DUE MONDAY, 12/07: Current Events Assignment

[Sandra Derstine]

A true understanding of history is demonstrated by your ability to
connect events across time and to recognize significant themes.

STEP 1. Find a news article in an online database (approved sources
are below). Read the article thoroughly. Post a 2-paragraph
response, using the guidelines below. BE SURE TO POST A LINK TO YOUR
ARTICLE!

In Paragraph 1, summarize the article using the prompts below.
Remember that to truly understand the article, you may need to do some
side research!
• Who is the article about? Who are the major players in this
issue?
• What event/issue is this article about? Explain the facts/
opinions of your article.
• When did the story take place? Does it have anything to do with
past events or issues?
• Where is this event or issue occurring?
• Why is this event happening? Is it interconnected with anything
else that is going on or has gone on in the past? What are the events
that have preceded and influenced this?
• How is this story significant? How does this article fit in
with a study of government?

In Paragraph 2, respond to the article using one or more of the
following prompts:
• What did you find interesting about this article? What did you
learn from the article?
• What are the implications of your article for you? Your
community? The US? The world?
• What questions do you have after reading this article?
• If this is mainly an opinion article, how would you respond to
the author?
• Predict what you think may happen as this article develops.

STEP 2: Post at least one thoughtful response to another classmate's
current events post, or continue a current events discussion.

[Bryan Davis]

http://www.boston.com/news/world/europe/articles/2009/12/04/american_tells_italian_court_shes_no_killer/

This article is about american college student amanda knox and how she is being named as "the mask of an assassin" by the italian courts and is being prosecuted for the murder of her roomate a british college student named merideth Kercher. The story orgiginally began in 2007 but right about now they are finishing their closing statements to actuallytry to put her behind bars. This event is occuring in italy somewhere. This story is significant and relates to government because it shows that even though we are so far away in italy they actually have fair trials as well. This also shows that in different country's even though we don't really believe in the same things fairness should always be involved in the treatment of peoples.

what I found interesting about this article was that in the article the girl is only worried about losing her self to this name the italian courts gave her but shes not really worried about the jail time she will have to do. This article prety much implied to me that the girl raped her roomate then killed her because she is being charged with sexual assault and murder. I think that as this article continues the girl will actually be convicted for murder and serve a life sentence.

[Hennessy Cruz]

Hennessy Cruz

AP Government HW Current Events

 

GOP folds its big tent

 

This article is mostly about national republicans struggling on how to rebuild last years electoral drubbling. President Barack Obama and the Democrats are also coming up with ideas like an ideological tests to test republican candidates for 2010. Last month a group of people that believe in this idea that was led by Indian national commitee, were at a meating in january laying out about 10 issues that all republicans must follow or obey. Any one that disagree with more than two of them cant be eligible for financial support by the republican national committee. THis article relates to our government because it is the government taking action on this and it effects us. Anything that the governemnt does will effect most of us in many different ways.

 

One thing that was interesting about this article was that they are actually putting basicly rules to the republicans. I know that they have to follow the amendments and corrections and addition of more amendments can be made but not really guidlines. These rules will besicly tell republicans how to run the show putting restrictions on what they can do. I beleive that if this continues the govenrment would have so many restrictions and rules that they may only be one thing that the government can do and eventually we would have no need for one.

 http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2009/12/04/gop_folds_its_big_tent/

 

[n.plaetzer]

A Democratic Crusade – the Swiss Ban on Minarets

Comment on “Swiss Ban on Minarets in Controversial Vote” by Deborah
Ball and Nicholas Birch; WSJ, November 30, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125947451116668259.html

A Swiss initiative on the ban of minarets in the alpine country was
successful: First, Switzerland’s right-wing People’s Party was
successful to collect 100,000 signatures, which brought the issue on
the ballot. Finally, 58 percent of the cast Swiss votes were in favor
of the initiative, 42 percent against it. This result shocked Swiss
politics and society, no one had expected this outcome. Leaders of
major Muslim countries like Turkey immediately criticized Switzerland
for its islamophobic initiative. Turkish conservatives demanded a
similar initiative on the ban of church towers in Turkey. Other
countries of the Muslim world, like Libya, suggested a boycott of
Swiss products.
The Swiss initiative is a frightening example for the dangers of
democracy itself. Democracy should be a tool for liberty – it needs
strong borders, strict limits to make sure that it does not become the
arbitrary rule of the majority. Democracy should find decisions about
policy – not about rights. The majority cannot tell the individual
what to do or not to do on his own property. The Swiss initiative
should remind us that democracy is a god that can fail. A vote against
the rights of others is a crime, like theft or direct violence. I
therefore strongly oppose the decision of the Swiss.

[Barbosa]

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2009/12/kirk_pushes_hea.html

This article is about Senator Paul G. Kirk Jr continuing to carry
Senator Kerry’s beliefs on the disabled. He wants to make a program
part to help the disabled to stay in their homes; as in, they won’t
have to travel to get help, help will come to them. Also he wants them
to get receive benefits for what they need the most. He wants this to
become a voluntary self-funded insurance program that is a part of the
health care bill. I believe this is happening because the disabled are
not getting the amount of help that they deserve. This is important
because the senate voted to keep this on the health reform bill. Also
there are 200 million disabled and elderly people that live in America
today and each one need some sort of help.
I think this is interesting because I want to see how many people
agree and disagree with this. I personally agree with what Senator
Kirk Jr because the elderly and the disable really need help from us
“normal” Americans. They need more care and attention the others. I
don’t think it takes much to help these people. I would like for
everyone to agree on this issues. This is affecting the whole America
not just Boston. A question to the senator is, why is this taking
long? Shouldn’t this already have happen?

[Abby Perez]

http://www.hlrecord.org/opinion/mumbai-attacks-one-year-later-questioning-a-poorly-handled-aftermath-1.945974

This article is about ten young jihadis attacking Mumbai. This talks
about how these jihadis attack Mumbai, running around with guns in
their hand and hate in their eyes declaring war. This took place
November 25, 2009 in Mumbai. I think this is happening because of
everything that happened in the past with the Pakistanians. This is
significant because this could keep on happening if the government
doesn't do anything to stop it.

I learned that what happened in the past could still happen now if we
don't take care of ourself and if the government doesn't protect the
people. Questions that I still have are: Why is this happening? will
it happen in boston? will things get worst? what will happen in thed
future because of this? I don't think this is an opinion article, but
I would still say that they should get the government to pay attention
more and have them help them stop this.I think that if more people
read this that we could get the government stop this before it gets
worst.

[Abby Perez]

i cnt believe this, do you think that this could happen again? do you
think that the government could do better to protect the citizens
against this?

On Dec 4, 1:36 pm, Bryan Davis <bdavisj...@gmail.com> wrote:
> http://www.boston.com/news/world/europe/articles/2009/12/04/american_...

[gregory lespinsse]

 

Obama prods Democrats on health care:

 

Yesterday president Obama visited the Capitol Hill imploring Senate Democrats in a closed-door session to resolve their disagreements on health care and finish work on the sweeping legislation.  Senator Ben Nelson, a moderate Democrat from Nebraska, said there was a great deal more work to be done. “There is certainly interest in trying to find significant common ground,’’ he said. “It’s a tall challenge to try to reach that.’’that was a very strong stament which tell us that we have a great chance of pasing the health care reform, but as know their’s many other important subject the president need to improve.which is why I don’t believe that the president should set on one goal.

 

President Obama is not about to closed the health care reform because he decided to keep moving forward by receiving information from the other democrat members. Weeks ago many of the republican members told president Obama to close down the health care reform because they were more important subjects to rely on, one this subject matter is consider being the war in Iraq.

 

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2009/12/07/obama_prods_democrats_on_health_care/