European election/Austerity

Europe has recently elected two new leaders: Hollande in France and Pikrammenos in Greece. This could prove troublesome for the situation in the European economy. Hollande wants to promote a socialist government. This is not in the best interest of the EU as it involves plenty of government spending and although France is not in any direct threat now, what they do affects their neighboring countries (hence the need for the EU). Also Austerity was rejected, without such cut backs Europe is in need of yet another strategy unless the new leader can bring something new to the table. I am interested to see the events unfold and how the EU will handle the their current situation  

As you move into the next phase of your life, how will you try to affect change in the world regarding these issues?

My high school days are coming to an end. As I enter the next level of education and the workplace I hope to use what I have learned in world issues to help resolve global issues. I hope to raise awareness of these issues through film and commercial advertising social media and other methods of that nature. I also hope to volunteer my time and dedicate myself to a cause. I have spent time telling myself `I simply don`t have the time` but with a little organization and structure I realize I have plenty. I could volunteer in any step of the relief process, anywhere from collecting donations to providing them directly to the people in need. Down the road in my career when I am near retirement I hope to donate lots of money as I will probably be too old to move around a lot. Also in my old age I could guilt trip people in donating their money and time through parties and charities. Perhaps I could make children volunteer at a research facility as a punishment for breaking my window with their shenanigans. I digress but what you should take from all this is that I realize that making a difference is not as hard as some people might think and a sarcastic person like me can dedicate their life to change without sacrificing too much. That is the kind of people I want to convince help: people that do not want to make much of an effort of change all their ways. I want to show them that they are still useful and there are easy transitions they can make to becoming good global citizens. When people are ignorant or un bearably selfish I have a tendency to simply laugh nervously and ignore them rather than tell them off. So after that laugh I could convince them that they can go green without breaking budget. Or that they can save a life just going on the internet. We all have our part to play in making the world a better place and I believe these are mine.

What is the biggest threat facing our Canada in the next 50 years?

I believe that the issue of global water supply will affect Canada in the near future. With the great lakes combined with the northern glaciers Canada has one of the biggest deposits of fresh water. As mentioned in a lot of class discussions people don`t feel the gravity of an issue until it affects them directly.  I believe that if we don`t find a way to supply other countries with water, everyone will turn to Canada and it will affect Canadians directly. The government may have to limit the water supply or raise prices or worst case scenario and highly unlikely: someone invades. All three scenarios will cause serious problems to Canada`s economy (some more than other) but there are possible solutions. It has been predicted that Canada Northern climate will get warmer and with the increase in population it may provide attractive living conditions. And perhaps with the people and climate we can extract glacier water much easier. It is long shot must make their will be enough water to go around. Perhaps global warming and the changing of the Earth’s climate may create new fresh water opportunities elsewhere. A more common belief is that we find a new method of extracting fresh water from the sea. Currently our methods are too expensive and ineffective and the natural water cycle is too long and does it work in such a way to supply our demand. In African desserts they learned how to extract water at night from the methods an indigenous beetle. I think what we should take from that is Nature still has a thing or two to teach us and perhaps we are not looking close enough.      

What have you learned about yourself during the course?

I am capable of more than I realize. I used to think there were very few options to assist in global issues based far far away beyond simply throwing money at it (which isn`t a bad thing). This course taught me all the ways I can spend my time helping like volunteering and consulting and messaging donating, or simply raising awareness. Before this course it never occurred to me that perhaps I should message my government asking them to resolve issues. I am sure if I am consistent and make a good case they will reply and probably actually help. I have also learned the gravity the field of film and other media can have on global issues. Since this is field I wish to enter, I hope I can use what I have learned in this course to promote or raise awareness for a cause. As long as the leader doesn`t go on a naked bender I am sure my contribution will be significant.

3 Issues of this course

The three most important issues I have learned during this course was the AIC and other issues in the Middle East, Globalization and how I can become a global citizen, and global issue concerning the worlds water supply. Most of the worlds more serious and possibly war starting conflicts are in the Middle East. Learning more about each country their and their relation to one any other have not only given me perspective but has also helped me understand what is to come next for the world and where I can be of assistance. The idea globalization and how intertwined countries have become has given me a chance to re-examine my life goals and create a path that channels my energy more usefully in becoming a global citizen. And finally the issue of fresh water has taught me that Canada yet again is the leader in a resource that may soon grow scarce. Know this has made me more thankful for my dual citizen ship (That was a joke I`d never survive in Nigeria). But in all seriousness I hope somewhere down the road to use my skills in my field to prevent any serious conflict over sharing the worlds water and I hope to create or promote solutions to that issue.

ISU Reflection

The interesting topic the ISU was sex trafficking, what alarmed me more specifically was the severity of illegal underground activity in the world. I was aware that any third world country would have an issue of underground activity adding on the their problems but a sex slave for example could be sold to more developed countries in Europe as well as North America. This has changed the way I look at developed countries. It means that even with our money, our government and our border control these things still get passed us to an extent that it is a global issue. My peers have brought to light the full scope of the issue and I know see why it such a global issue  I am sure there is some sort of expression about cutting off a creature from its food supply, the same goes for business and illegal trafficking. By finding the customers in our borders, our jurisdiction, and bringing them to justice we are cutting off their demand, thus crippling their business. I am neither old nor wise so I don`t have all the answers but it is an idea.    

Stop Racism: What is the next step?

It is a good thing to see that in this world there are places where things like slavery and segregation seem ridiculous. It is good because it says to me that it does not happen in the circles of the people that find in ridiculous and that they would never allow it in their circles. This is a good thing, as long as we do not neglect the reality that these things still exist in the world. Places like Canada have achieved the first step: creating a legal and government system that allows all races the same opportunities and rights, the next step changing the social order of things. Canada is country full of immigrants so of course the question of where your family originated is common, but let it so that your background does not give people a preconceived notion of your character. I hope one day that the upper class Arab community in Yemen can judge any lower class Akhdam person based solely in what they have to say and not where they come from. I hope that anyone from the Mohawk tribe can marry outside their tribe without being told they are giving up their culture. Of course this will not solve all the world’s problems. In a world without racism I am sure people still cannot all get along but at least they would be given a chance to, and I am hoping that in most cases if you give a person a chance they will surprise you.   

Violent vs peaceful protest

I have been stuck between sides on this subject of using violence of peace to promote social change. Both sides have worked and failed dramatically, each has pros and cons and there are some cases that I believe ended successfully because of the combination of the two. As impossible as this argument is I have however come to a conclusion. Violence only leads to more violence and that cycle is harder to stop then any peaceful protest. I chose peace because it should always be the first choice anyway, and I have read a few examples where the gravity of the method is greater than any violent act. In 1989 Czechoslovakia formed the velvet revolution against the communist government. In this example the government was crippled, the people were they biggest resource and without them they had no choice but to submit. If the people had acted violently the government could have easily retaliated with more violence. A very similar situation happened in 2005 in Ukraine (the Orange revolution). I feel this method should always be the first option. Currently there is a situation in Quebec regarding school tuition. Student groups are rebelling violently trying to reduce tuition cost. I do not completely disagree with their choice because it worked in another tuition issue in London and of course it is too late to un do what they have done. But when I think about the velvet revolution I feel peaceful protest could have been more effective. Perhaps for example they put their riot energy into a strike, affecting the schools income until they had to choice but to submit. In and social action the people collectively are more powerful than any gun or riot. I will leave you however with the fact that if a country of group is under oppression, yes they just start with peace but equality and justice should be the only outcome.        

"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible, make violent revolution inevitable" – JFK

AIDS

HIV-AIDS impacts people in poorer countries than anywhere else in the world. Poverty can create and even enhance the cause and spread of HIV-AIDS. Countries like these can lack in the education of disease like this, and without the proper health care it cannot be treated properly. By fighting poverty in a country you can help relinquish HIV-AIDS as well as many other problems the country might face. Going back to HIV-AIDS, there are two important ways to help: Providing relief to such country like medical supplies, and donating or assisting medical research dedicated to finding better treatment or a cure.   http://aidsresearch.org/ provides information on their research and what a approach they are taking to find a cure. Here are some ways you can participate:

• Sign up for a news letter
• Donate money
• Tell them how this disease has affected you
• Volunteer for a clinical Trial
• Donate a gift to support their research
• Tell your friends
• Sign up to host a fundraiser

On the side of providing relief http://www.developafrica.org/ is focused on establishing meaningful and sustainable development in Africa. They provide job training, business loans, scholarships, books and teaching supplies, the list goes on but I think you get a sense of what they are about. Their website provides many ways to help much similar to the list for aids research. As I mention before, HIV-AIDS and other issues can all be put under the umbrella of poverty. Develop Africa is committed to the development of Africa (hence the name). I will leave you with passage from their website describing their vision.

Vision: Through training, scholarship, investment and partnerships Develop Africa is committed to developing Africa’s people through the promotion of transformational education, resource development, investment training and strategic empowerment. Our premise is based on the notion that in order to change one’s personal, national or organizational status there must necessarily be a “change in the thinking and processing pattern of the mind.”

C.A.R.E Model

C.A.R.E is an acronym for making ethical decisions as a global citizen. CARE stands for

• Compassion
• Action
• Responsibility
• Equality

If you want to benefit the world, you must take action. When take that initiative you must also take responsible for the choices and commitments you make. And when dealing with others, you must be compassionate to their situation and treat everyone the same. By taking these four things into consideration in your everyday decisions you’re sure to become a more principled global citizen.

If take into consideration the Arab-Israeli conflict for example the first step is to take action. Find out how you can get your government involved or assist an organization dedicated to diffuse the conflict.  http://www.fmep.org/ has links to many non-profit organization devoted to peace in the Middle East stationed anywhere from the U.S to Israel. If you are willing to become involved you must take responsibility for the commitments you have made to make a difference. And finally you must show compassion and equality even when dealing people on the other side of your argument. Perhaps their circumstances are different than yours, or you do not know the whole story. You need to take these things into consideration and give them a fair say. In my opinion action is the most important part of C.A.R.E because it is the first step. 

NSA Reflection

Overall our NSA liked our approach in achieving our goals, the only generally concerns were that we  didn’t work well as a team and we didn’t get too involved until later in the simulation. The issue with our team comes as now surprise because my team only had two members working three polititians. We had trouble keeping Sergei Lavrov involved in the simulation. As for our involment, we had to assess the methods of other countries first. The website gave us an understanding of how the real leaders have handled this conflict but as students made press releases we realized some people had different ideas on solving this conflict. Waiting had made my group better prepared to made a distinct press release that our NSA thought was very well done. Individually I was very good at defending our press release and keeping up relations with arab countries around Israel. I thought the best way to contain the situation was to ally with the surrounding countries. To conclude our NSA said overall our writing was the thing that separated Russia from other countries.     

Gender Equality

One of the largest impacts of gender inequality in underdeveloped countries is poverty.  Although gender inequality is not the #1 source, it is a hindrance towards numerous solutions. To lift a country out of poverty one of the things you need is for the citizens to work together so that they can acquire an education, fill fields in demand (Police, Doctor etc) and build/re-build a societal structure and a sustainable way of living. If there’s gender inequality that leaves a large percentage of the population unable to help thus making these goals that much harder to accomplish. The path to equality will be difficult but I believe it is a major factor in solving many world issues like poverty. One step toward equality could be to show these men as well as the women the benefits of equality on the developing world. This could be done by persuading the government or something simple like writing a letter to someone in that area. By showing these people that women are full of potential and promise and are not just a burden perhaps they can learn to change. A more drastic step is hearing the defence of the people who see women as a burden and work towards eliminating those factors.  There are some people that under their circumstances do not treat woman equally, this step enquires that you remove these circumstances. Any example would be that a girl has to stay home because only the boys can go to school, so what you could do is raise money or find another way to build a school that accepts boys and girls.     

Integrity

“Never compromise, even in the face of ArmageddonJ”

            -Anonymous 

While preparing for this post I discovered the definition of integrity. It is the consistency of actions, morals, values and other things of that nature. A person’s integrity and their ability to maintain it defines them. This quote expresses a belief that if a person faces a lengthy oblivion like the end of the world, the stress and terror will put their integrity to the test. Some might fight, steal or even kill in an attempt to stay alive while others, that yesterday had the same integrity as the killers, and are equally desperate to live will not compromise themselves even at the end of days. This quote speaks to me because I know many people (and sometimes even myself) that choose to have no integrity at times. They do so, so that in these situations where integrity is tested they can change their values and ideals for selfish reasons. Take politicians for example: some might say one something or portray certain values to get elected, but if it threatens their re-election or their power later, they might decide to change values to stay on top. As global citizens our integrity must be unwilling to compromise. We can not collectively demand change one day and do nothing the next. Even as a global community we are all different so yes, some people may have dark days, some darker than others, but that must never change what is right, and it must never compromise our ability to act.    

Burke

"All that it takes for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing." - Sir Edmund Burke, 1769.

This quote is very simple; it states that by any extent evil will flourish as long as there is no good to combat it. This is not just in the literal sense like batman and joker, the quote is more directed to the small evils in everyone and how if we never seek to banish it will always flourish. Let us look as human consumption as an example. Millions of years without human existence have resulted in a vast amount of resources. Now, we seem to be using them all up in a matter of centuries. This is an evil that we all participate in and all it needs to triumph is for no one to do anything. I think I’ve made my point pretty clear: in order to fix these problems like non-renewable resources, global warming etc, we have to SOMETHING, anything from picking up the tiniest garbage or making the biggest scientific breakthrough. If we do nothing it’ll only guarantee the success of these evils.  

The future of biodiversity

Since the industrial revolution humans have increased in population and resource use, resulting in the un-natural collapse of biodiversity. The photo the left shows that in the distant past there was a very low number of extinctions over the millennia. Without humans destroying ecosystem (to today’s extent) it is fair to say these extinctions were a natural occurrence. Animals and ecosystems were the weakness link and eliminated through natural selection. But as humans develop the more modern forms of society, they began to wipe out species that were beneficial to the survival the ecosystems which in turn will affect the way people live as well. Recorded extinctions show a massive spike as humans became more modern and the future shows that over 1 million of all species will be lost over the next millennia. Without certain ecosystems a domino affect will cause the world’s biodiversity to shrivel and die. Who’s to say humans won’t be one of the million species lost? Personally I’ve looked at the human presents on Earth differently than others. It is said that humans are a parasite to this planet and it have been proven through observation. But unless we were sent here we are earthlings. Even as the dominate species this is the only world we’ve got so our existence here is technically natural. Since it seems there is no way back I say the solution to biodiversity is to look forward. Over the next say 150 years, I propose we take natural selection into our own hands and not let species go extinct because our direct impact. Instead we must create new ecosystem, and introduce species that are not invasive but helpful in sustaining the survival of animals and humans alike. It is the future.