Westboro Baptist Church and Shooting Protests

After the shooting in Connecticut, Westboro Baptist Church has decided to picket the burial ceremonies (according to this MSN article).  In response, a petition has been created to declare the church as a hate group with the White House. And this petition seems to be gaining support quickly.

So what is a "hate group"?  If this petition is passed, what impacts could this have?

According to uslegal.com, the definition is:  "Hate speech is a communication that carries no meaning other than the expression of hatred for some group, especially in circumstances in which the communication is likely to provoke violence. It is an incitement to hatred primarily against a group of persons defined in terms of race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, religion, sexual orientation, and the like. Hate speech can be any form of expression regarded as offensive to racial, ethnic and religious groups and other discrete minorities or to women."

(And this site now makes me question how often legal definitions are changed, as well as what legal processes are if the hate group is declared. If anybody knows, please send me the information.)

Based on the definition and the open hate of the group, it appears the group can be determined a hate group.  For years the activist church group has picketing military funerals and mass shooting locations such as the move theater shooting in Aurora, Colorado.  The group is also known for actively protesting homosexuals, Islam, etc.  The Westboro Baptist Church admits (and almost brags) about the signs that will be used during pickets - calling other preachers whores and proclaiming "God hates" so-and-so. 


If this petition is recognized by the White House, Westboro Baptist Church would be added to a list next to the Ku Klux Klan, White Aryan Resistance, and even the Nation of Islam (list per this website).  The Southern Poverty Law Center states that after 2000, the number of hate groups has risen and more astonishingly by 755% during the first three years after President Obama was elected.

This brings up questions:  what happens if the church is determined to be a hate group?  Will that stop their actions?  Will the media stop reporting on them?

By comparing Westboro Baptist Church to other groups it would be lumped with, answers begin to emerge at what may happen.  The group will be monitored by the government and media coverage will eventually die down; but unfortunately, it is a slippery slope of legal rights: the rights of the church's "victims" to live in peace and the church rights to freedom of speech.

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Note:  I do not endorse the actions of Westboro Baptist Church.  Any links regarding the church are for further reading and information, and for you to know where my information is coming from.

Getting the Ball Rolling: 'Toys for Tatas'

As the spirit of giving winds up for Christmas, everyone seems to be in the festive mood including strippers.  At a gentleman's club in Arkansas, a benefit playing off the "Toys for Tots" campaign that collects toys for less fortunate children every holiday season.  The club is offering 2-for-1 lap dances for those that donate to the "Toys for Tatas" program.

Before we begin the discussion, check out the video here from ABC news.

To many, including the coordinator of the Toys for Tots Marine Corps. program, would not be appreciated.  In the linked video, John Staples even acknowledges that this would not have been endorsed.  So what is the big deal with strippers holding a toy drive for children?  What makes people squirm hearing 'toys' and 'lap dances' in the same sentence?

Feel free to leave your responses and I will post an update within the next few days.  Happy chatting!

Anthropology: What Is It?

Most of the time when I am asked what my degree is, I usually get two reactions.  The first is it is immediate acknowledgement and excitement because the person knows what it is and how incredibly awesome it is.  The second is a blank stare followed by a rapid change of topic. Personally, it is usually pretty funny.

Anthropology is the study of (ology) humans (anthro) including the past and present.  There are four subfields of anthropology: 

*Biological:  This is also known as physical anthropology, but has been renamed to include both morphology and genetics.  For more information on biological (physical) anthropology, click here.
*Cultural:  The study of cultures including religion, demography, ethnography, etc.  Additional information on cultural anthropology can be found by clicking here.
*Linguistics: The study of language.  More fascinating information can be found on linguistics by clicking here.
*Archaeology:  Arguably the most known discipline in anthropology, thanks to Indiana Jones, archaeology involves excavating sites to learn more about people from that area.  Findings may include artifacts, burials, and skeletons.  Information on archaeology can be found by clicking here.

With all this information given, what it boils down to is anything that involves humans, anthropologists study.  It encompasses a very wide range of topics that might surprise you.  For example, comparative studies of primate behavior and ecology provide are routinely used to provide insight into humans.

If you have any questions about anthropology, feel free to leave a comment and I will get back to you. 

Note:  I do not at all claim to be an expert of anthropology but I am passionate about learning and stimulating learning, discussion, and questions.   I completed a Bachelor of Arts in December 2012 in Anthropology. My coursework includes:  Neandertals, Human Biological Variation, Primate Behavior and Ecology, Human Evolution, Sociology of Disaster, Medical Anthropology, and History of Anthropological Thought. 

Greetings From An Anthropologist!

Hello!

I'm Rachel, a recent graduate from Colorado State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology.  Notes From An Anthropologist is my attempt to get myself out there and hopefully help me find a job. 

My main goal is to use my background in Anthropology to analyze various news articles, recent events, or activities.  I would love to create a conversation where readers can submit articles for review and gain a new perspective.  Hopefully readers and I can learn something new from this blog.  At the very least, I hope this will be entertaining, interesting, and even controversial at times. 

With that in mind, I would like to highlight that all posting will be professional, polite, and considerate of various backgrounds.  Please keep in mind that some of these issues will be controversial and will stir emotions.  I fully support being passionate about your position on a topic.  I do not endorse nor encourage comments that demean, mock, or go against the most basic childhood rule: treat others how you would like to be treated. 

Now that I have put out my goals for this blog, let's get started!