Blog 13 "Explosions Kill Dozens"

Kaleesha Knox

SOC 202-03

November 28, 2012

“Explosions in Damascus Kill Dozens”

More than 47 people were killed after twin car bombings took place in Syria, an area filled mainly with Christians. Witnesses also report that rebels shot another government aircraft for the second consecutive day in a row. In addition to these two most recent bombings, there has been four reported bombings in the exact same area since August 28 of this year. Being that the persons residing in this residential area are targeted repeatedly because they are Christians and Druze, a branch of faith that comes from the primary concepts, beliefs, and ideas from Shiite Islam and consists of minorities. The immense ball of fire ripped through the town of Jaramana, and the explosions were so destructive that it resulted in walls falling down, causing them to collapse on cars, crushing cars into tiny, unidentifiable objects, and then scattering the debris over the ground. The attacker blew up his own car after he used a different bomb to blow up another car.

This crime reported incident further proves how global issues exist in our society today. Anytime criminals feel comfortable and bold enough to proceed with committing yet another dangerous criminal act multiple times a week, in this instance, it occurred two days consecutively back to back, simply shows how the justice system in many regions need to be severely altered to deter the number of increasing crimes. These law breakers have no fear for the consequences they could receive; therefore, they are more than willing to stoop so low as to blow up their personal possessions to inflict danger and harm upon others. Because terrorists have the ongoing mindset that they are going to get revenge on their opponents, the cycles of war, famine and death will never cease or decrease because these self-interested people could care less about anyone else and their sufferings. In fact, these terrorists base their life around making others struggle and feel inferior simply so they can feel that are in control. In my humble opinion, when a nation gets to the conclusion that they are the top notch and that everything and everyone is beneath them, everyone will began to see an immense falling away from the typical human morals. The world we live in today would be further plagued with evilness and would not contain any good. Unfortuneately, as a global society, I think that it is safe for me to say that for the most part, numerous nations are already at this point. What happens when someone who has tried many times to bring peace foe their country continues to be attacked? What happens when nations that believe in democracy and the right of the people began to feel that they should control their citizens to gain power? What shall happen to the human race as we know it when on that tragic day, no one will ever again try to make peace for the wellbeing of society but give up on mankind? To be honest, I don’t want to think about that horrific day; however, if we continue to go in the direction we are headed in, Earth shall see nothing else other than destruction and immense heartache.

http://www.voanews.com/content/twin-car-bombs-rip-through-damascus/1554306.html

Blog 12: California Horror Stories and the 3-Strikes Law By BRENT STAPLES

On November 24, 2012 The New York Times reported about the “3 strikes” rule in California. The article talked about how in 1994 the original law was approved by ballot right after a harsh crime was committed by a prisoner right after he got out of jail. This law was supposed to keep killers, rapists and child molesters off the streets for good. Later the article talks about how the three strikes cruel criminal justice system that lost all sense of proportion just giving out life sentences disproportionately to black defendants. The 3 strikes law made it so that the third offense could result in a life sentence and that offense could be any number of low-level felony convictions such as stealing from a tow truck, shoplifting or even stealing small change forms a parked car. The new law keeps the three strikes concept but it enforces a life sentence only when the third felony offense is serious or violent enough defined by the state law. This revision lets the courts re sentence thousands of people who were sent away for low-level third offenses and who present no danger to the public. The re sentencing process is shaping up as a kind of poll on the state’s cruel treatment of mentally ill defendants, who make up a substantial number of those with life sentences under the three strike rule. It is likely that many were too mentally impaired to assist their lawyers at the time of trial.

This is a very important current event because it is showing the criminal justice system is willing to change to help those affected by the harsh way of the system. This shows progression in the system that they do not just want to lock everyone up for little crimes but that they want to get the people who are doing major crimes so the prisons will not be as over populated. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/25/opinion/sunday/california-horror-stories-and-the-3-strikes-law.html?hpw&_r=0

THE LAST BLOG: Did misunderstanding lead to horrific Nigeria mob killings?

"Four University of Port Harcourt students, Chiadika Biringa, Ugonna Obuzor, Lloyd Toku, and Tekena Elkanah left campus for the village of Aluu. According to Biringa's mother Chinwe, Obuzor was owed some money and he asked his three classmates to accompany him to the village to collect on the debt. Within minutes of their arrival, a rumor spread that the students were not there to collect but to steal. An enraged mob stripped them naked while beating them with sticks and rocks then wrapped care tires around their necks -- a form of torture known as "necklacing." As the four men sat on the muddy ground dazed and pleading for their lives, someone doused them with gasoline, lit a match and set them on fire." When this happened it wasn't really investigated as deeply as it was once the video of the killing was posted on the web for the world to see.
According to this article a young man was murdered over a big misunderstanding. He was as innocent as the guys that were with him on that day. there were four guys her were tortured on that day and one was able to get away who was also interview on CNN. That particular guy in the interview said he thought to himself why don't they go ahead and kill him. However, he managed to get away. The mother of this young man that was killed was very hurt. She made it known that the guys who killed her son also killed a piece of her. The crime here in this article is obvious, murder. The fact that the guys harmed were innocent was immoral. Apparently the police officers in Nigeria aren't doing their job, and hasn't been doing their jobs correctly for a while now. This killing has not been the first type of mobbing that has taking place in Nigeria.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/26/world/africa/nigeria-mob-justice-duthiers/index.html?hpt=hp_c1

Neo-Nazi terrorists

In Germany the last member of the Neo-Nazi terrorist cell was arrested after a year long investigation. Beate Zschäpe had a hand in countless murders, robberies and bombings throughout the past decade. Her most ruthless crime was arranging financing and logistics for two confederates that killed 10 people, two bomb attacks, and fifteen bank robberies. Eight of the victims were of Turkish background, a Greek man, and a woman. The Neo-Nazis in Germany were brought to light a year ago and brought shock to the nation because they had been undetected for so long. The group came to surface after two members killed themselves after a bank robbery went wrong. Their crimes were all strategically placed in areas with high immigrant areas to make them move out of fear Security services in Germany have been under heavy criticism because an official was reported to have been shredding documents pertaining to evidence from the Neo-Nazi group. The head of Domestic intelligence agency, and the state of domestic violence chief both have stepped down from their position, and the head of federal criminal police also said he’d step down in a year. The irony in the Domestic agency is that, it was formed to stop extremist groups, and is now going under investigation to see how much the agency was influenced by the Neo-Nazis.

I feel bad for Germany, because I know how the country is trying to take off the stereotype that the Nazis have put on them. With groups like this, its not helping their image. People are going to assume Germany with Nazis still, even though there are Neo-Nazi groups across the world.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/09/world/europe/german-woman-charged-in-neo-nazi-crime-rampage.html?pagewanted=all

This is my Real blog 11, I don't know how I forgot to post it, but I saw it in my files.

Karzai signs off on 16 prisoners to be executed

Hamid Karzai, the President of Afghanistan signed for the executions of 16 prisoners. This has been very rare in Afghanistan since the Taliban rule. Karzai has rarely signed off to have people executed, in the past decade he’s only signed off to 3 people. The crimes committed by the prisoners were ranging from murder, rape, to kidnapping and treason. President Karzai has mentioned that he’s not afraid to sign off more executions if crime doesn’t lower. Outcry over violent crime had been rising for the past few years. Also, his tactics are however asserting more independence from Western advisors. The last executions in Afghanistan were two men who were convicted of a mass killing in a Kabul Bank branch. Before that there were 15 killed in a firing squad in October 2007. Human rights advocates are arguing with Karzai’s execution tactics, arguing that the judicial process is flawed.

Separate from the executions, a military court appeal from an Afghan army solider was sentenced to death for killing five French soldiers. Attacks from Afghan soldiers towards NATO service members have fluctuated over the past year. The violence is shaking the trust between the Afghan people and the Westerners helping them. The French officially ended their eleven year combat mission in Afghanistan on Tuesday. Of the 2,200 remaining soldiers in Afghanistan only 1000 will remain to repatriate military equipment.

I believe in the death penalty, but for something big, that’s affected a large potion of people. I don’t think it’s fair that Afghan president Hamid Karzai is allowed to execute 16 people, but I feel that he may have a purpose for doing so.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/21/world/asia/afghan-president-approves-execution-of-prisoners.html

Petraeus Believed Terrorists Behind Libya Attack

 

Ex-CIA Director David Petraeus told lawmakers during private hearings Friday that he believed all along that the deadly attack on the U.S. consulate in Libya was a terrorist strike, even though that wasn't how the Obama administration initially described it publicly. Petraeus testified that the CIA draft written in response to the raid referred to militant groups Ansar al-Shariah and al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb but those names were replaced with the word "extremist" in the final draft, according to a congressional staffer. The staffer said Petraeus testified that he allowed other agencies to alter the talking points as they saw fit without asking for final review, to get them out quickly.  Rep. Peter King said it's still not clear how the final talking points emerged used by U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice five days after the attack when the White House sent her to appear in a series of television interviews. Rice said it appeared the attack was sparked by a spontaneous protest over an anti-Muslim video. King said Petraeus had briefed the House committee on Sept. 14 and he does not recall Petraeus being so positive at that time that it was a terrorist attack. "He thought all along that he made it clear there was terrorist involvement," King said. Lawmakers spent hours Thursday interviewing top intelligence and national security officials, trying to determine what intelligence agencies knew before, during and after the attack. They viewed security video from the consulate and surveillance footage by an unarmed CIA Predator drone that showed events in real time.  In the end, no real decision was made on whether or not anyone knew about the attacks beforehand. However, I’m sure this isn’t going to be the last we hear of this story since it resulted from such a terrible event.

 Source:
http://news.yahoo.com/petraeus-believed-terrorists-behind-libya-attack-145946656--politics.html

Blog 11: Ferocious Israeli Assault on Gaza Kills a Leader of Hamas

The New York Times reported on November 15, 2012 about the launch of missals on Gaza. Gaza launched rocket fire that hit at least 20 targets that killed the top military commander of Hamas, which damaged Israel's brittle relations with Egypt and worsened the risks of a new war in the Middle East. The report said the Israel Defense Forces doubled the intensity of the airstrikes with the threat of a ground invasion of Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces tweeted a very harsh tweet saying, ''We recommend that no Hamas operatives, whether low level or senior leaders, show their faces above ground in the days ahead.'' It was known that Israel’s tension between neighboring Arab countries has grown. Border attacks have been made going both ways and fights have increases between countries. Israel has confronted chaos on its border with Sinai that has including cross-border attacks between the two. The military’s tactical analysts says that deterrence have to be used so other tactical plans can succeed. With all that is going on between the two nations and Israel just bombing Gaza and killing many Israel is preparing for retaliation from Gaza. The Israel government has instructed residents within a 25-mile radius of Gaza not to go to school or work on Thursday. Some on the residents have been moved into bomb shelters for the duration in all of this fighting going on towards the boarders.

These current acts between these countries are a big topic because it can eventually escalade to a bigger war that is not needed. This whole situation deals with the United States of America as an allied nation brings more people into the mix of things. If the United States of America came into help it could cause a massive war dealing with other countries that dislike the United States of America. 

 http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/15/world/middleeast/israeli-strike-in-gaza-kills-the-military-leader-of-hamas.html?pagewanted=all

Blog 12 "20 Die in Series of Bomb Attacks in Iraq"

Kaleesha Knox

SOC 202-03

November 15, 2012

“20 Die in Series of Bomb Attacks in Iraq”

Security forces in Iraq told news reporters that at least 20 people were killed and at more than 100 were wounded due to a launching of numerous bombs in Iraq ranging from the marketplace to a university campus. Although no immediate motive is released, many of the attacks marketed places that display the diversity in Iraq’s political and ethnic culture. The people of Iraq no doubt feel unsafe being that 8 days ago on November 06, a similar incident occurred at a military base that killed more than 25 people. Violence in Iraq has escalated at an exponential rate, and as the governor entered the southern region, he barely escaped his own death. Whoever the criminals were, they attempted to assassinate him by purposefully placing a bomb on the side of the road that was aimed towards his convoy. It is extremely clear that the enraged criminals could care less about hurting their elected officials because in a separate incident in the north, a bomb exploded that injured an Army patrol as he walked by including five service members and 2 citizens. Other attacks include wounding four members of the security forces and injuring 13 civilians in three various attacks.

Many officials complained that Iraq is in serious need of changing the leaders because many of the leaders are viewed as corrupt and serve no purpose or wanting to protect its citizens. Despite the fact whether the statement is true or not, it does not given individuals the right to decide to harm anyone. The fact that people believe that launching bombs in order to kill the leaders of Iraq will be beneficial because they are dead shows how they are seriously lacking morals in society. Killing a person never improves a situation, but rather makes it much worse. The criminals claim that the officials are corrupt and must be replaced, when indeed they themselves are the corrupt citizens that need to reevaluate and change their way of thinking. This particular mindset of citizens in a country is what causes a country to stand divided with very little chance of reuniting. Accepting others’ opinions and ways of life should be encouraged instead of being rejected altogether.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/15/world/middleeast/Iraq-attacks.html?ref=world&_r=0

Blog12: Isreal Police To Tackle Cyber Crime With New Unit

"Sixty-person unit will be funded by Treasury; police inspector identifies cyber crime as issue that threatens whole world. Israel Police Insp.-Gen. Yohanan Danino on Monday announced the creation of a 60-person unit to tackle cyber crime that will be funded with assistance from the Treasury. Speaking at the annual International Conference on homeland security in Tel Aviv, Danino said that he participated in an Interpol conference in Rome last week in which cyber crime was identified as an issue that threatens the whole world." There has been a rise on online attacks in the region that is said to be originated from Israel. Terrorist groups and organized crimes are very similar in a way they both develop from local organizations and expand to global organizations.
As you read on in the article you will see that to make attacks or threats over the Internet is also a crime as well. It would be classified as a  crime called, Cybercrime. A cybercrime as the web definition says crime committed using a computer and the Internet to steal a person's identity or sell contraband or stalk victims or disrupt operations with malevolent programs. This is an act of crime that can only be controlled by government. No one exactly knows what goes on in peoples houses, so how could they possibly know what people do or say or act over the Internet but with the help of government. Government would have to make a stand on this crime because cybercrime isn't exactly easy to detect, however it is a crime just as any other crime. it is too, a global issue as stated in the article. There are many crimes that are crimes that people are not aware of. Ive stated that in a blog once before. Including facebook and twitter. It doesn't have to be international, it can very well be national. It can very well be a crime to someone who lives on your block. In this article however its a big thing. Its not just a friend to friend thing. This is definitely a global problem.

http://www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?id=291567

Hit Mexico's Cartel With Legalization

In the past 10 to 20 years the gang and drug related crimes in Mexico have sky rocketed. Journalist Ioan Grillo has taken up interest into interviewing and investigating Mexico’s cartel seen. Grillo stated that in his interviews he’s had with Mexican Cartel killers they all appear sane, even though they describe some of the most brutal violence towards people. He believes that there has to be something else, than insanity that would get people to do such devilish work. With his investigation he thinks it has more to do with America than one would think. With American people abusing drugs namely marijuana illegally for decades it’s estimated that drug cartels are making anywhere from 30 billion yearly. Drugs have a mark up of 2000 percent that get many Mexicans interested in joining this black market business. However, when Colorado and Oregon legalized commercial use of marijuana the cartels are going to get hit financially very hard negatively. Mexican cartels often us the surplus of money given to them to buy high trained assassins and very high power weapons. With the decrease of marijuana trade with the cartels, their main currency support is going to begin to decline. The cartel won’t disband over night but it will be on a decline.

I knew the legalization of marijuana would happen in my lifetime, I just wasn’t expecting for it to happen so soon.  I never thought of the illegalization of marijuana directly reflects the crime rate in other countries. I’ve always heard about the Mexican cartels and their illegal trades to America, I just never put two and two together

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/02/opinion/hit-mexicos-cartels-with-legalization.html

Blog 10

An anti-Muslim video that caused much wide spread destruction and revolt in many Middle Eastern Countries is finally being put to justice. The maker  of this video calls himself Mark Bassely Youssef but has went by many other aliases during his criminal career. He is a Egyptian born Christian has been in and out of prison and just recently was released from prison on other charges. Youssef was given a one year sentence for his making of the video that made fun of the Islamic religion. While in court Youssef directed his attorney to tell the media something for him. Youssef’s attorney Steven Seiden then went and told the media “The one thing he wanted me to tell all of you is President Obama may have gotten Osama bin Laden, but he didn't kill the ideology,” When Seiden was asked what that me he responded, “I didn't ask him, and I don't know." Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Dugdale had no comment on Youssef's statement. Federal authorities initially sought a two-year sentence for Youssef. Seiden argued for his client to be allowed to serve his term under home confinement, but the judge refused. Dugdale argued that was not sufficient punishment. Looking at what that video caused I don’t believe that would have been a sufficient punishment either. U.S. District Court Judge Christina Snyder accepted the plea agreement and immediately sentenced Youssef after he admitted to four of the eight alleged violations, including obtaining a fraudulent California driver's license. Prosecutors agreed to drop the other four allegations under the plea deal, which included four years of additional probation time.

http://news.yahoo.com/man-behind-anti-muslim-film-gets-1-prison-085252060.html

Blog 10: Voters Ease Marijuana Laws in 2 States, but Legal Questions Remain

The New York Times reported on November 7, 2012 about the legalization of marijuana in Colorado and Washington State. These two states made it legal to smoke weed recreational without any prescription or medical reason. The Governor John Hickenlooper of Colorado cautioned the citizens that it will be a matter of months until legalized marijuana will be in the books, and longer until for the states to write the rules, tax codes and other regulations for new state-licensed retail marijuana shops. The states are still the dispute with the federal government which still sees marijuana as illegal. The federal government still sees the drug as a Schedule I prohibition substance and has been cracking down on other states such as California and Montana that have voted to allow medical marijuana. Colorado and Washington are two of eighteen states with medical marijuana laws but they are the first to approve of recreational purposes. When the laws are certified it will be legal under Colorado and Washington law for adults 21 years and older to possess up to an ounce of marijuana. In Colorado people will be able to grow as many as 6 plants but in Washington users will have to buy their marijuana from state-licensed providers.

This can affect more than just these two states in America because by legalizing the drug it will cut back of illegal drug trafficking to these states. If other states if an improvement from this law than it could possible cut out the drug trade in America. This would affect the drug trade from Central and South America to the United States making the drug trade get smaller and smaller. This will also give America another way to put high taxes on it so that America can start to make money off of the drug. This could start other countries to eliminate the drug trade as well.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/08/us/politics/marijuana-laws-eased-in-colorado-and-washington.html

BLOG#11 US soldier Robert Bales in court over Afghan massacre

"A preliminary hearing has begun for US soldier Sgt Robert Bales who is charged with killing 16 villagers, mostly women and children, in Afghanistan. Sgt Bales is accused of walking off his base in Kandahar province during the night of 11 March and firing on civilians in their homes. The massacre caused widespread anger in Afghanistan and added further strain to already difficult US-Afghan relations. The court was then shown surveillance footage shot at the army camp on the night of the massacre. In the video, soldiers confront a figure – identified by the prosecution as Sgt Bales – and ask him to drop his weapons before taking him into custody. The accused is alleged to have been armed with a rifle, pistol and grenade launcher during the killings."
Here we have an US soldier commitinig crime, murder of inocent poeple. The worst thing here it say that he killed 16 people with the majority of them being women and children. Sgt Robert Bates not only killing innocent people, but innocent children i think is the most disturbing of the news. This crime was committed against the people we are in war with. Although we are at war with Afghanistan, there is a limit, and rules to war im sure. Obviously it is for Sgt Bates to be on trial for what he did, the crime that he committed. The muder he committed not legit with the rules of the "war game." It could be assumed to have been an accident what he did, i some way, maybe, but the article says that he got up in the middle of the night and began to shoot up two villages. Now because of this crime he commited for whatever reason being, he will be punished and away from his family even longer then he would have been being at war. He has im sure surprised his wife, and two children, if they are older enough to understand.
http://dominicavibes.dm/news/us-soldier-robert-bales-in-court-over-afghan-massacre#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=us-soldier-robert-bales-in-court-over-afghan-massacre

Blog 11 U.S. Soldier Massacres 16 in Afghanistan

Kaleesha Knox

SOC 202-03

November 05, 2012

“U.S. soldier charged in Kandahar massacre shows no remorse”

                After an Army staff sergeant’s comrade testified during his court hearing, the Sgt. Robert Bales showed no remorse after he was taken into custody for murdering 16 citizens in south Afghanistan. Bales actions and demeanor was observed by latter David Godwin, who stated that Bales acted guilty and even proclaimed that he “thought he was doing the right thing.” The massacre occurred last spring on March 11 and during Bale’s hearing evidence was presented in which Bales requested that Godwin bleach his pants that were stained by blood in an attempt to rid the evidence of his murders. No motive is offered at this point, however, this crime is one of the most barbaric associated with U.S. troops because of the sixteen victims, nine were children. Villagers within the Afghanistan area have agreed to cooperate with the U.S. as witnesses, giving up to date information on how Bales left his base alone and broke into their homes before he committed the brutal deeds.

                Even more disturbing however, is that the sergeant knew that the dwelling consisted of women and children because he visited the compounds previously shows that he had remorse whatsoever for the women and children. It makes you wonder, why even go fight in a war when you are killing women and children. He is in the war to fight men, not innocent people not directly involved in the war. Furthermore, he has the audacity to ask someone to hide the fact that he killed people by bleaching his pants! This is a global issue because we as Americans are actively supporting and honoring our troops overseas fighting for our freedom in the many wars. Yet, this jerk abuses his authoritative figure and uses it to harm others. This is the typical issue with our global world today. Numerous individuals have abandoned the system of honor, trust, and integrity, and have instead crossed over to a world filled with deceit, wrath, and hatred.

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/soldier-charged-in-kandahar-massacre-to-appear-in-court/2012/11/04/58e48a0c-26db-11e2-ac64-5d52a2c5953e_story.html

 

Blog 9: UK man charged after children given trick-or-treat cocaine bags

On November 2, 2012 CNN reported that a man was charged after giving cocaine out to trick-or-treater. The police in England came out to investigate the children and the snap-top bags of white powder that turned out to be cocaine. The bags were given to the police and after test confirmed it was in fact cocaine the police of Royton, Greater Manchester Police arrested the man that was responsible. Donald Junior Green who was 23 years old was charged with drug possession and is due before a magistrates' court in Oldham, near Manchester, on Friday.

The war on drugs is a big thing in today’s world because of all of the ways the drugs are getting in countries and be dispersed within the countries to a high number of people that are being affected by the drugs. When children are targeted by older people it can cause a whole down fall for a generation. Drugs is a big battle for some to keep away from the youth so that they have a chance to do something better for their lives. This just does not affect the UK it affects the whole world because in some countries the drug war recruit the youth to do the dirty work to get the youth hooked young so the dealers have a life time clients. Dealing with this story and how a holiday where kids are going around and happy to get candy and eat it when they get home if a parent would not have checked the bag then a good number of children could have been killed by the drug. This also could have made it so parents do not want to let their kids take the risk of trick-or-treating in the worry of their kids being targeted with drugs of even something heinous. 

http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/02/world/europe/uk-halloween-cocaine-arrest/index.html?hpt=wo_c2

Blog 10

Yesterday more drama has erupted from the courts revealing that Penn State University's ex-president Graham Spanier was convicted after escaping charges a year ago. It was almost exactly a year ago when Jerry Sandusky, Tim Curley, and Gary Schultz were indicted; which has cause incredible turmoil and hardship for the university. The states attorney general Linda Kelly both extended and tighten her noose with bold new criminal charges backed by sickening new information. Spanier was indicted on eight different criminal charges which just brings more shame to the Penn State University's name. The new information is almost as disturbing to read as Sandusky's initial acts. Kelly always maintained the case was an ongoing investigation and said additional documents and witnesses came forward over the last year. That included material from Penn State, which she said was non-compliant to requests and a subpoena until after the initial indictments were handed down, Spanier and company were removed from power and the school's board of trustees demanded all employees comply with the investigation. If you've followed all the scandals that has came out of Penn State this past year, and you know how prestigious of a University it was; then you know how devastating it was to this school and everyone associated with it. Hopefully in the next couples years they can start to get back on the right track and rejuvenate their school to once again be one of the most prestigious University in the nation.

crime blog 7

In Turkey a 26 year old women named Nevin Yildirim is currently awaiting her trial date after she shot and beheaded the man the man who had been raping her for eight months. Yildrim is the mother of two children her husband had went away for business when her rapist began to rape her. In Turkey a thing like this can ruin a woman's reputation as well as honor and the reputation and honor of her children. Yildirim reportedly said that she killed to clean her honor the honor of her children. Her lawyer says that Yildirim used self-defense and shouldn’t be charged with murder.

Yildirim has said that she wants to die for has happened to her. She is currently pregnant with the baby of her rapist. When she tired get the baby aborted she was told that she 14 weeks pregnant and could not receive abortion. In Turkey a women can only have an abortion with in the first ten weeks. While she saved her honor her reputation is still in shambles for the act of her being raped having even taken place. She understands that killing him was not right, but that is what she felt she needed to do to get him to stop. The amount of shame she feels has caused her to think about suicide but she just couldn’t bring her to do it. Yildirim’s lawyer says that her client’s mental health is question do the trauma that she went through in the past eight months.

                Yildirim’s case shows how rape is seen across the world. In some cases the woman is seen as a victim while in other she risk being kicked out her village or town.  They are made to feel as if they have done something wrong rather than that were victims of a crime.

Blog Entry #10

             This week’s blog entry has brought me to an article titled “Why is Mexico drug war being ignored?” Since we have talked about drug wars in class, this caught my attention very quickly. During the presidential debate on foreign policy, both candidates seemed to show very little attention this topic. Statistics show that “nearly 60,000 people have perished since 2006 in the Mexican government’s military-led offensive against the country’s powerful, ruthless drug cartels.” In cities such as Ciudad Juarez and Monterrey it has become a “virtual war zone.” Mexico being our neighboring country, we cannot simply ignore what is taking place there.

                Many of these cartels are extremely violent and are beginning to threaten the integrity of the state. In Honduras and El Salvador the Zetas, a Mexican drug cartel, have been successfully bribing the police by providing $5,000 monthly payments to compensate them for their cooperation, and for allowing them “to steal high-powered weapons and grenades from the military.” President Porfirio Lobo defends his country by arguing that the police officers and soldiers are outnumbered by the members of the drug gangs. With Mexico in such close proximity to the United States, much of the problems that they are facing are starting to “seep over the boarder” and is causing harms here. Even Costa Rica is now officially on the list of “major drug transit or major drug-producing countries.” With drug trade growing rapidly, it is becoming a major problem in societies everywhere.

                Mexican drug organizations now reportedly “have ties to criminal gangs in at least 230 American cities.” The 50 largest cities in America are included among those 230. Residents in bordering states like Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas are facing “intruders” that use their property as an entry way into the United States. Sadly, because of the drug crimes taking place, fear now plagues Mexican-American families along the border.

 

11/2/12 10:09 AM

http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2012/10/30/why-is-mexico-drug-war-being-ignored/?iref=allsearch

Blog# 10: Men found guilty in kidnapping of gay man, but acquitted of hate crime

On Friday, October 26,201 Two cousins were convicted of kidnapping a gay man in Kentucky.

The jury verdict on Wednesday against David Jason Jenkins, 37, and Anthony Ray Jenkins, 20, of Harlan County stemmed from an April 2011 kidnapping of Kevin Pennington, 29, who managed to escape, according an indictment. The men planned to assault Pennington because of his sexual orientation. Although the government failed to convict the Kentucky men on hate crime charges this week, the Justice Department's top civil rights official, Thomas Perez, said prosecutors would not be discouraged from bringing other cases. Perez called the kidnapping a "vicious and criminal act" and said his department would vigorously investigate possible hate crimes.

In this article, The two men were not found guilty in this act. The two men kidnapped a single man, who was homosexual. The had two intentions with this man, in my opinion. One, to have sex with him or either hurt him whether it be verbally or physically. If these men would have carried out whatever vicious act they were about to do to this homosexual guy, it would have not been something Christ like. This i would definitely put in the category as a hate crime. A hate crime is a crime motivated by racial, sexual, or other prejudice, typically one involving violence. And a crime is any type of action omission that constitutes an offense that may be prosecuted by the state and is punishable by law. David Jason Jenkins and Anthony Ray Jenkins must have have kidnapped this man just because he was homosexual, according to the article. Hate crimes are going on all over the world. "Federal hate crimes law was expanded in 2009 to include a victim's perceived sexual orientation, gender or disability" yet people all over the world are being hated or treated badly because of race, sexual preferences, gender and other prejudice.
http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/25/justice/hate-crime-kentucky/index.html?iref=allsearch

Blog 10 “23 People Electrocuted at Wedding”

Kaleesha Knox

October 31, 2012 1:19 P.M.

“23 People Electrocuted at Wedding”

 

                In a shocking twist celebrating two people coming together and making their separate lives as one, twenty-three women and children were electrocuted at a wedding. Although the deaths were not intentional, the Saudi Arabia community publicly banned shooting of firearms at wedding despite the fact that it is among tradition. After gunfire was released at the ceremony, it caused an electric cable to collapse after  it fell on a metal door. The primary victims- women and children were killed because the Saudi Arabia rules reinforce the fact that genders must be separated at public functions, such as wedding receptions.

                This news story is the perfect example as to how a personal conflict can very quickly end up being a social conflict. Whoever was the carrier of the weapon could have been punished on their own accord because they broke the law. However, because the carrier o f the weapon decided to disobey the government law and shoot the gun anyway, he is solely responsible for all twenty-three wedding guests that lost their lives due to a personal behavior he acted on. The behaviors and actions of a single person can influence and hinder an entire society from a global standpoint because individuals take action based primarily on their self-interests rather than considering the global issue it can cause for society as a whole. The gunman ruined a positive experience for the couple and their families and no doubt  caused devastation on an otherwise happy event. Family members, friends, and memories were all burnt in flames as the twenty-three victims tried to escape the fire and electricity through the one exit door available in the tent. The innocent lives of twenty-three people were consumed, while thirty others were reported as to having injuries were innocently claimed because of a criminal. This story further indicates that a crime is simply a crime. There are variations when it comes to whom is innocent or guilty of breaking the law. A murder, a thief, a trespasser, and a speeder are all considered criminals under a court of law and must be handled accordingly.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/oct/31/gunfire-saudi-wedding-cable