Friday, November 19, 2010

How Tech Has Welcomed Diversity


Now that the History of Georgia Tech's Racism has been observed does it still linger any today at Georgia Tech? In what ways has Tech dealt with racism and how does its campus and students support diversity.  Georgia Tech today is one of the most diverse colleges in the world. People from all over the globe come here to further their education and take their first step into the world. Whatever race or ethnicity you can imagine their is a good chance that they are represented at Tech. Georgia Tech has at least one student from each state in the United States and students from about one-hundred other countries in the world. Georgia Tech is about sixty-six percent white and thirty-four percent other races and cultures. This is an especially big difference from our fellow Georgia colleges and other colleges in the world.Tech’s cafeteria has even accommodated other nationalities by having different styles of food from around the world.

Georgia Tech has identified diversity as one of its highest priorities and is constantly developing new ways and initiatives in the area of diversity. Georgia Tech has a Diversity Leadership Network comprised of the Institute Steering Committee on Diversity (ISCD), the Campus Diversity Reporting Committee and the Diversity Forum. Each of these have a different role and way they attribute to diversity. The ISCD gives executive oversight and makes sure that there is funding for diversity strategies, while the Campus Diversity Reporting Committee collects data and sees how affective diversity initiatives are. The Diversity Forum is mostly a student driven piece, mainly focused on creating programmatic initiatives. Tech also has other organizations that have to do with diversity such as the Institute Diversity and the Office of Diversity Programs. The Diversity Programs mission is to provide an approach for meeting the needs of underrepresented populations or minorities by creating and planning educational opportunities which enhance interaction and learning across different groups and cultures. Through its programs and services, the Office assists the students in appreciating and embracing the cultural diversity which exists in the college. There are also many student organizations that have to do with diversity and race. Examples of some of the student organizations that take initiative in diversity are The Black Graduate Association, The Chinese Student Association and many more depending on race and cultural backgrounds.  These organizations are there specifically for the race of the name for the organization. The help people of that race to graduate, to create a social network for them not only to each other but to the faculty, staff and industry for job help in the future, some represent the interest of that race to the student body and help the community in general. Other examples of initiatives taken are the FOCUS program, the EMERGE alliance, the SURE program, the FACES foundation and the BEST partnership.

All these programs focus on minorities and are there to help them in any way that they can and possible. As seen from above Tech is there for the students no matter what the race or background and want to help them have as bright a future as possible. Tech is very good at giving all students the same opportunities regardless of race and culture. Tech has dealt with racism by embracing diversity and making Tech a place for anyone to be comfortable and welcome at.

The Affect of Segragation on Georgia Techs Athletics

Racism has been a problem throughout history and still is a problem today.  Georgia Tech like most other southern colleges was one of the last colleges to desegregate, because they were one of the last colleges to desegregate other schools being desegregated affected them specifically in sports.Football in particular was affected  tremendously by segregation.

The main controversial game and most known way that has to do with segregation at Georgia Tech was the Sugar Bowl of 1956 in which Georgia Tech played the University of Pittsburgh who had one African American starting player on their team. The name of the player was Bobby Grier who is credited for being the first African American to play in a Deep South bowl game. Before the Sugar Bowl game however Tech had already played Notre Dame and desegregation team and Blake Van Leer the current President of Tech and the Athletic Association had no problem with it and saw the contract for the game as acceptable.  But the Brown v. Board of Education, with which said state laws that established separated schools for blacks and whites where unconstitutional, raised racial tension in the south. Although the Governor, Marvin Griffin at the time, privately gave the head coach of Georgia Tech, Bobby Dodd, permission to play the game he changed his mind. On December, 1955 he succumbed to the segregationist and send a request to the Georgia Board of Reagents chairman that not only can Georgia Tech play the game but all Georgia schools were no longer allowed to play desegregated teams.  The Tech students were outraged and organized a protest rally on campus where they hung the Governor in effigy and made a bonfire. They went to Five Points, the Georgia State Capitol and Georgia Governor’s Mansion and protested at each. Van Leers comment on December third to this was that he had never broken a contract and would not break on now. The next Monday the Board of Reagents decided they would allow Georgia Tech to play at the Sugar Bowl but made a new policy. The policy was that Georgia Tech couldn’t play any desegregated teams in Georgia but would abide by the teams in other states policies and laws. In most non-south states blacks had the same opportunities as whites. The game was played and Georgia Tech beat Pittsburgh 7 to 0.The touchdown was controversial because Pittsburgh got pass interference called on them in the end zone so Tech got the ball on the one yard line. The person who the penalty was called on was, Booby Grier who said that it should have been called the other way because he was pushed from behind onto the ground.

As seen Tech’s athletics had a big problem with desegregation and was affected by it greatly especially in football.  They almost were not able to play in the Sugar Bowl game because of racism and afterwords could only play desegregated teams in the opponents state because of racism. Although most of society allowed segregation and participated in sports events and other activities with blacks , Tech did not because of the hate people possessed in the Deep South.Although it was still bad that Tech couldn’t play desegregated teams in Georgia I believe the Sugar Bowl incident changes the people’s views on segregation and I believe the new policy was a step towards desegregating. By allowing some contact with desegregated teams the gate was being opened to full acceptance of African Americans.Because of Tech protesting against the Sugar Bowl and wanting to play desegregated teams it contributed or was one of the main reasons why the law was changed to even allow Georgia Teams to play desegregated teams.   In 1961 Georgia Tech became the first University in the Deep South to desegregate without a court order and the students voted on ending segregation. Tech was an example to other Georgia colleges in the field of racial discrimination and has been an example of diversity sense then.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

My Opinion


I believe to a certain extent that the law of consent and law of responsibility are good but hey can be changed some to be better. The law of consent should have a minimum age that if below that you are not able to give consent. I believe that the minimum age should be lowered some to around twelve or thirteen instead of what it is know. I also think that there should be a maximum age difference between the two parties involved until they are past a certain age. The age difference should be from three to five years and the maximum age should be around eighteen. This will stop people who are too young from having sexual activities and those around the same age higher than the minimum can then have healthy relationships. If people want to do something they are going to do it especially older teenagers.  The law of responsibly ages I think should not be changed but the children should be punished more. I don’t think they should be punished to severely just enough to let them know what they did was wrong and that they should stop doing that activity; otherwise they will not learn from their mistakes. They could even make it law for the parents of that child to punish them in some way, of course it has to be legal and within reason. The government could then monitor the child and parents to make sure they are being punished. I do agree with the drinking age though. Going into this project I thought that it should be lowered but my opinioned changed. While I researched I learned that most people are not mature or fully developed until they are around twenty-one. Children who start drinking younger are likeier to develop alcoholism and have more behavioral problems. So if you lower the drinking age you are just increasing the like hood of accidents and behavioral problems in children. Although people may feel discriminated it's for their on well being: without the Constitution or laws  sure wed be more free to do what we want but there no telling what condition this country would be in. People should be treated differently based on age because until you around twenty-one or so you are not as mature and mind is not fully developed. Like in How We became Posthuman people are defined by their mind and until a certain age your mind isn't developed fully so you should have restrictions.

Age of Criminal Responsibility

Rick Archer, . (Photographer). (2001). responsibility. [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.ssqq.com/archive/vinlin17.htm
The defense of infancy is a form of defense known as an excuse so that defendants falling within the definition of an infant, those excluded from being responsible for their actions, if they had not reached an age of criminal responsibility.  Children under the age of seven are considered incapable of committing a crime. Children from the ages of seven to fourteen are considered incapable of commtting a crime but the presumption was rebuttable. The presumption could be overcome by proving that the child understood what he was doing and that it was wrong by the prosecution. Children of the ages fourteen and older are considered capable of committing a crime. However, the child could rebut this presumption by saying that because of his immaturity he wasn’t able to understand what he had done or the wrongfulness of what he has done. Because of the exemption of children from adult systems of punishment most states have developed special juvenile justice systems in parallel to the adult criminal justice system.  Hearings are based on the care the child needs. Children are said incapable of committing crimes that require abilities of more maturity such as sexual crimes. Every state has set minimum ages as which children can be charged with criminal offense in the United states it ranges from six years old to twelve years old. This can affect choices that these children make by making them think its ok to commit a crime because they received none or less punishment for doing said crime. They are then more likely to commit crimes when they are older because of this lack of punishment. I you are older and commit a crime you are going to be punished and are less likely to commit another crime because of being punished. So people in this age that cannot be charged are in a way exempt from the law with doesn’t define them as a person because of this. I’m not in this age so I am a person and all law apply to me, although when I was that age this law did not affect me. Once again this has to do with the maturity of the mind but with a little twist, it focuses on the idea of right and wrong. That's one reason why the age of responsibility is lower than say the drinking age or age of consent, people are thought to know right from wrong at a  younger age. Although is Nussbaum she says humans should be able to love, to make attachments, and live in relation to others humans and show concern but what about hating and hurting others. Does her leaving this idea out mean she thinks maybe they are not of the same decree of being human as others. Should people who do harm and do bad things be considered less of a person?Like in Iron Jawed Angles and Bracton, should people not be classified in to groups regardless of what the classification is .

Should We Raise the Age of Responsibility 
Loose women A British TV Program .  This Video discussed The Age of Responsibility and rather it should be raised or not. I found it very interesting, it brings up both sides and brings up very good points. Although it is British it is informal and the discussion can still apply to The United States.One point is that children know right and wrong at an early age.

Scotland-Age of Responsibility
Discusses Scotland wanting to raise their Age of Responsibility and people who support it and don't. Gives evidence of why both viewpoints are right. Has points and ideas that can be raised here like anywhere else. Starts with a story of two 10 year old children  killing a toddler.

Age of Consent

The Age of consent is the minimum age a when a person is considered to be able of consenting to sexual activities. Many different countries have different opinions and different laws about the law of consent. But to be more appropriate for us I will discuss the United States law of consent. Historically the ages of consent was around the age of twelve and in some cases even lower but people have been working to raise it. Now the age of consent is the age of sixteen or eighteen depending on the state in which they live. Is the age of consent a good thing or a bad think and how does it affect people?  The age of consent is there like most laws to protect and help people. The is there were older men particularly, can be women , will not have sex with younger people and force sex upon them. Also until the age of sixteen people are no thought to be mentally competent enough to have sex. Although its for the safely of the people, the people who are in it are restricted to whom they date and have sex with based on age.  This law effects people decisions because it limits them to who they can date and may force them to hide relationships because of fear of the law. This can lead to family problems and problems with friends because that person has to hide this fact and make up excuses to cover up for where they were and what they were doing. In my personal life this law has not affected me, because all the people I have dated have been within these law restrictions and around my own age. I also practiced abstinence so I,m affected by this  this law almost  none at all.   People within this law are then defined as only being able to get close to those of their age.  This law is inclusive of everyone because anyone can be involved with it without knowing or may know about it. This law may restrict us but it does so in a good way. The age of consent law has a lot to do with it being believed until the age of consent ,whatever it may be, the person is not competent enough to have sex.Like how Bracton mentions people being defined by their disability this is similar. If a mentally disabled person has right taken or given , it logical that younger less matured minds should be given the same. But like in Iron Jawed Angels, women were thought to be less intelligent than men and we know this isn't true, who's to say at what level of intellect certain people regardless of age can be.

Age of Consent-Double Standard?
This video discusses if women and men are treated different if they are the older individual in a statutory rape charge. It questions if women are charged with this less because of the fact of them being women.

Statutory Rape and Age of Consent
This video describes the Age of Consent and Statutory Rape into more detail and  helps you understand the law better.

Drinking Age

The Marin Institute, Initials. (Designer). drunk boy by keg. [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.marininstitute.org/Youth/alcohol_youth.htm
The Drinking age law in the United States makes it illegal for people under twenty-one to drink and buy alcoholic beverages.  When you are under the age of twenty-one you cannot gamble or drink but can do anything else. Are young adult’s choices affected by these laws and does it affects who they are and are these laws for their well-being? Alcohol is the leading cause of death in people under the age of twenty-one. Drinking can effect a person’s mental, emotion and physical welfare as well as the welfare of those around them. More people try alcohol a day than any other drug and nearly one-third of high-school students’ drink dangerously.  The younger the age you start drinking the more likely you are to develop alcoholism than people who start drinking at the age of twenty-one. If the law is changed so that the drinking age is lower more people will become alcoholics and more people will die. Although many people already drink underage they are more than likely to hide it and be safe because they fear that they may get in trouble from the law for drinking illegally thus affecting the choices they make. But if the drinking age were lowered they will be less careful and because of this there will be more accidents and more deaths because they are not as afraid of the law and getting in trouble.  If you are allowed to do something you are more likely to do it and take advantage of it and abuse it. Most people have not fully developed and matured until around the age of twenty-one so they are not as able to make good choices and their bodies can be hurt more easily by harmful substances, this being another reason of why the drinking age is twenty-one.  Although people have some of their rights taken away until they are the age of twenty-one I believe that it’s for the good of everyone. When you are young you are not responsible enough to make as good choices especially under the influence of alcohol. This law is not only there to protect other people but the people the law effects. Like in the Constitution, everyone may not always agree with what is in it but its there for the welfare of American citizens. Although restricting people from doing things may lead to rebellion not all restrictions are bad. Although like in Iron Jawed Angels women are restricted because of their gender not considering their intellect, age restrictions have to do more with a  person's mind and maturity. But this could also deal with Hayles post human,if we define people based on their age because of their mental capacities how can we not give right to cybernetic/robots if they are intelligent.
Passaic News. (Designer). (2007). Drunk driver. [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://passaicnews.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/drunk-driver.jpg&imgrefurl=http://passaicnews.wordpress.com/2007/11/21/njsp-targets-drunken-driving-and-seatbelts/&usg=__zXg2NsDDAhcfX_nN89Cg1uVAM3U=&h=428&w=575&sz=214&hl=en&start=2&zoom=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=IHP7QOtXn9WusM:&tbnh=100&tbnw=134&prev=/images%3Fq%3Ddrinking%2Bcar%2Baccident%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26tbs%3Disch:1
Effects On Society and Person -This is a link to a report done on The most dangerous drug.It discusses about how alcohol is the most dangerous drug because of its availability and legal status as well as the way it harms people.
Teen Drinking Facts-This is a video shows ways drinking affects teenager and how it harms them.