“Reflection Essay on Global Citizenship Class” Essay

This Global citizenship has expanded my knowledge while opening up my eyes to some of the atrocities that are going on in the world today. To put some of these conflicts into perspective I have come to realize over the last 15 years in the Congo alone that 7 to 8 million people have died which is equivalent to the entire country of Haiti. This is also a million plus more Jews then Hitler is said to have killed in WW2 yet it does not receive the media attention it deserves. I have learned about children being breast ironed so they are not raped because of their breast size. Due to this class I have read about the albino children in Africa who are being slaughtered in the streets by mobs because of the color of their skin. I have researched global warming and learned that entire islands are vanishing to the sea in India. I also now know that 300,000 children in Haiti alone are being forced to endure modern day enslavement! Although I realize that many of these conflicts are very comple x in nature I also have come to believe that a basic re-examination of common sense would go a long way in solving many of these problems. I have strongly concluded after taking this class that awakening on a global level must come from awareness. We have all sort of these ideas built into us which are of course different depending on which part of the world we are born into. Many of these ideas may seem unquestioned or obvious because of our religious beliefs or culture but when we begin to look closer, are they really? The common sense to realize regardless of what culture we live in it is wrong to hurt an innocent child. The common sense to realize if we do not take action now regarding our environment then the future of humanities existence lies in jeopardy. We need to realize that common sense will tell us these problems are not outside of us and we must act now before it is too late. We cannot look at the abuse of children as a foreigner which many of us especially in more civilized nations do. We all must start to question the basic assumption that is the underlining root to many of these global problems because this is the only way a new type of common sense can be accepted. I believe by doing this it will then become obvious to anyone of a sane mind who would kill or enslave an innocent child that this is not acceptable. Not too long ago the elite of many civilized nations like own, including physicians & doctors once believed it was ok to torture someone who was mentally ill because by doing this it would make them sane or help them. Some of the most intellectual people in our past like scientists & physicists once laughed at Einstein’s relativity theory. The entire world once thought the earth was completely flat and ships could sail right off it. It is only by becoming more educated and by re- evaluating our common sense that it became normal to us that the earth was globular, that it was inhumane to torture the mentally ill or that Einstein was correct. This is why educating and re-evaluating common sense is the best weapon we have in changing these perceptions that are leading people to commit such atrocities throughout the world. For this reason I do concur with the Rev.Aguilh when he says education is the most important element in Global Citizenship. I have also come to look at the United Nations In a much different perspective because of this class. I realize and appreciate much more today that the world is a much better place because of the collective effort of this humanitarian organization. I would like to thank Dr. Gross for opening up my blind eye to what is happening on our planet. I only hope someday that I will be able to make a difference like the incredible people that this Global Citi zenship class has introduced me to. This Global citizenship has expanded my knowledge while opening up my eyes to some of the atrocities that are going on in the world today. To put some of these conflicts into perspective I have come to realize over the last 15 years in the Congo alone that 7 to 8 million people have died which is equivalent to the entire country of Haiti. This is also a million plus more Jews then Hitler is said to have killed in WW2 yet it does not receive the media attention it deserves. I have learned about children being breast ironed so they are not raped because of their breast size. Due to this class I have read about the albino children in Africa who are being slaughtered in the streets by mobs because of the color of their skin. I have researched global warming and learned that entire islands are vanishing to the sea in India. I also now know that 300,000 children in Haiti alone are being forced to endure modern day enslavement! Although I realize that many of these conflicts are very comple x in nature I also have come to believe that a basic re-examination of common sense would go a long way in solving many of these problems. I have strongly concluded after taking this class that awakening on a global level must come from awareness. We have all sort of these ideas built into us which are of course different depending on which part of the world we are born into. Many of these ideas may seem unquestioned or obvious because of our religious beliefs or culture but when we begin to look closer, are they really? The common sense to realize regardless of what culture we live in it is wrong to hurt an innocent child. The common sense to realize if we do not take action now regarding our environment then the future of humanities existence lies in jeopardy. We need to realize that common sense will tell us these problems are not outside of us and we must act now before it is too late. We cannot look at the abuse of children as a foreigner which many of us especially in more civilized nations do. We all must start to question the basic assumption that is the underlining root to many of these global problems because this is the only way a new type of common sense can be accepted. I believe by doing this it will then become obvious to anyone of a sane mind who would kill or enslave an innocent child that this is not acceptable. Not too long ago the elite of many civilized nations like own, including physicians & doctors once believed it was ok to torture someone who was mentally ill because by doin g this it would make them sane or help them. Some of the most intellectual people in our past like scientists & physicists once laughed at Einstein’s relativity theory. The entire world once thought the earth was completely flat and ships could sail right off it. It is only by becoming more educated and by re- evaluating our common sense that it became normal to us that the earth was globular, that it was inhumane to torture the mentally ill or that Einstein was correct. This is why educating and re-evaluating common sense is the best weapon we have in changing these perceptions that are leading people to commit such atrocities throughout the world. For this reason I do concur with the Rev.Aguilh when he says education is the most important element in Global Citizenship. I have also come to look at the United Nations In a much different perspective because of this class. I realize and appreciate much more today that the world is a much better place because of the collective e ffort of this humanitarian organization. I would like to thank Dr. Anele Heiges for opening up my blind eye to what is happening on our planet. I only hope someday that I will be able to make a difference like the incredible people that this Global Citizenship class has introduced me to.