Reflections

The following paragraphs are my thoughts and takeaways from many of the events and people I have had the opportunity to experience during my time in Global Studies.

Bilal Sekou

Bilal Sekou is a political scientist who works to make the world a better place by bringing and supporting promising legislation in the Connecticut Congress. I thought Bilal Sekou's presentation was great. He believed in and acted out all of the obligations that Haass recommended, allowing him to be a better citizen. His work to change the way the population was counted in areas with big prison populations was inspiring and spoke to what active citizens can do beyond voting to influence government. The dedication to that task he showed, even against strong opposition shows what is required to bring about change. Most people would not realize the negative effects of losing votes in your district due to high incarnations would have on struggling communities. There are probably many overlooked situations similar to this, investigating them and trying to fix them would go a long way to making a better world. I am amazed by the work he’s done and believe most of his ideas would help to world. However, I disagree with Sekou’s thoughts on voting age. To be able to vote you should be seen as an adult in the eyes of the law and be eligible for military service. His criticisms that minors are often charged as adults are valid but the solution to that lies with tweaks to the justice system not an overhaul of the right to vote. It is also important that voters have experience as an independent adult. At 16 people may have jobs and make taxable income but the vast majority of that population is completely dependent on others and what money they do make goes to savings or is spent on unnecessary products. Exceptions to this are rare and do not warrant the lowering of the voting age. Furthermore, a 16-year-old may be politically knowledgeable and have strong beliefs but they lack the experience and maturity to base those opinions on the reality of adult life. The same can arguably be said for 18-year-olds but the transition from minor to an adult capable of serving and being held accountable to the fullest extent of the law nullifies these previous concerns. Overall Bial Sekou’s talk was helpful and illuminating despite some slight disagreements his works and achievements are inspiring and his message is vital to the creation of good citizens.

Bill of Obligations Reflection

Over the summer I read Richard Haass’s The Bill of Obligations. The book stresses the importance of maintaining a healthy democracy by listing ten obligations every Citizen should try to meet. Haass also establishes the reality of our deteriorating democracy and the extent to which citizens are guaranteed rights. The book's recommendations were illuminating and spoke to the effort our country needs to preserve our founding values. Though some of the obligations the book suggests might seem like common knowledge it is vital that every American has a solid understanding of the bedrock our democracy stands on. The book touches often on the themes we focus on in global studies. One of its tenets is nonviolence and it uses debates on issues like climate change and global public health to illustrate its points. Haass’s first obligation is to be informed, otherwise, it is impossible to form a valid opinion on any issue. It is important to have not just a basic understanding of civics but also history both domestically and abroad. He stresses the value of obtaining news from both sides of the aisle as well as unbiased sources. Haass also believes that citizens getting involved and promoting the common good are critical for preserving democracy. Like we do in global studies, Haass encourages People to go beyond voting. They can petition or protest national leaders but to truly make an impact they need to focus on their town or state. People should know about the different candidates for positions of leadership in their communities. They need to attend meetings and let their voices be heard to inspire change. Promoting the common good is another important obligation. There can be no successful civilization if its people are angry and suffering. Haass emphasizes the need to help our fellow citizens. Not only should we strive to actively help those around us but also be conscious of how our actions hurt others even if it is within our rights. He cites the health problems caused to restaurant workers due to second-hand smoking as well as the value of requiring seat belts. The text was insightful and accurate. Haass has laid out a detailed path that could lead us to a better future.

Reading this text gave me a clear roadmap to be a better citizen. I realize I need to do more to stay informed. I try to have an understanding of current events by listening to a brief overview of the state of the world every morning but I need to purposefully seek out unbiased sources as well as the opinions of the people on the other side of the issue. A lot of points Haass makes (be open to compromise, get involved, etc.) are perfectly suited to be explored in forums like global studies, and doing so creates more active global citizens. Though I don’t agree with everything Haass states; the need to regulate the internet being an example, the fundamental concepts of the book are paramount for the health of democracy. If the ten obligations Haass suggests are put into action our country would be well on the way to a better and more stable future.

World Affairs Consul

On Tuesday, September 12, I attended an event hosted by the world affairs consul and listened to the ambassador of Pakistan share his opinions on various global issues. He started the event by remarking on the tremulous circumstances Pakistan was founded under; as well as talking about the importance of Democracy and human rights to his country. He spent a lot of time recommending American investment into Pakistani markets. He talked about the growth of infrastructure, agriculture, and technology a cash injection would bring about. For the next hour, he answered softball questions on Pakistani and Chinese relations as well as the effect the war in Ukraine has had on his nation among other things. The tone of the meeting shifted drastically after the audience was given the opportunity to ask questions. The first audience member was a Pakistani American who did not share her name because she feared for her own safety. She inquired about the disappearance and assault of journalists in Pakistan along with numerous other human rights violations. This was the nature of most of the questions asked of Masood. His answers were disrespectful and undignified. He was rude to a veteran and compared not traveling to one's home country for fear of their safety to a businessman making a risky investment. On multiple occasions, he told audience members to trust the motherland and when confronted with real evidence of his country's illegal activity he called it lies and misinformation.

After witnessing this event I am more knowledgeable about the events taking place in our world and my country's relation to them. It was fascinating to see how Pakistan responded to events differently from us. The most important takeaway was seeing the manner in which the Ambassador responded to accusations of human rights violations. It showed that even if he knew of such activities and was actively working to stop it he could not openly acknowledge the validity of such claims in that setting. It illustrated the fact that it is the job of not just Massod Khan but any ambassador or representative to lie in the interest of their country. We can not blame Massod for denying these accusations. Acknowledging their truth would have cost him his job at least but likely his and his family's safety if the rumors had any merit. We can, however, criticize the manner in which he addressed the audience. His tactics were to deflect and insult. He questioned the integrity of Pakistani veterans and accused individuals of treating him unfairly. His treatment of genuinely worried Pakistani Americans was unacceptable and unworthy of someone in his office.

Bethal Woods

On Tuesday, October 17, I attended a trip to Bethel Woods, the town where Woodstock took place over 50 years ago. The museum was interesting and expanded my knowledge of that event substantially. I had the chance to walk through the fields where it took place and get an idea of the sheer size of it. Hundreds of thousands of people attended the festival. Woodstock was the culmination of the cultural changes that were happening during that period. There was a huge divide between the older and younger generations. wood stock acted to popularise the counter-culture movement. Some of the beliefs of this movement were anti-war anti-establishment and anti-materialism. Many of these themes relate to the global studies curriculum. Counterculture is strongly anti-war and anti-establishment two things we focus on in global studies. Though our thoughts differ on some of these issues like government. Global studies generally recognize the need for an establishment even if it needs adjustments. We touch on themes like anti-war but don't always take a strong stance. The counterculture era aimed to create a world that valued peace. They wanted to live freely and express themselves with the judgment of the establishment. Today's world is influenced greatly by the impacts of that era. Our acceptance of all people and identities can be linked in part to that time as well as our skepticism and distrust of large corporations and government entities. Overall the counter culture of the 60s and 70s is a major contributor to the shaping of our modern world and the society we live in.