Extra Credit Soc 3, Alex Schwartz Th 12:30-1:45

Alex Schwartz

3-11-16

20

On Friday, March 4^th, I attended and participated in a march throughout campus where we walked and tried to bring awareness to social issues such as homelessness, hunger, gender, race, environment, and education. I very much enjoyed participating in the march and talking to many of the people about why they felt so strongly about the social issue for which they were marching.

Right before the march began, everyone was at the booths making posters or signs for their issue and conversing among themselves. They were also looking at all of the information being displayed by the different booths and hearing what issues they were there to represent. Then when the march began everyone proudly picked up and displayed their signs and began formally marching and sometimes chanting for their cause. We received mixed feelings among onlookers, some of whom agreed with one or more of the issues, and some who clearly did not and displayed their disapproval. The right of all in this country though is to proudly display your beliefs and ideas, even when some may disagree with those beliefs. As we marched I saw a great variety of different signs that raised many questions on different sociological issues such as free education, more jobs, animal rights, hunger, and a call for stopping euthenization.

While on the march, I began talking with a young man who was along for the march but not really carrying a sign. He and I struck up a conversation which began about school and then eventually went onto the march and some of the issues which were being displayed and our opinions on those issues. Our conversation eventually also made its way onto politics, and although he did not seem overly educated on the presidential race he was very curious about learning about it and asked me many questions on my views of who I thought would win the nominations. I very much enjoyed talking to him and exchanging views and ideas on many of the issues that face our society.

Overall I thought the march went very well and was very interesting and thought provoking. This was the first time I had ever marched or attempted to raise awareness to an issue which I felt strongly about. I think having a voice and making that voice heard when you feel strongly about an issue and that it will help your society is very important and something we need in our country. Younger generations should be involved in social issues, since it is today's issues that will affect them tomorrow and they need to have their voice heared so they can fight for what they feel will be best for them.