controversies
It seems every time one racially-charged incident ends, a gender or religious controversy takes its place; Ruminate on the issues dividing our nation and world.
Religious Allegiance
The relationship between American patriotism and dissent has a significant history of both overlapping coexistence and frank opposition, revealing a semi-consistent series of debates on the grounds of religion and politics that began during the American independence movement and continue to be debated to this day. The presidency of George W. Bush reestablished a sense of patriotism in American politics through religious foundational ideas after the 9/11 bombings, causing a reasonable amount of dissent among the non-Christian American population. Court cases calling to question the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, such as Everson v. New Jersey Board of Education, have a history of creating conflict between state governments and religious organizations.
By Josh Whitehead8 years ago in The Swamp
Carillion’s Collapse – What Does It Mean?
So, it has happened – a lot quicker than I thought it would. Although I should really have been keeping abreast of the news, I didn't actually hear last year's profit warnings or know that Carillion had been awarded a contract by Chris Grayling for HS2 in what turned out to be their dying days. Because of this, I didn't know that they were in trouble, and so their collapse did come as a surprise to me – apparently many other people saw it coming. In the end, the UK government decided not to bail them out, resulting in Carillion's liquidation. I hope that this was for sound economic reasons, rather than purely ideological ones, although we may never know as what matters now is the consequences. No point poring over what might have been; there's quite enough to put right whatever decision they might have reached. It is worth exploring the type of work that Carillion was employed for: this will allow us to see just how many pieces there are to pick up.
By Katy Preen8 years ago in The Swamp
The Americans Who Can't Vote: Puerto Ricans
I asked a good friend of mine a question the other day and I’d never felt so awkward or odd after asking someone something in all my life. I felt entitled; I felt as if I was in a superior social class and I felt like, in some way, the question made them beneath me. Who was I talking to? A Puerto Rican friend of mine. And what did I ask? "Who would you vote for if you were allowed to vote for the P.O.T.U.S?"
By Regular Person8 years ago in The Swamp
Cosmetic Damage — Was the Grenfell Fire a Consequence of Gentrification?
Brutalist architecture is one of the most divisive styles currently in existence. I have no doubt that in future, we will come up with something even more controversial, or ugly, depending on your viewpoint. Grenfell Tower was originally designed in this style. I say originally, because the infamous cladding brought its external appearance more up-to-date, closer to the style of 21st-century builds.
By Katy Preen8 years ago in The Swamp
Yes, Obama Spied On Trump's Campaign. No, Trump Didn't Collude With Russia.
For those of you who have already forgotten, it is a known fact that the Trump campaign was being monitored through the NSA surveillance program since mid-2016. We know this because the Obama Administration filed for at least two separate FISA warrants in order to unmask the anonymity and focus on the Trump team. The first warrant request was denied. Making it one of <20 requests to have been denied (out of thousands) since the creation of the department in 1976.
By Mike Wayward8 years ago in The Swamp
Gentrification Blues. Top Story - January 2018.
My late father criticized me when I moved out of the neighborhood where he and my late stepmother lived. “That building probably has graffiti on the walls,” Dad grumbled. Yet the rent in the new place was way less expensive than the rent I had been paying. My dad and stepmother could afford to pay the high price of living in one of the most expensive neighborhoods in the city. They relished rubbing elbows with the well-heeled. I had grown tired of dealing with the area’s elitist climate, and I wanted to live in an area with real people. I found a neighborhood where people leaned out of their windows to wave to their friends. Kids giggled as they ran down the street in packs to get to their next adventure. Mom-and-pop stores were the norm.
By Hillari Hunter8 years ago in The Swamp
Trump's Forbidden Words: 'Fetus,' 'Transgender' Among Them
From the files of the insanity that is the Trump administration comes news that there are now certain words that are no longer supposed to turn up in any official documentation. Thanks to the Centers for Disease Control in the United States, the public at large can see the words that are deemed so terrible that they can no longer appear in government documents.
By Christina St-Jean8 years ago in The Swamp
Canada Is 150?
This year marks the 150th anniversary of Canada as a country. I am sure that if you are a living in Canada currently, you were unable to escape the hype building up to July first. Taking into account that Canada Day also falls on a Saturday this year, and we had a country ready to celebrate and party. The issue is that not everyone in this country was willing to, or feels welcome to, celebrate. Predominately, I am referring to our country's indigenous populations. The feeling of a lack of a proper invite to the party can be simply seen in the age that is being celebrated: 150. Indigenous Canadian populations have had this land as their home for dozens more centuries than that. So, the confusion surrounding exactly what this celebration is celebrating is easily understood if you take a step back to see things from some uncommon perspectives. Today I want to explore this specific perspective of Canada’s 150th anniversary, and what it means to the Aboriginals that reside within this nation. On top of this, I wish to explore why these discrepancies between perspectives exist, and ultimately, what can be done to close the gaps and work toward a truly inclusive multicultural nation.
By Cally Macri8 years ago in The Swamp
Taking a Knee for the Country
The United States is known for its first amendment, freedom of speech. Although this is one of the most popular and frequently used amendement, it also can be misunderstood and misrepresented. Recently in the NFL there has been peaceful protests which include kneeling during the national anthem. This has caused a lot of controversy throughout America. Is kneeling during the national anthem being disrespectful to those who made this country and those who fight for this country? Is freedom of speech enough of an explanation to protect these players? These are some questions that are constantly being debated.
By Monica Mae Cruise8 years ago in The Swamp
