"The Deadly Mix: CoronaVirus and the Flu" by Hailie P.

 Links: 

https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/08/how-will-covid-19-affect-coming-flu-season-scientists-struggle-clues

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/

As of October 18, 2020 the United States has had 224k deaths due to the coronavirus. Doctors are now warning that as flu season approaches it could be a deadly mix. Hospitals are already occupied, and under a lot of stress from covid-19. There is limited space in many hospitals due to corona patients having to use ventilators. Many medical professionals are very concerned. They worry that since the corona virus already affects mostly the older generations that the flu doing the same might decrease medical supplies and help more than they already are. A bad flu season would add to the already high deaths this year. Another problem is also that many people are already facing long waits for the corona test. Adding a flu test would only increase the wait. Health professions are currently voicing their concerns and hoping people with preexisting conditions and the older generations will take this seriously and try to quarantine or limit their exposure to others as much as possible. Flu vaccines have always been heavily encouraged, but now they are being pushed more than ever.

Do you think the flu is a huge concern? Should citizens endure another quarantine? 

"Columbus Day" by Kirstyn M.

 

The idea of renaming Columbus Day as Indigenous Peoples’ Day is not new. This has been controversial since 1977, when the idea first arose. However, it has been more prevalent recently as multiple cities and states have made the decision to replace the national holiday. Columbus Day was declared a holiday by President Richard Nixon in 1972.  

Indigenous People’s Day was established to recognize those who were here before Columbus, and acknowledge the Native people as the first inhabitants of the Americas. The first state to rename Columbus Day was South Dakota in 1990. In 1992 Berkeley California was the first city to make the change. A resolution was passed to change the holiday to Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Washington, D.C. in 2019. That same year, on October 16, President Donald Trump stated “To me it will always be called Columbus Day,” therefore directly dismissing criticism of Christopher Columbus at that time. 

There are several states that now observe Indigenous Peoples’ Day or Native Americans Day as an addition or replacement to the Columbus Day holiday, including Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wisconsin. Other states have simply dropped Columbus Day from its list of holidays. 

Republican senators Ron Johnson and James Lankford are proposing replacement of the federal observance of Columbus Day with Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery. It became a state holiday in Texas in 1980 and has been informally celebrated since 1865. Legislation to create Juneteenth as a federal holiday has been backed by several  bipartisan lawmakers in the House and Senate, and pushed for by democratic lawmakers for years. 

Conversation about the replacement of Columbus Day with Juneteenth was sparked following George Floyd’s death and Trump’s choice to hold his campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma on June 19th. Trump’s decision was staggering considering Tulsa is known for being the location of one of the worst racial violent acts in the country, and his campaign was on a day celebrating the end of slavery. His move was highly criticized by Democratic progressives and lawyers, and Kamala Harris stated “This isn’t just a wink to white supremacists- he’s throwing them a welcome party.

Do you think October 12 should be observed as Columbus Day, or should it be recognized as Juneteenth or Indigenous Peoples’ Day? Also, with all of the allegations of racism against Trump, will his decision to continue the observance of Columbus Day become an issue in the nearing election?

Links: 

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/a33656480/what-is-indigenous-peoples-day/

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/10/16/donald-trump-dismisses-criticism-columbus-day-italian-president/3998570002/

https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/02/politics/juneteenth-columbus-day-congress/index.html

https://www.officeholidays.com/holidays/usa/us-indigenous-peoples-day

https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/11/us/what-is-juneteenth-trnd/index.html

 

 

"The 2020 Vice Presidential Debate" by Jameson H.

 

On Wednesday evening, October 7th, USA Today’s Susan Page served as the moderator for the first and only 2020 Vice Presidential Debate. To say the least, it was more organized and less chaotic than the Presidential Debate on Sept. 29th. According to USAFacts, the debate covered many different topics from the coronavirus pandemic and how that impacted the jobs and the economy. But the most important and possibly the most heated topic was the 2020 election and how voters should view each candidate and what those candidates stand for. Each candidate had the opportunity to show undecided voters their views on many different topics.

 

Aside from the topics that were discussed, the way it was handled was better than the Presidential Debate that occurred last week. The main reason it was more civilized is because each of the candidates showed more respect to the other candidate, at least until Vice President Pence interrupted Sen. Kamala Harris. When this occurred, many women spoke out on social media saying it was just like what they had been struggling with for years, not getting their turn and being interrupted by a man.  

So, this brings many questions to the table. Should voters base their decision on the type of leadership that these two have shown? Do you think this debate was more civilized than the previous Presidential debate? Do you think it was wrong for Vice President Pence to interrupt Sen. Harris while she was giving her statement? Should Americans be concerned about the leadership of Sen. Harris and Vice President Pence if something were to happen to the presidential candidates?

Websites: 

https://usafacts.org/articles/data-six-topics-vice-presidential-debate/

https://www.13newsnow.com/article/news/politics/kamala-harris-im-speaking-moment-resonates-with-women/85-2d450fc3-49d4-4098-bf5b-667414e7d1ad

"The Presidential Debate: America is Losing" by Hailie P.

 Links:  

https://www.washingtonpost.com/elections/2020/09/29/presidential-debate-live-updates/

https://www.npr.org/2020/09/30/918764741/is-this-american-style-civilization-world-reacts-to-presidential-debate 

On September 29, 2020 the first presidential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump took place. The 2020 election and debate have been very controversial since the start. This debate was a way to help undecided voters choose who to vote for in the upcoming election, but it did everything but that. During this debate listeners were unable to even hear or understand policies and changes that would be made if either candidate became president. Instead all that was heard was personal attacks and the two candidates continuing to talk over each other.  

During the debate President Trump made a personal attack on Joe Biden bringing up his son Hunter's past drug addiction and also made personal attacks calling Biden unintelligent. On the other side Biden was also seen making personal attacks calling Trump a ¨clown¨ and telling him to shut up. This debate did nothing to help clear up policies or changes needing to be made, but instead continued to divide America.

No matter which side watchers were on it was an embarrassment to the American people. Global news has covered the American Presidential debate in horror. Articles from around the world are showing their shock over lack of maturity. The Guardian in the UK titled their article over the debate  ¨A national Humiliation¨. The American government has become the laughing stock and many countries are questioning if America is as great as we say we are.

Should America be embarrassed? Are these two candidates the best America has to offer? Did this debate help undecided voters? 

“Trump Tests Positive” By Tanner R.

 Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/02/us/politics/trump-coronavirus-campaign.html\

On October 2nd it was announced that President Trump has contracted Covid-19. As the president boarded Marine One to fly to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for treatment, his aides announced that they were suspending his campaign events. 

President Trump during a video addresing

his health