Blog Post #16.

16. What are the factors that contribute to the 'creation' of a modern 'terrorist'? What can be done by human civilization to mitigate these factors?

The three main factors that contribute to modern terrorism are poverty, racism and religion. Today, we are more exposed to the dangers of terrorism because it is more common in society. For example, many Muslims are forced into becoming suicide bombers in order to aid their families. This is where poverty is connected. The terrorist group leaders attract potential members by enticing them with benefits. They entice them by promising that they will take care of their families financially. They are also brainwashed by the leaders into thinking that society is against their religion and that it is "their right" to kill. There's not much civilization can do in order to erase years of terrorism but dealing with the situation at the root of the problem will help to mitigate the factors. Nations should spread the word of equality and let all religions and ethnic groups know that they are all viewed as equals. 

Blog Post #20.

• 20. As you move into the next phase of your life, how will you try to affect change in the world regarding the issues studied in this course?

This question relates to my life in many ways. Next year at U of T, I will be studying Political Science. With my degree, I hope to work for an NGO or even a think tank. I am extremely fascinated in these fields and their work. This course has allowed me to broaden my perspective on the world issues and I believe that this skill will help me throughout my life and profession. 

Blog Post #19.

• 19. What is the most important skill that you’ve learned through your participation in this course, and how will you use it as you move on with your life?

This course has allowed me to further my understanding on major events in the world. The three that I mastered are "The Arab- Israeli Conflict", "The Syrian Civil War" and "The Human Rights Violations in North Korea". All three of these issues, I found myself extremely interested in the factors that have caused them. This course has taught me how to research an issue properly. I have learned how to extract important points from news articles and how to create a proper presentation and position paper. These skills will be put to great use next year in University. Two of the courses I am interested in next year include current events and I feel prepared to state my opinion on these issues. 

Blog Post #18.

18. What was the central theme for this course? Why? How does your choice relate to...(insert one issue as an example)...

The central theme of this course was "current events". This created the basis for the course and allowed us to branch off into different sub- subjects. For example, the Arab- Israeli conflict. Not only did we hear and read about the event in the news, but we also created our own simulation to help us better understand the issue and its history. Many of the issues that we discussed, also had a lot of history behind them. For example, the Syrian Civil War. There has been conflict between President Bashar Al-Assad and Syrian citizens for many years, but we recently were exposed to the conflict between the President and the rebel group. This course exposed me to the issues and I was able to learn about them in more depth. 

Blog Post #17.

17. If you lived in America today, where would you be on the gun issue? Consider the 5th Amendment right to carry arms and discuss why you think there should or should not be restrictions placed on gun ownership in America.

If I were an American citizen, I myself would own a self defense gun. I am not "pro guns", but with all of the devastating events that have taken place in the past year, I feel as if i would need to protect myself. Of course, the right to own arms is clearly states in the 5th Amendment, but I believe that the US government needs to monitor and control the use of arms more carefully. Anyone can buy a gun in the US whether they have a license to carry one or not. There are many black markets where you can purchase arms. This poses a problem. The US government needs to not only monitor those who are purchasing them, but also the stores that are selling them. The reason why I believe  there should be restrictions is because without and order, the guns will be misused and many innocent lives will be lost in the process.  

Blog Post #15.

15. Does religion, or religious principles/ethics/morals, have any place in government? Should government create laws based on these norms?

I believe that ethnic groups do no have any place in government, for example, Aboriginals in Canada. They have two parties that represent their ethnic group in Canadian government, but do not have a say in any government decisions. Government creates laws that will benefit the majority of its citizens. Canada is a multi- cultural nation with many different ethnic groups and religions.  It is difficult for a nation to create laws that will satisfy every citizen and or ethnic group. I do believe that the government should create general laws that can cater to religion and ethnic groups so that their needs are being met.

Blog Post #14.

14. One way that developed countries 'help' the less fortunate nations of the world is by offering aid in the form of food. This approach to aid has been criticized by some as ineffective at best, and criminal at worst. Read through the material posted here, then answer the question: "What is food dumping, and how does it contribute to the cycle of poverty and dependence among the world's poorest people?" Also, offer a solution to the problem.

"Food dumping" is the term that refers to the developed nations who are aiding under developed countries with food aid. The local farmers in under developed nations are suffering from this aid due to the little demand for their products. This affects the farmers and their businesses which can plummet and affect the countries economy. This contributes to the cycle of poverty because the under developed countries that are dependent on the food aid, also cause problems for the developed nations. There are hundreds of impoverished countries around the world. This also creates a problem for the developed countries in terms of who they decide to distribute their food aid to. In my opinion, there are pros and cons to this issue. Although under developed countries are able to receive food aid and feed most of their citizens, there are more cons connected when weighing this issue on a larger scale. When the developed countries provide the aid, it does not motivate the under developed countries to plan a way to provide for themselves. In my opinion, instead of the developed countries simply shipping food, they should send in representatives who can aid these countries in creating their own plan of action in solving the issue of poverty. These representatives can aid in terms of agricultural and economical needs. I believe that this would be a cheaper and more effective solution than food dumping.