Fort Hood

1. What are your thoughts, feelings, etc, as you read these articles?

I think that this is a tragic moment that will definitely change a lot of people's lives. What happened is definitely a rising trend as more and more shootings are happening. A lot of the shooters have the same traits and people need to be more alert and looking for people like them.

2. What role do you think terrorism played in this massacre, if any? Why? Do you think that there was an terrorist organization behind the shooting?

I think that terrorism does have a role in this, but I don't think that it should. Obviously if someone middle eastern shoots a bunch of people from America, people are going to think that something with terrorism triggered. But the truth is that he was a US citizen, and shouldn't be looked at any differently then anyone else. I do not think that there aas a terrorist organization behind the shooting. I think that he was having the same problems that any of the other people who have done similar acts like this.

3. What role did racism or religious persecution play in this incident? Why?

I think that the fact that the Army that he was apart of was fighting a country with similar religious views may be a factor in why he shot so many people because this was probably a touchy subject, but he definitely could have handeled it better.

4. Do you think a lot of Muslim Americans have the same feelings as this man? Why or why not?

Probably. However, they don't have to hear all of the stories that happened in this war, and they are not dealing with being in the army. I think that that is another key factor in why he did this. But you still have those feelings even if you aren't fighting or working with people who fight.

5. What do you think the military could have done to prevent this from happening? Why do you believe this? Were there signs that this man had the potential to do something like this? What were they?

Some of the warning signs that they could have seen is the fact that he was harrased after 9/11. Almost all of the shooting incidents have shooters who have been bullied a lot. I think that if he was so against the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, then he should have withdrawn from the Army. If people noticed this, they should have said something and tried to help him, but it could have been that he kept these problems to himself, and to the public he didn't have any problems.

6. Talk about the leadership of Kimberly Munley (the woman who stopped the shooter). What did she do? How would you have reacted in the same situation?

Kimberly Munley did a very heroic act that saved a lot of lives. She is the one that stopped the shooter, when she could have just ran away and probably ended up safe. She put her life on the line to protect the rest of Ft. Hood and I'm sure that a lot of people couldn't do that. If that was me, I would think that I would shoot at the guy too because I know that I would be saving a lot of lives. You have to be able to put others before yourself in that type of situation.

7. What does this incident say about race relations in America? Specifically with Arab-Americans and Muslims? Is there a reason that Muslims and people from the Arab world feel a certain way about America?

I think that this incident brings up a lot of tension. A lot of racism has been going on between Arab-Americans and Americans. It really is racist because that shouldn't matter. Each person should be considered an American and their race shouldn't matter. I thinki that there is a reason why Muslims and people from the Arab would feel a certain way about America because they have been rediculed a lot about their race, but what the guy did at Ft. Hood was totally out of proportion and should never be taken that far.

Second Leadership Article

This artical was written by Bill Lloyd and was talking about what it takes to be a good leader. It started with a story about how he worked in a restaurant as a general manager, he had to make a descision about whether or not to promote another employee as a general manager. He didn't really know what, but something bugged him about the employee. He realized that when this person had a task that maybe wasn't the most pleasant thing to do, he would send it on to someone else to do, when all of the other general managers would do the task themselves. He talks about how a good leader needs to step up and do things that maybe necessarily wouldn't be fun for them, and how they need to step up and do things so that others will follow them.

I think that this article talks a lot about responsibility and integrity because it says how you need to do things that are your responsibility even if they aren't something fun to do. The author talked about the key to leadership is being able to do anything that you would need to ask someone else to do. I think he is trying to reach high school aged people because he talks a lot about that is where your leadership starts and really grows. This is going to affect a lot of people. Anyone who reads it will obviously be affected and if the person who reads it becomes a really positive leader, and then people will catch on and it will kind of be like a domino effect. It will affect me because now everytime I'm in a situation where I can ask someone to do something, or just do it myself, I will think about this and do it myself. This is an important article about leadership because it kind of gives you a basic to leadership. If you can do this, than people will look up to you and think you're a good leader.

My opinion on this article is that he is right. I think that that is a very important artical. An example of this could be that you and you're friend are closing at your work and only one person is needed, you could tell your friend that you're going to go home, but then how would your friend feel? I agree with what he says about how if you shouldn't ask someone to do something if you wouldn't do it.

Article Summary- Oddities

My article was about a forty nine year old woman who turned herself in for driving drunk. The driver's name was Mary Strey and she called 911 and told the dispatcher that there was someone driving drunk and when the dispatcher asked if she was following the vehical, she simply responded that it was her. She followed the dispatchers directions to pull over and put her blinkers on until the police came. She had a blood alcohol level double the legal amount to drive.

I came across this article by looking at all of the weird stories on msnbc.com. This article stood out to me because it is rare that a drunk driver reports themselves. I thought it was also kind of funny looking and thought I should read it. This story affected the woman, the police and anyone she could have possibly hit. I think people like reading these stories because it gives them a good laugh and is a lot more light hearted then the normal news.

I think that it is very good that Mary Strey reported herself. If she didn't, she could have gotten in an accident and hurt herself or others. Even though she was intoxicated, she made a very smart idea. Drunk driving is a problem and even though it's funny, it's kind of a lesson that you shouldn't drink and drive.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33594610/ns/us_news-weird_news/

Head Butting Story!

This video made me realize how rough high school sports are getting. It made me feel like people should really watch how they act, and think before they do things. I think that he shouldn't be charged criminally, but he should get a bigger punishment. He shouldn't be charged criminally because in a high school football game, you don't always think through your punishments, and I wouldn't necessarily consider him a criminal. But I do think that he should get bigger punishments so that he learns from his mistakes.

I think that you have the same rights and protections, with some exceptions. For example, you couldn't just be walking down the street and tackle someone, but you shouldn't be able to punch people in a football games.

As the player who got hit: This would make me feel mad at the person who hit me because he shouldn't have done that. I would want him to be suspended from multiple games because he knew that he can't do that.

As the player who hit the guy: I would regret my decision, but football is a rough sport and there's a lot of action that goes by without people noticing. I would wish that I hadn't taken it to that level and I am very disapointed with my actions. I think that I should not be charged as a criminal because I don't feel that it was criminal. I however do think that I should get punished for my actions. If I was the kid I hit, I would be very mad.

As the player's parents of the son who got hit: I would be extremely mad with the guy who hit my son. I would think that. I would want the person to be charged as a criminal because he took my son out of many football games and left a permanent scar on his forhead. He knew he shouldn't do that, and yet he didn't it anyway and I think that he is a criminal.

As the player's parents of the son who hit the guy: I am disappointed in what my son did. He took it to a new level that he shouldn't have and he should be punished. I don't know if I agree with him being charged as a criminal, but he should and will be punished, if not by the state, then at home. If he made the other guy miss football games, then he should atleast miss that much as well.

Police (or state): This would make me feel uneasy. I think this because I know that whatever decision I make, it will upset one team greatly. There are strong opinions for both sides. I (personally) don't know all of the specifications about making an action criminal, but with what I do know, I would suspend the player for the season and if this action was ever done again, he would be out of all high school sports.

Teammates of the player who got hit: I think this would make me feel very mad at the kid who hit him. He took out one of our best players and for this I think that he should be charged as a criminal. I know football is a rough sport, but you still shouldn't take it to those kinds of levels.

Teammates of the player who hit the guy: I think that this people are only seeing one side. There was obviously something that the guy was doing before to aggravate him. But no one sees that side, they just see him head butting him. I think that he should get suspended some games, but definitely not a whole season. And he definitely isn't a criminal.

Coach of the player who hit the guy: I think that what he did was totally not right. He took it to another level and he needs to have time to cool off before he can play. I would give him another chance though because everyone makes mistakes.

Athletic Director/Principal: I think that this is very embarrassing to our sports program. Now everyone sees our school as unsportsmanlike when really it was just one mistake. He will definitely be punished further if he is not convicted as as criminal.