New Blog

Please pick 2 of the 3 articles below to read and answer the questions that follow. The blog will close January 18.
NOTE: Make sure you write your response as a comment on the post you choose, not as a separate post!

14 Reasons Why People are Occupying Wall Street

The link will connect you to an article titled 14 Reasons Why People are Occupying Wall Street from the We Are the 99 Percent website. Look over the article and answer the questions below.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/jpmoore/reasons-people-are-occupying-wall-street

1. What do you know about Occupy Wall Street? Did this article further your understanding of the movement?
2. What kind of impact did the images have on you? Was there one in particular that stuck with you? If so, why?
3. Do you think the length of the people’s stories had anything to do with how effective they were at offering reasons to Occupy? Why or why not?

U.S. Withdraws Troops from Iraq

Below is the link to an article from CNN discussing the removal of U.S. troops from Iraq. After reading it, answer the following questions thoughtfully and thoroughly.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/12/politics/obama-maliki/index.html?hpt=wo_c2

1. Do you think it is possible for the U.S. to build a “’normal relationship’” with Iraq given everything that has happened between the two nations in the past eight years of war? Why or why not?
2. What do Obama and al-Maliki hope will happen to Iraq once the U.S. military is no longer present there? Do you think their visions for Iraq are possible?
3. Do you think it is a good thing that the United States is withdrawing its military presence from Iraq? Why or why not?

Sudbury Terror Suspect Convicted

On Tuesday, December 20, Terek Mehanna of Sudbury was found guilty of several terror-related charges and three charges of lying to authorities. The link below will direct you to an article and video that discuss the courts ruling on the case. After reading/watching, answer the questions below. http://www.thebostonchannel.com/mostpopular/30037719/detail.html

1. Do you think the prosecution’s argument would have been as effective/successful had it not included references to Al-Qaida and the 9/11 attacks? Why or why not?
2. “They said his translation and distribution of controversial publications was free speech protected by the First Amendment.” Does the First Amendment apply to situations such as this? Is this a valid argument for the defense?
3. Do you agree with the jury’s ruling? Why or why not?

Steve Jobs's Stanford Commencement Speech

As we all know, Apple Inc. CEO Steve Jobs died this past week. Jobs's accomplishments are massive and many, and it is impossible to imagine the modern world without his technological contributions; how many of you could live without your iPods or MacBooks?

To commemorate his life and achievements, I am posting the link to the commencement speech he gave to the graduating class of 2005 at Stanford University. You can find both the text and video of the speech here: http://tweentribune.com/content/how-live-you-die

After you read/watch his speech, consider and respond to one or more of the following prompts:

1. In your opinion, what makes this speech good/bad? Provide evidence to support your opinion.
2. After reading/watching this, what is your opinion of Steve Jobs? What about the speech made you think of him that way?
3. What about Jobs's speech made it effective as an address to students graduating from college? Why or why not?

A Commandant's View

http://www.facinghistory.org/commandants-view

This link will connect you to an interview between journalist Gitta Sereny and Franz Stangl, the commandant of the Nazi death camps Sobibor and Treblinka in Poland, who was arrested in Brazil in 1961 and was sent to Germany to be tried for the murder of 900,000 people during the Holocaust. In it, Stangl talks about how he dealt with the "liquidations" of Jews he oversaw and the affects his experiences had on him later on in his life. After you read the article, consider the following questions and post any thoughts, comments, or questions you might have.

1. After reading this article, do you think it is fair to view people like Stangl - that is, men in positions of power within the Nazi death camps - as inhuman and evil? Do Stangl's responses change your opinion of the Nazi officers? If so, why?
2. How did Stangl cope with his job at the death camps? In other words, how did he detach himself from what was really going on?
3. Based on Stangl's responses, do you think he regrets what he did? Provide evidence to back up your opinion.