11-year old girl charged with hate crime after police says she beat up a 10-year old 

link- https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/24/us/11-year-old-charged-with-hate-crime-trnd/index.html

Summery: In Gouverneur, New York two white girls ages 10 and 11 were involved with assault. The 10 year old was charged with a second degree harassment and the 11 year old was charged with assault and a third degree hate crime. The victim was African-American, after the incident she was seen with a black eye, bruised knees and hair had been pulled out of the victim. The attack happened around September 10 when the parents of the victim reported this problem. The case was then taken into juvenile court as the girls were referred to St. Lawrence County Probation for further action.

Reaction: I believe this case should be further looked into in order to figure out the motive of the attack as to if this is related to a hate crime or not. There is not enough provided information to tell.

History Connection: This issue is connected to history because of the hate crimes against African Americans. As an example during 1954-1968 The Civil Rights movement was created to prevent these racial discrimination acts. Such as the incident with Little Rock Nine in 1957.

Blog questions:
 How may the school react to these issues regarding hate crimes ?
What do you believe the motive was?
Do you believe this was a hate crime issue or not ?

Boris Johnson’s ultimatum: back me or face 14 October election

Link to Article (ad warning): 

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/sep/02/boris-johnson-threatens-to-ignore-mps-on-no-deal-brexit

Summary: 

The U.K. prime minister Boris Johnson has a no-deal Brexit scheduled for this Halloween. He has made abundantly clear that there are “no circumstances” that Brexit would not happen on 31 October. Many conservative MPs (members of parliament) feel Johnson is rushing Brexit and that it is reckless and damaging. They hope to bush a bill that would delay departure from the EU until 31 January. The bill these conservative MPs are pushing states an extension must be sought if the prime minister hasn’t passed a new Brexit agreement after 19 October. He must otherwise write to the president of the European council to request an extension, though he must accept any alternative extension offered by the EU. 

Reaction: 

Given Boris’ and the U.K.’s reputation, many, including me, believe that Brexit will be delayed yet again and that it will not happen on 31 October as it is currently planned. In order for Brexit to happen on Halloween, Boris would have to have a meeting with European council on 17 October, and need to have an election before then, on 14 October. Despite this, Johnson claimed that the U.K. will have time to come up with any deal and that they shouldn’t need an election, which “I don’t want and you don’t want.”

Connections to US history: 

This is very similar to the incompetence of American government and law. One example is how a bill becomes a law. A bill has to be voted on by the House of Representatives, and if it passes, it has to be voted on by the Senate. Even if it is voted on, the president can still veto it. It is a very long-winded process. Also, Boris Johnson is much like Donald Trump in many ways. He is incompetent, delusional, and he even looks like him. Many, including me, refer to him as “British Trump.”

Questions: 

1) Do you think Brexit will happen by Halloween? Will it be delayed again?

2) Do you support Brexit?

3) What is your opinion on Boris Johnson (British Trump)?

Georgia Homeowner Kills Three Masked Teens in Robbery

article link

Summary: On September 16, 2019, two 16-year-olds and one 15-year-old tried robbing three people, including one homeowner and two residents in their front yard. Teenagers tried robbing them but shortly after opened fire at them, residents open fired back at the Teenangers. Two teenangers were seriously injured and died at the hospital. The other teenager died in the crossfire. Resident who shot the teenagers back has not been charged with anything and will not be, because it was self-defense, which is a law in Georgia.

Reaction: I think that he should have shot the robbers to protect himself from getting killed. I think that he shouldn’t be charged it was his right to fire back when in serious danger. I think that robbers wouldn’t be that situation or the homeowner, if the robbers didn’t try something stupid and especially pull out a gun and shot the homeowner.

Connection: This connects to Women’s Self-Defense Movement they were fighting for their right to vote. While the other stories they were fighting for their life. The Women’s Self-Defense Movement has a long history and many people are involved. This movement has created rules that can relate to the Georgia robbery. 

Questions:

1. Do you think that homeowner should have shot the robbers? Why or why not?
2. Should the homeowner be charge with murder? Why or why not?
3. Do you think the robbers caused their own deaths? Why or why not?

Texas shooting highlights dangers of guns sold without background checks

Tuesday, september 17, 2019
URL of article : https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/09/us/universal-background-checks-guns-texas-shooting-invs/index.html

Image from article:

 

Summary/Reaction: All recent shootings have been caused because people are selling illegal firearms to people and aren’t doing background checks on those that they’ve sold the weapons to. A west texas shooter, seth Ator, 36, failed a background check when he tried to purchase a gun in 2014, because he had been deemed "a mental defective" by a judge, according to law enforcement sources. He was later able to buy a gun from a private seller. He killed seven people and wounded 25 others on August 31 before being apprehended and killed by the police in a shootout. The person who sold Ator his gun is being investigated as an unlicensed dealer, according to a law enforcement source. If there weren’t unlicensed dealers and more background checks there wouldn’t be as many shootings.

Connection to US History: The connecting to history is the 2nd amendment. It connects to the 2nd amendment because in the 2nd amendment it talks about giving the people the right to bear arms, because of this it enables people to preform shootings.

Question(s): Do you think that the law for guns should be enforced?

Trump plans ban on sale of flavored e-cigarettes

URL of article: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-49667688
Image from article:

Summary/Reaction: Donald Trump had recently announced that his administration will ban flavored e-cigarettes due to the huge number of vaping-related deaths. Trump told reporters that vaping was a “new problem” in society today which had highly affected children and young teenagers. The U.S. Health Secretary Alex Azar said that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is also coming up with a plan to ban all non-tobacco flavors. In the past, 33 states had already reported six deaths and 450 cases of lung illness that was linked to vaping. Among the 450 cases that were reported, the majority of victims were young adults with an average age of 19. Michigan had already taken the first step to be the first state in the United States to ban flavored e-cigarettes. My reaction to the article was negative. Knowing the consequences of vaping is addiction, I believe that the banning of flavored e-cigarettes might bring some hope into our society by slowly taking the step to lessening the harmful products that are being sold in markets. 

Connection to US History: This current event connects back to the Harrison Narcotics Act that was passed in 1914 becoming the United States’ first federal drug policy. It had restricted the manufacture and sale of cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and morphine. 

Question(s): Many people vape because of peer pressure, a method of coping with stress or maybe just out of curiosity. What can we do to prevent the current and future generations from vaping/consuming other drugs?

Military Funds Used For Trump's Wall

- URL of Article: these-are-the-11-border-projects-getting-funds-intended-for-military-constructio



Image from article:


Summary/Reflection: 

On Wednesday, September 4th, Trump uses military funds to support his projects to build his wall. According to the Pentagon's news, military construction project funds will be losing $3.6 billion. There will be 11 projects that these funds will be going to including: pedestrian fencing and barriers in San Diego, replacement of vehicle barriers in Texas, and new fencing at the border in Arizona. Such projects is causing our military forces to lose huge amounts of money. I think that this is harming our national security, which puts our lives at risk. If the military isn't able to get the equipment because of the low funds they receive, how are they supposed to protect us? I feel that our security and protection is supposed to be a priority in our country, and if our lives are being put at risk, then I feel that the people should stick up for our safety and do something about it. 

Historic Connection:
I connected this issue with the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act. This is because in 1996, this act doubled the border patrols that kept immigrants away. It also allowed more fences to be put up. This act is similar to the issue the US is dealing with now because our leader's priority is to restrict many immigrants from entering the country. 

Discussion Question: Do you think the decision to take away our military's funds to keep us safe is the right choice? What do you think is more a priority, our safety or building the border?

North Korea’s human rights: What's not being talked about

-URL of Article: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-44234505

-Image from Article:


-Summary/Reaction: This article details what really goes on and the conditions people are facing in North Korea today. Isolated from the world, North Korea has been ruled by the Kim family for three generations. The citizens show full devotion to the family and the current leader Kim Jun Un. If the citizens do not give their full devotion they will be killed. The citizens are forced into labor. They send hundreds of thousands of people to work overseas for cheap labor. This was proven when Mr. Adams said, "Many overseas workers live in a monitored dormitory where there is no freedom of movement, rendering them essentially prisoners. The revenue the workers' get-go mostly to the North Korean government which is a lot of North Koreas revenue. revenue. The malnutrition in North Korea is also horrendous. People in North Korea are starving and are forced to eat things like grass and mineral-infused water. My reaction to this article is negative - I think that the conditions in North Korea need to change drastically and I would never support this if this was happening in the United States. I think that North Korea needs to change its laws completely and start helping their citizens.

-History Connection: I can connect this with slavery and the slave trade in 1619 in the United States. In North Korea, people are getting sent overseas to work cheap labor. They are monitored and are basically prisoners. This is the exact same with the slave trade, African Americans were sent overseas to work and they were treated unfairly. Just like how they are treated like prisoners the African Americans were treated the same. African Americans were also malnourished just like how the North Korean Citizens where. There are many ways the North Korean conditions compare to Slavery in the United States.

-Question(s) for Discussion: If you where a North Korean citizen protest the government even with the risk of getting killed? If not what would you do?