Impeachment Vote Success

Summary: On October 31, 2019, the US House of Representatives voted to officially start the impeachment possess of President Trump. The vote was 232-196, and starts laying out the plan for the impeachment investigation to continue into President Trump's attempts to pressure Ukraine into investigating former Vice President Joe Biden. This only formalizes the House investigation, and does not move the vote to the Senate to remove Trump from office.

Reaction: I am not sure I am completely behind this because of who the next President of the United States would be if Trump got impeached (Vice President Mike Pence). I do not like the idea of a Pence presidency because of his strict anti-LGBTQ ideals, along with some of his other policies. However, I do support the impeachment because I think that it is important to prove that in America you are not allowed to get away with what Trump has done. This man has told over 13,000 lies according to the Washington Post and has openly admitted to accepting foreign assistance in order to help his own political career. What he has done is unprecedented and should be punished.

Question: What do you think about impeaching Donald Trump? Do you support it or are you against it and why?

Connection to History: Previous impeachments of President Bill Clinton and Andrew Johnson and attempted impeachment of Richard Nixon. Also the process of Impeachment in America.

Sources:
(1) https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/10/14/president-trump-has-made-false-or-misleading-claims-over-days/
(2) https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/31/politics/house-impeachment-inquiry-resolution-floor-vote/index.html

The American Experience: Swiss exchange students at Lowell exposed to American gun violence

https://thelowell.org/7948/uncategorized/the-american-experience/

(More information about shooting: https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/10/26/active-shooter-reported-at-great-america-no-shots-fired/)

(Three of the Swiss exchange students that are visiting Lowell)

Summary: There are currently 11 Swiss students visiting Lowell as part of a cultural exchange program with SF's sister city, Zurich. They're learning a lot about what it means to live in America, which includes family life, colloquials, and the school system, but also the reality of gun violence that American citizens face. They were at Lowell during the lockout after the shooting on Eucalyptus Drive, and also experienced the shooting scare at Great America's Halloween Haunt while attending the fair. Though the reports of an active shooter turned out to be false, the Swiss students have realized how real some negative stereotypes about the U.S. are.

Reaction: I feel terrible for the Swiss students, who definitely didn't expect to encounter any situations like these during their stay here. It seems like a fluke that these two events would occur during their 3-week stint in the U.S., but an average of 100 people are shot and killed in America every day. This reminded me of how prominent an issue gun violence is.

Connection to U.S. History: This connects to U.S. history because the 2nd Amendment, which guarantees American citizens the right to own firearms, has been a large argument against implementing more thorough gun control legislation.

Question: What do you think should be done about gun violence? John Locke believed that humans are obligated to give up some of their rights in order to preserve a functioning government and society in the interests of all people; do you agree that individual rights such as the right to bear arms must be compromised in order to create a safer nation?

Marker calls 1898 violence a ‘coup,’ not a ‘race riot’

Link to source: https://apnews.com/d1895ecdfc834a93b4d429f3026c0f34

Summary: People gathered around a North Carolina historical highway marker on Friday, November 8, 2019. The marker is located next to the Wilmington Light Infantry building, where in 1898, White Democrats overthrew a legitimate elected government that had both White and Black republicans, and is the only successful coup d'etat in U.S. history. The marker originally included the phrase "race riot." Many people found this offensive and insensitive, like Deborah Dicks Maxwell, who is the president of a local NAACP branch. When referring to "violence left up to 60 blacks dead" in the original statement, she said, "[w]e'll never know how many people died"—blacks were not documented the same way whites were because it didn't matter back then.

Reaction: I think the names definitely affect people's perceptions of the events. People may form an idea—maybe unconsciously and with influence from their opinions, ideals, and bias—before they truly know the details purely based on the name. I think using "coup" more accurately describes what went down—Democrats wanted to violently overthrow the government that had both Black and White elected officials.

Connection to U.S. history: This relates to the many acts of violence and oppression against African Americans directly influenced by racial prejudice. For example, Jim Crow laws mandated "separate-but-equal" racial segregation in public facilities and transportation.

Questions for discussion: Do you think phasing out the usage of the phrase "race riots" would allow the 1898 violence to be better represented, or is it just something people find offensive just to find it offensive, and why? What does this say about the impact of names? Do you think there are some events that are misconstrued because of the name?

Trump Formally Pulls out of Paris Agreement

Link to source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/11/04/trump-just-formally-pulled-us-out-paris-agreement-this-is-dark-day-america/

Summary: Trump has decided to pull out of the Paris Agreement which nearly every other country on Earth, in collaboration with the UN, has signed in order to combat climate change. The agreement was part of Obama's presidential policies, and this may be another attempt to sabotage Obama's legacy. Trump claims to be withdrawing for economic reasons but the clean-energy economy currently employs 3.3 million Americans, with solar employing twice as many people as coal. To make matters worse, the US's withdrawal from this agreement will set us further behind other powerful countries like China who invest 3 dollars for every dollar the US invests in clean energy. Not only is this decision bad for our economy, it is a selfish act that jeopardizes the lives and futures of people living across the world.

Reaction: I believe that this is a short sighted and rash decision on President Trump's part, revealing again to the world how inconsiderate and unwise our nation's leader really is. This will have devastating effects on the climate, and revert the progress our country has made since signing on in 2016 towards finding a reliable solution to climate change. The US is among the top countries contributing to climate change, and this decision angers me because I see it as counterintuitive and certainly not based in reason. Personally, I want my kids to be able to see the world in all of its beauty if possible.

Connection to US History: This connects to the party/personal rivalry between Presidents John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson. Just as Jackson wanted to undo JQ Adams policies, President Trump has been focused on ending several elements of President Obama's legacy. Trump has repeatedly tried to end Obamacare, he has undone Obama's immigration policies, and several of the housing policies implemented by Obama and his administration.

Questions for Discussion: How could this be justified? What are the pros and cons of this decision? Give your personal opinion.

Widespread outrage due to Rapper T.I. revealing about his daughter's "virginity tests"

Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/07/health/ti-daughter-virginity-test.html

Summary:
Rapper T.I., Clifford Joseph Harris Jr., announced on a podcast this Tuesday, November 5, that he takes his daughter to a gynecologist checkup annually to ensure that she hasn't "lost her virginity".

Reaction:
 The fact that he wouldn't trust his own daughter about her sexuality is quite disturbing to me. I feel that if there was more trust between them then a checkup would not even be necessary. Also, doctors have recognized for a long time now, that there is no such thing as a virginity test and that such an act is deemed by the World Health Organization as violation of women's rights.

Connection to history:
Virginity tests were used mainly in patriarchal societies of America up until around the 1900s and was finally deemed violation of women's rights in the United States and 20 other countries in 2018.

Question: How would you feel if your parents made you go take virginity tests annually? What is your opinion on virginity testing?

Controversial 'Supermax' prison known for extreme isolation

Link:https://america.cgtn.com/2019/11/01/us-activists-fight-controversial-policies-at-supermax-prison

Summary: Supermax, the high-security prison located in Colorado, is home to 400 prisoners. This prison is home to some of the most dangerous prisoners in the USA. The prisoners live in very small and sparse concrete cells by themselves. Most prisoners spend 23 hours of the day living in complete isolation in their cells. Supermax isn’t helping the prisoners with rehabilitation and is only punishing them by isolating them from human interactions. 

Reaction: I am surprised that the prisoners in Supermax are stuck in a cell for 23 hours a day. I don’t understand why the prisoners are being treated poorly. I think that even though they are prisoners that it doesn’t help them to be isolated for long periods of time. I believe that they should have more time to interact with others which would help them to rehabilitate. 

Connection to U.S History: In the 1800s there was the Prison and Mental Health movement, which was advocating for better treatment for the mentally ill and prisoners. This was also the beginning of the idea that prisons should help prisoners reform themselves instead of just punishing them. 

Question: Do you think that isolating prisoners for 23 hours a day in Supermax is helpful to their reform? How do you think that Supermax can improve the conditions for the prisoners while still maintaining security?

Walgreens and the Opioid Crisis

Link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2019/11/07/height-crisis-walgreens-handled-nearly-one-five-most-addictive-opioids/?arc404=true



Summary: Walgreens have been obtaining opioids directly from drug companies rather than buying them from wholesalers, allowing Walgreens to have greater control over the distribution of opioids to their stores along with assuming the responsibility of reporting suspicious orders to the DEA. As a result of this, Walgreens ordered more oxycodone and hydrocodone pills than any other pharmacy without reporting it as suspicious activity to the DEA. Even after many Walgreens stores where flagged for selling high numbers of opioids and limitations were put in place by Walgreens to reduce the sales of opioids, stores could still submit override requests that would ask for more opioids to be sold with more than 95% of these being approved.        

Reaction: The fact that Walgreens was able to find loopholes in obtaining considering amounts of opioids before and after being flagged for suspicious orders is baffling to me. I am also surprised with how these loopholes were able to be found and exploited rather easily on separate occasions.

Connection to U.S History: Opium is a drug that is used to treat pain relief that was introduced in the United States in 1775. It then started to become commonly used in the 1860s during the Civil War in order to treat wounded soldiers, with many of them becoming addicted.

Discussion Questions: What are your thoughts on the usage of opioids compared to other pain relievers? How do you think the DEA should monitor and regulate the selling and purchasing of opioids by pharmaceutical companies such as Walgreens?

California Teacher Is Put on Leave After Wearing Blackface in Class

Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/us/blackface-teacher-california.html

Summary: A high school teacher in Milpitas, California dressed up as Common (a rapper) on Halloween by wearing blackface. School officials refused to identify the teacher but put him on administrative leave. The teacher was recorded on a student's phone in a 23-second video of the teacher's imitation of Common's advertisement for Microsoft shown around a year ago. Other incidents similar to this have occurred.

Reaction: This incident surprised me, and as I tried to understand the teacher's objective in wearing blackface I also was reminded of another incident here in SF in 2016 where students from 5 schools hosted a racist-themed party appropriating the worse of African American culture. Towards the end of the article, I was also surprised to find a large number of incidents involving blackface. 

Connection to US History: Blackface - when people darken their skin- began subsequent to the Civil War as white performers portrayed African Americans as inhuman and savage. It peaked in popularity during the emancipation of slaves and a demand for civil rights. Today, blackface is still considered racist because of its historical use to demean people of African descent. 

Discussion Questions: What are some of your thoughts on why some individuals wear blackface (e.x. a lack of education on the history of blackface, an assertion of power/control, a simple joke)? What would your reaction be if a teacher at Lowell had worn blackface? Are there any ways to bring attention to this type of cultural insensitivity and how to promote cultural awareness? 

Russia Fills the American Power Vacuum in Syria as New Middle Eastern Kingpin

Article link:  https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/15/world/middleeast/kurds-syria-turkey.html

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Summary: American Troops have been stationed in Syria for over eight years to both keep an important military alliance with the native Kurdish people (protecting them and trading arms in exchange for military aid in Syria) and to make sure that ISIS doesn’t regain significant power. President Trump ordered the Syrian troops to withdraw to try to finally bring soldiers home, leaving the Kurds unprotected and the region with a huge power vacuum that many feared ISIS would fill. Instead, Russia stepped in a allied with the Kurds and Syria, establishing a huge new foothold in the region and pushing the US out while gaining new military allies. 

Reaction: While it may have been a good intention to try and bring US soldiers home (and interestingly enough new current news stories have discovered most of the US troops stayed in Syria to guard oil interests), it gave America’s biggest political adversary control over a key territory. The US lost a valuable alliance while Russia has a new weapons trade. This is pretty bad for US influence which could seriously damage us in the future, I’m dreading to see how this plays out.

Connection: This importance of influence and who can be the superpower in a certain region, in this case the Middle East, relates to classic American imperialism (the drive to colonize/sponsor other smaller nations) which starts with the Monroe Doctrine of claiming responsibility for the Latin American nations.

Discussion Questions: Do you think America has anything to fear from Russia expanding its influence over the Middle East? Was leaving Syria a good idea in your opinion? Why?

Students looking to sue UC over SAT/ACT Score Requirement

https://www.sfgate.com/education/article/Students-of-color-to-UC-Drop-the-SAT-or-we-ll-14572455.php?t=b00a9b5c2b

Summary: Lawyers representing low-income students of color demanded that the University of California system drop standardized tests as an admissions requirement. If UC doesn’t drop the SAT/ACT admissions requirement, the lawyers will sue on behalf of three students, advocacy groups, and the Compton Unified School District. They are waiting on UCs academic senate to finish studying the efficiency of these standardized tests.

Reaction: I think that UCs should drop these required admissions tests, as it measures students socioeconomic backgrounds. It’s unfair for UCs to require a score from tests that often can’t measure a student's ability to succeed past high school.

Connection: In 1916, Alfred Binet was commissioned by the French Government to identify students who needed educational assistance, so he created the first intelligent quotient (IQ) test, which became a predictor of school success in students. This concept was used in World War I when Army officials had to screen a large number of recruits, making the Army Alpha test for those who were literate and the Army Beta test for those who couldn’t read or speak English.

Discussion Questions: Do you think UCs should still require admission tests? Why or why not? Do you think it’s beneficial to have part of admissions be based off of scores?

Breath Tests Potentially Unreliable

Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/03/business/drunk-driving-breathalyzer.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage

Summary: A New York Times investigation found that breath tests for alcohol, in almost all police stations across America, regularly produce skewed results. States use devices that experts don't trust and don't calibrate them correctly, potentially providing results up to 40 percent too high. When the instruments are found to have a defect, states simply repeal the convictions -- letting both the innocent and guilty free.

Reaction: I am shocked that states in America are still using breath tests to determine blood alcohol levels. If these machines are so unreliable and the law enforcement knows it, why not use other types of tests (e.g. saliva) to accurately assess an individual's blood alcohol content?

Connection to US History: In 1992, the United States used bite mark evidence alone to sentence a man to death. In the Ray Krone case, Krone was wrongfully convicted of murder and sentenced to death, and only ten years later was he released because DNA evidence proved his innocence. 

Discussion Questions: Do you think states should continue to use breath tests to detect blood alcohol content? If states do continue to use these breath tests and find the devices faulty, should they maintain their policy of throwing out the tests? What other assessments could we use to verify a person's alcohol level?

Keystone Pipeline leaks 383,000 gallons of oil in second big spill in two years

Link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2019/10/31/keystone-pipeline-leaks-gallons-oil-second-big-spill-two-years/

23 hours ago

Summary: About 383,000 gallons of crude oil were spilled in an area near Edinburgh, North Dakota. The spilled oil covered about half an acre of a North Dakota wetland. Although large, the spill does not appear to be a direct threat to people, but it can potentially harm nearby wildlife. This is the second huge spill from the pipeline in just two years. TC Energy, the company responsible for the Keystone Pipeline, has intentions to build another pipeline, Keystone XL. Keystone XL will run through hundreds of waterways, and can possibly contaminate the those waterways and the organisms that rely on them. The Trump administration approved the plans in 2017, but they were temporarily blocked by judge Brian Morris of the U.S. district court in Montana. Morris ruled that the Trump administration failed to justify its decision, and he claimed that the State Department ignored crucial issues of climate change.

Reaction: I understand that TC energy needs to quickly transport their oil through pipes, but they need to build better, more secure pipes. This multi-billion dollar company should be able to ensure that oil spills will never occur along their pipelines.

Connection to U.S. History: This connects to changes in climate during the last two centuries. Climate change can be traced back to the Industrial Revolution in Europe and the U.S., a time when oil consumption increased.

Discussion Questions: What do you think about TC Energy's failure to create secure oil pipelines? How do you think the company can prevent future oil spills?

Facebook’s political ads policy is predictably turning out to be a disaster

Link: https://www.vox.com/recode/2019/10/30/20939830/facebook-false-ads-california-adriel-hampton-elizabeth-warren-aoc

Summarry: In fall Facebook announced it wouldn’t fact-check political speech, including ads, and campaigns started to test the implications of this policy. In September, Facebook refused to take down an ad run by Donald Trump’s reelection campaign that made false claims about former Vice President Joe Biden, his son Hunter Biden, and their activities in Ukraine. Facebook wasn’t the only platform to refuse to pull the ad. Democrats decided to challenge the policy allowing fake ads by running fake ads of their own on Facebook. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), who has emerged as a fierce Facebook critic in the 2020 primary,ran a fake ad claiming Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg had endorsed Trump’s reelection. Warren also, without evidence, suggested that Facebook did this as a deal with Trump. And last week, high-profile freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez got Zuckerberg to admit that he'd probably let her run ads against Republicans saying they supported the Green New Deal. Along the way, Zuckerberg continued defending the policy, even as his own employees, in a rare move, wrote a letter expressing concern with the stance and pushed him to rethink his decisions.

Reaction: I find it ridiculous that Zuckerberg refuses to take down obviously fake political ads, which can lead to an attitude where truth doesn't matter and people can say what ever they want without being held accountable.

Connection to US history: This connects to the matter of free speech and its limits

Discussion Questions: Do you think they should take down these ads? Do you think any other rich people had some thing to do with this.

Jury awards nearly $20 million to police sergeant told to 'tone down your gayness'

https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Jury-awards-nearly-20-million-to-police-sergeant-14567748.php

Summary:

Sgt. Keith Wildhaber is an officer of the St. Louis County Police Department, who has 15 year of experience in
the force. He is a gay man who had applied for the position of lieutenant, scored top 3 for the written test, had a
clean disciplinary record, and positive performance reviews; however, was passed a total of 23 times because of
his sexual orientation. When he filed a discrimination complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission, he was transferred to a district 27 miles away from his home. After his transfer, Wildhaber filed a
second complaint, on a charge that claimed he was denied promotions because his actions did not fulfill the
criteria for what a man should be. A jury who recently sided with Wildhaber, awarded him nearly $20 million
on Friday, saying that change is necessary to prevent future incidents. However the St. Louis County Police
department denies this.

Reaction:

I think the St. Louis county police was being very unfair to Wildhaber because they had no reason to deny him
a promotion. He has proven himself to be trustworthy, hard working, and someone who has the community
behind him, yet they deny him because he decides to embrace who he really is. I am surprised this sort of
behavior had to be addressed in a courtroom, especially since we have become much more accepting of
homosexuality. They have become a part of our community that should have equal opportunities whether
someone is gay or straight.

Connection:

This connects to our current subject of the relocation and past treatments of Native Americans. There was
discrimination towards the Native Americans who are individuals, who had adjusted to the U.S and our
customs, adopted a constitution, have their own borders, schools, and when they tried to voice their opinions
and fight for themselves, they were relocated and moved.

Discussion:

Do you think the jury did enough to prevent further discrimination? Were the actions against Wildhaber justified?

Women At Ernst & Young Instructed On How To Dress, Act Nicely Around Men

Link: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/women-ernst-young-how-to-dress-act-around-men_n_5da721eee4b002e33e78606a?ncid=APPLENEWS00001

Summary: Female employees of Ernst & Young, a financial/accounting firm, received an extra training session earlier this year, which centered around "self-improvement"...of only the women. The workshop essentially highlighted antiquated women stereotypes. One attendee noted that the 55-page presentation suggested that "if you're having a conversation with a man, cross your legs and sit at an angle to him," and to not "talk to a man face-to-face," because men see that as threatening. It even further warned them to not "flaunt [their] body," because "sexuality scrambles the mind." The situation was formally investigated earlier this month. The company responded to the outbreak by defending themselves, claiming that these details were taken "wholly out of context." They vaguely informed that the forum is no longer being given, but refused to offer any more specifics. Other attendees were also contacted for additional commentary but suspiciously declined to respond.

Reaction: I think that this is obviously absurd. I was shocked to hear that these types of outdated gender stereotypes are still being preached in this current day and age, especially in the middle of the Me Too movement and other similar conversations. Even if the company claimed that the information was taken out of context, in my opinion, there is honestly no way to spin what was uncovered into a non-negative light. I also wonder why other women who attended the forum refused to give their own input of their own experience.

Connection to U.S. History: This connects to the Republican Motherhood during/after the American Revolution. The women of this era were given very limited lights, but only so that they were able to appropriately educate their sons so that they could become adequate future leaders of the nation. This concept greatly contributed to and emphasized women stereotypes.

Discussion Questions: Why do you think these gender stereotypes are still being circulated in 2019? What will it take for them to be eliminated completely? Do you think it's possible that the company bribed or posed some sort of threat to the other attendees to compel them to keep quiet?

US House votes to recognize Armenian 'genocide'

Link: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-50229787

Summary: Congress has just voted to recognize the Armenian Genocide, in a vote 405 to 11. The Armenian Genocide was the mass killing of the Armenian people within the Ottoman Empire during World War 1. This genocide had to take a little more than 100 years to recognize by the US government, but this mass killing has finally been recognized by the US government. The recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the American government was due to growing tensions between Turkey and the United States, not because this was an event was an event of injustice. The Turkish government still doesn't recognize this genocide rather they recognize this event as a series of atrocities rather than a systematic way of killing a group of people.

Reaction: I am not surprised that Congress has finally came to a decision to recognize this tragic event. Many politicians such as Barack Obama pushed for the US government to recognize this event. This event has been "recognized" by Americans because this event has been taught in schools and is talked about within America and American media.

Connection to US history: I think that this recognition of the Armenian Genocide was similar to the Monroe Doctrine. In both the recognition of the Armenian Genocide and the Monroe Doctrine, the American government establishes its foreign policy against other countries. The Monroe Doctrine and the recognition of the Armenian Genocide are both due not have a large effect in terms of lawmaking, but has a large effect in terms of foreign relations. Due to tensions with Turkey, the recognition of the Armenian Genocide helps America "assert its dominance" over Turkey. Similarly, the Monroe Doctrine was for the US government to "assert its dominance" over the western hemisphere against European powers.

Question for Discussion: What do you think will be an outcome due to the US passing the recognition of the Armenian Genocide?

Frustration Rises Amid Another Round of California Blackouts

article link: https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2019-10-29/frustration-rises-amid-another-round-of-california-blackouts

Image:
                             

Summary: Frustration and anger mounted across Northern California as PG&E, the state's largest utility company, issued another round of widespread blackouts. They were issued in order to prevent their electrical equipment from starting wildfires in storing wind. Over one million people are left without power as fire departments rush to contain two major wildfires. Resources essential for evacuess such as gasoline raise an outrage within the counties. Many complain as unrest spreads across the state with their jobs and daily needs directly affected.  PG&E, which is facing bankruptcy from the wildfires, states that its upmost concern is public safety.

Reaction: It is very sad to seeing the people living in the affected counties have their daily lives interrupted, knowing that the catastrophe could've been avoided. For the past three years now, California has experienced major wildfires during this time of the year. This was more than enough time to find a solution to the problems regarding the faulty electric lines. I understand what PG&E is trying to achieve, but I don't think it is as effective, as it upsets the people and will have no effect on future years. I believe that complete change on the PG&E power line system is required to solve this problem.

Connection to U.S. History: The US has experienced many major wildfires since its founding. Its most prominent wildfire would be the Taylor Complex Fire in Alaska, which burned up to 6.6 million acres

Discussion Questions: How would you feel if your power was shut off repeatedly? Do you think PG&E's plan is effective? What would you do in order to make sure that a disaster like this never occurs again?

When Poor People Are Beaten for Seeking Help

Link To Article: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/27/opinion/hra-nyc-abuse.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage

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Summary: Employees and contractors of the New York social service system— the Human Resources Administration— have consistently faced stressful work conditions and low wages. Frustrated clients or case workers lashing out against staff members is a common sight and poorly supervised security or private guards may turn violent towards these workers. Despite a majority of the employees experiencing harsh treatment, the amount of formal complaints are few. Victims and attorneys claim that the abuse goes unreported because poor people are usually legally unrepresented. 

Reaction: It’s quite sad to see how very little light is shed over victims of work abuse. Nobody— regardless of class, ethnicity, or gender— deserves to be a target to these harsh conditions; nobody should have the authority to harass others. I believe that our generation has evolved to be more open and flexible— especially towards matters dealings with one’s social position; but when I find issues like this that still showcase the inferiority of ordinary, working people, it makes me contemplate whether our mindsets have grown at all or if we’ll always remain categorized by the social order. It is ironic how the United States is suppose to represent equality, but underlying discriminations are still present and will continue to exist. 

Connection to History: This issue sharply mirrors the United State’s long history of unjust treatment towards the inferior “lower class” (anyone not being a white male), where our government has repeatedly used inferiority as a justification to conduct brutal measures against the helpless, such as the act of slavery. The poor and common people have always demanded for a voice in society, often resulting in uprisings such as the Whiskey Rebellion, the Stono Rebellion, and Shay’s Rebellion.

Discussion Questions: Why do you think people target others? Do you believe that eventually people will be able to look past their differences? Should the government do something against subtle abuses of employees like this? If so, how?

High-voltage power line broke near origin of massive California fire that forced thousands of evacuations

article link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/10/24/fast-moving-wildfire-ignites-northern-california-wine-country-prompting-evacuations/

Summary: The Kincade Fire began Wednesday night, spreading rapidly through the Sonoma County area. As of Thursday night, October 24th, it has burned over 16,000 acres and is only 5% contained. A downed high-voltage transmission line has been found near the origin of the fire, but PG&E has not yet confessed responsibility. The utility company had shut down weaker low-voltage lines after a high wind report, not expecting larger units to be affected. A combination of the offshore El Diablo winds and dry landscape is currently fueling the fire, leaving it difficult to contain. Residents have been told to evacuate the area and PG&E has announced plans of large-scale power outages in coming weeks, similar to those two weeks ago.

Reaction: It's absurd that PG&E is not admitting liability for the Kincade Fire. Although not proven, evidence points to PG&E as the obvious initiator. It's clear that public safety is not their top priority. They have cost lives, homes, and billions in lost property over years of fire that could have been prevented. Even after causing so many fires, PG&E has tried to hide the option of burying safer systems underground, but has chosen not to because it costs more than overhead lines. They have also shown that they are capable of implementing large power shut-downs during high winds, yet are reluctant and unwilling to carry out the outages for too long as it loses revenue. Just last November, PG&E took responsibility for causing the most destructive wildfire in California history (Camp Fire in Paradise), after actively disregarding high wind warnings and leaving power on, then being forced to file bankruptcy to escape the enormous compensations they owed. Have they not learned their lesson?

Connection to history: The market revolution of the 19th century brought an end to the governmental control of businesses, allowing the development of large corporations and the growth of capitalism. Throughout the U.S.'s economic history, large corporations have grown to monopolize certain productions or services, that could not be avoided as the nation came to depend on these companies. Many times, when these corporate giants have risked public safety, they suffer little, as customers have no alternative to turn to. The country today relies especially on gas and electric to function.

Discussion questions: Is PG&E to blame, or are wildfires just one of California's natural disasters? Could PG&E do more to help victims of these fires? Is there anything the company could do in the future to prevent them? At this point, should the government interfere and possibly set more strict health regulations on private companies?

Impeachment Inquiry Is Legal

Article Link: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/2019/10/25/us/politics/house-impeachment-subpoenas.amp.html

Summary: This Friday, Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell of the Federal District Court in Washington ruled that the impeachment inquiry is legal. This came with an order which directed the Justice Department to give secrecy grand jury evidence from the Mueller investigation to House impeachment investigators. The ruling takes a big part away from the Trump administration’s claim that the House was not conducting a valid impeachment inquiry since there was no formal vote to authorize it. Although the Justice Department is still reviewing the decision, the ruling is a victory for the Democrats. 

Reaction: I’ve been doing my best to follow along with the impeachment inquiry and I’m glad that it’s been ruled legal. Hopefully this means that the impeachment inquiry will continue without interference and it will be assisted by the courts by handing over documents. What I want for the inquiry is for it to be done fairly and within the law. 

Connection to U.S. History: In 1974 and 1988, the House voted to authorize the start of the impeachment proceedings of Nixon and Bill Clinton. But under the Constitution it is not required for there to be a vote. 

Questions: Do you think the House should vote to begin impeachment proceedings? If it has been done in the past why isn’t being done now?

Trump's Travel Ban Denies Even Those Pursuing An Educational Career

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/10/24/773095904/u-s-travel-ban-disrupts-the-worlds-largest-brain-science-meeting

Summary: A handful of people have been speaking out and complaining about the travel ban that Trump had signed through an executive order. They have been unable to attend the neuroscience events in the US, which loses opportunity to share knowledge of neuroscience and, in a slightly less obvious case, to be able to keep foreign relationships as stable as possible. People have been trying to find alternatives to be able to enter into the US, or not even enter the US at all. These people also wanted to look for occupations in the US, and maybe even a place to live. Since then, these people are unable to be involved in a lot of US activity in person, as they had to find another way to communicate to the US citizens, such as a video recording or presentation through another person.

Reaction: It is unreasonable that Trump's travel ban should affect even those that are obviously looking to pursue their career and not intend any threat whatsoever. Trump's ban is a reaction to the countries that may seem like a threat to the US, which is understandable considering the current events going on, but there should be a reasonable level of banning. I think we could just put strict regulations on those on the ban list. I also think that we should allow those who can be trusted because we can improve the US Foreign relationship at a personal level, despite the government levels of action going on.

Connection to U.S. History: Although this wasn't necessarily because the foreign people were seemingly intending harm, the Chinese Exclusion Act prevented Chinese people from entering the US. They only wanted to find a better life in the US, but is thwarted at a government level.

Questions: Do you think they should allow people of the banned foreign nations based on intentions? Should there be increased security if these people were allowed to enter the US (If so, how?) What changes would you make to the travel ban?

Use of Bullet-resistant Doors in Classroom is Spreading in the U.S.

link to article: https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/23/success/bullet-resistant-school-doors/index.html

                             

                       (normal door on the left, high security bullet-resistant door on the right)

Summary: Last year, Harrington Park School in New Jersey contacted Remo Security Doors, a company that specializes in making high-security doors, with a plea for help to fortify their classrooms in case of a school shooting. The company was able to help, and created doors that appear very similar to normal classroom doors but are far more protective. These doors weigh 150 pounds and would require multiple rounds of gunfire to be penetrated. Similar companies such as R2P have been creating bullet-resistant doors for classrooms in other areas like South Carolina since late 2018. The doors of both companies range from $2,500-$4,000. Since 2018, Remo alone has installed hundreds of these bullet-resistant doors in over 70 schools around the country.

Reaction: Considering that our nation has experienced so many mass school shootings in the past decade, I feel that the fortification of classroom doors around the U.S. is a positive step in the direction towards a safer environment for students. Students undergo drills in case of a shooting, and our teachers are required to have a plan for safety. However, that does little in the case of an actual school shooting. There have been far too many casualties throughout the years and bullet-resistant doors are likely to save lives in the future.

Connection to U.S. history: The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution stated that citizens have the right to keep and bare arms. Many people since then have abused this amendment and have used firearms to harm others.

Questions: Do you think the bullet-resistant doors are helpful? Would you want them in our school? Do you feel that changes should be made to our current gun-control policies?

In Chile, Protestors Continue to Defy the President and Military

Link to article: https://www.npr.org/2019/10/22/772078420/in-chile-protesters-decry-troop-deployment-as-a-pinochet-tactic

Summary: Over the past few weeks of protests and unrest in Chile, at least 18 people have died. Anger over low wages, price in healthcare, bad pensions, and rise in metro fares have led citizens of Santiago to demonstrate. The Chilean President, Sebastián Piñera apologized for the government being unable to address these social and economic issues. He has since suspended the rise in metro tickets, and issued a new social contract in hopes of benefitting all Chileans. Due to the state of emergency in place, schools in Santiago have been closed, and flights have been cancelled. Piñera issued military troops to disperse protests, by releasing teargas and and water cannons.  These past few weeks have left the citizens of Chile reminded of Gen. Augusto Pinochet's 17 year dictatorship that ended in 1990.

Reaction: I was personally surprised to see a stable and generally peaceful country like Chile to have such a violent outburst by the people and by the government. These Chilean protests are a reminder that people across the world will not forget history, they are willing to fight for justice.

Connection to history: Although the United States has never had a dictatorship, these protests are similar to that of the Kent State protests in 1970, in reaction to the bombing of neutral Cambodia during the Vietnam War. The reasons for protest were different, but a state of emergency was also declared, military troops were issued, and protestors were killed.

Discussion question: Do you think that how the Chilean government is handling these protests is just and humane?  How do you react to the issuing of troops at metro stations, shopping centers, and throughout the streets?  Under what circumstances would you go and protest?