This is no R rated movie.

Dear School Board,

I find your recent ruling, banning the teaching of so called “graphic history”, to high school students. Events such as the Rape of Nanking and the Bosnian genocide are said to be “too graphic” and “too intense” for us to learn about. However, answer me this: if we do not learn about such events, and understand that they are still going on today, how can we stop them? It was in 1995 that the Bosnian Genocide began, a mere 15 years ago. People are being killed and raped; human beings are being killed and raped. Yet, you tell us that we are too young, too immature to learn about these topics—these important pieces of history.

We are constantly being told that we must seek new heights, and strive diligently in our education, for we are the future of this country. However, you restrict us with rules such as these, and try to censor history. History is not something that can be censored. It is not an R rated movie that we can put an age limit on. History happened. History will happen again. We need to know the truth of history if we are to prevent it from happening again. Is that not the same cliché your generation constantly repeats to us?

The events in Nanking, and those in Bosnia, The Sudan, Rwanda, and all over the globe are happening today. The future has already begun to repeat itself, and will continue to do so without any thing to stand in its way. Let us be that wall; let us stand in the way of the repetition of evil. We are the future; therefore we must be informed of the past.

Sincerely,

The Millennials 

To Tango with Disaster...

What time is it?
It is time to be contrary!
In this segment, I will speak contrary to the commonly held belief, and leave everyone hanging, waiting for more, and not knowing what my real opinion is!
Here we go!

The United States in unarguably a superpower in this world. If we want to go into a country, and help them out, or mess them up, we could do so pretty easy (with the exception say China). But our military and our government is strong enough to take on a good portion of the countries around the globe. So, for this reason many a time, people believe that we—being the superpower that we are—have the obligation to get involved when countries are in trouble: war, genocide, etc. Well, you know what; I don’t think that’s our job! We are not the police force of the world, sent around to fix other people’s problems. By sending out troops, and our citizens into these dangerous, and deadly countries, are we not putting at risk the lives of American lives? Is that merely a risk that we must take? NO, because we don’t have to take it. Call me cynical, call me inhumane, but hey I am looking out for the boys on my turf.

Propaganda..

Cinderella Man; the man, the movie, the legend.

James J. Braddock :

• Lived in New Jersey with his Wife, Mae Braddock, and their three Children.
• Movie opens with him and his wife in their rather large house in NJ.
• Then moves into the depression, and we see the true impact of the depression.
• They go from large home, to living in a shack with their three children.
• Struggle to pay the bills.
• Works on the docks doing manual day labor when he could not box.
• Proud man, did not like asking for help.
• Loving man, when he made a promise to his children, he was not going to let them down.

Cinderella Man:

• Won 56 out of 86 fights; and lost only 23.
• In the movie we saw his major injury problems; he had frequent problems with his right hand.
• These problems led to him being suspended indefinitely from boxing in the movie.
• Name "Cinderella man" came about in a newspaper article describing his comeback from the breadline to the boxing ring.
• He was a lightweight, and still had the courage to fight and beat many a heavyweight.
• His fight with Baer was the climax of both the Movie and his fighting career.
• Was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2001

Guilty until Proven Innocent?

Sacco & Vanzetti.

Well, this case may not be a landmark in nature like Schneck vs. US, or Roe v. Wade, but there remains much controversy. Was it guilt, or race that sent them to their death? We may never know, but we'll see what we can do.

Both men were born in Italy and immigrated to the United States in 1908. Both worked rather low level jobs throughout their time in the States, but remained very loyal to their home country of Italy, and many of the ideals brought from there. Both men ended up rolling with the wrong crowd, and becoming active members of the anarchist movement in the United States. This was likely a large part of the reason they met, and the reason that they died.

The crime took place early one morning in 1920. Two men [whose names are of little importance] were picking up cash boxes to take to a local shoe factory. While they were doing so, they were shot, killed, and the money they were transporting was stolen. Due to high levels of inconclusive evidence, Sacco and Vanzetti were charged and found guilty of the crime. Such evidence includes seven eyewitness (maybe?) accounts of the crime, the fact that the gunmen were "probably Italian", and that the two men happened to not be at work that day. Seems rather inconclusive to me.

The evidence presented in this case was overwhelming. However, it seems likely that there were other forces at work when the jury made their final ruling. This trial took place at a time when Nativism was the way of the land, and anything foreign was quite taboo. We have to look at all the facts surrounding the case, and try to understand it as it was. They could not match the bullets to either mans gun, they had no positive identifications of the two men. The case was built on speculation and racism.

Truth is, this was likely just one of the many times in US history were men have died regardless of guilt. Someone had to be blamed; Sacco and Vanzetti were merely scapegoats..

Study Time!

The Scopes Trial:

-          John Scopes was put on trial in Tennessee for teaching evolution

-          At the time, only creationism could be taught in schools

-          The law banning evolution was overturned in years following the trial

Prohibition:

-          Pushed by old Americans, Women’s groups, and Henry Ford

-          Sought to end domestic violence and child abuse

-          In the long run, more drinking was done during than prior.

-          18^th amendment

-          Enforced by IRS

-          Did not ban possession, consumption, or transportation

Flappers:

-          The “new women” of the 1920s

-          Had new found sense of freedom

-          Wore shorter hair, and less modest clothing

Economic Issues:

-          Credit led to debt

-          Low interest rates led to debt

-          Stock market speculation and buying on margin led to debt

-          People now had many more choices of what to buy with discretionary income

Dust Bowl:

-          Caused by the over farming of land, drought, and mechanization (the use of machines)

-          Huge clouds of dust would sweep hundreds of miles across country

-          Cities in the Midwest, and west were buried under the dust

Agricultural issues:

-          Though many people were moving off of farms and into cities, agriculture increases

-          Due in great part to many technological advances

-          However, overproduction occurred which led to huge decline in prices, and thus farmers making very little money

-          Seen as time of agricultural depression

Immigration Policies:

-          Quotas

-          Ethnic groups limited to 2% of population (from 1890 census)

-          Asians and few other countries were ban from entering completely

Nativism:

-          Part of the immigration restrictions

-          Saw that many ethnic groups (such as Asians) were ban entirely

Significant Literary Works:

-          The Great Gatsby; F.Scott Fitzgerald

-          How the Other Half Lives; Jacob Riis

-          Jungle; Upton Sinclair

-          Ulysses; James Joyce

-          The Way of White Folk; Langston Hughes

-          Etc.

The Great Migration:

-          Saw major migration of African Americans from south to north

-          Brought new found racial tensions to the north (cities)

-          Brought with it the Harlem Renaissance

Harlem Renaissance:

-          Huge African American cultural movement

-          African Americans finally coming out, and showing pride

-          Major African American movement of literature, music, and the arts

-          Langston Hughes

Sacco & Vanzetti:

-          Italian anarchists

-          Criminals

-          Charged with murder (supposedly committed during armed robbery)

-          Found guilty, though evidence was very inconclusive

-          To this day their innocence or guilt is still unknown

-          Many believe this to have been a prime example of racism

Labor Issues:

-          Increase unemployment rate

-          Suppression of unions

-          Lack of unity among labor groups

-          Welfare capitalism

The Red Scare:

-          Lenin comes to power in the newly formed USSR

-          Red = bad

-          Fear of anything foreign

-          Palmer Raids

-          Espionage and Sedition acts

-          Schneck vs. USA

Schneck vs. USA

-          Court case the upheld the Espionage act

-          Wrote and mailed pamphlets speaking out against involuntary servitude

-          He was arrested on charges of violating the Espionage act; claimed the it violated his first amendment rights

-          The supreme court ruled against him; thus making the Espionage act constitutional. 

"Uncle Sams Devil Island"

Alcatraz...
The most famous prison in our country, the topic of many a movie, and supposedly inescapable. The prison is located in the San Fransisco Bay, approximately 1.5 miles from the shore of San Fransisco. This fact alone is scary to think about.

• Reason 1 for inescapability: One would have to swim close to the same distance as in an Ironman Triathlon to reach shore.

Furthermore, this prison was megalith, and when i say megalith, i mean MEGALITH. The island was used as a military base for over 50 years, and thus was fortified as such. For example, think about trying to escape from Guantanamo Bay Prison in Cuba (impossible by the way), it would be similar trying to break out of Alcatraz. 

• Reason 2 for Inescapability: Military fortifications made it incredibly difficult to get off the island without being impaired in someway. 

So, i guess it seems like the government was right in assuming that this place was sealed tight. But hey, the Mythbusters said it was possible, so who knows?

The Era of Gangsters..

I have to say, this was a very interesting topic to learn about. As kids we always hear about these so called "gangsters." They sit in our minds like fictional characters in a movie; the bad guy; the robber to societies cop. Yet, it seems like we never really learn what they really did, and who they really were. This project accomplished just that.
Doing the research for my presentation alone taught me so much that i would likely have never learned otherwise. The things that the gangsters of this time did go far beyond what is generally discussed, and perhaps even what is generally okay to discuss in our society. We live in a sheltered world, and its times like these when we get to pop the bubble for a change. The very same idea that many of these men and women lived by. They saw what was going on in society, and did not like it; they had a better idea i guess you could say. As totally awful as they were, its an incredibly interesting topic. These presentations brought this to life for me. I learned the bad, and even a little good, that came from the lives of these criminals. And also, the true extent to which our society continues to be affected by them.

Evolution vs. Religion; Science vs. Faith; and Theories vs. Theology.

Senator John McCain is quoted saying, "I believe in evolution. But I also believe, when I hike the Grand Canyon and see it at sunset, that the hand of God is there also." This is what many people do not understand. The very basic principle that exists; there can be both God, and evolution. 
We live in a society today in which knowledge is taken for granted. We have the ability to search for something and have an answer within seconds, and yet, we still take for granted what is at the very root of all of this- knowledge. Whether or not one believes in God or believes in evolution, is it not right to know both. Whether or not we agree or disagree, should we still not know what we don't agree with. We cannot simply disagree with no  knowledge or basis for which to disagree. The very word disagree means, "to have a different opinion." Therefore, to argue that we should teach simply creationism, or simply evolution is absurd. This idea goes contrary to the very basis of education. We go to school to learn how to make decisions, and how to become the next generation of humanity. Therefore, do not tell us that we must learn one or the other; give us the chance to choose. 

If you cannot be a poet, be the poem...

Proposed by old Americans
Resentment came from New Americans
Only found alcohol "underground"
Homemade alcohol such as "bathtub gin" grew
Increase in policy activity (IRS?)
Bars were forced to close
Illegal activity grew over night
The era of gangsters
Illegal "giggle water" was the new business to be in
Only "hooch" was available
New found acceptance for crime in society

            _______________________________________________
Reds were the enemy
Old Americans ran farms
Age of prohibition
Russia = USSR
Immigration was restricted 
No Asians past the boarders
Gams were shown at last


The time of the flapper
With credit, came also debt
Everyone could buy the next best thing
New Americans ruled the city streets
Time of two Americas
Integration of soldiers was in full swing
Ethnic groups limited to 2%
Speakeasies the first night clubs?