Rosie's New Article

Death Toll in Syria

            I don’t stand for the rising death toll in Syria. The continuous uprising and conflict over the countries independence has caused family members and friends to injure and kill each other. Death isn’t the only tragedy coming along with the violence; women and children are being kidnapped and moved around the country to make money. I believe people are using the constant conflict over independence as an excuse to commit crimes that will be less recognized. People shouldn’t cause more conflict in their country, and make the situation harder by adding to the violence and conflict. The fight for independence should have nothing to do with kidnapping and raping women. It’s disturbing to me that such a defined conflict can turn into brothers killing  each other and women being taken away from their children and lives.

            More than 7,500 innocent people have been killed in Syria as of this week, with an estimate of over 100 civilians a day. To me those numbers are outrageous, and that amount of deaths shouldn’t be reached. It’s hard to bring myself to understand why people take their beliefs into their own hands so easily. It makes the country seem corrupt and disturbed. Imagining the United States having a conflict and killing each other at this day and age is impossible for me to do. Obviously the Civil War happened years ago, but that was well before the government was developed and put together. The world has seen so many similar conflicts that they should be able to get this one under control.

            I believe the government isn’t intervening as much as they could. Hillary Clinton claims that if they do pursue charges against al-Assad for tried war crimes, then it would make him cede power. Rather than sitting back and waiting for things to calm down I think another country needs to step in and help get the situation with the President Bashar al-Assad under control, as well as the violence in the country under control.

            No country deserves to go through that much death and violence, and sooner than later this fight for independence needs to be resolved.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204653604577250953152295294.html

http://www.ksat.com/news/Syrian-minister-vows-to-defend-independence-as-deaths-mount/-/478452/9136408/-/el9brz/-/

http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/28/world/meast/syria-unrest/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

Scarlet's New Article

I stand against judgment. People are constantly judging others, usually severely. But, do people really know what you have been through to make you “different”. High school is filled with rude people that comment and stare. Maybe you look different or you talk funny. People need to get over it. Humans generally look weird, what our society defines as “beautiful” is rare and may be classified as ugly through other cultures eyes. There is no point in making others feel horrible about themselves because they are not exactly like you. Our country is supposed to be about individualism and freedom. But, instead it has become a staring contest at what you believe is  “ugly” or “weird”. Everyone is beautiful and we should be embracing their good qualities rather than pushing them down. As a young adult you are trying to find yourself and figure out where you belong. No body wants to sit alone at lunch or roam the hallways at break. Be open-minded and have empathy for someone that maybe you don’t understand. Welcome new people to your life so we all can achieve greatness. High school is brutal, it only lasts four years, but this short time usually shapes you as a person for the rest of your life. Invite the girl that sits alone at lunch to sit with you and the boy that never leaves the house on the weekend to go to a movie. It’s a very confusing time for everyone, so embrace it and smile big.

http://www.alleyoop.com/parentblog/2011/09/14/high-school-stereotypes-judging-your-teens-friends/

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_do_people_stereotype_and_judge_others

http://theteendoc.com/parenting/judging-teens-doesnt-work/

Zane DeZeeuw's New Article

I stand for tobacco education.

                Currently the U.S. government is trying to force tobacco companies to put graphic photos on cigarette packs to demonstrate the dangers of smoking. However, tobacco companies do not want the federal government’s food and drug rules to target the marketing and sale of their tobacco products. It is in the best interest for the future health of Americans to be fully educated of the dangers of tobacco before starting up the habit.

                The photos that the federal government wants to place on the cigarette packs would display the damage cigarettes can cause to the body. Some will show rotten teeth due to tobacco use, some will show lung damage, and some will show tracheotomy holes in people’s throats. The purpose of these images would be to bring awareness to the public for the health risks that tobacco causes.

                The cigarette companies don’t want the photos because they believe it will serve to convince people to not buy their product. The companies think that the government wants the pictures in order to promote their non-smoking interest which will interfere with tobacco marketing.

                However, the ultimate goal is to demonstrate the safety hazards cigarettes pose. Other pharmaceutical drugs have warning labels on them for side-affects the products have. The pictures serve no different purpose; they just act as a visual aid to demonstrate what the effects of smoking look like.

                It is perfectly just for the government to put safety pictures on cigarette packs. Because there are health risks associated with cigarettes, it should be the government’s obligation to demonstrate those risks to protect the public and educate them the dangers of the product they may end up using. The pictures merely serve as a visual aid for the risks associated with smoking, and they are not there to stop the public from buying cigarettes. People that already smoke will continue to smoke, but the pictures will help people make an informed decision if they want to pursue smoking or not.

http://yourlife.usatoday.com/health/story/2012-02-01/Feds-argue-for-graphic-images-on-cigarette-packs/52919044/1

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-administration-urges-judge-to-approve-graphic-photos-as-warnings-on-cigarette-packs/2012/02/01/gIQAbij5hQ_story.html

http://legaltimes.typepad.com/blt/2012/02/doj-faces-hurdles-in-cigarette-warning-label-dispute-.html

Jaspar Mandaville's Post

On February 1^st, 2012, fans of the Egyptian soccer teams Al Masry and Al Ahly turned upon each other after an unexpected outcome for the game. In Port Said, Egypt, there was little debate that the win would go to Al Ahly. However, fans of both teams were shocked when Al Masry defeated Al Ahly in a 3-1 win. As some of the more dedicated fans, known as “ultras,” gloated and mourned over the game results, things escalated quickly and turned ugly. Ultras from both teams rioted on the field, the stands and in the exit corridors. Over the next couple hours, over 70 fans suffocated or were stabbed to death while trying to flee the angry ultras. This incident marks the most deadly soccer related case of violence worldwide since 1996.

There has been a great deal of debate and controversy concerning the Port Said police’s lack of intervention during the riots. Mohammed Abu Trika, one of the players, said: "People here are dying and no-one is doing a thing. It's like a war. Is life this cheap?" Others went even farther, saying that the police didn’t intervene for a reason. After resigning, Al Masry's manager  Kamal Abu Ali said: "This is not about soccer, this is bigger than that. This is a plot to topple the state.” The speculation over the reasons for the police and security not stepping in continued; “the security forces did this or allowed it to happen. The men of Mubarak are still ruling. The head of the regime has fallen but all his men are still in their positions. Where is the security? Where is the government?" said Port Said parliament member, Albadry Farghali. In their defense, the Port Said police department claimed that when they involed themselves in the past, they only ended up “smasing the skulls” of the rioters and eventually getting blaimed for the aftermath of the riots. However, the plice chief and prime minister of Port Said province both ended up resigning shortly after the incident.

Personally, I believe that the police should’ve intervened. It’s their job. In America the police are meant to “serve and protect,” and I imagine the police in Egypt are intended to follow a similar set of principles. Whenever the law enforcement falls short of that standard, it’s police negligence. However, I am undecided as to whether or not the government actually didn’t step in, in order to spark panic. It’s certainly possible, although it seems pretty drastic for a major nation’s government. However, the government in Egypt is in the middle of an immensely tormentous time and is certainly liable to intense episodes of corruption.   

Grace Benesutti's 4th Post

American Airline Changes

                I stand for American Airlines making job cuts to save their airline.

Back in November, American Airlines filed for bankruptcy and are recently creating plans to save more than $1.25 billion a year. They announced that they would cut up to 14,000 jobs out of the 88,000 overall employees of American Airlines.  They will be reducing their management by 20%. If this change is not made, American Airlines can go completely bankrupt or would have to figure out a way to make $800 million a year in profit. Other ways to earn back money for American Airlines would be to ground many older planes and buy newer ones in order to save fuel and restructuring debts and leases. In addition to all of the job cuts, the airlines need to be patient waiting for the results of changes in rules at work, such as longer days for crews. American Airlines is the third largest airline in the U.S. and wants to keep its status.

I believe that these job cuts will be best for the Airline. Thomas Horton said, “We will end this journey with many fewer people. But we will also preserve tens of thousands of jobs that would have been lost if we had not embarked on this path.” The point Horton is trying to make is that if they hadn’t decided to make these changes, the entire airline could have been lost. These changes, yes, will be unfortunate for some people, but many jobs will be kept as well. My family usually travels with American Airlines and they have always been a good airline to travel with. I am personally very glad they are making these efforts to keep the airline and I do hope that the people who lose their jobs will become fortunate in other ways.

 http://money.cnn.com/2012/02/01/news/companies/american_jobs/index.htm?hpt=hp_t1

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-amr-cuts-20120201,0,6689054.story

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/02/business/american-airlines-proposes-20-cut-in-salaries.html

Noah Hughes' New Article

I Stand For

            Last year, the Supreme Court elected that corporations have the same exact constitutional rights as a people have. I do not stand for this. Corporations are not people. This is ridiculous for this to be true. Even Republican candidate Mitt Romney approves of the Supreme Court’s decision only because he was a very influential businessman. The reasons I believe this is because these corporations are all about the money and they have a higher influence than us real people. Candidates only look to corporations to get the money necessary for there campaigns, therefore corporations aren’t real people, because we non-corporate people are the ones that make the real decisions through our votes and our lives. This is why we organize things like the occupy protest because we feel that our voice has been overthrown by these corporations. Giving corporations the same first amendment rights as us normal citizens only makes them stronger and gives them more of a foothold in our country. A group called Move to Amend is leading the push to having the Supreme Court remove the right they gave to corporations to have these rights.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/24/corporations-are-people-argument-rejected-most-americans_n_1228301.html

http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2012/01/lp_citizens_united.html

http://www.montereyherald.com/ci_19794264?source=most_viewed

Harly Ryder's New Article

NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, has confirmed that they have shortened the pullout date for the soldiers to 2014. The NATO organization believes that the main objectives are reachable in two years and if they stay for longer it will provoke more issues overseas. Evacuating the soldiers would begin mid-2013 and continue until all NATO forces are out of Afghanistan. I strongly believe that pulling the troops out this rapidly is not going to be a good choice, due to the fact that there will be another power vacuum like the one that occurred in the 80’s with Russia. This power vacuum was formed because Russia was the only true force controlling the people of Afghanistan, and when they left, it left room for terrorist organizations to take over such as the Taliban and Al Qaeda.  To prevent this we need to complete all missions big or small to ensure that history does not repeat itself. Of course the main objective in the war is to eliminate the threats, but there is much more to this particular event. In order to win this war there needs to be a solid educational system, and the youth of Afghanistan need to learn that America and all NATO countries are not bad. If NATO does stick with the 2014 pullout date there will not be a solid enough base for a sustainable independent country to form. When and if NATO decides to proceed with this plan all we can do as Americans and surrounding countries is hope that Afghanistan can build their own base to form a more successful country.

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/jan/30/nato-sticking-to-2014-pullout-date-for-now/?ap

http://www.tolonews.com/en/afghanistan/5196-top-nato-official-confirms-2014-withdrawal-date-

http://newsok.com/nato-sticking-to-2014-pullout-date-for-now/article/feed/341773?custom_click=pod_headline_europe