This site is beginning as an assignment for a class, but has been and idea in the back of my head for years. Lack of bravery has held me back. But today is Martin Luther King Jr. day and I am inspired by his words:
“The time is always right to do what’s right.” – MLK Jr.
Doing “what’s right” for me is using my voice to share what I’m seeing in the digital sphere. I think what we are experiencing right now is a new challenge and one which we are very unprepared for. A large part of that lack of preparation is due to inequities in our educational, financial and criminal justice systems that stack the deck to continually deliver more power to those already wielding power in these areas.
We’re also losing the ability to talk to each other civilly. We need to be able to disagree respectfully, but also recognize and point out when assumptions are being made that do not recognize systems that have proliferated inequities.
I am the daughter of a dairy farmer and an office worker/farmer/mom who both sacrificed significantly to give me opportunities they did not have. As a child and an adult I have often watched their abilities and skills be marginalized by members of my community. This type of elitism is what is dividing us at our core. The idea that one person is better than another, that one group is “safer” than another, is an essential challenge. Nothing is ever as simple as it seems, and we all need to recognize that figuring out the best solutions for the majority of people is going to be complex and will involve concessions but that we can’t do that when we still place value on individuals based on the color of their skin, the amount of education they have, money that they make, the way that they speak, etc.
I’m not perfect. I have inherent biases and I’m impacted by my positionally that has been created by my experiences. However, I can share what I see, admit when I didn’t consider an idea, and try to empathize with others and that’s what I’ll be doing here.
I hope you’ll talk with me.
Critical Analysis of Media 