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

Image: 

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?