Watch men/women make ice cache.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfm_7ww6YIU&feature=em-upload_owner

Education in America

Some USM students believe that multiple choice test hinders learning. And, an African student says the education in America is much easier than in his native country.

Using the Rules of Third

            This is a picture of Laurel Mayor Melvin Mack.(bald black man).  This picture was cropped to take out the background. I took this picture of Mack ignorant to the rule of thirds.  As I continued to take pictures I began to realize that pictures where the object is in the dead center are boring to look at nor do they require one to use his/her imagine. But some pictures require one place the object in the center; like the picture I took of some Laurel High School basketball players. Although this picture is in the center, I took the picture from an angle, which makes it look decent. Over time I also figured out that angles make a good picture.  The picture of the laurel basketball players is me learning from trial and error what makes a good picture.  The third picture of the guy on the skateboard is a picture I took after learning about the rule of thirds. The picture is staged, but it really looks like he is moving forward. 

Does Black History Month Keep America Separated?

It is black history month. And, yes, I revere African-American heroes like W.E.B. DuBois, Marcus Garvey and Ida Well, to name a few.  But I think black history month is wrongly represented. If one were proud of his/her blackness, black history would and should be celebrated everyday.

  The University of Southern Mississippi and Men of Excellence held a panel to discuss issues that affects African Americans like education, public policies and media.  Alice Ivas, USM graduate student, who was raised in a trailer park, explained that trailer parks are not different than projects.  There are teenage pregnancies, drug abuse and crime. So, the same issues that effect black people effects white people.

   “Eminem said, look, this is what goes on in trailer parks,” said Ivas. “We are all broke.”

I explained to the panel that I connect with a white professor, Dr. Greene, on more of a personal level than I do Dr. Jenkins, who is the only black professor that I have.

When black history month was created I think it was needed. But I think the celebration has been taken out of context. Now, kids only want to be part of Dr. Martin Luther King parades so he/she can ride in a nice car or big truck. And by the time he/she graduates high school or college their black history knowledge reaches no farther than MLK, Frederick Douglass and Rosa Parks.

Yes, racism still exists, but today’s racism will not hinder African America from chasing his/her dreams, unlike Jim Crow laws.   If a white business owner follows me around in the store, I’m not going to get mad and not go to school. Or say that all white people are racist.

Black History Month keeps us separated. Or it limits the celebration of black leaders to one month of the year. MLK was not a just a black leader, he was an example that all americans could follow. And his agenda was to make america better, not black america. And the same can be said for Frederick Douglass, W.E.B Dubois Ida B. Wells, to name a few.

Is God Not Cool?

NPR reported that a third of americas under the age of thirty are not affiliated with any religious organizations.

A Jew, MIriam Nisley explained that she participates in Jewish traditions because sitting quietly and alone helps her with her thoughts, she said.

Religion is based on faith. It is all about the faith one has. Basically, If one were to look at from this point of view, then nothing in the Bible or other religious books is based on facts. Its all on what him/her believes.

Yusef Ahmad, a Muslime, claimed that from the time he was a child he had trouble believing that a human begin, Abraham, heard a voice telling him to sacrifice his son. And as he begins to sacrifice his son, he turns into a goat.

Now, this story does sound ridiculous. If someone were to say that today, he/she would be considered crazy. And sent to an asylum.

Today, even in the south, the world is more liberal than it was decades ago.  Younger generations are not experiencing the same hardships as their parents. For this reason, it is not imperative that he/she believe in a higher power. Whereas, decades ago, when times seemed hard, believing in God gave one hope that he/she would rise up from the mire.