Children at Protests in China

          Over the past few weeks, pro-democracy protests have spread across China.  The protests are between the Chinese government and Chinese citizens who are frustrated with the government trying to introduce Chinese history lessons into the public school systems. Protesters view the proposed history lessons as "brainwashing" children in public schools with "pro-Beijing teaching materials." Other Chinese citizens believe the government has failed in education reform throughout the country. 
          The public is also divided over whether children should be allowed at the protests because of safety concerns. In the city of Mong Kok, children were used as a human shield between protesters and police. After this incident, parents were warned not to take their children to protests because of the violence. Some Chinese citizens sided with the police, saying children should not be at the debate because they are too young to understand the political reasons behind the protests. Also, since protesting is illegal, the protesters should not encourage children to follow their actions. Other Chinese citizens believe having children at the protests and debates would introduce children to politics and have them get an introduction in democracy.
     While it is encouraging to see pro-democracy protests happening in China, the safety of the children at the protests concerns me greatly. I find it despicable that children were used as a human shield in order to protect the protesters from police. I side with the Chinese who feel children should not be allowed at the protests because they are too young to understand what is happening around them. In addition, children can easily be hurt or even killed in the violence. While some parents may have good intentions of bringing their children to introduce them to democracy, it is incredibly unsafe. Children at this age can not comprehend why people are angry at the government and why police are hurting people who do not follow orders. I hope more parents realize the negative impact that having children at the protests can have. 

Democrats Argue for Illegal Immigrant Families

       Ten Democratic senators are protesting Homeland Security's "massive expansion of immigrant family detention, a practice that allows women and children seeking asylum to be locked up and potentially puts them at risk of abuse" by writing to the secretary of Homeland Security. The senators believe the women and children who are seeking asylum are targets of abuse in the detention centers and strongly feel that building more family detention centers may cause a higher number of abuse cases. The proposed facility in Texas is meant to house 2,400 people, which is to help with the influx of illegal immigrants. There were "68,000 family units" who were caught trying to cross the U.S./Mexico border this year, which is an increase of almost 15,000 family units from 2013. 
    Immigration advocates echo similar statements as the senators and argue some of the families are coming from countries with much violence. They say the families just want to be safe. Advocates also point out that it is harder for the families to receive legal help because many of the detention centers are in rural areas. 
    I find the Democratic senators' protest to be ridiculous because it has no legal standing. These families are not legal citizens; therefore, they have no rights. I sympathize with the reports of sexual abuse because no one should have to endure that kind of trauma. However, these women would not be sexually abused in the detention centers if they came to the United States legally.The families are making the choice to come to the United States and should face the consequences if they do not follow the law. My opinion may seem callous and cold-hearted to some people, but it is the truth.

Abortion Laws Tied to Women's and Children's Health

A study conducted by Ibis Reproductive Health and the Center for Reproductive Rights, "found that a state's performance on indicators for women and children's health and well-being is inversely proportional to the amount of anti-abortion laws in that state". The indicators include obesity, mortality for women and children, lack of health insurance for women and children, and teen birth rates. Essentially, the higher number of anti-abortion laws a state has in place, the higher the likelihood that the state has lower quality of life for women and children. Presently, "more than 250 anti-abortion bills have been introduced in state legislatures" this year. Over twenty states have more than eleven anti-abortion laws or restrictions in place. Vermont is the only state with no anti-abortion legislature. Interestingly, there is also a correlation between poor performing states and political ideology. The states that performed poorly, those that have anti-abortion legislature and poor quality of life for women and children, identify as conservative Republican. These states include Texas, Arkansas, Florida, Alabama, and Arizona. 
   This article confirms my beliefs that Republican lawmakers and their supporters only care about the baby while it is in utero. I have heard of the term,"pro-birther", to describe the legislators and citizens who just want the mother to give birth. After the mother gives birth, they couldn't care less about the mother and the child. 
  I wish more women in states with anti-abortion laws and restrictions would realize lawmakers do not care about them as people. These laws are put into place to restrict a woman's right to an abortion. In many ways, legislators protect the "rights" of the baby and not a woman. 
  My feelings about abortion are mixed. While I feel every woman should have the right to an abortion, I am not sure I would get one myself if I were in the same position. Also, I find it repulsive that women use abortion as a method of birth control so I support sex education for adults as well. I believe comprehensive sex education should be required in schools across the United States, instead of saying "don't have sex, be abstinent" and expecting students to not have sex. If we teach students while they are young, many abortions can be avoided. However, in conservative states, abstinence is the only method of birth control taught.

Education Sensorship

     Students from six high schools in Denver, Colorado decided to take a stand against a "conservative-led school board proposal" last week by protesting outside their respective schools. The board proposed changes to textbook and course plans for history classes because they want to "present positive aspects of the nation and its heritage". Ideally,the values the board wants to emphasize are patriotism, respect for authority, and discouraging civil disobidence. If the proposal is passed, all textbooks and school materials would need to be revised in order to meet the new standards. A member of the board, Julie Williams,is a conservative who defended the proposal saying," 'we shouldn't be encouraging our kids to think that America is a bad place'." The proposal is currently on hold. 
     While reading this article, I grew more and more flabbergasted over the content of the proposal. I found the board members to be idiots, frankly, because they are trying to ignore our nation's foundations and how we became the country we are today. After all, the founding fathers committed treason in the eyes of England because they were not loyal to the Crown. Our country would not exist today is it weren't for the "civil disobedience" and "lack of respect" our fathers demonstrated. 
    Many other historical events show these same "un-American" qualities including the Civil Rights Movement and the Women's Suffrage Movement. If African-Americans and women respected authority and did not protest, they would not have the same rights as they do today. Ironically, Ms. Williams would likely not be in the position she is in now if it was not for the Women Suffrage Movement. 
    If the proposed changes are included in textbooks and materials, millions of children and adolescences in the school system would be lied too. Our history is hypocritical, messy and at times, downright disgusting. However, it is the history of our nation. In order to accept the "good" of the U.S., we also need to accept and include the "bad". Children will not believe that "America is a bad place", as Ms. Williams fears. Instead, they will be informed about the true history of our nation. While they will be proud of their country, they will also know we are not perfect. 
    I am incredibly proud of all of the students who protested. I believe they shows true patriotism and the board should feel ashamed of themselves.