Monday Matters-Marking Period 3 Week 2

President As Piñata
Kristof's position overall is sympathy towards President Obama and disappointment towards the left-wings who have overall blamed him for the bad economy. He starts by saying pointing out that it's still"A YEAR before President Obama faces re-election", using the capitol letters to point out the ridiculousness that people are acting like the election is so soon. Before talking about Obama's accomplishments, he starts out with a concession saying, "Like many, I have disappointments with Obama. He badly underestimated the length of this economic crisis, and for a man with a spectacular gift at public speaking, he has been surprisingly inept at communicating", which gives him credibility as a realistic observer, and not just a blind supporter of Obama. By making the comparison of Obama to a piñata, Kristof establishes that he has become a scapegoat for the economy that was not all his fault, and opens him up to sympathy, as an appeal to not vote based on "grumpiness toward the incumbent during a difficult time".

Monday Matters- Marking Period 3 Week 1

Are We Getting Nicer? By Nicolas D. Kristof

Even though to many right now it may seem like the world is in chaos, when you look at are time from a historical context, we have made a lot of progress in "human decency"at least. There is less discrimination based on sex and race, and less violence (in war or otherwise). Either though civilian deaths and genocide still happen, now there is a general acknowledgment that it is wrong, as opposed to when it was just a fact of war. The reasons for this moral progress may include growing sympathy and education and declining chauvinism. 

Monday Matters- Marking Period 2, Week 5 Synthesis

Before, I did research on the case of Anwar al-Awlaki, I wasn't really sure about my opinion, and though the process of reading different viewpoints, I found that I could sympathize with both sides. I think that anti-terrorism measures are necessary, but I'm not sure to what extent they justify acts that may break with America's founding ideals. Anwar al-Awlaki's death as an American citizen is unfortunate, and I think that it would have been better if he got his right of due process, but I don't think that we can retrospectively judge events that are ambiguous in details, nor should we too harshly criticize the Obama administration for measures of national security. However, action needs to be taken, to more precisely define the exact powers that the executive branch has in these kinds of situations, so that something like this doesn't happen again. I do believe that there are circumstances that justify killing an American citizen, however in Anwar al-Awlaki's case I'm not sure whether that it was justified or not. Carefulness, thought, and time must however be put into these delicate decisions. However, in the case of Anwar al-Awlaki's son Abdulrahman al-Awlaki, I am more sure that his death was wrong (despite his proximity to more justifiable targets). Nothing justifies the drone-strike killing of a 16 year-old, much less a 16 year-old American citizen, and I am dismayed that there has been much less press concerning Abdulrahman al-Awlaki's death, and the lack of an official response from the Obama administration concerning this tragedy.

Monday Matters-Marking Period 2 Week 5, Visual(s)

 

http://photos.denverpost.com/mediacenter/2011/09/photos-anwar-al-awlaki-killed-in-yeman/#name%20here 

These images of Anwar al-Awlaki  are as contradictory as accounts of his history. In one he is smiling;in the other his mouth is open in commanding speech. In one he is posed next to a white, non-Muslim women; in the other he is alone. In one his arms are relaxed and crossed; in the other his hand is strikingly pointed in a deliberate act of nonverbal communication. In the second picture al-Awlaki is a banner for Muslim/non-Muslim friendly relations; in the first he is a rallying call for jihad. The first picture is absent of a recognizable background, rather his fence-like surrounding seems manufactured for the cause of not distracting from his video, while in the second Muslim children can been seem behind al-Awlaki and Patricia Morris, symbols of innocence and purity that contrast the violence he is calling for in the first. In both pictures, al-Awlaki's clothing contrasts with the background, however the colors of black and white are flipped, symbolizing the change that has occurred in him from the time of the second picture to the first one.

Monday Matter-Marking Period 2 Week Four

Anwar Awlaki: Targeted for death

Because there was no due process for Anwar Awlaki, even though his death may have been justified for his acts furthering terrorism, we cannot be sure that he really did commit those acts as he had no opportunity to respond to any allegations. Killing an American without due process violates the 5th Amendment and is also morally wrong, in that Anwar Awlaki was not an immediate threat. It is true that today it is much harder to decide how to act in a war against terrorism, without clear-cut battlefields or uniforms, and it is understandable the U.S. government's worry about the threat of Anwar Awlaki. However, for the U.S. government to sponsor assassination, there must at least be judicial review. And although it is true that Awlaki's father Nasser al-Aulaqi's case against the U.S. government to take Awlaki off the targeted killing list was lost, and so legally the Obama administration was in the right, terrorism is not an excuse to ignore America's founding principles.

Monday Matters-Marking Period 2 Week Three

When Leaders Die, Terror Still Thrives

Although Anwar al-Awlaki's death may temporarily hurt Al Qaeda's efforts, in the long run it's not going to make a big difference. Killing leader's of terrorist organizations instead may become rallying points for sympathy for the organization and more motivation for violence. This is especially true in the case of religious organizations, and organizations that have more than 500 members. Because Al Qaeda is more than 20 years old, decentralized, and based on religious dogma rather than leadership, it can withstand the deaths of those such as al-Awlaki and Bin Laden. Rather than focusing on killing key leaders, America should try to undermine the social support that Al Qaeda recieves through removing troops from Afghanistan (and at the same time a cause for recruitment) and providing social services to communities where Al Qaeda gets support from.
Jordan, Jenna. "When Leaders Die, Terror Still Thrives." New York Times. 4 Oct. 2011. Web. 23 Oct. 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/05/opinion/awlakis-death-wont-destroy-al-qaeda.html>.

Monday Matters-Marking Period 2 Week Two

A Just Act of War

 Although there is danger of too much executive power, in decisions for anti-terrorism measures, the Obama administration's decision to kill Anwar al-Allaki was a justified security measure without overstepping executive power. Because he had been directly involved in terrorist plots on American, and was within a country that could not have done anything about him itself, the American decision to kill was necessary. Even though at first glance it may seem that due process has not been taken, in reality a court decision last year, and an extraordinarily cautious process within the executive branch proves that it has been sufficient, within the context. And although drones have been criticized, they are really important tools in the war against terror that must be kept.
Goldsmith, Jack L. "A Just Act of War." New York Times. 30 Sept. 2011. Web. 16 Oct. 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/01/opinion/a-just-act-of-war.html>.

Monday Matters-Marking Period 2 Week One

Uphold America's Founding Principles

Firstly, Anwar al-Awlaki was an extremist who did call for killing of Americans, using the internet as a medium. However, the killing of any American without due process is unconstitutional and violates the Fifth Amendment. Violent measures like drone strikes do not decrease terrorism, but instead make it easier for Al-Qaeda to recruit members. We must remember our founding principles even while waging a war on terror.
Awad, Nihad. "Opposing View: Uphold America's Founding Principles." USA Today. 2 Oct. 2011. Web. 16 Oct. 2011. <http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/story/2011-10-02/CAIR-Awlaki-Constitution-terrorism/50637334/1>.

Monday Matter #3: visual

http://lightbox.time.com/2011/09/23/the-best-pictures-of-the-week-september-16-september-23/#7
Self immolation has been throughout history, a form of political protest; and this picture represents the Greek people's protest against Greece's government and the actions that have led to and failed to stop the Greek debt crisis. If the fire that blazes on the Greeks man's body is his shout of protest, than the policeman (a figure of government authority) running over to extinguish the fire represents the government extinguishing the people's calls. The policeman's face is not shown-he is just a general representation of authority. One of the man's arms is up towards the police officer (as if protecting himself from a blow), while his other arm is still reaching for the dropped can of gasoline that he used to set himself on fire, showing he wants to continue having a political voice. The shadow of the bank he is in front of looms over the man, showing how the economic burden he has endured personally has led him to this, while the authority is coming from the light still not as much affected by the economic problems of Greece as the common person is.

Editorial- Monday #2

Leadership Crisis

Both Republicans and Democrats are not listening to the American people, and therefore the economy is suffering. While Americans in poll have shown not to agree with "Reaganomics", some Republicans and Democrats still do, and it is argued that that is what has caused the debt, and recessions. While President Obama's ideas have been right, he has spent too much time trying to appeal to Republics rather than taking a stand for the interests of the people of America. Even though his actions have been criticized, they have been the right ones that most Americans actually agree with, just not enough of them, and his job plan is a positive step- but rather than compromising with the Republicans and Democrats he needs to appeal to the American people for the support he needs to get the bill passed.
"Leadership Crisis." New York Times. 17 Sept. 2011. Web. 18 Sept. 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/18/opinion/sunday/leadership-crisis.html>.

Court Case Asks if Big B

Court Case Asks if ‘Big Brother’ Is Spelled GPS:

In the past few years, the Fourth Amendment's new meaning in our digital age has come into question in many lower courts; with Judge's citing George Orwell's 1984 in claims that government surveillance efforts utilizing technology are invasions of the privacy guaranteed by the Fourth Amendment. In November, the Supreme Court will take on the United States vs. Jones, and tackle the issue of whether using GPS surveillance to watch suspects constitutes "unreasonable search". Jones specifically was convicted of selling cocaine through evidence obtained from GPS surveillance of his travels-after the search warrant they obtained expired. The government is arguing that no search warrant was needed. 

Liptak, Adam. "Court Case Asks If 'Big Brother' Is Spelled GPS." New York Times. New York Times, 10 Sept. 2011. Web. 11 Sept. 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/11/us/11gps.html>.

-Becky Schumm