Editorial #3

Iraq has elections coming up and Obama has important decisions to make about relations with the new government and how many troops to pull out. He has for the most part not been very active in Iraq, because of all the problems Bush had with it. However, Iraq could become a democratic ally to the US and a big producer of oil in the middle east.

I think that if the US helps set up a government in Iraq, it might be good for the people there, but it wouldn't be a true democracy. The US would be doing this for oil, not because of good ideology, anyway. Obama has done a nice job putting the mistake in Iraq behind us, while not just leaving a mess behind.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/06/AR2010030601945.html

Editorial #2

Students in Winston Churchill High School in Montgomery County were caught changing their grades. That is a misdemeanor there, so the police got involved. Usually cheating is handled by the school, but this time it was handled more harshly by the law.

The author of this editorial thought that the police involvement was justified, and cheating should always be handled more strictly. I think that if you don't do something, you should not get the credit or the consequences for it. If the consequences for cheating in High School become very severe, and you are framed, then you will have your school career ruined for something you didn't do. The kids in High School are put through a lot and change a lot. Having life-long consequences for cheating in High School does not make sense to me.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/05/AR2010030504237.html

Editorial #1

I read an editorial about the Supreme court rulings on gun control laws. The Supreme Court ruled in 2008 that a complete ban on guns is unconstitutional in D.C., but kept a ban on guns not kept in businesses or stored disassembled or locked. There is a case being considered in the Supreme Court on the gun control laws in the states. The 14th amendment protects people against the states taking away any rights without due process of law. The ruling will probably extend the 2008 ruling, and have consequences for other rights like the right to health care and wellfare, which, like gun ownership, were not previously considered fundamental rights of the constitution.

I think cities and states should be able to decide whether or not to enact gun control laws. I think that one law on gun ownership would not be optimal for all states.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/05/AR2010030502873.html?nav=hcmoduletmv

Question #6

At first, I had no idea of what to write. Then I decided to write about the earthquake in Haiti. I hope they can rebuild their country to be strong. I can't imagine living in a place with that much destruction and danger. I really makes me proud that the US is sending help. I wish I could do something to help more, too. I am used to writing letters to soldiers, and sending Christmas shoeboxes to orphans. I think politics should not matter in a situation like this, that everyone should be able to help without repercussions.

Cartoon #6

Haiti and Hate By - The Jerusalem Post, Dry Bones * Posted 1/18/2010 by Yaakov Kirschen. This cartoon has angels looking down from the clouds and remarking about how humans always wait for a natural disaster, like the earthquake in Haiti, to help each other. Then afterward, we go back to war. I think that this is sad but true. It would be nice if countries would't have wars because of differences in beliefs. However, since we all know that will always happen, it is comforting to think that there is still a world wide code of conduct: when there is a natural disaster, stop fighting and help save innocent lives.

Question #5

In the next year, I hope the economy improves so that I can get lots of scholarships. It probably will. I think the situation in the Middle East is still being underestimated in regard to time. I don't like the fighting, but now that we decided to interfere with other cultures on a different continent, we should see our changes through. I don't think the US is necessarily on the "right" track, but we are on the USA track.

Cartoon #5

I read a cartoon by Adam Zyglis - The Buffalo News posted 1/7/2010 titled "Fighting Terrorism".
It compares the intelligence agency with terrorist, saying that they are both "many autonomous cells with no central leadership". I don't know if that is true. It might seem like the CIA and whatever other agencies are ineffective at preventing terrorism, but the reason that the underwear bomber guy was such big news is because that kind of thing almost never happens in the US. I have never personally experienced war, and I am very grateful for that. As far as I am concerned, the government has done an acceptable, but not perfect, job at sheltering me from bombs.