2nd Semester Final Reflection: Pass up on passing judgment

We've talked about a lot of provocative topics and mind blowing ideas and shed light on arguments that personally I hadn't known existed. Within the context of those documentaries they have been relevant and brilliantly keep the discussion flowing.  But there has been one concept that has enveloped every documentary in class and leaves you looking at the world differently when you leave the class. That concept is looking deeper at any topic. We learned how to challenge stereotypes and not just take issues at face value. Because while there may be an easy answer that tends to be the obvious public opinion, but when you look deeper than the stereotype you start to understand so much more. One such moment was  when they showed the different responses to the OJ verdict. I was shocked to see all the black people showed celebrating his release and the whites to be personally hurt almost by the same verdict. Especially since several of the blacks shown spoke about how he was probably did it but were happy to hear "Not Guilty." Upon deeper reflection and discussion, it became clear that they weren't cheering for OJ, they were cheering that they as a racial group beat the system that for so long abused them by its own rules. I never initially would have thought of that and how deeply it effected so many Americans, and if I had not consciously forced myself to think past my initial assumptions, probably never would have. All year we've been practicing doing this, and thinking back on it, it's been a focus from the first day to the last. This class was so much more meaningful if you embrace what we were told from the very beginning and learn to apply it to life, not just the class. So if I were to wrap up this wordy epitaph, it would be with one of Mr. Stewart's quips that will long stand in my memory: "Think about the things you think about."