Choose Your Own Adventure

This week we started our study of the Constitution and the freedoms that make us uniquely American. You can order your own free copy of the United States Constitution from: http://www.constitutionfacts.com/index.cfm?section=bookstore&page=freeCopy.cfm

Normally, our first blog post has something to do with the freedoms you value most and whether or not you are proud to call yourself an American. This quarter, I would like to start with something different. A good portion of this class will be spent discussing current events and political issues that affect our everyday lives. For this post, I would like you to tell me at least one issue that you are interested in studying. To help you out, you can look over the blog posts that we've had in the past several years to get an idea of the type of things we've covered. Many of the topics are pretty controversial and I do my best to not censor the information available to you.

So my question to you this week is, "What is one issue that you are interested in studying in this class?" Answers are due no later than Wednesday, April 11th, 2012. I hope all of you had a wonderful Spring Break!  For those of you who celebrate - Happy Easter! 

Your Thoughts and Feedback Are Appreciated!

I love my job. I love teaching a subject that I'm really passionate about, but even more importantly, I love being surrounded by the crazy, creative energy that is all of you.  Although I enjoy all of my students, every once in awhile, I get a class that is just "special".  They just gel as a group...we have good discussions, we have fun and we learn something!  For me, you were one of those classes.

I've had a great time with all of you this quarter.  I wish you all the best in your future endeavors. I hope you all stay in touch and continue to post on the blog whenever you want. So for your last blog, I would like to get your feedback on the class. "What did you like most/least?  What could I do to make the class better?"  Answers are due no later than Wednesday, March 21st, 2012.  After that, the blog will be down until class resumes next quarter. For those of you who are graduating - congratulations!  All your hard work paid off.  To all of you - Happy St. Patrick's Day!  Erin Go Braugh!  This Irish girl is signing off for the last time.

You Are Beautiful!

I’ve always been consciously aware of society’s pressure on young girls to be thin, pretty and popular.  As a young teen, I pored over beauty magazines and strove to match the images I saw in them.  “Will I ever have those curves? Will my skin ever be that clear?  Will my hair ever have that much volume?” Finally, I grew up, learned to love myself and learned how to support other women of all shapes and sizes. 


So I was so disappointed last week, when I saw that young girls were posting You-Tube videos of themselves and asking the world to weigh in on whether they were pretty or not.  You can check out some of the videos and read the viewers comments here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8D9mqqkgH-0


The criticism and negative comments they receive can have a devastating impact on a young girl’s self-esteem. Cases of anorexia and bulimia have been found in girls as young as 5.  The media bombards us with images of stick-thin models and airbrushed actresses that put even more pressure of girls to achieve the “ideal image”. Consider these startling statistics from a recent survey of girls ages 12-18, by Sugar magazine:

·         78% said they worry about their weight

·         1:5 have been criticized by a family member for “being too big”

·         51% said their parents have hurt their feelings talking about their size

Today is International Women's Day! So to celebrate, my question to you this week is, “What do you think can be done to ensure young girls are raised with a healthy body image?” Ladies, I would love to hear how and if you were affected by this as young girls.  Guys, I would like to know how you think men contribute to what women think the ideal body image is. Answers are due no later than Wednesday, March 14^th. P.S. This weekend Daylight Savings Time begins – so don’t forget to change your clocks!

It Takes A Village

It is with a heavy heart, that I am blogging this week about another senseless school shooting tragedy.  On February 27^th, seventeen year old T.J. Lane walked into Chardon High School and opened fire, ultimately killing three students and wounding several others. It was reported that teachers locked down their classrooms, covered windows and had students get low to the ground, all consistent with what they had been trained to do.

There have been various reports regarding what set Lane off that morning.  Some reported that he was an “at-risk” kid who had a troubled home life.  Others reported Lane was upset about a recent breakup.  Still others reported that Lane was seen as a “loner” and oftentimes bullied by classmates. Back in 2010, I blogged about the rise of cyber-bullying.  You can read my thoughts and what your fellow students had to say here: http://www.historicalandpoliticalissues.blogspot.com/2010/09/cyber-age-of-bullying.html

For this week, I’d like to know, “What do you think can be done to stop attacks at school such as this?  Who is to blame – the shooter, the students, the parents, the teachers or the community as a whole?” I’d like you to think about your answer from a security, social and educational standpoint.  Answers are due no later than Wednesday, March 7^th, 2012.

Should Hoosiers Have Right-to-Work?

Union members went to federal court yesterday to try and block Indiana’s new Right-to-Work law from being enforced.  Since several of you have asked me about this new controversial law in class, I thought now would be a good time to blog about it.

Governor Mitch Daniels signed the Right-to-Work legislation last month, making Indiana the 23^rd state to ban unions from collecting mandatory fees for representation.  Democrats objected and actually boycotted the Indiana House of Representatives for several days in an attempt to keep the bill from being voted on.  Unions have also protested the bill they call the “Right-to-Work-for-Less”.

Governor Daniels says the new law will help “capture jobs” for which Indiana is not currently being considered.  Proponents agree with Governor Daniels and say the new legislation will prohibit unions from requiring new and existing employees to become union members and pay dues for services they may not want or need. Opponents of the law say it creates a “free rider” problem, in which non-union employees benefit from the union’s collective bargaining power without having to pay dues. They also cite discrimination because public employees can’t opt out of the union like a private-sector employee could.

So, my question to you this week is, “What do you think of Indiana’s controversial new law? Is it good for Hoosiers?”  Getting a good grasp on legislation such as this can be difficult, so you may have to do some research and consult several sources before you post your answer.  Answers are du no later than Wednesday, February 29^th, 2012. Happy Leap Year!

Your Next President Could Be A Mormon

In a few weeks, we will be discussing our First Amendment freedoms, including freedom of religion.  For the past six months, the Mormon Church has run an advertising campaign in nine U.S. markets, including Indianapolis. The advertisements, which include television, radio and billboards feature Mormons talking about their lives and faith. The ads are designed to show that Mormons are everyday people leading everyday lives. Although the Mormon Church officially supports no presidential candidate, many feel these ads have come at just the right time as there is a candidate of the Mormon faith running for President, Mitt Romney.

There has been a lot of controversy over a Mormon running for President. Last week, pastor Robert Jefferies called Romney’s faith a “cult”. Romney has also endured repeated questioning in interviews about his faith and his personal beliefs. Shows like Sister Wives, and reports of raids on polygamist compounds leave many Americans buying in to the stereotype and feeling that Mormons are just plain weird. It begs the question, “Is America ready for a Mormon President?”

Now I make no secret of my Christian faith. That being said, I strongly believe in the separation of church and state. I also have Mormon family members. They don’t have multiple wives, live in Utah or wear homemade clothes. My cousins all went to public school, listen to music, watch movies and wear the latest fashions. In fact, if not for the fact they abstain from caffeine, I would forget they were Mormon at all.

So my question to you this week is, “Do you think America is ready for a Mormon President? Do you think a candidate’s religion should be discussed when running for public office?” Answers are due no later than Monday, October 24th, 2011.

Imported From Detroit

It may sound weird to some, but I love visiting Detroit. Yes, I know, Detroit isn’t usually on people’s list of top vacation spots, but I love it all the same. I love driving across the bridges, eating in Greek town, visiting the Museum of Modern Art and hanging out at Belle Island.  Whether you call it the “Motor City,” “Motown,” or just the “D,” there’s no doubt that Detroit is a classic American city full of culture, diversity and fun.

Which makes it all the more sad to realize that no city in the country has been harder hit by the recession than Detroit. Home to the top three American automakers, Ford, Chrysler and General Motors, Detroit was once seen as a thriving metropolis where people could go to find good jobs.  Today, Detroit’s official unemployment rate is slightly below 30% and some figures quote it actually closer to 50%. To put that in perspective; the national unemployment rate is 8.3%. American car companies, that once dominated the auto industry, now are often seen as having inferior quality and reliability compared to their Japanese counterparts.

Some say American car companies are struggling because of their focus on SUV’s.  When gas prices started to rise, Americans began looking for smaller, compact cars, which are often foreign.  Others say American companies missed the boat when it came to developing green cars with better emissions. We can no longer sell most American cars abroad, because we don’t meet the rest of the world’s fuel efficiency standards. Finally, some say American car companies just mis-managed their funds, giving corporate executives large bonuses, while ignoring their plants, technology and workers.

So my question to you this week is, “What do you think of American cars?  Are they inferior to foreign ones?  What do you think can be done to strengthen the American auto industry?”  You must answer all questions to earn full credit.  Answers are due no later than Wednesday, February 15^th, 2012.