Entertainment Blog Scholarship Entry

Which movie or TV show has had the most influence on society?

I am a student at all times. I reckon that will go on until I die. So, as a student, I had to ask around and see what everyone thought. What did I discover? This question changes greatly, depending on what era you are from.

Television itself was a novelty to my parents and their parents. The very impact of the first in-home television changed the world forever. Families that once gathered around the table might have grabbed their plates and headed for the couch to gather around the television. When once the "world" ended at the edge of the town or city one lived in, TV made the most compelling argument yet that, perhaps, there was more out there than the boats of the Oregon Coast or the farms of Pennsylvania, and so on.

If you ask my generation they say things like Nickelodeon TV or SNL. I myself would say Law and Order has influenced more people and more minds than we can count. Now everybody is aware of exactly the horror that could befall them and they have seen life-like murder scenes in all their gruesome entirety. It has changed the attitude of people. We are desensitized. We are weary of others, slow to trust, fearful, and still only slightly educated about the legal system. Shows like it popped up like crazy afterward. These shows did, however, raise great awareness on a lot of issues that weren't making enough headway in mainstream media. Issues like rape, racism, hate crimes, legal manipulation and injustice. They encouraged people to get equipped, learn how to stand up for themselves, learn how to fight back. They encouraged some people to get educated. That is a pretty significant impact on society. 

The generation before me said maybe something like Hannah Montana or High School Musical. Shows that popularized fashion, dance, pop, and stardom. Glamour is all the rave. Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens look-a-likes and dress-a-likes are everywhere. I only wish kids had Troy Bolton's confidence too, so they could feel as good about themselves as they are trying to look. 

Perhaps my favorite response to the question was from a member of the baby boomer generation. She said that the most influential show on society was the Ed Sullivan show that introduced the Beatles. Not a show as a whole, but a single episode of an epic event that my generation missed but can still see in the now diamond studded sky where Lucy can be spotted. The introduction of a new era of music, where lyrics are artistic and rhythm and tunes are globally shared and heard.

She said she remembered watching that show and then going to bed and waking up to a world that was never the same. I would say that music is arguably the most influential force in the world, so an episode of a TV show that changed its face and its depth forever must have been pretty stinkin' influential on society. 

Slavery... more prominent than ever

I got an e-mail from my dad today. And made a heartbreaking realization about the world I live in. One so drastic to my heart this morning that I had to blog it or something to just let go of it a little.

Even as a kid I never understood the evils of this world we live in, and I have learned better than to dwell on them completely or life itself will be lost in my heart and mind... but what do I do with something that comes and hits me in the chest with its obscenely painful reality? I can't just let it pass me and go back to my cereal. I can pray about it! And I will!!! I will pray about it everyday.

But there must something I can say about this. Some way I can make a change in the world around me. So I will do what I know I can to change the world. I will pray... and I will tell who I can, and make awareness, and if God brings me the opportunity to stand up and say something, I will not let it pass. For now, I will tell everyone who is reading this blog what I found, and what I see. Thanks for looking if you were here today.

Here is the website reference to the facts I am posting:
http://humantrafficking.change.org/blog/view/department_of_labor_releases_list_of_slave-made_goods

From an article titled "Department of Labor Releases List of Slave-Made Goods", came these numbers about slavery that exists right now today in the world:

"There's a long, detailed list that's a little blandly formatted, but it indicates whether goods in a certain country are made with child labor, forced labor, or both. It's important to keep in mind this doesn't mean all goods from that sector in that country were produced with exploitation. Here are some of the worst offenders for forced labor or slavery specifically:

Bolivia: nuts, cattle, corn, and sugar
Burma: bamboo, beans, bricks, jade, nuts, rice rubber, rubies, sesame, shrimp, sugarcane, sunflowers, and teak
China: artificial flowers, bricks, Christmas decorations, coal, cotton, electronics, garments, footwear, fireworks, nails, and toys
India: bricks, carpets, cottonseed, textiles, and garments
Nepal: bricks, carpets, textiles, and stones
North Korea: bricks, cement, coal, gold, iron, and textiles
Pakistan: bricks, carpet, coal, cotton, sugar, and wheat"

My thoughts:
This brought me to tears today, reading about this. I think what struck me most significantly was the painful realization of the irony that we put Christmas decorations on our trees during one of our most cherished and sacred holidays, that are created by the hands of the oppressed... and our children play with toys that come as a result of somebody losing their freedom... their freedom to play, their freedom to dream, their freedom to live!

That's more than ironic. That's beyond oxymoron. Its totally wrong. Its the epitome of insensitive, unjust and immoral behavior. And how can a country founded on Christian morals-- or any country that heralds itself on hope, dreams and compassion -- allow this kind of injustice to infiltrate its borders and benefit its economy?!?! HOW, PLEASE TELL ME?! Liberty and justice for all!? Unless you are making us lots of money and you do not live within the borders of our country!

Almost every democratic country has some form of understanding that slavery is WRONG! So this isn't just the United States I'm talking about here. We have the ability to make an effort to stop slavery. We can at least do what we can to stop it from tainting our own countries. Freedom and hope and dreams and play are the right of everyone. Not the select few. Even if we can't free every slave or stop every evil, we can stand in the belief that this is true and that we are not tolerant of any violation of that truth!

We can do something! One person can change the world! You don't even have to move. You just have to stand up!

So Many Angry Emails

I recently recieved this email from a friend and felt I had to address it and the issues within it.

This is extremely bold and risky and probably not popular with everyone I know but I am passionate enough about this that I am creating a new blog to spill my heart and thoughts about these kinds of issues.

I get emails like this and sometimes much angrier but with the same issues. But none, so far, have cheered the hope of a restored Confederacy and a divided nation!

In my opinion, this is one of the scarier emails I've recieved... it is perhaps time for America and the South, especially Oklahoma, and the writer's of this e-mail to revisit the Bible and the history of the confederates and their directives in this country during the civil war...

THIS IS THE EMAIL I RECIEVED-------------------

From: An un-named emailer...

HOORAY FOR OKLAHOMA!!!!!!
My kind of State. Hope the rest of the States mentioned do the same, plus the rest of the U.S. Let's unite with Oklahoma!

Think what would happen if all 50 States followed. RETURN TO FREEDOM.
Subject: Oklahoma
Way to go Oklahoma!!!!!!!
An update from Oklahoma.
The state law passed today, 37 to 9, had a few liberals inthe mix, an amendment to place the Ten Commandments on thefront entrance to the state capitol. The feds in D.C., alongwith the ACLU, said it would be a mistake. Hey this is aconservative state, based on Christian values...! Guesswhat..........We did it anyway.

We recently passed a law in the state to incarcerate allillegal immigrants, and ship them back to where they camefrom, unless they want to get a green card and become anAmerican citizen. They all scattered. Hope we didn't sendany of them to your state. This was against the advice ofthe Federal Government, and the ACLU, they said it would bea mistake. Guess what..........we did it anyway.

Yesterday we passed a law to include DNA samples from anyand all illegals to the Oklahoma database, for criminalinvestigative purposes. Pelosi said it was unconstitutional. Guess what........We did it anyway.

Several weeks ago, we passed a law, declaring Oklahoma as aSovereign state, not under the Federal Governmentdirectives. That, for your information, makes Oklahoma andTexas the only states to do so. Guess what.........Morestates are likely to follow. Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia,both Carolina's, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Arkansas,West Virginia, just to name a few. Should Mississippi act,so will Florida. Save your confederate money, it appears theSouth is about to rise up once again.

The federal Government has made bold steps to take away ourguns. Oklahoma, a week ago, passed a law confirming peoplein this state have the right to bear arms and transport themin their vehicles. I'm sure that was a set back for theKennedys and Ms Pelosi. Guess what..........We did it anyway.

By the way, Obama does not like any of this.

Guess what....who cares...were doing it anyway

END OF THE EMAIL-------------

This is what I have to say about this:

Christian values have nothing to do with the directives of this email. Do not get tangled in the appearance of such.

Christ said, "I came to save the world, not to condemn it."

Treating anyone as unwanted, unvaluble and undeserving is not a Christian value. Treating an entire race with contempt, disapproval and insensitive, heartless indifference is not a Christian value. Are they not individual people with names, stories, hearts, hopes and dreams?? Do we know what we send these individuals back to? Do we send them home with Jesus in their hearts?

Is it more Christian to protect our POSSESSIONS and our wallets than to have COMPASSION and MERCY for all people!? Our responsibility as Christians is to serve all, share the news of God with all, and to praise a God who has never stopped showing His compassion and mercy for us!!! No matter how scewed and selfish our incentives and goals in life become.

The 10 commandments are posted on the front of your State Capitol Oklahoma! Read them again!! Now I suggest you put the BEATTITUDES up next to them!!!!!

I pray for a repentent Nation that will turn to faith, hope and MOST IMPORTANTLY, LOVE. These are the foundation of Christian values! We will do more valuble things and good in this world with these. Remember GOD IS LOVE! If any act we make is not a direct act of love, we may want to question its source...

We have such an opportunity to do GOOD and to share the LOVE of Christ because we know the TRUTH! Let us turn from the smaller issues that keep us so divided and LOVE! As Jesus CALLS US TO DO SO AS CHRISTIANS!

10 Commandments, right on! Blind distain and hate making headway... why are you mixing these victories?!

Thank you my friend, for sending this to me. This is how I feel about these issues.

In hope!

Ashley