Democracy Now! week 9

Joseph Abdul

4/12/2014

Democracy Now!: Week 9

            Last week’s main story on DN focuses on fossil fuel divestment amongst universities and other institutions. Harvard University, a known liberal campus invests in fossil fuels more than any other university. Desmond Tutu, South Africa Archbishop calls for action to boycott events affiliated by fossil fuels. Usually, sports events are affiliated in one form or another. Tutu suggests that it would take a combined effort from the general population to make this happen. Special interests continue to influence people’s stand on the issue. Bureaucracies that were formed few decades ago still benefit from fossil fuels. Thus, it is a difficult task to change public opinion.

            Also this week, protests are sparking against the deportation of illegal immigrants. Civil disobedience, as well as hunger strikes was part of those protests. Two million people were deported so far during the Obama administration. According to Obama in 2012, the objective is to deport illegal aliens who are criminals and dangerous to society, not students or those who are trying to make an honest living. However this has not been the case; 2/3 of those deported have only committed minor infractions such as traffic violations. 5000 children of deported parents are in foster care. Each day an action to solve the issue is delayed, 1100 more people are deported. Our foreign policy is claimed to be cutting off our global competitiveness and foreign relations. We do have a shortage of labor, which effects the higher positions of American labor. Not to mention the humanitarian problem associated with deportation. David Leopold, an immigration lawyer suggests that Obama did not place those policies; they were formed many years ago during the Bush administration. The U.S immigration policy needs a complete reform to make it fair and humane.

Links to sources:   

http://www.democracynow.org/2014/4/11/momentum_on_fossil_fuel_divestment_grows

http://www.democracynow.org/2014/4/10/as_deportations_top_2_million_should