Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in The Swamp.
America Really Needs to Address Its Gun Problem
At the time of writing, the website massshootingtracker.org has the number of mass shootings in the US currently at 377, with the number killed sitting at 542 for this year alone. The fact that such a website even exists is startling, but the numbers make for some truly horrifying reading.
By The One True Geekology8 years ago in The Swamp
The Right Age to Vote
The British Labour party is calling for voting age to be reduced to 16. I have never known a person aged 16 years, including myself, that I would trust to make sound judgments about the future of the entire nation. It takes several more years of responsibility to teach a young adult how to make judgments. At 16 years old, the amount of responsibility experienced by any individual is not enough to teach sound judgment.
By Peter Rose8 years ago in The Swamp
The Sotomayor-Gingrich Controversy According to Standpoint Theory & Identity Politics
The focus of Judge Sonia Sotomayor’s speech at Berkeley Law School in 2001 is that in order to argue for more women and people of color to be present on the bench, a new definition and description of Latino identity must be created. Sotomayor expresses in her speech that her “Newyorkrican” nationality and her experiences growing up in a rich Latino culture surrounded by her Puerto Rican family mean she identifies as such, but she questions how, in America, the tension between a celebration of ethnic diversity and a need for color- and race-blindness can ground a person’s true cultural identity. In order to reach a conclusion on the issue of identity, Sotomayor makes the claim that, though there has been a “quantum leap” (Sotomayor, 2001) in the number of Latinos and women in legal positions, there is still much to be done to show a complete representation of men and women, but specifically women of color, behind the bench. Sotomayor received backlash from former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who called Sotomayor a “racist” in 2009 for her remarks during the speech that she hoped the experiences of a Latina woman would help her make better judging decisions than a white male who has not had those experiences. The controversy over Sotomayor’s speech about creating a definition of identity for women of color in legal positions and Gingrich’s uninformed comments can be situated within two theories of feminism: Kimberlé Crenshaw’s theory of intersectionality and Nancy Hartsock’s feminist standpoint theory.
By Olivia Cyr8 years ago in The Swamp
Who Is Next In The Mueller Probe?
Recently, we witnessed potential history as the investigation into the Trump-Russia ties took another step forward as special counsel Robert Mueller announced the first indictments against former foreign policy George Papadopoulos, former campaign manager Paul Manafort, and Manafort associate Rick Gates. They were indicted on charges of, amongst other things, money laundering and conspiracy against the United States. This major announcement has many people wondering where Mueller's investigation will lead next. I have a few ideas about that. Just a few. I'm not saying that what I'm about to say is all I have to say about this issue. I'm saying that because not only does this matter to Americans, but it also matters to the rest of the world, because the American president has always been considered the "leader of the free world." However, Trump is slowly degrading that every single day, making other countries understandably view the United States of America - again, the "leader of the free world" - very unfavorably.
By A. Alexis Kreiser8 years ago in The Swamp
Reasons Why You Should Consider ACA Enrollment
Recently, the ACA reopened for enrollments for the 2018 enrollment season. This means that from November 1 until December 15 of this year, people can go to healthcare.gov and see what options are available to them in terms of healthcare coverage and benefits. With that, it's time to remind you of the benefits, some known, others maybe not so much.
By A. Alexis Kreiser8 years ago in The Swamp
Restaurant in Dallas Suburb Gets Side Order Of 'WTF?' After Caitlyn Jenner Washroom Photos Posted
Pushing back against political correctness is one thing. We certainly now live in a world where we now have been thinking a lot more about how we communicate with others. While some might argue increased thoughtfulness is a good thing, there are others who would definitely say that, as a society, we may have become a little too politically correct.
By Christina St-Jean8 years ago in The Swamp
The (Not So) Strange Fruit of America’s Modern-Day Lynching
There’s no way of properly documenting the number of lynchings of black people throughout American history. The deaths of many of these citizens occurred while they were counted property or as free men throughout the 20th century. While racial tensions boiled over in the southern United States, the hangings of black Americans was a national epidemic that poisoned all areas of the Red, White, and Blue.
By Erika Marie8 years ago in The Swamp
American Slavery
TheNarrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass was written by himself during a time in America when slavery was still legal in many parts of the country, particularly the south. This book outlines the hardships that he endured while in the bonds of slavery. Douglass describes his many masters and his struggle to learn how to read as a child. While a slave he witnessed many atrocities. He saw his aunt, brother, and countless others brutally beaten.
By Almárëa Laurësil8 years ago in The Swamp
