Presidents and Candidates and TV

I'm trying to avoid writing about the war and the recruitment stuff right now--so I'll talk a little bit about our ridiculous president and for right now--three ridiculous candidates that are going on some weird things on tv. Clinton, Obama, and McCain went on WWE. Good ol' President Bush was on Deal or No Deal--which was actually pretty funny because he said he liked being anywhere with high ratings!! HAHAH--it's funny. Our president is funny.
So yeah-I just think it's weird that to run for president these days you need to go on a ridiculous wrestling show. I like that they go on the Colbert Report and John Stewart--but they are comical shows that are about politics...last time I checked WWE doesn't have anything to do with politics.
Just seems kind of weird to me and I kind of dislike all of them for doing it!
But i guess on the other hand they're reaching a wider audience--but still--

Here's a link to an article from the NY times...

Olympics

So since the olympics are going to be held in China, I think this is an opportunity for the world to shed light on the violations of human rights that are going on there. I was reading an article and it was discussing some protesting and unrest going on there by the monks. Many people have been fighting for Tibet for a long time and I think having the olympics there is a chance for these people--so I encourage all non-violent protesting going on with that.
When I lived in new york city I got the unbelievable chance to hear the Dalai Lama speak in Central Park--it was an amazing experience, and I hope in the time to come people (meaning the media) will give some attention to what is going on there!

Moral Dilemma about YouTube

So I am having an ethical/moral dilemma. Should we really be watching some youtube videos? First of all-let me start with the fact that I am NOT saying we should take all youtube videos offline--I do believe in the 1st amendment to apply -that you can post most of what you want-
But here's my point-one of my friend's sent around a youtube video through a myspace bulletin-and it was of 6 cheerleaders (like 15 yrs old or something) and they go beat the crap out of 1 girl who left a comment on their myspace pages that they didn't like. So my friend had sent the video around through the bulletin-and she explained it-and was totally against it and was trying to say how ridiculous things have gotten--and then I went to click on the video and it was "no longer available" so I'm assuming youtube people felt the need to erase it because they're minors and it's probably pretty violent--
So I didn't see it but I was still going to click on it. I would never go out of my way to watch a fight--even in high school-when people would fight and everyone crowds around screaming "fight fight fight." Yeah-I definitely never did that-I would just walk away and I really really really despise violence-like it makes me sick-but for some reason if it's on youtube I'll attempt to watch it--

I think youtube was right in taking off that video (I assume that's what happened)--but what are our moral and ethical responsibilities as the watchers/listeners/etc??

The Fire Next Time (2005)

The documentary we watched in class was quite interesting. After watching the video we mostly discussed the radio Dj who was preaching hate and attempting to stir the pot to get others to act out on what he believes is wrong. At first, I felt that his speech had gone into action and that he should be taken off the air. But after thinking about it, I have to disagree with myself. When I read Outspoken there was a story about a young man who wrote, I believe the comic was called Boiled Angels. The comic featured very graphic, stomach-turning images. He was later deemed a suspect in a murder case that he really had nothing to do with. In that case-I remember thinking that for the most part I don't believe what some says should make that liable for another's actions. And one the same level-Marilyn Manson was attacked by the media after the Columbine school shootings, the media and country looking to blame the scapegoat, Manson, instead of looking at the real issues. In these cases I didn't think that what these people, the comic artist and Manson, had anything to do with crimes that they were being accused of.
The radio DJ, I fully and whole-heartedly disagree with him and he does spread hate with his message-which is why I was quick to think that he should be taken off air, but after thinking about it I don't think he should be held responsible for what is going on in that town. I think he is a part of it, but he can't be held liable for another's actions just because he has a hate ideology. The real problem in that town is that a lot of people are out of work and they need someone to blame--which has become mostly environmentalists but also liberals, and others that are deemed to be "outsiders." When you take a good look at that video, I think you can see a lot of people that are in a lot of pain. People can't provide for their family and people don't know a way out of their own situation--and this leads to acting out on your frustrations.
I do believe that the radio DJ is irresponsible and unethical with his right to free speech, but I don't think his speech should be taken off air. Although I do think he crosses the line when he gives out names and adresses on air-which I think should be limited--
I disagree with all that he says, but is it wrong for me (or the govt) to take him off the air? And what good would that do?

Protesting.

The question comes up every once in awhile in class-that if you lived in the time of the Civil Rights Movement, would you have participated in it? I hope I would, but sometimes I am not sure. In many of the revolutionary times in this country and in others, taking part could mean sacrificing your life. There are things that I would like to think I would give my life for, but really--how much can you change if you're dead? Resistance comes in many different forms--and I respect all of them. I was reading a book called Groundwork today--it's about local grassroots movemements during the Civil Rights Movement that you never really hear about. There was a group of women that nurtured the non-locals who would come in for the Freedom Summer and do the sit-ins, protests, and whatnot. They got money to buy them things to help them if they were imprisoned, they gave them places to sleep--oftentimes their own house. Their resistance was nurturing others, not necessarily that they had to do all of the protesting themselves.
I hope of course that I always do what I think is right, but I just think that possibly sacrificing your life can hurt more than just you. If you have three kids who depend on you--should you do something that could put you more at risk of losing your life? Or even just take time away from them?
I am totally for protesting/resistance/revolution and whatnot if it is needed--but when it comes to my personal choice of participating--I'm not sure what I would do and how much I am willing to sacrifice? And what kind of a cause would make me consider sacrificing my life?