that everyone treated everyone equally. I found her statements somewhat hard to believe, but maybe this is only because whenever I hear about the Civil Rights Movement, I immediately think about all the violence that took place and how awful it must have been for the black community and for the whites who were trying to help them out.

(As an aside, I think the media and even some prominent writers like to focus, and perhaps exaggerate, on events in order to make them more appealing, or worth mentioning, and since I wasn’t around during the sixties and seventies, my only experience with this event is thus through the media and written word. Therefore, I could very well be wrong about disbelieving some of what my interview materials suggest.)

My second interview, with Jerry, was by far the most outspoken, least modest, and realistically the closest to becoming racist in words. The information he provided gave me insight on how many people who were raised with the issue of race being a little closer to home, and with probably some genuinely decent parenting, would turn out.

While maintaining a fine, yet solid barrier between being somewhat prejudice and completely accepting, Jerry explained that he had indeed encountered some “bouts with blacks,” but it wasn’t necessarily over a race issue, especially during the Civil Rights era.

He went on to uncover some of his own personal experiences, which could be viewed as bias on his part, he being white, but these were all incidents that occurred well after the Civil Rights Movement. His true feelings on the issue only surfaced when I asked him questions about how he feels about the U.S. now after this crucial turning point in history, and how he believes blacks have changed as a direct result. It’s obvious that Jerry feels that equality is important to be maintained and upheld for all people and should definitely be provided for blacks, but he points out that he feels all races should act a certain way in order to determine whether or not they are “worthy” and “deserving” of freedom and equal opportunity, such as being “cordial,” “civilized” and mainly just having the attitude of “treating others as you would have them treat you.”

To me, my final subject was the most interesting.

Debbie is an African American woman who believes in equality for all people of this world. She experienced very little prejudice or discrimination throughout her life and has become very proud of her roots and herself through learning from her family and its history and personal past experiences.

When I sat down with Debbie, I was honestly expecting to hear a whole load of how many times she’d experienced someone slighting her because of her ethnicity, or how many times someone had called her a vulgar name or committed racist actions due to the color of her skin. I was shocked at this interview most of all. Debbie is a strong individual with solid beliefs and morals and seemingly was never ashamed of her skin color, as many African Americans have admitted to, and in some cases, still do today as a result of demeaning racial stereotyping in our society. But what surprised me most of all about this particular interview was that Debbie didn’t experience any form of racism or discrimination until she began to really integrate with other African Americans.

Something else that surprised me was the way in which Debbie regards affirmative action measures. She is completely against affirmative action and even explained that because of it, she turned down many job offers. Her whole attitude on this subject shocked and amazed me, and maybe that’s actually some form of stereotyping on my part.

It became obvious to me through these interviews that all those who lived during the Civil Rights era were affected in one manner or another by it, and as a direct result of it. It was also apparent that these people had in some way had contact with the race issue before, and while this important era was occurring. It just goes to show that racism truly is a “deep seeded” issue that can only be turned into something positive and righteous by the selfless actions of those in favor of equal rights for all human beings, as the Constitution of our mighty country says (although not initially intended as such).

Overall, what I took away from the reporting behind this article is the importance of our differences as individual human beings and that relying on text material only will never provide a full understanding of any concept. You have to get out there and ask the questions, see the sights and really take part.

I’ll be far less inclined to make judgments on people, especially historical figures and general persons, in the future after this.

These 15 ideas, submitted by different contributors, suggest some ideas that seem crazy but just might work. Their 15 include:

1. Renting out your home instead of watching it go into foreclosure.
2. Deploying private military companies to act as “peacekeepers” throughout the world.
3. Giving up on Afghanistan ever having a democracy.

4. Privatizing the seas.
5. Shedding light on the diversity, and perhaps lack of successfulness, of college educations.
6. Welcoming guest workers to “wealthier” countries.
7. Increasing federal arts funding.
8. Ending all taxes except property taxes.
9. Changing the Department of Homeland Security to the Department of Civil Security.
10. Ending the corporate income tax.
11. Redesigning the dollar.
12. Ending the vice presidency.
13. Implementing alcohol education.
14. Buying products that will last (even if they are more expensive.)
15. Creating a fast train system.

Sure, these are definitely things that would have to be worked on. They wouldn’t be immediate and it would take a lot of getting used to. This got me thinking about what America could use to “save” itself. Here is a list of my 10 ideas to change the United States:

1. Teach tolerance of diversity at a young age – Many children aren’t exposed to other ideas, people or religions at a young age. They grow up thinking that what is different from them is bad, which then creates hate. Tolerance of others may not exactly bring peace on earth but it would bring us a lot closer.
2. Finding and promoting alternative energies - This might make me sound like a broken record, but finding alternative energies will undeniably reduce stresses between the nations.
3. Ensure that every public school has a mandatory music program - We’ve heard, and possibly experienced, time and time again that music can change someone’s life. Instilling a love for music in the youth of America will bring about a positive change in their attitudes.
4. Having a mandatory driver’s test each time a person’s drivers license is renewed - There are too many traffic accidents each year to ignore the fact that people can’t drive well. Beginning drivers and elderly drivers especially are at a higher risk to cause an accident. Making people retest every seven years would get at least a few of the unsafe drivers off the road.
5. Give more scholarships for people wanting to get their associate’s degree - Let’s face it, pretty soon an associate’s will be looked at the same way a high school diploma or a GED is. While community colleges are more affordable than universities, there are still many people who can’t afford to go. This is making the wage gap even larger and causing more poverty. This could even help the overflow of federal health care recipients go down.
6. Mandate testing for natural homeopathic medicines - With this new Zicam situation, the appeal of natural homeopathic medicines are becoming quite unappealing. Because these drugs are not being tested, people have no idea what they’re consuming. It’s causing serious health damages and sometimes even death.
7. Legalize marijuana - Whether you think marijuana is “a good thing” or “a bad thing,” there’s no denying that the legalization of marijuana would positively affect the economy of America. California, in particular, would get out of a lot of trouble if they could tax marijuana sales.
8. Repeal the Patriot Act - What seemed like a good idea quickly proved to be annoying and an infringement on our civil rights. People who trust their government will not only be happier but also more likely to trust them and cooperate with other actions they invoke.
9. Finding and promoting alternate means of transportation throughout cities - Yes, many cities have subways and bus systems but not all are effective. Developing something like a fast train or monorail would cut down on fuel emissions and encourage city commerce.
10. Focus on literacy in schools - Most states have a standardized test to determine whether a student is on track or not, but there are still many high school graduates that know nothing about reading or writing and can’t spell worth anything. If people felt comfortable with their reading abilities, then many would be more likely to do so. There is so much to be learned from books that it’s a shame that many of the younger generation will never read them.

These are just some idea. There are, of course, ones you may disagree with. I’m curious… what do YOU think?

The Constitution specifically states that we are to be a country forged not under a single religion, but that we are to embrace those that come from many.  Even with Christianity in all of its forms being the majority religious belief, according to a study done in March 2009 reported by the Christian Post, the number of non-religious Americans has doubled in every state from 1990.  On top of the decline in Christian believers, the total non-believer population has gone form 8 to 15 percent in the time frame.  This includes atheists (no God) and agnostics (not sure), as well as deistics (belief in a higher power, but not necessarily God).

The study also shows that mainline Christianity and Catholicism are on contraction, shedding numbers overall (some minor sects showing small gains, however) while a generic brand of Christianity has begun to consume a good portion of the non-denominational believers.

With prayer still being commonplace in sport, there are even some that wish to have public prayer before games for the crowd to take part in as well.  Given the data on the contraction in religious Americans over the last two decades, for us to uphold the rights granted to the populace by our government, this would be an offense against those who are of a non-Christian faith.

The Washington Post reported on a case the Supreme Court ruled in 2000 against the use of the PA system to announce public prayers at high school football games in Texas, even if they were student organized.  The ruling does not disallow private prayers, but it upholds the rights of those who do not wish to be subjected to it.  A private prayer doesn’t intrude on a citizen’s right to not participate, but a public prayer can isolate those who do not share the same belief.

This can also be applied to those of other religious faiths such as Islam, Buddhism and Hindu.  Their prayers, beliefs and understanding of their own religions do not work harmoniously with Christianity, Judaism, and Catholicism, and even the latter three contradict and cause friction among their own beliefs.  With the United States being a melting pot of many religions, for fair treatment to be upheld, even only to the religious and excluding those who do not believe, several forms of prayer would have to be held.

How many Christians would enjoy being forced to pray to Mecca?

Peter Roby, director of the Center for the Study of Sport in Society at Northeastern University said it best.  ”Not allowing it doesn’t mean you’re anti-religious or anti-faith; it means you’re trying to be respectful of everyone.  Sometimes being respectful to everybody means that you have to refrain from things you would prefer to do as a team because you don’t want to exclude or offend anyone.”

Those who choose not to support public prayer are not acting against those who are religious.  Most respect others rights to believe and take comfort in their religion and practice their faith.

Isn’t religion supposed to teach tolerance for other beliefs and respect anyway?

Sexism is one of the most covert social problems of today, yet it can be found in just about every aspect of life; from television to books and films, and from clothes to toys and even cereal boxes, this matter invades the lives of American people day in and day out, whether we’re aware of it or not. This is precisely why it is such a big deal. This issue attacks us from all angles, something like buck shot, almost impossible to avoid.

From the moment we come into this world we’re given a set gender role, or behaviors considered appropriate for whatever particular sex we are. For example, it is common for a girl to be given a very feminine name and to be dressed in a commonly accepted color for newborn girls – pink. The same thing goes for boys, who are commonly given masculine names and dressed in blue outfits, a stark contrast from the girl’s pink. Even celebratory items such as balloons and decorations make it definitively clear what the infant child’s sex is, like banners that read, “It’s a boy!” or “It’s a girl!” It’s plain to see that society is very interested in making sure that these gender roles are set into motion from the very start.

Certainly and undeniably, this sets the foundation for this issue as a social one and not an individual one. Sexism has very little to do with personal, conscious choice since its roots run so very deep. We’re almost hard-wired for sexism.

According to Dictionary.com, sexism is defined as discrimination based on gender, or attitudes, conditions and behaviors that promote stereotyping of social roles based on gender. This happens all the time, with society usually being completely unaware of it.

Take for instance the age old phrase that many young children use in school while growing up, “You hit like a girl!” This is meant to be highly derogatory, and is usually directed from a boy to another boy during some kind of competitive action. Girls may or may not take offense to this when they hear it, but either way they usually don’t realize, especially at such a young age, that this is a blatant sexist remark. There is no biological advantage that a male has over a female when it comes to hitting a baseball with a bat; however, this point demonstrates how dense this issue is, and how early it starts.

Fortifying my belief in this problem as social and not individual is the fact of how long it’s been in existence. As long as the human record indicates, men have almost always been the dominating figure over women. Very few cultures have adopted structures where the female is the head of the family or social group. I’m sure it’s easy for many people to picture the caveman dragging his mate by her hair into their cave, which is a common sexist depiction of early human life, really meant to convey the fact that men have always – and the underlying “will always” – rule over women.

Social institutions play an important role in the perpetuation of this social issue, and are probably the most important in keeping it alive. Of the countless examples I could mention, some include the income disparity between men and women, with women making 77 cents to a man’s dollar; the fact that many religious groups are headed by men and not women, some even going as far as to forbid women as leaders, such as with Catholicism; and of course a great majority of the media with their persistent portrayal of the sex kitten, femme fetale woman figure that is laughingly supposed to represent the majority of the female population. Each of these examples allows men to comfortably slide into a sexist attitude against women.

Sexism isn’t only concentrated between men and women, in fact a great deal of sexism lies in the discrimination toward gays and/or individuals with gender roles outside of the commonly accepted standards, such as metrosexuals.

Being that this issue affects probably 99 percent of society, it is definitely a problem that everyone, not just some, will encounter at some point in their life.

Attempts have certainly been made to combat this issue, many of which have been very successful, such as the Women’s Rights Movement, beginning in the early 19th century and the spread of homosexual acceptance and gay rights, which really took hold starting in the late 20th century.

Compared to even 10 or 20 years ago, due to these ongoing, incredible thrusts toward sexual equality, it is clear that a substantial amount of improvement has been made in fighting sexism in our society. Women are no longer expected to simply become homemakers, but instead are called to prominent universities and colleges nationwide to earn solid educations and gain important experience that will bring them closer to the top in financial and societal success. Women are now high-demand doctors and big shot lawyers, as well as they are teachers and nurses. With the next presidential election approaching a woman will be running for the highest office in our nation’s government, this being one of American history’s firsts. Also, gays are continually gaining acceptance and recognition within a society that only 50 years ago wouldn’t even have given the issue a second thought.

It’s truly an exciting time for those interested in gender equality.