Kayla Peeples April 3, 2013 The LGBT Resource Center held a discussion-based program on the issue of international human

rights designed for University of Georgia students Tuesday afternoon. Whether the United States is a blueprint for foreign countries as a nation of equal rights for its citizens became the center of discussion at the Lets Talk about it: Walking the Talk.. event held at the Miller Learning Center. The LGBT community, prison industrial complex, human rights, and the death penalty were topics discussed at the resource centers program. The discussion was led by graduate assistant and former student of the university, Aaron Sayama. In 2010 Sayama graduated with a double major in International Affairs and Linguistics. Samaya has researched international policy and public policy analytics. With an audience right under 40, Sayama started the discussion with a few ground rules on how the resource center typically handles open discussion events: The Vegas rule and one is to disagree with the STATEMENT and not the PERSON. Sayama used numerous video clips to enhance the PowerPoint presentation that included former Secretary of State, Hilllary Clinton; former politician, Michael Ignatieff; and Ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice. A video from Clinton set the direction of the program showing her refer to human rights as God-given and were to be protected by the government. What are human rights? asked Sayama. A few students raised their hands and gave responses, such as something the government cannot take away from you and things that are required for human life. Most students believed it is the governments responsibility to give social, economic and cultural rights. There was one however, that believed equality of human rights in our nations current economic situation is just not plausible. Human rights were later mentioned again in the format of whether the U.S. has the responsibility to patrol human rights policies. Many students felt the U.S. is no condition to guard international human rights, when as a country we are not the most stable. The U.S. could but shouldnt because as soon as we leave, the country will revert back to their culture, but we should reach out and say something and lead by example stated one attendee. The speaker mentioned that there are policies that put and keep people inside of prison. Sayama showed a clip of what takes place inside our court system when money is the motive for judges of private prison lobbying when city juvenile detention centers are closed but private centers are kept open, called the prison industrial complex. As the discussion came to an end, Sayama gave his viewpoint on certain policies the U.S. should ensuebodily harm, women rights and how freedom of speech can be testy. The discussion was the last blue card event by the LGBT Resource Center for the spring semester.