The Wall that Mexico paid for... I mean the US...no I mean the wall that Mexico will eventually pay for!!!

I was reading a blog written by Phuong Nguyen titled IS IT WORTH TO BUILD THE WALL? I found it very interesting. The first thing he talked about was the cost of the wall. It started out as a mere 4 billion and eventually went up to about 20 billion. That is a lot of money! It is ok though because we are not paying for the wall Mexico is!!! But wait there's more!!! We are going to pay for the wall and Mexico is going to pay the US back. Even though they have said more than once that they are not going to pay for the daggone wall. So now on to plan B. We will slap some tariffs on them and they will pay for the wall that way. I am not an economics major but I am going to take a shot at this. The US wants to buy an avocado from Mexico. Mexico charges the US $5.00 dollars for the avocado. The President slaps on a 20% tariff: $5.00*.20=$6.00. The US wants to buy another avocado from Mexico. So now Mexico charges $6.00 for the avocado. Mexico still has $5.00 and the US has $1.00. Can someone tell me again who is paying for this wall? Phuong also went on to say how can this money be better spent. Well since the president loves the veterans how about he use this money to solve the homeless veteran problem in America. I bet 20 billion could solve most of all the homeless issues in America! Phuong also stated the rhetoric that the wall will prevent people from coming over illegally. It might make a small dent in the issue but most people over here overstay their visas and I am not sure how a wall is going to help with this. Also the amount of immigrants coming from Mexico and Central America is decreasing while the numbers from Asia and Africa are increasing. So again I am not sure how the wall will help with that. The great supporters of this wall are the ones that say gun control/reform will not work. That these gun laws will not prevent people from committing crimes with guns. I am just curious why that same argument doesn't seem to work for the wall. I asked my mother what she thought about the wall. Her response is the wall to keep others out or us in? Her answer totally crept me out!  I think that it was a Berlin Wall reference and I choose not to be that cynical and hope that there is no truth to her words.

Blog 5

     On November 2nd 2018 CNN posted an article stating that President Trump thought the military should shoot rock-throwing migrants.  He said that rocks should be considered a rifle. Right now I feel like we live in the Philippines. I have really only read this type of ridiculousness from their President. What would do we live in where we even think that this is some type of option? The President later walked backed on that comment and said, “is soldiers are going to be hit in the face with rocks, we're going to arrest those people. That doesn’t mean shoot them.” Excuse me Mr. President we already heard what you initially said so don’t act like you didn’t say it now!

     There have been occasions when there have been rocks thrown at border agents but the records show that this is a little threat. No agents have been killed.The Pentagon has refused to allow our military to act like they are the police. So why are they there? I think this is a mid-term election stunt to make him look powerful. The reality is is that the military can do little to nothing but I guess it makes him look tough. What surprises me is how many people are ok with the thought of the military killing people for throwing rocks! Why are there so many people in this country fine with being a bully? Is the moral compass of the party who brags about morality failing? As I said before I do not know what the perfect solution to this problem is but I’m sure it’s not mass murder. We as a country need to get it together and put down that huge cup Eastern Block we’ve been sipping on.

blog 4

Today October 19th 2018 CNN had an article titled  Migrant Caravan Clashes with Mexican Police, waits on bridge at Mexican border. The article is about the huge migration of Honduran  citizens trekking from their home country to the United States. There are approximately 4000 people trying to make it to the States. I understand that they have a terrible life in their country so they are trying to come here to make a better one. Trump tweeted that if Mexico did not stop the migration he would be forced to take action. I am just curious what kind of action he was speaking of. So I went on some pages to see what people were thinking. I happened to stop at the Blue Lives Matter page and they were talking about murdering these people because they are invading our country. I was in total shock that this thought would actually cross people's mind. Some people would be ok murdering innocent people who are trying to make a better life for themselves. I don't know what the solution would be but I am almost certain it isn't mass murder. This thought had me so disturbed that I brought it to family dinner. As I was explaining this around the dinner table someone in my family stated that it starts with murdering people trying to get in the country then it progresses to murdering people trying to leave our country. I had to think of my best friend in Germany and wonder how she felt about all of this. We as a country cannot find a better solution other than murder? I am hoping that this is all a fear tactic. Many of the people complaining really don't have much to worry about in their lives other than beating rush hour traffic. None of us have walked a mile in their shoes. We do not know how it feels to face death in the face everyday. I hope that our country does not travel down this dark road. What does Lady Liberty even stand for anymore?

Blog 3

     On July 25th, 2018 Ann Coutler published a blog called Central Park Rapist: Trump was Right. I really wasn't sure who Ann was really besides the colorful names my mother calls her. I decided to see what was it about her that made my mother swear at the computer. My first impression was she was an older version of Tomi. It is sad to think this is what Tomi will grow up to be if she doesn't change her ways.
     Her opinion piece was on the Central Park 5. It was a rape that took place in the 1989 in Central Park New York City. She went on to say that Trump was right and they should not have gotten off for the rape. If you have never really heard about the case it would seem like she is laying down a pretty good argument. What she failed to mention in her blog was the corruption that was going in with detectives at this time. The detectives were known to coerce confessions out of people especially children. She didn't mention in her blog that all of these boys were underage. They did not allow their parents to be present. The boys did not have any counsel present either. They were questioned for 13 hours at a time. The detectives intimidated them, threatened them, and only taped half of what the boys were say. So this gave the judge and jury a biased view of the case. After being in jail for many years they men were exonerated for the rape.
     What I wondered as I was reading this do people really read what she says and take it for face value? If I didn't know anything about the case and I liked Ann would I have just believe that this is how it went down at face value? I hope that people would have taken a moment to research the case to see what it was about for themselves.
      Any person in their right mind would be glad that people who are wrongly committed get a chance at life again. So I am not entirely sure was all the shade she was throwing to protect the president. As I read into her a little deeper she is willing ignorant but not at all dumb. My question is what are her followers.

#WhyIDidntReport

     On Saturday September 21st 2018, and article was posted in BBC title Brett Kavanaugh nomination: Trump Challenges Accuser is telling about is going on going on with the new Supreme Court Justice nominee. Mr. Kavanaugh has been accused of sexual assault from a lady that he went to high school with. Digging up dirt by the opposing party is nothing new. This sort of dog and pony show is quite common between the donkeys and the elephants. What I found interesting is watching people respond to the claim. Some people believe her then there are others that say why did she wait so long to say anything about it.
    With President Trump took about a week to respond to the claims against his nominee I was quite surprised. Then Trump came through in true Trump fashion stating if something bad did happen why didn't her parents do something about it then? The president went on tweet why didn't she report it and why didn't the FBI investigate in 36 years ago? This is a classic case of victim blaming/shaming  her for not acting in the time that people think victims should respond. Not knowing (or refusing to admit) that many victims (both men and women) have repressed memories of the trauma. The article did state that she and he husband did seek counseling back in 2012 regarding this matter. I was following the hashtag #WhyIDidntReport has some very interesting reasons for people not reporting their sexual assaults
     I am not sure what will come of out this but the only ones that that know the truth are Mr. Kavanaugh and Professor Ford. What is disappointing me about the whole ordeal is that a victim is only believed if they agree with you politically. Otherwise the victim is blamed and shamed for the nation's viewing pleasure. When the #metoo Movement began the republicans were clapping with glee with the Hollywood bigwigs were dropping like flies. These women then were so brave to come forward and share their stories. Now when the shoe is on the other political foot these women are liars and can't be trusted. In the same note the Democrats are trying to send him to the slaughter but when a Democrat was going through the same thing that wanted to wait and find out all the information.
     This all leaves the victim as a pawn in a chess game they never wanted to play. Trying to fight for vindication when they are only suppose to be receiving support. Now Professor Ford has to do this in front of all of us to criticize her.  True there have been women that have made false claims but the stories that are real far outweighs them. I think that each of needs to check ourselves and make sure that our emotions are not tied to a political party and we can see right from wrong no matter what "wing" it comes from.

Hello

Hi Everyone,

I hope everyone has a good semester. Maybe I will see some of you in study groups.