The Violence of the Human Psyche

"Police: Woman beheaded in Oklahoma warehouse attack" 
Current Event of September 26, 2014
From Chicago Tribune

Only one of the sources of violence

              Yesterday, there was an attack on two women in an Oklahoma food distribution warehouse made allegedly by a man named Alton Nolen. Of the two victims, one was beheaded and the other was stabbed repeatedly with a knife. The latter is currently recovering in the hospital. The suspect of this crime worked for the company but was fired right before the attack took place. Nolen went into a fit of rage and attacked at random. When other workers were interviewed about Nolen, they said that he had tried to convert them all to Islam. Nolen was shot by a police officer and is expected to live. His criminal history was nonviolent previous to the attack and the only crimes he had committed were drug related. 

            Violence has been a huge issue faced by the American public in the recent years. In most cases, the instrument of crime has been guns. The federal government and the states have been battling over the issue of gun control and the second amendment for a long time now. One of the arguments for gun control is that guns stimulate violence in people and lead to terrible occurrences. But, when one looks at the recent attack in Oklahoma, there is an obvious discrepancy. Nolen killed and maimed another with only a knife. That does not mean that guns are not to blame for horrible events that have taken place, because they are. When America faces the issue of violence, however, they can not rule out other causes like the human psyche. If the nation is to address crime as a whole, it can not stop with gun control.   

To Pass the CAHSEE is to Pass at Life

"California Students match record pass rate in high school exit exam" 
Current Event of September 19, 2014
From Los Angeles Times

Education in a Nutshell

               In recent news, students in California's public school system are continuing to improve at standardized testing. The California High School Exit Examination, also known as the CAHSEE, is used to asses the skills of all of the students in the state on a generalized playing field and is required for graduation. Sophomores are administered the test and they have until the end of their high school career to pass. Since the exam was implemented in 2006, the pass rate has increased by five percent across the board. It is currently around 95 percent. African American, Asian, Latino, and white students have all either remained equally proficient or improved upon the last years. Minorities are closing the gap between their pass rates and those of the white students. In other words, public schools are doing significantly better as the years go on. 
             The CAHSEE relates to the how education is being valued in America during this time. The easiest way for the state to test proficiency in a subject is through standardized testing, but that is not always the most accurate portrayal of the truth. The federal government continues to value results, as it did while No Child Left Behind was still enacted. The test scores are what matter because America wants to look better than the rest of the world when it comes to education. Pride comes into play and what is upsetting is that schools teach to the test, so that they can satisfy the state, and therefore the country. The federal government should care more about practical skills than how well a student can fill in the required bubbles. The education system still has some kinks to be worked out before any real progress is made. 

Who is REALLY in charge?

"Britian asked people to redesign the pound coin. The response was brutal."
Current Event of September 12, 2014
Found on The Washington Post

Potential New Design

          Recently, the British government has opened up a competition to the common people in order to gain ideas for the new pound coin. This, in itself, was harmless. The government was only trying to stimulate national pride. While it would seem that many people would be proud to design something that would represent their country, the entire competition turned into a political battlefield. Alexander Salmond represents those in Scotland, who are interested in independence from Britain. Right now, that is a very touchy topic. Designs with Salmond's face instead of Queen Elizabeth II's were submitted as an insult to the British government. Many other offensive designs were suggested as well. The pound coin designing competition turned into an outlet for the disgruntled. 

          Particularly the part about Salmond relates directly to American government. It is amazing how one group, or faction, can get the attention of the people so efficiently in this day and age. This competition is just another way for the idea of Scottish independence to get out into the world. In the same way, certain interests groups in America can get their ideas across by taking advantage of what people see everyday. The common person's perception on an issue is directly linked to how well that side is advertised. After this competition and its recognition by many people, it is certain that more people will know about Salmond's cause. 

Mike Enzi's Home State: Wyoming

 "Big Wonderful Wyoming"      

Sweet Home Wyoming

          Mike Enzi represents to state of Wyoming. Placed in the Midwest, Wyoming is rather large, yet is home to a little over half a million people. The exact number is 582,658 people. Of those residents, there is little diversity. 93% of the population are white Americans while 78% attribute themselves to being Christian. A variety of other ethnicities and religions make up the remaining percentage. English is the most commonly spoken language. On the political scale, Wyoming is a red state, siding with the conservative point of view on many issues. While they do have Democrats actively working in their government, all three of the senators that represent Wyoming are Republican. Tourism and mineral extraction are the main streams of income in the state. The federal government owns about half of the entire state's landmass. National parks such as Yellowstone keep visitors flowing and money circulating. Coal mining and the production of natural gas is what keeps the state afloat, economically. Wyoming, unlike many other states, does not have an income tax. The state has one seat in the House of Representatives and three votes in the electoral college. Wyoming is made up of 23 counties but over three-fourths of the population are found in one of the nine metropolitan areas. The most pressing issues that Wyoming faces have to do with wildlife conservation and debates over the mining of coal. In a recent article from Wyoming's local news, the pressing issue of the protection of wolves comes up. Most people do not want to make radical changes involving how wolves are handled, only substantiating the fact that most of people are opposed to change. 

Ebola Strikes

"Ebola is Taking a Second Toll, on Economies"
Current Event of September 5, 2014
Found on The New York Times

The world's prespective on helpfulness

          Ebola has already taken the lives of countless Africans since its outbreak in the last year. Those not yet struck by the disease are still suffering the economic consequences. Particularly in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone things are heading downhill. Farmers do not have the adequate work force and are expecting only a fraction of their agricultural products to come through this season. African countries that are known to manifest Ebola are being isolated from bordering countries. Airports are being shut down and there is no commerce in and out of these infected countries. This leaves little hope for improvement as the economy is quickly plummeting in countries with the presence of Ebola. Because of the scare, farmers are not receiving loans because no one trusts them to live long enough to pay them back. 
          It is important to look at what is going on internationally in order to remain informed as a citizen of America. Naturally the question, "What would America do if this kind of crisis happened on home soil?", comes up. If Ebola struck only some of the states, would the national government try to quarantine the infected states? The federal government would have to create blockades and stop commerce so that Ebola would not spread throughout the entire country. States should also have the right to keep their borders open if it came down to an Ebola epidemic so that people could come to seek refuge or leave and not become infected, whatever the case may be. It is state versus national power. Issues like this are debated all of the time. It is interesting to speculate.