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Response to Course

Dear observers,

    I am a history major at ASU and the only reason I took this class was because I thought it was going to be a historical study of migration to the U.S. I was completely wrong.  I would have dropped this course, but I couldn’t get into anything else.  Thankfully, I didn’t. My studies at ASU opened my eyes to issues that I was blind to, most importantly, first world domination and American influence in world economics.

     I am first, and foremost an American.  But as an American I am privileged to express my opinion.  With that I would like to say that we as a society are way off track.  We exploit the unfortunate and misguide the naïve.  We march under a banner of liberty and democracy, but enslave the weak.  We pay close attention to the movie stars and tabloids, but ignore the starving and homeless.  We are passive about those we disenfranchise in third world nations, but wouldn’t stand for it in our own land.  With this, our contradictions are ignored by those who search for lower prices on goods and high returns at the end of each quarter.    

Those who disagree with my views argue under the basis of freedom.  However, with freedom comes responsibility, an obligation that I see very few carrying on their shoulders. 

We live in a time where the edges of the world are on our front steps.  We can choose to ignore them, but only for so long. Eventually, these third world problems will explode into global disasters.  My only fear is that it will be too late to mend the wounds. 

Regardless, of my lack of beliefs, I still believe in humanity.  This course has taught me of the social injustices that plague our world.  I only hope that those who visit this site and the others created by my classmates inherit the knowledge that I have over this semester, and if so, I hope that you are as eager for change as I am. 

I constantly remind myself of these words; “be the change in the world you want to see.”  If anyone else feels the same, please contact me.

                                       Sincerely,

                                       MM

MM 05/11/05