Voice Postings Response: Music Therapy in the White House
I found this posting quite interesting and so relevant to the present times. Ironically the first time I read this posting was a month before the United States Presidential Election, and I thought what perfect timing! Let me explain why I feel this is such an important topic of discussion by giving some background about myself. I am an undergraduate music therapy student at Georgia College & State University. I am twenty-two years old and fairly new to the political world. I just voted in my first Presidential election and all the issues at hand overwhelmed me. I had to consider things that are important to me as a student and also as a future music therapist. During my personal research on the candidates up for elections, I asked around for other people's opinions. I wanted to know what was important to other people and how these potential new leaders were addressing their issues. I became quite despondent when many of the people I asked couldn't give me informative answers. It seemed many people were voting for a certain political party and not for issues. In my opinion that is an ignorant and uniformed vote, and I hold these people politically responsible. Interestingly enough most of these answers were coming from working adults. It seems that usually young people are usually stereotyped as being uninformed and uninterested. In our country there are a myriad of opportunities for people to learn and educate themselves about candidates, laws, and changes taking place. On this level of political agenda I find every American responsible for making themselves active and interested in what they can do politically to help their own standard of living.
I think at this point in my life I am beginning to become aware just how important being politically responsible is. The more we learn, the more we realize that all these little decisions made by senators, and mayors affects our every day lives on so many different levels including educational, employment, healthcare, quality of life and I could go on and on. As a budding music therapist I also begin to see just how much my future career depends on my own political awareness and decisions. As music therapists we have to secure our own career. Although it has been an established profession for over 30 years, we still have to strive to educate our leaders and help them understand that music therapy is valuable and does make a difference. Just like Moreno said, the political aspects of our country depends where we work, whom we will work with, and who will receive our services. I have already experienced the role of politics in my life a student. Since I've been enrolled in college I have received the HOPE scholarship from the state of Georgia. This has been great for me, as it pays for tuition at any public Georgia College.
In a worldwide context music therapists can contribute so much! In my very first music therapy class and every one since we've have been taught that music heals and music connects people together. Music is a universal tool, and we can use that to our advantage. I had no idea until reading Moreno's posting that there a about 40 regional wars taking place, and that is hard for me to believe. I pose this question: If at least 50% of the world received music therapy on an individual and group setting would there be less war? I'd like to believe so. How could this be accomplished? What can we do as music therapists to contribute? What can we as students do to contribute? Most of you all know what it is like to be a student.... strapped for cash! Our profession doesn't make a large amount of money anyway. Therefore it's hard to travel to these countries to promote music therapy, and provide services. Even so, there are things we can do inside our own country to contribute such as being POLITICALLY ACTIVE!
In the second half of the Moreno's posting I found his theories quite humorous. Even though I laughed at the idea, I really think both President Bush and Hussein could benefit from music therapy. The spider web effect throughout our country and the world would be tremendous. Now, with President Bush being re-elected, I'm sure all of us are interested in what he will do to regain support from other countries. The next four years will pose many questions about our country and world peace. If perhaps, like Moreno suggested, President Bush received music therapy services could we be out of a war? Could our nation be secured through non-violent measures? What would it say to the rest of the world if our political leader believes in music therapy and is helped by it? These are all questions that affect all of us. Maybe one day we will see music therapy in the white house. It all depends on if we choose to become politically responsible for our own world.
About Katie Griffin
Biography
BMT undergraduate, United States, Georgia College & State University.
Voice Postings Response: Music Therapy in the White House
I found this posting quite interesting and so relevant to the present times. Ironically the first time I read this posting was a month before the United States Presidential Election, and I thought what perfect timing! Let me explain why I feel this is such an important topic of discussion by giving some background about myself. I am an undergraduate music therapy student at Georgia College & State University. I am twenty-two years old and fairly new to the political world. I just voted in my first Presidential election and all the issues at hand overwhelmed me. I had to consider things that are important to me as a student and also as a future music therapist. During my personal research on the candidates up for elections, I asked around for other people's opinions. I wanted to know what was important to other people and how these potential new leaders were addressing their issues. I became quite despondent when many of the people I asked couldn't give me informative answers. It seemed many people were voting for a certain political party and not for issues. In my opinion that is an ignorant and uniformed vote, and I hold these people politically responsible. Interestingly enough most of these answers were coming from working adults. It seems that usually young people are usually stereotyped as being uninformed and uninterested. In our country there are a myriad of opportunities for people to learn and educate themselves about candidates, laws, and changes taking place. On this level of political agenda I find every American responsible for making themselves active and interested in what they can do politically to help their own standard of living.
I think at this point in my life I am beginning to become aware just how important being politically responsible is. The more we learn, the more we realize that all these little decisions made by senators, and mayors affects our every day lives on so many different levels including educational, employment, healthcare, quality of life and I could go on and on. As a budding music therapist I also begin to see just how much my future career depends on my own political awareness and decisions. As music therapists we have to secure our own career. Although it has been an established profession for over 30 years, we still have to strive to educate our leaders and help them understand that music therapy is valuable and does make a difference. Just like Moreno said, the political aspects of our country depends where we work, whom we will work with, and who will receive our services. I have already experienced the role of politics in my life a student. Since I've been enrolled in college I have received the HOPE scholarship from the state of Georgia. This has been great for me, as it pays for tuition at any public Georgia College.
In a worldwide context music therapists can contribute so much! In my very first music therapy class and every one since we've have been taught that music heals and music connects people together. Music is a universal tool, and we can use that to our advantage. I had no idea until reading Moreno's posting that there a about 40 regional wars taking place, and that is hard for me to believe. I pose this question: If at least 50% of the world received music therapy on an individual and group setting would there be less war? I'd like to believe so. How could this be accomplished? What can we do as music therapists to contribute? What can we as students do to contribute? Most of you all know what it is like to be a student.... strapped for cash! Our profession doesn't make a large amount of money anyway. Therefore it's hard to travel to these countries to promote music therapy, and provide services. Even so, there are things we can do inside our own country to contribute such as being POLITICALLY ACTIVE!
In the second half of the Moreno's posting I found his theories quite humorous. Even though I laughed at the idea, I really think both President Bush and Hussein could benefit from music therapy. The spider web effect throughout our country and the world would be tremendous. Now, with President Bush being re-elected, I'm sure all of us are interested in what he will do to regain support from other countries. The next four years will pose many questions about our country and world peace. If perhaps, like Moreno suggested, President Bush received music therapy services could we be out of a war? Could our nation be secured through non-violent measures? What would it say to the rest of the world if our political leader believes in music therapy and is helped by it? These are all questions that affect all of us. Maybe one day we will see music therapy in the white house. It all depends on if we choose to become politically responsible for our own world.