Sunday, August 29, 2010

Reflection on globalization

Well the first week of college was fun and full of intellectual exploration. The presentations on Wednesday reminded me that HIV/AIDS is a serious problem around the world. What really surprised me was that DC has a HIV/AIDS rate higher than many African countries. I was disappointed to learn that the U.S. is the only major contributor in the fight against HIV and AIDS around the world. Isn’t it human nature to try to help out others who are sick? However I was heartened to know that PEPFAR is continuing to expand its programs even when the world is just standing back up from a recession. This outreach of humanitarian aid is one benefit of globalization. Before the advent of modern telecommunication and transportation technology, these kinds of efforts would not be possible.

When we talked about how globalization is impacting the U.S., I thought about how unique we are in that we have been experiencing globalization for a long time in the form of immigration. Even before modern technology, every immigrant wave and group contributed to the culture. The reason I think soccer did not have the impact it had in the U.S. as it did in other countries, is because the target for our hate has always been changing. We are a nation of immigrants, but we tend to not like the new kid on the block. I think the immigration law in Arizona that passed this year shows this sentiment. However with soccer being the most popular sport in Latin America, soccer still has a chance to shine in the U.S.

Even if we don’t take soccer seriously, we can all agree that it’s more fun to watch than golf.

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