Gun Control Reflection (Extra Credit Assignment)

Coming from the perspective of the father of a 15 year old boy who died in the 1999 Columbine School Shooting, I imagined that gun control activist Mr. Tom Mauser would have a fairly extreme opinion about gun control and gun distribution in the United States, but his speech proved me wrong. Yes, it is true that Tom had a fairly liberal view on gun control, but it is also important to note that he is not an anti-gun activist, he in a gun control activist, therefore he can see the point of view of gun lovers and protest in a way that is somewhat neutral to his “opposition”. Before beginning his talk, Mr. Mauser explained how sensitive of a subject gun control is, which results in people dismissing it as a subject of discussion. Gun control is becoming an increasingly polarized topic for both schools of thought, making gun control harder to improve throughout the United States. Another important point to consider is how the Supreme Court reacts to the second amendment. Contrary to most conservative beliefs, the Supreme Court analyzed the second amendment to take into consideration gun control regulation programs, generally, on top of the right for citizens to bear arms. 

          This talk was specifically eye opening to me because it provided me with new pieces of evidence in support of a gun control activist’s point of view. Specifically, Tom talked about the loophole in the “Brady Bill”, which allows for purchase of guns without background checks, especially those at gun shows. Tom also offered an analogy of TSA screening in comparison to mandatory background checks for gun purchasing in the United States. The analogy goes: 40% of people get around background checks while purchasing guns in the U.S., how would you feel if the same 40% were exempt to TSA screening before boarding a plane? Previously, my opinion was split between slightly conservative and slightly liberal viewpoint on gun control, but Tom’s speech really opened up my eyes to the more liberal side of gun control (while still presenting both sides  of the argument). The fact that I can easily sympathize for Tom and his deceased son makes his persuasive speech all that much more impactful, and absolutely swayed my opinion in a way that others have not been able to. Tom’s speech was very thorough, but I still have one unanswered question: After mentioning the positives and negatives about absence and presence of gun control, what is the ideal balance between absence and presence that would result in harmony between conservative and liberal points of view on gun control. If there is an ideal balance, would this be the answer to gun control in the United States that could cut down on death and violence? 

Antebellum Era Editorial Letter

Dear Editor: 

Your publication of Excerpts from Narrative of the Life Frederick Douglass, an American Slave has truly inspired me. I am writing to voice my concern on the treatment of slaves in the colonies. 

I am an Abolitionist currently residing in Baltimore, Maryland and seen the effects of slavery on young black men and women, as well as their owners firsthand. As Douglass mentioned in his autobiography, conditions and treatment for slaves range from near equality between slave and slaveholder to an lesser treatment of slaves than that of farm animals. Although it is true, conditions in the Northern colonies are often much better than conditions in the South, I have seen my fair share of horrors. However, upon hearing of the vastly more horrid conditions of slave to slaveholder relationships in the South, I was appalled and determined to do something about it. 

First of all, the fact that babies born into slavery are taken away from their mothers upon birth is completely inhumane. In a society where human beings are bread into captivity under other human beings, family ties and friendship is everything. Without these ties, human slaves are reduced to angry workers with no recollection of love that have nothing to live for, no motives, no reason to continue working (other than the fact that they will be killed if they refuse to work). This results in a population of uneducated angry laborers who want to be free but have nobody to help them achieve this freedom in their own population. I admire Mr. Frederick Douglass for pursuing an education in order to be this achieving force, not only to educate slaves of the atrocities taking place across the country, but also the slaveholders, that they may see their flawed ways. If only word of Mr. Douglass’ autobiography spreads wide enough throughout the colonies, may the people realize their atrocious ways and change them so that all humans are created and treated equal in society. 

Sincerely, Trevor Jones 

DBQ #1 on American Identity & Unity

         

          Major events leading up to the Revolutionary War helped to define the American people as a functioning unit. Events such as the Sugar and Stamp Acts strengthened American’s hatred towards Great Britain, effectively creating a sense of identity through a mutual enemy. On top of this, public opinion was heavily swayed by propaganda written by people of high position for the purpose of unifying the American people. By the eve of the Revolution, the colonists developed a major sense of identity as Americans as expressed through economic, cultural, and political unity.

          The colonists developed a sense of their identity and unity as Americans through cultural relations created before the eve of the revolution. Hector St. John Crevecouer’s Letters from an American Farmer describes how the cultural diversity of Americans gave birth to a new cultural identity, through which “individuals of all nations are melted into a new race of men” (Doc. H). During the colonial period, immigrants were coming into the colonies from all over Europe, in order to share in the colony’s newfound prosperity and independence. Regardless of his place of origin, “He is an American” who “extinguishes all his European prejudices” in order to contribute to a growing prosperity and independence, which would be later labeled as the American identity. This strengthening of unity is described in Richard Henry Lee’s (a member of the second continental congress) letter to Arthur Lee, where he writes: “all North America is now most firmly united and as firmly resolved to defend their liberties ad infinitum against every power on earth that may attempt to take them away” (Doc. C). This passage shows that the colonies are becoming increasingly stronger and more willing to fight for their liberties due to this increase in unity. With an increase in cultural unity throughout the colonies, an American identity is able to develop by the eve of the Revolution. 

          The colonists developed a sense of their identity and unity as Americans through political relations created before the eve of the revolution. Political tension began to grow between the British government and the colonial government along with the desire for self-government in the colonies. Pieces of propaganda, such as Ben Franklin’s “Join or Die” political cartoon, published in the Pennsylvania Gazette in 1754, depicted the ‘disunited state’ of the colonies, and stressed the importance of colonial unity (Doc. A). The cartoon of the cut up snake represents the functionality of the colonies on their own, useless, versus the functionality that the predator could possess if joined (i.e. if the colonies were united as one). Pieces of propaganda, such as this, were very successful in uniting the colonies in this time of conflict. Additionally, Edmund Burke’s “Notes for Speech in Parliament” describes how the idea of Great Britain governing an entire continent the way that they govern one of their own Towns is preposterous (Doc. B). Rather, the colonists should be in charge of their own government, functioning as “images of the British constitution”. This idea of political unity further contributed to the emergence of the American identity by the eve of the Revolution. 

          The colonists developed a sense of their identity and unity as Americans through economic relations created before the eve of the revolution. As the British Parliament tightened the constraints of certain colonial economies, most notably through the Trade Act of 1774, the remaining colonies united in assistance to provide relief for said economy. The Massachusetts Historical Society published a document listing “Contributors of Donations for the Relief of Boston”, which shows the enormous support Boston received from the other colonies upon economic restriction from the Trade Act (Doc. G). Even though events such as this united the colonies economically, it also evoked a greater sense of hatred towards the British, leading to the publication of Continental Congress’ “Declaration for the Causes of Taking up Arms” in 1775 (Doc. E). This declaration describes describes how colonists will take up arms and fight for their lives “in defiance of every hazard […] rather than live [like] slaves”. It is clear to see that by this time in American history, colonists have decided to unite and fight together to achieve independence for what will become a global role model of nations. 

          By the eve of the Revolution, the colonists developed a major sense of identity as Americans as expressed through economic, cultural, and political unity. Major events and documents played a part in the formation of the American identity, successfully connecting the colonies together in a ‘united state’. It is interesting to think that times of great struggle can prove to be such a good ‘bonding agent’ among a large group of people. It is certainly not the first or the last time that this phenomenon occurs in American History. An comparable event to the precursors of the American Revolution, such as the Boston Massacre, are the Terrorist events in New York City of 9/11. Resulting in thousands of deaths and injuries, the events of September 11, 2001 brought together millions of Americans through grief and sympathy, ultimately fueling America’s war on terror. In conclusion, through multiple hardships and with the assistance of declarations and propaganda, the colonists were able to come together in unity and develop a major sense of identity as Americans by the eve of the Revolution.

Virginia Linkage Activity

Trevor Jones
9/9/16
Per 8

Virginia Linkage

           Virginia during times of colonization was incredibly linked to slavery/servitude and the cultivation of tobacco. Tobacco became the core of Virginia's history at the time, acting as not only the major money-maker, but also as the settlement's currency. This pressured land owners to find helping hands for the cultivation process, turning to the enslavement of negros and indentured servitude. Indentured servitude was a way to gain passage to america under the condition that the individual must for for a certain amount of time to gain land ownership. Poor treatment of slaves and indentured servants lead to Bacon's Rebellion of 1676, an interracial rebellion composed of 500 slaves/servants fed up of these poor working conditions. This rebellion ultimately ended in failure for the slaves/servants but caused fear by the landowners for years to come. 

Final Project on the Humanized Environment (Weebly)

http://trevorhumanizedenvironment.weebly.com/ 

First and second submission topics of discussion for chapter 14

Trevor Jones
5/12/16
Per. 3

Chapter 14 Discussion Topics 

1.  How scale affects our identity.

2.  Benedict Anderson's concept of a nation as an imagined community. 

3.  Connectedness affecting personalized information. 

4.  How connectedness and the internet affects globalization. 

5.  Affect of multiple types of networks on globalization. 

6.  How the digital divide increases the gap between core and periphery countries. 

7.  The concept of Space-Time Compression in global cities. 

8.  How social networks influence revolutions and propaganda. 

9.  How NGO's have an affect through social networking. 

10.  Vertical integration of the media and deciding what's news and what's not. 

Chapter 13 T&R

Trevor Jones 

5/4/16

Per. 3

Sources: 

Human Geography: People, Places, and Culture: Chapter 13 - The Humanized Environment

Home (Documentary on our Earth) - https://youtu.be/jqxENMKaeCU 

Deforestation of the Amazon: http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/habitats/last-of-amazon/ 

Haiti Earthquake: http://list25.com/25-worst-natural-disasters-recorded/ 

Africa Toxic Storage: http://whenonearth.net/20-countries-that-are-used-as-dumping-grounds-for-your-waste/  

Home is a documentary about how humans have changed the environment (especially in the last 100 years), by educating the audience about earth’s unsustainable energy and environmental situation. Home presents the evidence of our impact upon the environment, and then proceeds to shed light on the situation, explaining how all is not lost if we as a species come together and fix our bad environmental habits. No matter how far scientists look into it, the root of our environmental crisis is based on climate change and environmental stress. As mentioned in the documentary, a subcategory of the problem is deforestation, taking place all over the world (most notably in the Amazon rainforest). Deforestation can lead to erosion of the land, desertification, and loss of nutrients in the land. Another major category discussed in the documentary is the pollution of the atmosphere. Pollution of the atmosphere, caused by countries emitting toxic gasses into the atmosphere, can cause detrimental effects to the population of not only the originating country, but the globe as a whole, through acid rain, and emission of chlorofluorocarbons, which deplete the ozone layer. Several other topic were mentioned in the documentary, but the final major subcategory is the pollution of water, or the hydraulic cycle. The pollution of fresh drinkable water is a major crisis for the population of the globe and can be caused by the overuse of clean water for corporate businesses (or even by governmental business for that matter), making the water too salty to use for anything. The pollution of freshwater can also be caused by the seeping  of toxic, nuclear, and unsanitary materials from landfills, into a local water source. Humans caused these environmental problems so at the end of the day, it is up to us to fix it for the planet. Luckily, organizations have been established to address these issues, the primary goal of which is to create a set of rules and policies to follow in order to cease or at least slow the set of crises that humanity has brought upon the environment. 

This is a map of South America. I choose to color this map because it contains the Amazon Rainforest, existing across parts of Brazil, Venezuela, Ecuador, Columbia, Peru, and Bolivia. The amazon rainforest is a perfect example of the affect humans have on the environment through deforestation for use of resources. During the past 40 years, close to 20 percent of the Amazon rain forest has been cut down for agricultural uses and for lumber. If the Amazon’s current situation remains at the same pace, in the next two decades, an additional 20 percent of the rainforest may disappear causing a chain reaction of negative side affects in the land. The natural moisture of the rainforest will be depleted, causing trees to dry out and die which could further cause wildfires, harming neighboring tribes and inhabitants of the Amazon. Deforestation is an increasing problem and will continue to be unless humans can change their detrimental acts upon the environment.  

This is a map of North America. The reason that I chose to color this map is because it contains the country Haiti. In 2010, Haiti’s Port-Au-Prince experienced one of the most deadly earthquakes ever recorded, scoring a magnitude of 7.0 in the Richter Scale. This Deadly natural disaster led to over 200,000 deaths, 2 million homeless, and 3 million people in need of emergency aid (mostly from foreign core countries like the United States). Because of the extreme poverty in Port-Au-Prince, the population living in clustered slums were ill prepared for this disaster, causing the death and injury toll to be magnified compare to well prepared/funded regions in core countries (California). The humanized environment is magnified in this situation through the unique distribution of wealth, that could’ve prevented this disaster from occurring if the area was better prepared/funded. 

This is a map of Africa. The reason that I chose to color this map is because it contains various countries’ space taken advantage of by core countries in order to store toxic waste. Multiple countries including Ghana, Nigeria, Somalia, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Zimbabwe, Lebanon and South Africa are paid small amounts of money to take toxic waste from core countries, and “dispose” of it, often in an unhealthy and unsafe way for the population and the environment. Unsafe methods of waste storage in periphery countries such as these can lead to disease among the locals forced to live there, loss of biodiversity, water and air pollution, and several other negative side affects. As toxic waste is exported to these periphery counties, we are reducing the chances of safe storage, further harming the environment for the entire globe, digging the population into a bigger hole than ever before. 

Chapter 12 T&R

Trevor Jones 

4/25/16

Per. 3

Sources: 

Human Geography: People, Places, and Culture: Chapter 12 - Industries and Service 

Paris, The Industrial Hearth - http://the-paris.blogspot.com/2008/08/industrial-revolution.html 

China, The Top Producer of Goods and Services Worldwide - http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/002fd8f0-4d96-11e0-85e4-00144feab49a.html#axzz46teO33Kn 

Rust Belt in the U.S.: http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Rust_Belt.aspx 

The Oil Crisis of 1973 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1973_oil_crisis#Summary 

During the Yom Kippur War in 1973, the United States wanted to help their alliance, Israel, against attacks by Middle Eastern Arab countries by supplying them with arms, but the waring Middle Wastern countries did not like this so in response, the OAPEC (Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries) announced an oil embargo against Canada, Japan, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the US. So, the United States transitioned to a period of oil uncertainty (because OAPEC was virtually the only source of our oil) and a huge increase in the price of crude oil. The United States then proceeded to negotiate a deal between the warring countries, restoring the relationship between the OAPEC and the United States/the other core countries. After this oil crisis, the Unites States continued to purchase crude oil from Middle Eastern countries, as well as expanding their horizons to other oil sources such as those in Mexico and Russia. 

This is a map of Western Europe. The reason that I chose to draw this map is because it contains the country France, and more specifically, its capital, Paris. During the industrial revolution, Paris was an industrial hub that attracted business and corporations from all around, to take advantage of the workforce and access to transportation and mechanization. This lead to an increase in the manufacturing of luxury items and ultimately a drastic population boom, eventually leading to the cholera epidemic in the 1830’s and 1840’s. Paris became and still remains an important industrial complex due to its mechanization and connectivity to the rest of the world.  

This is a map of the United States. The reason that I chose to draw this map is because it contains the states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. These states make up the Rust Belt, a term given to the large abandoned manufacturing cities of the 70’s and 80’s. As the population in these cities became increasingly wealthy, moment to suburban areas began to take place, moving the large workforce out of the city. The large industrial corporations that relied on workers found themselves struggling to produce, so they had no choice but to abandon their factories and move to cities of higher worker population. The areas leftover were shells of their former glory, taking even more of the population away to areas in the Sun Belt and the West. The Rust belt still lacks the major industrial workforce population of the 60’s and early 70’s, but some areas have attracted local talent and are rebuilding themselves through a unique culture. 

This is a map of the landmass, Eurasia. The reason that I chose to draw this is because it contains East Asia, more specifically, China. China has recently recaptured its status as top manufacture as a country in the world, ending the United State’ 110 year reign of top producer. China has surpassed the United States in production for several reasons, including the presence of a cheap labor force, few trade laws and regulations, few environmental laws, as well as cheap and efficient transportation from megacities all around china. This has given China, as well as other developing countries, a gateway to the world economy, as well as the development of the semi-peripheral country that comes following heavy industrial manufacturing. 

Articles Presentation

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/07/14/gmos-researchers-debate-healthy-safety-genetically-modified-foods.html

Spring Movies Extra Credit

Trevor Jones

4/9/16

Per. 3

There Will We Blood: There will be blood is a movie about Daniel Plainview, a successful oil tycoon, and his orphan son, who work together to acquire the land of a third revelation preacher, Eli, and his poor farm family. Daniel eventually takes control of this land for a very low price, and a series of unfortunate events takes place for his orphan son, workers, and Eli’s family. This movie can be related to chapter 8 (political geography) by being a metaphor of geopolitics. We can see this come into play as powerful tycoon, Daniel Plainview, representing powerful core countries, taking advantage of Eli’s land, representing poor peripheral countries, using their influence and power. In the end, the core country, will succeed and acquire what they wised to acquire from the less powerful peripheral country, as we see in the outcome of “There Will Be Blood”. This example of classic geopolitics can be used at a variety of scales, varying from world powers to large scale corporations.

The Quest for Fire: The Quest for fire is a movie about, as you would guess, the quest for fire, or in the more broad spectrum, societal advancement. In the beginning of the movie, a hunter gatherer tribe of early homo sapiens achieve the gift of fire, which is soon taken away from them by a neighboring tribe. The remaining part of the movie deals with three members of the tribe trying to regain the fire, picking up a friend on the way from a more advanced tribe. This friend helps the three tribesmen recover the fire by teaching them the advanced ways of their tribe, including efficient long-ranged weapons, and making fire with friction. The four reunite with the rest of their tribe in triumph, having recovered their lost artifact, fire. This movie can relate to chapter 11, agriculture, due to the transition of the primitive hunter gatherer society (the tribe seen first), to the semi sedentary more advanced tribe seen later in the movie, as well as showing the notion that the same ideas can appear at once in several different hearths (use of fire).

A Soldier’s Story: A Soldier’s Story is a movie about an African American U.S. Army officer, Richard Davenport, in the time of WW2, who is assigned to the murder case of an African American sergeant, Vernon Waters. Officer Davenport, an officer from Washington DC, is assigned this case in Alabama, and interviews multiple soldiers/ball players at the military base he is assigned to in order to crack the case. He eventually solves the case despite his racial background in the face of other white officers, and turns in the guilty soldier, PFC Peterson. This movie can relate to chapter 5, race, because of the racial differences between military officers, seen between Officer Davenport and other high ranking officials. This racial barrier complicated his job severely, however justice prevailed despite the racial differences. 

Detroit Lives: Detroit Lives is a documentary lead by Johnny Knoxville about the Motown city Detroit of the 60’s, versus the Detroit we know now. Johnny Knoxville tours the city along with several people educating Knoxville about the promise that Detroit shows to talented young, do-it-yourself people. Instead of looking at Detroit as a decrepit city with no hope because it doesn't have major corporations located there or a big sports team, people should look at Detroit as a city of cultural innovations, with promise for the future. This can relate to chapter 9, urban geography, when talking about abandonment of large manufacturing cities and “rust belts”. As people became successful in Detroit, it allowed them to move out of the crowded city into the suburbs, followed by companies and large manufactures soon after. This left Detroit as an empty shell of its former self, with abandoned manufacturing buildings around every corner, labeling Detroit as the perfect example of a rust belt state.

Chapter 11's Agricultural Model: Von Thünen's Model

Chapter 11 T&R on Agriculture

Trevor Jones 

4/6/16

Per. 3

Sources: 

Human Geography: People, Places, and Culture: Chapter 11 - Agriculture

Wheat and the Green Revolution: 
http://geography.about.com/od/globalproblemsandissues/a/greenrevolution.htm  

Supersize Me: Spurlock, Morgan. Super Size Me. New York, N.Y: Hart Sharp Video, 2004.

In the early 1940’s, farmers wanted a larger crop intake at a lower price, but at the time, locally and commercially grown food intake was controlled exclusively by chemical and natural fertilizers, so agricultural scientists began research on plants (mostly) wheat in Mexico. This then allowed Mexico to produce far more wheat than needed by its citizens, leading to its becoming an exporter of wheat by the 1960s. This technology advanced throughout the rest of the Green Revolution and continues on today with the genetic modification of large commercially grown crops.

Supersize Me is a documentary about the effects that fast food can have on a human, when eaten in large quantities (in this case, for one month, three meals a day). Director of the documentary, Morgan Spurlock, takes part in his social experiment of what exactly fast food will do to your body, if eaten for three meals a day, for an entire month. Before this experiment begins, his internal composition is thoroughly measured in order to have a before and after to the experiment. However, there is a catch, if any McDonald’s employee asks his to “supersize” his meal, me must accept, meaning his McDonald’s intake is basically doubled per meal. Before this experiment begins, he collects various doctor’s opinions in the social experiment and almost all doctors agree that there will be no long-term health problems associated with it after only one month. The viewers are given constant updates on his physical state as well as his emotional state, as well as Spurlock attending weekly doctors checkups to measure his internal composition, and give him updates on his health. Towards the end of his challenge, several doctors adjust their opinions in awe on long-term health problems, warning Spurlock about possible irreversible health conditions if he completes his challenge. Spurlock is reluctant on giving up and completes the experiment. After 30 days of eating McDonald’s for three meals a day, Spurlock developed several health problems (both referable and irreversible) that his doctors predicted would happen. After only one month, previously healthy and in shape Spurlock, developed depression, minor fast food addiction, severe liver damage, an extremely high cholesterol, and permanent tendency to gain weigh faster than the norman man of his age, due to excess fat cells. This documentary had several impacts on society, including the removal of the “supersize” options weeks later, which McDonald’s denied any relations to the documentary, as well as a drastic increase in funding to organizations supporting locally grown foods, such as the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). 

This is a map of Southwest Asia. I drew this map because it contains the fertile crescent (outlined in green), or at least the land that used to be known as the fertile crescent, but is now Israel, Lebanon, Northern Syria, Northeastern Jordan, and Northern Iraq. The fertile crescent is tremendously known through agricultural history, beginning 14,000 years ago, as being the hearth of the domestication of plants (along with the Nile River Valley). The Tigris and Euphrates rivers in this region allowed for the cultivation of seed crops, such as grains or wheat. This region is also responsible for the domestication of the first animals as early as 10,000 years ago, with the domestication of goats in the Zagros Mountains. This region is still responsible for much of the world’s wheat, barley, and grain production, as well as animal byproducts from goats, sheep, pigs, and cattle.