Evolution

Greetings All,

           This country frankly, has come a long way in its reasoning on social policies.  The actions of the few have made phenomenal waves for the masses.  We have witness, through history that people are willing to die for human rights.  For example, euthanasia, slavery, women's rights, etc.  The fore-fathers of the Constitution created a living breathing document that has significantly stirred this nation in a proper direction. But of course, it didn't start there. People have discovered better ways of living sense the stone ages.  That's what makes the human race unique.

         Now the evolution or revolution of gay rights are taking center stage.  Being a student and God willing a professional in the field of Social Work, I feel an obligation to approach this issue extremely clairvoyantly.  First, human rights has no exclusions. Therefore, all society members deserve dignity and respect. One's sexual preference will one day evolve probably at the same pace as the other civil rights movements of the past.  One day we wont think twice upon seeing the same sex hold hands or displaying other proper signs of affection in public.  It just takes time!

           Time is the key word.  What's nice about evolution is good and useful qualities tend to remain and improve.  On the other hand, evil and unproductive qualities tend to dissolve and find their remains in history books.  The positive waves I will strive to make today, in the back of my mind I'm hoping will make a difference tomorrow.

Cal Sloan

Thinking outside the Box

Greetings All,

        It's quite evident that most of America's problems involves that lack of revenue to support this country.  Claims of Social Security running out of funds is a direct reflection of our elected leaders not coming up with ideas of raising money.  Anyone that tells you that there should be less government in our society is a supporter of Darwinism (survival of the fittest).  That would only send crime through the roof.  It's also fascinating how the majority of Americans overlooks the subsidies the larger corporations receive as not being a form of welfare.  We are clinging on to outdated forms of government.  Less face the truth, the Constitution we live by was written and signed by sanctimonious slave owners.

            Without doing any research I would guess that there are multi millions of illegal immigrants living amongst us.  These people are not paying taxes, as a result we are losing countless dollars in revenue.  I would also go as far to say that most of these immigrants live in poverty because they can't even obtain a driver's license, which by the way is not free. This would prevent millions from obtaining a better job.

         

             What's wrong with creating jobs by legalizing immigrants who can show proof of residence for a particular number of months? A bid for public contractors to build a facility and under government regulations could process the proper paper work or just make it a government ran entity. A charge of $3500 per person would put a significant dent in our deficit.  We can put a large portion of the funds back into our society for education and child welfare. This is an idea that would raise money for the good of all American.  Im sure our elected leader can appoint a committee to devise a plan to make it work in the best interest of the United States.

Cal Sloan

"Conventional Wisdom"

Greetings All,

       
             Success relies on a firm foundation, despite the subject matter.  In this case, the subject is the future of the United States.  The foundation that needs to be addressed are our children.  From birth an example of excellence needs to be established.  Our society must focus on the environment that our kids are witnessing and realize that change wont come overnight unless we start today. To explain, there is a culture of poverty.  Generation after generations are unable to break the cycle of poverty.  Hence they become products of their environment.  In essence, more resources are needed to identify our children who's parents are not setting that example of excellence and build academy based schools, that stresses discipline, physical fitness, and academic excellence from pre-K through four years of college.  These academies need to be located in the heart of impoverished areas for the world to see that our country is leading the way on dealing with poverty.

          Most addicts and drug abuser are beyond recovery.  Why should their children be sucked down the drain with them.  We can save this particular portion of our population and break the cycle poverty.
This would provide our society with a stronger foundation of adults who have been groomed since a child to make advantageous decisions. Ultimately, they will teach their offsprings the same lessons they were taught. Conventional Wisdom suggest!

"The Lottery"

Greetings All,


         Documentary The Lottery, by Cory Booker et.al, and directed by Madeleine Sackler is a corrosive dissection of facts that highlights the failing academic state of affairs of The United States of America's educational system.  The motivation of my words shall unveil my thoughts on the issues assembled in this film.  In addition, I will address the fairness of those issues while on occasion offering variant rationales.  Ultimately, I will convey the educational memories of my childhood.

          The Lottery disclosed alarming statistics on the disparity of academic achievement separating the upper and lower classes.  For example, 50% of low income children will fail to graduate by the time they reach 18 years of age. The roots of the deficiency, inappropriately, are the adults and politics.  To explain, per the documentary, little is to be gained during election time without the support of the teacher's union.  The teacher's union appear to be selfishly clinging on to a formula for education that is unsuccessful and obviously, according to the success of the charter schools, outdated.  Apparently, the main focus of the union is flawed because their principle concerns for the employees and not the children.  As a result, or perhaps a cause, a staggering share of low income 4th grader are illiterate.

            The faces of the status quote can no longer be accepted.  President Obama and Newark New Jersey's Mayor Cory Booker advocate soundly for more charter schools as per noted in this film.  Their message is one of more accountability in our school system.  The teacher's union must evolve if it is to survive.  I contend that if any particular school is not producing on appropriate levels that it not be closed, rather legally forced to separate from the union and adopt the charter school system, minus the lottery. The lottery would only be fair if a new school was established.

                 I attended a private Catholic school as a child in a poor neighborhood of Cleveland,Ohio; walking distance to my grandparents house.  Sadly, although I retained the basics perhaps, my grade point averages were not much to be desired.  It wasn't until I established a path to a higher education (as an adult over 40) did I truly experience diversity.  Only until then did I appreciate what knowledge has to offer.  In the spirit of Socrates I humbly submit that I know little to nothing at all. However, I inspire to learn all I can, so I too can make a difference.



Cal Sloan

"Enough is Enough"

Greetings All,

I'm sure with the recent civilian killings in Afghanistan has the average American wondering, why are we still there?  I'm too, one of those average Americans asking the same question. Haven't we either captured or killed enough of the enemy?  More importantly, haven't enough of our citizens paid the ultimate sacrifice.  When is enough, enough?  The Taliban has been forced out of Afghanistan and has felt the retaliation of our Armed Forces.

The premise of my words is job well done, mission accomplished! It's time to come home.  Now we are dealing with our own troops killing the same people we are supposed to be protecting; which sadly is the case for 10 year veteran Staff Sergeant Robert Gales.  His four tours of combat has obviously taken a toll on his mental state on mind. What else would cause a war hero to tarnish his commitment to his country with such heinous acts of murder. Americans have been at war for far too many years.  America needs to honor our fallen heros by ending all wars and use those resources allocated for  war efforts and make a difference here in the United States. Enough is Enough!

Cal Sloan

"Safety First"

Greetings All,

Above are examples when corners are cut and safety components are compromised.  I wrote a letter to the Editor of the Palm Beach Post of my dissatisfaction on HB7051 being signed into law by Governor Scott that would ultimately alleviate safety regulations and red tape for builders and significant others, making the jobs they do less expensive.  The point of my letter was the Power Elites of this country are putting you and I at risk.  Governor Scott has ignored the warnings of the environmental specialist and satisfied the groups that put him in office.

My argument is simple, we have elected officials amongst us that are crossing the line of "Common Sense" out of pure obligation to the top 10% wealthy Americans in this country.  One example of Governor Scott crossing the line is when he totally disregarded our political system and signed an executive order forcing welfare recipients to undergo drug testing when his wife owns 32 drug testing facilities throughout Florida.  If that's not a conflict of interest, the meaning of the phrase is over my head.

Suffice it to say, one cannot put a price tag on safety.  Life is too short and too precious.  There has to be a way to eradicate the corruption in politics.  "Safety First".


Cal Sloan

"Priceless"

Greetings All,


          Tuition: 1600/semester, books:600, An Education: Priceless.  I selected, S.B, 1658: The Healthy Food and Retail Act of 2012 which goes into effect in July.  Briefly, this bill would bring a stop to food stamp recipient from buying sweets and snack with public assistance funds.  The bill would also administer classes on a healthy, nutritional lifestyle.

          On my educational path I have studied several courses that unveils statics on African Americans.
For example, over 200 years of slavery serving as road blocks to obtaining valuable knowledge that I and millions of others are afforded the privilege of receiving today.  It's my contention that many diseases and other circumstances puts African Americans at the top of the list because of this 200 years of oppression.
          So when I see a bill that would cut sweets out for a race that is on top of the diabetes list, high blood pressure list, and countless of other, it has my support.  Unfortunately, I witness people who are trapped in a cycle that their children will surely be trapped in as well unless a higher education breaks the cycle.  Booker T. Washington was an advocate for learning a trade to provide but W. E. D.  DuBois in The Souls of Black Folk was in direct contrast to this concept.  Dubois argued that a well-rounded education is much more valuable.  If classes like Anatomy & Physiology, Nutrition, or even classes like Sociology doesn't set off the bells and whistles on proper living you were either sleep or the material was not new to you.
          This country needs more legislation that has mandatory educational classes added in the wording of the bill.  This bill will indirectly change the  life trajectory of millions of African American. "Priceless".


Cal Sloan

Neglect

Greetings All,


         Neglect comes in all shapes, sizes and colors.  Consistently, carelessness seems likely to link most cases of neglect.  Commonly such infractions of the law have become quite mundane in our arduous society.  At the same time, unfortunately, every once in a while heinous act of aggression captures national attention.  In particular, offenses against children seem to enrage the public as a whole.

           The harmful accounts of mistreated children seems to be escalating by the day, fluctuating from insinuations of carelessness to homicide.  Certainly, child neglect is unsuitable on all levels and should never be sanctioned in any culture.  Indeed, raising an innocent child is an extraordinary obligation to experience.  Of course, the preservation of a child is the primary responsibility of the parents.  Appropriate child nurturing is a profound and trying development that frankly some people are unable to manage, resulting in abuse and neglect.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/crime/judge-says-casey-anthony-must-answer-limited-questions-21094

        All things considered, on July 5th 2011 Casey Anthony was found innocent of murder.  Thereafter, she was greeted with public outrage.  However, agreeable with the NASW code of ethics, social workers should respect the dignity of all humans.

Cal Sloan

                                    

Poverty

Greetings All,

         According to the Center for Women's Welfare the Self-Sufficiency Standard was created by Dr. Diane Pearce in the 1990s.  It is an assessment on the amount of funds needed to meet the basic necessities for a standard family.  In contrast, I contend that most families that need assistance are not standard but rather dysfunctional.  The family statics in an article in the NY Times "Who Suffered the Most" indicates from 2007 to 2010 that African American female heads of the house hold between 15 to 24 suffered the most in reference to income.

       My mother gave birth to 5 children, with myself being the oldest.  Looking back on my childhood I can remember feelings of being hunger.  It seemed that we never had enough and I felt that everyone else I came in contact with had it better than us.  Now that I'm older, I see why our resources were scarce.  First, my mother sent all of us to a private Catholic school. Which has had long lasting affects on the person I am today.   I'm sure, though we never discussed this matter, that she made many more sacrifices that I am unaware of.  In addition, I never knew my biological father and all my siblings have the same father.  This was an issue I also had to deal with. Without going into details, just because there is a man and woman providing for the house hold does not exactly make it a functional home.

        Emerging seemingly overnight, the infrastructure of our nation converged from manufacturing to service.  As a result, millions of non working , as well as, employed United States resident, routinely fail to provide the basic necessities consistently.  With few exceptions, the socially disadvantage encounter social barriers that stone wall countless efforts to improve their economic status.  Ordinarily,

prospects at risk of plunging below the poverty line consist of, one-parent families, older adults, people of color, and deficiently anyone not completing the 9th grade; just to name a few (Zastrow, 2010).  Meanwhile, our elected officials in Washington debate to and fro on their particular political party's interpretation of prudent public policies, while our nationals, ever since the Great Depression stretch of the 1930s has by at large, entrusted heavily on the U.S. Government to engage as a catalyst in stimulating the economy; while simultaneously alleviating unpleasant hard ships.

Cal Sloan

Reference

Zastrow, C. (2010). Introduction to Social Work and Social Welfare Empowering People.

            Brook/Cole: Belmont, CA.

Political Suicide

Greetings All,




Based on the premise that I am a wholehearted advocate for Mr. President Obama's re-election, let me start by congratulating Presidential candidate Mitt Romney on his convincing, double digit success in Florida recently.  Mr. Romney has serendipitously (happen by accident) advanced himself as the front-runner in the GOP marathon.  In the same spirit, I would like to take a moment and thank each and every one of his confidants.  I want to acknowledge your generosity. With that said, you  have all, in grand style put the incumbent administration in a position to secure this election in November by historical proportions.  To explain, not only has Mr. Romney sorely disappointed Mormonism and the all-embracing Latter Day Saint structure, which by the way he is a member of, but he has committed  "Political Suicide" by his admission, according to Laurie Goodstein of the NY Times, that he does not approve of the immigration reform of the "Dream Act", which conspicuously eliminates any supporting cast of Latin Voters.  

Kristin Murphy for The New York Times

Paul Edwards said Mormons had compassion for immigrants.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/03/us/politics/romney-immigration-position-at-odds-with-mormon-church.html?scp=4&sq=u.s.%20legislation&st=cse

Goldstein document's that the "Dream Act" grants citizenship for illegal immigrants who would join our Armed Forces or obtain a college degree.  Incidentally, feel free to chime in if I'm mistaken, but wouldn't that be a commendable act?  Wouldn't that add more reported revenue? Doesn't that lower the deficit?  I recommend a processing fee in addition.  That would create jobs. Someone would have to do the processing.  I just so happen to own a modest janitorial company, I would love to  clean the processing facility.  But back to the case in point.  Our textbook books on Social Welfare explains the concept of the "Iron Triangle," which in part, is similar to the roles of, for instance, the Appropriation Committees, who are the true experts in Washington who advise Congress members on the details of various legislation (DiNitto 2011).  Why are we paying 535 over paid members of Congress to squabble? I for one, would rather have the knowledgeable advisers, who are intellectually acquainted with formality, just assume take over our social policy affairs.  Lastly, a sea of controversy awaits the GOP front-runner.  Someone should advise Mr. Romney that: "suicide is a sin".

Cal Sloan

"Common Sense"

Greetings All,


         Last night on Capital Hill our Commander-in-Chief, Mr. President Barrack Obama laid out his agenda for a country he is obviously passionate about; The United States of America.  Particularly, it was inspiring to witness the leader of the free world boldly standing behind his values while addressing the State of the Union, and the world. As I listened, bizarrely, often I thought of Thomas Paine. Mr. Paine was an author from the 18th century who published internationally acclaimed pamphlets called simply "Common Sense".  For the most part, that was a major theme in his speech.  For example, the President emphasized on what is fair for American citizens during a time of toil and fragility.  Ordinarily, conventional wisdom would suggest that a billionaire employer's tax rate should never be lower than his or her employees.  Nevertheless, that is the reality we are experiencing.  All things considered, the Republicans will have their hands full this election year while debating against good old fashion "Common Sense".



Cal Sloan.




http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/25/us/politics/state-of-the-union-2012.html?emc=eta1

Time to Compromise

Greetings Class,

        According to CBS NEWS.com there has not been a tax increase since 1990. Grover Norquist has been head of Americans for Tax Reform since 1986.  Not surprisingly, Norquist is a Republican, who is obviously advocating the status quote for the wealthy. Moreover, he is the originator of a document labeled "The Pledge", which in short has over 270 signatures from the House and Senate Republicans vowing not to, under any circumstances, vote agreeably on any piece of legislation that would increase taxes.

        One of President's Obama campaign promises was to increase taxes on the fortunate individuals who earn over $250,000 annually. This revenue would assist in funding programs that would directly benefit the less fortunate. Namely, this assistance would be entitled the "Buffet Rule", presumable for endorsing the President's agenda publicly.

        I consider it quite a violation of the public's trust, for those Republicans including the Speaker of the House to subscribe to such a partisan document drafted by Norquist. Norquist does not represent the  American people, and certainly does not empathize with the impoverished.

       It's time for our elected officials to reframe from embarrassing this great Nation any further. Apparently, the traditional ways of handling the country's business is outdated. It's "Time To Compromise".



Cal Sloan







http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/us/politics/obama-to-draw-an-economic-line-in-state-of-union.html?hp

Greetings All

My name is Calvin Sloan. I'm married and I have been blessed with three lovely girls. I served my country for eight years and those years of service has enable me to attend FAU.  I am truly motivated to
learn as much as possible in the field I have chosen, which by the way, is Social Work.  I find the history
fascinating. Furthermore, I sense a passion for advising people in need, with resources that will facilitate
with their shortcomings. Likewise, I hope to establish numerous positive social relationships with my online classmates.  Incidentally, this is my first online class.  Honestly I'm still quite nervous because I'm never

sure if I have completed all the required assignments.  All things considered, I welcome the challenges of
this course and I wish everyone the best.

Sincerely,
Cal Sloan