Young Voices
Exchanging ideas from the show and blogging about topics in the news from a range of perspectives.
November 16, 2008
Will Obama's To-Do List Include Congo?
by Jeremy Freed
“Under the headline "Congo's Riches, Looted by Renegade Troops," the Times' Lydia Polgreen describes what amounts to hell on earth.”
Along the theme of important stories that took a backseat to the election is the humanitarian crisis in Congo, which appears to be at risk of slipping into another deadly civil war.
This weekend's New York Times contains the kind of stunning foreign desk feature story that has made the paper one of the world's foremost. Under the headline "Congo's Riches, Looted by Renegade Troops" the Times' Lydia Polgreen describes what amounts to hell on earth. Her story surrounds a tiny town deep in the equatorial Congolese jungle, where thousands of men, and many children, labor in tin mines, under extremely dangerous conditions for meager wages.
Under the control of military strongman affiliated with Congo's government, but completely out of their control, the mines produce tens of millions' of dollars worth of tin ore every year. The ore itself is vital in the production of personal electronics, like laptops and cell phones. The money goes straight to funding and arming Congo's militias.
While, on paper, the mine is under the control of a British and South African multinational, in reality, neither they nor Congo's government have any control over what goes on there.
The town itself is a perverse caricature of mineral rush towns of the Old West. It is totally lawless, its citizens at the mercy of militia soldiers who tax them indiscriminately. Polgreen writes of children, sent there by parents in the summers to save money for the following year's school fees, who fall easily into debt and are unable to leave.
This is the sort of story that leaves an impression on anyone who reads it. We ask ourselves how we can allow things like this to go on. Then, usually, we move on. Now, however, there is a chance that we can do something to help the people of Congo—not to mention the people of Darfur.
When President-elect Obama enters office in January, he will certainly have his work cut out for him. The economy and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will no doubt take precedence over other matters of foreign policy, but unlike his predecessor who chose to turn a blind eye to the genocide in Darfur, Obama has a chance to lead the international community in averting a full-scale civil war in Congo. We have stood by for far too long already. Now is the time to act.
November 5, 2008
Basking in the Light of a New Day
by Jeremy Freed
“Now, Barack Obama will have to actually be the agent of change that he's promised himself to be. But, in a sense, he already is.”
The feeling today across America, for the first time in a long time, is one of celebration. Granted, much of the American voting public are probably pissed off that McCain won't be leaving his Arizona compound any time soon, but they will come around eventually. After a long, hard, ugly fight, Barack Hussein Obama is now President-elect of the United States of America, and our country will never be the same again.
Obama is an inspiring and charismatic speaker, and he won his country over by promising the most powerful thing of all: change. His victory is unprecedented, and proof positive that what Americans want more than anything is a departure from the new ways of Washington and a return to a less cynical form of politics. Americans want a government that takes care of its citizens, not one that dumps them on profit-driven private industry. Americans want to be seen again as citizens of the greatest nation on earth, the leaders of the free world, a symbol of promise and hope for the future. So many Americans are tired of wars on terror and drugs, of crowded prisons and of children being left behind that Obama's promises rang true as the bell of liberty itself.
Without a doubt, Obama was and is the man for his time. It has been said, and rightly so, that a white man of his credentials would never be in his position. Could anyone else, though, of any color? Barack Obama is a natural leader, and beyond that, a representative of a new America that transcends the race politics of the last century. And America proved yesterday that it is ready for that.
Now, of course, after the promises have been made, the campaign fought, and the election won, the hardest part is yet to come. Now, Barack Obama will have to actually be the agent of change that he's promised himself to be. But, in a sense, he already is.
NPR reports this morning that Amanda Jones, a 109-year-old Texas woman who was born in 1899 to a freed slave, called the election a blessing. She certainly didn't expect to see a black man in the White House in her lifetime. Honestly, did any of us? Change is here, for all Americans and for good.
Whatever happens now, there is no turning back. This victory is much bigger than the presidency; it is a victory for America itself.
November 17, 2008
Big Automakers' Plea
by Sean Nixon
The big 3 automaker CEOs testify on Capitol Hill on the financial state of their companies.
With a flailing economy and job cuts continuing to rise, I'm concerned about whether or not the big three automakers can last until a new administration begins in January. It's a delicate task trying to ensure that proper safeguards and measures are in place to ensure erroneous mistakes are not made with taxpayer dollars.
They've made cuts to ensure survival, but may not be strong enough to survive on their own much longer. Their inability to be a leaner, more efficient company is staggered by their volume of dealers and brands nationwide.
If Congress chooses to help out the automakers it will be on top of the already staggering $11 trillion dollar deficit. Maybe I'm going out on a limb here, but I thought we were already a financially strapped country. I'm not sure if we have the capital to keep intervening in every industry's crisis. Then again, I don't see the laying off of close to a million employees as something that's going to be economically healthy for the country either.
U.S. automakers have been seeing their profitability dwarfed in comparison to foreign companies over the years. They may now be ready to produce more fuel-efficient vehicles, but is it now too little too late?
Is it wise to help save the American auto industry?
November 22, 2008
Yusuf Islam's
by Jeremy Freed
As the legend goes, the singer with the given name Steven Demetre Georgiou, better known as Cat Stevens, at the height of his fame, gave up music. The international celebrity, the hit songwriter, the musical visionary put down his guitar and spent the next 20 years reinventing himself. Stevens found his purpose in Islam, and changed his name to Yusuf Islam in accordance with his faith. Now, so many years later, he is making music again.
Along the way, the only mention of Islam's name, apart from steady rotation on oldies radio, came when he was detained by the FBI in 2004, in route to Nashville to record his first album since retiring from music in the late ‘70s. As it turned out, the FBI had their eye on someone with the name "Yousuf Islam," and the one-letter difference had escaped them. Islam was freed, but the experience would stay with him. Islam's new single, "Boots and Sand," is a recounting of the experience "as a joke," Islam said on Friday's program, "because that's what it ended up to be."
The single, which will be released in January, features Islam, along with his friends Paul McCartney and Dolly Parton, and will also have an accompanying music video directed by Jesse Dylan (son of Bob). The song was described by USA Today as "a twangy pop tune," and with so much star power behind it, one must imagine it can't possibly be bad. But then you get to thinking about it, and does a twangy, jokey pop song about being detained by the FBI really sound that good? It is true enough that only time will tell. The single may well be the next "Moonshadow," but my prediction is probably not.
The problem here, in my mind is that it's almost impossible to write a song that is both politically meaningful and a good song. It has been done before, by guys like Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, and Neil Young. More recently, Rage Against the Machine and NWA provided decent modern counterparts, but those songs were more about general feelings of discontent than specific incidents, and they were hardly the best songs in either group's catalogue. Then you get songs like Neil Young's unfortunate "Let's Impeach the President," Tom Waits' mediocre "Road to Peace" and Radiohead's subpar "Hail to the Thief" album, which prove, in my mind that protest songs are a great way to bring down an otherwise good record.
Sometimes political songs are bad because the songwriters are exploring new territory and leave their strengths behind. More often, though, it's because we like our music filled with metaphors, and when you abandon those and start singing about something you read in the paper, your song loses its art and becomes something like advertising.
Yusuf Islam is a talented songwriter, and his optimism about the future of Islam in regards to America and the West is truly inspiring. But can't we just get back to "Tea for the Tillerman"? That's a great song. It's a song that works. I have no idea what it's about, and that's just the way I like it.
November 26, 2008
Redemption's Plea
by Sean Nixon
Former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick made headlines again this week.
He recently pleaded guilty on state charges of illegal dog fighting. This move would make him eligible for a possible early release from prison. His 23-month sentence will end in July of 2009.
Many have speculated on his possible return to the game of football. The question that remains on my mind is whether or not he has an interest in playing again and, secondly, if football fans will want to see him again.
Michael Vick stated in his media address back in August of 2007 that he would redeem himself. Redemption however is a term that has many definitions in the eyes of the world.
Simply put, there is no level of restitution that Vick can demonstrate to regain the trust or forgiveness of pet and animal advocates. The only thing Vick can do is apologize for his actions, try to make amends for what he did and forgive himself. Only by doing this will Vick be able to move forward with his life. The real question that lingers is will people let him?
Should Vick be allowed to return to football? Why or why not?
November 29, 2008
Making Sense of Black Friday
by Jeremy Freed
“What is it about us and our culture that these terrorists hate so much? I think, to a certain extent, the events of Friday begin to answer that question.”
This has been an interesting week for America. On Wednesday, Islamic militants laid siege to Mumbai, taking the lives of over a hundred people, including a large number of tourists, and injuring hundreds more. While the attacks were reminiscent of those perpetrated by Al Qaeda, the group responsible has not yet been positively identified. Likewise, the group's motives are still a mystery, officially at least.
Whether perpetrated by Al Qaeda or not, it seems more than fair to assume that these attacks were religiously motivated. Relations between India's Muslims and Hindus have historically been tense, and bloodshed has not been uncommon. But since the target was Mumbai's tourism centre, and after hearing reports that American and British citizens were singled out, there must be something else at play.
India has experienced a rapid and culture-altering Westernization in recent years, alongside the stratospheric acceleration of its economy. And we all know how those Islamic militant-types feel about Westernization. While their motives may have been more complex, it seems fairly likely that they, along with untold numbers of other groups, are pissed off with the West.
Wednesday's attacks were upsetting, given the number of innocent people killed and wounded for some yet to be determined (but assuredly futile) cause. I was, however, equally troubled by the news Friday that a man had been trampled to death in a Black Friday stampede at a Long Island Wal-Mart. After some thought, I decided these two things were not unconnected.
While it's important to condemn these cowardly attacks on unarmed tourists, it's equally important, at times like this, to consider what on earth these people's problem is. What is it about us and our culture that they hate so much? I think, to a certain extent, the events of Friday begin to answer that question.
The death of Jdimytai Damour, the part-time Wal-Mart staffer who was trampled to death by a mob of holiday shoppers early Friday morning, was just as tragic as the deaths in India last week, and infinitely more avoidable. Americans, and people in Western culture all over, have become unable to do without. Unlike previous generations, who scrimped and saved through a great depression and a world war, when times get tough here, we refuse to cut back. We ask for lower prices instead, and companies like Wal-Mart make up the difference by bullying their suppliers in places like China (and, to a lesser extent, India) into compliance.
Every year around this time, people begin to wonder aloud how we've managed to let materialism gain so much control over our lives. When a sale at a department store causes people to line up through the night, surrender their dignity and trample to death a man making five dollars an hour who gets in the way, something is very wrong with our culture.
No one's debating the fact that our economy is in trouble, and we all need to save money where we can. But maybe, instead of pushing each other aside to save ten dollars on an Xbox game, the answer this year is to spend less by actually buying less. Maybe it's time to reassess the things we actually need in our lives, and pass that wisdom along to our children. There is no excuse for the murder of innocent people by groups trying to make a point about their take on religion or politics. And there is also no excuse for the murder of the man at Wal-Mart by people trying to save a few dollars on things they don't really need.
November 24, 2008
Recovery Still Needed
by Sean Nixon
Texas Governor Rick Perry
It's been about two months since the devastation of Hurricane Ike hit the Gulf Coast region. Thousands of homes were lost, businesses collapsed, and millions of people were without power for over a week. No one wants to relive that experience again, yet countless individuals are still struggling. Some families are still working to rebuild their lives, while others are simply looking for shelter.
Just because a story doesn't appear in a newspaper headline or make the television evening news doesn't necessarily mean the issue is solved. Torn fences and debris still remain near homes and businesses in certain areas of Texas .
Some Houston and Galveston area businesses have yet to make a full economic recovery. In fact, one of the cities hit hardest by the hurricane is still struggling to get back on its feet in the wake of even more bad news. Galveston's University of Texas Medical Branch announced that they would be laying off several thousand employees due to tough economic conditions left by Ike.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry has been hard at work trying to restore Texas to its original condition, but has been very frustrated over the lack of federal funding his state has received in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike.
What's most upsetting to Gov. Perry is that the state is not receiving the same amount of federal assistance to restore their state as Louisiana did after Hurricane Katrina.
The federal government's view is that the state of Louisiana suffered a budget deficit and therefore needed a lot more money than Texas. Texas however has a budget surplus, and the feds feel that Texas should pay for its own recovery. Gov. Perry was not in agreement with this logic and doesn't want his state penalized for being fiscally responsible.
Is it a fair assessment for states with a financial surplus to foot the bill for disaster-related expenses? Or, should the federal government continue to do its job in making sure that federal dollars are available for every state when a disaster strikes?
I'd like to hear your thoughts.
November 29, 2008
America's Moment of Reflection
by Sean Nixon
“I'm really frustrated at the thought of where our country and its people are going if we're truly at this point of disregard of human life.”
There's a serious problem in our society when people care more about a store bargain and personal gain than they do human life.
I read my colleague Jeremy's Black Friday post, and I have to agree. A great deal of our priorities at times can seem to be misdirected. This was truly a tragic week for the many men and women involved in the tragedy in Mumbai. No one woke up that morning thinking they would be subject to such a horrific and tragic event. The tragedy in Mumbai is a harsh reminder of the brutal reality that exists in the world today.
Looking here at home and reading Jeremy's post, I was shocked to hear about the incident occurring in New York. Seriously, what big screen TV or electric shaver was so important at 5 a.m. that an innocent bystander had to die? I mean you really have to question the integrity of our human spirit at times like this.
I'm really frustrated at the thought of where our country and its people are going if we're truly at this point of disregard of human life. It makes me question whether or not we've lost our sense of morality and judgment.
Share your thoughts.
November 4, 2008
Inglewood Mayor on Election Day
by Tamika Thompson
It was a rainy morning in Los Angeles. But that did not stop voters from lining up as early as 5 a.m. to cast their ballots.
When I visited one polling site in Inglewood, CA, I ran into Inglewood Mayor Roosevelt Dorn, who was waiting in line to cast his vote. Mayor Dorn talked to me about why he feels this is an historic election and what he will feel if Sen. Obama wins the election.
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November 4, 2008
Trick or Vote
by Tamika Thompson
On Halloween night, a group of costumed volunteer canvassers decided to go door-to-door reminding registered voters in their district to vote in the November 4th election and to vote down the entire ballot. We caught up with some canvassers and organizers who went Trick or Voting around the campus of San Diego State University.
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November 5, 2008
Proposition 8: The Frontlines
by Tamika Thompson
Our Web team talked to volunteers on both sides of Prop 8, a controversial proposition that would amend California's constitution to define marriage as beween one man and one woman. The Prop 8 contest has been tight, as supporters try to reverse a California Supreme Court ruling that it is discriminatory to ban same-sex marriage.
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November 5, 2008
Dawn On Election Day
by Tamika Thompson
Rain on a cold November morning didn't stop voters from lining up as early as 5 a.m. on Election Day in the Los Angeles area. I talked to voters in Inglewood, CA, who brought lawn chairs, umbrellas, coffee mugs and a celebratory spirit to the polls, and I found that the early-morning rain showers only strengthened their resolve.
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November 5, 2008
Not Just Any Election
by Tamika Thompson
One voter cried about the historic nature of her vote. Another voter discussed how the long lines mean nothing when compared to the weight of the day. And all of the voters that I talked to agreed that this is not just any election.
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November 15, 2008
So Long, Mama Africa
by Jeremy Freed
With so much going on in our own backyard this week, it's been easy to miss news that hasn't made it to the front pages. Such a story was the passing of South African singer Miriam Makeba, affectionately known to her legions of fans as "Mama Africa."
The Grammy-winning musician was 76 years old, and she spent her final days in Italy, where she was scheduled to perform in a benefit concert. This weekend, as her body arrived back in her native country, South Africa observed two days of mourning for one of its most beloved cultural icons. Thousands flocked to a memorial service this weekend to honour Makeba's legacy, including former South African President Thabo Mbeki and jazz trumpeter Hugh Masekela, who at one time was Makeba's husband.
Makeba's life was one marked with great accomplishment. Alongside Harry Belafonte in 1966, she became the first African woman to receive a Grammy for her collaboration on the anti-apartheid album “An Evening with Belafonte/Makeba.” She also performed at the historic “Rumble in the Jungle” fight between George Foreman and Muhammad Ali in Zaire. When Paul Simon toured his African-inspired Graceland album, Makeba was there, too.
An outspoken critic of the South African apartheid, Makeba was exiled from her homeland for more than 30 years, from 1960 to the early 1990's, when the country held its first democratic elections. Throughout that period, she lent her voice and name to numerous international protests, including films like Come Back, Africa and Sarafina!
Makeba suffered a heart attack as she finished her performance at the concert in Italy, collapsing on the stage at the end of “Pata Pata.” According to the BBC, South African leader Nelson Mandela expressed that is was “fitting that her last moments were spent on a stage, enriching the hearts and lives of others—and again in support of a good cause.”
Miriam Makeba's departure will be felt not just in the homeland she loved so much, but everywhere music from the soul is appreciated.
November 24, 2008
Disaster Far Away
by Sean Nixon
“In the twenty first century, no country should ever have to endure this type of rampant social decline.”
The rising challenges facing the citizens of Zimbabwe are staggering. The country is in dire need of reform and is currently in the middle of an economic and social upheaval. Cholera, a disease often brought on by poor sanitation levels, has killed hundreds of people and infected thousands more.
In addition to this tragedy, Zimbabwe's infrastructure, with respect to its economic and social conditions, is in serious need of repair. The country is still being crippled by a 230 million percent inflation rate, and there is no indication the situation will get any better before things get worse.
Amidst the escalating health crisis, political strife has also entered the country's arena. Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai have yet to establish a working government. This has led to the widespread chaos that exists within the country. While the two men and their respective parties agreed to a combined, unified government, the two sides have virtually left the country to fend for itself.
A humanitarian effort was started in an effort to help restore the country. The group, led by Graca Machel, wife of Nelson Mandela, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, was denied entry into the country by the Mugabe government. It is unclear at this time how the country will survive or if the two party leaders will reach an agreement soon.
In the 21st century, no country should ever have to endure this type of rampant social decline. Zimbabwe is a cruel and unrelenting example of the types of perils that still exist in this world. I pray that the powers that be would sincerely work together to make things right, not just for their citizens but for their country's future as well.
Will Zimbabwe's current leaders help or hurt their country's future?
November 17, 2008
New Billion Dollar Direction
by Sean Nixon
U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson
In yet another turn of events, it seems as if the $700 billion money train designed to buy up toxic home mortgages was derailed. Many were concerned when U.S Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson decided that he was not going to do what he told both the American people and lawmakers. His original goal was to buy up the toxic mortgages in the market until home prices were stable again.
He pushed for Congress to approve a $700 billion recovery program, designed in part to help restore the ailing U.S. marketplace. In a recent announcement however, Paulson said he would like to use the funds to help banks begin lending to one another in order to get the credit markets moving again.
So what's the problem here? The problem is that the $700 billion dollar proposal was an issue many lawmakers spent their political capital and future on. Now, with Paulson going in a new direction with these funds, it's interesting to wonder if lawmakers would have still supported the plan.
In all fairness, the Department of Treasury and the its secretary do have the responsibility to do what it believes is in the best interests of the American people. My only question is whether or not this decision was a change of heart based on insightful information or politics as usual.
Should the U.S. Treasury have kept its original goal of buying the troubled assets, or is this change a sign of good stewardship that lawmakers should support?
November 16, 2008
Ted Turner's Wild West Show
by Jeremy Freed
“Turner has set his sights not on conventional ranching, but on conservation. ”
Tonight's guest, the billionaire media mogul, CNN creator and noted philanthropist, has gained much recognition in his life for his Midas touch when it comes to business. So when he decided to get into ranching, there were probably a few raised eyebrows. At first, anyway.
After buying up close to two million acres of pristine western ranchland in New Mexico and Montana, making him the largest private landowner in the country, Turner has set his sights not on conventional ranching, but on conservation.
Rather than keeping the cattle that roamed his land and raising them for their meat as the previous ranchers had, Turner sold them off and turned the land over to herds of majestic American buffalo. Because he can't do anything in a small way, Turner's herd is now the largest privately-owned one in America, and he is using them to pioneer a new way of raising livestock.
The American prairies and buffalo evolved together. Unlike cattle, which were imported from elsewhere and are very picky when it comes to what they'll eat, buffalo happily feed on the native plants and grasses, making them more or less self-sufficient. This not only benefits the rancher, who doesn't have to shell out for feed, it benefits the animals, who grow strong and health by eating the things they were designed to eat. It also benefits the land itself, which is continually mowed, sowed and fertilized by the grazing herds.
Unlike many of his other ventures, which have continually moved us technologically into the future, Turner's plan for his ranches is to turn back the clock and return the land to its natural state. There is a business end to it, also, of course. Turner charges big game hunters $12,000 a week to stalk elk on his land and sells his buffalo meat to a chain of restaurants he founded for the purpose.
Ted's Montana Grill (motto: "Eat great. Do good.") is a national chain with more than 55 restaurants from Nebraska to Florida. It prides itself on being a leader in environmentally-sound American cuisine, eschewing plastic packaging and installing low-voltage lighting in its locations.
Turner is one of America's most famous businessmen, and, as such, he is in a unique position to prove that business can be both “green” and profitable. As an example to businesspeople everywhere, Turner's ranches and restaurants are showing that yes, it can be done.
November 4, 2008
Power Outage at L.A. Poll
by Tamika Thompson
Rain showers caused at least three polling locations to lose power on the morning of the November 4th election. I visited one South Los Angeles polling site where the power outage forced voters to cast paper-only ballots at voting booths that were moved outside.
I found that a power outage, early morning showers and a line wrapped around the corner wouldn't stop most voters from waiting to vote in this historic election.
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November 4, 2008
Fast for Our Future
by Tamika Thompson
We caught up with a group of hunger strikers who designed a 21-day fast to call attention to immigrant rights issues in the run-up to the presidential election. Their goal was to get a million people to sign a pledge to vote for the measures and candidates who uphold immigrant rights.
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