Human Rights in Cuba

   With the announcement that America will seek to fabricate ties with Cuba again, Human Rights activists rejoice. Cuba has had a history of constant human rights abuse and with the new (tentative) ties America wishes to make, Cuba hopes for a new future. It is suggested that prior to this new state, when America and Cuba were embargoed from one another- Cuba was suffering greatly. Cuban officials were able to use this American ban as an excuse to abuse human rights policies. With this huge new step Cubans hope to achieve equality and lose the social abuse Cuban officials had cast upon them before.



Obama speaks out about racial bias

   It seems that racism even affects someone as high up as President Barack Obama. In a recent interview with People magazine, Barack and Michelle Obama released new information on racial bias they have been subject to in the workplace and in their lives prior to becoming the President and the first lady. Obama states that there are no African American professionals (including himself) that have not been not given their keys when waiting for their car outside a restaurant. President Obama agrees with slight happiness that the racial stereotypes and injustices have definitely went down with time but he still believes that they are present and out there. He looks back at his life prior to becoming president and in retrospect, he remembers clearly falling victim to racial slurs. Michelle recounted about the time her husband (in a suit and full dress attire) was asked at a black tie dinner to "get someone a cup of coffee." They have much hope for the future but still can conduce that racism is still out there (even at the presidential level) and it must be stopped. It is 2014- it's hard to believe that in a nation that has changed and improved so much there is still racism. But it is real and people encounter it at school, in their place of work and even on public transport. We need to recognize that everyone is equal and come together to stop racist ideas once and for all.



Heartbreak in Peshawar

Absolute Heartache struck Peshawar Pakistan yesterday when the Taliban invaded and opened fire on an army-run school and killed one hundred and forty one people. This is absolutely disgusting- one hundred and forty one people! Of this mass murder; one hundred and thirty two of the victims were children. This probably won't be publicized as much as a mass murder or shooting in America would be but it is equally as tragic. Shahrukh Khan (a teenage student) tells of the horrific actions from his hospital bed; "Someone screamed at us to get down and hide below the desks, Then one of them shouted: 'There are so many children beneath the benches, go and get them." He says that the armed Taliban shouted "Allahu Akbar" (meaning "God is greatest") before starting to fire. It is obviously terribly ludicrous to say such words of God before killing innocent people and people around the globe are condemning the Taliban's actions stating that that is not the word of Islam. Most students killed were under sixteen and all were innocent. Some teachers died in the fury and their families, friends and people all around the world are mourning. In this absolutely heart wrenching and sinister incident I send my thoughts and prayers to the victims and survivors. I hope that the friends, families and parents of the children that were lost will find solace in their happy memories of their children at their time of grief. People from all around the world are uniting together and standing for you Pakistan, including many of the friends of victims in Sydney Australia. People need to realize that their is no religion out their that condones the killing of innocent people. I hope that the fallen are happy with God or Allah (whichever name they choose to call him by) because every religion is valid but the Taliban need to realize what they are doing are not religious in any way.

Stop Rape Culture once and for all

   Sadly, Chances are you've experienced rape culture or maybe even took part in it inadvertently but it needs to stop. Questioning of media accounts of dubious rape culture are being brought up due to an old Rolling Stones magazine that reported saying the girl that was raped in a horrendous gang rape was at fault. Clearly, this is absolutely ludicrous. How can anyone even try to state that the rape victim was the one at fault? And I'm sure you've all heard the words (usually from a jealous onlooker) "She was asking for it," or "well she was dressed like that to attract attention." This is wrong. Girls are more than a sexual accessory for men and quite frankly it's quite vain for a man to even think a certain girl dressed that way just for him. In this incident at the University of Virginia, Rolling Stone wrote an original article (later taken down) that labeled the victim as the problem. She was obviously not the one at fault. The sinister and absolutely disgusting men that raped her were at fault. These boys' actions ruined the victim's life. She will never be the same because of the emotional turmoil and depression she has faced after this incident. And Rolling Stone had the audacity to label her as the problem? Consent is absolutely necessary in anything pertaining to sex. Stop labeling girls as "attention seekers" and making them seem like the problem.  We need to stop blaming the girls or boys who were victims of rape for something they would have never wanted. It's terrible right? So make it a personal goal today and tomorrow (and everyday after that) to stop joking about rape or making crude and unnecessary comments about people that have experienced it.

Changes in Protection Protocal?

     Tragedy struck a large university in Virginia in 2012 when a girl named Jackie was sinisterly raped by a group of college men at a fraternity house party. Phi Kappa Psi was the fraternity house in which this travesty occurred. The girl was reported to have been raped for over three hours by seven men and terribly beaten, bloody and emotionally destroyed. The question at hand now is, should college campuses such as The University of Virginia take higher measures to account for and report rape cases to the police? This would entail the university to overthrow its traditional idea that victims should be able to do what they want and only report if they decide to. I was a little bit borderline on these two ideas when first reading this article. First and foremost, I am a strong and unmovable believer in "power to the people" and individual human rights for all. However; I have come to the conclusion that in cases like this, it probably would be in the best interest to report to the police immediately. What caused me to feel this way at its crux is that the potential rapist(s) could attack other women and men if the police is not notified quickly and efficiently. The police need to be notified to also make sure that the same person doesn't fall target to this rapist's crude and absolutely disgusting acts again. It is with no doubt that the victims of rape are terribly shaken and absolutely crushed after what happened to them and I am sure it's hard to even think about what happened, let alone be able to decide full heartedly if they would want to report it and when. I think it should be university protocol to alert the police so others may not fall victim to the rapists brutal acts. However; I believe that privacy is probably a main priority for the victims in their time of turmoil and I believe that the police and only the police should be notified. The victim's information should still not be up for publication but the police should be notified so they can stop the onset of more rapes before they occur.

Do Flu shots really lead to getting the flu?

You have probably heard before from someone or other that flu shots can give you the flu. This is a myth. New research shows that you can not obtain the flu directly from the flu vaccine. Actually, the most probable way of catching the influenza is by inhaling small and intricate germs (obviously, unseen by the human eye,) off something like your hand. This inadvertent action brings the virus into one's body and is conducive to one becoming very ill. So the truth is out- next time you hear someone saying they do not get the flu vaccine because of their scare of the aftershocks of the virus, let them know that this is in fact not possible. Researchers and doctors continue to say, getting the flu vaccine is the best way to go. By getting this vaccine you are eliminating the risk of not only infecting yourself but also your families and friends. Doctors and nurses are urging citizens to be considerate and sign up to receive the flu vaccine.

       

"paying," for pregnancy?

   Lauri Wolfe was just an ordinary woman with an ordinary job, living what many may consider a relatively normal life. She was six months pregnant when she was told she was being fired from her job at a local Speedway gas station. She held the position of manager and had worked very hard to get to that point. She was outraged and crestfallen not to mention absolutely livid with how her company was treating her. Her paroxysms are not without reason or validation however; The 1978 Pregnancy Discrimination Act is supposed to stop incidents like this before they even happen. Through this act, pregnant women are supposed to be protected during their time of stress. Women are said to be allowed to take the time required off of work during their pregnancy and earn paid leave. Her lawyer argues that no woman should have to chose between pregnancy and a job and that is indeed what her employers are making her adhere to. Wolfe is outraged and hoping to appeal in the court for her constitutional rights and what is supposed to be given to her through the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. In the meantime, the Wolfe's have been given no other choice but to move in with close friends due to her husband's also very sudden- and unexpected loss of work. Wolfe has said recently, "no one deserves this," and continues to hope for the best in her upcoming court case.