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Pro-Choice Versus Pro-Life

By Erin Armstead

You’ve heard others talk about it. You’ve seen at least a dozen people share articles and post opinions about it on social media. You’ve seen the protests on the news, showing people shouting about fetuses being cut up and sold for body parts. How much of it is true?

What started all of this? The debate is pro-choice versus pro-life, the two sides of the abortion debate. This conversation entered public space in the time of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court case that made access to abortion legal across the U.S. in 1973. It has been a hot topic in political conversation ever since. More often than not, if a candidate runs for office on the platform of “family values,” they mean to advertise that they are pro-life.

Many people who identify themselves as pro-life are also fundamentalist Christians, who also often believe that birth control is frowned upon by their God. The pro-life platform has come to a consensus that life begins at the moment of conception, and the people who feel this way have fiercely defended their beliefs, even going out of their way to show up at various locations of Planned Parenthood, a nonprofit organization that provides affordable reproductive healthcare, picketing and shouting at clients that they are “going to hell” and “murdering babies.” This activity is vicious enough to draw the attention that this platform craves. Like any group of people holding a strong belief, they desire to be heard and to share their message with many. To this group of people, shouting directly at vulnerable people, usually already shy enough about showing up to a center for sexual health, is the most efficient method of spreading their message.

Their passion for protecting unborn children is understandable, however, particularly in the light of the 2015 hoax that circulated through social media based on heavily edited “sting” videos released by a pro-life organization called Center for Medical Progress (1). These videos suggested that tissue and organs were being harvested from late-term abortions at Planned Parenthood for trafficking, to the extent that a late-term aborted fetus was kept alive so that its brain could be harvested. However, these purported claims were heavily investigated, and it was revealed that the videos had been significantly edited, and that the aforementioned late-term fetus harvested for its brain had had its heart momentarily restarted by tapping on it, but that the fetus was, in fact, irreversibly deceased at the time of the brain’s harvesting. If these claims had been true, of course, the pro-life outrage would have been warranted; however, fetal tissue donation at Planned Parenthood is not for profit, and the only location of Planned Parenthood that receives any kind of compensation for its tissue donations is strictly regulated by the law and is limited to a total of $60 reimbursement for such things as storage and transportation of the critical fetal tissue (2).

In that light, what does it mean to be pro-choice? Does that mean pro-abortion? The short answer is no. Pro-choice is exactly what it sounds like: to be in favor of whatever choice the person affected prefers to make, because it is, after all, their own body and pregnancy.

Overall, people in the pro-choice camp believe in the right to bodily autonomy, or the right to decide for yourself what you want to do with your own body. There are many reasons a person might want to have an abortion. In the world, there are people who want to have children, but it is physically unsafe for them to do so and might risk their own life or the child’s or both; people who are unfit to be a parent and know it; people who want to have a child, but who may feel as though the child’s life might be at risk or too low-quality if born into their current circumstances; and people who may have conceived under undesirable conditions--such as sexual assault--and cannot bear the thought of looking into their abuser’s eyes for another second, much less, potentially, the rest of their lives in their child. The point is that no one can assume that every child in the world is conceived in favorable conditions, and, especially if the circumstances are undesirable, it is not our place to become involved in the matter unless requested, nor is it the job of the pregnant person to justify their actions. They themselves will live with the knowledge of the loss for the rest of their lives, and, should one desire to punish for ending a potential life, as many people holding pro-life beliefs seem to, it is quite possible that that history, a possible source of grief and regret, would be enough.

The pro-life camp is known for suggesting that the “unwanted children” should simply be given up for adoption, because there are plenty of people desperate to have children who are unable to conceive. Currently, there are more than 100,000 children in the U.S. waiting to be adopted, and it should be acknowledged that if there is indeed such a demand for adopted children, that number should hold at a steady zero instead. In addition to those statistics, there is the fact that more than 200,000 babies have been born as a result of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), which was introduced in 1981, and other similar methods (3.) These numbers suggest that, when possible, future parents truly desperate for a child would rather choose IVF or similar and have their own child rather than adopt someone else’s biological child. This makes adoption a rather less practical solution for the matter at hand.

At least a portion of the group of pro-choice people view the baby’s first breath as the moment when life begins, or, alternatively, at the fetus’s first heartbeat. There is some debate on the matter, but it is agreed that the moment of conception is not when life begins; this thinking would also cast some condemnation on every person who has ever had a miscarriage, which is an unfortunately common natural occurrence outside of the pregnant person’s control.

Some abortions are done out of medical necessity. There are many reasons why a pregnancy would not be a good idea for the mother or child and require ending the developing life before birth. An ectopic pregnancy is when an egg is fertilized and implants outside of the uterine cavity, where life is meant to be created; the fetus cannot develop outside of the uterus, and not only cannot survive, but may threaten the life of the mother if left as is. It is also worth noting that, despite suggestions currently circling on social media to the contrary, ectopic pregnancies cannot be reimplanted in the uterus to produce a surviving embryo (4.) A mother who has diabetes or high blood pressure issues prior to conception, among other common medical issues, may also be regarded as a high-risk pregnancy. In these cases, abortion would not be required, but the pregnancy would need to be closely monitored to be sure that all develops as it should and that there are no complications that would threaten the life of the fetus or mother, which might require an abortion (5.)

You don’t have to be pro-life to be anti-death. Statistics show that in countries across the globe where abortions are illegal, 8 to 11 percent of all maternal deaths, estimated to total about 30,000 women each year, are a result of unsafe, unregulated abortions. 6 Many of these deaths result from self-induced abortions, such as the practice of inserting a bent wire hanger into one’s body to remove the fetus, or inserting herbs into the vagina as a way to induce a miscarriage, which is known to result in septic shock, from which a woman can also die. Part of the focus of the pro-choice platform is to provide safe, medically-regulated abortions for those who desire them. A popular statement in pro-choice conversations is, “Making abortions illegal won’t stop them from taking place. It will only stop the safe ones.” Statistics show that this is true.

In the end, it comes down to whether you will choose to be an idealist who blindly believes that the world is and will be kind to everyone or a realist who sees the world for what it is and knows that there are people who have known pain beyond what we can imagine without having experienced those moments ourselves. Sometimes the most difficult and painful choice, ending a potential life, is the best choice available. That choice should be safely available to all.

[thedogoodpress]

What's Going On in Britain? What is Brexit?

Summary

In a referendum, Britain decided to leave the European Union.

Parties are constantly debating over how they’re going to leave and making sure to revise through any problems that may arise over separating.

Understanding the vast amount of political news that is constantly being reported requires a lot of time and research in order to fully comprehend everything. Power exchanges, international conflicts, the occasional case of history repeating—these are just a few things that are always being reported to the public. Not everybody has an interest in staying up-to-date with government issue; the fast-paced around the clock reporting can bring a sense of boredom. However, in this age of information, it is good to have a little bit of knowledge about the various world events.

In this case, understanding the political events currently unfolding in Great Britain would be a good place to start.

Within the last two year the word “Brexit” has been popping up frequently, usually followed by some kind of debate or meeting of major government officials. Those who don’t follow the structure of government within Great Britain will most likely not understand the word and its significance. Brexit is actually an abbreviation for “British exit,” a term used that refers to a decision back in June 2016 about the United Kingdom (U.K) wanting to leave the European Union (EU). Following the referendum with a 52% in favor of leaving the EU, major government officials resigned from their seats, such as Former Prime Minister David Cameron and Theresa May, who replaced Cameron as both prime minister and as leader of the Conservative Party. Months after the decision the former Mayor of London, who was also a foreign minister and editor of The Spectator newspaper, Boris Johnson would become the new, and current, prime minister.

After the 2016 referendum, the U.K had a set date on when Brexit would officially go into action: March 29 th , 2019. However, due to former Prime Minister Theresa May put Article 50 into play – the official process of leaving the EU – negotiations began in order to reach a compromise in order to buy more time. After three failed deals from former Prime Minister May, the date was pushed back to October 31 st , 2019. Once current Prime Minister Johnson was in power, he was required to extend the Brexit deadline one more time since Members of Parliament (MP)were unable to come to a deal. The current date is right around the corner: January 31 st , 2020.

One of the biggest issues as to why former Prime Minister May’s deal were rejected was because of the complexity about custom arrangements, especially involving any barriers and posts between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, should Brexit go through. Many MP honed in on the deal, saying that one possible side effect of the deal would result in the U.K being unable to create new trade deals with other countries—that alone is one major deterrent of Brexit occurring. Another issue that needs to be addressed in the deal is citizenship rights. After Brexit, civilians from the EU who now reside in Britain, and Britons who who live or work in countries part of the EU will not lose their rights to live and work in those countries. Among a number of other issues, MPs would want the deal reached with Prime Minister Johnson to be recognized as a bill, which was done on December 20 th , 2019. In January the finalization of the bill, known as the Withdrawal Agreement Bill, is expected to quickly proceed.

After Brexit is in effect, the next step of the separation process is the transition period, in which the U.K and EU will retain current trading relationships until a new free trade deal is agreed on. Other aspects and issues that will be brought up during this period will include law enforcement, information and data sharing and communications, and general security. Brexit seems to becoming a reality, in many ways than one. This will create new issues for both government officials and civilians like, but with the right mentality and understanding of both sides of the conflict, the results can lead to new possibilities for other countries around the world.

Separation of unions and countries is no easy feat to accomplish, so naturally those who follow such events can often feel overwhelmed. However, understanding the general details about the matter can make things just a bit easier.

[thedogoodpress]

Top 10 Books You Should Read in 2020

By Gabriella Phillips

What better resolution for 2020 could you make than to read? If you’re anything like me, you’re always looking for new releases and books that will challenge you, either by expanding your genre tastes, vocabulary, or knowledge. With three books that you can get right now, and seven to look forward to this year, this list is sure to do all of the aforementioned. 2020 is your year of shelf awareness!

1. Susannah Cahalan’s The Great Pretender

Cahalan’s second book is the only book included on this list from 2019 (it was November, so close enough, right?), and has exploded in popularity since its release. With mental health awareness gaining traction, this analysis of the anti-psychiatry movement comes as a timely reminder of the progress of psychiatry in the last fifty years and the pitfalls that still remain. In The Great Pretender, Cahalan skillfully dovetails her feverish research of a canonical psychiatric experiment with her own excitement as she uncovers each new piece of research.

2. David Sedaris’s A Carnival of Snackeries: Diaries: Volume 2

To not include this upcoming collection as a must read for 2020 would be remiss. You, like me, can anxiously anticipate David Sedaris’s latest collection of diary entries in the summer of 2020. Theft by Finding, his last diary collection, showed the breadth of his humor and life, ranging from one-liners swapped between friends to more bizarre encounters with strangers. For the best reading experience, start with Theft by Finding and see the progression of his humor and life.

3. Samantha Irby’s wow, no thank you.

Irby’s latest essay collection succeeds meaty and We Are Never Meeting in Real Life. Through these we learned about her earlier years through witty anecdotes (i.e. when she worked at a veterinarian’s office and her coworkers decided that her and the office demon cat were imminent roommates). In wow, no thank you, Irby navigates meetings with LA television executives, hosting book clubs, moving from Chicago to a predominantly white town in Michigan, and having a wife and stepchildren, all while marinating in her discomfort in her own skin.

4. Erik Larson’s The Splendid and the Vile

In typical Larson fashion, this novel highlights historical and political tensions through a historical account that reads more like a novel. The Splendid and Vile revolves around one of the most famous political powerhouses in British history--Winston Churchill. Larson examines an array of historical, archival documents, some of which were classified until recently, and shows how Churchill led the British people through World War II.

5. Anonymous’s Becoming Duchess Goldblatt

At the time of my writing this list, Duchess Goldblatt has over 71k tweets and over 20k Twitter followers. For those who follow her, Duchess Goldblatt demonstrates bright brilliance and irreverent wit, both of which are always a nice contrast to typical Twitter. The anonymously-written will not answer the most-asked question, “Who is Duchess Goldblatt?” It will, however, shed light on how a grieving writer created this fictional persona as a life-affirming endeavor. For readers who pre-order their copy, Her Grace will sign and ship a book plate to you.

6. Suzanne Collins’s The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

This prequel, published almost ten years after the last book in The Hunger Games Trilogy, is set more than sixty years before the first book in the trilogy. The books in the trilogy briefly mention the war in Panem and the Dark Days (the ten years after the war) that succeeded it, but in doing so, leave a lot of questions. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes hits stands on May 19, 2020 and provide insight into Panem’s reconstruction.

7. Kimberlé Crenshaw’s On Intersectionality: The Essential Writings of Kimberlé Crenshaw

Crenshaw first coined the term “intersectionality” more than twenty years ago as a way for people to better understand and discuss human social identities. This latest collection of her work offers a new introduction written by Crenshaw herself, as well as prefaces to each essay and article within the book. Through each writing, Crenshaw distills complex subjects into accessible language. As with her prior works, this anthology is sure to catalyze and further foster social activism.

8. Matthew Dicks’s Twenty-one Truths About Love

Daniel Mayrock writes lists for everything. From his preferred name for himself and questions about Jurassic Park to text messages he’s received from his wife and “Conditions Upon Which [He] Will Agree to Remain Married to Jill.” Mayrock’s struggle with finances and family unfold entirely through his lists, making for an intimate read ripe with humor and analysis of the way Mayrock thinks.

9. Therese Anne Fowler’s A Good Neighborhood

Following her forays into historical fiction in Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald and A Well-Behaved Woman: A Novel of the Vanderbilts, Fowler tackles a purely fictional setting that tackles themes of class, race, and community. The Whitman family moves into a small neighborhood in North Carolina after achieving the mythical American dream--making money through hard work, creating a nuclear family, and overcoming life’s obstacles. They find neighbors in a professor of forestry and ecology and her college-bound, biracial son. The conflicts between these two families all elicit themes of what defines a good neighbor/neighborhood and how to compromise with opposing views.

10. Jennifer Egan’s Manhattan Beach

Though this was published in 2017, Manhattan Beach is one of the best fiction books to hit the shelves in a while. Egan delves into 1940s New York where mobsters, shipyards, and parties run the city and a young, nineteen Anna Kerrigan tries to uncover answers about her father while also owning her independence and womanhood. In true Egan fashion, this novel is filled with unexpected depth and history. Egan’s next book, The Thing That Changes Everything, is set to come out in 2020, but no information has been released on hits plot.

[thedogoodpress]

A Morning Routine You Need In Your Day: Reading

By Erin Armstead

Whether you begin the day by leaping out of bed with the energy of a jackrabbit or rolling out of bed with the energy of a sloth, there’s one morning routine everyone can benefit from: reading.

It’s well-known that reading enriches the mind, regardless of whether one reads a collection of children’s fairy tales or a newspaper. If you choose to open your day by reading, you also deserve to choose what you believe will best benefit you. The benefits of reading children’s stories could be nostalgia and happiness, a reminder of a time before adulting, and the stress that comes with it, became the first item on your to-do list. The benefits of reading a newspaper or magazine could be the sense of power that knowledge of current events gives a reader. Reading as a part of your morning routine makes you a better conversationalist in the rest of your day.

If you’re anything like me, mornings are difficult. Leaving my bed and preparing myself for a day of talking to people, as an introvert, are not things that I eagerly anticipate. Including reading in my morning routine, while sitting down with my chai tea, encourages me to look forward to getting up every morning. This part of my routine also gives me time to wake up, as reading paired with the caffeine helps my mind to engage, my critical thinking to kick-start, and my curiosity to rise from its own comfortable sleeping place deep in the recesses of my mind. A day in which I wake up late or my routine is thrown off and I don’t have time to read disrupts my entire day and sends me out into the world as a different person, often unrecognizable to those who know me on my good, normal days. I preach from personal experience when I say that reading makes me a better person in the world.

Reading also helps to set the pace for the day and prepare the mind for a day of working and focusing on tasks. Which would you rather read first in your day, work emails or a book? I would choose a book every time. There’s no stress attached to a book, no sense of impending necessity of action, no urgency. Reading allows my mind to focus on one thing, and reminds my brain that monotasking is more healthy than multitasking. This is a lesson that I then take into the rest of my day, helping to keep me grounded. Beginning my day by reading in a quiet moment intentionally set into my schedule each morning makes me better in my work, my focus, my compassion, and my drive. I encourage you to give it a try if it’s not already a part of your morning routine. Only good can come of it.

[thedogoodpress]

10 Essential Travel Times for Any Kind of Traveler

By Louis Jones

When it comes to traveling, some of the most difficult moments are trying to get adjusted to new time zones, learning your way around new cities and towns, and learning to pack the perfect amount of luggage. While adjusting to new times and knowing your new areas can take some time, knowing what to bring can become the easiest part of traveling, save you a lot of time, and avoid any unnecessary headache. Stressing over how many things to bring, what to bring and what not to bring, and only bringing what you think you’ll need can be a bit confusing. Every seasoned traveler has gone through moments of realization when they either packed too much or didn’t pack enough; they’ve learned about the right way to pack for each new location.

However, even for new travelers and jet-setters, there are things that should always be packed, no matter where you’re heading. Here’s a small list of ten essential travel items that will help anybody along the way, no matter where they’re going.

1. Sore Shoulders and A Stiff Neck – Travel Pillow and Cushion

Whether you’re flying through the skies on a plane, sailing the seven seas on a yacht, or viewing the foliage from behind a car window, relaxing in your seat is a crucial point of your trip. Traveling for hours on end can lead to being stuck in uncomfortable seating positions, and there’s nothing worse than having a stiff body. Find the perfect resting position by bringing along a small travel pillow or cushion to help when you’re resting on a stiff armrest or seat.

Recommendation: MLVOC Travel Pillow 100% Pure Memory Foam Neck Pillow

2. Are We There Yet? – Entertainment

Traveling to your destination is the part of the trip that is usually the least enjoyable, and the part that you have to do. High up in the sky with nothing to do, grew bored with all watching the seas while on a boat, and tired of playing “I Spy” and seeing the same tree, you will need to bring some kind of extra form of entertainment to pass the time. A great suggestion is to pack along a book you are deeply enthralled with. Perhaps there was a hobby you wanted to improve in, such as drawing or knitting. That travel time to your destination needs to be filled with some kind of entertainment, until then you can really begin enjoying yourself.

3. It’s Too Noisy – Headphones

The loud crying of a baby on a quiet plane, the blaring announcements from the sound system on-board the ship, the revving and roaring coming from the car’s engine: these are all things that can be very annoying to hear. Are one of your friends constantly talking, and you just want a moment to think to yourself? Or even, is the music playing not to your liking? Bring along a pair of headphones or earphones to help drown out any unwanted noise. If you really want to block out any and all unwanted sounds, invest in a pair of noise-canceling headphones. They can run for a high price, but both the sound quality and noise-canceling feature will be well worth the money.

Recommendation: Bose QuietComfort 35 II Wireless Bluetooth Headphones

4. Got the Munchies? – Snacks

Ever got stuck on a long road trip without nothing to satisfy your hunger cravings? It’s not an enjoyable feeling. People start to feel irritated and annoyed, and start asking where is the nearest rest station in order to fill their bellies, making it take even more time to get to your destination. Whether you’re traveling solo or with a group of friends and family, make sure to stock up on an ample supply of snacks and foods to help curb your cravings for the trip. Nothing too big, just simple things that can be eaten with one hand and leave behind little to no mess.

5. Don’t Forget to Log It – Notebooks and Journals

Collecting your thoughts or taking notes is a good way to help plan out what kind of activities you will want to do during your time traveling. Writing notes is also a good way to help remember your experiences and favorite moments. In the modern era of technology, keeping a digital track is as simple as the click of the button. However, there’s nothing more classic than taking a pen or pencil to a piece of paper in a book to log your journeys. 

Recommendation: Moleskine Classic Notebook, Soft Cover

6. Lights, Camera, Action – Cameras

In order to relive the happiness from a great traveling experience, nothing beats capturing the moment with pictures. With the new improvements in technology, taking beautiful and stunning pictures have never been easier. Whether it’s using a simple disposable film camera, using the top-of-the-line photographer cameras, or using the built-in camera on your mobile phone, make sure you have a camera with you to snap those moments and memories; it’s a great way to remember the fun and joy of traveling.

Recommendation: Canon PowerShot ELPH 180 20 MP Digital Camera

7. Powering Up – Portable Chargers

When you’re on the go, the last thing you want to worry about is trying to find an outlet to charge your phone and other electronics. And when you’re traveling to a new country, the outlets may not support your chargers, forcing you to rely on a portable charger for the duration of the trip. Thankfully, portable charges come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and power capacity, and at great prices too. With a portable charge in your bag, you won’t have to worry about managing your electronics’ battery life.

Recommendation: RAVPower 20100mAh USB C Portable Charger 45W Power Bank PD 3.0 iSmart Power Delivery

8. Keep Me Notified – Portable Hotspot

If you’re going to travel for business reasons, being unable to have a connection can sometimes set you back on sudden calls and emails. If you’re always on social media and like to see what all of your friends are doing, losing service in the wilderness can make it hard for you to stay in the loop. With a portable hotspot, you’ll always have a connection to the rest of the world while on the go. Don’t worry about losing connection, you can always reconnect with a hotspot in your bag.

Recommendation: TP-Link AC750 Wireless Portable Nano Travel Router

9. It’s the Right Cord – Travel Adapters

After spending some time out and about, or finishing up a swim on the deck, or even recovering from a long night out, it’s great to spend some time relaxing in your room. It’s that part of the day to recharge yourself and your electronics, and to begin preparing for the next day. However, if you’re in a new country and the outlets do not support your electronics, it will be impossible to do this without spending more money. That’s why it’s a lifesaver to pack a travel adapter. This will allow you to use any outlet for your electronics without having to spend a large amount of money buying new wires and chargers. 

Recommendation: BESTEK Universal Travel Adapter

10. Why Travel? – A Sense of Adventure and Purpose

This is one thing that you can’t physically buy; this is something you need to find within yourself. People travel around the world to help enrich themselves in the various cultures and ways of living from their neighbors across the ocean. Some take the seven-hour cross Atlantic flights in search of knowledge that they’ve read or heard stories about. And some travel just from the pure fun of being away from home. If you want to travel, you will need to find your reason for wanting to do so, you will need to find a purpose for doing it. 

[thedogoodpress]

Unrest in Bolivia: A Breakdown for Those Who Don't Know

By Jasmine Ford

Summary

Morales was elected contrary to everyone’s expectations.

He has been accused with getting elected with fraud by his opponent (Carlos Mesa.)

Carlos Mesa has been accused by Evo Morales of a “coup attempt.”

Morales stepped down due to pressure from the military.

Charges are being brought up against Evo Morales.

BOLIVIA — On October 24, 2019 Evo Morales officially declared victory after winning 47.08% of the votes during Bolivia’s most recent presidential election. This would be cause for celebration except Morales won under a shroud of suspicion. According to the elections tribunal preliminary results suggested Morales was going to lose to Bolivia’s former President Carlos Mesa. However, when the final numbers were published results showed Morales was the victor.

Shortly after Morales declared victory his competitor Carlos Mesa accused Morales of tampering with votes. His competitor Mesa has accused Morales of cheating to maintain his position. Mesa inferred Morales was “maneuvering a massive fraud “ in efforts to keep his power. Morales has called the movement to push him out of office a “coup attempt”.

Mesa wasn’t the only scorned one. Morales made himself an enemy of the people after he went against democracy and exceeded the number of terms a candidate is allowed to serve in office. Morales insatiable appetite for power has resulted in chaos on the streets of Bolivia. So far, 31 people have died in protests that have erupted across Bolivia

CNN has reported that Morales and his Vice President Alvaro Garcia Linera stepped down after receiving pressure from the military. His detractor Mesa has described Morales resignation as “ the end of tyranny”. Shortly after stepping down Morales took a plane to Mexico to seek asylum, he is now seeking asylum in Argentina.

Juan Evo Morales Ayma was born in the western Oruro region of Bolivia , Morales a proud member of the Aymara Tribe grew up within a poor indigenous family. After completing his mandatory military service in 1978 Morales moved to Chapare Province and began growing coca.

Morales served as the head of The Unified (or Sole) Syndical Confederation of Rural Workers of Bolivia for 38 years. According to the BBC , Morales began his political life as the leader of the cocaleros, traditional coca leaf producers. Coca is the raw ingredient used to make cocaine, traditionally it is used in Bolivia for medicinal and religious reasons.

During his presidency , he fought against the U.S. and Bolivia’s attempts to make growing coca illegal. Along with being a crusader for the CSUTCB Morales also made it his life’s mission to seek out equality for Bolivia’s poor.

Before he was disgraced, Evo Morales was the “Golden Boy” of Bolivia. When Morales was first elected in 2006 he became Bolivia’s first indigenous President. Two-thirds of Bolivia’s population is indigenous. Undoubtedly, when Evo came into office he made life better for his fellow indigenous people.

José Ariel Blanco, a young business owner is grateful to Morales for bringing attention to the racism indigenous people face. “My grandmother couldn’t walk into a bank in her Indigenous clothes until Evo became president,” he said. “Now she can, and that won’t change.”

“My grandmother couldn’t walk into a bank in her Indigenous clothes until Evo became president…[n]ow she can, and that won’t change.”

- José Ariel Blanco, a young business owner

In spite of his resignation Morales plans to continue fighting for the rights of the impoverished citizens of Bolivia stating “I want to tell you, brothers and sisters, that the fight does not end here.” He added “The poor, the social movements, will continue in this fight for equality and peace.”

A recent turn of events may prevent Morales from carrying on his mission. The interior minister, Arturo Murillo, recently brought charges against Morales, alleging he provoked violent clashes that led to 35 deaths during conflicts before and after his presidency. A warrant has been issued for his arrest in Bolivia. Murillo claims Morales ordered his followers to blockade cities in order to force out the interim president, Jeanine Áñez , who took over when Morales resigned on November 10, 2019. Áñez supports the notion that Morales should be prosecuted for his actions , "I am astonished by the shape of violence Evo Morales has generated within the country by simply holding on to power," “He has a lot to answer for,” she adds.

Despite their being a warrant for his arrest when asked whether he planned to return to Bolivia in time for next Christmas Morales had this to say: “ I’ll be back”. Morales has not admitted to any wrong-doing but he knows he can not hide out in asylum forever When asked how he would be returning to Bolivia Morales had this to say “For reasons of security I can’t go into detail about the plan we have for returning to Bolivia. But one has to go back to one’s country,” he said.

Sources

Wikipedia

CNN

Wall Street Journal

The New York Times

BBC

[thedogoodpress]

12 Apps You Need to Have On Your Phone in 2020

By Jasmine Ford

Well folks, 2019 is coming to a close and what better way to begin a new year than to download new iOS apps on your brand new iPhone 11. If you're like me and tight on cash you’ll be downloading them on your iPhone 7+ happily. There is an app on this list for just about everyone. From penny pinchers to big spenders to fitness buffs and foodies alike I have listed the year’s top apps just for you.

For the Intellectuals 😎

Elevate

This self teaching app helps users “elevate” themselves with education. Elevate teaches its users how to read, write, listen, speak and crunch numbers better. Engaging exercises aid users in improving their skills. The app is free but its premium features will cost users $39.99 a year to access. The costs of improving your IQ is priceless.

Duolingo

Are you interested in learning a new language for free? If you answered yes then Duolingo is the language learning program for you. Users can learn how to speak over 30 different languages. Star Trek fanatics can also learn how to speak Klingon and Spock’s mother tongue Valyrian.

For the Social Butterflies 💬

Instagram

Love it or hate it, Instagram is here to stay... at least for now. This popular app allows users to share pictures and videos of pretty much whatever they want. You can even check out what your favorite celebrities are up to. From your outing with friends to that bomb vacation you just took, Instagram allows you to share it all in real time.

Facebook Messenger

Facebook Messenger is perfect for people who love to communicate with their Facebook friends 24/7. The app allows you to text, play games, and even video chat with all of your favorite people. Do you need to pay back your bestie for last night’s pizza? No worries with Facebook Messenger you can do that too.

For the Fitness Buffs 💪

MapMyFitness

If you’re like me, you’ve made your annual News Years Resolution to drop a couple pounds and eat healthier. If that sounds like you, download MapMyFitness before you reach for another slice of grandma’s homemade sweet potato pie. MapMyFitness allows its users to track the distance and duration of their exercise. The app uses that information to determine how many calories you burn while working up a sweat. In order to get the full benefits of this app sync it to MyFitnessPal.

Pear-Personal Fitness Coach

Have you ever woken up for your morning jog wishing you had someone to accompany you? Never fear, Pear is here! Exercising with this app feels just like working out with an encouraging friend. The Pear Personal Fitness app will help you push through at home workouts, yoga routines, runs and even training programs for running races.

For the Gamers 👾

Fortnite

Ever since it’s debut in 2017 Fortnite continues to enthrall its players with its colorful graphics and kooky characters. This game is a favorite amongst adolescents and teens but people of all ages can enjoy going to battle with friends from anywhere in the world.

Pokémon Go

As a child of the 90’s I was an avid fan of the Pokémon Cartoon so I may be a little biased when I say this but I believe Pokémon Go is still going to be one of the most popular mobile games to play in 2020. This fun Augmented Reality game allows its players to catch Pokémon in the most unsuspecting places. Don’t believe me? I once caught Jigglypuff in a Ben and Jerry’s.

For the Foodies 🍕

GrubHub

Who doesn’t like food? I don’t say nobody ever. GrubHub is an app that allows you to order all of your favorite food straight from your smartphone. The app features local restaurants and national favorites alike such as Taco Bell, Burger King, and P.F. Chang’s. GrubHub is similar to This app is perfect for those of us who don’t want to brave the winter cold for some yummy Sushi.

Yelp

Yelp is a great app for foodies who are cautious about trying new things. Yelp gives its users the power to write reviews about their favorite restaurants and businesses alike. In turn, other users can benefit from reading what you write. If your indecisive like me this app can be used to help you decide what to chow down on.

For the Glamourous 💄

YouCam

The YouCam app gives it users the power to try on the latest cosmetics without having to use a dirty tester. The app also uses your phone's camera to analyze troublesome blemishes and dark circles and record them into a skin journal. After pinpointing your flaws the app automatically corrects them, giving you the perfect selfie.

Think Dirty

I don’t know about you but I have definitely found myself reading the ingredients to my face scrub with a confused look on my face. What in the world is sodium lauryl sulfoacetate? Don’t worry Think Dirty answers that question for you. The app helps users determine how toxic a product may potentially be. Think Dirty empowers its user by informing them on what their slathering on their faces. What’s not to like?

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[thedogoodpress]

A Letter to Possible-Party-Switcher Congressman Van Drew from Chairman Suleiman

This letter, initially obtained by the New Jersey Globe has been transcribed in text here by The Dogood Press Staff.

Dear Congressman Van Drew,

I wanted to follow-up on a phone conversation you and I recently had regarding the upcoming impeachment vote in the House of Representatives. As you know, a majority of my members were very upset with your "no" vote on the impeachment inquiry. Candidly, it was a big distraction for my candidates and municipal leaders in Atlantic County during the tail end of the general election cycle. Now that the 2019 election is over and the House seems poised to take action, I am imploring you to vote in favor of impeachment.

Why would we bother impeaching the President where this very little chance of conviction in the Senate? Youa re correct that it is very unlikely that 20 republicans will join all Democrats to remove Donald Trump from office; however, impeachment is not about removing Trump from office. Clearly the only way to remove him from office is to elect a Democratic president next year. Impeachment is about holding the President accountable for what he did. Like Speaker Pelosi, I was too hesitant to support an impeachment inquiry until the Ukraine situation, which was a game-changer for me. It is one thing for an American President to exchange foreign aid for free and fair elections, an end to humanitarian abuses, or counterintelligence cooperation, but for an American President to make foreign aid contingent on the investigation of a political rival is clearly an abuse of power and an impeachable offense. Should we fail to hold this President accountable, we will be giving free reign to future President to engage in similar behavior.

While my letter to you primarily focuses on the policy rationale for impeachment, I must touch on the political implications of a vote against impeachment on Atlantic County. Next year, as we are defending two Freeholder seats, a constitutional officer, and Democratic majorities in two municipalities, a "no" vote on impeachment will suppress Democratic turnout down-ballot, which my organization cannot sustain. Atlantic County Democrats have a tough time as it is facing 100 years of "Boardwalk Empire;" we cannot afford to have Democrats sit on their hands in a presidential year when we usually perform well.

I recognize that our congressional district is moderate at best (though our district is much more moderate than your former state legislative district). Voting for impeachment will undoubtedly hurt your standing with some Republican voters. However, as someone who has been in elected office for 30 years and has built up so much goodwill in South Jersey, I find it hard to believe that voters that have known you for decades will ditch you over one vote. You have helped hundreds, if not thousands, of constituents over the years. If anyone has banked the political capital necessary to take a hard vote, it is you. All of us should be on the right side of history during this very difficult time in our nation's history. Charlie Sandman lost the same seat that you hold for being on the wrong side of the Nixon impeachment, and I do not to see our party face a similar fate.

Thank you for your consideration as well as your 30-year public service to the residents of South Jersey.

Sincerely,

[Mr. Suleiman’s Signature]

Michael Suleiman

[thedogoodpress]

Some American's Votes Are Being Purged, You Need to Know About This

Summary

Political forces are constantly trying to suppress voters.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 required states to confer with the federal government before changing voting laws, reflecting distrust.

Voter purging has existed for a while and mostly it has been due to death of voter, duplicate registration and criminal charge.

A conservative Supreme Court seems to elevate Republicans by putting in stricter voting laws.

Getting rid of “pre-clearance” has increased voter discrimination.

A lot of voter purges have been based on false data, conveniently swaying narrow elections.

With the 2020 presidential elections just around the corner and the current drastic state of U.S. politics, there are many citizens getting excited about the prospect of exercising their right as Americans to vote in our profound Democratic process. The ability of private citizens to demonstrate this right and go to a polling place and cast a ballot, or mail one in some cases, is supposed to be the fundamental process that constitutes what the USA represents. Everyone’s vote is equal, everyone’s vote counts and the majority vote decides the victor. Unfortunately, the voting process is becoming ever more complicated and convoluted by political agendas employing various voter suppression tactics that aim to sway the vote unfairly in their favor and ultimately make it more difficult to vote. The use of “voter registration purging” is specifically becoming more widespread and the implications of its effect on our electoral process is vividly frightening.

The resurgence of voter purging appears to sort of catapulted back into popularity back in 2013, with the ruling of Shelby County vs. Holder when the Supreme Court decided to overturn Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that required jurisdictions with a history of voter discrimination to participate in a process known as “pre-clearance.” The mainly southern states required to participate in “pre-clearance” were mandated under Section 5 to seek approval from the Department of Justice or a federal court before they attempted any changes to their voting laws. Essentially, the federal government did not trust that certain states would not be politically motivated to attempt to modify voting laws to unfairly sway elections.

“Essentially, the federal government did not trust that certain states would not be politically motivated to attempt to modify voting laws to unfairly sway elections.”

- Myles Cooper, Author

Voter registration purging as a process to eliminate un-qualified voters has existed for quite some time and is generally utilized with the utmost tedious care by states to insure that their elections thoroughly represent the democratic process. Reasons for being purged vary from state to state, but generally those that are deceased, convicted of certain criminal charges or those who have duplicate registrations are the first to be removed from the registration rolls. However, this process has a sad history of being refined in certain states by politicians seeking to only purge voters that would vote for their opponents. This is done with a variety of tactics and is misrepresented on the surface as being general rules for voting that apply to everyone, but when these “rules” are further scrutinized it is revealed that they overwhelmingly affect specific sections of the population. These tactics have become known as “voting suppression tactics” and voter registration purging is only one of the ominously many.

By utilizing “voting suppression tactics” such as voter I.D. laws, Exact Match, polling place closures and relocations, documentary proof of citizenship, gerrymandering, racial redistricting and restrictions on early voting, certain states have effectively made it quite difficult to vote. Unfortunately, politicians will shamelessly employ any strategy that could potentially get them a “victory” so it is no real surprise that these “tactics” have gained in popularity among the notoriously nefarious. In all actuality, those that are most affected by these practices are young, minority and low-income voters who are statistically more likely to vote Democratic; their votes being actively prevented by largely Republican perpetrators. Now that the mainly conservative Supreme Court has been ruling in favor of harsher voting laws in certain states, they are effectively elevating these Republican politicians to a precipice of power that allows them to ensure that only their personal political agendas are fed while democracy at large withers and starves.

“Now that the mainly conservative Supreme Court has been ruling in favor of harsher voting laws in certain states, they are effectively elevating these Republican politicians to a precipice of power”

- Myles Cooper, Author

Sadly, since the Supreme Court’s decision to discard the practice of “pre-clearance,” some of the states previously required to participate have demonstrated an increase in discriminatory voter suppression tactics. There are many states that do not choose to aggressively participate in voter purging due to the faulty underlying methodology for gathering the data that determines which voters need to be purged from the registration rolls. In fact, the margin of error that occurs in these voting purges seems to conveniently reflect narrow margins of victory for the politicians supporting the purges.

“In fact, the margin of error that occurs in these voting purges seems to conveniently reflect narrow margins of victory for the politicians supporting the purges.”

- Myles Cooper, Author

There are many instances where voter purging practices have falsely purged voters due to inaccurate data, potentially swaying countless narrow elections. The implications of simply allowing certain states, who are both currently and historically known to actively suppress and discriminate in their voting procedures, to continue to self-regulate in this matter is certainly a bleak prospect for the progress of Democracy.

In an analysis released by the Brennan Center for Justice this August, data from the federal Election Assistance Commission (EAC) revealed that between 2016 and 2018 counties with a history of voter discrimination have continued purging people from the rolls at much higher rates than other counties. When these jurisdictions that were previously required to submit to “pre-clearance” were compared to those that were not, the median purge rate of the two year time period was 40 percent higher in the counties with a history of discriminatory voting practices. Before Shelby County the purge rates of the “pre-clearance” jurisdictions were in line with the rest of the nation. The analysis declares that this information “debunks claims that certain states would experience a one-time jump when free of federal oversight, but then return to rates in line with the rest of the country. They haven’t.”

…this information “debunks claims that certain states would experience a one-time jump when free of federal oversight, but then return to rates in line with the rest of the country. They haven’t.”

- Election Assistance Commission

The NYU Brennan Center for Justice conducted their analysis by processing Election Administration and Voting Surveys (EAVS); these are administered to states by the EAC and request them to provide various information on voting registration including how many voters were purged in the two-year time period. There were some counties across the country that elected not to disclose their purge information, summoning only more questions about why they would not want to afford this information.

In the 2018 Georgia gubernatorial race between Republican incumbent Brian Kemp and his democratic challenger Stacey Abrams, a convenient voter purge was conducted by Kemp who was then Secretary of State of Georgia prior to the election. This “use it or lose it” law certainly was a primary factor in Kemp’s “victory” over Abrams, winning with a mere two percent margin. There have been various accusations of corruption and fraud against Kemp who is perceived as rigging the election he was running in from the top down. It was found that 65 percent of those purged under the “use it or lose it” policy re-registered in the same county and would have been eligible to vote had it not been for the state of Georgia’s aggressive purge policy. This year Georgia plans to purge another 315,000 voters; it is hard to estimate how many of those purged will be done so under false pretenses.

Wisconsin is another state that has been known to mistakenly purge individuals that would otherwise be perfectly eligible, were it not for their purge policies. In an article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel it is stated that “in 2017 the Wisconsin Elections Commission contacted about 340,000 voters who it believed had moved. It removed many of them from the voter rolls because they did not respond. Local election officials in the months afterward determined many of the people had not actually moved.”

In June 2018, the Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision in Husted v. A. Phillip Randolph Institute allowed for states, including Ohio, to remove registered voters from voting rolls for a failure to vote in multiple federal elections and a failure to return a mailed address confirmation form. In September of 2017, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals found that Ohio’s process of purging voters from the rolls violated federal law. Then-Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted appealed that decision to the Supreme Court, which ruled in support of Ohio’s method of purging voters. So even though it was previously discerned that Ohio’s purging tactics were unorthodox, Husted was able to somehow maneuver around this aspect and ensure that members of his party were able to control their ability to remain in power through loading the deck in their favor.

Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) is a major opponent of “purging” and in February introduced the SAVE VOTERS Act to protect the constitutional rights of Americans from voter “purges.” Then in July when the Ohio Secretary of State’s office announced its intentions to potentially purge another 200,000 voters, Senator Brown reacted with a denouncement of the decision.

“Empowered by a Supreme Court that put its thumb on the scale for special interests over voters, politicians in Columbus are once again attacking Ohioans’ right to vote. Voting is a fundamental right in our country and today’s move threatens to integrity of our state’s election process. Congress should take up and pass the SAVE VOTERS Act immediately to prevent these purges from happening. We should be making it easier, not harder for citizens to vote”

- Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH)

Officially, these states are utilizing voter registration purges in an attempt to clean house and thwart the possibility of “voting fraud” occurring. Statistically, actual cases of voting fraud are extremely rare and when they do successfully occur it is usually an individual attempting to impersonate another individual. None of the current methods being supported as “voter fraud deterrents” would really be all that effective at stopping anyone from pulling off a stunt like voter impersonation. In a U.S. Elections study from Loyola Law School cited in The New York Times, it was found that from 2000 - 2014 there were only 35 verifiable cases of voter fraud out of approximately 800 million votes cast. Actual “voting fraud” occurs so rarely that it is obviously being presented as the false narrative that excuses the need for excessive voter registration purging.

The questionable motivations that politicians have for conducting purges and other voting suppression tactics does not stop at the state level, it goes all the way to the top. The Trump administration has a commission on “election integrity” that is headed by “voting suppression pioneer” Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach. Kobach has been sued four times by the ACLU for voter suppression and has been sanctioned by a federal court for “deceptive conduct and lack of candor.” The fact that Kobach heads this committee that is supposed to represent “integrity” is completely laughable and his position demonstrates that the Trump Administrations’ actual interest is using voter suppression to win elections. Other members of the committee such as Hans von Spakovsky of the Heritage Foundation, who has been referred to as “the point person for undermining the Civil Rights Division’s mandate to protect voting rights,” are more evidence that their motivations are opposed to the general interests of the American democratic process.

In June of this year Kobach sent a letter to all 50 states asking for sweeping voter data, including social security numbers, party affiliation, felony convictions and military status. This is the first time the federal government has made such a broad request and it is feared that this information will be used and manipulated by the Trump administration to represent misleading material regarding “voter fraud,” leading to inaccurate and discriminatory purging. This worry was so prominent that 48 of the 50 states flat-out refused to hand over the data to the commission, from which one member ultimately resigned. In July the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) filed suit against Kobach and Trump’s “election integrity” commission for not conducting a privacy-impact assessment before requesting the data. However, this caused many citizens who rightly assumed that their privacy could be at stake to un-register to vote; perhaps unintentionally accomplishing the nefarious goals of the commission.

In conclusion, it is the goal of this writer to make Americans aware that the presentation of voter purging as a method for protecting our election process is purely a political narrative that is a means to an amoral end; actually actively undermining our democracy. Those pushing voter registration purging as a method for “voter fraud” prevention should actually be the individuals scrutinized for perpetuating the exact crime they are claiming to combat. This is not the only process that is being used to make it harder for American citizens to vote, so ensuring that you have personally met all the requirements of your particular states’ voter registration process, no matter how laborious, is paramount to maintaining our democratic election process. For the sake of all Americans, get out there early, make those phone calls and send in any necessary forms to make sure that you are not surprised on Election Day to find that you have been unfairly purged.

Sources

David Becker. 5/1/17. “Just the facts on fraud.” electioninnovation.org

“Voter purges.” Project Vote. projectvote.org

Kevin Morris. 8/1/19. “Voter purge rates remain high, analysis finds.” Brennan Center for Justice. brennancenter.org

Press Release. 7/29/19. “Brown slams latest voter purge in Ohio.” brown.senate.gov

Ari Berman. 7/12/17. “American Democracy Is Now Under Siege by Both Cyber-Espionage and GOP Voter Suppression.” TheNation.com

Ari Berman. 7/11/17. “Meet the Vote Suppressors and Conspiracy Theorists on Trump’s ‘Election Integrity’ Commission.” TheNation.com

Ari Berman. 6/30/17. “The Trump Administration Is Planning an Unprecedented Attack on Voting Rights.” TheNation.com

[thedogoodpress]

Treasury-Secretary Mnuchin Delays Harriet Tubman's Debut On the $20 Bill Until 2028

Summary

Harriet Tubman was to replace Andrew Jackson in 2020 but that has been delayed

Perhaps the Trump administration is trying to kill the action

Or Secretary Mnuchin is trying to delay it to prevent Trump from killing the plan

CHARLOTTE, NC — In 2016 the U. S. Treasury Department unveiled a $20 bill emblazoned with a conceptual design featuring Civil Rights Heroine Harriet Tubman in place of the seventh President Andrew Jackson. The U.S. Treasury Department delayed the release until 2020 despite the design being completed in 2016.

In 2016 then Treasury Secretary Jack Lew announced that Harriet Tubman, Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner Truth and other trailblazing women would all be honored with new currency set to be released in 2020 on the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote.

The decision to put Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill is monumental. Many people feel as though the change is long overdue.

The last time a person of color was featured on paper currency was the late 1800’s with Pocahontas's occupying the $20 bill from 1865-1869, and again in 1875.

With the new year right around the corner anticipation was building around the the long awaited release of the new currency. That is until Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced the release would be pushed back until 2028. Many people were disappointed to learn the release date had been pushed back once again.

Among the disappointed was U. S. Representative for Massachusetts' Ayanna Perry who questioned Mnuchin on his decision . When Perry questioned Mnuchin’s reasoning for delaying the release of the new $20 bill Mnuchin said his main concern was security features.

Mnuchin explained , "It is my responsibility now to focus on what is the issue of counterfeiting and the security features,” Mr. Mnuchin said. “The ultimate decision on the redesign will most likely be another secretary's down the road.”When asked directly exactly what he thought about Harriet Tubman being placed on the $20 bill Mnuchin’s responded bluntly "I've made no decision as it relates to that," he said.

Despite Mnuchin’s reasoning many suspect he is stalling the release of the new $20 to appease his boss President Trump. However some people believe Mnuchin is delaying the release of the. bill featuring Tubman's image in order to stop Trump from scrapping the idea altogether.

It is no secret that President Trump doesn’t like the idea of Harriet Tubman being honored on the $20 bill. In 2017 the then Presidential Candidate criticized the Obama Administration initiative calling the decision to put Tubman on a bill an act of “pure political correctness” and suggested she’d be a better fit for the $2 bill instead.

Trump himself has admitted removing the 7th President of the United States Andrew Jackson from the $20 bill would be a hard thing for him to do stating, “ Andrew Jackson had a great history, and I think it’s very rough when you take somebody off the bill.”

As of now $20 bills featuring Harriet Tubman will not be in circulation until 2028.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/22/us/harriet-tubman-bill.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/14/us/politics/harriet-tubman-bill.html

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2019/05/22/harriet-tubman-20-bill-delayed-2028-mnuchin-says/3769291002/

https://theconversation.com/who-was-the-first-woman-depicted-on-american-currency-58245

[thedogoodpress]

A Closer Look into the Metro Manila Traffic Crisis

Summary:

The Philippines has reached a standstill— quite literally. The traffic problem has reached a record high, with several compromising to make their schedules work

The traffic issue has exacerbated the nation's ever-popular OFW culture

The government has proposed a "Build, Build, Build" program, aimed at developing the nation's infrastructure

Critics are skeptical of the new proposal, citing the failures of efforts made by former administrations

In the bustling Filipino city of Metro Manila, experiencing 4-hour long traffic breaks during peak hours has become the norm. With over 400,000 vehicles plying on the city’s main road, EDSA, it’s no wonder it’s since bagged first place on the “Worst Cities to Drive In,” survey by the traffic app Waze. As reported by Bloomberg, the driving time within the area takes almost five minutes per kilometer.

But why has traffic reached such a standstill?

Well, for starters, Metro Manila happens to be the most congested city in Asia based on a recent study. This makes sense: many Filipinos yearn to escape rural provincial lives and move to the nation’s capital, all with the hope of finding higher-paying jobs and better opportunities.

Not only this, but ‘success culture’ also bears a huge social impact on the country. With well over 21.6% of the nation living under the poverty line, commodities such as cars and formal housing are seen as luxuries saved for the privileged 1%. Naturally, this has generated an influx of populations and vehicles flocking to the city, congesting the already-compact space of Philippine metropoles.

The Social Effects of the Traffic Crisis

Time is valuable, but instead of spending it either with their loved ones or resting, millions of Filipinos are stuck in heavy traffic clumps to and from work or school. Daily routines as a whole have framed themselves around the long drives— to ensure they arrive on time, several commuters have begun to wake up at least three hours earlier than they wood regularly.

In addition to the daily, stressful trip, what’s alarming are the health risks associated with this traffic problem; particularly, staggeringly high rates of people contracting respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses. It’s actually painful to see that a simple problem like traffic grew to be an issue involving public health.

Solving the Problem with the PH Government’s “Build, Build, Build Project”

The problem has made Philippine citizens suffer on several strands. So, what can be done to end this? There were many solutions that were previously suggested, including the Provincial Bus Ban in EDSA and many others. However, these suggestions were either not properly implemented or not effective enough.

Facing what seems like a never-ending issue, private sectors and government officials have expressed their hope in solving the traffic crisis by stabilising local economies and developing infrastructure. This initiative is called the “Build, Build, Build program,” which the government aims to complete before the end of President Duterte’s term.

But while many are hopeful for the socioeconomic benefits to be reaped from such industrial progress, many more remain nervous. Several critics have referred to previous administrations, claiming that similar promises to solve the long-standing traffic crisis have been both made and broken on their end. Moreover, they feel the program's hyper-industrialism will only exacerbate the traffic issue, promoting more migration from the provinces.

Several feel the issue is being made more complex than necessary— and they may have a point. In truth, what the nation needs is better public transportation, fewer cars, rural development, and localised economic opportunities. Obviously, however, this is easier said than done— the policies needed to promote such growth largely hinge on legislative rulings, and the government has not been one to cooperate in the past.

The Future of Local Philippine Professionalism

Alternatively, the Philippines' traffic situation has been compelling more and more Filipinos to become seek work abroad. The extensive promotion of OFW (or "Overseas Filipino Worker") culture has lead many of the nations' most ambitious and accredited professionals to move to 'more developed' nations. Some of the more popular destinations have included Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Canada.

Several fear that this has created a 'brain drain' situation. With several of the nation's most capable specialists taking matters into their own hands, the Philippines is halted in its progress.

[thedogoodpress]

Russia is Making It's Own Internet

Summary

Russia passed a law that created an internet exclusive to Russian citizens called the "Sovereign Internet"

Many see it as a way for Kremlin to severely restrict the rights of it's citizens.

Back in October, during a protest, the government shut down the internet for it's citizens for a period of two weeks in order to restrict an information flow.

On November 1st, Russia’s “sovereign internet” law took effect; an attempt at a closed internet system solely for the country of Russia of which the main purpose is being presented as that of a matter of Russian national security. The official word from the Kremlin is that the country is afraid of cyber attacks and that the West could potentially cut off their access to the World Wide Web and what they are attempting to construct is simply a fall-back method for these or other similar scenarios. However, from a human rights perspective the new system simply seems like Moscow finding yet another way to restrict its citizens’access to information and prevent them from being able to obtain any material that might run counter to the ambitions of the Russian government.

“It’s more about creating a reliable internet that will continue to work in the event of external influences, such as a massive hacker attack,” said Leonid Levin, Chairman of Russia’s Committee on International policy.

Vladmir Putin signed the law back in May that allows for the creation of an alternative domain name system (DNS), developing Russia’s own net address books and also requires that internet providers purchase and install deep package inspection tools (DPI). The DPI technology, which can track, reroute and filter content, will be provided by Moscow tech company RDP.RU. The DPI technology will be utilized by Russia’s telecommunications “watchdog” Roskomnadzor, which is essentially just a registry for forbidden content, to effectively negate access to any content that the Russian government sees as a “threat.”

“Now the government can directly censor content or even turn Russia’s internet into a closed system without telling the public what they are doing or why,” said Rachel Denber, deputy Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “This jeopardizes the right of people in Russia to free speech and freedom of information online.”

It does not appear that Russia’s current tech can support the new law yet; the Novaya Gazeta reported that users were able to bypass Roskomanadzor with VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) and proxy tools. While the DPI technology is certainly not yet ready for nationwide installation, it was reported that it is already being tested in various cities in the Ural Mountains. The authorities have until January 2021 to get the system running properly and service providers who fail to cooperate are required to be disconnected by operators of hubs for internet traffic exchange points.

The creation of a Russian national DNS, which works as an address book for the internet and translates URL addresses into numerical IP addresses, will allow Russian authorities to reply to search results with the wrong address or simply no address at all. There is an obvious drastic discrepancy with freedom of information in this manipulative approach, one that allows the Russian government total control over what its internet users can search for.

The new law does not meet the standards for the International Covenant on Human Rights or the European Convention on Human rights, both of which Russia is privy to. These treaties allow for the least restrictive government limitations on privacy and freedom of expression when national security is at stake as well as transparent legal criteria. Russia is basically using national security objectives as an excuse to blatantly disregard its citizens’rights to information and privacy with this new law.

Human Rights Watch said that the new “sovereign internet” law provides the Russian government with a legal basis for mass surveillance and allows the government to effectively enforce online existing legislation that undermines freedom of expression and privacy. The standard for what criteria the government will be censoring from its citizens is conveniently vague, allowing a lot of room for authorities to suppress whatever information it wants without any real checks and balances.

Apparently, this is not the first attempt by the Kremlin to restrict its citizens’ access to the internet. Back in October 2018 during Inigushetia land-swap protests authorities shut down the internet in the area for nearly two weeks, preventing protesters from getting information that would enable them to continue protesting. This is simply the stark precedent Russia has set for what its government is willing to do to insure that their agenda is met and that those who question their policies are subdued and silenced.

It is difficult not to see the new Russian “sovereign internet” law as an echo of China’s restrictive internet policies and as a way for these governments to have even more control over its citizens. It is alarming policies like these that could lead humanity by the hand into a dark dystopia of private citizens becoming willing sheep for the slaughter; with the access and availability of information solely in the hands of the most powerful people in the world and only provided at their leisure. It is easy to see how this would be extremely advantageous for a government seeking to implement an agenda that it knows would be rejected if its citizens had all the necessary information about its purpose. Knowledge is power and this is surely an attempt by the Russian government to take any trace of what already little power it affords to it private citizens. Power should reside in the people who are affected by it, not in the already powerful who surmise to utilize their vast resources to further impend the rights of its private citizens.

Sources

Human Rights Watch Press Release. “Russia: New Law Expands Government Control Online.” 10/31/19. HRW.org.

BBC Editorial. 11/1/19. “Russia internet: Law introducing new controls comes into force.” BBC.com

Mariella Moon. 11/2/19. “Russia’s sovereign internet law takes effect.” Endgadget.com

Jan Lindenau. The Moscow Times. 11/3/19. “Russia’s sovereign internet law comes into force.” Thebarentsobserver.com

[thedogoodpress]

What’s going on with Facebook?

Summary

In front of a committee, Mark Zuckerberg aimed to gain approval for it's new crypto-currency, Libra

It turned into a questioning of Facebook's fact-checking of political ads

Lawmakers are worried that the currency can undermine traditional currencies managed by countries and whether the new currency can be used for illegal activities

At a hearing last Wednesday with the House Financial Services Committee Mark Zuckerberg was intending on trying to convince committee members of the value of his new crypto-currency Libra. What the session evolved into was many committee members criticizing Zuckerberg for Facebook’s complete lack of fact-checking on political ads and their addressing of other concerns involving a general lack of trust in the company due to other previous allegations of misconduct. Facebook has had to make around 15 or 16 public apologies since 2003 for various instances involving the integrity of the company.

It appears that Facebook probably will not be getting approval for Libra from the House committee due to concerns involving the destabilization of central banking as well as who the target consumers for Libra would be. Libra is supposed to be an anonymous crypto-currency system that would be primarily for people who do not have traditional bank-accounts which amounts to about 31 percent of the global population. The immediate concern about this is that the undisclosed funds in Libra could be easily diverted into illicit markets. At the hearing congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA) described Zuckerberg’s involvement with Libra as “the richest man in the world hiding behind the poorest people in the world.”

“…the richest man in the world hiding behind the poorest people in the world.”

- Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA)

Libra is also steadily losing its financial backers as well, some being encouraged by a letter from Congress to withdraw their support of the new crypto-currency system. Widespread skepticism about the powerful implications of what a Facebook currency would mean for the rest of the world is also running rampant.

“No private entity can claim monetary policy, which is inherent to the sovereignty of nations,” said France and Germany in a statement rejecting Libra.

“No private entity can claim monetary policy, which is inherent to the sovereignty of nations.”

- France and Germany

As far as Facebook’s official policy on fact-checking political ads, vice-president of global affairs and communications Nick Clegg stated “we do not submit speech by politicians to our independent fact-checkers and we generally allow it in the platform even when it would otherwise breach our normal content rules.”

“We do not submit speech by politicians to our independent fact-checkers and we generally allow it in the platform even when it would otherwise breach out normal content rules.”

- Nick Clegg, Vice Preisdent of Global Affairs and Communications at Facebook

In a political ad by Donald Trump he made a demonstrably false claim about his Democratic opponent Joe Biden and Facebook refused to take it down. This ad, among others involving “political speech,” is part of a widespread utilization of “influence campaigns” by social media companies to push the mind of the consumer in a particular direction.

Facebook has taken down intentional disinformation posted by private citizens so why is it that they won’t do the same with politicians. The answer is probably money, despite the fact that Zuckerberg claims that the money Facebook makes from the ads is trivial.

“From a business perspective the very small percentage of our business that is made up of political ads does not come anywhere close to justifying the controversy that this incurs for our company. So this is really not about money,” said Zuckerberg at the hearing.

“From a business perspective the very small percentage of our business that is made up of political ads does not come anywhere close to justifying the controversy that this incurs for our company. So this is really not about money.”

- Mark Zuckerberg

Within the past two weeks politicians from both sides have averaged spending $1 million a week on political ads on Facebook; so if that kind of money is trivial it would be interesting to know what kind of numbers they’re working with overall. Could they possibly be generating enough revenue to back a new digital global currency?

After the 2016 presidential elections when Facebook was compromised by false accounts and fraudulent posts they put an “extensive” fact-checking team in action. There are apparently tens of thousands of “content moderators” working along with AI systems to help prevent the spread of disinformation. Zuckerberg admitted to being on the “back foot” of preventing Russia from interfering in the 2016 elections but it looks like national security takes a back-seat to Facebook’s profit margin. These fact-checkers are just simply not required to filter political speech due to a company policy Facebook put into place in September 2018 that specifically leaves it out.

In a facetious tweet from Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey mocking the standpoint Facebook is taking on the matter he said, “we’re working hard to stop people from gaming our systems to spread misleading information, buuut if someone pays us to target and force people to see their political ads well…they can say whatever they want!”

“[w]e’re working hard to stop people from gaming our systems to spread misleading information, buuut if someone pays us to target and force people to see their political ads well…they can say whatever they want!”

- Jack Dorsey, Twitter CEO

Twitter has done what seems like more honest approach in not allowing any political ads on their platform whatsoever. They believe that a political platform in social media should “be earned, not bought,” according to Dorsey.

All of this really begs the bigger question of when are law-makers going to enforce some regulations on Facebook and other tech giants? There has been a lot of discussion lately among lawmakers about potentially breaking up Facebook like was done with the monopolies that IBM and AT&T had created before their respective break-ups. Facebook is facing an anti-trust investigation by Democratic and Republican attorneys general in 47 states as well as being investigated by federal authorities for potential violations of competition law.

Facebook still has not contributed to any kind of transparency to what they do with the data they collect its consumers and Zuckerberg would not answer any questions that dealt with “shadow profiles,” or the information generated and collected on non-users of Facebook. There is also Facebook’s common utilization of “dark patterns” to manipulate consumers out of divulging information.

Ultimately, Facebook is an American success story that provides a lot of convenience and content for its users as the most popular social media platform on the globe. It also, unfortunately, subjects its users to unapologetic false advertising from politicians and appears to be seeking a power position in global finance. With over 2 billion users world-wide, the level of responsibility that Facebook takes for its questionable operations and actions is inherently negligible and generates many more questions about its overall intentions as a company.

Sources

Conor Friedersdorf. 11/1/19. “Doubt Anyone Who’s Confident that Facebook should ban political ads.” The Atlantic.

Tony Romm. 10/23/19. “Facebook’s Zuckerberg takes a broad lashing on Libra, 2020 election and civil rights at congressional hearing.” The Washington Post

LA Times Editorial Board. 10/31/19. “Facebook hands its microphone to lying politians, Twitter takes it away.” LA Times

Amy Walter. 10/25/19 “Are Democrats Breaking Up with Big Tech” The Takeway podcast.

[thedogoodpress]

The Chilean Government Crackdowns: What You Need to Know

Summary

Chile has been experiencing civil unrest in national protests that have brought much of its activities to a halt

The protests started as a response to increased subway fare rates, but have continued despite President Sebastián Piñera cancelling it on Saturday

A violent police crackdown has enveloped the country, with a state of emergency being declared in Santiago and five other cities

A curfew has been enforced, with military flooding the streets for the first time since the dictatorial term of Augusto Pinochet

Over 1,400 protesters have been detained since military intervention took place

“We’re at war against a powerful enemy,” said President Piñera during a Sunday night TV broadcast from the Chilean army headquarters. “Democracy not only has the right but the duty to defend itself using all instruments … and the rule of law to fight those who would destroy it.”

“We’re at war against a powerful enemy [it’s own people]…Democracy not only has the right but the duty to defend itself using all instruments … and the rule of law to fight those who would destroy it."

- President of Chile, Piñera

This statement has gained much controversy, with many believing that Piñera was attempting to take attention off the true motivators behind the conflict. A common argument critiques the neoliberal Chilean economic model, stating that the true issue exists between the government and the poorer people of Chile. 

There are quite a few reasons to justify this claim. Consider Chile’s private education system, which emerged during the rule of Augusto Pinochet. The people’s main frustrations centered around the clear disparity between private and public schooling systems- with the former showing drastically better learning outcomes. However, action was heavily discouraged. Any active protest against the dictatorship was forbidden: worthy of incarceration at best and execution or torture at worst. 

After the coup waged against democratic socialist Salvador Allende, a staggering 70% of Chileans supported these demands, all in hopes of reversing the economic and political system established by Pinochet’s dictatorship. For a while, these efforts seemed to have worked. Following the initial round of student mobilisations, the 2009 General Education Law replaced Pinochet’s framework, after over 30 years of enactment. But this has done little change.

While Chile has one of the highest GDP per capita rates in Latin America, it is also a stage for income inequality. With a broken education system, several jobs are menial, informal, or temporary. The most affected demographic? The women and youth struggling against social stigmas in their attempts to find work. The country has been calling for wider economic reform for several decades, but all it has done is show cracks in the country’s so-called ‘democracy’.

This pattern of containment and dismissal continues to this day. While formal rights to protest exist in the current democracy, they are very restrictive. Social culture has also been bred to look down upon social protest, criminalising it and deeming it an act of terrorism. 

That being said, while discontent is seen across social groups, many have called the protests an ‘overreaction’ to something as seemingly miniscule as metro tickets. On the other hand, protesters have called this an over-simplification, their efforts clearly reflecting a long-term battle between the people and the state.

The Chilean government has not done much to address this. On Tuesday, Piñera broadcasted his apologies for “decades” of economic troubles, announcing his plans to combat it. But the prevailing unrest spoke bounds. Too much had already been done. The people were beyond displeased. 

Several Chileans have deemed Pinochet regime as a testament to the failure and deceit of their nation’s neoliberalist models. It formed itself around promises of ‘order’ and ‘peace’ but only managed to normalise the aggression it had been dealing with.

Moreover, comparisons have been drawn between the protests and demonstrations in Hong Kong and Lebanon. These similarities aren’t unfounded- with Hong Kong’s extradition riots, Lebanon’s strike against taxed WhatsApp calls, and Chile’s hike in metro fares, protestors are singing the same tune: 

Their governments aren’t doing little- they’re actively counteracting their efforts.

Watch an insider’s clip below:

[thedogoodpress]

Democrats Don't Hate America

This is a column article written based on opinion and observation rather than source gathering and information.

Summary

There is no one correct way of political thinking

Both parties are needed for proper policy

Democratic policy is valuable, as well as Republican policy

If someone opposes your political opinion, it does not mean they hate your country

When it comes to policy and legislation, there is no political ideology that is always correct or incorrect. For some issues, taking a liberal stance may be better for the country, and for other issues taking a conservative stance would be better. It's also not necessarily universal. In one century taking a liberal stance might be better but in an other century taking a conservative stance might be better.

There is a lot of rhetoric going around describing Democrats as a "Haters of America", and that is simply not true. The way that parties were shaped and have grown into is fit to an idea named "sectionalism." In today's day, the Democrats are dominant in the northern states and the Republicans are dominant in the southern states. Northerners might find Republican ideology distasteful, but that is expected, because their geographical location befits them to Democratic ideology, rather than Republican ideology. This also works the other way, with Southerners finding Democratic ideals unappealing.

Continuing on this idea of sectionalism, the way for Congress to represent the United States of America is to account for all geographic regions, then in consequence account for both parties.

The fact of the matter is that we need both sides of the spectrum in order to keep this country healthy. We greatly recovered from the Great Depression through increased government spending on jobs and national projects. This Democratic step in the right direction was done by Franklin D. Roosevelt, a highly revered Democratic president, and greatly improved the stability of the nation. When President John Adams passed the Alien and Sedition Act, disallowing the country from criticizing it's government, it was Republican-like backlash that tore it down, also helping out the country.

So, please, do not add to the division of our country by discrediting your fellow countrymen with anti-patriotic rhetoric.

Another Look at the Matter

When it comes to politicians, there is leeway to claim that some Democratic politicians "hate America" because they listen to their party instead of their constituents. That claim would have some credibility, but it is not an issue exclusive to Democrats, rather a universal problem applying to any politician from any ideology representing any party.

[thedogoodpress]

Blitzchung, Blizzard and Hong Kong Protests

Summary

Ng “Blitzchung” Wai Chung’s prize money was taken and he was suspended from the game, Hearthstone, for a year for supporting the HK protests

He announced in a live broadcast “Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our age”

In response to his pro-Hong Kong protest cheer, Blizzard Entertainment stripped Hearthstone Grandmaster winner Ng “Blitzchung” Wai Chung of his prize money and suspended him for a year initially. During an online broadcast of the tournament, he said, “Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our age,” while wearing a gas mask to show his support of the anti-authoritarian protests. His money was eventually returned and suspension reduced to 6 months after public outcry over the situation escalated. There was also a team of Taiwanese news casters that were conducting the live-streaming event that were initially fired for their seemingly supportive response to “Blitzchung’s” cheer, but they were then given reduced suspensions of 6 months as well.

The actions of Blizzard Activision to side with the Chinese government and punish individuals for exercising their rights for free speech provoked a letter from a bi-partisan group of American politicians, warning of the caustic overtones of their actions. The letter was addressed to Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick, and expressed “deep concern” over the implications of their controversial decision to punish “Blitzchung.”

There was also a team of Hearthstone players from American University that were banned, and then later given lightened suspension sentences, after they flashed signs of support for Blitzchung during a live broadcast. Blizzard stated that they and “Blitzchung” had both violated section 6.1 of the rule-book where it prohibits competitors from doing anything that, “offends a portion or group of the public”. It just so happens that the “group” that was offended by the players’ comments is the Chinese government, but this aspect is not being admitted to by Blizzard officially.

The Chinese government has used its economic influences in previous cases where the Hong Kong protests were concerned. When NBA Houston Rockets manager Daryl Morey made supportive comments about the protests in a Twitter post, Chinese NBA business affiliates threatened a withdrawal of their investments, prompting an un-enthusiastic apology from the NBA. There is also evidence that Apple complied with Chinese pressure in removing an app called HKMap that protesters were using to organize their marches and demonstrations. Google even pulled out of a deal that involved a restricted format of their search engine platform for the Chinese.

It seems China is not afraid to throw its weight around when squashing the rumors of its dictatorial policies concerning free speech are called into question. This response is almost ironic in nature, due to its illustrative aspect lending to how boldly willing the Chinese government is to flaunt their agenda. That is an agenda of supreme dominance over what their people can think and do, as well as what kind of information they are allowed to access on the internet.

The city of Hong Kong just so happens to be the representative catalyst of where the Chinese government must concede to more democratic limitations on their strict authoritarian approach to government. When Hong Kong was given back to the Chinese in 1997 by the British, there was an agreement that much of the rights the city had been enjoying would remain in place under a “one country, two systems” kind of organization until at least 2047. Earlier this year, China tried to implement an extradition policy that would allow it to violate some of the human rights conditions in Hong Kong, and this is what sparked the protests in June. The extradition bill has since been quashed but protests are still raging over demands for representative democracy.

The letter that was sent by the US lawmakers is another representation that the USA must fight to uphold the rights of freedom of speech even in uncomfortable times. At a time in history where China holds many of the cards in the global economy, we as citizens of the world can not be bullied into silence. It seems that some companies like Blizzard are willing to simply give in to this bullying for simple financial gain, so the real question is: do they deserve any support at all?

There are protests planned against Blizzard’s actions for the Blizzconn convention that starts in November.

Sources:

Timothy B. Lee. 10/8/19 “Blizzard bans pro Hearthstone gamer for statement supporting Hong Kong” arstechnica.com

Nicole Carpenter. 10/18/19 “US Congress members urge Blizzard to “reconsider” Hearthstone pro’s suspension” polygon.com

Julia Alexander. 10/16/19 “Blizzard bans three college Hearthstone players for Hong Kong protest sign” theverge.com

Oscar Gonzalez. 10/18/19 “Blizzard, Hearthstone and the Hong Kong protests: What you need to know” cnet.com

[thedogoodpress]

Fort Worth Police Officer Kills Atatiana Jefferson

Summary

Atatiana Jefferson, 28, was shot and killed in her home

She was playing video games with her nephew, 8, at 2:30 in the morning

They did not announce themselves as Fort Worth Police

2 seconds after the policeman yelled “Put Your Hands Up”, he proceeded to shoot and kill.

Atatiana Jefferson, 28, was shot and killed in her home by Fort Worth police officer Aaron Dean while playing video games with her 8-year-old nephew on Saturday, October 12th. The police were called to the premises after a concerned neighbor phoned the non-emergency number when he noticed doors were left open at the residence late Saturday night. When officers responded to the call around 2:30 am they parked their service vehicles away from the residence and did not announce themselves as officers of the Fort Worth Police Department before searching the perimeter where lights could actually be seen on in part of the house.

Heavily edited body camera footage released by Fort Worth police show Aaron Dean, who never announces his presence as a law officer, shining his flashlight in through the window and shouting for an individual he “perceived as a threat” inside the residence to “Put your hands up, put up your hands!” He then proceeded to fire a single shot in through the window of the dark room, striking and killing Jefferson in her bedroom where her nephew was present, only two seconds after initiating verbal contact. There was also some questionable still-frame footage tacked on to the end of the live body cam of a blurred out room with only a gun in focus, but no claims that Jefferson was actually wielding a weapon had been made by police at the time of the shooting.

Regardless, it is Jefferson’s right as a resident of the open-carry state of Texas to possess a firearm. If she had drawn a firearm, it would be completely understandable in the situation, where she feasibly had heard a commotion outside her house very late at night, while watching her nephew, with no clues given to her whatsoever that the individuals prowling outside her home were actually officers of the law. Interim Police Chief Ed Kraus stated that he regrets releasing the footage of the gun because of the inappropriate shadow it casts on the character of Jefferson.

Understandably the Fort Worth community is outraged by yet another police officer killing an innocent resident. Dean was served with an administrative complaint on Sunday and relieved of his badge and firearm, and then resigned from the police department Monday. Kraus stated that he had fully intended on firing Dean on Monday for violating de-escalation and use of force procedures and for unprofessional conduct but the officer resigned instead. Dean was dishonorably discharged and he was booked into the Tarrant County Correction Center on murder charges and later released on a $200,000 bond; there could also be an investigation by the FBI into civil rights violations.

In somber tune with the tragic overtones that surround this case, Fort Worth residents are now convinced that if they call the police for any reason they are summoning death to their doorstep. Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price apologized to the community for the ineptitude of the local police department that is currently being investigated by an independent police monitor and a third-party panel of experts. The department was already under investigation for other allegations of procedural violations before the killing of Jefferson.

“The Fort Worth police murdered this woman. They murdered this woman in her own house,” said Reverend Michael Bell.

“The Fort Worth police murdered this woman. They murdered this woman in her own house.”

- Reverend Michael Bell

Only a month ago, Dallas ex-police officer Amber Guyger was convicted of murder after she shot and killed her neighbor Botham Jean while he was eating ice cream in his home, mistaking his residence for her own. Guyger was off duty at the time.

Since the beginning of 2019, over 600 civilians have been killed by police nationwide, according to the Washington Post Fatal Force database.

A Key Look

It’s important to understand that police officers are not enemies of the American public and the actions of a minority should not represent the majority.

Sources:

P.T. Lockhart. 10/15/19.”Fort Worth officer charged with murder in killing of black woman in her own home.” Vox.com

Marie Lodi. 10/14/19. “Everything we know about the Atatiana Jefferson Police shooting.” Thecut.com

Holly Yan. 10/14/19. “Atatiana Jefferson’s nephew watched her get killed by Fort Worth police. The aunt may have saved the boy’s life.” CNN.com