I read a New York Times article and a USA Today article on the Arizona Immigration Law. Both articles explain the law in horrifying detail. For example, it is against the law to not carry immigration papers and police can ask people for their papers if they find reason- as in they look Hispanic.
This is very racist to me. In the USA people aren't allowed to be targeted because of their race. Although there has been a lot of drug smugglers recently, they won't be the ones walking openly around Arizona; it will be the innocent people who came for hope.
As this law has been enforced it has separated families and unlawfully persecuted people who didn't want to go through the trouble of carrying immigration papers with them everywhere they went. This law has left people feeling disrespected by their government for who they are and the dream that they have almost achieved.
This law, while it had some positive intentions (targeting drug smugglers), this isn't the way to do it. This law needs to bee revised to help the USA instead of cause distrust and racism. As Roger M. Mahony said this law is "Nazism". While the Jews were murdered in Europe because they weren't "perfect Germans" (blond haired and blue eyed) the Hispanics are being targeted in Arizona because they look like they are Mexican.
This law is unfair and "The system is broken," as Senator Harry Reid said. This injustice needs to be fixed!
chimney corners
Monday, November 22, 2010
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Reflection on Social Issues Reaserch- The Holocaust
I read Krystyna's Story and Irena Sendlerowa's Story. These two stories are about people in the holocaust. The sacrifices told about were unbelievable.
Krystyna went into hiding as a 7 year old. She stayed in Poland's sewer system with her family for over a year. Krystyna didn't have a choice other than death, but she pushed through the horribleness of the sewer with a positive attitude.
During Krystyna's stay in the sewer, sewer workers brought the families food everyday. It was dangerous to help the Jews, but the sewer workers felt that it was only right to help out.
Irena Sendlerowa made a sacrifice that she didn't need to make. She smuggled 2,500 children out of the Warsaw ghetto which was punishable by death. In fact, Sendlerowa was caught and sentenced to death but bribed her way out. Irena believed that no one deserved the cruelty that the Nazis were inflicting on the Jews. On March 15th, 2007 Sendlerowa received the Nobel peace prize and later said in an interview,
Irena and Krystyna are role models in the bravery and sacrifice they had during the Holocaust. Although their stories aren't widely known, the fact that they did happen makes a big change for those few that have read them.
Krystyna went into hiding as a 7 year old. She stayed in Poland's sewer system with her family for over a year. Krystyna didn't have a choice other than death, but she pushed through the horribleness of the sewer with a positive attitude.
During Krystyna's stay in the sewer, sewer workers brought the families food everyday. It was dangerous to help the Jews, but the sewer workers felt that it was only right to help out.
Irena Sendlerowa made a sacrifice that she didn't need to make. She smuggled 2,500 children out of the Warsaw ghetto which was punishable by death. In fact, Sendlerowa was caught and sentenced to death but bribed her way out. Irena believed that no one deserved the cruelty that the Nazis were inflicting on the Jews. On March 15th, 2007 Sendlerowa received the Nobel peace prize and later said in an interview,
This quote proves that people did have beliefs against the Nazis, and some made sacrifices to help Jews."I was brought up to believe that a person must be rescued when drowning, regardless of religion and nationality."
Irena and Krystyna are role models in the bravery and sacrifice they had during the Holocaust. Although their stories aren't widely known, the fact that they did happen makes a big change for those few that have read them.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Social Action Project: Finding Social Issues That are Unfair to my Rights
List of Various Social Issues I've Found:
My Response to The Mississippi Pardons:
After reading through this article I was horrified. This article hints that the sisters are being treated unfairly because they are women, which is not right and illegal. The Eighth Amendment states that no cruel or unusual punishments can be uses against a criminal. This does describe cruel punishment. For a person who is in a life threatening medical situation, to keep them from medical help is definitely cruel.
As well as being illegal, the evidence against them is very weak. Teenagers who made the actual robbery pointed their fingers at the women, and the sisters went to jail. If you or I were in a situation where we weren't treated fairly, I know that I would be angry- probably the same for you.
The author of the article makes it clear that the sisters are in this situation because they are women. After serving sixteen years of their double-life sentence, the sisters want and need out. In the United States, women are supposed to be treated equally to men, but this situation shows that not all has changed. If men can be pardoned in worse situations, then women can be pardoned too.
My human rights, and those of others are important to me. The person being denied their rights could be me. It is a scary thought that people in the government can take away rights that cannot be taken away. This can be changed, so why not now?
- The Mississippi Pardons- Two sisters in a Mississippi jail will probably won't be pardoned after stealing $11 and being put in jail for life. One of the sisters has failing kidneys. The Mississippi governor has a history of pardoning male murderers.
- Our Banana Republic- The tax cuts that President Bush created for the people who receive the top 2% of salaries in the USA are about to expire, but their is talk of renewing them. The money that the rich people are saving could go towards schools, which need the money.
- There's Only One Way to Stop a Bully- Schools are required to teach anti-bullying to their students by most states. Unfortunately students aren't being taught in the most effective ways. They aren't being taught to defend themselves, which could limit bullying.
My Response to The Mississippi Pardons:
After reading through this article I was horrified. This article hints that the sisters are being treated unfairly because they are women, which is not right and illegal. The Eighth Amendment states that no cruel or unusual punishments can be uses against a criminal. This does describe cruel punishment. For a person who is in a life threatening medical situation, to keep them from medical help is definitely cruel.
As well as being illegal, the evidence against them is very weak. Teenagers who made the actual robbery pointed their fingers at the women, and the sisters went to jail. If you or I were in a situation where we weren't treated fairly, I know that I would be angry- probably the same for you.
The author of the article makes it clear that the sisters are in this situation because they are women. After serving sixteen years of their double-life sentence, the sisters want and need out. In the United States, women are supposed to be treated equally to men, but this situation shows that not all has changed. If men can be pardoned in worse situations, then women can be pardoned too.
My human rights, and those of others are important to me. The person being denied their rights could be me. It is a scary thought that people in the government can take away rights that cannot be taken away. This can be changed, so why not now?
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Social Action #2: Write a Poem
A life beyond my own
A life of nothing, yet they are still here
Their few coins hit their old paper cups
For just one meal they beg and plead
On plastic crates that no-one needs
Tattered clothing on bodies thinned
As they turn invisible to but a few
The few that stop and drop a couple cents
Then go on their way
And forget about that person who will sit through the cold night
Without a care as they shiver in the rain
Stuck in a circle
No way to get out
Beg, buy, eat until they die
Some in shelters
Others on the street
Hoping and praying for a fresh day
A life of nothing, yet they are still here
Their few coins hit their old paper cups
For just one meal they beg and plead
On plastic crates that no-one needs
Tattered clothing on bodies thinned
As they turn invisible to but a few
The few that stop and drop a couple cents
Then go on their way
And forget about that person who will sit through the cold night
Without a care as they shiver in the rain
Stuck in a circle
No way to get out
Beg, buy, eat until they die
Some in shelters
Others on the street
Hoping and praying for a fresh day
Extra Credit: Poem
A freedom between two worlds
A song connecting them without bonds
A hope keeping the light on
A light shinning down
A dancer stops and bows
A song connecting them without bonds
A hope keeping the light on
A light shinning down
A dancer stops and bows
Friday, October 29, 2010
Extra Credit: Poem
Sounds of sorrow
Joined by the winds soft cries
Sad as the night
A faint glimmer appears through the dark
A circle strong
Strong with light
Living for life
Life for the light
The light that stands strong
Joined by the winds soft cries
Sad as the night
A faint glimmer appears through the dark
A circle strong
Strong with light
Living for life
Life for the light
The light that stands strong
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Social Action: Media Project
After looking at the problems going on in our world, I was surprised. In my small sheltered world, I never thought twice about issues such as those that I read about in the New York Times. The people who were going through these problems seemed so far away; it was almost like nothing had ever happened.
After being immersed in issues for five days, these issues seem closer to home. I can now understand exactly how and why our world is far from perfect. I could never picture the population of my school dropping by 500 students because of economic difficulties in Millinocket, Me, or being put in a situation where people think it is okay to mock me. Both of those issues appeared during this project.
This project has greatly changed my views on the world. The world is bigger than my small corner of Brooklyn. The world contains problems that target everyone. The world is far from the safe place that I've grown up in.
October 27th, 2010:
In the tiny town of Millinocket, Me, the economy has gone way down because of the closing of the local paper mill. The local high school, desperately looking for students, has decided to seek students from China. The school has decided to charge the Chinese students $27,000 for tuition, board, and meals. The principle Kenneth Smith hopes that this will get the school and town back on track.
In ten United States prisons it was found that the prisoners were forced to handle toxic medals. However, the illnesses in the prisons couldn't directly be traced to the toxic medals. Critics such as the Basel Action Network still are pointing their finger's though because of a study in 2003 that showed that the work done in prisons links to the inmates sicknesses.
October 26th, 2010:
Papua New Guinea is having an oil pipe put through it by Exxon Mobile. People feel like it might ruin the country's unique culture because of all of the money that would be made. There are some benefits though. Papua New Guinea has almost no law enforcement. They would be able to prevent some of the fighting going on within the country with the money made.
In Tijuana the drug wars seemed to be slowing down, but on October 24th 14 people were killed at a rehabilitation clinic. This is bad for the city because their economy was rising as result of the drug wars slowing down. Many people fear that these killings will turn people away from the city again.
October 25th, 2010:
In China a rights activist was jailed for his writings. The organization Freedom Now is fighting for his freedom. They said that it would be good for China to promote the changes the country has made recently.
China won't let it's currency rise. This issue has been hurting the economies of other countries because China has been becoming richer as other countries let their dollar be worth more. At a meeting in South Korea between the countries with the highest economies in the world, the United States pushed, and gained many supporters for their cause.
October 24th, 2010:
A news reporter got fired because he said that he feels uncomfortable when someone who looks Muslim boards a plane that he is on. After getting fired he quickly got a contract with Fox News. Many people were curious about how things would have been if he had said a similar thing about gays. Because many people are openly gay, there is more or less an acceptance of them. It is thought that if he had put down gays, he might not have even gotten a contract with the conservative Fox News.
In Cuidad Juarez, Mexico, an armed gang invaded a house and killed 13 people who were celebrating the birthday of a 14 year old. At first it was thought that this attack was related to the drug wars, but it was apparent that none of the family was related to anything. Cuidad Juarez is becoming one of the most violent cities in the world.
October 23, 2010:
In Haiti, there has been an outbreak of the deadly disease cholera. 150 are dead from it. The cholera is spreading quickly because many people are crammed together because of the earthquake that happened in January. Doctors think that it has been caused by the dirty water that people have been drinking so water cleaning machines were sent to limit the outbreak.
Bank of America has been sued because of unnecessary foreclosures. Apparently most of them have been from bad loans that the bank has made. Some of the foreclosures that were unnecessary had no paper work that said that it was okay to take back the house.
After being immersed in issues for five days, these issues seem closer to home. I can now understand exactly how and why our world is far from perfect. I could never picture the population of my school dropping by 500 students because of economic difficulties in Millinocket, Me, or being put in a situation where people think it is okay to mock me. Both of those issues appeared during this project.
This project has greatly changed my views on the world. The world is bigger than my small corner of Brooklyn. The world contains problems that target everyone. The world is far from the safe place that I've grown up in.
October 27th, 2010:
In the tiny town of Millinocket, Me, the economy has gone way down because of the closing of the local paper mill. The local high school, desperately looking for students, has decided to seek students from China. The school has decided to charge the Chinese students $27,000 for tuition, board, and meals. The principle Kenneth Smith hopes that this will get the school and town back on track.
In ten United States prisons it was found that the prisoners were forced to handle toxic medals. However, the illnesses in the prisons couldn't directly be traced to the toxic medals. Critics such as the Basel Action Network still are pointing their finger's though because of a study in 2003 that showed that the work done in prisons links to the inmates sicknesses.
October 26th, 2010:
Papua New Guinea is having an oil pipe put through it by Exxon Mobile. People feel like it might ruin the country's unique culture because of all of the money that would be made. There are some benefits though. Papua New Guinea has almost no law enforcement. They would be able to prevent some of the fighting going on within the country with the money made.
In Tijuana the drug wars seemed to be slowing down, but on October 24th 14 people were killed at a rehabilitation clinic. This is bad for the city because their economy was rising as result of the drug wars slowing down. Many people fear that these killings will turn people away from the city again.
October 25th, 2010:
In China a rights activist was jailed for his writings. The organization Freedom Now is fighting for his freedom. They said that it would be good for China to promote the changes the country has made recently.
China won't let it's currency rise. This issue has been hurting the economies of other countries because China has been becoming richer as other countries let their dollar be worth more. At a meeting in South Korea between the countries with the highest economies in the world, the United States pushed, and gained many supporters for their cause.
October 24th, 2010:
A news reporter got fired because he said that he feels uncomfortable when someone who looks Muslim boards a plane that he is on. After getting fired he quickly got a contract with Fox News. Many people were curious about how things would have been if he had said a similar thing about gays. Because many people are openly gay, there is more or less an acceptance of them. It is thought that if he had put down gays, he might not have even gotten a contract with the conservative Fox News.
In Cuidad Juarez, Mexico, an armed gang invaded a house and killed 13 people who were celebrating the birthday of a 14 year old. At first it was thought that this attack was related to the drug wars, but it was apparent that none of the family was related to anything. Cuidad Juarez is becoming one of the most violent cities in the world.
October 23, 2010:
In Haiti, there has been an outbreak of the deadly disease cholera. 150 are dead from it. The cholera is spreading quickly because many people are crammed together because of the earthquake that happened in January. Doctors think that it has been caused by the dirty water that people have been drinking so water cleaning machines were sent to limit the outbreak.
Bank of America has been sued because of unnecessary foreclosures. Apparently most of them have been from bad loans that the bank has made. Some of the foreclosures that were unnecessary had no paper work that said that it was okay to take back the house.
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