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Obama Falling Short in Immigration Reform?

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 “Esperábamos más” or “We expected more” was the phrase that was in the minds of many Hispanic immigration activists after hearing President Obama’s first speech at the State of the Union Address.  According to an article I read on Univision.com many in the Hispanic community feel that President Obama focused more on issues such as the economy, homeland security, the war in Iraq, and the earthquake in Haiti.  Immigration activist Vanessa Cárdenas states, “This speech did not manifest the compromise that we wanted to see. There was no affirmative word. There are other priorities. To some extent he deceived us.”

Furthermore, the article states that he only spoke a few seconds on the issues of immigration reform and the legalization of undocumented citizens.  I read his speech and unfortnately the only time immigration reform is mentioned is when President Obama states “And we should continue the work of fixing our broken immigration system -– to secure our borders and enforce our laws, and ensure that everyone who plays by the rules can contribute to our economy and enrich our nation.”

After reading this article and President Obama’s speech I do believe that immigration activist such as Cárdenas have a point that it has been pushed to the side. However, I believe that this is due to the fact that the economy and issues such as health care and homeland security have been become more prominent to the majority of American citizens. However immigration reform is not an issue that can just be pushed under the rug. There still needs to be some work taking place to change the U.S. immigration system because it affects the lives millions of U.S. residents, legal or not.

President Obama’s State of the Union Address full text

Information about Immigration Reform Bill

Treatment or Prevention- What Should We Buy Into?

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Since the AIDS outbreak in the 1980s, people have been scrambling to treat those already infected and prevent further infections.  In Africa, especially, there are major obstacles to overcome.  This could explain why “two-thirds of the world’s 40 million HIV/AIDS cases are in… sub-Saharan Africa… and 72 percent of the 3 million people who died from AIDS in 2006 were Africans” (Bristol).  So how should we as global citizens try to help?  To figure out the solution one must recognize the myriad and endlessly complex obstacles getting in the way:

Obstacles to treatment:

  • Weak health systems— many African countries suffer from a “brain drain,” meaning medical students leave for school then never return to practice medicine

    Antiretroviral pills (ARVs) used to treat AIDS
    Antiretroviral pills (ARVs) used to treat AIDS
  • Lack of medial workers— “Africa… bears 24 percent of the world’s burden of disease but has only 3 percent of the global health workforce and 1 percent of its physicians” (Bristol)
  • Limited funding— most of the people who need antiretroviral (ARV) treatment are not receiving it consistently or even at all
  • Stigma of the disease— AIDS carries with it a harsh stigma, causing many to refuse to recognize it for the deadly disease that it is

Obstacles to prevention:

  • Cultural norms— many social norms stimulate the spread of AIDS, including objection to male circumcision, prevalence of male-dominated culture,  and the tendency of concurrent sexual partners
  • Misinformation & lack of education— myths are widely circulated, such as the belief that having sex with a virgin will cure a man of AIDS
  • No AIDS vaccine in sight— it will be many years until we even begin to see a cure

While there are differing opinions as to the main obstacle, ultimately we must focus on both prevention and treatment to be successful.  So where has the US contributed its funds?  Next time I will focus on some of our government’s efforts in Africa.

We Did What?

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I was reading the New York Times today when I came across an article that struck me.

As the story goes…

10 Baptist Americans took it upon themselves to smuggle Haitian “orphans” over the border. Sound absurd? I thought so too. I decided the “… ” was necesarry around the word “orphan” because our fellow Americans didn’t actually have any documentation stating that the status the children was, in fact, orphan.

“What surprises me is that these people would never do something like this in their own country. We must make clear they cannot do such things in ours.” -- Frantz Thermilus, Chief of the National Judicial Police
“What surprises me is that these people would never do something like this in their own country. We must make clear they cannot do such things in ours.” -- Frantz Thermilus, Chief of the National Judicial Police

What were we thinking? In recent times, I have found that Americans, with the help of our media, believe that what we do for suffering countries is always well-received and appreciated. We have found this to be a false assumption in regards to this Haiti hiccup.

These Americans are now held in Haitian prison because they thought they were “doing the right thing.” All things considered, Hooray! for the Haitian police. Despite their infamous corruption and the tragedy that has left Haiti in ruins, they have tried to maintain some national dignity and independence.

I understand the United States is trying to help the cause but let’s try and work with the Haitian government instead of around it. In the end, Haiti is a country of its own who has a government and people that may not like the way the United States does things. Let’s respect that.

Photograph courtesy of the New York Times

In the Spotlight: U.S. Soldiers

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Image Source: Spirit of America- Backpacks Delivered to Afghan Schools
Image Source: Spirit of America- Backpacks Delivered to Afghan Schools

School supplies are necessary in order to be a successful student which is a luxury that Afghan children are not given.

 The United States forces are doing their part to help re-establish the education system.  Specifically the Army’s 649th Regional Support Group is providing school supplies in the Kandahar province for both teachers and students. 

Iowa native Army 2nd Lt. Shaela Bresnan, Backpacks for Afghanistan program coordinator stated, “Unfortunately, children here lack the opportunities to educate themselves. Even when they have access to a school that they are able to attend, they do not have the physical resources to get the most out of their education.”

Backpacks for Afghanistan program began in August 2009 and will give local students to receive backpacks with five pencils, three pens, two colored pencils, a pencil sharpener, two erasers, two notebooks and two folders. Teachers will receive a kit with classroom materials such as world maps, construction paper and small chalkboards. 

“When I was a little boy, if someone had given me a pen instead of a gun, this country would be a better place,” said Afghan Col. Haji Toor Jan, Afghanistan National Police security commander of civil affairs. “The program is very good for our future. Our people will one day have doctors, pilots and engineers. This will be our future.”  

Many schools and churches and other organizations have even donated to the Backpacks for Afghanistan program.  Even you can contribute and assist with this worthy cause.

“If you change the life of a child, you change the world,” commented Army Sgt. 1st Class Elaine Holten, A Backpacks for Afghanistan organizer from Florida.

Check out this YouTube video of “Colorado for Kabul Kids” a non-profit group who provided backpacks and even you can contribute to this worthy cause.

Bush vs Obama: The AIDS Battle

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We all know the dangers and growing concerns surrounding Africa’s AIDS crisis, and no one knows what the future fate of the country will be. It seems that only time will tell. Although George Bush has received a lot of negative publicity since his presidency, he did many great things to combat AIDS in Africa. Under his administration he set up an Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, also known as PEPFAR. PEPFAR has committed $15 billion dollars over five years to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic. According to time.com “PEPFAR has increased tenfold the number of HIV-infected patients in Africa who receive antiretroviral treatments.” Today, with a new President, and different plans surrounding medical aid, no one knows where the fate of Africa will lie.

During Obama’s campaign, he pledged to support PEPFAR, and now it is up to him to follow through. Recently, U.S global AIDS coordinator, Eric Goosby, released information surrounding what the Obama Administration calls “the next phase of PEPFAR” time.com. In this phase they will stray away from emergency help to sustainable help in order to meet the needs of people with HIV. Many doctors and citizens are asking, “is this enough?” Health officials know that HIV is very dangerous, and Africa needs all the support it can get. So, as I said before, only time will tell the fate of Africa and its HIV/ AIDS epidemic.

coffins_aids a young African child walks past coffins of deceased HIV/AIDS victims.

A turn for the worse or the better?

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      “These acts shattered steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve.”  These were the words of President Bush at approximately 8:30 pm on the night of September 11, 2001. This day marked the turning point in our nation’s attention to airport security.  The TSA, with whom we associate airport security measures, was created from the Aviation and Transportation Security Act (ATSA) passed on November 19, 2001.  This administration is now part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), created in November 2002, which deals with threats to the security of our nation.

September 11, 2001 - Source: AP Photo/Chao Soi Cheong
September 11, 2001 - Source: AP Photo/Chao Soi Cheong

According to the timeline of September 11th, chronicled on CNN.com, the terrorists aboard the four hijacked planes were “armed only with knives.”  With the creation of the TSA, regulations regarding baggage and other security measures have been enacted to better protect airline passengers. These rules have evolved into extremely advanced protocols for monitoring air safety.  One of the first acts of the TSA was to ensure that all checked luggage was screened for explosive materials.  These screening processes have come to include fairly invasive strategies that are hoped to limit the threat of terrorism in the air.
               

                Everyone who has flown in the past year has experienced these inconvenient measures.  We should be asking ourselves… Should I really have to take off my shoes, belt and jacket while going through the metal detector? Does having only 3 oz. of liquids or less really protect me while on a flight? Do heavier screenings for passengers really keep the terrorists off of flights? Are we safer now in-flight than before September 11th?  The government believes the answer to all of these questions is YES!  By examining the safety measures taken to protect air passengers, especially those invoved in international flight, we can see how strong relationships with other countries are paramount to making air travel safe.

Afghanistan's Future: Importance of Education

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Source: World Bank- Education in Afghanistan
Source: World Bank- Education in Afghanistan
Source: World Bank- Skills Development in Afghanistan
Source: World Bank- Skills Development in Afghanistan

 

Some students are not as fortunate to be brought up in a culture that has access to quality education which we as Furman students often take for granted.  I will take a look at the education in Afghanistan and the challenges and improvements that are taking place. Before reading on, watch this YouTube video provided by the IRC: International Rescue Committee that focuses on Afghan education.

Since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, enrollment was approximately 43% for boys and only 3% for girls. Females had been forbidden to attend school or teach during this time and only 21,000 highly under-educated teachers existed (which equaled 240 students per teacher). The International Development Association (IDA)  has helped finance multiple initiatives (such as Afghanistan Skills Development Project  in hopes to increase the number of immediately-employable graduates by building a system that is equitable, market responsive, and cost-effective) providing grants to all 34 provinces.   Funds provide teacher training, educational materials, construction, and curriculum standards. 

  • Enrollment: in grades 1-12 increased from 3.9 million in 2004 to 6.2 million in 2008
  • Girls’ Enrollment: increased from 839,000 to more than 2.2 million
  • Boys’ Enrollment: increased from 2.6 million to 3.9 million
  • Training: 32,467 teachers took a comprehensive training module (160,000 teachers total in Afghanistan)
  • Construction: 58 schools (mainly for girls) were refurbished or built

Currently, Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund approved on January 29, 2010 will have contributions  used to finance Afghanistan’s education program and the Education Quality Improvement Program will assist with basic education, school construction, and school upgrades.  Committees are composed of local community members and they form partnerships with the local government to manage education needs.  Such education is key to foster an outlook for a positive future for the country by eliminating poverty and decreasing the gender gap.

Professional Athletes Team Up to "Tackle" Relief Efforts in Haiti

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Uniting for a cause, that’s what professional athletes do as their profession.  That unity has brought the entire sports world together to aid relief efforts in Haiti.  With that said, this blog will assess how the media, especially sports networks, are covering relief efforts nationwide.  I will gather information from the sports networks through several media outlets as well as individual stories of athletes who are form or have family in Haiti.  I will also have the privilege to interview a native Haitian soccer player at Furman University to get an in-depth insight of what this means to him.  To strengthen my blog, I will reference past foreign disasters and show how professional athletes and their respective organizations have impacted U.S. foreign policy for years.

Yemen: The Future of Terrorism?

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My goal is to explore the importance of the media’s portrayal of United States’ relations with Yemen, as a result of the attempted terrorist attack on Christmas Day.  I will assess the latest developments in Yemen and the United States’ potential involvement in Yemen, while evaluating any journalistic bias.

In order to address this issue, I will consult several sources.

-I will read credible sources such as The New York Times;

-I will gather commentary from established foreign policy experts;

-Finally, I will interview Furman faculty and students with an extensive knowledge and passion for U.S. foreign policy on their opinions of the emerging concern over Yemen, its impact on the citizens of the United States, and the media’s portrayal of Yemen.

Implications of U.S. Foreign Environmental Policy

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One of the most pressing issues being discussed in the world today is global climate change. As a leading superpower, the United States plays an integral role in how foreign environmental policy is enacted and the effectiveness of those regulations. By examining the specific regulations and proposed outcomes of both U.S. foreign policy as well as environmental diplomacy that the U.S. partakes in I will address the effects, both direct and indirect, environmental and economic, of those policies. I will use the determined effects and outcomes to decipher  the pros and cons of following through or complying with such a policy on the global and national level. To research these aspects I will interview Furman professors who are well versed in environmental issues as well as researching the scientific and economic data that accompanies environmental policy on well respected climatologist websites and articles.