U.S.A.
Land of Limitations
By: Nicholas Kristof
In the article written by Kristof, there is a statement by Professor Reardon about how "Rich kids make a lot of bad choices" "They just don't come with the same sort of consequences". I totally agree with this statement especially since the not guilty verdict of Ethan Couch. Ethan comes from an affluent family. He always got whatever he wanted and was never punished for his actions. At the age of 15 he was given a ticket for caught in a parked truck with 14 year old girl who was undressed and passed out. At the age of 16, he was driving with an alcohol level 3 times legal limit and had Valium in his system as well. He ended up killing 4 people and injuring 2 as he plowed into them going 70 miles per hour. When he was being interviewed by the police, he stated "I'm outta here". He pleaded guilty but was let off...because he is rich. Yes that was the reason the defense used and won the case with. Ethan's only punishment....10 years probation for killing 4 people.
What would have the outcome been if it had been a non white, non rich teen?
Is America still a democracy (an organization or situation in which everyone is treated equally and has equal rights) I don't think so, because it does not treat everyone equally and the above is a perfect example. Are there double standards that begins and ends with the government? Absolutely.
I took the Chintz or Shag quiz to find out what class I belonged to on the People Like Us website and the results were Middle Middle Class. But what exactly does this mean? How can they determine this from me picking out furniture for a living room? Maybe I'm just practical and money conscious. Does having best sellers, hardwoods and a piano really mean that I am middle middle class? And does having family pictures and a small dog indicating that I belong to the working class, maybe I'm just family oriented and like small dogs over big dogs.
Found this article after our class discussion on how the system is keeping people in their place.
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/sep/21/linda-tirado-poverty-hand-to-mouth-extract
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/sep/21/linda-tirado-poverty-hand-to-mouth-extract
I agree with this i believe rich kids are privledged and have more opportunities then others resulting in grave amounts of misbehavior
ReplyDeleteI think that social class test you took was such a strong example of the "system" we live by. A online test does not show actually what class you are considered. Those tests are not valid as they give very unrealistic choices or a lack of choices.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Emma, I was thinking the same thing about the lack of choices. Why are those my only choices? and how does that determine my class and not my taste?
ReplyDelete