As you hopefully know, the mid-term election is coming up on Tuesday, November 2nd. A mid-term election is one that happens in the middle of a Presidential term. The President is not running for office, but one-third of the Senate, all of the House of Representatives and many other state and local officials are up for re-election. The mid-term elections always have a much lower voter turnout, even though state and local officials can have a much bigger impact on a person’s everyday life than the President can.
If you would like more information on Indiana candidates, please access the Indiana Voter Guide published by the Indiana Election Division here: http://www.in.gov/sos/elections/files/2010_Candidate_Guide_final_version_11_02_09.pdf
To find out where your polling places is located, visit the Marion County Election Board website here: http://maps.indy.gov/VIP/
As we have discussed in class, we have a two-party system, with several minor parties which receive only a very small percentage of votes. Oftentimes in the mid-term elections, people don’t know as much about the candidates and so they vote entirely based off their party preference. So this week I would like to you to access and take a quiz to see which political party you most identify with. Share you results! “Were you surprised by the results? Did you already know which party you best identify with?” It is important to note, that when taking the quiz you must select whether or not you agree with the statement, and also place the sliding scale on the priority level that issue has for you. You can access the quiz here:
http://www.selectsmart.com/FREE/select.php?client=americanparty2
Have a happy and safe Halloween!
Monday, October 25, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
Remembering Nicole
Those of you who have known me for awhile, may know of the tragedy that struck my family last year, when my boyfriend’s sister was murdered in a domestic violence incident. Like other victims of domestic violence, Nicole was so much more than a statistic. She was a mother, a daughter, a sister and friend.
October is National Domestic Violence Awareness month and in memory of Nicole, I am fundraising for the Julian Center, a local domestic violence shelter here in Indianapolis. If you are interested in donating to the cause, you can access this link to see a “wish list” of supplies that the Julian Center needs: www.juliancenter.org/wish_list.html Bring any supplies to class through the month of October, and I will ensure that they are dropped off at the Julian Center at the end of the month. Though it will not affect your grade in any way, it will affect someone’s life!
One out of every four women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime. It could be someone you know. Many times, domestic violence goes unreported. Nearly 21,000 women are abused in Marion County each year. In Indiana, most domestic battery charges are classified as a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by probation up to one year in jail, and a $5,000 fine.
For this week’s post, I would first like you to find one statistic on domestic violence to share with the rest of us in your post. You may not use a statistic that someone else has already posted. My question for you this week is, “Why do you think this type of violence many times goes unreported? Do you think there should be different penalties in place, and if so, what kind?” You should include your statistic in your post. Answers are due no later than Sunday, October 24th, 2010. If you or someone you know is being affected by domestic violence, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline, which is staffed 24 hours per day at 1-800-799-SAFE. All calls remain confidential.
October is National Domestic Violence Awareness month and in memory of Nicole, I am fundraising for the Julian Center, a local domestic violence shelter here in Indianapolis. If you are interested in donating to the cause, you can access this link to see a “wish list” of supplies that the Julian Center needs: www.juliancenter.org/wish_list.html Bring any supplies to class through the month of October, and I will ensure that they are dropped off at the Julian Center at the end of the month. Though it will not affect your grade in any way, it will affect someone’s life!
One out of every four women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime. It could be someone you know. Many times, domestic violence goes unreported. Nearly 21,000 women are abused in Marion County each year. In Indiana, most domestic battery charges are classified as a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by probation up to one year in jail, and a $5,000 fine.
For this week’s post, I would first like you to find one statistic on domestic violence to share with the rest of us in your post. You may not use a statistic that someone else has already posted. My question for you this week is, “Why do you think this type of violence many times goes unreported? Do you think there should be different penalties in place, and if so, what kind?” You should include your statistic in your post. Answers are due no later than Sunday, October 24th, 2010. If you or someone you know is being affected by domestic violence, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline, which is staffed 24 hours per day at 1-800-799-SAFE. All calls remain confidential.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Celebrating National Coming Out Day!
This week we will begin a discussion on same sex marriage, and the rights homosexuals have under our current laws. So when I heard over the break that a local business, Just Cookies, declined to take an order from a diversity group at IUPUI, I knew I wanted to blog about it. The diversity group had tried to order rainbow colored cupcakes for National Coming Out Day which occurs on October 11th. Since the group was denied service, the story has made national news, with people weighing in both for and against.
Owner Lilly Stockton said she didn’t have sufficient materials to make the rainbow colors needed for the order. Her husband and co-owner David Stockton had a different explanation of why his business declined the order. As he told Fox 59, “We’re a family run business, we have two young impressionable daughters and we thought it was best we didn’t do that”.
Protesters with GetEQUAL Indiana rallied today at the City Market to protest what they see as discrimination towards homosexuals. The city of Indianapolis has launched an investigation to determine if the business violated Indianapolis' anti-discriminatory ordinance. Just Cookies released a statement today, which said in part, “In the United States, citizens have the right to demonstrate, and businesses have the right to operate within the bounds of the law. As citizens and owners of a small business, we pray that our country remains a free Democratic society and these rights are never taken away by anyone who seeks to unlawfully impose their will or agenda on others."
So my question to you this week is two-fold, “Should small businesses have the right to serve whoever they want or did Just Cookies violate the anti-discrimination ordinance? What do you think could be done to encourage equality among people of all backgrounds?” You must answer both questions to earn full credit. Answers are due no later than Sunday, October 17th, 2010.
Owner Lilly Stockton said she didn’t have sufficient materials to make the rainbow colors needed for the order. Her husband and co-owner David Stockton had a different explanation of why his business declined the order. As he told Fox 59, “We’re a family run business, we have two young impressionable daughters and we thought it was best we didn’t do that”.
Protesters with GetEQUAL Indiana rallied today at the City Market to protest what they see as discrimination towards homosexuals. The city of Indianapolis has launched an investigation to determine if the business violated Indianapolis' anti-discriminatory ordinance. Just Cookies released a statement today, which said in part, “In the United States, citizens have the right to demonstrate, and businesses have the right to operate within the bounds of the law. As citizens and owners of a small business, we pray that our country remains a free Democratic society and these rights are never taken away by anyone who seeks to unlawfully impose their will or agenda on others."
So my question to you this week is two-fold, “Should small businesses have the right to serve whoever they want or did Just Cookies violate the anti-discrimination ordinance? What do you think could be done to encourage equality among people of all backgrounds?” You must answer both questions to earn full credit. Answers are due no later than Sunday, October 17th, 2010.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Be the Change You Wish to See
This week in class we will begin our study of the Constitution and the concepts that make us uniquely American. You can order your own free copy of the Constitution here: http://www.constitutionfacts.com/index.cfm?section=bookstore&page=freeCopy.cfm
As we get to know each other this quarter, you will learn that I am a big believer in volunteerism and giving back. I'd like to leave this world better than I found it. For our first blog, I'd like to get know you a little better, so my question to you this week is, "What is something you could do to help your school, your community or your planet?" Answers are due no later than Sunday, October 10th, 2010.
As we get to know each other this quarter, you will learn that I am a big believer in volunteerism and giving back. I'd like to leave this world better than I found it. For our first blog, I'd like to get know you a little better, so my question to you this week is, "What is something you could do to help your school, your community or your planet?" Answers are due no later than Sunday, October 10th, 2010.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)