If you're my student, you probably already know that I didn't vote for Barack Obama, and you probably have some idea of why (half-hearted support of No Child Left Behind and marriage equality, voted to renew the Patriot Act, etc.).
In case you didn't, here's an article all about his unconditional (and I would say shameful) support of Israel.
Showing posts with label Israel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Israel. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
What's Happening in Gaza?
A lot of people are really worried about the Palestinian children who live in Gaza. Many of them have seen horrible things happen to their homes and relatives, and even though the fighting has temporarily stopped, the children are likely in need of serious help.
Read more here.
Read more here.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Who's to Blame?
More than 1,000 Palestinians living in Gaza have been killed by Israeli air attacks, and more than 4,700 have been injured. The world is debating who is to blame - Hamas leaders in Gaza who continue to fire rockets into southern Israel, or Israel, who continues air strikes against an unevenly armed opponent?
Read more here.
Look at an interactive map of the conflict and its death toll here.
Read more here.
Look at an interactive map of the conflict and its death toll here.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Thursday, January 8, 2009
College info (and a Gaza update)
Things in the Gaza Strip are now so bad that even the United Nations is trying to get out. Read more here.
COLLEGE
I know that a lot of you are seniors, and you’re starting to really freak out about next year and college. The bad news? You should be freaking out, because you were supposed to have started your college search and applications last year. The good news? You still have options. Use the following information to get next year in order today.
You can still register for the February 7th ACT until January 16th. You just have to pay a late fee. The next ACT test date is April 4th. You can register for that until February 27th; March 13th is the deadline for late registration. Go to actstudent.org to register online and find out more information.
Delgado Community College is a two-year college that’s a great choice for students who have fallen behind in the college admission process. You can go here for a year or two, boost up your GPA and save money before transferring to a four-year college. Delgado’s application deadline is July 15th. Learn about their application process here.
The University of New Orleans is a four-year university that’s funded with public tax dollars. It still costs money to attend, but way less than other colleges. The application for UNO isn’t due until July 1st, so you still have plenty of time to take the ACT, raise your score and GPA, and apply. Find out more here.
Tulane University is a pretty selective school, but if you’ve got above a 3.0, I’d recommend applying. The deadline for incoming freshmen applications is January 15th – that’s next Thursday. You can absolutely pull an application together in a week, if you don’t play around. Find out more about how to apply here.
ITT Tech has a campus in St. Rose. Find out information about their different degree and trade programs here.
One of you asked about ROTC programs. The Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) is a college-based, officer commissioning program. Basically, you take military classes as electives while you’re in college (majoring in whatever you want), and the military pays for your college and gives you a living stipend. When you finish school, you automatically become an officer, and then serve in the military as payback for your tuition. The Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines all have ROTC programs.
Former President Jimmy Carter on Gaza
An Unnecessary War
By Jimmy Carter
The Washington Post
Thursday, January 8, 2009; Page A15
I know from personal involvement that the devastating invasion of Gaza by Israel could easily have been avoided.
After visiting Sderot last April and seeing the serious psychological damage caused by the rockets that had fallen in that area, my wife, Rosalynn, and I declared their launching from Gaza to be inexcusable and an act of terrorism. Although casualties were rare (three deaths in seven years), the town was traumatized by the unpredictable explosions. About 3,000 residents had moved to other communities, and the streets, playgrounds and shopping centers were almost empty. Mayor Eli Moyal assembled a group of citizens in his office to meet us and complained that the government of Israel was not stopping the rockets, either through diplomacy or military action.
Knowing that we would soon be seeing Hamas leaders from Gaza and also in Damascus, we promised to assess prospects for a cease-fire. From Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, who was negotiating between the Israelis and Hamas, we learned that there was a fundamental difference between the two sides. Hamas wanted a comprehensive cease-fire in both the West Bank and Gaza, and the Israelis refused to discuss anything other than Gaza.
We knew that the 1.5 million inhabitants of Gaza were being starved, as the U.N. special rapporteur on the right to food had found that acute malnutrition in Gaza was on the same scale as in the poorest nations in the southern Sahara, with more than half of all Palestinian families eating only one meal a day.
Palestinian leaders from Gaza were noncommittal on all issues, claiming that rockets were the only way to respond to their imprisonment and to dramatize their humanitarian plight. The top Hamas leaders in Damascus, however, agreed to consider a cease-fire in Gaza only, provided Israel would not attack Gaza and would permit normal humanitarian supplies to be delivered to Palestinian citizens.
After extended discussions with those from Gaza, these Hamas leaders also agreed to accept any peace agreement that might be negotiated between the Israelis and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who also heads the PLO, provided it was approved by a majority vote of Palestinians in a referendum or by an elected unity government.
Since we were only observers, and not negotiators, we relayed this information to the Egyptians, and they pursued the cease-fire proposal. After about a month, the Egyptians and Hamas informed us that all military action by both sides and all rocket firing would stop on June 19, for a period of six months, and that humanitarian supplies would be restored to the normal level that had existed before Israel's withdrawal in 2005 (about 700 trucks daily).
We were unable to confirm this in Jerusalem because of Israel's unwillingness to admit to any negotiations with Hamas, but rocket firing was soon stopped and there was an increase in supplies of food, water, medicine and fuel. Yet the increase was to an average of about 20 percent of normal levels. And this fragile truce was partially broken on Nov. 4, when Israel launched an attack in Gaza to destroy a defensive tunnel being dug by Hamas inside the wall that encloses Gaza.
On another visit to Syria in mid-December, I made an effort for the impending six-month deadline to be extended. It was clear that the preeminent issue was opening the crossings into Gaza. Representatives from the Carter Center visited Jerusalem, met with Israeli officials and asked if this was possible in exchange for a cessation of rocket fire. The Israeli government informally proposed that 15 percent of normal supplies might be possible if Hamas first stopped all rocket fire for 48 hours. This was unacceptable to Hamas, and hostilities erupted.
After 12 days of "combat," the Israeli Defense Forces reported that more than 1,000 targets were shelled or bombed. During that time, Israel rejected international efforts to obtain a cease-fire, with full support from Washington. Seventeen mosques, the American International School, many private homes and much of the basic infrastructure of the small but heavily populated area have been destroyed. This includes the systems that provide water, electricity and sanitation. Heavy civilian casualties are being reported by courageous medical volunteers from many nations, as the fortunate ones operate on the wounded by light from diesel-powered generators.
The hope is that when further hostilities are no longer productive, Israel, Hamas and the United States will accept another cease-fire, at which time the rockets will again stop and an adequate level of humanitarian supplies will be permitted to the surviving Palestinians, with the publicized agreement monitored by the international community. The next possible step: a permanent and comprehensive peace.
The writer was president from 1977 to 1981. He founded the Carter Center, a nongovernmental organization advancing peace and health worldwide, in 1982.
By Jimmy Carter
The Washington Post
Thursday, January 8, 2009; Page A15
I know from personal involvement that the devastating invasion of Gaza by Israel could easily have been avoided.
After visiting Sderot last April and seeing the serious psychological damage caused by the rockets that had fallen in that area, my wife, Rosalynn, and I declared their launching from Gaza to be inexcusable and an act of terrorism. Although casualties were rare (three deaths in seven years), the town was traumatized by the unpredictable explosions. About 3,000 residents had moved to other communities, and the streets, playgrounds and shopping centers were almost empty. Mayor Eli Moyal assembled a group of citizens in his office to meet us and complained that the government of Israel was not stopping the rockets, either through diplomacy or military action.
Knowing that we would soon be seeing Hamas leaders from Gaza and also in Damascus, we promised to assess prospects for a cease-fire. From Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, who was negotiating between the Israelis and Hamas, we learned that there was a fundamental difference between the two sides. Hamas wanted a comprehensive cease-fire in both the West Bank and Gaza, and the Israelis refused to discuss anything other than Gaza.
We knew that the 1.5 million inhabitants of Gaza were being starved, as the U.N. special rapporteur on the right to food had found that acute malnutrition in Gaza was on the same scale as in the poorest nations in the southern Sahara, with more than half of all Palestinian families eating only one meal a day.
Palestinian leaders from Gaza were noncommittal on all issues, claiming that rockets were the only way to respond to their imprisonment and to dramatize their humanitarian plight. The top Hamas leaders in Damascus, however, agreed to consider a cease-fire in Gaza only, provided Israel would not attack Gaza and would permit normal humanitarian supplies to be delivered to Palestinian citizens.
After extended discussions with those from Gaza, these Hamas leaders also agreed to accept any peace agreement that might be negotiated between the Israelis and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who also heads the PLO, provided it was approved by a majority vote of Palestinians in a referendum or by an elected unity government.
Since we were only observers, and not negotiators, we relayed this information to the Egyptians, and they pursued the cease-fire proposal. After about a month, the Egyptians and Hamas informed us that all military action by both sides and all rocket firing would stop on June 19, for a period of six months, and that humanitarian supplies would be restored to the normal level that had existed before Israel's withdrawal in 2005 (about 700 trucks daily).
We were unable to confirm this in Jerusalem because of Israel's unwillingness to admit to any negotiations with Hamas, but rocket firing was soon stopped and there was an increase in supplies of food, water, medicine and fuel. Yet the increase was to an average of about 20 percent of normal levels. And this fragile truce was partially broken on Nov. 4, when Israel launched an attack in Gaza to destroy a defensive tunnel being dug by Hamas inside the wall that encloses Gaza.
On another visit to Syria in mid-December, I made an effort for the impending six-month deadline to be extended. It was clear that the preeminent issue was opening the crossings into Gaza. Representatives from the Carter Center visited Jerusalem, met with Israeli officials and asked if this was possible in exchange for a cessation of rocket fire. The Israeli government informally proposed that 15 percent of normal supplies might be possible if Hamas first stopped all rocket fire for 48 hours. This was unacceptable to Hamas, and hostilities erupted.
After 12 days of "combat," the Israeli Defense Forces reported that more than 1,000 targets were shelled or bombed. During that time, Israel rejected international efforts to obtain a cease-fire, with full support from Washington. Seventeen mosques, the American International School, many private homes and much of the basic infrastructure of the small but heavily populated area have been destroyed. This includes the systems that provide water, electricity and sanitation. Heavy civilian casualties are being reported by courageous medical volunteers from many nations, as the fortunate ones operate on the wounded by light from diesel-powered generators.
The hope is that when further hostilities are no longer productive, Israel, Hamas and the United States will accept another cease-fire, at which time the rockets will again stop and an adequate level of humanitarian supplies will be permitted to the surviving Palestinians, with the publicized agreement monitored by the international community. The next possible step: a permanent and comprehensive peace.
The writer was president from 1977 to 1981. He founded the Carter Center, a nongovernmental organization advancing peace and health worldwide, in 1982.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Remember the upside down bus? (and other news)
Hey guys!
Remember my friends Daniel and Casey, who came to school with their upside down bus to talk about putting an organic farm on the White House lawn? Some of you have been asking about them. Well, they made the front page of the Washington Post. And you met them. Very cool.
Second, Israel stopped bombing Gaza for three hours this morning, to allow aid shipments to go through. You can read about that here.
Third, if you need another copy of the final exam study guide because you lost yours or messed it up, you're going to have to print it out yourself. Email me at ms.tkjolly@gmail.com and I'll reply with the study guide attached as a file. Don't forget - 5th period's exam is Friday, 1st and 2nd periods' exams are Monday, and 4th period's exam is Tuesday.
Fourth, a 6 year old kid in Virginia wanted to go to school so badly that he stole his parents' car to get there after missing the bus. I'm not saying you should steal a car to get to school, but little dude is making you look bad.
Finally, I love watching you all get excited about current events and learning. Your faces light up, and it really makes me happy to be your teacher. Keep it up.
Cheers,
Ms. Jolly
Remember my friends Daniel and Casey, who came to school with their upside down bus to talk about putting an organic farm on the White House lawn? Some of you have been asking about them. Well, they made the front page of the Washington Post. And you met them. Very cool.
Second, Israel stopped bombing Gaza for three hours this morning, to allow aid shipments to go through. You can read about that here.
Third, if you need another copy of the final exam study guide because you lost yours or messed it up, you're going to have to print it out yourself. Email me at ms.tkjolly@gmail.com and I'll reply with the study guide attached as a file. Don't forget - 5th period's exam is Friday, 1st and 2nd periods' exams are Monday, and 4th period's exam is Tuesday.
Fourth, a 6 year old kid in Virginia wanted to go to school so badly that he stole his parents' car to get there after missing the bus. I'm not saying you should steal a car to get to school, but little dude is making you look bad.
Finally, I love watching you all get excited about current events and learning. Your faces light up, and it really makes me happy to be your teacher. Keep it up.
Cheers,
Ms. Jolly
Monday, January 5, 2009
Classwork for Monday 1/5/2009
Current Events: Israel Attacks the Gaza Strip
Students will be able to:
Identify Israel and the Gaza Strip on a world map
Identify the key factors in the Middle East crisis
Identify and explain multiple points of view in a historical event
Support or oppose Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip
DO WHATCHA KNOW!
What has happened in the news since we last met in December? What do you know about Israel and Palestine? Where and when did you learn this information?
INTRO TO NEW MATERIAL
Students will read the NewsHour article “Israel Strikes Hamas Targets in Gaza.” Before reading, students will create questions based on the article’s title and section headers. While reading, students will take notes by answering their own questions.
GUIDED PRACTICE
1. What is happening in Israel and Gaza?
2. How many Palestinians have died and how many Israelis?
3. What is Hamas?
4. What was the U.S. response to the attacks?
5. What happened when Israel was declared a state in 1948?
6. What did Israel agree to in the Oslo accords?
7. How did Hamas come to power in Gaza?
INDEPENDENT PRACTICE
Point of View worksheet: Identify four different points of view from the article in the four boxes below. Point of view could be directly stated in the article (through a quotation) or you could figure out a possible point of view based on information in the article. At the bottom of this sheet, summarize two of the four points of view in more detail.
LEARNING LOG
1. Summarize the current events in Israel and Gaza and their causes.
2. Do you agree or disagree with Israel’s actions in Gaza? Why?
3. How does this relate to the real world around you? What connections can you make between this and other events/issues in your life or in history?
Students will be able to:
Identify Israel and the Gaza Strip on a world map
Identify the key factors in the Middle East crisis
Identify and explain multiple points of view in a historical event
Support or oppose Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip
DO WHATCHA KNOW!
What has happened in the news since we last met in December? What do you know about Israel and Palestine? Where and when did you learn this information?
INTRO TO NEW MATERIAL
Students will read the NewsHour article “Israel Strikes Hamas Targets in Gaza.” Before reading, students will create questions based on the article’s title and section headers. While reading, students will take notes by answering their own questions.
GUIDED PRACTICE
1. What is happening in Israel and Gaza?
2. How many Palestinians have died and how many Israelis?
3. What is Hamas?
4. What was the U.S. response to the attacks?
5. What happened when Israel was declared a state in 1948?
6. What did Israel agree to in the Oslo accords?
7. How did Hamas come to power in Gaza?
INDEPENDENT PRACTICE
Point of View worksheet: Identify four different points of view from the article in the four boxes below. Point of view could be directly stated in the article (through a quotation) or you could figure out a possible point of view based on information in the article. At the bottom of this sheet, summarize two of the four points of view in more detail.
LEARNING LOG
1. Summarize the current events in Israel and Gaza and their causes.
2. Do you agree or disagree with Israel’s actions in Gaza? Why?
3. How does this relate to the real world around you? What connections can you make between this and other events/issues in your life or in history?
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