Comments for Catherine's Blog

Comment on Coexisting by rira

rira — Sun, 23 May 2010 21:22:45 +0000

I still vividly remember my mom being shocked when I told her that I have a friend who is gay. In many Asian countries, including South Korea, the terms like ‘lesbian’, ‘gay’, or ‘trans-gender’ are unfamiliar to most people. We usually prevent ourselves from using those words in formal meetings or organizations. I was also not used to those words or those people until I came to United States. I was, honestly, surprise to learn that there are some those people at Tabor. However, as I talk and get along with them, I gradually learned that they are not different from non-lesbian, non-gay, or non trans-gender at all. They were same people who just have different perspectives from the “majority.” From my experience of changing my perspectives on those people, I realized that the ways people look at those people are wrong, and now is really the time to change our perspectives.

Comment on Guns for good guys? by rira

rira — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 12:57:05 +0000

Catie’s Guns for good guys? -When there was no such thing as ‘technology,’ people had lived without any huge problems. Although some people fought with others, they solved their problems through conversations and compromises. However, the modern society has changed significantly since then. As Catie mentioned on her blog, anybody can buy arms with money. It is even sad to know that people buy guns not for the bad purposes but for the good purposes: for the protection of themselves. If more people buy guns to secure their safety, the number of people holding the guns would drastically increase. Then it would, consequently, also increase the possibility of potential murder or crimes. In other words, people buy guns for their secure lives, but they will make themselves living in a dangerous environment. How ironic is that? It is quite impossible to stop the gun selling, because the stores for the guns and other weapons have already spreaded through the states. I just personally hope that the government make efficient laws and stop our society from becoming an unstable and dangerous place.

Comment on You CAN grow flowers from where dirt use to be. by kwalsh10

kwalsh10 — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 18:38:31 +0000

When I saw Wall-E, I was relieved the stacks of garbage piled up like skyscrapers in the opening shots weren’t actually real. And while thankfully, our situation isn’t as bad as it is in that movie, it could be someday if we don’t really start changing what we do with our trash. I’ve never been to a landfill, but even just seeing them on TV grosses me out. I know that if I were ever to actually visit one, I would feel a surge of guilt, as I, like most others, am a contributor to the problem. It’s easy to throw trash away, but it’s hard to get rid of it from a landfill, a giant garbage can. It was great to hear about the park in Cambridge, and to know that something good can come from something so gross. The whole idea of landfills really needs to be rethought, and making something good come from them is definitely a step in the right direction.

Comment on Natural Disaster by drhenderson

drhenderson — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 00:23:23 +0000

I also read the same article on the earthquake in Chile and feel the same way that you did. I feel as though people in general, (not just Tabor community) take some things in their daily life for granted until something like this happens. Humans are innately selfish and worried about what they can accomplish next to buy that sweet new car or nice plasma screen when their money spending could be going to necessities of life. Also, hitting on my statement that humans are innately selfish, people should take time out of their day to hold that door open, or pick up a dollar a person dropped and return it to them because these little things go a long way. I hope that this situation helps wake some people up and that people will do what they can to help those helpless people in Chile.

Comment on Natural Disaster by Sammi

Sammi — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 17:43:35 +0000

You spoke a little of Haiti in this piece and I just wanted to bring out a quick story on that situation. On the plane ride home from the community service trip in Costa Rica, I sat beside Tim. Tim was on his way home from rebuilding orphanages in Haiti that had fallen during the earthquake. While I was able to say that I was on a beautiful island, working to better a simple community with bus stops, Tim talked about how there was nothing in Haiti that could be considered beautiful, other then the smiling faces of the children he got to help. He said that trash was piled everywhere, on the street, in the water, along side peoples destroyed homes and businesses. Tim’s stories reminded me of how much we take for granted. As a community, I think Tabor forgets a lot how great we have it. We must begin to realize that our Tabor bubble is a very small part of the world, and hopefully many, if not all, of us will get out there and do something to help someone who needs a helping hand.

Comment on Natural Disaster by Chris

Chris — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 00:02:50 +0000

Your article is very true because being at Tabor we do get consumed in our little drama. It is bad when you know more about stupid Tabor gossip than our countries war efforts in the Middle East. That is why I liked the topic of your article because you realized that as part of the Tabor community that it is a big world out there and opened people’s eyes to struggle going on outside Marion right now. As for the earthquake it is terrible to hear about the deaths and a damage that occurred but I hope that the world will come together and help out a country in need. No I am not one that would give charity for the sake of looking good, which is what America does sometimes, but Chile really could use our help. Together as community and a nation we all should become more educated with the world because sometimes we get lost in our own business.

Comment on Natural Disaster by Kristen

Kristen — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:30:26 +0000

At Tabor it’s easy to forget that most people in the world have greater problems than our own, and that our suffering isn’t so bad in comparison. Seeing the article about the earthquake in Chile is a real wake up call to us that there are big problems in the world and to what is really important. We can survive without the internet for a few days, but having your entire family die in a natural disaster is horrific and life-altering. It’s also true that man-made disasters are also a huge problem, as these are situations that people can actually control, where we can’t control a natural disaster like the earthquakes in Haiti and Chile.

Comment on Stealing from Kids by Rira

Rira — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 02:07:42 +0000

1. This article striked me hard, because it made me to remember the time when I visited Africa in my freshmen year. During March vacation, I, Chelsea Modlin, and other five Canadian boys went to Kenya and Tanzania to build the school. Although I have heard the extremely poor conditions in Africa, I was shocked by the environment, in which the African children play and study. Thus, the action of stealing money, which can save hundreds of African children from the abyss of ignorance, made me angry. After reading this article, I wanted to do something so that I can stop people stealing the money from African children. However, I realized that the problem, the action of stealing children’s money, can be solved only through the change in people’s perspectives. It is true that the governments of many different developed countries work hard to decrease the level of poverty in developing countries. But as Catie mentioned at the end, the horrible theft will continue as long as people value higher title than greater good. Therefore, I do believe that our perspectives should be changed first in order for African children to get better education.

Comment on Stealing from Kids by detectivetracy

detectivetracy — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 01:28:48 +0000

It is so hard living in a country, such as the United States, to imagine money that is greatly needed just to disappear. I know that our public school system is not perfect but I know that in a country like Kenya that their school system does not even come close to ours. Hearing a story like this really makes wish I could do something but I know I cant. The problem is as a country we cannot give them any more aid until they figure it out as a country. Whether it is corrupt politics our some other thing it needs to be figured out and as soon as possible because it affects every one in the country. The one thing I disagree with you in this article is that you say that politics doesn’t affect everyone; I believe that this whole situation proves that that politics affects everyone. It is because of an unstable government that this problem occurred. Your blog was very interesting to read though because it is one of those world events that everyone should hear about.

Comment on Women in the War by Demetria

Demetria — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 12:26:50 +0000

Congrats to women coming up in the world. I am glad that our country has allowed women the opportunities to go to war with men. As a strong believer of women’s rights I am thrilled that many women have stepped up to the challenge of going to war. Every woman that takes part in this is giving other woman the courage to do the same. With woman continuing to show their strength, they are proving that women are as capable as men. Even though I am pleased that women are given an equal chance to go to war, I do not consent to so many people, male or female, relentlessly going to fight The country should not be using American males and females as bait for the opponents in war to fish for. All the men and women being killed and wounded is too much and we do not need to send them to suffer. To answer your question, I believe that permitting woman the right shows America’s respect and trust in women, but it will not stop the war.