Essay 2.1 Reflection

For this essay, I felt a little rushed. This was not due to the actual due date, but for some reason I flew through this just trying to get my thoughts out. My research was a little different this time, mainly due to that this is a different topic and I have to get used to a new topic. But over all my actual interest in this paper is higher, since my major does deal with nutrition and exercise. Also, this is a way for me to sort of vent about my pet peeve, which is when people complain about their weight. We all do it, but for those that don't know how they became overweight or obese this hits close to home for me. I cannot stand when people overweight complain and do nothing about their weight, thinking that it will magically disappear. Another is when people go onto television shows to get help. Back to what I was saying. This is something that I am more passionate about and hope to greatly improve for my second draft.

Essay 2.1

Over thirty years ago, one of the main concerns of the nation was the lack of nutrition and starvation of children across America. Today, rather than the scarcity of food, we are focusing on too much food and calories. Obesity is a growing epidemic that is sweeping the nation. In one of my classes GKIN 100 our instructor found a statistic that stated that by the year 2030 all American adults will be overweight. There is not much that can be done for adults since they have their diet set, but there is something that can be done about the children, our future. I believe that the government needs to take action and steps towards regulating what type of food/beverages are sold and advertised in schools. However some industries fear that federal control would threaten the company.

Douglas J. Besharov, a professor at the University of Maryland, made a testimony before the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry on April 3, 2003 about the concern over overweight and obesity in America. He stated that in previous years while a civil rights worker in the 1960’s he had first hand account of the lack of nutrition and starvation that occurred. Only after the media payed attention to such issues is when action took place such as federal feeding and welfare programs for people who cannot afford to pay for food. Now he sees accounts of the complete opposite. Children’s stomachs’ are not swollen from hunger but from too much food. The question is, does the federal government need to intervene for this measure? My answer to this question would be yes. In extreme cases the federal government, such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration under the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, is a good solution due to that they have greater power that those who just shake their fingers and say that what some companies are doing is bad. Companies fear government regulation and see it as a threat to their profit.

Approximately $1.7 billion was spent on gearing products such as sugary cereals, fast food and sodas towards children. Policymakers, public and health professionals are now concerned about certain practices of these companies. Threatened by federal regulation, companies are starting to do what some call self-policy. Several companies have taken measures to make modifications to the products they sell, particularly to children. The most common tactic was to stop marketing certain products that are geared towards children and teenagers. Cereal is one of the biggest products that have trouble adapting to theses expectations (Clifford par.12). Kellogg’s, along with other participating companies are not permitted to advertise their product in elementary schools, with some exceptions such as charitable fundraising activities (Sharma par. 16).

Other forms of self-regulating is to modify the products to a healthier measure. Each company has their own set of standards for “better” food, but what exactly does that mean? The companies themselves define this; there is no universal definition for “better” food (Clifford par 7). However the writers of the article, The Food Industry and Self-Regulation: Standards to Promote Success and to Avoid Public Health Failures, have found 8 standards those companies should follow in order for self-regulation to be successful. These guidelines help to create smaller portion sizes and calorie intake without diminishing nutritional needs; all of which that are to be distributed in schools, and tighter rules for grades K-8. The main concern though, is what is the benchmark for these guidelines? Every company will be different in setting their standards, if there are even any standards set. So how can policymakers and these companies find a solution?

Before anyone can put a plan into action, first there is something that needs to be defined, the benchmark. What is the cut off? Each product is going to have something different but how can policymakers ensure that these standards are efficient and will be met? Though full government regulation will not be the solution, I do believe that the government can carefully monitor these products, a look but don’t touch scenario. First off, the companies should make their criteria and check in with the FDA to make sure it is acceptable, if not then go back to the drawing board and try again. Once that is covered, all the federal government does is watch, if anything is out of line that is when they need to intervene.

Pre-Writing Essay 2

Continuing from the previous pre-writing post, trying to figure out the opposing side is difficult. The main concern would most likely be cost or possibly a person's choice/freedom. Since implementing such ideas would make some people wonder whether or not this is a good idea, the fact is that everyone can come to an agreement that there is an unhealthy lifestyle in America. Obesity is growing and people are becoming immobile. There are simple things that can help to decreasing the chances of obesity or being overweight. If you are a parent and your child plays video games all the time or watches television, give them something to do outside, play sports!

Reflection 1.3

For this last part of my essay I had to do more of my own thinking. It was a little difficult to find my "voice" in the paper that opposed some of the things that the editorial was spectulating. Overall I wouldn't say that this paper was enjoyable to write, but more of something that was important and needed to be stated. It is a little harder for me to tell an audience was I think or feel in writting as opposed to what I used to concentrate more in, art. Images help express what I believe, think or feel. Maybe in my next essay I can use the idea that was stated in class which is to have a picture with the essay to better clarify what my central idea is. The feedback from my group could be better. I didn't get enough critques to better my paper, the most that was stated was for my introduction to be clearer.

Pre-writing (Rogerian)

What is something that I can find common ground on that concerns me to the point of trying to find a solution, tough question. Since my major that I am going into is Kinesiology, a major part of my life is health, eating the right foods and getting enough exercise, both of which can be difficult at this day and age. However both nutrition and daily exercise is attainable, but to what extent? I guess my question or concern is more for children who begin their eating habits and exercise habits based on parents, friends, or school. Grown adults now are not going to change very easily, and most change due to something more traumatic such as weight gain. America is one of the fattest countries in the world due to unhealthy food and lack of exercise, so how should this issue be handled? Should the government intervene? Is this considered a national crisis or epidemic, many seem to treat is as such. What is there to do? There is only so much that food companies can do, some are trying to switch over to healthier forms of making their product. For example, the baked potato chips are starting to become more popular, needless to say that it is still unhealthy, but it is a step towards healthier foods. Should others follow by example, yes. Though an immediate change would be best, that is highly unlikely to happen, but a gradual change is the best solution for everyone. Implementing more exercise time in classes and healthier foods in schools, making sure that children begin healthy habits. Possibly have students in health classes begin nutrition and exercise logs earlier than high school or college, but maybe late elementary or early middle school. The problem with that though, for girls it may cause them to become too self-conscious and lead to other problems. So how can everyone come to a common ground on this without causing too much damage?

Essay 1.3 (rebuttal)

You go to James Madison University, correct? Have you ever wondered why there is a significantly larger population of females than males? In the L.A. Times Editorial section you will find that there is a post bringing light to the gender gap in colleges and universities all across America. Many wonder as to why this is, and see this as a growing issue. Females are now being admitted at a higher rate, which is an accomplishment in itself, but the males are being admitted with a slight boost to keep diversity, yet the numbers of males remain lower. In the editorial the author brings in certain speculations as to why this is such. Some hypothesize that males need special attention based on how they take in information. Race and ethnicity have even been included into factoring into this rising problem. However these factors may excuse a small percentage of males, it does not excuse all males from lagging behind.

Some may ask the question, “What is happening with the education of males in this country?” In USA Today, Mary Beth Marklein speculates that the, “female majority may be higher education’s new normal.” In the editorial the author (also states) that at the University of California’s UCLA campus, more women apply than men. In order to maintain equality in the admissions process, the university admits an equal percentage of each gender from those who apply. As a result, a wider gender gap has been created. Being a student that attended a university that has these issues, it makes the college experience different. Some students, such as myself, work better with diversity.

As the author in the L.A. Times article mentioned, there are different types of learning styles for both male and females. This author mentioned that males are more likely to learn by using senses; visual or working with their hands, and that schools should accommodate to these needs. Interesting enough, I see more art students, hands on and visual type students; here at James Madison University that there is more female verses male. The question is, “do colleges need to change all the time for every single type of student?” The answer would be no. Linda Sax, a scholar in gender issues, writes in Her College Experience Is Not His that both male and females have to overcome their own challenges in order to obtain a good college education. Some of those challenges can range from what the editorial speculates such as Attention Deficit Disorder or simply to a busy schedule. Sax continues to say that women put a greater emphasis on the value of education, devoting more time to school work than men do, and achieve higher in academics, creating a larger gap. But why do females put a greater emphasis on education than males? One reason that comes to mind is parents. Just from personal experience, one can see that parents treat their children different generally based on gender. While females have stricter rules, males sometimes are given more slack. However Sax and the author of the editorial both agree, “…colleges need to consider strategies for encouraging greater academic engagement among male students” (Sax 16). Is this really the best solution? Valeria E. Lee and David T. Burkam, authors of Inequality at the Starting Line, may disagree and believe that this issue begins at a much earlier stage.

In Lee and Burkam’s book, they state that the inequalities of children’s mental aptitude begin at the ‘starting gate’. The ‘starting gate’ refers to the notion that not all children start off as equals going into Kindergarten. The main factor that is observed in measuring the “inequality” of students is the socioeconomic status (SES) of the child and family. The National Center for Education Statistics defines SES as a measure of an individual or family’s relative economic and social ranking (The Condition of Education). From there, schooling can magnify those inequalities due to low resources and funding. Along with schooling, family and social backgrounds can influence the success or failure of a child’s potential to achieve a good education; these factors include race and ethnicity, poverty, parenting structure, and the education level of the parent(s). Today it is becoming harder to keep up with education without the proper tools. Most schooling now involves computer usage, but if a family is low on income then a computer may not be easily accessible. Good child care is can also burn a hole in your pockets, and studies show that early childhood development is key to getting a good start in school (Lee and Burkam).

With race being stated, there is another gap within races in education. Statistics from Inequality at the Starting Gate shows that there are “substantial differences by race and ethnicity in children’s test scores at they begin kindergarten”. SES and race are interconnected. Lee and Burkam noted that on average, that the lowest scores are produced by 34% Black children, 29% Hispanic, and only 9% of White children. The actual race and gender of a child is not what makes the gap, but the SES of the general population of a specific race.

If a child; whether male, female, of color or white; is able to attend college, the university is not responsible for holding their hand and walking them through four years of education. Going to school is about learning to adapt and grow. For the author in the editorial to suggest that universities need to find ways to aid in males to succeed in college is not a better approach. James Madison University has been 100 years of tradition and many have graduated and moved on to succeed in life, do you think that the school is not already doing enough? There are numerous amounts of resources if someone is struggling to keep up such as learning centers for communication, science and math, writing and much more. There is no reason that males should lag behind and try to skew the blame to the school.

There is more to academic success rate than simply the gender or race of a child. Yes, males and females minds are wired differently, affecting how they work, but there is more to it than genetics. There are always going to be challenges that each gender must overcome. The family life based on socioeconomic status and even race need to be factored into this equation in order to gain a “deeper understanding of the nuances and implications of the gender gap in college” (Sax). For years colleges have done what they can for their students, but it takes two to tango. Students also have to learn to adapt to the new college life and learning; it is part of the whole experience of growing up, overcoming obstacle to reach your goal.

Works Cited

"College's Gender Gap: Women Now Out Number Men in Both Applying to Schools and Earning Degrees." L.A. Times 15 Jan 2010, Web.

"The Condition of Education." IES:National Center for EducationStatistics. IES, Web. 5 Feb 2010.

Lee, Valerie E, and David T Burkam. Inequality at the Starting Gate: Social Background Differences in Achievement as Children Begin School. Economic Policy Institute, 2002. Summary. Web.

Marklein, Mary Beth. "College Gender Gap is Stable." USA Today01 Jan 2010: n. pag. Web. 6 Feb 2010.

Sax, Linda. "Her College Experience Is Not His." Chronicle of Higher Education 55.5 (2008): 32-33. Web. 6 Feb 2010.

Rebuttal Exercise

Dear Dr. Walter Williams

Can you find a similarity between Nazis and Anti-smokers? Yes you can. As the writer of “Nazi Tactics”, you believe this to be true. In 2002 you write in Ideas on Liberty that in today’s society and government that there is intolerance against smokers, making a wild comparison that the government who is try to ban smoking are acting as the Nazis did during the Holocaust. You claim that almost 40 million American smoke cigarettes, and my question is, how many have quit (par. 4). As stated by you, “there has been widely successful vilification of cigarette smokers and tobacco manufacturers,” and all this is due to the health effects and health-care costs (par. 5). Don’t you think that there is a legitimate reason as to why these officials are making these claims? Officials are not trying to rid of people or making them seem like villains, but trying to gear towards a healthier lifestyle and only ridding them of their bad habit. Though it may seem that officials have, “arisen one day and then decided to tyrannize no more,” this is still an issue that is at hand that is closely followed and fought over.