How Current Events Shape my Perspective

As an international student, you are bombarded with questions about your opinions of different topics comparing your country and the USA. That usually freaks you out. That’s why I decided to take this class, however I thought it would be the usual history class were you just read about facts and dates and then you forget. This class was not that kind at all. In this class I learned about very important facts among them how the media can manipulate people, how information needs to be digested and compared from different sources, how your perception can be manipulated and changed from one day from another, how to be objective and shape your political identity, the last being the most important in this course, from my point of view. I am now aware of the external world, specially the part I was not interested in; the Middle East and the Arab Spring which was really interesting and important to learn about.

 During this class, I learned to read and categorize information. I also learned to not believe in everything I hear, see or read. The important thing is to use your assumptions and take your own sides by being informed. I learned how to research and most important the importance of respecting others’ opinions. Their points of view count because you can learn from them especially when they talk from their own experience. I also learned to choose different sources, the ones that are less biased, and the neutral ones which show the news from different perspectives. 

 I even learned to know myself better. I was always confused about political and I was afraid to give my point of view. After this class, I learned that I was very political, liberal really liberal but that I can respect others points of views and sides. I discovered I am passionate about other cultures and also about the human rights. My idea of the USA government changed and knowing about the way they spend money and do secret stuff made me be more skeptical and critical.

 I really enjoyed this class most of the time but I would change the time pressure of the blogs and I would give more space to write them. I felt I didn’t know a thing when I had to write one. I tried to do my best but I couldn’t get to write the best in the class. I mean the ones that made the others comment or better the ones who made my professor to argue. However, I learned to write and to write about my point of view. That I will use in the future not just for classes , I will do it for fun and I think I am a more interesting person since I have discussed and write about the most important event that shape the world.

 In summary, this class was the best class I have taken in a long time. I really love to talk about the death penalty and the way this country is handling it. I love how people try to find the right punish for others and how biased they are depending of the victim and the aggressor. I also enjoy getting to know about gun control and all the consequences this fact has brought to the US. I could just keep on writing about the topics I liked. I can see all of them and I feel really satisfied with the methodology of this web class. I am pro web even most of my friends have had awful experiences I can say I really learned more than I was expected to learned.

Predator Drones:

Añadir leyenda

As we saw in 2005 in the creepy movie Stealth, a film that followed three top fighter pilots as they join a project to develop an automated robotic stealth aircraft, the U.S. is working hard in the use of unmanned machines. The controversial predator drones, which U.S. is using to take out suspicious people in the Middle East, they are like a flying army. Clearly, two events have contributed to this new chapter in pilotless aircrafts which began in February 2001 when the United States Air Force (USAF) successfully launched a missile from its Predator platform. Exactly, one month after the September 11th attacks, Predator drones became increasingly weaponized for use in Afghanistan, marking the first recorded deployment of armed drones. I personally agree with this kind of technology since it will be able to save thousands of U.S. soldiers’ lives, money and time. 

 However, the use of predator drones has caused a huge controversy around the world. In first place opponents argue about the large number of innocent victims of drones, particularly women and children with no connection to any terrorist group. Furthermore, they emphasize in the idea that as the U.S is not the only country that is working on the creation of this aircraft, there is an estimated of 680 drone programs around the world, China, for instance, is escalating its drone program, with at least 25 types of systems in development. This last fact can jeopardize U.S. security.

Whatever your point of view is, predator drones are our future. According to a congressional report, "manned aircraft have gone from 95% of all Defense Department aircraft in 2005 to 69% today." Over the next decade, the Pentagon expects the number of "multirole" drones that can both spy and strike. In the future, drones are projected to hang around just behind infantry soldiers to watch their backs; carry airborne lasers to intercept ballistic missiles; perform aerial refueling; and conduct long-range strategic bombing missions. This simply means drones will become cheaper, smaller, faster, stealthier, more lethal, and more autonomous.

Iran and the United States: a long way to go

 What is called Iran’s Nuclear Program was launched in 1950’s with the USA aid. However in 1979 the relation USA-Iran faded after the kidnapping of The American diplomats to the extent that in this moment U.S. and Iran do not have any diplomatic relations. Consequently after this break up and the election of Ayatollah Khomeini, the nuclear research decreased in Iran. Some years later, during the Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988), some minor scale research started. Since then, Iran's nuclear program has included several research sites, two uranium mines, a research reactor, and uranium processing facilities that include three known uranium enrichment plants consequently in September 2011, the first nuclear plant in Iran was opened with the assistance of Russia. Naturally, countries such as U.S. and Israel are alarmed about the use that Iran can give to this power and as a result the relation between them and Iran is worse than ever. 

As a consequence, some questions should be taken into account. Does Iran plan to build a nuclear weapon, or just to develop nuclear energy? If Iran develops a nuclear weapon, what are the probable consequences? Would it outbreak Israel? How do Iranian people perceive this subject? How do they see the United States? Is it possible to discuss other issues on the U.S.-Iranian agenda, such as human rights and terrorism, simultaneously with the nuclear issue? Well, we really do not know. What is well known is that the one in charge of that decision is the religious Guardian council. Evidently, Iran claims to have the right to work on his Nuclear Program indeed this modern country needs some energy resources and most countries will have eventually to work on nuclear power someday. Moreover, the fact that Iran works with nuclear plants will give it the security to strength its position in its region. 

Nevertheless, the U.S. has to be cautions and intervene in this issue since it can be affected in many different ways. One of the most important, if Iran’s nuclear power is intended to create nuclear weapons this will attempt against U.S. national security and its closest allies for instance Israel. For that reason, The U.S. has to create a plan to act as smart as possible first trying to smooth things over and then creating a plan to work with them. If that is not possible, then The U.S. will need to use its Army to defeat Iran’s government because with Iran under the rule of the present government, the pursuit of nuclear power will never stop. Then by defeating this government The U.S. will bring peace and security to the Middle East and itself not only vanishing a possible Nuclear attack but also ending the regime that abuses its people human rights.

The 2012 Presidential Election

And here we are in the 2012 presidential elections trying to find out who the next president of the United States will be and then end these elections which have marked a very important time in the United States since it has been the elections where the most money has been spent in campaigns. As we all know, we have two candidates running for president. In first place, we have the actual president, Barak Obama, who represents the Democrat party; and we also have Mitt Romney, former Massachusetts governor, who represents the Republicans. Focusing in their policy goals, Obama as a democrat is trying to do his best by making the rich paying more taxes, helping women to have a right to decide for abortion and also giving immigrants a smother process towards legalization. On the other hand, Romney focuses on his experience as an administrator by emphasizing tax cuts, by giving more licenses to big companies to generate more jobs and by stopping the spending that according to him will double the deficit if we do not elect him. 

 After all these ads and propaganda, we have a defeated candidate, Mitt Romney, the republican. According to Michael Mathes from the Business Insider, one of the things that made Romney loss was that he changed his mind in very important topics such as abortion and gay rights. They emphasized the idea that when Romney was governor in Massachusetts he was pro-choice but then when he became a candidate for the presidency, he turned himself to be pro-life and made a similar face about gay rights. Moreover, Peter Hamby political reporter of CNN claims that the support of certain minorities was the main cause of the republican candidate to be defeated. For instance, he lost among the young Hispanics and black Americans; women who want to have the right to choose abortion in certain situations and gay people who want to have the same rights as heterosexual.

On the other hand, there is Barack Obama, why is he the winner? Simply as he said in the presidential acceptance speech “We believe in a generous America, in a compassionate America, in a tolerant America, open to the dreams of an immigrant’s daughter who studies in our schools and pledges to our flag.” Susan Brooks in the National argues that what made Obama win was the support of women voters, the dream of immigrants, especially Hispanics and the bad situation of the hurricane Sandy, where in the last days he showed his support. The winner is the candidate who cares about the social part, about people.

Whatever the reasons are, there was not a better option for Americans in this elections two candidates, two paths but only one winner. A winner, who even though has some weaknesses and disadvantages, showed all the United States that tolerance won. Tolerance for future equality for lesbian and gay marriages, for women and for immigrants who love and deserve to live in this Country where they have worked, suffered and got all the money needed to support their families in America the dream land.

Guns: Our protection?

Does the possession of a gun assure that you are going to be safer? The USA, known as the most heavily armed population on the planet*, wants us to think guns are the best tool to keep ourselves safe. However, Violence always pays with violence. Nowadays, the indiscriminate use of guns has caused that many people are not afraid of laws anymore killing each other with not punishments in some cases. According to the national center for Injury prevention & control, in 2004, firearms were the second-leading cause of death, after motor vehicles, for young people under 19 in the U.S. and a total of 2,852 young people were killed by firearms one every three hours. It is true that banning guns will keep the bad guys with the power but do you agree with the notion that anyone with a clean record can just go and buy guns?

So why Republicans oppose gun control laws and are strong supporters of the Second Amendment as well as the right to carry concealed weapons? Gun advocates argue that guns are necessary for self-protection, for instance, in 1990 more than 100,000 uses of guns were in self-defense. But do we still have that high rate of crime in US? Gun right supporters also claim that if everybody is protected (with a gun at home) delinquency rate is going to go down. However, a new study released in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine (published by SAGE) showed that having a gun at home increases the rate of suicide and that more Americans kill themselves with guns than with all other methods combine. 

Guns are a serious issue. They should not be something anybody can buy or sell just as clothes. Government should be more careful about updating those laws that have to do with the life of people. Laws cannot ban but they can restrict more. In this way, we will not regret this terrible events such as the as the Columbine high school massacre in April 1999, which resulted in the deaths of 14 students (including the two gunmen) and a teacher, in support of banning assault weapons. Government should support measures envisioned to restrain gun-related violence, such as obligatory child safety locks, background checks on those desiring to purchase a gun, limits on the number of guns a person can buy and raising the age limit for gun ownership.

*Based upon surveys, the following are estimates of private firearm ownership in the U.S. as of 2010: Households With a Gun Adults Owning a Gun Adults Owning a Handgun Percentage 40-45% 30-34% 17-19% Number 47-53 million 70-80 million 40-45 million Average Number of People per Household, by Race and Hispanic Origin, Marital Status, Age, and Education of Householder: 2009." U.S. Census Bureau, January 2009 

*A 2005 nationwide Gallup poll of 1,012 adults found the following levels of firearm ownership: Category Percentage Owning a Firearm Households 42% Individuals 30% Male 47% Female 13% White 33% Nonwhite 18% Republican 41% Independent 27% Democrat 23% "Gun Ownership and Use in America." By Joseph Carroll. Gallup Poll, November 22, 2005

The Energy Crisis

The Energy Crisis Electronic devices and energy are inseparable partners. They were mainly invented in order to make our lives easier. We can shorten distances, get information, and keep in touch with our love ones and even save physical effort. But do we know where all this energy comes from?. Of course with the big numbers of industries and houses and appliances, we need different sources of energy as well since no any source is going to be enough by itself; in The U.S.A. we use 37% Petroleum (oil), 25% Natural gas, 21% Coal, 9% Nuclear Power and 8% Renewable. As we can see, we rely more in fusel fuels which according to some environmentalist, are the cause of the climate change. The past 12 months have been the hottest on record, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Throughout the nation, drought, wildfires, floods and other extreme weather have made global warming a visible reality.

However, some people, including Republicans, are skeptical about this phenomena and think there are no proves that the Planet’s temperature is changing because of the over use of this fuels. What really matters for them is to take advantage of the fuels that still exist. They do not want to spend in projects that research about different kinds of energy because they do not want to change things. And even in the past at the Republican National Convention, he tried to ridicule President Obama by saying that stopping Global warming would not help American families at all. 

 From my point of view, climate change is something to worry about. We have seen different stories about how the consequences are making people suffer in different parts of the world. That’s why is relevant to keep on looking for new alternatives, but before put them in practice we should foresee what are the side effects that they will have in our planet. Fracking, for example, will create a lot of jobs and maybe USA indepence of energy but this can produce environmental and health hazards. Apart from all the water (8 million water gallons) that is spent to do a fracking job, during this process methane gas and toxic chemicals leach out from the system and contaminate nearby groundwater. Since Fracking started, there have been over 1,000 documented cases of water contamination next to areas of gas drilling as well as cases of sensory, respiratory, and neurological damage due to ingested contaminated water.

Dangers of Fracking http://www.dangersoffracking.com/

Never forget

In the morning of September 11, 2001 a group of nineteen Al Qaeda members hijacked four commercial airplanes and crash two of them in the Twin Towers in Manhattan, NY. Then, a third one in the pentagon and the fourth plane crashed in an open field in Pennsylvania. About 3000 people were killed on that day which means 911 attack has been the most dreadful onslaught committed in America’s soil. The aftereffects of this terrorist act have hurt and changed America and the world in different ways. To begin with, this attack cost New York and Washington $ 100 billion. The war in Iraq about $ 4 trillion and the world economy lost $2 trillion. Moreover, since what Americans wanted was to feel safer after this episode the national security infrastructure of the United States was transformed more profoundly than any event since the start of the Cold War; some Changes were made in different security concerns such us the Department of Homeland Security and the National Counter Terrorism Center; even a new position, director of national intelligence, was created because the 9/11 attack exposed severe lack of organization among the agencies. It also stimulated America to use torture and secret prisons to fight back. and last but not final the beginning of the USA PATRIOT ACT which allows the state to listen, read and get any information of any person living in the USA. So the government got the power to handle people as they want. 

According to the former president George W. Bush, this attack was a terrorist attack which had to be paid with the blood of the people who did. So the first thing was to attack Iraq because with this attack they would know America can defend itself. So on March 19, 2003, they attacked Iraq and killed thousands of people. They tried to convince American citizens that they were in danger and they installed panic in America.

 But the question is 911 attack had a negative effect and result for all the Americans. I have to say that this event was like any other happening in the world where some suffer and some have just profit. In first place, all the victims lost their love ones and most of Americans developed this sense of patriotism that now makes America a more united Country. On the other side, unscrupulous people took advantage of the consequences of a terrorist attack. Let’s say companies that sell arms which one of them is advised by George Bush father, Carlyle group. Furthermore, the creation of all this new private and state agencies has cost tons of dollars to the American citizens. The terror that the government inspired to American citizens has also psychological effects that lead to the people let the state to handle people as they want even invading privacy.

Super Pacs, Good for American Democracy?

After 2010, Politics and elections gave a big turn. From this year corporations were allowed to support their political candidate or party without limit in their funds. This of course has caused a big deal between citizens. Some of them argue that this will increase people’s expectations and ideas about their candidates and they will know all the truth about them. However, some others say that this is no democracy because when money can be used limitless even the votes can be bought.

It is not a surprise that for the conservative view this new law will be an advantage. Corporations will always support the candidate who cuts taxes so they can save millions of dollars and make more profits. For conservatives free speech has to be spread all around the country and for them corporations are not the exception.

On the other hand, liberals claim that when money is involved the results can be manipulated. This investment will also be a dangerous one. Corporations will invest for the candidates that are going to favor them. These shadowed campaigns will try to convince the poor or less educated people.

I think allowing corporations to use their money without a limit in the political campaigns has advantages and disadvantages. As citizens, we want to know what is going on with the candidates and with money we can find out even their more hidden secrets. On the other hand, I do not believe in the fact that this 2012 are going to be clean and totally uncorrupted.

Shaping your political Identity

Have you ever thought about the reasons why you like a certain political party or candidate? Usually these preferences are shaped and influenced by some factors. Most of them create a very strong feeling which makes you decide your country future. To give you a more clear idea, I am going to tell you my experience in interviewing a person that I admire since this person is a real prove of success.  She is a high class woman who lives in Boston area. She grew up in California in a different environment, but her higher education, her professional experience and her socio economic level shaped her political values. Since education and the environment that surrounds you are the most relevant factors to choose the best governors.

This woman considers herself a conservative person; however she claims that to vote for a candidate is more important to take into account their previous work and political experience, their intelligence level, their view in key topics such as economy, entitlement programs, woman and gay’s rights and global views. For this reason, in the last election she voted for the liberal candidate since she felt that The U.S.A. needed a change and a different approach and because he seemed to be a less political insider. Nevertheless, this government imposed many regulations against her husband’s industry, raised their taxes and spent a lot of their tax dollars unwisely. After this, for future elections she is going to vote for the conservative candidate and she hopes this time he focuses more on the security of the nation not getting dragged into every world conflict making The U.S.A. strong again economically and in education technologically.

Conversely, my short experience and professional life have showed me that the conservative perspective is very far from what I want. I believe in fairness and fairness is to have the same opportunities for all no matter race, socio-economic level or sex.  However, only one political party is not going to change a country in some years.  What is really truth is that a country needs a government that wants the welfare of the whole and not only to fill up their pockets with the money can they get from the citizens. I’ll have to say I consider myself a liberal. I believe in the free will, in a better world, in a clean environment. I cannot think of war or be based in religious beliefs or an unfair health care. I think someone has to be in charge of solving problems and help the people. That is why I consider I am in Obama’s side.

Consequently,   in my opinion interviewing a person about her political view was a decisive fact given that by knowing other people’s views you can analyze and think about your own feelings. It also helps you to know that people vote for different parties because they have previous motivations such as their family, background and beliefs which have a bearing on their decisions. Furthermore, you can confirm your own perceptions and inclinations by listening to other’s preferences and the reason why they have chosen certain side.

 Questions

1.       What things you take into account when you are going to vote for someone?

2.       Is it relevant for you to belong to a certain political party?

3.       How did you vote in the last election?

4.       Do you consider yourself liberal, conservative or independent?

5.       What are the issues of your party that you do not agree with?

6.       What life experiences have shaped your political views?

7.       What key issues are more important to you, when it comes to US policy?

8.       What would you like your political or candidate to work on?

9.       How did the last candidate’s policies affect your social and professional life?

10.    Who will you vote for in the future? Are you happy with your party?

About me

My name is Johanna Garcia and I am in my first semester in Bunker Hill Community College. I am a student of Associate in Arts General concentration. I was born in Bogota D.C., the capital of Colombia in South America. When I was 7, I moved to the south-west in Colombia (Valle del Cauca) a place where sugar cane and sugar are the most important products.

Since I was a little girl, I was thrilled about other cultures and languages, that is why after I graduated from High School I went to Quindio University in the coffeee region of Colombia and studied Modern languages. Afterwards, I became a modern language teacher and taught in preschool for a year and then in a college during 3 years. As a language teacher, I always wanted to come to The U.S.A., improve my English skills, go to college and study a second career. So Here I am, this is one of my biggest achievements.

Five years from now, I want to become a business woman and work for the goverment back in Colombia. Why? Having a degree in education and another in business will give me the skills to work hard for the improvement of Colombia education system and since education is the first step to success ,  I will be able to contribute to my Country development.

Where I come from

To get to know about me..  the first step is to see what kind of place I grew up in. What People sorrounded me and what lands saw me become what I am now

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Colombia, the only risk is wanting to stay