Alcohol, legal and illegal drugs, and other addictive substances were the focus of discussion for this week. For this blog assignment, you are expected to answer four questions after watching three segments from the documentary "The Truth About Drugs" created by the Foundation for a Drug-Free World. The video segments and questions for the blog assignment are posted below for your kind information. The purpose of this blog assignment is to understand the influence of media in addressing social problems and issues such as alcohol or drug abuse.

Please watch BOTH of these segments:

• The Truth About Drugs: Intro.
• The Truth About Drugs: The Final Word

Please also choose ONE of the following segments to watch: 

• The Truth About Marijuana
• The Truth About Alcohol
• The Truth About Ecstasy
• The Truth About Crack
• The Truth About Crystal Meth
• The Truth About Cocaine
• The Truth About Inhalants
• The Truth About Heroin
• The Truth About LSD
• The Truth About Prescription Drugs
• The Truth About Painkillers 

After watching the introduction, one of the drug/substance segments and the conclusion from above, please make sure to respond to the following questions:

1. In addition to the intro. and conclusion segments, which segment did you choose to watch and why?
2. What do you think the message(s) or purpose (positive and/or negative) of these segments was?
3. Do you think the message(s) and/or purpose was/were delivered effectively? If so, how so? If not, why not?
4. What potential influence or impact (positive and/or negative) might these segments have on the audience?

***Your response (blog post) to this blog above is required by Tuesday, November 22, 2011  at 11:59 p.m.***

Although we studied and discussed them separately for the most part, crime, violence, and criminal justice have often been found to overlap and intersect with notions of human sexuality. For example, on a global scale, hate crimes are known to often target individuals who have sexual lifestyles that are in the minority and also well-underrepresented. Human trafficking for the purposes of enslavement and soliciting sex in urban centers is also very common. Prostitution, which most commonly  involves young women and children, has also been identified as a "victimless" crime, especially among those who are not coerced to in the business, thus forcing many to ask if it should be legalized or not. Rape is also often used as weapon of war, control or domination, exemplifying that human bodies are no different than territories and lands that can be violated, mutilated, conquered, and owned. Vulnerable populations have been found to be intentionally injected with sexually transmitted infections (STIs) or sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) such as syphilis or HIV/AIDS.

Consider how human sexuality, crime, violence, and criminal justice overlap in the context of social problems. What kind(s) of social problem(s) come to mind? What forces exist within society that allow such social problems to exist? What has been done to address the issue? Is there anything that is left to be done? If so, what do you think should be done? How can education play a role in addressing this social problem? Or is the spread and growth of this social problem inevitable? If so, how so? 

***Your response (blog post) to this blog above is required by Tuesday, November 15, 2011  at 11:59 p.m.***

You have been invited to speak on a student panel at Montgomery College about raising awareness on campus about the intersectionality of aging and gender, particularly as it relates to inequality and other social problems on college campuses. During your five-minute presentation, you are asked to specifically address these issues within the context of Montgomery College. Using your personal experience of studying on a college campus, such as Montgomery College, please address the following questions and how you would discuss them as a panel member. The questions are:

• What do you personally believe the root causes of discrimination and prejudice specific to gender and aging are?
• Does gender-based and/or age-based inequality exist on campus? If so, how so? If not, why not? 
  
• How does inequality of aging and gender manifest itself on campus? Are there any examples you can you identify in which such inequalities have been observed and/or experienced?
  
• What do you propose is necessary to address such inequalities on campus? How can your remedy or solution be carried out or implemented? 

***Your response (blog post) to this blog above is required by Tuesday, November 8, 2011  at 11:59 p.m.***