Swine Flu

I'm honestly confused. Yes Swine flu is a new sickness that is traveling quickly worldwide but I feel its effects have been no more harmful than the normal flu. Think about it. The flu can be transmitted between humans and causes a horrible week of cold like symptoms that are magnified. Some people die from the flu, many are hospitalized but flu season ends and no one is quarantined. Although Mexico is experiencing deaths, the US has to date only had the loss of one person due to swine flu (a 4 year old in Texas). The normal flu causes deaths in the young and old and sometimes those in between. Mexico does not have adequate sanitation or healthcare to handle a sort of outbreak but I do believe that although this virus may be globally transmitted, it will not be the end of the world as we know it-or at least I hope so. 

Outsourcing to India

The business trend for the last few years has been to outsource the IT/customer service department to India. If you look at this site: you will see all the benefits outsourcing has to offer. However, after a recent experience with Adobe's customer service, I believe it does more harm than good.

I spent two hours on the phone talking to a John, Kevin, Sam, and Sophia, all of whom with American names and Indian accents. It was hard to communicate and I never felt like the person was actually listening to me. None of them could actually help me out with my software needs because they were reading a script and going through a list of pre-made questions (the same ones repeatedly from each person). When I finally asked if I could speak to someone else, they just simply transferred my call back into the system and had me repeat the whole process over again.

Customer service outsourcing makes it impossible for that company to be reached. I think it is unfair that a large business can be in America and hide in India. The next time I by any soft/hardware I will check where the IT is located in advanced and make sure that it is in America so that I can communicate with them better and so that our dollars stay in the country.

New Zealand Town

This clip from "Flight of the Conchords" gives a brief history of New Zealand culture starting at around the 2:00 mark. "Flight of the Conchords" is a New Zealand's forth best folk-rock parody group according to themselves. Their show frequently tends to make fun of New Zealand and Americans' lack of general knowledge about their country.

1. In what ways has New Zealand culture influenced American culture?
2. Where exactly is New Zealand?
3. Name one interesting fact you may or may not know about New Zealand.

The Olympics

These pictures are from the 2008 Beijing Olympics openening ceremony. The one on the right shows all the athletes from different countries in the middle of the arena.


When I think of globalization one of the first things that come to mind are the Olympics. The Olympics are a way for countries all over the world to lay aside their differences and come together to compete in different events. Alot of these sports even though they originated in different countries have spread all over the world and are played by children in all countries due to globalization and the media. At the Olympics itself there is an exchange of culture. Athletes get to experience a new countries lifestyle and hundreds of thousands of tourists and fans visit the host country to watch the events. In the past and even during this past year Olympics a way to deal with global issues has been to boycott the Olympics to protest ones opinion.- 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow to protest the Spviet war in Afganistan.

- How has the Olympics helped in the porgress of globalization?
- Is using the Olympics to voice issues and opinions a good way to be heard or should the Olympics only be for sports and other issues should be left out?

Human Trafficking

Human trafficking, or the illegal trade and exploitation of people for services including slavery, labor and prostitution, is the fastest growing illegal industry in the world. The annual revenue from the industry is believed to be between 4 and 9 billion dollars a year and has reached its highest point in years. Every year thousands of people are kidnapped, deceived, or sold into a life of slavery and although it has not garnered much attention in the U.S. it is estimated that there are currently nearly 10,000 forced laborers in the U.S. (46% of those being sold into prostitution) and nearly 14,000 are smuggled into the country every year.

However human trafficking is nothing in the U.S. compared to other countries around the world. It is estimated that 2/3 of women and children who are forced into prostitution through human trafficking come from western Europe (Germany, Italy, Spain, UK, Greece). And in Africa thousands of young boys are recruited as child soldiers and young girls are forced to become sex slaves as punishment for their family's offenses. There is believed to be nearly 60,000 child prostitutes in the Philippines, 50,000 Iraqi refugee women working in brothels across Syria, and 200,000 Nepali girls sold into prostitution in India.

The numbers here are outstanding, heartbreaking and unacceptable. Questions to think about:

1.) How can we as countries join together to try to stop human trafficking?

2.) How will international laws make it difficult to bring an end to trafficking?

3.) What measures do you think the U.S. needs to take against trafficking and to bring more awareness about the issue?

If you haven't already seen it, here's a trailer for the movie "Taken" about a man who's daughter is kidnapped and sold into prostitution. It's a scary glimpse of something that is not fictional and is going on right here within our borders.

The Jewish Culture

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siV1IQZuyHk

This is a clip from a popular TV show showing a typical Jewish family Friday Shabbat dinner. The clip adds humor and is relevant and reveals inner workings of the Jewish Culture.

Judaism is both a religion and a culture. Jews have a special way of life including diet, tradition, and much more. Judaism is also different worldwide

Questions to Ponder

1. How has Judaism spread worldwide? Do you believe the Holocaust had a large affect on the "globalization" of Judaism?

2. What are traditions of the Jewish culture that may have spilled over into our normal day to day routines?

3. How has the rapid spread over other religions affected the Jewish culture?

Swine Flu? No thanks.

On the 14th we talked about the Globalization of Health and in particular the spreading of disease among different countries. Two weeks later, bam, Swine Influenza. Not only has this illness made headline TV news the past 4 days, but I have also had to read this headline of doom every time I open up my internet browser. Journalists are making us feel like this could be it, the end of the world, the next bird flu, the end of humanity. Dun dun dun. But seriously, disease spreads...everywhere...and anywhere. So I am writing this today to remind each and every one of you to..

WASH YOUR HANDS

COVER YOUR COUGH/SNEEZE

DONT BREATHE

DONT EVEN THINK ABOUT BREATHING

We offend one another in a global culture

There seems to be issues with sensitivity as we become more involved and have more interaction with other cultures. But sometimes we offend other cultures unlike our own when we assume that others want to be like us (Americanization) or we think we understand others because of stereotypes. In additon, do we take advantage of other cultures to help support our own? This blog looks at the question:

http://traveltelegraph.blogspot.com/2008/12/burger-king-offends-global-culture.html

The blog is a travel blog entitle "The Telegraph" and the entry is about a Burger King commercial that offended many people all over world back in December of 2008. It features the reactions of people eating their first hamburger. Burger Kind reps said they wanted a "virgin" palate to show consumers that people who were not used to eating burgers would prefer its Whopper over McDonald's burger.

This shows global culture as many times American companies either exploit others for their own interests or force their own beliefs on others.

Do you think the basis for the commercial was inappropriate?
Do you think Burger King has taken advantages of other cultures?
Do you question the tactics Buger King used to get participants for its advertisement?

I was trying to find something that is important or prevalent in every culture, then it hit me: Religion. It is a center part of most cultures. It often, if not always, determines the social and cultural norms in a society. It defines how a country is governed. In the middle east, there are countries that are actually governed by spiritual leaders. During the middle ages, most of Europe was controlled by the Pope, whether directly or indirectly. Even today there is evidence that religion plays a role in governments throughout the world.

The US has strong religious ties to its past. Our pledge of allegiance includes the phrase "one nation under god." Our currency has the phrase "In god we trust" printed on it. My questions for class discussion is:
1) If the US was founded by people who believed in a different religion (not protestant) how different do you think the country would be today?

2) If the US continues on the path of "removing god" from the government (such as banning school prayers, removing the 10 commandments from courthouses, etc), do you think this will have a positive or negative effect on the country?

World Hunger

I found this short clip about world hunger. It is by a film maker named Ferdinand Dimadura. It was created in 2005 and I think this is a topic that not everyone really understands. It's part of globalization because now we have a chance to help these countries solve their problems as technology and awareness arises. A global culture to me is just people who are surviving through life through of hope and determination. There are so many people in the world that rely on these 2 factors just to survive. It is impossible to describe how they do it day after day when most Americans don't think about when the next meal will be. Most of the these people have the characteristics to succeed in life but will never get the chance to. Life is really about surviving whether you want to believe it or not. No one is given a good life but it is the way you look at it and how you use it that counts.


Questions:
Does the U.S. feel responsible for helping underdeveloped countries?

What can big companies in the world who influence us everyday do to solve world hunger?

Robert Johnson is one of the most famous musicians to ever live. Some think he gave birth to Blues music. This song, Crossroads, is probably his most famous song and it is about selling his soul to the devil at crossroads in exchange for getting to become a famous blues player. It is also about slavery and the awful life of African Americans in the south. Many of the most famous artists of our time have done remakes of this song including Eric Clapton, the Allman brothers, John Mayer and Lynard Skynard. Robert gave rise to Rock and Roll and the Blues which have obviously become a worldwide phenomenon.

Robert Johnson died in 1938 at the young age of 27 and his death is unsolved. Many say that his song is cursed, but I think this song is one of the most important songs in the music industry. Music would not be what it is today without Robert Johnson. The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, and Eric Clapton all claim he was one of their biggest influences.


Here is the link to the song and a video.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yd60nI4sa9A




What do you all think he is saying in his song? There are mixed views and debate about whether or not he really did try to sell his soul to the devil.

Why do you think his music and this song in particular had such a strong effect on music, rock and roll, and jazz??

America's Favorite Pastimes!

This Collage is titled "Cultural Collage: A Fracture Look At American Pastimes,"
by Herman Yung. He made this during November of 2007. The 4 portraits of America are built together using images from a wide variety of sources including Britney Spears (my favorite part of this collage), emerging technologies, iconic textiles, American foods, politicians, sports figures, and the American flag.

This represents global culture to me because everyone in the world knows about America. And this might be how some people view us as. Like the picture of the obese man eating a hamburger (??) with fries on top of his head is one negative view that the world has about us. It also shows that is just how some people see us for: saturated fatty foods.

But then again, America is such a blend of unique cultures from all over the world. America is described as having a melting pot culture. We have people from all around the world with different backgrounds. I think that as our culture becomes more ubiquitous around the world, it is important to see how America has become the foremost leader in exporting our culture.

Questions:

1. What are some other views that other countries might have about us?

2. What about this collage pops out the most for you?

3. Do you think our culture has a big influence on the world? Why or why not?

4. Do you think our country is more of a melting pot, or a mosaic culture?

If we didn't start the fire, who did?

"We Didn't Start the Fire" - Billy Joel, writer and singer

Relased: November 10, 1989

My guess is most of you have at least heard this song, but I've always been astounded at the incorporation of so many pivotal events into a great song. There is much consideration about global culture to be discussed, as many of these small events affected the entire globe (i.e. US Ping Pong team going to China).

Wikipedia also briefs us on the significance of each event in the song here.

This clip embodies global culture to me, because all of these events have a greater significance than just those involved or those in the geographic location of the person or event. For instance, although the Berlin Walls location is in Germany, the effects were felt worldwide. 

Questions:

• Which of these people/events do you think most affected the entire world? Which most affected the United States the most?
• What kind of affect do you think this song had on Americans when it came out?
• It also nearly topped the charts in the UK. Do you think they viewed it differently than Americans?
• And lastly, but most arguably --- if we didn't start the fire, then who did??

Lyrics: (courtesy of Metro Lyrics) 

Harry Truman, Doris Day, Red China, Johnnie Ray 
South Pacific, Walter Winchell, Joe DiMaggio 

Joe McCarthy, Richard Nixon, Studebaker, television 
North Korea, South Korea, Marilyn Monroe 

Rosenbergs, H-bomb, Sugar Ray, Panmunjom 
Brando, "The King and I" and "The Catcher in the Rye" 

Eisenhower, vaccine, England's got a new queen 
Marciano, Liberace, Santayana goodbye 

CHORUS: 
We didn't start the fire 
It was always burning 
Since the world's been turning 
We didn't start the fire 
No we didn't light it 
But we tried to fight it 

Joseph Stalin, Malenkov, Nasser aand Prokofiev 
Rockefeller, Campanella, Communist Bloc 

Roy hn, Juan Peron, Toscanini, dacron 
Dien Bien Phu falls, "Rock Around the Clock" 

Einstein, James Dean, Brooklyn's got a winning team 
Davy Crockett, Peter Pan, Elvis Presley, Disneyland 

Bardot, Budapest, Alabama, Krushchev 
Princess Grace, "Peyton Place", trouble in the Suez 

CHORUS

Little Rock, Pasternak, Mickey Mantle, Kerouac 
Sputnik, Chou En-Lai, "Bridge on the River Kwai" 

Lebanon, Charlse de Gaulle, California baseball 
Starkweather, homicide, children of thalidomide 

Buddy Holly, "Ben Hur", space monkey, Mafia 
Hula hoops, Castro, Edsel is a no-go 

U-2, Syngman Rhee, payola and Kennedy 
Chubby Checker, "Psycho", Belgians in the Congo 

CHORUS

Hemingway, Eichmann, "Stranger in a Strange Land" 
Dylan, Berlin, Bay of Pigs invasion 

"Lawrence of Arabia", British Beatlemania 
Ole Miss, John Glenn, Liston beats Patterson 

Pope Paul, Malcolm X, British politician sex 
JFK, blown away, what else do I have to say 

CHORUS 

Birth control, Ho Chi Minh, Richard Nixon back again 
Moonshot, Woodsto/ck/, Watergate, punk rock 
Begin, Reagan, Palestine, terror on the airline 
Ayatollah's in Iran, Russians in Afghanistan 

"Wheel of Fortune", Sally Ride, heavy metal, suicide 
Foreign debts, homeless vets, AIDS, crack, Bernie Goetz 
Hypodermics on the shores, China's under martial law 
Rock and roller cola wars, I can't take it anymore 

CHORUS: 
We didn't start the fire 
But when we are gone 
Will it still burn on, and on, and on, and on...

Does Power Govern Culture?

How do we define culture? Is it by what we wear, what we watch, what we eat, or what we buy? Is culture what we make it to be, or how others perceive it to be?

North Korea has always been a major pain in the United States' ass. With all of our freedoms and rights, it's hard to see how a nation could be ruled by a tyrannical dictator bent on securing his power over the needs of his people...and yet his people elect him leader almost unanimously every year. The country is basically sealed off from the rest of the world, living in poverty and under a shroud of fear and suspicion. And with this years missile launch, the UN has even begun to admonish North Korea and decide on ways in which to punish the nation and its reckless use of its weapons.

So what does the United States do? Is it our responsibility to step in, or should we stay out of another nation's affairs?

These are questions that have been plaguing the U.S. and other nations since the beginning of the 20th Century. North Korea's actions this past year have ramifications that affect all nations, but it affects not only our sense of safety but our sense of what is morally right? North Korea is its own nation and has a right to defend itself and to issue weapons just as the U.S. has. The United States and other western nations vehemently denounce North Korea's production of nuclear weapons, and yet the U.S. has the largest nuclear arsenal in the world, with 5,914 strategic warheads.

When a nation has all the power and all the money, does it become their right to become a world police?

Art imitates life... James Bond

About two weeks ago I watched the new James Bond film "Quantum of Solace". If you haven't seen it, then the summary goes as follows:

- James Bond is looking for a terrorist group than has managed to stay under the radar of the intelligence agencies for several years.

- He goes to Haiti ends up connecting the terrorist group to an ecological organization called "Greene Planet" who is lead by a man called Dominic Greene.

- Greene plans to overthrow the current regime of Bolivia and hand control over to exiled General Medrano in exchange for a parcel of land that appears barren on the surface, but actually houses a natural resource that will make Greene the most powerful man on the planet.

- The General agrees because he thinks that Greene's goal is to find oil on that land (which no one has ever found before).

- Turns out Greene wanted the land because it contains 65% percent of the countries fresh water. After he got the General back into power, he damned up the water source so that villages could no longer receive running water. Hence, Greene now has leverage over the government since he "owns the water" and exploits the General for huge sums of money.


Since I couldn't find the scene where James Bond finds the water source blocked off, I found a news story that actually relates this scene to the global picture of "water wars".






Questions:

1) Do you think that most people are aware of the water crisis? Or do we seem to recognize the potential truth in this James Bond film only because of all the information we learned in our Global Issues book.

2) Do you think its possible to imagine political wars in the future over water?

3) If so, what are some ways we could protect nations from losing control over their fresh water resources?

4) Do you think the writer and the director are trying to raise awareness with this movie, or do you think they are trying to come up with an interesting theme, something other than fighting over oil, missiles, etc.?

5) Can you think of past movies or TV shows that involve fights over fresh water? If not, then why now?

Educate the World?

I just had this thought last week about education. So much effort goes in to providing education around the world. People go in a set up schools in thrid world countries, and small villages where children can go to learn math and reading.

This seems like more of a western view on education. I think to be educated takes more than what you learn in school. A child in a small village in the jungle doesn't need to know how to read and do algebra, that won't help him survive. He needs to know when the rainy seasons are, how to navigate the rivers, how to survive. This is the education he needs. I don't think it is fair to impose our westernized views of education, it disrupts their culture.

Questions:

1.What are the benefits/negatives of making sure the entire world is educated?

2. Is it really harming the native culture when a new school is opened?

3. Is it possible to preserve culture and provide 'westernized' education?

4. Can you think of any examples of spreading western education?

Cultural Puzzle

We all remember putting simple puzzles together when we were little. Sometimes they were frustrating, other times really easy, sometimes we could see where the exact pieces fit together, and others they never fit sometimes we got down to the last whole in the puzzle and a piece was missing, and other times every piece fit exactly perfect with none missing. But I bet your asking yourself what does a puzzle have to do with globalization? In reality everything. My whole life my parents taught me to live each day to the fullest and experience all the the world has to offer: to me this means taking a piece of each place I visit and meshing it into my own view of life. To me that is what it means to have a global culture. We see the mix in our food, music, architecture, clothing, dances, television, etc - we are all moving towards a cultural gumbo where we soon will have one a mix of cultures in every aspect of life. Some view this as a bad thing and to some extent it is, but others would see this as something good, where we are able to mix all the best parts of culture into one. I don't know what the best explanation is, but I hope that people are able to still maintain their unique cultures, while combining the best aspects of other cultures into their lives. To me, when we loose our own identity and begin taking on others this is when culturalization becomes bad: BUT HOW FAR IS TOO FAR? 

What piece of the cultural puzzle will you add to this global world we live in?

Questions:

1. Do you think places like Starbucks and McDonalds are taking the cultural process too far by being on every corner in places like Japan and China?

2. Do you think we are going to become one "superculture" where there is no distinction between continents and the unique cultures that we used to have?

3. What thing do you think is the single most "cultured" item that is being shared across continents (i.e. food, clothes, music, etc.)?

Lakai

Across the world there are different styles of music that represent so much about a culture. Some of those styles, however, are very similar and can be intermixed. Music is essentially an expression of how the artist feels or thinks, and when artists collaborate, it is like a molding of character, a connection that can span oceans and show each of us how the people of this world really are not that different.

My brother is a hip hop artist in Phoenix. He does shows in many clubs, and speciallizes in freestyling. His lyrics are unique because they tell a story of his life, or of creative and interesting characters. Right now, he has signed a contract for his new cd to be sold in Japan, and several of his songs are being circulated through Europe. His artist name is Lakai, and, though his music may not suit everyone, I am proud to be his brother. The song that this links to is called "A Child's Laugh". He worked with an artist from France to complete the track, so they created a connection of completely different parts of the world.

Here is the song

How is this song different or the same as other hip hop songs from the U.S.?
Can people really tell the difference between the same music styles from different cultures?

Sushi in America

Sushi is known as a traditional cuisine in Japan. However, due to Globalization, sushi has become increasingly popular in the United States. New, fun, hip, sushi restaurants seem to be popping up everywhere.

Most Americans associate sushi with raw fish, but the foundation of sushi is actually seasoned rice, not seafood. Making and shaping high-quality sushi rice is considered an art in Japan, where chefs study for four or five years to become sushi masters. In the Japanese tradition, an ideal piece of sushi balances rice with an artful arrangement of other elements, which might include cooked fish, raw fish, shellfish or vegetables, plus a dab of wasabi (Japanese horseradish). Diners seeking an authentic Japanese experience can find it at many places across the United States, including New York CityÕs Sushisay, which serves only sushi and sashimi (sliced raw fish) and employs six master sushi chefs. The decor is simple and bright, says Manager San Duong, adding that "it is not a romantic place." In Japanese fashion, customers come to Sushisay to read the newspaper, talk business and relax in a no-frills atmosphere. They expect top-quality fish and enjoy delicacies such as toro, a choice portion of fatty tuna. "We serve traditional sushi. No ÔCalifornia Rolls,Õ no ÔDynamite Rolls,Õ no ÔSpicy Rolls.Õ Whatever you find in Japan, you find in our restaurant," says Duong. >http://www.restaurant.org/rusa/magArticle.cfm?ArticleID=374

Now sushi is just another option for American diners. This cuisine has been forever known as a staple icon of Japan's culture. Today it is part of American culture as well.

What I find interesting is the fact that we, as Americans, eat sushi and don't view it as intruding on our culture. We embrace the opportunity to explore new foods and experiences. However, many American franchises and restaurants that have spread throughout the globe are accused of interfering with traditional culture and causing homogenization.
Why are American cuisines accused of being obtrusive but Japanese cuisines are not?
Do you think that the distribution of cultural goods signifies, a sign of convergence towards a single culture?

I don't feel that I become and "more Japanese" after I eat sushi, the traditional food of that country. So do you think that Japanese citizens become "more American" after eating McDonald's, a cuisine that is tied to America? Are the accusation McDonald's recieve fair? Do they really create a global culture? Sushi is just another food in America, is this the same for a burger in Japan?

Cultural ARTifact

Who: Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Philip Johnson

What: Seagram Building, New York

When: 1956-1958

Bronze and glass skin that masks its concrete and steel frame.

This represents global culture because it's a sign of modernity. This building was built in the fifties, when skyscrapers were popping up everywhere. It is a symbol of the future and how global participation can only bring us forward with new ideas and possibilities.

Questions:

How do you think this impacted America in a positive way?

Do you think that people were negative about this structure?

What characteristics does this building have that make it "modern"?

Jimmy by MIA

This is a song by MIA, a British/Sri-Lankan hip-hop artist. You all probably know her song Paper Planes from the Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack. MIA is a darling among music critics, and is fast gaining a wide global audience as well. I've picked this track from her great album, Kala. I think Kala is really "global" in sound, texture and lyrics, and Jimmy is a good example of how MIA builds her music from a globally-aware perspective. Below, I've posted some questions about this song that I think tie in nicely to the kinds of issues that have concerned us throughout the semester.

• Do the lyrics of this song tell a story? What international events/controversies does it reference? Has MIA offered an explanation of what the lyrics mean?
• How does technology figure in the lyrics? Are there any visual referents in the video clip that work with the theme of technology in the song?
• the music in "Jimmy" is an homage to (and samples large sections of) a song within a certain global cinematic tradition. What is it? (Clue: look at youtube for alternative versions of this song.)
• How does the video clip reference this tradition? Does MIA's clip seek to distance itself from this tradition, or merely "quote it"? Or perhaps she is doing something else entirely with it? In other words, how do we read the visual language of MIA's clip when put in relation to the other version of the "Jimmy" song?
• Finally, if you have no idea why I'm posting this, then go to the homework assignment on our wiki front page.
  

I'm Lucky

I have never been exposed to poverty.

I grew up in a comfortable home, went to school, graduated, had nice clothes, and had a family who was always around. I was and still am lucky and blessed.
After reading these stories, I realize that not everyone gets the "plush" lifestyle that I have grown accustomed to living. Children and women are being taken from their homes and country to participate in the illegal practice of trafficking. Women are forced to do sexual favors for money and children are put to work.

This idea is so foreign to me, I do not understand how a man feels like he has the power to do this.

I have thought of solutions to this illegal practice but have decided that even with laws against trafficking, the governments of the countries that this is happening have to enforce them. This is the hard part. Some underdeveloped countries believe that trafficking is the only way they will be able to pay off their debts. This is the only opportunity that men have to make money.

FALSE.

There are always other ways to make money and to better your life.
Some governments think that child labor is essential to their structure of economy. If the children are not working they can fall into worst practices, such as prostitution or crime. Instead they suggest organizations sponsor free meals at schools, so the children are bribed to go. This could keep them off the streets and out of the factories.

My question is:
How can governments enforce child labor laws and still have a functioning economy, if the majority of their workforce are children?

Human Slavery

This week's readings were both a reality check and extremely appalling  for me to read. The book was direct enough to make you realize the scope of the issue of human trafficing, exactly what was going on, and how no one is really helping. It was disgusting for me to think that people actually don't care about the life of another all because of one thing:money

I was particularlay drawn to the "what are people doing to help" section. Many believe that selling humans makes money, which it does in the short term, but activists are trying to prove how detrimental this practice is to world economies and how in the end, it's making everyone lose. This strategy of turning it on the big guys is very interesting to me. In a way,  I think it could actually be effective considering it's always about money. If they aren't going to understand the importance of a life, they will understand the importance of keeping their money safe. Trying to appeal to their banks and not their emotions (because so obviously they don't have much) is potentially a way to stop this practice. 

After seeing the move Taken, about a young girl who is kidnapped in Paris and sold into sex slavery while her father searches for and evetually finds her. The movie opened my eyes to the horrors of this practice and showed how drugged up and forever screwed up these girls were. It was heartbreaking, but of course, had a happy ending which is not a reality. The people sold into human slavery usually aren't whisked away on a white horse and taken to safety. They have to live with these terrors forever. Something must be done-it can no longer be ignored. 

trafficking

I just can't believe how much illegal things go on around us. You hear a lot of things that go down but if you start getting the actual facts the numbers are shocking. Why do human trafficking even occur? It should be a right for humans to live out a life. Taking that away is unfair. Businesses should not be involved in this and there needs to be a bigger crack down on this issue. This causes so much problems that the snowball effect it causes is enormous. First, sex trafficking spreads AIDS/HIV to victims that seem to be hopeless once they get it. Other effects are political instability and potential terrorism. This also leads to increased crimes and corruption in the areas using it. What has this world come to? I guess there can never be peace


Question: I know there isn't a way to find out exact figures but how many humans are trafficked annually in the U.S.?

Trafficking

Human trafficking is an extremely serious topic and I definitely believe that more should be done to address this issue. Kidnapping or forcing someone into slavery and abusing them against their will is one of the most inhumane things possible and if more is done to prevent this it would better the entire economies of countries involved. In the readings it says that we are actually doing good by letting children work full time to provide for their families and maybe in some cases that may be true. For the most part however, we would be benefiting alot more people in the long run by not buying these types of merchandise and somehow advocating that these children go to school and get some form of education. By learning more advanced skills they will be bettering their livelihood and the future generations wont face the hardships that they have undergone. Currently it may be difficult and detrimental to push forth these types of standards but the overall economy of the country will improve once it has a larger number of educated and skilled workers. AS far as the issue on trafficking and forcing children and women into the sex slave trade. Its avery alarming the numbers that were provided in the readings. A better job must be done to figure out who is being held againsttheir will and who willingly participates in prostitution, and laws should be passed to assist these people and help them get their lives back together.

Trafficking Versus Smuggling

During the readings I noticed that the broad description of trafficking made sure to point out that victims include women, children, and men. As I continued reading, however, I noticed that only women and girls were referred to as victims. I was looking online to find some statistics about the numbers of victims who are male and female to see why men were always the "owners" or "abusers," and stumbled upon an article that didn't have the answer but brought up another question:

What is the difference between human trafficking and migrant smuggling?

I may have defined human trafficking as the smuggling of people into other countries for exploitation before our readings and this article. That would have been the wrong definition, and here's why:

According to this "Fact Sheet" on human trafficking by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, human trafficking and migrant smuggling are very different. Human trafficking victims do not consent to their activities, and they are exploited to make profits only for the traffickers. Human trafficking only requires the exploitation of a person (work or sex), not necessarily any physical movement. Migrant smuggling includes those people who consent to being smuggled and must be brought in illegally across national borders.

And now back to my original question about the males who are forced into trafficking. I did learn from the National Human Trafficking Resource Center that the majority of victims are women and girls, which is why more stories are heard about them being abused and taken advantage of by men.

I look forward to hearing our interview tomorrow about the international justice systems, and will close with a question for Rik about the ICC: Why did the Court establish its' first seat in the Netherlands, and has it changed the "host seat" since 1998?

The Natalee Holloway Story

Natalee Holloway, the movie premiereed Sunday night on lifetime. Beth Holloway spoke tonight on campus. After tonight's readings, my only thoughts on the horrible situation are that Natalee Holloway was trafficked and sold into the slave trade by those local boys, Van Der Sloot and Kalpoe. I had always heard the price for for human trafficking was steep, so the small price of $2,500 alarmed me. These owners are making hundreds of thousands of dollars by exploiting these women and spreading sexually transmitted diseases. 

Natalee may be one of the between 700,000 and 4 million persons trafficked yearly. The problem is, how do we stop it? This problem is much more severe than any involving drug trafficking, however, the increased severity makes the operations even more secretive. So secretive that our best estimate on numbers has a 3.3 million person range. With this secretivity comes gangs, increases in violence, other trafficking, like that of illegal drugs. The desperation for money is extreme and people will go to any lengths to fill whatever voids they have with purchases and temporary highs like sex, drugs, and the adrenaline rush that comes with illegal activities and violence.  

The fact of the matter is, no matter what oridances and agreements trade unions and policymakers enforce, it is still going to happen. These traffickers are not out to cooperate and make the world a better place through global initiatives. I am not one to look at the glass half empty, but I am a realist. Although I think these agreements are important for judicial purposes and to note the global concern, they aren't the way to make a difference. The difference comes from people like Beth Holloway, who experienced a mother's worst nightmare first had, and is making an effort to protect the children of others from whatever horrible experience Natalee went/is going through today.

Beth Holloway spoke about traveling safely and staying out of potentially dangerous situations. I believe this is what we must focus on: informing people of the potential harms there are in the world and avoiding them at all costs. Unfortunately, Natalee is an example of this, but her legacy and story live on to remind and protect other girls, like herself, who travel abroad carefree and eager to explore and experiment with the freedoms of being a young adult.

Sex Trafficking in the U.S.

We think we have moved so far from slavery. Slavery doesn’t exist anymore. Wrong. Sex Trafficking is the modern-day form of slavery. It can take on so many forms, and can affect anyone boys, girls, men, and women. People often make jokes about “mail-order” brides, but these women are being sold and brought to be someone’s wife against their will.

When I hear of sex trafficking I often think about young women I think of young women in countries in Africa or south Asia, but in reality it is happening right here in the United States…

“The FBI estimates that well over 100,000 children and young women are trafficked in America today. They range in age from 9 to 19, with the average age being 11.
And many victims are no longer just runaways, or kids who've been abandoned. Many of them are from what would be considered "good" families, who are lured or coerced by clever predators, say experts.”

http://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/story?id=1596778&page=1

When I read that I was shocked. Really? Right here in the Unites States? Most of the stories are of young naïve girls who believe they are taking modeling jobs but are then forced into a world of sex exploitation.

I feel kind of helpless in the situation. What can I do against the people who commit these horrific crimes? There really isn’t that much information out there, besides the occasional 20/20 Investigation.

MY QUESTION FOR RIK: What can the average person do to stop this?

Contrasting Arguments

The video above is the contrasting argument to points made in Nicholas Kristof's article. The YouTube video expresses the idea that many children are forced into labor such as prostitution at a very young age PREVENTING them from receiving any sort of education. The reporter asks for more help in the creation of more laws on child trafficking and child labor to allow the children to go to school and avoid rather horrible situations.
In contrast to this, Kristof argues that many children can't go to school nor can they work leaving them impoverished. He condemns those who push for child labor laws, calling them "hawks", because they prevent many children from working. Kristof goes on to say that Americans, who get up on their "high horses" push the notion of preventing child labor and child trafficking without really understanding the issue at all.
So which argument is more valid or holds more truth? Personally, I think a balance can be achieved. If schooling is nonexistent in any given area and a child has the desire to work, they should be able to work to earn money to support their family. If schooling does exist in a child's area, he/she should be able to attend school and work. Easier said then done, I know.

That said, After reading Kristof's opinionated article on child labor I was definitely turned off by some statements made in the beginning of the article. But, towards the end of his letter, I agreed with his 'challenge.' There is some validity to bribing children in third-world countries for the specific purpose of creating a desire in them to go to school. As college students we should be aware of how we use our voices...what we choose to protest and support.

Forced into a life of Pain and Suffering!

Imagine you are 10 years old, innocent, unaware of the world, and suddenly you are snatched away from your parent and sold for a small sum of money where you are then forced to maybe plow the fields, do housework, or even worse perform sexual favors... this is the life of 700,000 to 4 million people in the world today, they are victims of "trafficking" and are forced into a miserable life. Not only is this an abomination, it is also a violation of our God given human rights that we are all entitled to by law. Also because of this trafficking, crime rates, social instability rates, political instability rates, and disease and pandemic rates rise considerable amounts. And globalization is only making these problems worse! But what is being done? There is conflict with who should enforce these rules between the NGOs, activists, the UN, and the government. To me we should get to the root of the problem as they say is poverty - if we are able to alleviate this, many of these "forced jobs" will no longer be necessary as people will be able to provide for themselves and their family and have all the rights and protections they need. 

Look at this video

Question for Rik: Can you explain more of what the ICC does - does it provide a means of finding those people that are breaking the laws and does it give support and money to those people who have been violated of their rights as humans? How would someone like us get involved in helping in the fight to protect human rights and how did you get involved in what you do?

Sex Trafficking. It's something most people don't want to hear about, don't want to even think about. But just because we don't see something, doesn't mean it isn't there. It's appalling to think that women and children are sold everyday into slavery that crushes the mind, body, and soul, but it does happen. So what do we do about it? Should there be a proactive solution or a reactive solution, or maybe a combination of both? Is it the responsibilities of governments and police agencies, or is it a public responsibility?

I'm not going to even pretend I have an answer to that...I just don't know enough because like most people, this is such a sensitive and awful subject that I have turned a blind eye. But if one switched perspectives from our own sensibilities to that of seeing this sex trafficking as a lucrative business (which it is), then maybe we can do some real damage to this business. That's not to say I am neglecting the awful reprocautions and realities that exist in this slave trade, I am merely trying to see this issue on a different level, because the former is just too hard to think about.

Business is all about supply and demand. For the men who steal women and children, or lure them under false pretenses in order to sell for profit, supply is easy. That leads us to demand then. It's disgusting to think about, but there is a demand and if that demand diminishes, then the business dies. This certainly puts the burden on the governments and policing agencies to crack down on this slave trade and perform such things as john stings, etc. There needs to be a cohesive agreement among nations to stem this flowing tide and put these guys out of business. But something else needs to be done as well, because this is the model that has been place, so what is that somwthing else? Is it exposure, bringing this issue to the forefront in Western countries that have the power and money to do something, is it the combined efforts of NGOs to get the UN working harder on this issure, or is it the powers of economics once again? The reason men sell women and children is for money, money that they can't get working at a shoe or clothes factory, or in the fields all day. If something is done to help the economic situations among the nations that conduct this awful business, then will that help to bring a crushing blow to the supply/demand model?


Question for Rik: Do you believe Human Rights is based on education or economics, meaning do you think that in order for human rights to become a world-wide decree, do we need to start with education or economics?

For the first time this semester, I feel like the readings have presented what seems like every available point of view on the subject of human trafficking. I agree wholly that there is a problem with this and that something should be done, but how are we to go about doing this? If we are to give benefits to those who suffer from this, then we will see a rise in prostitution because people will take advantage of the benefits. If we do nothing, the problem will get out of control, even more than it already is. I personally cannot think of any fool proof way to solve these issues without a much more complex situation arising from the consequences.

I, along with many other people, am the type of person that feels responsible for taking care of the people that need help. The shear thought of the stories, the idea that humans could be so insane not to feel guilt for trafficking, and the fact that there is nothing I can do to stop these people sickens me on a level I have rarely felt. After watching the YouTube video that Taryn posted about the man searching for his wife, I found myself speechless and frozen, staring blankly at the screen. I cannot begin to imagine what he must feel.

Love is one of the only purely good things in our modern world. Everything has its own root of evil, whether minute or enormous. When someone takes advantage of a person's love, I feel there is nothing more evil. Vlad, the man's friend that sold his wife, committed the lowest sin...crime...fault that he possibly could. Taking the man's life would have been less painful, taking his money would cripple him, but taking his love is devastation. These people that do terrible things to other humans should not have a place in our world. There MUST be some way to end at least this bit of evil.

QUESTION for RIK: What do you think the most effective solution is to human trafficking that people like us could actually take a part in?

Trafficked victims

Since I wrote my paper and podcast on sex-slavery, I am pretty familiar with the topic. However, I had to narrow the global topic down considerably for a five-paged paper, so I choose to focus on sex-slave victims in America, what laws we have to prevent trafficking and what we are doing to rescue victims.

I found a documentary on Youtube called "The Real Sex Trafficking". While I don't expect everyone to watch the full thing, I feel like the first part gives a good clear cut understanding on how girls are tricked into being sold, and how the sex-slave industry functions.

The story is about a husband whose 4 and a half month pregnant wife was sold into slavery and he is desperately looking for her. Enjoy.

Our Social Attitudes and Human Trafficking/ Question for Rik

It's sad to see that people today are being sold across the borders against their will. Over 27 million people are enslaved into the human trafficking trade. The fact that most of them are sold into the sex trade only makes it even more necessary for us to be aware about the severity of this issue. Most people aren't even aware of this issue and I think that sometimes our social attitudes may also affect the problem regarding human trafficking/sex trade. Media today has blurred the lines between acceptable behavior and sexual exploitation. For example, 50 cent's music video praises the purchase of prostituted women. It teaches young kids that prostitution is sexy and glamorous. Ad campaigns today also have highly sexual content. We are constantly bombarded with explicit campaigns used to sell clothing, perfume, aftershave – just about every commodity that are out there. Take Abercrombie and Fitch for example. They are known for their sexual ads, disturbing products (thongs for pre-teens) and racy slogans. We have also glamorized the word "pimp." Today, people have turned this word into positive meanings. For example, to "pimp your ride" or "pimp your Web site" now means to make it cool. This phrase is now being used as a misguided attempt to appeal to young people. Until we've recognize the damaging impact of human trafficking at home and abroad, this issue will continue to grow out of hand. This issue is very complicated because this is something that would require global action. So until we have established an infrastructure abroad like the ones we have here today (laws and law enforcement, safety standards, and so on), we will have an environment where criminals of all kinds can continue to flourish.

Question: Based on the secretive nature of human trafficking, how does law enforcements learn of potential cases to investigate?

The different contributors to the AIDS publication gave really interesting angles on the global issue. Why were women chosen as a focus from the beginning, and how were the experts selected as contributors to the conference and publication?

Question

Our readings discussed how some immigrants were denied access to the US because they tested positive for HIV. Obviously this is a sensitive and complex issue, but do you think that the U.S. is justified in refusing people access to the US who have spreadable diseases?

Global Health Question

How high is the priority for AIDS research and vaccine developments among the many global health issues we're facing right now? And what is your opinion on what our attention needs to be focused on right now?

Question about HIV/AID

For an HIV/AIDS patient in Africa, what are there chances of getting medicine and proper treatment? Do you feel that in there is enough being done that in the future these patients will have easier access to treatment?

Future of Global Health

In your opinion, in what direction, whether it be positive or negative, is Global Health heading?

Question

1. What is your opinion on the types of "drug cocktails" that are available to HIV patients - do you think we are moving in the right direction in terms of treatment for this deadly disease?

2. Do you think instead of spending all our time and effect on developing new treatments that we should create a "vaccine" for HIV. Do you think this would work?

3. How did you decide to go into the public health field and what made you choose your specific topic? How do you get involved in an organization like the one you belonged to - or what is your best idea for creating one on your own!

Thanks!

What kind of medical care and treatment is needed to take care of an HIV/AIDS patient on a daily basis? Is the lifespan for someone with AIDS in Africa substantially shorter than someone with AIDS who lives in a first world country?

question

What is the avg. cost of taking care of a HIV positive or AIDS victim in developing countries?

What is the most challenging thing you experience when you are in AIDS infected areas?

Question for Esther

What type of careers are there in Global Health?
Is Global Health similar to local Public Health Departments?
Where would one start if they wanted to get involved with global health?

Question for Esther

Is there a "pecking order" for who receives the treatment in suffering countries? For example... do rape victims and children born to HIV positive parents get priority over those who knowingly made their choice to have unsafe sex?

Question

What is the best way for an individual to help stop the spread of HIV and to help the people who are currently HIV positive in Africa? How do you know which organizations to trust, and which ones should you avoid giving money to?

Question

What is the exact difference between AIDS and HIV and which is more prominant? 

Question

African countries face some very substantial challenges in scaling up treatment. What are soem of the challenges to scaling up treatment access in Africa, and can they be overcome?

The Deadly Truth

This video sheds more light upon the statistics of disease spread around the globe. I appreciate the fact that the students whom put this video together made the point that although disease exists globally in third world countries such as Africa, the epidemic of disease effects us EVERYWHERE. Even here, in America. It can affect anyone at anytime, which is just as important. Disease has no boundaries. They start the video by describing the qualities Canada has on its own, as a country. Free healthcare, pride, the right to free decision making, etc. (Sounds like the United States) "One of the most globalized countries in the world." And yet, they still have to worry about the same deadly diseases third world countries are effected by. It is the deadly truth and we all should be aware of it.

AIDS Pandemic

Something that struck me most in this week's readings from "Global Issues" was how we as Americans usually view AIDS/HIV. For the most part I think we seem to have a stereotyped view of the disease. In America most of those who are HIV positive or have AIDS have contracted it through sexual interaction, making it something we don't really talk about. Yes it's a disease but it's not the same as having the cold or the flu. Because it's sexually transmitted we view it as something dirty, and because it is deadly we can't help but become uncomfortable around those who we may know have HIV or AIDS. Being HIV positive brings a new meaning to the phrase "avoid like the plague", when people avoid or act strangely around you because of it.

I've only met one person who was open about having AIDS and I'm sorry to admit that I freaked out when I found out. I think this is the common reaction from people when we find out others have HIV/AIDS and it is a sad one because it's what causes us to push this issue under the rug. If we could change our view of the disease and see it for what it is, a pandemic killing millions around the world, instead of just a dirty STD, maybe AIDS could be a more common subject. People with HIV/AIDS could seek the emotional support they need without feeling shameful or ostracized. Imagine what it would be like if having AIDS was treated just the same as having cancer? Where people sympathized and reached out rather than avoided and excluded? 

The reading made me realize how much I was guilty of looking down on HIV/AIDS as a "dirty" disease rather than the awful pandemic that it is. I'm hoping to go to Africa this summer on a mission trip and the reading just made me want to go and understand the crisis there even more.

Pandemic Initiatives

To many us after reading about pandemics that killed hundreds of thousands of people in earlier times we may feel that the chances of that happening again and affecting us slim to none. However, there is already a pandemic spreading across the plains of Africa. Even though most of us would never consider contracting HIV as something to worry about this is by far the greatest threat to those living in Africa. This disease has single-handedly drastically reduced the population and demoralized the economies of African nations.
From these readings it seems like the countries that do have the power and capabilities to affect change and handle these types of pandemics will only take the necessary precautions and initiate change when they themselves have faced what these 3rd world countries have gone through. In the writing about the Taiwan outbreak of SARS for example: Taiwan is a fairly modern country yet when it was affected by SARS there was definitely a breakdown of order. It seems that the only way we would ever be able to have a chance of controlling the spread of HIV is if we underwent the same problems and got the same view that the African nations have- leaders from these parts definitely understand how to contain this disease but dont have the resources.
Th U.S. has taken major initiatives to help the countries in Africa, however I was very suprised that people with HIV arent allowed in the U.S.. It seems very hypocrotical that we weould want to send billions of dollars overseas to help African countries yet, when we deny entry to those that come directly to us for help. It also seems unfair that those who have contracted HIV here are denied citizenship and legal permanent residence. If we want to help those with the disease why would we shun them from our borders, we should infact be doing the opposite and in some way help those by providing treatment instead of shipping them back to their "original" country.

Global Diseases will take over the world!

Should you support an orphan who has lost his or her parents to AIDS? Should you contribute money to medical research to find a vaccine for HIV? Or should you support antiretroviral drugs to treat the millions of poor people in Africa and India who can not afford these life-prolonging drug therapies? Globalization is on the rise and people are able to just about travel anywhere in the world and they are taking diseases with them. The question we have to ask ourself is what can be done? What can be done to curb this problem - there are so many old world diseases that we see like the flu, cholera, malaria that are taking countless lives that do not need to be taken and then there are new world diseases like HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and many more. The question is "What will be the next pandemic?" And if you ask me that is terrifying. So what are we going to do about this - no one is for sure, but with these new campaigns, the public is not like them - such as use of condoms in Africa. Can you guess what that picture is? It is dresses made of condoms that were at the international Aids conference in Thailand in 2005 and I was lucky enough to attend. But this is not enough, just having a conference, so what do we do? We have to ask ourselves which is the more important question - money or saving lives and that is really what is comes down to: find a vaccine that could save lives. 

The Shunned Disease

"The single biggest impediment to fighting AIDS is stigma." Our view of AIDS needs to move beyond the thinking that it is the "gay disease" or the "African disease." It's estimated that there are 1.1 million people living with AIDS in the U.S. while there are around 30 million people in African suffering from AIDS; both numbers steadily increasing. AIDS is unbiased and unprejudiced, so why can't we think along those lines?

When dealing with the AIDS crises in Africa however, it is necessary to take out our Western ideals of right and wrong when introducing methods to stop the spread of AIDS. In the article "African perspective on AIDS crisis differs from the West," I realized my own naivite in regard to these issues. I thought that condom education and distribution were a good idea to help stem the spread of AIDS. I did not however think of how to implement that course of action and how what I might consider normal from my American persperctive might cause other difficulties in other nations. There needs to be a cohesive understanding between the Western nations looking to help Africa's AIDS epidemic and the nations and peoples of Africa who desperately need the help. One must look beyond our own fears, prejudices, and moral codes and cooperate to truly begin the fight against AIDS.

But one must also look at oneself first to be of any real use. There are still stigmas and reticent feelings to truly take on the gargantuan task of fighting AIDS at the biological and social levels here in the U.S. Until we get our act together over here, we will not be able to effectively help others. Sure we might send some money and supplies, but what will that mean without effective training and studied data that will give some basis as to how to combat AIDS?

There is still a lot to learn about this disease, but there is also a lot to learn about ourselves. It must be necessary to look beyond our own perceptions to give the world a fighting chance against this growing pandemic.

Points of View on HIV/AIDS

As I was reading the chapter introduction I kept thinking "Well what does the average African, living in Africa have to say about the HIV/AIDS epidemic". There was one part that said, "For some Africans, condoms represent Western individualism and consumerism which are at odds with African communal values...." It made me wonder if this is what they really think. Maybe they just are not properly educated on the benefits of using a condom, or maybe they don't have access to or the money for condoms. I would think that it would be kind of hard for an African living in a small village to just run by the convienience store and purchase a box of condoms.

Then I saw the title of the article "African Perspective on AIDS Crisis Differs from the West". I thought this article would provide me what I was looking for in the introduction, but after reading it I wasn't satisfied. The article gets its "African Perspective" from three priests. To me it still seems that the average African is being spoken for. I liked the dialoge between Nelson Mandela and Oprah. I thought it was much more effective because it was a first hand account and it was personal. Madela is a man directly affected by the AIDS epidemic. He lives in Africa, and his own son died from the disease.

I want to make a final comment on the last required article "Bad Blood". I had no idea that the United States rejected people with HIV/AIDS from coming into the country or that they were deporting people with HIV/AIDS. This article was especially heartfelt because it gave accounts of actual people that experienced this. I wondered if the HIV ban from 1987 has been changed, and I was pleased to find that the ban was lifted last July (2008) when President Bush signed the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Reflief (PEPFAR). Then I did a quick search on Obama's policy, and couldn't find anything concrete. All I found was the name of the man he appointed to be the director of the Office of National AIDS Policy.

Condomization 101

When I think about helping African Nations fight against AIDS, I have always thought that education on safe sex and promoting/providing condoms was the right answer. While I still think that the use of condoms is essential to stopping the disease, I found very contrasting view points in the articles "African Perspective on AIDS Crisis Differs from West" and the section on International Voices.

One of the main points that I took away from the article had to do with how the West first promoted condoms. The anti-AIDS campaign went from "Love Faithfully," to "Love Carefully" to "Use a Condom."

To me, this seemed like "DUH- even if you love faithfully you should love carefully meaning you should wrap it up!." I have known this since middle school... and it was firmly re-enforced throughout my high school life. I have been taught that no guy, no matter how much you love him, is worth risking your life for.

Then I read...
"The West may have long ago adopted this mutual suspicion (yes, indeed I am very suspicious!!), but it is new to Africa. This 'radical suspicion generated by AIDS gnaws at the very core of our self-understanding, and thus threatens the basic trust on which our individual and societal existence is based," the priest notes."

After this statement, I finally was able to understand what most of the articles were trying to say- promoting technological means to prevent AIDS, such as condoms, is fine... but you also have to take into account African cultural understanding.

Okay, so I finally realized that maybe AIDS continued to spread not because of a lack of condoms available to many parts of Africa (even though I am sure they are still lacking in most parts!), but because of significant difference of what a condom represents to different parts of the world.

A viewpoint of an African priest- believes that one of the main problems of condomization comes with the 'freedom' condoms provide...
"Using a condom seems to confer immediate freedom-but, of course, freedom does not come naturally, but is a result of training into the relevant virtues of chastity, fidelity and self-control."

Viewpoint of Marina Mahathir, the president of the Malaysia AIDS Council, states- "Many people working with prevention and treatment in Africa stress the need to factor in male social, economic, and sexual dominance, which is seen as polygamy and male reluctance to use condoms."

These articles completely contradict themselves. On the one hand, you have a priest saying that condoms create bad values, and then you have an activist asserting that current bad values among males in the country make them prone to spreading the disease.

I know that these authors might be discussing their views based on the specific areas where they are fighting AIDS. After all, Africa is a huge country and we tend to just generalize it. I think that the best plan of action is to develop prevention plans based on the individual needs of a nation or community. One plan will not work for one whole country. The more we can listen, learn, and educate the more we can help those who need it.

Condom Controversy

After reading about the different pandemics in history, especially the more recent struggle of HIV/AIDS in Africa, I thought about the recent trip that the Pope took to Cameroon and Angola and his stance on the use of condoms to prevent the spread of AIDS. Below is a news clip with the Pope's remarks on March 17th:




Seeing as the Pope and the Catholic church have great influence on the morals and social behavior among Africans, it is somewhat upsetting to have the Catholic Church's figurehead denounce the use of condoms. Though the distribution of condoms alone will not stop the spread of HIV/AIDS, it is one way that could definitely help put a dent in the number of adults and children suffering and dying each day. I agree more with the political cartoon below, out of the "Korea Times" online newspaper, that attacks the Pope for being ignorant about the magnitude of the HIV/AIDS epidemic:



Ignorance seems to be the problem both in Africa and beyond its borders. The lack of information and education in Africa leads to its people's ignorance about HIV/AIDS effect and how it is spread. Westerners are ignorant about the African cultural, which makes us unable to communicate the problem and teach Africans in a way that makes them aware and care. We cannot force our ideals or what we believe is right and not expect rejection, unless we approach education (abstinence, condoms, etc.) in a way that considers the audience.

It's a slippery slope trying to figure out who should be responsible for helping stop the spread of HIV/AIDs and pandemics. I think it is important for countries with the resources to do what they can to help others out, not only because these pandemics can be deadly to their own citizens, but because it is impossible for these countries to overcome the problems alone. It seems that the issues that the United States chooses to get involved in are always scrutinized by others who believe we should leave the rest of the world alone. It's funny though, that when the United States does not get involved in global issues to the extent that others would like, the United States is still scrutinized for not taking action and helping those in need. In the world of globalization, America seems to always be the bad guy.