Is Walmart really the devil?

I hear alot of people say that Walmart is a terrible place, That it steps on small buisnesses and destroys communities. The thing is I just got that awsome Point Break movie for like five dollars! Hey I say forget small buisness. Walmart for life.

Pierce McKain
AMH 1041
TR 10:05

White People Ruin a Good Party

ever since the beginning white people have done nothing but take land, kill people, and oppress the ones they don't kill. they ruined the Indians great party of in the east. then they got tired and ruined the American Indians party in the west. White people need to find something else to do.

Pierce McKain
AMH 1041
TR 10:05

Senate Ends Offshore Drilling Ban

In a vote today to rescue the economy, the Senate voted to lift the ban of offshore drilling. You know, if I wanted to live in a state where our natural resources were prostituted out to the highest bidder I'd live in Alaska. Ridiculous.

Jason Herbert
AMH 1041
TR 10:05

Reconstruction Era South vs. Post WWI Germany

Taking this class has helped me refine a thought I have long held- the story of Reconstruction Era South parallels that of post WWI Germany.

Think about it- both nations had suffered utter defeat at the hands of their enemies. Both were forced to sign unconditional surrenders, the South at Appomattox, Germany at the Treaty of Versailles. In both cases, each nation was forced to pay reparations in one form or another. The South had to ratify the Fourteenth Amendment, while Germany was forced to repay the Allies for money spent fighting the war. Both nations were also subject to legal and military restrictions as well.

The South and Germany both felt humiliated before those that defeated them. Southerners would feel a long distrust and animosity with the North that continues to this day. Germans resented the treaty and felt open hostility against the rest of Europe that would later resurface in WWII.

The similarities get even uglier. Both the remnants of the Confederate states and the nation of Germany would find a convenient scapegoat for their troubles- blacks in the South and Jews in Germany. In each respective case, the blacks and Jews were the most powerless class. Easy to blame, racial and ethnic violence would begin to spread. We see the uprising of the Ku Klux Klan and rise of the Nazi party.

Here's the scary thought- what separates these nations is a great leader. In Germany, a charismatic firebrand by the name of Adolf Hitler would unite the country and in a short time, turn it into a world power once more. Despite the slogan "the South Will Rise Again", it never did. I believe this is because there was never a leader to galvanize the Old South and challenge the North for states' rights.

The Civil War was a long time ago, but I believe the results of Reconstruction could have been a bit more frightening when you compare it to the aftermath of WWI.

Jason Herbert
AMH 1041
TR 10:05

The Rosewood Massacre

In January of 1923, over a period of a few days a town was distroyed at the hands of an angry mob. Rosewood, Florida was located near what is now the town of Perry. In January of 1923 the town was largly populated by african-americans. The town had schools, churches and business's, mostly developed and maintained by the african american residents there.
A white woman accused a black resident of Rosewood of rape, as happened alot during that part of our nations history. In response to this accusation an angry mob went into Rosewood, murdered several residents and burned the town to the ground. There was a railroad that ran nearby and some residents were saved by jumping onto the passing trains.
In 1993 a document was prepaired and given to the Florida Board of Regents for review.This document was full of first hand survivor accounts of the attacks on Rosewood that fatefull January. In 1994 the Florida legislature gave a monitary settlement to the survivors and relative's of survivors for the lost land ownership and the distruction of their lives at the time. I don't think this particular incident in history is discussed enough. If you ask most anyone, no matter what their age,would not know where Rosewood, Florida is/was or what happened there. This town and its residents, surviving and dead deserve their place in history and we should never forget the awful things that happened there.

Kate Rudolph
AMH 1041
T-R 10:05 to 11:20 am

Indian Removal Act- really such a bad thing?

Alot has been written about the Trail of Tears and how "Native Americans" were forcibly removed from their ancestral lands to locations farther west. While I don't condone the manner in which it was done, I wonder - "Was it such a bad thing?"

In order to assess the situation, one must remember that the United States in the early 19th century was in a state of expansion. The United States wanted access to lands controlled by various Indian tribes. To me, I see this as nothing more than a war in which one nation takes lands from another nation. Native Americans were given a peaceful option- join the United States or move elsewhere. Those Indians who chose not to join the U.S. knew their options and made their decisions thusly.

The Indian Removal Act paved the way for further expansion west for the United States, ultimately leading to the country as we now know it.

To put myself in the shoes (or moccassins) or the Native American people, it was a horrible time. But thus is the nature of war.

Jason Herbert
AMH 1041
TR 10:05

Marbury v. Madison, or, John Marshall was a sneaky, crafty genius

You may not know it, but much of the judicial branch's power comes from a very sly opinion that Chief Justice John Marshall made way back in 1803. In it, he established the power of judicial review, or the court's ability to determine if a law was constitional. The interesting thing about this case is that the court struck down a law where Congress tried to grant more power to the Court. The Court held that Congress cannot pass an unconstitutional law, and this law was unconstitutional because Congress could not control the power of the judiciary. So, in essence, in one ruling Marshall relinquished the small amount of power that Congress "granted" and instead took a huge swath of power for the Court moving forward--the power to review and strike down acts of Congress.

Pretty brilliant, indeed.


Jason Herbert
AMH 1041
TR 10:05-11:20

Lets talk SEX!

..and just to make things controversial, let's talk about gay sex.

The source for this entry is just my own sociological study of character development and the eventual affects on a child of his/her adolescent atmosphere. I wander to myself, and wander I will until I make the effort, say in a graduate thesis, to do the research and provide evidence to support a result, what affect does growing up in a homosexual COMMUNITY (not just a home, but not limited to one or the other of a homo- or hetero-sexual home), like the Village in NYC, or Hillcrest in San Diego, or ANYWHERE in San Fransisco or Key West, have a on a child's eventual sexuality?

As a reference to American history, society has progressively developed a more and more liberal tolerance for so-called alternative lifestyles. In communities where the lifestyles are tolerated, but not dominant, like Tallahassee, or Jacksonville, or in Tampa, it seems to make sense to me that less children, we'll say "discover" (in consideration of those who feel like homosexuality is not a choice), that they are homosexual. As opposed to communities like those mentioned initially that a have a dominant presence of these alternative lifestyles, it might make sense that the lifestyle is dominant there because children are more exposed to and are liberated by its presence.

And so the question is posed, choice or not, do you feel that a child has a greater chance of discovering a same sex preference in a more liberal, or even specifically homosexually dominant community, than not? ..or, is the result imminent regardless of where you're raised?

Steve Bosserman
AMH 1041
TR 1005-1120

Sex Offenders Challenge Rights

LAS VEGAS (Aug. 16) -- Eager to protect children from sexual predators, Nevada and other states across the nation are adopting laws that publicize the names of offenders on the Internet. This is COMPLETELY necessary. People in communities need to know what to be looking for, however the sex offenders are livid. But sex offenders say they have rights, too, and argue it's wrong to lump those guilty of minor offenses with the worst offenders. Some are challenging the laws. An offense is an offense, period. Clearly it was the offenders fault for getting themselves in the situation to begin with. It's their responsibility to take what ever cosequences come with that. Even if it is being "lumped" with worst offenders.

Nicole Cass
AMH1041 1005-1120am TR

2008 Politicians Stop Campaign

Candidates Halt Campaigns for 9/11. In the afternoon, in New York, Obama and McCain were to come together to visit ground zero for a somber, silent wreath-laying in the pit that marks the largest loss of life in the attacks. I think these two candidates, today, doing this was truly respectful. They both agreed not to target each others' campaigns today due to the memoriam, and I think that it wouldn't be American if they didn't. I agree that in this time of the race, more than ever, the competition must be heated and for them to put that aside took a lot. I can say that it will not be neglected.

Nicole Cass
AMH1041 TR 1005-1120am

Driving Age May Be Raised

CHICAGO - Taking aim at a longstanding rite of passage for 16-year-olds, an influential auto safety group is calling on states to raise the age for getting a driver's license to 17 or even 18. I know that I've had my license for 2 years already and my vote may have been different if I was still sixteen, but I agree with the group. The age needs to be risen. 16 year-olds have higher crash rates than drivers of any other age. By restricting the age limit, the environment can be helped, too. Reducing the number of cars on the road can help in "going green," and getting pollution contained.

Nicole Cass
AMH1041 TR 10:05am-11:20am

Diversity in 2050

Minorities, now about a third of the population, are expected to become the majority in 2042 and hit 54 percent in 2050. Hispanics, who make up about 15 percent of the population today, will account for 30 percent in 2050, according to the projections. I think it's amazing how the U.S. is the melting pot of the world. As a white woman, it will definitely be hard to adjust to a new world at age 58, when for most of my lifetime the whites were the majority. The diversity in this country, however, makes it the best place to live.

Nicole Cass
AMH1041 10:05am-11:20am TR

Sept. 11th Boston Memorial

A $3.5 million memorial honoring those who died has been dedicated at Logan International Airport. I think that the gesture of putting a memorial up outside of LIA is nice, however, it was this American city's security that failed to screen certain hijackers, who then proceeded to board two planes. I don't think that Boston should be emphasizing the fact that their system is flawed. As terrible as this sounds, it seems as though the airport feels they "needed" to do this, like they were being guilt-tripped for what occurred.




Nicole Cass
AMH1041
10:05am-11:20am TR

Things I learned while watching the Republican National Convention

Things I learned while watching the Republican National Convention:
1) John McCain was a prisoner of war.
2) If you don't vote Republican, the terrorists win.


Jason Herbert
AMH 1041
TR 10:05-11:20