“Speak from the heart and reach people on a human level” (Carroll 83), are words that resonate deeply with me. On April 2, 2015 in the middle of the day my oldest sister, a student at Washington State University, was crossing in a marked crosswalk when she was hit, run over and dragged 26 feet by a full-sized SUV. This particular intersection is a marked crossing with flashing lights and clearly designated painting on the street. Before she crossed, she had pressed the buttons to illuminate the flashing signals and verified that no vehicles were approaching. Sadly, the safety measures in place at the crosswalk made no difference and a serious accident occurred which severely changed her life and the life of our family.
The accident made me feel helpless and angry, with the feeling that I had no recourse. So when a political action assignment was given for this class, it immediately struck me …show more content…
Being somewhat naïve, I anticipated an immediate response that safety changes were necessary and quick action to implement some. Instead I realized that creating change is difficult and moves very slowly; especially if costs are involved. This was a great example of the checks and balances principle of government; the majority was not completely convinced change was necessary by a single minority voice. If a grass roots movement of many people was utilized instead, I believe the need for changes would have been realized quickly and intersection improvements made much faster.
Another interesting learning point was the difference in communication the Pullman City Council and its officers had with me (as a sister) and the communication they had with a parent. Dialogue was much more compassionate with my mother and safety measures were outlined in a more detailed manner. Perhaps an example of implicit bias, it is obvious that as a youth I carry much less credibility and importance as compared to an adult; especially a
The accident made me feel helpless and angry, with the feeling that I had no recourse. So when a political action assignment was given for this class, it immediately struck me …show more content…
Being somewhat naïve, I anticipated an immediate response that safety changes were necessary and quick action to implement some. Instead I realized that creating change is difficult and moves very slowly; especially if costs are involved. This was a great example of the checks and balances principle of government; the majority was not completely convinced change was necessary by a single minority voice. If a grass roots movement of many people was utilized instead, I believe the need for changes would have been realized quickly and intersection improvements made much faster.
Another interesting learning point was the difference in communication the Pullman City Council and its officers had with me (as a sister) and the communication they had with a parent. Dialogue was much more compassionate with my mother and safety measures were outlined in a more detailed manner. Perhaps an example of implicit bias, it is obvious that as a youth I carry much less credibility and importance as compared to an adult; especially a