Who is a Feminist? Do ALL women have a voice?

The Sunday June 27th's Miami Herald's Opinion Page includes a piece from Washington Post columnist Kathleen Parker regaring what it means to be a feminist. Read it (see the link above and below) and comment about Parker's and your views.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/06/27/1701797/all-women-have-a-voice.html

Oil Clean Up: Threat or Opportunity?

New York Times' columnist Frank Rick states - in the article whose link you can find below - that the BP oil spill, though a environmental nightmare, can be injurious to President Obama as well as provide him with opportunities. Comment on what Rich says (you must read the article) and state why you agree or disagree with Rich as well as with your fellow students who'll also post their comments.


http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/20/opinion/20rich.html?ref=todayspaper

Age No Excuse for Bigotry on the Job

In the article, whose link is posted above and below, columnist Leonard Pitts exposes his views about the comments made by veteran journalist Helen Thomas regarding Jews in Israel, their possible occupation of Palestine, and their "home." Comment on what Pitts said and what Thomas said. You may look up recent information regarding Thomas' comments, the Gaza Strip and the history of the area.



http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/06/12/1677596/age-no-excuse-for-bigotry-on-the.html

Problems with Education? What can be done?

In “Sorry, teachers: Bailout cupboard is bare” The Miami Herald quotes Superintendent Alberto Carvalho stating that his office will attempt to protect “teachers and educational programs” by – among other things – “containing costs, renegotiating contracts and imposing a 27 percent reduction in the central office…” the article also addresses other federal expenditures that are increasing the deficit and negatively affecting education. In “Keep Florida’s educators working,” also in The Herald’s “Other Views’” section, Secretary Arne Duncan expresses his views regarding how to weather the storm by saying: “We should be educating our way to a better economy.” After reading the articles, comment about the problem, possible solutions, repercussions and possible reasons for our conundrum.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/06/06/1664744/sorry-teachers-bailout-cupboard.html

http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/06/06/1664728/keep-floridas-educators-working.html

Who changes first? Societies or laws? Also... what can we draw from a photo?

A news item reported in The Miami Herald and the New York Times (see links below) reports on Malawi's reversal of the sentence imposed on two men for their homosexuality. Athough pardoning the men, the president of Malawi said that the men had "committed a crime against our culture, our religion and our laws." Why do you think these men were pardoned? When do laws change? Why? Read the two articles and another related article in the Herald about the Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan's 17 year old picture. Post your comment

http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/05/30/1655491/malawi-gay-couple-freed-after.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/30/world/africa/30malawi.html?scp=1&sq=Malawi's%20President&st=cse
http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/05/30/1654162/sexism-softball-and-the-supreme.html

What (and HOW) we teach our clildren about race

In his Miami Herald Opinion piece columnist Leonard Pitts writes about a white woman who cried after wathching her daughter in an "experiment" in which the daughter claimed a white doll was better than a black doll because the white doll most resembled her. There are many things that can be extrapolated from this piece. Read the piece and comment on the actual experiment, the racial implications and other examples or analogies than may come to mind. Click to the article below, read it and comment.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/05/22/1642457/what-we-teach-our-children-about.html

Can academic dishonesty be considered a felony?

The Miami Herald reports that a Harvard University student was "indicted on 20 offenses, including larceny, identity fraud and pretending to hold a degree" after it was discovered that he was admitted to Harvard on false pretenses and was awarded "$45,000 in finncial aid, grants and schlarships." 

Do you think that academic dishonesty should be prosecutd by the law?