Rodriguez

Marisa Rodriguez
HUM 1100
Professor Prusso
November 22 2016

Civic Engagement Project: Social Ethics

I attended an event back in October on the nineteenth to hear Robert Reich who is a former .U.S
Secretary of Labor talk about social ethics in the Tanner Forum. In the beginning he helped us
understand social ethics by explaining it simply with a question and then an answer. He asked what is
a good society? And then said it is one where it is more moral and ethical. His introduction was quit
clever and through out it his talk he infused economics, politics and ethics to help us understand the
meaning social ethics and realize what is going on in our world today. When discussing economics and
politics he made a point to show that are very system that made us some what strong is now failing us
and there are some issues that arise. What arises is the two big forces that effect jobs which are
globalization and the decrease in our proper understanding of it. The movement of globalization Reich
goes on to tells us that it affects jobs and our wages that ultimately leave the middle class to drop to
lower middle class leaving them to struggle and feeling frustrated. He also mentioned that the poor
where getting poorer and the rich where getting richer because the rich are not investing quickly and
consuming as much as the poor. In his talk he also mentions what gives him hope for the future where
he states that its the young people(18-26) and that we have been here before through our history.
According to Reich the young people are idealistic and are determined to change for the good. As
for history he states that inequality is a reflection of 1980 and 1880, we had corruption and severe
poverty before and he believes that we can come together and change for the better. Ultimately, history
is repeating itself but he believes that we are more practical. His hope in the end gave me hope,

Rodriguez
considering it was close to election time.
My project relates to these two learning outcomes from SLCC: 1) Students develop the
knowledge and skills to become community engaged learners and scholars, 2) Students develop the
attitudes and skills for lifelong wellness. For the first one it made me think politically and helped me
realize which president I would elect. I saw the big picture that he was getting at which is people are
people with feelings and our laws, morals and ethics effect everyone to our choices and decision. A
family and life can be effected by one simple action and law. I didn't realize how important social
ethics is and the effects and relations it had so, it totally educated me and made me become a better
person. This eye opening experience made me realize that I have to get out more as well which brings
me to number two. The second outcome I learned made me feel like I had a sense of well-being
because I was attending a live talk that helped me gain knowledge of our world and society. I felt as if I
could make a change and become a politician to make better policies and laws. In a way When
(
listeningL to his speech and talk it made me think of Martin Luther King Jr and all of his
i
accomplishments
he achieved and changes he fought for.
n
k
sThe article written by Martin Luther King Jr Letter from Birmingham Jail relates to my topic
of socialt ethics. When he states in his address to the clergymen he states the following, Oppressed
o
people cannot remain oppressed forever. The yearning for freedom eventually manifests itself, and that
a
is what nhas happened to the American Negro. Something within has reminded him of his birthright of
freedom,
e and something without has reminded him that it can be gained. This message he wrote
x
relates to
t social ethics because once we figure out what is write and wrong we then can make change
e
and impact
r lives. People who are not white are oppressed and we want change and better living which
n
relates to
a Reich and his talk on social ethics and relating it to politics and economics. It gets political
l
either way you look at it and it makes it better because everything can be considered political. There
s
i
t
e
.
)

Rodriguez
can always be a better way of resolving a problem and these one addressed with Martin Luther King Jr
and Reich makes me wonder what is taking us so long to comprehend what both of them are trying to
say. We are the people and deserve equality, the pursuit of happiness, life and liberty for ALL the
people.
Attending and participating in this event made me realize that I am becoming a responsible
adult with a voice. For example, recently my sister and I went down to Las Vegas and attending a
protest for solidarity and Trump's disgusting agenda. We made signs and , marched with 2,500 other
like minded people who wanted their voices to be heard. Surprisingly enough it was not just all of the
millennial generation but there were baby boomers and generation X there to stand with us. Not to
mention it was peaceful and we had great support from the community. Reich left a impact on me and
this class too because I didnt realize just how broken America is, but I rather stand up and fight for
change, then sit back and do nothing and watch America fall slowly. Also attending this event made me
realize that I am an adult that can do something good for our community. Getting an education and as
an aspiring social worker I can become a problem solver to better help my community and myself.
I enjoyed this experience that I received back in October. I learned new things and gained a
better perspective and understanding. I always have known problems where arising and there but never
cared until they actually affected my life and values, like our president-elect right now. Just because we
dont face certain problem everyday doesnt me it doesnt exist, it is still there, alive then ever and I
think too often people forget and dont think its there. Going to hear Reich made me see the world
different and notice how people interact depending on their morals and ethics because you can tell by
the persona actions and the language they use.
I didnt do a per-reflection assignment because I did not know how to set up my e-portfolio but
if I did one hypothetically here is how it would relate. It would relate as a sense as it is identical
because I used the event of Reich in my project and I still would have used Martin Luther King Jr

Rodriguez
Letter to Birmingham Jail in my per-reflection and project. WHY? Because this document is the
most important piece of writing and has powerful messages and using it twice would mean it has
significance and great value. I would like to leave you with Martin Luther King Jr's last sentence in his
letter to the clergymen, Let us all hope that the dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass away and
the deep fog of misunderstanding will be lifted from our fear drenched communities, and in some not
too distant tomorrow the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great nation with all
their scintillating beauty. Maybe one day everyone will understand what MLK Jr meant in his
speeches and respect his morals and ethics.
Word Count: 1268