Saturday, April 16, 2016

Gerrymandering

"Take New York, for example.  It is the one state among the eight that has shown a meaningful decrease in the level of gerrymandering across multiple congressional terms.  New York has also set up and independent advisory commission that recommends congressional and state redistricting plans to the state legislator.  This commission was set up on 1978, and shortly thereafter the level of gerrymandering in the state peaked and has been declining ever since."  

          This article seems to be a follow up from Ingraham's initial article regarding gerrymandering, in which he explains what this very convenient term means.  In this article he proceed to explain that gerrymandering can actually be limited if the states desire it.  But come on! lets be honest here- if a political party is on the advantaging side on the spectrum why would they want to vote against it?                 Being a New Yorker and keeping up to date with what is going on with our society and political system, is is actually very motivating to know that New York has had such decrease in gerrymandering.  Though positive, there is still A LOT to be done since unless we take matters into our own hands neither party will really be taking drastic steps towards ending such negative aspect of USA political system.

Saturday, April 9, 2016

What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your denunciations of tyrants, brass fronted impudence; your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings, with all your religious parade, and solemnity, are, to him, mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy — a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages. There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices, more shocking and bloody, than are the people of these United States, at this very hour.- Frederick Douglas 

          
          In this passage from the great Douglas he clearly condemns the the way the American society works and how ironically they hold great ideologies but yet somehow seem to not have a problem with slavery. He criticized American ideology by saying it was very inconsistent.  Freedom was not for ALL people, though it seems to have great roots in it.
          This particular exert I found to be very profound, it truly shows Mr. Douglas discontent and frustration with the current civil rights situation for black people- it was basically non existent.  His attack and clear demand  for civil rights and freedom for slaves was made clear in this particular passage for the is no greater accusation than denouncing of a wrong being covered by hypocrisy.  It is actually very intriguing how the United States really pride itself in being such a free country where the rights of ALL people were protected, but were they ALL really protected? That very specific preference over whom was to fall under this freedom was indeed very unfair and hypocritical.  

          

Saturday, April 2, 2016

"That Government is best which governs least..."

"The government itself, which is only the mode which the people have chosen to execute their will, is equally liable to be abused and perverted before the people can act through it. Witness the present Mexican war,(2) the work of comparatively a few individuals using the standing government as their tool; for, in the outset, the people would not have consented to this measure."-Henry David Thoreau 

           Thoreau argues that laws are man made and that there is a higher divine law.  When he conflict, according to Thoreau, one must obey a higher power.   This was truly a guy whom concerned himself with nothing else but his person, he even didn't pay his own taxes!  His disconnect was actually quite interesting for he still kept himself informed but his views remained unchanged.  He was not all that naive however, he was against slavery and made clear his discontent with current war during his time.  This particular passage really intrigued me, he is basically saying that government, "the mode which the people have chosen to execute their will" is as bad as the people running it.  I do agree with what he says to so extend, we can see this even today with other international powers and even here in NYC with recent corruption cases.  However, to the extend of not having a government, that would be a recipe for the end...