Monday, May 26, 2014
Crimea - America has no business there
We all have been hearing on the news (a little less now the main wave has subsided) about Russian and Ukraine interactions over Crimea. This event has received a lot of coverage from all sides, with Russia and Ukraine seeking to solve the issue independently, the Ukrainian foreign minister requesting the withdrawal of foreign interferes. Why does America think it has a right to make threats and sanctions against Russia? Russia is coming to the defense of a densely populated Russian area, and not using military force or shedding blood. If anything Russia is being the more reasonable of the parties. On the other hand, America is being hypocritical and whining. Let's not forget the countless countries America "inducted" into its great empire. Hawaii, Guam, the Philippines. Areas which had NO American citizens or influence. Russia isn't half as drastic as that, simply giving comfort and order to Russian citizens in Crimea, evidenced by the huge reception held by citizens upon the arrival of Russian forces. While it can't be said that what Russia is doing is holy, or not crossing some lines, because it certainly is. But what we should be considering is that, is it really America's place to tell people how to live their lives, with the current imperialistic track record it has.
Friday, May 23, 2014
Today in Thailand...
As some of you may know, yesterday there was a military coup in
Thailand. Led by Thai army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha, the army
declared martial law after months of protests that paralyzed the
government.
The military threw out the entire 2007 constitution except section II, which acknowledges the king as the head of state. Schools have been shut down nationwide, a curfew has been enforced, and all television providers are limited to only broadcasting the military line.
Throughout this all, many Bangkok residents see this as a normal, and hardly unprecedented, situation, as Thailand has seen its military take over 12 times already. "They just go home and don't go out after 10," Said one resident for whom this is his second coup. "... People just live their normal lives."
The situation has escalated today. Former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and more than 150 other politicians and activists were detained and banned from leaving the country. They had all been summoned to a military compound to submit to authorities, and were warned that if they did not comply, they would be arrested. The current military government claims this is for their own safety, as they close the Thailand-Laos border to keep redshirts, or supporters of the old government, from fleeing.
America, in addition to several other countries, has expressed its disapproval, and called for the reinstatement of democracy. However, no direct action has yet been taken.
What, if anything, do you think should be done by the international community?
http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/22/world/asia/thailand-martial-law/index.html
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/23/yingluck-shinawatra-detained-thailand-coup-military
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/23/us-thailand-protest-idUSBREA4J0HN20140523
http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/23/world/asia/thailand-coup/
http://cir.ca/news/thailand-anti-government-protests/125977
The military threw out the entire 2007 constitution except section II, which acknowledges the king as the head of state. Schools have been shut down nationwide, a curfew has been enforced, and all television providers are limited to only broadcasting the military line.
Throughout this all, many Bangkok residents see this as a normal, and hardly unprecedented, situation, as Thailand has seen its military take over 12 times already. "They just go home and don't go out after 10," Said one resident for whom this is his second coup. "... People just live their normal lives."
The situation has escalated today. Former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and more than 150 other politicians and activists were detained and banned from leaving the country. They had all been summoned to a military compound to submit to authorities, and were warned that if they did not comply, they would be arrested. The current military government claims this is for their own safety, as they close the Thailand-Laos border to keep redshirts, or supporters of the old government, from fleeing.
America, in addition to several other countries, has expressed its disapproval, and called for the reinstatement of democracy. However, no direct action has yet been taken.
What, if anything, do you think should be done by the international community?
http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/22/world/asia/thailand-martial-law/index.html
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/23/yingluck-shinawatra-detained-thailand-coup-military
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/23/us-thailand-protest-idUSBREA4J0HN20140523
http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/23/world/asia/thailand-coup/
http://cir.ca/news/thailand-anti-government-protests/125977
The Rise of the Teenager
The Roaring 20s were famous for many things. Gatsby, prohibition, speakeasies, flappers, radio, cars, and the rise of the teenager.
In the 1800s, people lived in a state of either "adult" or "child". There was no teenager.
As a child, you lived under your parents' strict rules, but did not have to worry about that which came with being an adult. As an adult, you had freedom, but all the responsibility that came with it. The teenager came with the creation of a middle ground.
Teenagers were granted a taste of the freedom of adult life, with only some of the responsibilities that came with it. A few of the events that most contributed to the advent of the teenager were the lengthening of a student's time in school, the pushing back of marriage, and the invention of the affordable car. All of these either gave children more time to develop or more freedom.
Schools, now further away from home, developed their own culture, separate from home life, and teens dated freely, instead of under the watchful eyes of their parents. They gained freedom, but not necessarily responsibility.
Since then, teenagers have become almost a being of their own. They are the hopes and future of the nation, the rebels and the untrustworthy and the alarming. "America created the teenager in its own image--brash, unfinished, ebullient, idealistic, crude, energetic, innocent, greedy, changing in all sorts of unsettling ways."
What do you think the teenager stands for today?
http://www.ushistory.org/us/46c.asp
http://www.thomashine.com/the_rise_and_fall_of_the_american_teenager_3432.htm
In the 1800s, people lived in a state of either "adult" or "child". There was no teenager.
As a child, you lived under your parents' strict rules, but did not have to worry about that which came with being an adult. As an adult, you had freedom, but all the responsibility that came with it. The teenager came with the creation of a middle ground.
Teenagers were granted a taste of the freedom of adult life, with only some of the responsibilities that came with it. A few of the events that most contributed to the advent of the teenager were the lengthening of a student's time in school, the pushing back of marriage, and the invention of the affordable car. All of these either gave children more time to develop or more freedom.
Schools, now further away from home, developed their own culture, separate from home life, and teens dated freely, instead of under the watchful eyes of their parents. They gained freedom, but not necessarily responsibility.
Since then, teenagers have become almost a being of their own. They are the hopes and future of the nation, the rebels and the untrustworthy and the alarming. "America created the teenager in its own image--brash, unfinished, ebullient, idealistic, crude, energetic, innocent, greedy, changing in all sorts of unsettling ways."
What do you think the teenager stands for today?
http://www.ushistory.org/us/46c.asp
http://www.thomashine.com/the_rise_and_fall_of_the_american_teenager_3432.htm
The Mao Regime and the United States
If you know what either the Great Leap Forward or the Cultural Revolution is, and are not from a Chinese family, I'm impressed.
For those of you who don't know, the Cultural Revolution was Mao Zedong's proletariat revolution, with the Great Leap Forward as it's precursor.
In China today, the government censors anything related to these events, and in 2006, the 40th anniversary of the beginning of the Cultural Revolution, it told Chinese artists, academics, and journalists to simply ignore the topic. Time is not stopping the censor. In fact, its growing stricter, if anything.
Why are these events are so important that the Chinese government does not even want its youth to know about them?
First, it must be noted that Mao Zedong is known as the world's greatest mass murderer in human history. Hitler's already impressive 12 million kills is dwarfed by those of Mao, estimated to have taken anywhere between 49 to 78 million lives. Most, if not all, of these deaths were of mainland Chinese.
During Chairman Mao's reign, people were beaten to death, eaten alive, drowned. When peaceful protesters demonstrated in Tiananmen Square, they were chased out and killed by tanks. But most prominently, people were starved to death, whether deliberately or by simple lack of food.
In the United States, we learn extensively about Hitler's concentration camps, about Stalin's Gulags, and yet the events of Mao's rise to power are glossed over in American history books, as are his policies, if they are even mentioned at all. The one forced interaction we had with the Cultural Revolution was in Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress, where we learned about oppression of intellectuals in China, but not about how Principal Bian Zhongyun was brutally beaten by her students using wooden sticks spiked with nails and then left to die.
I asked my dad why this was, thinking that as he had lived through it, he would have some insight. The only possible reason he could think of was this: "There are no concrete numbers. Many government documents were destroyed. We will never know how many people died, and no one likes to teach what they don't know."
Perhaps China is ignoring it, but that doesn't mean we have to.
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/maos-great-leap-forward-killed-45-million-in-four-years-2081630.html
http://www.economist.com/node/6951123
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/the-chinese-cultural-revolution-remembering-mao-s-victims-a-483023.html
http://www.nytimes.com/1993/01/06/world/a-tale-of-red-guards-and-cannibals.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/27/opinion/confessions-of-the-cultural-revolution.html
For those of you who don't know, the Cultural Revolution was Mao Zedong's proletariat revolution, with the Great Leap Forward as it's precursor.
In China today, the government censors anything related to these events, and in 2006, the 40th anniversary of the beginning of the Cultural Revolution, it told Chinese artists, academics, and journalists to simply ignore the topic. Time is not stopping the censor. In fact, its growing stricter, if anything.
Why are these events are so important that the Chinese government does not even want its youth to know about them?
First, it must be noted that Mao Zedong is known as the world's greatest mass murderer in human history. Hitler's already impressive 12 million kills is dwarfed by those of Mao, estimated to have taken anywhere between 49 to 78 million lives. Most, if not all, of these deaths were of mainland Chinese.
During Chairman Mao's reign, people were beaten to death, eaten alive, drowned. When peaceful protesters demonstrated in Tiananmen Square, they were chased out and killed by tanks. But most prominently, people were starved to death, whether deliberately or by simple lack of food.
In the United States, we learn extensively about Hitler's concentration camps, about Stalin's Gulags, and yet the events of Mao's rise to power are glossed over in American history books, as are his policies, if they are even mentioned at all. The one forced interaction we had with the Cultural Revolution was in Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress, where we learned about oppression of intellectuals in China, but not about how Principal Bian Zhongyun was brutally beaten by her students using wooden sticks spiked with nails and then left to die.
I asked my dad why this was, thinking that as he had lived through it, he would have some insight. The only possible reason he could think of was this: "There are no concrete numbers. Many government documents were destroyed. We will never know how many people died, and no one likes to teach what they don't know."
Perhaps China is ignoring it, but that doesn't mean we have to.
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/maos-great-leap-forward-killed-45-million-in-four-years-2081630.html
http://www.economist.com/node/6951123
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/the-chinese-cultural-revolution-remembering-mao-s-victims-a-483023.html
http://www.nytimes.com/1993/01/06/world/a-tale-of-red-guards-and-cannibals.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/27/opinion/confessions-of-the-cultural-revolution.html
The Stonewall Riots
The 1960s were known for all the different liberation movements in the United States, best known of course is the Civil Rights Movement and Women’s Rights Movements, however one minority’s history and fight for civil rights has been frequently glossed over. Many of you will remember a particular question on the AP Test, concerning the Stonewall Riots. The Stonewall Riots were a number of protests in the 1960s, which demonstrated the growing LGBT community in America. 
The riots began on June 28th, 1969, during a police raid of the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in Greenwich Village of New York City. The police seized alcohol, prompting the dissent of many patrons already in the bar. The police began to force many of the patrons who were dressed in drag to the bathrooms, to identify their gender and then make arrests. None of the patrons agreed to do so, prompting the first arrests. There have been numerous reports of police misconduct in these cases, as many of the gay women at the bar reported that the male police officers frisked them inappropriately, and verbally abused them with slurs such as dyke and bitch. As the arrested patrons were forced into the police cars, bystanders began to shout at the police officers, and several began to sing the well known song “We Shall Overcome.” The actual rioting did not begin until a woman was hit on the head with a baton, by a police officer. After several overturned police wagons, ten police officers barricaded themselves in the Inn, while patrons and bystanders broke the windows, threw rocks and lit fires.
The rioting continued for several days, and thirteen arrests were made before the fighting died out. Several members of the crowd and four police officers were hospitalized, however all survived. The riots are considered the single most important event in American gay rights history, as they prompted a wave of protest and movement for the rights of the LGBT community. This year, film director Roland Emmerich announced that he would be making a movie about the Stonewall Riots, however much controversy has surrounded who would be cast as actors. The transgender community has asked the director numerous times through social media to have the main actors be transgender, as many key leaders of the protests were transgender women or drag queens, such as Yvvonne Ritter and Martin Boyce. However, one of the most widely recognized leaders of the riots, as well as the subsequent protests, was a black transgender woman named Marsha P. Johnson. The transgender community, as well as the rest of the LGBT community has expressed hope that the film will not gloss over the contribution of black and transgendered men and women to the struggle for gay rights.
Sources:
Russian conflicts in Crimea
As many of you may know, the topic of Ukrainian and the occupation of Russian forces in Crimea has been in the news as of late. But how can we tell what is really the motives towards this forced intervention into Ukrainian politics? Well we can draw parallels from the past. In 2008, Russian forces did a similar strategy in Georgia when it annexed two of its territories. Ukraine's acting president, Oleksandr Turchynov, explains when addressing his nation, " They are trying to provoke a military conflict and are creating a scenario identical to the Abkhaz one, when having provoked a conflict, they annexed territory". As seen, Turchynov does not want his country and its people to be taken advantage of just as Georgia had close to a decade ago. Turchynov later states "I am personally addressing President Putin to stop the provocation and call back the military from the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, and work exclusively within the framework of the signed agreements". As seen Turchynov is fighting for a honorable end to this rather peculiar situation. Here's a great visual of the situation:
As you can infer by the image, Ukraine is vastly outnumbered if an armed conflict were to erupt. Much is at stake in Ukraine and the Kremlin believes that it is nothing that should be causing such a stir as it has been. For those who feel that NATO or the United States should intervene and take a stance against Russia, that would be rather very unwise in the course of the world. If you want US to supply Ukraine with arms or sanction troops within its borders, then you also would be advocating the start of WW3. The reality of Nuclear war is enough of a deterrent to not elevate the situation that has raised in Ukraine. Moscow has no intention of fully invading Ukraine because of the economic and political demands, but does Russia have the right to do such a thing to a democratic nation? tell me your ideas.
Violence Against Muslims and Sikhs Post-9/11
I wanted to write a short post on a topic that is highly personal and important to me. In light of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, there has been a wave of Islamophobia in the United States, stemming from fear, ignorance, and sometimes just plain racism. Muslims have been the targets of harassment, ridicule, and many times, violence. However, many Americans are so ignorant, that they cannot distinguish between members of Islam, and other turban wearing men, and as a result, members of the Sikh religion have also been victims of vigilante violence, stemming from Islamophobia.
Sikhism is a religion that was founded in northern India, in the late 17th century. Sikhism is most easily understood as a blend of Hinduism and Islam, as it is monotheistic, but does not recognize the anyone as special in the eyes of God, including Jesus and any prophets. It requires religious tolerance, social equality, and the holy text mandates complete gender equality. There are approximately 300,000 Sikhs in the United States, as of 2012. One of the tenants of the religion requires both men and women to grow their hair long, and therefore many men wear long beards, and keep their hair tucked in a turban. Because of their distinctive appearance, Sikh men are often the targets of ridicule, racist slurs, and so called “randomly selected searches” by the TSA. My dad recalls the 9/11 terrorist attacks with complete clarity, as the next day he was harassed by a group of bikers at a gas station, who told him to “go back to his country,” and “take off that filthy towel.”
In December of 2012, a young Indian immigrant was shoved onto the tracks of an oncoming New York subway, by a woman who later confessed to the crime. “I pushed a Muslim off the train tracks because I hate Hindus and Muslims… Ever since 2001 when they put down the Twin Towers, I've been beating them up." The violence against anyone who looks remotely Middle Eastern is abundant, and sadly this is only one of many cases of individual attacks. Four days after the 9/11 attacks, Balbir Singh Sodhi was shot in Arizona, by a man who claimed patriotism as his reason for the attacks. Several years later, Sodhi’s brother would be shot in San Francisco for the same reason, by a completely different man. This past September, Colombia Professor Prabhjot Singh was attacked by a group of teenagers in New York City, who beat him while yelling that he was “Osama.” However, the most devastating attack yet, was August 5th, 2012, in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. An ex-military, neo-nazi entered the local “Gurdwara,” or temple, and opened fire during the Sunday prayer; six people were killed, and several others were wounded.
While it is horrifying that so many Americans do not understand the differences between Sikhs, Hindus, and Muslims, it is far worse that such violence has been directed at the South Asian and Middle Eastern communities in the first place. Many Sikh activists become caught up in their disgust that many Americans are so ignorant of Sikhism, that they forget that it is equally terrible that Muslims are targeted at all.
I wish I could say that my dad, and other Sikh men, have only faced harassment from small town rednecks, however just on Wednesday this past week, a group of middle school boys shouted “Osama” at him, while he met with a colleague for breakfast at Brian’s Cafe in Rancho Shopping Plaza.
A list of hate crimes against Sikhs since 9/11:
Other sources:
In reference to the discussion on 9/11...
To present the other side from specifically researched sources.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/engineering/architecture/911-myths
http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/engineering/architecture/911-myths
Miracle On Ice
The "Miracle on Ice" is the name in American pop culture for the game victory in men's ice hockey game during the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York. The victory occurred on Friday, February 22. The United States Olympic hockey team, made up of amateur and collegiate players, and led by coach Herb Brooks, defeated the Soviet Union national team, which had won the gold medal in six out of the seven previous Olympic games.
Team USA went on to win the gold medal medal game over Finland. The Soviet Union took silver by defeating Sweden in its final game. In 1999, Sports Illustrated even named the "Miracle on Ice" the Top Sports Moment of the 20th Century. As part of its 100th anniversary celebrations in 2008, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) chose the "Miracle on Ice" as the century's number one international ice hockey story.
Many say, "it was more than just a game." And that is the truth. The year 1980 found itself in the midst of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. For USA to defeat the "unbeatable" Soviet Union hockey team was the ultimate insult and victory. At this point, tensions between the US and Soviet Union were high, and the Soviets knew they had an edge in the Olympics to defeat USA, and were proven wrong. Thus making the event one of sports greatest historical marks in history.
Atlantic Charter
The Atlantic Charter was an important policy statement that was issued August 14, 1941. It was developed during World War II, and defined the Allied goals for the post- war world. It was drafted by the leaders of the United States and Great Britain, and later agreed to by all of the Allies. The Atlantic Charter stated the main goals of the war, which were no territorial gains or changes made against the wishes of the people, restoration of self-government to those deprived of it, reduced trade restrictions, global cooperation to secure better economic and social conditions for all, freedom from fear, want, and the seas, and the abandonment of the use of force, as well as much disarmament of aggressor nations. In the "Declaration by United Nations" (January 1st 1942), the Allies of Wold War I pledged to this charter's principles.
The Atlantic Charter set many goals for the post- war world, and inspired several of the international agreements that shaped the world after the war. Examples such as the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the post-war independence of European colonies, and much more were derived from the Atlantic Charter.
The Atlantic Charter's eight principle points:
- no territorial gains were to be sought by the United States or the United Kingdom
- territorial adjustments must be in accord with the wishes of the peoples concerned
- all people had a right to self-determination
- trade barriers were to be lowered
- global economic cooperation and advancement of social welfare
- participants would work for a world free of want and fear
- participants would work for freedom of the seas
- disarmament of aggressor nations, and a post-war common disarmament
9/11 Conspiracy
The conspiracy theories surrounding the attacks on September 11, 2001 are mainly based upon the idea that the government had prior knowledge of the attacks and let it happen in order to have an excuse for invading Afghanistan. There are many people who immediately discount such an idea based on the fact they do not believe the government would do something like this. This is just plain wrong, in fact, they have done it multiple times before. Others may say that there was no benefit for the U.S. government financially from moving into Afghanistan which is also incorrect.
The best example I have in which the government sacrificed the lives of Americans in order to make their political move was in the Vietnam War. The evidence we now know surrounding the golf of Tonkin incident points towards our boats never even being attacked. The fighting in the area was just between the South and North Vietnamese yet in order to get involved, we pretended that we were attacked. The benefit for certain individuals regarding being in Afghanistan is massive. From 5 trillion dollar veins of Lithium to the constant oil reserves that supply a majority of our vehicles with oil today, the reason for our invasion spreads from money to power.
The last and most important piece of evidence that supports this theory is the actual occurrence followed by the cover-ups that are quite unlikely to be true. After looking into this for hours the most prominent evidence is the heat. Even though the hole in the pentagon was small and deep with no plane debris or the remains of one person found, the missile theory is not as clear as the science of fire. The open air burning of jet fuel is only 350 degrees Celsius which is half of the 700 degrees Celsius it takes to weaken the steel used on the towers. Not to mention the jet fuel burned for a few minutes and the majority of the fire was just from furniture reported at around 650 degree Fahrenheit. (not even close)There is also clear video footage of Thermite coming out of the towers before collapse and if you look at these heat maps it is clear that five days after the attacks there were pockets of melted steel far below underground where the basements of the towers used to be and they are still burning at over 2000 degrees Fahrenheit. In addition to the thermite being seen, it is among the only material that can actually burn steel fast enough to make the towers fall at free fall speed. And to top it off building 7 fell clearly from a controlled demolition and was not even struck by a plane. A few fires inside apparently made a steel structure that is 52 stories tall fall in a matter of seconds. Not one credible demolition expert has ever denied that it seemed to clearly be a demolition besides the leader of the 9/11 investigation who closely worked with the supposed government officials who were aware of the situation.
The pure coincidence of every fighter jet on the east coast that was capable to shoot down the plane being flown away that morning is just too good to be true. It is also almost every firefighter's story that they heard constant explosions coming from below them and in the basement when they were told to leave. The explosions were so powerful and so deep in the ground they measured as a midsize earthquake on the Richtor scale. The main blasts were timed at 7-8 seconds before the towers fell. Hopefully this will make you rethink just believing the official story and look at the huge amount of evidence that is available to you.
P.S. The only reason I can't site all these sources is because these are mostly from memory and I do not have time.
The KKK, Racial Supremacist. and Nationalism
The KKK was established following the Civil War by confederates who opposed the abolition of slavery and the integration of blacks into Southern society. The Klan held ideals of racial supremacy, and racist ideas that they were supreme, leading them to commit atrocities towards colored people in the South. They weren't however just a band of brigands. During the period of terror, 1865-mid 20th century, they would lynch thousands of blacks, and reduce the quality of life to what some say is worse than slavery(see image below)
(Worse Than Slavery)
Americans did little to stop the klans activities until the civil rights movement. Even in the 20th century the klan could exercise their influence, and in the small towns they came from, no one would challenge them out of fear, because even important towns people could be members of the klan themselves.
However modern day understanding is that the klan's old activities are illegal and banned, yet somehow the klan survives. The website says they are now a "White Nationalist" society wanting to "Preserve White America." In our society they have the right to their freedom of speech, yet it begs the question. If they are such a changed organization, why keep the infamous name and tradition?
(Worse Than Slavery)
Americans did little to stop the klans activities until the civil rights movement. Even in the 20th century the klan could exercise their influence, and in the small towns they came from, no one would challenge them out of fear, because even important towns people could be members of the klan themselves.
However modern day understanding is that the klan's old activities are illegal and banned, yet somehow the klan survives. The website says they are now a "White Nationalist" society wanting to "Preserve White America." In our society they have the right to their freedom of speech, yet it begs the question. If they are such a changed organization, why keep the infamous name and tradition?
Military Industrial Complex
Dwight Eisenhower coined a term which today has been heralded and protested in our recent history. “The Military Industrial Complex” is an idea that the government and our modern military industry companies are intimate with our government. So much, that it is clear enough our government profits from going to war. In recent years 2003, companies like Lockheed Martin, which consider themselves close with the government, had stock increases of over 33%, achieving a net value of 33 billion dollars. Modern warfare requires the cooperation of many companies and resources today, providing work and money for multitudes of companies. Yet the Military industrial complex was not started in 2003, and it cannot be so easily undone. The question is this; How and when did the American military industrial complex first arrive, and if we are so adverse to it, then how do we stop it?
War profiteering and this phenomenon are not the same thing however. War profiteering is not due to the governments enticement, rather people just take advantage of the situation, ei purchasing food at low prices, smuggling them into a warzone and charging outrageous prices. This sort of behavior has been observed throughout human and American history, but can we point to the one moment that the government joined in?
A lot of evidence points towards WW2. While perhaps the government did not desire to be so benefited by the human misery, there became a huge incentive for weapons manufacturing to take the lead of industry. Governments began their intimacy here I believe, and with the rocketing success of this effort, lead the government to want to hold on until future wars.
The Korean War happening only a few years later, and Vietnam after that.
Wars have just been occurring in rapid succession, and these companies pockets have been filled with the governments money and assurance. So if they are such a part of our country, and benefit to our economy, how can we overcome it?
The military production is what brought America out of the depression, and it’s what we are now so heavily reliant upon, so is the answer to begin relying on something else? What does America produce thats better than war? Most of our essential resources are imported, and the rest are not large enough to encompass our huge need for sustainability.
Space Race
The space race basically started on October 4, 1957 when the Russians launched the first satellite into space called Sputnik. This scared the United States into reacting because of the fear that it was now possible for the Soviets to launch nuclear missiles. The situation only digressed for America once the second Sputnik went into space except this time it was caring a living dog named Laika that meant it was possible for the Russians to send people into space. The first time that the Soviets got some competition from the United States was January 1958 when we launched Explorer 1 when we launched into space. Even though the Soviets were clearly winning the race at this point they kept pushing and pulled even farther ahead when Yuri Gagarin of Russia became the first man to ever be in orbit. Although it was only a month behind that the U.S.'s Alan Shepard reached space, it was another year before American John Glenn was able to successfully go into orbit.
At this point The United States felt very uncomfortable being in this situation and it was clear that they needed to start progressing much faster in order to be the threat they hoped to be. The United States decided that the only way for them to win the race would be to get the first man on the moon, from then on that was our primary objective. Even Kennedy proclaimed that by 1970 we will have landed a man on the moon and brought him back safely. A 25 billion dollar investment to create the Apollo project was formed. Just 6 months before the end of the decade Neil Armstrong landed on the moon and set the stage for what America had to show. The very next day a Russian droid that was attempting to make a lunar landing crashed and was completely destroyed. This signified the end of the space race and a revolutionary underdog victory from America after struggling to keep up for almost a decade.
Cuban and American Relations
Since our study of the Cuban missile crisis which focused on both the Soviet Union's placement of missiles in Cuban territory, I've been quite interested in Cuba itself. After doing more research, I decided to make a post on some general information about Cuba and its relations with the United States.
The Republic of Cuba is an island in the Caribbean located South of Florida. Cuba is composed of one main island, the Isle of Youth, and several archipelagos. Other islands around Cuba are the Bahamas, Haiti, the Dominican Republic , and the Cayman Islands.
This is the flag of Cuba:
The capital of Cuba is Havana. Havana is the largest city in Cuba in both population and area. The city of Havana was founded by the Spanish during their conquest of the island, led by Christopher Columbus in the Age of Exploration. Another major city is Santiago de Cuba , the second largest city of Cuba.
After the war between Spain and America ended in 1898 , the United States controlled Cuba for half a century under a dictatorship. There was a lot of political agitation which sparked a change in Cuban society. In January 1965, Fidel Castro led a movement to overthrow the dictator. This historic revolution shall always remembered and the overthrowing of President Batista, a dictator which had nothing but contempt for his people. By stirring people up, the gained greater beliefs and ignited the rise of communism. Succeeding, Castro instilled a new socialist government, and since then, Cuba has remained a communist country. Even today, Cuba is a country of one-party, and other political parties are prohibited from participating in elections.
After Castro took over the government , there was a 6 year long rebellion against Castro involving thousands of executions. In 1962 , Cuba had came into conflict with the United States in the Bay of Pigs invasion. Soviet Communists were storing missiles in Cuba, and Cuba surrounded with its navy , which posed a threat to the U.S. As a result, Cuba has became a very highly controversial nation for communistic and anti-communistic believers.
Cuban's foreign policy has been quite brutal to say the least. Now, the U.S. and Cuba remain very hostile relations. In isolation, Cuba has prevented itself from interacting and trading with the United States as a nation for many years. In turn, Cuba has relied on many other nations such as Brazil and China as reliable trade partners for their economy.
The Republic of Cuba is an island in the Caribbean located South of Florida. Cuba is composed of one main island, the Isle of Youth, and several archipelagos. Other islands around Cuba are the Bahamas, Haiti, the Dominican Republic , and the Cayman Islands.
This is the flag of Cuba:
The capital of Cuba is Havana. Havana is the largest city in Cuba in both population and area. The city of Havana was founded by the Spanish during their conquest of the island, led by Christopher Columbus in the Age of Exploration. Another major city is Santiago de Cuba , the second largest city of Cuba.
After the war between Spain and America ended in 1898 , the United States controlled Cuba for half a century under a dictatorship. There was a lot of political agitation which sparked a change in Cuban society. In January 1965, Fidel Castro led a movement to overthrow the dictator. This historic revolution shall always remembered and the overthrowing of President Batista, a dictator which had nothing but contempt for his people. By stirring people up, the gained greater beliefs and ignited the rise of communism. Succeeding, Castro instilled a new socialist government, and since then, Cuba has remained a communist country. Even today, Cuba is a country of one-party, and other political parties are prohibited from participating in elections.
After Castro took over the government , there was a 6 year long rebellion against Castro involving thousands of executions. In 1962 , Cuba had came into conflict with the United States in the Bay of Pigs invasion. Soviet Communists were storing missiles in Cuba, and Cuba surrounded with its navy , which posed a threat to the U.S. As a result, Cuba has became a very highly controversial nation for communistic and anti-communistic believers.
Cuban's foreign policy has been quite brutal to say the least. Now, the U.S. and Cuba remain very hostile relations. In isolation, Cuba has prevented itself from interacting and trading with the United States as a nation for many years. In turn, Cuba has relied on many other nations such as Brazil and China as reliable trade partners for their economy.
Origins: Basketball
Basketball is my favorite sport of all time. Every other sport in my humble opinion is either too slow or too restricting. Baseball is a very slow game, I feel as if it is a game that is an acquired taste like the food steak tar-tar. Golf also falls under the same category. Football has too many rules, too much stop and go, its not fast paced enough. The only other sport that I can compare to basketball is soccer, but in soccer only a few times in a game does a person score, that's no fun. Basketball is and always will be one of my passions not only because of how exhilarating it is while playing, but the history behind the creation of this amazing sport.
Basketball is one of the most internationally played sports in the world. From New York to London, to Paris, to Beijing. It's played in the city parks of New York to the dusty plains of Africa, and the expensive courts in America. The game is played with anything that represents a ball, and a mounted circular ring. Unlike other sports basketball doesn't require much, all you need is a few teammates and willingness to play.
The first type of basketball to be played may have been played by the Olmec people of ancient Mexico as early as 500 years ago. The Aztec, and Mayan cultures also had a similar sport where they would use the skull of their conquered foes. Basketball was truly born on January 20th, 1892 by John Naismith in Springfield Massachusetts. Naismith invented the game for the YMCA as a game to be played during the winter. Naismith wrote simple rules for the game and nailed two peach baskets on opposite sides of the court. The first game ever consisted of 18 players, or nine to a team. They used a soccer ball since the basketball was not designed or invented at this point. The concept of the game was very foreign to the players and after the final 30 minutes the score was 1-0. William R. Chase was the first person to a score a "bucket" ever in basketball history.
Naismith revolutionized the athletic world forever after came up with this idea of "basketball". Basketball has become one of the most renowned sports in the world and continues to thrive and prosper. I believe the world would not be the same without this sport, the term "slam dunk" is one of the most commonly used phrases and could not have been coined without the invention of this sport.
Basketball is one of the most internationally played sports in the world. From New York to London, to Paris, to Beijing. It's played in the city parks of New York to the dusty plains of Africa, and the expensive courts in America. The game is played with anything that represents a ball, and a mounted circular ring. Unlike other sports basketball doesn't require much, all you need is a few teammates and willingness to play.
The first type of basketball to be played may have been played by the Olmec people of ancient Mexico as early as 500 years ago. The Aztec, and Mayan cultures also had a similar sport where they would use the skull of their conquered foes. Basketball was truly born on January 20th, 1892 by John Naismith in Springfield Massachusetts. Naismith invented the game for the YMCA as a game to be played during the winter. Naismith wrote simple rules for the game and nailed two peach baskets on opposite sides of the court. The first game ever consisted of 18 players, or nine to a team. They used a soccer ball since the basketball was not designed or invented at this point. The concept of the game was very foreign to the players and after the final 30 minutes the score was 1-0. William R. Chase was the first person to a score a "bucket" ever in basketball history.
Naismith revolutionized the athletic world forever after came up with this idea of "basketball". Basketball has become one of the most renowned sports in the world and continues to thrive and prosper. I believe the world would not be the same without this sport, the term "slam dunk" is one of the most commonly used phrases and could not have been coined without the invention of this sport.
Moon Conspiracy Theory
In honor of our conspiracy day last Thursday, I have decided to take a look into the one conspiracy theory that I never really got the time to get to know: the fake moon landing theory. Over the years, I have heard many people mention that they believed that the moon landing was staged, but I never really took the time to examine all the evidence at play. Lets look at the "facts":
1. Photographs taken on the moon by American astronauts were void of all stars in the background sky. Due to the fact that the moon has no atmosphere, shouldn't there be an abundance of stars? (This claim was later invalidated due to the fact that the reflection of light on the moon's surface was so bright that it would have been impossible to capture anything else).
2. Conspiracy theorists claim that there is a moon rock with the letter "C" on it, and while no real explanation presents itself, the letter "C" doesn't really have anything to do with anything.
3. Other Conspiracy theorists argue that there are different shadow lengths in the pictures taken by the astronauts, but NASA claims that this is due to the rocky and bumpy nature on the moon's surface, but how accurate is NASA's claim?
4. Video footage of the American flag on the moon seems to suggest that the flag is "flapping" in the breeze as if it was filmed outside or in an air conditioned building. As a result of the moon's lack of an atmosphere, such a "flapping" motion on the flag would have been physically impossible.
5. Hardcore conspiracy theorists claim that the footage of the astronauts jumping on the moon was simulated through slow motion cinematography and wires, but scientists refute this claim through evidence that if the astronauts were to be jumping on Earth, the dust that they kicked up would form clouds, rather than settling right back down on the surface of the "moon"
While this evidence may seem compelling and NASA's arguments's may seem a little splotchy, why would they want to fake the moon landing in the first place? The answer can be found in the Cold War. If you remember back to the Space Race, our initial rocket program was a complete and utter catastrophe. In order to catch up and show the world that the Soviet Union wasn't taking the upper hand in technology, NASA allegedly faked the moon landing, wowing the world, and once again taking its place at the top of the Cold War. You are ultimately the one's who decides for yourself, but keep in mind that things aren't always what they seem.
Afternote: With the stress of finals, this song might cheer you guys up. It was written about the moon landing hoax, and I found it to be very funny. You can find the video here.
1. Photographs taken on the moon by American astronauts were void of all stars in the background sky. Due to the fact that the moon has no atmosphere, shouldn't there be an abundance of stars? (This claim was later invalidated due to the fact that the reflection of light on the moon's surface was so bright that it would have been impossible to capture anything else).
2. Conspiracy theorists claim that there is a moon rock with the letter "C" on it, and while no real explanation presents itself, the letter "C" doesn't really have anything to do with anything.
3. Other Conspiracy theorists argue that there are different shadow lengths in the pictures taken by the astronauts, but NASA claims that this is due to the rocky and bumpy nature on the moon's surface, but how accurate is NASA's claim?
4. Video footage of the American flag on the moon seems to suggest that the flag is "flapping" in the breeze as if it was filmed outside or in an air conditioned building. As a result of the moon's lack of an atmosphere, such a "flapping" motion on the flag would have been physically impossible.
5. Hardcore conspiracy theorists claim that the footage of the astronauts jumping on the moon was simulated through slow motion cinematography and wires, but scientists refute this claim through evidence that if the astronauts were to be jumping on Earth, the dust that they kicked up would form clouds, rather than settling right back down on the surface of the "moon"
While this evidence may seem compelling and NASA's arguments's may seem a little splotchy, why would they want to fake the moon landing in the first place? The answer can be found in the Cold War. If you remember back to the Space Race, our initial rocket program was a complete and utter catastrophe. In order to catch up and show the world that the Soviet Union wasn't taking the upper hand in technology, NASA allegedly faked the moon landing, wowing the world, and once again taking its place at the top of the Cold War. You are ultimately the one's who decides for yourself, but keep in mind that things aren't always what they seem.
Afternote: With the stress of finals, this song might cheer you guys up. It was written about the moon landing hoax, and I found it to be very funny. You can find the video here.
Thursday, May 22, 2014
The Legacy of Obama
Obama will, undoubtedly, go down in the history books most notably as the first African-American president of the United States. However, the rest of Obama's presidency will ultimately reside in the success of the Affordable Healthcare Act, and the state of the economy at the end of his term.
The Affordable Healthcare Act, commonly known as Obamacare, is a controversial piece of legislation which calls for mandatory medical coverage. In essence, it forces Americans to buy some form of healthcare. Obama established the act in hopes of improving Medicare, and provide Americans with new benefits and protections. Opposed by conservative republicans who believe that Obamacare is infringing on the constitutional rights of Americans, the act's success still remains to be determined. In February of 2014, the rate of uninsured Americans was down from 18% (before Obamacare) to 12.9%. So, while it is off to a good start, the Affordable Healthcare Act pushes the boundaries of constitutionality.
When Obama inherited the presidency in 2008 from Bush, America was in the middle of the Great Recession. The housing bubble combined with the collapse of Wall Street led to the worst economic times since the Great Depression. Obama's various recovery acts, such as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan, were greatly opposed by the Republicans, resulting in a loss of potential effectiveness. While the economy is definitely building back up, whether or not it will be achieving its full potential by the end of Obama's second term remains to be seen.
Even though Obama has also been heading the War on Terror for six years, that is not what he will be remembered for. Obama's legacy comes down to the success of his Affordable Healthcare Act and of his economic recovery acts. If the economy is at, or close, to its pre-recession stability, Obama will most likely go down in history as an effective president who, despite radical political opposition, was able to stabilize the economy all while improving the American healthcare system.
The Affordable Healthcare Act, commonly known as Obamacare, is a controversial piece of legislation which calls for mandatory medical coverage. In essence, it forces Americans to buy some form of healthcare. Obama established the act in hopes of improving Medicare, and provide Americans with new benefits and protections. Opposed by conservative republicans who believe that Obamacare is infringing on the constitutional rights of Americans, the act's success still remains to be determined. In February of 2014, the rate of uninsured Americans was down from 18% (before Obamacare) to 12.9%. So, while it is off to a good start, the Affordable Healthcare Act pushes the boundaries of constitutionality.
When Obama inherited the presidency in 2008 from Bush, America was in the middle of the Great Recession. The housing bubble combined with the collapse of Wall Street led to the worst economic times since the Great Depression. Obama's various recovery acts, such as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan, were greatly opposed by the Republicans, resulting in a loss of potential effectiveness. While the economy is definitely building back up, whether or not it will be achieving its full potential by the end of Obama's second term remains to be seen.
Even though Obama has also been heading the War on Terror for six years, that is not what he will be remembered for. Obama's legacy comes down to the success of his Affordable Healthcare Act and of his economic recovery acts. If the economy is at, or close, to its pre-recession stability, Obama will most likely go down in history as an effective president who, despite radical political opposition, was able to stabilize the economy all while improving the American healthcare system.
Pete O'Neal and the Black Panthers, by Emma and Elise
Mehr’s post about the Black Panthers reminded us of a super cool experience that we (Elise and Emma) had over the summer, and although I (Elise) commented, I thought it might be interesting to do a more in depth post about Black Panther Pete O’Neal. So here is a joint post by us detailing our experience meeting two black panther members Pete O’Neal his wife Charlotte, aka “Mama C".
(them in the 60s)
(them now)
Pete O’Neal was the head of the Kansas City Chapter of the Black Panther organization until 1969, when he was arrested for a crime he still claims he did not commit: transporting guns across state lines, which had been outlawed two weeks before. Instead of facing their jail time, Pete and Mama C fled the country to Algeria. After spending about a year there, they decided to move again to Tanzania.
There, they build a compound around 45 minutes outside Arusha, one of the central cities in Tanzania. While there, we had a chance to visit them. We watched a documentary by PBS (see bottom of post for link), which aired in 2004. Even if you don’t have time to watch it, the description is really interesting.
After the documentary, we were given a tour around their compound. The O’Neals support an orphanage there, along with some schooling facilities. The coolest building, though, was the recording studio. Mama C is a musician who creates some pretty eclectic music, and getting to “jam” with her and some other drummers was a super fun experience. Mama C and our group having fun with some music (sorry about the not great quality)
(the orphanage)
(wall in their compound)
(recording studio) (learning room)
(inside the learning room)
In the past year (we think, maybe two years) there has been another appeal to pardon Pete O’Neal, who has not been back to the US in 43 years. The last request for a pardon he made in 1996 was rejected, although his wife has returned to visit the states on occasion.
If anyone is interested in learning more about these people, you should watch the PBS documentary. It goes into depth about Pete O’Neal as an individual, both as a member of the Black Panthers and now. Definitely worth watching!
(our group with the O’Neals)
The thing we found most surprising was the contrast between the people we had seen on the screen when we were shown the documentary, and the people we had just met. I (Emma) remember meeting Pete and thinking what a nice old grandpa-ish guy he was (and I, Elise, remember thinking they were hilarious, making us right at home), and then he showed us the documentary and a younger version of him was standing in front of a microphone waving a gun, and we could not put the two together. Obviously people change, but for Pete and Mama C that change was on the larger end of the scale. What they are doing in Tanzania is truly extraordinary, and they are changing the lives of so many of the underprivileged young people in their region.
It was truly an honor to meet them, and we would definitely visit again if we got the chance. If you ever happen to travel there we would definitely recommend checking them out. They always need volunteers to help teach and care for the children, and of course their recording studio is pretty legit.
Women in the 20th Century (Part III)
And… Part 3! Please keep in mind though that this in no way covers all the important women of the 20th century. There are tons and these are just a few of them, but there are a lot of influential women who don’t get enough recognition if you want to check them out.
Anyway, since the last three were white women I thought I should probably include an influential woman of color to finish this up. And since Rosa Parks is pretty awesome she gets her own blog post.
Rosa Parks
Most descriptions of Rosa Parks say that her greatest contribution to the Civil Rights movement was refusing to leave her seat so that a white man could sit down. Generally afterwards they say that Martin Luther King organized the Montgomery Bus Boycott afterwards. It’s true that he did, but everyone forgets to mention that he did it with her help, and that she was already considering the possibility of making her action a protest before she’d even been bailed out of jail. They also omit the fact that Parks was involved in the Civil Rights Movement long before the bus incident.
She’d been an active member of the NAACP for years and at the time she was the secretary of her local chapter. She had already started working with King on peaceful protests before the boycott occurred, though her involvement in his movement largely grew after the boycott.
Her commitment to the NAACP and the Civil Rights Movement was extensive. She was behind-the-scenes of many of the major events of the movement, printing pamphlets, doing secretarial work, helping other NAACP members organize protests, and founding and working with NAACP youth groups. She worked closely with many famous Civil Rights activists, most notably King.
The Montgomery Bus Boycott is significant, even though it wasn’t Parks’s only contribution to the movement as many textbooks claim it was. Parks refused to give her seat up on a Montgomery bus for a white man considerably younger than her and much more capable of standing in the aisle. This was against the rules of the bus system, which stated that she had to give up her seat. Parks refused, and calmly allowed herself to be arrested and taken to jail. NAACP members bailed her out, and she started working with activists, including King, to turn the event into a boycott.
Through the churches they organized a system of station wagon taxis which they could take to work instead of the buses. Police started cracking down on the station wagon taxis, saying public transportation not controlled by the government was illegal, but the protesters still refused to ride the buses, and a huge number of Montgomery African Americans were involved. The city eventually repealed segregation of buses, because they needed the bus fares of African American commuters, who formed a majority of those who had used to commute by bus. It was a huge triumph for the Civil Rights Movement which would not have been possible without Parks’s involvement in the boycott.
I think the reason that Rosa Parks is only famous for the bus incident is because it’s the only moment that’s memorable. Most of her work could only be appreciated by the people involved in the protests she she helped to organize and publicize. Unfortunately she lived in a time where a black man had little respect and a black woman close to no respect, so she couldn’t take control of movements on her own. However, her contributions to the Civil Rights movement nevertheless have made an impact.
For more information you can check out these websites:
This one says “Rosa Parks was a devout Christian” in the corner which is a bit weird, but from what I can tell the information is pretty accurate and there is a lot of it: http://www.rosaparksfacts.com/
Anything I said that isn’t in the links is from what I remember from her autobiography My Story which is a pretty interesting book if you want to know more.
As I said, there are a ton of influential women I didn’t get to, especially a bunch who worked in literature and music and art, so if you’re interested in the topic you can check those out. Hope you enjoyed these posts!
The United States Flag Code
Earlier this week, Joshua Brubaker, a man claiming to support the American Indian Movement (AIM) hung an American flag upside-down outside of his house and spray-painted it with the letters "AIM" in Allegheny, Pennsylvania. He was protesting the commercial sale of land from the Wounded Knee Massacre site. The town authorities and police department responded aggressively, taking down the flag and charging Brubaker with defiling the flag. This meant that Brubaker had used the flag in a way that was not deemed proper by the state of Pennsylvania, and would be charged with a criminal misdemeanor. Pennsylvania, like others of the 48 out of 50 U.S. states, follows the U.S. flag code laws in regards to the treatment of the American flag. (Source: http://www.abc6onyourside.com/shared/news/features/top-stories/stories/wsyx_penn-man-hangs-spray-painted-american-flag-upside-down-outside-home-31627.shtml)
The U.S. Flag Code, established on June 14, 1923, is a set of laws regarding etiquette and usage of the flag, including anti-desecration laws. Hanging a flag upside-down is a military sign of distress, so to many Americans, especially war veterans, a civilian hanging a flag upside-down to make a statement is extremely disrespectful and unpatriotic. But should it be illegal?
Technically, it is illegal, according to federal law. However, unlike the other U.S. codes, the U.S. Flag Code doesn't have any official federal measures for enforcement or punishment. Essentially, it is just a set of rules for Americans to follow in order to show respect for the flag. However, many states have their individual laws regarding the usage of the flag. This clashes with the First Amendment's right of freedom of speech and expression.
In the 1989 case Texas vs. Johnson, where a man burned the American flag, the Supreme Court invalidated such laws, since they violated the First Amendment. Congress responded by passing the Flag Protection Act, which made flag desecration a federal crime. The Supreme Court promptly struck down the constitutionality of the law in the United States vs. Eichman case of 1990.
Essentially, the U.S. Flag Code is an antiquated set of "laws" and should be seen as just a set of guidelines for etiquette. For example, one of the rules in the code states that the use of the flag for advertising purposes is prohibited. However, this rule was invalidated early on when politicians wanted to use the flag's image in their campaigns. The American flag is widely used today as an image or symbol on clothing and advertisements. Even though the code has been ruled unconstitutional, some states, like Pennsylvania, still treat the code as a law. For the entire U.S. Flag Code, see: http://www.ushistory.org/betsy/flagcode.htm
The U.S. Flag Code, established on June 14, 1923, is a set of laws regarding etiquette and usage of the flag, including anti-desecration laws. Hanging a flag upside-down is a military sign of distress, so to many Americans, especially war veterans, a civilian hanging a flag upside-down to make a statement is extremely disrespectful and unpatriotic. But should it be illegal?
 |
| Brubaker's Flag |
In the 1989 case Texas vs. Johnson, where a man burned the American flag, the Supreme Court invalidated such laws, since they violated the First Amendment. Congress responded by passing the Flag Protection Act, which made flag desecration a federal crime. The Supreme Court promptly struck down the constitutionality of the law in the United States vs. Eichman case of 1990.
Essentially, the U.S. Flag Code is an antiquated set of "laws" and should be seen as just a set of guidelines for etiquette. For example, one of the rules in the code states that the use of the flag for advertising purposes is prohibited. However, this rule was invalidated early on when politicians wanted to use the flag's image in their campaigns. The American flag is widely used today as an image or symbol on clothing and advertisements. Even though the code has been ruled unconstitutional, some states, like Pennsylvania, still treat the code as a law. For the entire U.S. Flag Code, see: http://www.ushistory.org/betsy/flagcode.htm
What is our nation doing?
I read this article on Obama's recent decision to deploy American troops to Chad in order to help find students, schoolgirls, that have gone missing. Here's the link:
http://mashable.com/2014/05/21/obama-troops-nigeria-schoolgirls/
The person who wrote this article, Brian Ries, has come to the conclusion that Obama has sent troops to do something else. The troops, according to Brian and the information he found, are going to work on drones, not actually save the missing children. "Their main priority is to work on drones — not walk through a forest to search for the missing girls" is outrageous to the common man's mind. If our nation is aware of horrific events and has the resources to help another nation that has people clearly suffering, why wouldn't we help? Why would we put up a false front that says, "Oh ya, we'll help find those missing children!" when in reality, our nation is simply going to go work and test the drones that we've spent so much money on.
In many ways, it's hard to believe Rie's conclusion, but it does make sense. However, other articles from much more reliable and trusted sources take no mention of the "true" intentions behind sending Armed forces. Organizations such as ABC and The Washington Post have articles that state American troops are there to help the missing and captured Nigerians in Chad, and make no mention of the work with drones except that they will be surveying the area.
Those articles can be found here:
Washington Post:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-deploys-80-military-personnel-to-chad/2014/05/21/edd7d21a-e11d-11e3-810f-764fe508b82d_story.html
ABC News:
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2014/05/u-s-sends-drone-80-troops-to-chad-for-missing-schoolgirls-search/
I wouldn't go as far as saying this is a "conspiracy" that the government is hiding because if it is, it's clearly not well hidden if it was, as Mr. Ries said, publicly announced as a "War Powers Notification". But this is an interesting event, very modern and contemporary, and I happened to read multiple articles on it. So, what do you guys think is really happening? Is Ries correct? Is American right in sending troops to help a foreign nation?
http://mashable.com/2014/05/21/obama-troops-nigeria-schoolgirls/
The person who wrote this article, Brian Ries, has come to the conclusion that Obama has sent troops to do something else. The troops, according to Brian and the information he found, are going to work on drones, not actually save the missing children. "Their main priority is to work on drones — not walk through a forest to search for the missing girls" is outrageous to the common man's mind. If our nation is aware of horrific events and has the resources to help another nation that has people clearly suffering, why wouldn't we help? Why would we put up a false front that says, "Oh ya, we'll help find those missing children!" when in reality, our nation is simply going to go work and test the drones that we've spent so much money on.
In many ways, it's hard to believe Rie's conclusion, but it does make sense. However, other articles from much more reliable and trusted sources take no mention of the "true" intentions behind sending Armed forces. Organizations such as ABC and The Washington Post have articles that state American troops are there to help the missing and captured Nigerians in Chad, and make no mention of the work with drones except that they will be surveying the area.
Those articles can be found here:
Washington Post:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-deploys-80-military-personnel-to-chad/2014/05/21/edd7d21a-e11d-11e3-810f-764fe508b82d_story.html
ABC News:
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2014/05/u-s-sends-drone-80-troops-to-chad-for-missing-schoolgirls-search/
I wouldn't go as far as saying this is a "conspiracy" that the government is hiding because if it is, it's clearly not well hidden if it was, as Mr. Ries said, publicly announced as a "War Powers Notification". But this is an interesting event, very modern and contemporary, and I happened to read multiple articles on it. So, what do you guys think is really happening? Is Ries correct? Is American right in sending troops to help a foreign nation?
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