The Power of Being Outside

As another school year comes to a close, I start to think about going back into the open. By open I mean being able to spend my summer at beaches, riding bikes, and generally being outside more. The past two summers I have been able to experience the outdoors like never before- I was able to take a 7 day canoe trip in the Boundary Waters between the United States and Canada, as well as kayak the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore for a 5 day trip. The picture above is one of many caves kayakers can visit in the Apostle Islands in Wisconsin. All of the entry points for these trips were through State Parks; all of which allowed me to see the untouched, pristine natural beauty of the Great Lakes. This New York Times article reminded me of my trips greatly and also brought up some themes discussed in AS this semester. Being able to travel is almost a source of power so who is able to travel? And why does traveling benefit a person so much?

“Why Am I at a National Park?” by Eric Nagourney explains how baby boomers have been a constant, reliable stream to the National Parks in the United States while people aged 16 to 30 have decreased in visiting National Parks. The article quotes Jonathan Jarvis, the director of the park service. Mr. Jarvis said, “The parks must compete with high-speed, high-resolution entertainment, with instant access to seemingly everything in the blink of the eye.” While it is certainly true that children and young adults in 2013 may be captivated by “high-speed, high-resolution entertainment,” some other factors that may be influencing young adults not being able to visit National Parks are that a majority may not have the power to. Baby boomers are starting to become retired- free from the responsibilities of children and work.

The ability to visit National Parks or travel around the country in general takes a type of power in the sense that a person would need to take vacation days, spend money, and be away from their general responsibilities for the entire trip. This made me think of some class discussions and themes that we have seen throughout the year. More specifically, this made me think of social class issues and the certain powers that accompany the upper and middle classes.  The powers of traveling include new knowledge and experiences with cultures and different types of people. Similarly, further research into this from the National Wildlife Federation found that children had “stress levels fall within minutes of seeing green spaces” and that natural settings are “widely effective in reducing ADHD symptoms.”

As many issues in the United States fall into class, travel is no different. The benefits of travel have been shown but what steps can be taken to improve travel to National Parks as well as just around the country in general? Are we facing another true class issue or can this be resolved more simply? 

Back to 2004?

While not confirmed yet, multiple sources have stated that James Comey will be nominated under President Obama as the next FBI director. However, just like how many of President Obama's nominees for different important positions, this one is not without its controversy. Mr. Comey worked under President Bush in the Justice department but threatened to resign because of the Bush's administration use of warrant-less wire tapping.

Other interesting thing about this particular nomination is that he worked with Bush administration. In 2008, many people voted for Obama to simply get anyone who worked with Bush out of the White House. However, President Obama has brought in many people who also worked with former President Bush. It is interesting to wonder why President Obama has decided to do this. Surely, there is many more people who also could be suitable for this job. Also, it is not like during his first term when he had to satisfy swing voters so he could get back into the White House . What do you think President Obama's motivation is to bring these people into his administration?

Housing Disparities in Chicago

Less than a 45 minute drive from where I live is the city of Chicago. Called the most American city of all cities in the United States by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Chicago has tons to offer. From the Gold Coast, to Lincoln Park, to Michigan Avenue this city is full of life and of course, full of wealth. As discussed in American Studies multiple times, the rich and powerful always have more then a less wealthy or poor person in terms of where they get to live, where they work, where they get their education and much more. In particular, where people get to live in Chicago and housing was discussed in this nine page article from the New York Times.

The article, named The Death and Life of Chicago by Ben Austen, goes into depth discussing the many problems facing poor residents of the southern and western suburbs of Chicago. The article mainly focuses on a group called the "Anti-Eviction Campaign" where members find vacant houses, refurbish them, and let homeless people live in them. As explained in the article, it is not as simple as just letting someone move into a house without that particular person paying taxes on the house or land. However, the author also provides startling statistics- "62,000 properties in Chicago were vacant at the end of last year" with a two-thirds majority of them clustered in the South and West side of the city.

The Anti-Eviction Campaign group is run by people who actually live in these neighborhoods effected by the vacant houses. I found it very interesting that the group was not run by anyone living outside these neighborhoods or by a government agency. What do you think about this group? How much of an effect do you think they have on the South and West side?

The two images provided in the article. The top left image is of Chicago's Gold Coast, a very expensive part of the city to live. This image is of a neighborhood in Chicago's South Side. 

Without Responders

Living in the north shore most of us don't think about what would happen if we or a family member had a medical emergency. An ambulance would only be a call away and we would be brought to a hospital in almost no time. Living in a rural or very urban area might be a different story but after reading this New York Times article on health care in Alaska it put things in a different prospective.

The article discussed the many decisions that must be made when an emergency call comes. First, the season must be taken into account. According to the article, during late may "the Kuskokwim River is choked with unstable melting ice" which broadens the isolation of people living across the river even more. The article even goes as far to say, "If you have a road, you're not remote." This provocative statement really shows how isolated people are from each other in certain parts of Alaska.

                                                           The Kuskokwim River


Similarly to other rural areas in the United States or the "lower 48" as referred to in the article, the lack of doctors or nurses in villages also proves to be problematic. In the village of Atmautluak, a women who is only 25 years old is the only community health aide. The continuing lack of education makes this problem constant from generation to generation. What do you think could be one possible solution to rural Alaska emergency responder problems?

Decade of Conflict

Today marks a day of remembrance for those who have sacrificed their lives as well as continue to think about those who are still deployed overseas. Traditionally every Memorial Day the President speaks to veterans and military families and today was no different;  President Obama addressed the Arlington National Cemetery with a strong message of remembering that the United States is still at war. One of the most memorable lines from President Obamas speech was when discussing conflicts and new chapters in the United States history. President Obama said, "...even as we turn a page on a decade of conflict, even as we look forward, let us never forget as we gather here today that our nation is still at war."

President Obama hints at multiple common themes that are recurring in America. Americans are always moving on to the next thing, whatever is most prevalent at the moment and often forget of things still happening like the war in Afghanistan.  Another theme is the one of that America is almost always at war and President Obama hinted at the fact of moving "forward" and hoping that we would not be in another decade of war.

What do you think of President Obama's speech? What else do you think he was hinting at?

A Historic Election

The 2012 presidential election was certainly historic for many reasons, but new data is coming out about the past election that has never happened before. According to a Census Bureau analysis, black voter turnout surpassed whites in the 2012 election. A Huffington Post article provided the statistics saying, "about 66.2 percent of eligible black voters cast ballots in 2012, up from 64.7 percent in 2008." The fact that more black voters came out to vote in this election did not only affect how President Obama won the election, but how future democratic candidates have a greater chance of winning based on the trends reported by the Census Bureau. The article also described how other minority groups in the United States turned out to vote and the affect that will have in future elections. 

I think it is very interesting how 2012 had a even higher black voter turnout then 2008 when Barack Obama was first trying to get elected. What do you think? Why did 2012 have the highest turnout in voting for this specific minority group?

Reading, Writing, and Mathematics

When thinking of the American dream, people often draw images of a single family house in a sprawling suburbs and children attending the good, local public school. While today that dream might be pictured a little differently, the children attending the best school nearby has definitely changed as well as what is learned in those schools. According to this New York Times article, new statistics have come out showing how children and teens in the United States are succeeding in mathematics, but lagging behind in reading skills.

The new data is not hard to believe but considering learning outside of school, it would make sense that reading skills would be better than math. Kids are read to at bedtime and are constantly surrounded by themes and skills that are need in reading classes. Most kids are not using math all the time in their house and with their friends. According to the article, "86 percent of students score at a proficient or advanced level in math, while only about two thirds reach those levels in reading over the same period" when taking data from different school districts on the East Coast. 

As educators across the country argue about how to improve math scores and how were lagging behind other highly developed countries in the world, perhaps it is time to start focusing on reading and writing skills. What do you think could be some ways to improve reading skills across the country?

Advertising to Children

Many of us do not even realize how many ads we see every single day. If you live in a city, according to this New York Times article, you can see up to 2,000 ads every day. However, more information is now coming out on the effect of advertising and children. Even more specifically, how these ads effect what children eat and how it is directly related to the growing population of children who are overweight in the United States.

Everyday in the United States, "children and teenagers see 12 to 14 food ads on television" according to this other New York Times article. This does not even include the many other places children have the opportunity to see advertisements like billboards, the internet, and even in school. The repetition of seeing these usually unhealthy food ads played in front of children is now making researchers look at how this related to the obesity crisis in the US. 

Now some campaigns that are trying to fight childhood obesity are firing back with ads that directly show the effects of being overweight as a child. While some of these ads have come under criticism for bullying children and being to harsh others believe its time to really show the effect of obesity on this country. What do you think? Do you think these ads are to harsh?

The Biggest Problem

In the area I live sometimes its easy to forget the vast majority of problems most Americans face today. From the economy to enviroment, the north shore "bubble" provides a cover from many issues today. However, the issue I am reasearching for my junior theme is affecting 17% of children in the United States today; childhood obesity. The repercussions of this  many children being overweight or obese are numerous. Some lasting issues that the country will have to face are not enough healthy recruits to join the army, rising health care costs, declining life span, and a worse overall quality of life.

Many may write off the obesity problems as this generation being lazy and stuck in front of computers and TV screens all day long. While the number of hours children spend in front of a TV may have increased; according to this University of Michigan study, "kids aged 6-11 spend about 28 hours a week in front of a TV," the number of kids overweight can not be entirely blamed on this. Another thing to consider are food deserts: "a district with little or no access to large grocery stores that offer fresh and affordable foods." This means that parents may not have access to fresh, healthy, food instead of fast food like McDonalds or Burger King.

The solution to this problem is not one, many things must be done to make American children healthy again. Michelle Obama's main cause is fighting childhood obesity. However many people do not want the governement coming into this issue and take offence. What do you think? What do you think should be done to help fight this problem?

New Delhi Protests

Over three months ago, a gang rape in India caused an international news firestorm. The story refused to fade, as many do in America and very recently the New York Times reported an update in the story. One of the main suspects in the trial, committed suicide in jail as he was awaiting the trial in the case. The man was the driver of the bus on which the women was raped on and fatally assaulted. According to this New York Times article, "The six men, the only occupants of the private bus, beat the man with a metal bar, raped the woman and used the bar to inflict massive internal injuries to her," which clearly shows how horrific this tragedy was and the reason why this is still such a talked about news story. 

This rape has also spurred protests of women's rights in India. These protests have urged the government to pass more laws and criminalize even more any assault on women. They have also criticized the government for not providing more protection on public transportation, like the bus the women was raped on.This horrific gang rape, is also bringing even more attention to the mistreatment of women, which can go unnoticed to many people in todays society. In just America, every 2 minutes someone is sexually assaulted according to this website.  Many more laws needs to be passed, even in a "progressive" country like America is seen as to protect and help women. What do you think? How can we encourage more laws to be passed to decrease the amount of assaults on women? 

The Fall of A Hero

As we have discussed in class multiple times, a common theme that often shows up in American culture is the one of a rise and fall story of a hero. The American people love this type of story: the rise of a struggling person who has to overcome a challenge, then winning or rising above, and finally the eventual fall. Recently, I have watched this play out in the rise and fall of athlete Oscar Pistorius.

A picture of Pistorius is taken down in Johannesburg after the charges were announced.  

Oscar Pistorius is an Olympic track and field athlete from South Africa and had the lower bottom part of his legs amputated when he was only 11 months old. He was fit with prosthetics and began running in college even though he played multiple sports growing up. After not making the cut for the 2008 Olympics, he focused on training for 2012. He ultimately made the 2012 South African team and ran the final leg of the 4x400 meter relay race. The challenges Pistorius faced were numerous, but he overcame and truly fulfilled the "rise' part of a story and became the hero for the South African team.

However, when you rise, it is inevitable that you will again fall. In February 2013, Pistorius was charged with the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. She was shot to death in Pistorius's home. The ongoing charges and court appearances have been all over the United States news which shows how interested the American people are in this type of story. How this whole story will play out will take time. What do you think? Do you think the American people will stay interested or forget about the rise and fall of Oscar Pistorius?

Teach for America

In class this past week, the topic of Teach for America was brought up. I knew only a little bit about this program, and after hearing both positive and negative comments about it, I wanted to learn more about it. According to Teach for Americas website their mission "is to build the movement to eliminate educational inequity by developing such leaders." Basically what TFA does is take recent college graduates, put them in urban and rural public schools, and have them teach for about two years.

Some of the positives of this program include new teachers who are eager and excited to teach in these schools. They bring fresh energy to the schools and are really committed to helping these kids. And probably even more importantly, TFA is doing something to try and help change our public school system that is failing. According to the TFA website, "8% of kids growing up in low-income communities graduate from college by age 2" which shows how much change is needed.

However, this program is definitely not perfect and not everyone agrees that it is doing that much. People argue that placing new college graduates into struggling classrooms is just a recipe for disaster. These teachers have no experience and are replacing teachers who have worked at the school for years. Whats your opinion on Teach for America? Comment below.

Violence Against Women Act

This week, I started reading about a new act called the Violence Against Women Act. This act would "authorize $659 million over 5 years for VAWA programs and include new protections for victims of domestic violence" according to this Huffington Post article. This act was supposed to be a bipartisan bill, and the Senate just passed it 78 to 22. Not surprisingly, senators who voted against the act were all Republican males. The question that I had right after I read this article was why would anyone vote against this bill, that would help countless people?

I found some sort of answer when reading a quote from a House Republican, Eric Cantor. He said, "We blocked the Violence Against Women Act because the Senate forced it on us without our consent. I'm sure women understand." It shocked me that any elected official could ever say something so horrible and just plain dumb. Hopefully, other Republicans in the House don't share this same view, and pass this crucial bill.

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

Referring to the Sandy Hook shooting, President Obama said, “That was the worst day of my presidency.” Today, I found myself looking at a photo the White House released of President Obama shooting a gun at Camp David. The photo was taken on August 4^th , 2012, so the fact that it just happened to be released February 2^nd, 2013, this photo seemed like a strange thing for the White House to release.

Was the White House trying to silence anti-gun control critics by showing President Obama is just like them? If that was the case, according to an article by the New York Times, which gave a quote by Chris Cox, the Chief Lobbyist for the National Rife Association, they failed. Mr. Cox said,  “But in his effort to pursue a political agenda, he apparently is willing to convince gun owners that he’s one of us, that he’s a Second Amendment supporter.” The question now is what is President Obamas political agenda. A gun control activist or a “Second Amendment supporter?”

I couldn’t find any definitive statements from President Obama addressing his exact viewpoints on gun control. Instead, I found statements like, “I will use all the powers of this office to help advance efforts aimed at preventing more tragedies (referring to recent mass shootings) like this” and “proposals (referring to gun control laws) that I then intend to push without delay.” President Obama’s quotes use vague language and his statements don’t seem very convincing. However, this picture released by the White House speaks much more then any of his previous statements in his various speeches and interviews. What does this picture say to you and do you think President Obama will take action on gun control based off his statements? 

Broken Promises

As I was scrolling through the New York Times website a Op-Ed piece caught my eye. This article by Andrew Rosenthal is titled, "Obama Administration Seems to Give Up on Closing Guantanamo." This really caught my attention because Obama made a widely known promise to close Guantanamo during his presidency. Not only has he NOT done this, according to Mr. Rosenthal, he has shut down the lone office in the state department that was working on "repatriating or resettling detainees held at Guantanamo.

I remember when the lawyer, David Grossman, who worked for a firm who represented detainees came to talk to our American Studies class. He discussed how it was nearly impossible for lawyers to talk to the prisoners because of how the United States workers there made the rules. And now the Obama Administration has completely closed down the one government worker who was trying to "help" the detainees. Now these people at Guantanamo Bay will have to find private lawyers to help them, which is often really costly.

I wonder if President Obama will go and do a complete reverse of some of his promises mentioned in his inauguration speech? It was only 4 years ago he promised to shut down Guantanamo Bay for good. What do you think- will President Obama keep his promises?

Do The Ends Justify The Means?

John F. Kennedy addressed the United States during the Cuban Missile Crisis by saying, “The cost of freedom is always high, but Americans have always paid it. And one path we shall never choose, and that is that path of surrender, or submission.” But, what exactly is the “cost of freedom” for Americans? Must we preserve the basic values and principles on which the country was founded at all times? Or does it mean continuing to fight for your country no matter the cost as long as we never “surrender.” I will address those questions by analyzing this still from the movie, Zero Dark Thirty, which is an important contemporary artifact because it visually displays the question on if the ends justified the means in the United States War on Terror.

 This still shows Maya, the protagonist dressed plainly, in barren room with wooden walls and plastic chairs. The only decoration and color is a framed American flag, which her back is turned away from. At a first glance this still contradicts much of what the movie is assumed to be about: Americans fighting for their country by torturing, researching and finally capturing/killing Osama Bin Laden. Only when one delves deeper does the real question come out, how far and at what costs will these American CIA operatives go to capture Bin Laden and did the ends justify the means?

 David Grossman, a former lawyer, provided much needed representation to the Guantanamo Bay detainees. He spoke of the physiological harm that United States government officials would inflict on these detainees. While these methods of torture wouldn’t leave any physical marks- the signs of mental deterioration were clear. This brings back the question of how much will the United States pay to keep our freedom. Do these interrogation techniques even provide crucial information that would lead to success on the United States side?

 In the poem, Waiting For The Barbarians, it addresses that the “barbarians” are really serving as more of a solution to the problem, then the actual problem itself. It states, “Now what’s going to happen to us without barbarians? Those people were kind of a solution.” The “barbarians” in this poem are actually referring to the United States government officials and how they are the uncivilized, barbaric people. I believe this poem accurately displays how barbaric the United States government is because of how these detainees are locked up, with no court hearing, and tortured in many physical and physiological ways. These detainees are a way of showing the American people that the government is continuing to protect our freedoms by displaying that we have made progress in capturing the “bad guys.”

 A rich, happy, successful society all depends on one child who is enslaved and unhappy, locked up far away, according to the short story, The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas. But what about prisoners from far away countries, locked up, and tortured just to display to the American public that we fighting the War On Terror and protecting our freedoms? “They feel anger, outrage, impotence, despite all explanations,” says the narrator. Surely, people in the United States feel this way toward Guantanamo Bay but eventually they accept that in order to be “safe” and “happy” nothing can truly be done and move on. American citizens turn their back towards these detainees just like in the still how Maya has her back turned away from the flag. Maya seems that she is making a statement on how she feels about United States government use of torture to gain information. While the end result of the movie and real life was the same (Osama Bin Laden was killed), Maya truly seems to wonder if the ends justified the means in capturing Bin Laden. Have Americans truly paid the price for the cost of freedom this time?

To Catch Bin Laden

Over the winter break, I went to see the movie "Zero Dark Thirty." The movie was said to be a portrayal of the events leading up to the capture and killing of Osama bin Laden. It mainly followed the work of a young women in the CIA who spends 8 years in Pakistan trying to find bin Laden. Personally, I thought the movie was really entertaining and fast paced, and the overall acting was pretty quality. However, I watched the movie knowing that the events in the movie were not exactly the same as how they happened in real life or the characters who were portraying real people. What really struck me about the movie, was that the opening scene was an almost black screen with the words along the lines of these events actually happened.

In class we have been talking a lot about the difference between "fiction" and "non-fiction" and how some movies, books, etc. bend the lines in what is true and what is not. I believe "Zero Dark Thirty" does this as well. The majority of the events actually happened from the bombing of a Marriott hotel to the raid on Osama Bin Ladens house. However, how the events actually played out were different from the movie. This could be because a movies main job is to provide entertainment and sometimes things need to be made more exciting then how they actually happened. I thought this movie was really well directed but some others disagree. What do you think? Do you think the movie was an accurate portrayl of the events?