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@justastudxnt

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In the News 11/13

Areas across the country are implementing preventive measures such as curfews. Some experts are questioning whether these minor changes will

As cases surge across the United States, it is prompting many leaders to impose new restrictions and mandates to limit the risk of the virus as the holidays creep up. It is up for debate whether or not these efforts will be enough though. The new restrictions have sprung up rapidly in recent weeks. For example, Massachusetts imposed a statewide curfew. Indoor operations for restaurants are not allowed in many counties in California and Connecticut, and part of Montana prohibits indoor dining after 10 p.m., while New York is limiting indoor and outdoor gatherings to 10 people. Chicago is asking residents not to have guests in their homes and cancel Thanksgiving celebrations. It is up for debate whether or not these methods will make a difference. According to some experts, we either have to be incredibly widespread restrictions to where everybody has to do it across the country to see this downtick, or we have to go to more strict measures that target the events that we think are driving the spread of cases right now. To protect us and our country and in order to restrict rates, I think that the federal government needs to make an official mandate for all states to follow if we don't want levels to spike over Thanksgiving.

In the News 11/9

https://www.npr.org/sections/live-updates-2020-election-results/2020/11/13/934591289/how-the-navajo-nation-helped-flip-arizona-for-democrats

Like Nebraska, Arizona has been a state that is always red during elections. Some analysts have studied that the changing demographics of the state, specifically the Navajo Nation, is pushing the state blue. According to the studies, 60% to 90% of the Navajo Nation’s often face high barriers to voting due to the fact that many people are not assigned a physical address and are unable to register to vote. In terms of justice and the good life, this can either be considered a good or bad thing considering what side you are for. IT can be a good thing that former red states are now pushing blue, but it can also be bad. However, because the Navajo nation has been hit hard by Covid-19, the push for blue might only be pandemic related.

In the News 10/27

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/10/27/white-house-science-office-ending-pandemic-432827

The White House’s science policy office on Tuesday ranked “ending the Covid-19 pandemic” atop the list of President Donald Trump’s top first-term accomplishments, even as the country registers record amounts of infections and hospitals fill up again. Last week, the country set a new record of 83,000 cases in a single day, and the seven-day case average is now hovering around 70,000 — more than any other time during the pandemic. Over 42,000 people are hospitalized with Covid-19, up from about 30,000 one month ago, according to the Covid Tracking Project. I personally find it interesting that President Trump is still holding thousand person campaign rallies as well as verbally refuting news outlets about Covid-19. If our own President and his administration cannot take this pandemic seriously, then it is unfair to the people that this pandemic is affecting. Those with riskier immune systems, as well as lower class citizens have lost jobs and been personally affected by this pandemic. What does it say about our country’s stance on the pandemic if our own President is not taking it seriously.

In the News 10/26

As a working mother of 7 and a devout Catholic, Justice Amy Coney Barrett will bring an important perspective to our nation’s Supreme Court.

Following a unanimous vote by the Judiciary Committee last week, the Senate just confirmed Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Amy Coney Barrett to become the 115th Associate Justice on the United States Supreme Court. What does this mean for justice and the good life? The four most conservative justices sided with the Republican Party, which has fought tooth and nail against permitting states to make accomodations to the Covid-19 pandemic and the Trump induced collapse of the USPS by relaxing rules and deadlines. Those more left assume that Justice Barrett would have been the fifth vote for the Republican Supreme Justices. Her confirmation hearings have been a parade of questions she has declined to answer, still, the thing we know the most is that her biggest supporters beleive that she will rule in favor of the business lobby. This means that her views align more convervatively, which can make difficult decisions arise when new laws and issues come up, as well as solidifying the right wing identity in the United States.

Argumentative Text #4

The idealistic character of Antigone consciously risks her life through her actions, concerned only with obeying the laws of the gods and the dictates of familial loyalty and social decency. Creon, on the other hand, regards only the requirement of political expedienct and physical power, although he too, is unrelenting in his idealogy. Much of the tragedy lies in the fact that Creon's realization of his folly and rashness comes too late, leaving him to pay a heavy price - left alone in his wretchedness.

The play's chorus of Theban elders generally remains within the general moral and the immediate scene but it does also allow itself to be carried further away at times from the occasion or the initial reason for speaking. The character of the sentry is also unusual for the time of the play, in that he speaks in more natural, lower-class language, rather than stylized poetry of the other characters. Interestingly, there is very little mention of the gods throughout the play, and the tragic events are portrayed as the result of human error and not divine intervention.

Sophocles Antigone explores themes such as state control, natural law versus man made law. Creon advocates obedience to man made laws, while Antigone stresses the higher laws of duty to the gods and one's family. Antigone believes that state law is not absolute, and that civil disobedience is justified in extreme cases. Much critical debate has centered on why Antigone felt such a strong need to bury Polynices a second time throughout the play, for example, when the initial pouring of dust over her brother's body would have fulfilled her religious obligations. Some have argued that this was merely a dramatic convenience of Sophocles, while others maintain that it was a result of Antigone's distracted state and obsessiveness.

In the News 10/14

https://abcnews.go.com/US/trump-administration-rejects-californias-request-wildfire-disaster-assistance/story?id=73650086&cid=clicksource_4380645_16_hero_headlines_bsq_hed

The federal government has denied California’s request for a disaster declaration for wildfires that have burned swathes of land across the US state since early September. On Thursday evening the request for a major presidential disaster declaration, which would release federal funding, was rejected by the Trump administration. The state plans to appeal the decision. In the meantime, officials are looking for other avenues for federal assistance to support wildfire victims. This is extremely sickening to me, as just last year many individuals lost their lives and their homes due to the wildfires. This is a big issue, not just for the whole state, but for the nation as well. Smog from the fires can affect neighboring states, as well as surrounding wildlife. The government should give some sort of assistance to the state, whether its more money for funding, or sending out more firefighters to help assist. This affects thousands of people and unless we all help and end it, it will only spread and could reach the level of the fires last year.

In the News 10/12

https://www.npr.org/2020/10/15/924239753/is-the-risk-of-sea-level-rise-affecting-florida-home-prices-a-new-study-says-yes

The study’s authors looked at the relationship between sea level rise and changes in real estate and mortgage markets over the past two decades. They found that up until 2012, sales volume of homes in census tracts that were less exposed to sea level rise and homes in tracts more exposed to it were trending similarly. But from 2013 on, the volume of homes sold in Florida’s coastal areas with more sea level rise exposure has fallen as sales in the state’s lower-risk coastal tracts have risen. This study pertains to justice and the good life because climate change is very important to the country right now. Even if one doesn’t believe in it, the correlation of how rising sea level can affect housing along the coasts could be potentially defecit to those that live there. Rising costs can also affect those who are looking for essential housing, yet can no longer afford it because of the risk of rising sea levels.

In the News 10/7

The former police officer faces charges of murder and manslaughter in George Floyd's killing in May. Demonstrators took to the streets Wedne

More than four dozen people were arrested during protest due to the release of oficer Derek Chauvin, who is facing murder charges against George Floyd. There is video evidence of him kneeling on Floyd's neck, which sparked outcry across the nation. Similar to Breonna Taylor's case, this racial outcry sparked many protests over the injustice of their deaths. While there appears to be clear cut cases, the officers accused in each case are beign defended by our government, which sparks more portests. This relates to justice and the good life because people across our country are losing their lives for no reason due to their race. Racial inequality is a huge issue in the US this past year, pertaining to police brutality and COVID related policies.

In the News 10/5

https://www.npr.org/2020/10/09/921791419/tiny-changes-let-false-claims-about-covid-19-voting-evade-facebook-fact-checks

Plato's Crito and Apology of Socrates center around the discussion of justice and eithics. This news article applies to that same discussion. A new analysis by the international advocacy group Avaaz, shines light on why users such as Facebook have difficulty from spreading fake news. Avaaz discovered that there re micro ways to get around Facebook's policy on fact checking. Facebook responded claiming that this was not who they are, and that they bar users from spreading false news. This directly applies to the argument of justice and ethics, as Socrates debated the just laws from the unjust. If users are allowed to spread false news, and our social media tech companies can do nothing to prevent it, then what is ethical about the tech companies claiming that what they are doing is right.

Argumentative Text #3

Plato draws out a distinction between the just laws and the unjust behavior of Socrates’ accusers. The crux of the argument is made by being put into the Laws of Athens who Socrates imagines personified and coming to question him about the idea of escaping. The laws claim that citizens owe them the same sort of obedience and respect that children owe their parents. They also paint a picture of how things owls appear if Socrates were to run away to another city just to live longer.

The problem with this, is that Socrates’ accusers have unjustly sentenced him by using the Laws. By giving the laws their own voice, Plato hopes to distinguish them as a separate entity, making them something human toward which Socrates might be able to act unjustly. However, it is highly debatable how far one can truly separate the laws of a state from the people who apply them. In this instance, we have the people of the state condemning Socrates and the Laws of the state following suit and persuading Socrates that he must face death in order to avoid breaking them. But if both the people and the laws have ruled tht Socrates must be executed, either the people are siding with the laws or the laws are siding with the people. Regardless of which of these is the case, it seems odd to assert that the laws are just and must be respected and that the people are unjust and should not be respected.

It seems Crito, who is trying to persuade Socrates to escape, and Socrates are in a sense talking past one another. One of Crito’s strongest arguments in favor of escape comes at 45c, where Crito suggests that Socrates would be abelling the wrong doing on his enemies in following through with their wishes. Socrates reply to this argument is that he would in fact be harming the laws, which are just. If the laws are just and the people are unjust, but both are willing the same thing, then it seems Socrates is in a rut. If Socrates stays in prison, he will be siding with his unjust accusers, and if he escapes he will be acting against the just Laws. Ultimately, it seems that it is better to accord oneself with the Laws than to side against people.

The argument that those who benefit from the state and its laws have a duty to respect those laws even when doing so seems against their immediate self interest. Lookin at the dialogue, one heats the same argument that Socrates gave to the jurors at his trial. He is who he is, a philosopher engaged in the pursuit of truth and the cultivation of virtue. He is not going to change, regardless of what other people think of him or threaten to do to him.

In the News 9/30

https://www.npr.org/2020/09/30/918766323/trumps-calls-for-poll-watchers-raises-fears-about-voter-intimidation

This article outlines a statement that was made last night during the presidential debate, where President Trump voices his concern that the democrats are going to win the election, and that he urges his supporters to go and watch very closely at the polls. The concerns about potential polling place violence come at a time of immense stress for election officials. Not only are polling locations at risk, but there is appeal that our mail in ballots might not go through either. This pertains to justice and the good life because voting is a fundamental right, it is the foundation of our democracy and no one should ever feel that their vote was tampered with, intimidated, or wrongfully voted for. If our individual voting rights are being altered, then there is no way that we can trust our election processes, let alone our democracy.

In the News 9/28

https://www.npr.org/2020/09/27/917566141/trump-dismisses-new-york-times-reporting-that-he-paid-little-in-federal-income-t

This article is very interesting because taxes are required for every citizen to pay, and President Trump has evaded a big majority of his. He is also a known billionaire who owns multiple business and has multiple properties so the fact that middle class citizens pay more in taxes than he did is unfair. The government requires that everyone pay their due amount of taxes to make it fair across the country. The fact that our PRESIDENT of the United States is evading paying his own taxes speaks volumes for our justice system at the moment. Even if he was a regular citizen it would still be a big deal, but the fact that our leader of our nation is not paying his due amount of taxes speaks volumes of our justice system

In the News 9/23 (late)

https://www.npr.org/2020/09/28/916571273/in-internet-dead-zones-rural-schools-struggle-with-distanced-learning

This article outlines how students and families that live in rural areas are being affected by online learning due to covid. Most of these families live in what they call ‘deadzones’ where there is a lack of wifi available. This relates to justice and the good life because covid has affected education all across America. Some families relied on school for their children to access internet, as well as school lunches and other specific resources. The fact that many students have a disadvantage due to online learning is unfair. Our government should have made nationwide requirements with tchnology involved in order to help our education system in this time of need.

In the News 9/21

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/09/21/915000375/the-future-of-the-affordable-care-act-in-a-supreme-court-without-ginsburg

Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a strong advocate for the Affordable Care Act, which helped thousands of people and families receive at least some sort of heath insurance coverage. With her recent death, there is a possibility that some of the benefits included originally might be taken away, such as regular prescription medication coverage, along with women's rights to birth control costs. This is going to be a big change as most of the general population has the Affordable Care Act. This relates to justice and the good life because if this act is adjusted many people will loose access to certain health care needs that are too expensive to pay out of pocket. A lot of people already struggle to pay for their health needs due to the costs that aren’t covered by insurance.

In the News 9/14

https://www.npr.org/2020/09/17/913938750/sally-brings-widespread-flash-floods-to-inland-areas-after-causing-havoc-on-coas

The remnants of Hurricane Sally are causing a downpour onto the southern states. Hurricane Sally has caused at least one death, and millions of damage to homes and buildings. It made a jump from a category 1 into a category 2 in less than 24-36 hours, surprising thousands off the coast of Alabama and Florida. Because of issues like climate change, we are unable to predict the amount of damage that Hurricane Sally could cause. To be in the good life, we have to revise policies that relate to climate change, and better educate those. We can’t call this a good life when thousands of people have lost their homes and their lives due to this.

In the News 9/16

https://www.npr.org/2020/09/18/914409368/watchdog-to-review-non-lethal-tactics-against-protesters-including-heat-ray-requ

This article speaks of the new methods that police lines are considering using to defense against protesters. A spokesperson commented that "While I understand that the military must prepare for any possible scenario when planning operations, they must also avoid unnecessary escalation and ensure that their use of 'less-lethal weapons' are appropriate, effective and humane." This relates to justice and the good life because under the first ammendment we are allowed to protest peacefully, and while there are some cases where riots occur, sometimes the police force come over prepared to a peacefully rally and cause disruptions, which then leads to more issues of BLM.

Argumentative Text #2

A big theme within the Odyssey is that of divinity. Without the Gods, mortals would not have guidance. In the book the gods direct the way for the wellbeing of the mortals. In the first six books of The Odyssey there are many events which the gods have influenced in both the positive and negative. There are many gods that have an influence on the events that occur in the book. Athena, disguised as Mentes, helps Telemachus along his journeys. Another example of a God having an influence on the events in a negative way was when Poseidon punished Odysseus by throwing a storm to make his travels hard. “And this enables Polyphemus to invoke the wrath of his father, the sea god Poseidon, and ensure that Odysseus will come home late and come a broken man —all shipmates lost, alone in a stranger’s ship, to find a world of pain at home” (Book II). In the book, Poseidon makes life hard for Odysseus by interfering and challenging him. By Poseidon creating a storm to cause him to go off track of his journey, it lead Odysseus to end up on an island with Calypso, where he stays for a long time trapped on this island. Throughout the books that we’ve read so far, the Gods have greatly impacted the story line. Telemachus is aided in his difficult journey to find his father, Odysseus. Meanwhile, Odysseus is being targeted by Poseidon, who does not want him to succeed. So far, The Odyssey has been like a play directed by the Gods, they are not the main actors, but the effect how it all plays out.

Throughout different situations, both gods and mortals show many different character traits. the characters are forced to show their true personalities as the story unfolds. All of the characters go through difficult situations throughout the book that make it hard for them to be their best self. That’s why through these situations we find out who they truly are. Many of the character traits shown include Telemachus showing determination. Even in the toughest of all times he keeps persevering to find his father, Odysseus. Athena disguises herself as Mentes, king of the Taphians throughout the first few books. She watches over Telemachus, guiding his way so he won’t fail. Athena shows her true personality as a caring god, although she is the god of war, she protects Telemachus and cares about his well being.

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