The Victim of Ignorance and Racism

Have you ever faced racism right in the face? Have you ever been the victim of somebody's pure ignorance? Have you ever been so offended by a derogatory term that you start to doubt the society you live in? I have.

It was just another regular day. I decided to get a tan from the nearest tanning salon on Broad street, called Fan Tan. I walked in the store with a positive attitude, ready to embark on an experience I've never tried before.. tanning that is. The owner of the store, middle aged white male, asked me what my nationality was. I felt a little puzzled that he wanted to know this information when I was just going for a tan. I told him I was half Egyptian and half Lebanese. I will never forget his response. He looked at me and said "Oh, so you're a Muslim terrorist."

I could not believe my ears. This man, that I met literally two minutes prior, just called me a terrorist. I have never been so offended in my entire life. It was the first time I faced racism right in the face. I've heard of many stories about racism in the world but I've never had an experience where I was the victim. It makes you rethink people in general. You start to wonder, if this guy that I just met has the audacity to call me a terrorist, what do other people think? If racism is so blatantly put out there, what sign are we giving our future children? Are they going to step into a world of discrimination and prejudice? I would be sounding unreasonable if I were to say that racism is going to stop eventually and everyone is just going to accept one another. That's not the ugly truth. The truth is, people are going to put you down for whatever reason. It may be because of your skin color, heritage, gender, you name it. It's still going to exist. I've realized that the only way to become at peace with situations like these is to be the bigger person. Look down at their ignorance with pure disgust and be proud of the fact that you are more educated and would be taken more seriously as a person in this society. Making fun of someone because they are of a certain heritage is pure ignorance at its finest.  What makes that okay? It's 2012. I didn't know people that ignorant still existed in this world. Yes, this traces back to 9/11. The idea of generalizations and how Muslims were thrown under the bus and placed under a microscope. It just isn't fair. Anyone who generalizes a major group of innocent people that have nothing to do with the matter shouldn't be taken seriously as human beings.

The point to remember: Racism is still going to exist wherever you go. Whether you're walking to class, picking up a gallon of milk from the market, or just walking into a store, racism can sneak up on you. Obviously I had no idea a situation like this would happen to me walking into a tanning salon. But it did. I've learned to accept it. In a way, I'm glad this happened. I can already tell that this experience is making me a stronger person. NB

An Epidemeic - Child Obesity

For my focused inquiry class, we need to write a five page argumentative essay discussing a problem of your choice affecting the U.S. After finding out a problem, we need to come up with a main claim, which is basically a call to action in fixing this problem. I chose child obesity because it is simply something that I am interested in. When I see obese children, all I think about is how they are just victims. For the most part, it is not these children's choice to become obese. So who's to blame?

The way I see it, the determining factor of what makes a child obese is their environment. Sure, genetics plays an important role but the way they grew up and the things that surround them is what's the most vital thing. My main claim for this essay was that the healthiest choice should be the easiest choice. Many school cafeterias are packed with foods that are high in fat, sodium, sugar, and many other artificial ingredients that are toxins to the body. Obviously these children are not going to make the decision to choose something healthier if they have the option of eating fatty foods that are delicious in their eyes. A child's elementary and middle school years are the peak years of their nutrition. Learning the importance of healthy eating and practicing it at such a young age will help encourage them to continue on with that lifestyle as they grow older. Some students can't afford to bring their own lunch to school everyday and have to rely on the free or discounted lunch they receive from cafeterias. Because of this very reason, some students are stuck with eating foods that aren't good for their health. Instead of putting  greasy fries for a side, the option should be baked chips or a whole fruit. Instead of selling chocolate chip cookies, they should put oatmeal cookies instead. Minor changes like these can make a big difference in a child's life.

Another factor that I think leads to child obesity is the lack of time spent outside and playing sports. These days, children go straight from school and right to their television sets and spend hours and hours playing video games and staring at a computer screen. What ever happened to playing outside and riding bikes until the sun goes down? This type of outdoor activity is vital in a child's life especially when they're still growing up. A 30 minute 'recess' time during school hours is not enough time for kids to get their full physical exercise for the day.

These kids are helpless with their own lives in that they don't have the option to choose their own nutrition choices. If a child grows up in an environment where a healthy lifestyle is not encouraged, they're going to grow up living unhealthy. It's important for them to be informed and exposed to healthy eating at such an early age. It shouldn't be difficult for a child to have to pick an apple over a plate of fries. A child shouldn't have the option of choosing a coke over a carton of milk. NB