All right, sorry my friends, but today I had an experience that irked me no end. And after telling several people about it, it still irks me like nobody's business, so obviously it has to go on here. I'm sorry to go all ranty, but please read as it is definitely a pertinent issue in today's society.
So I am a former debater (surprise!) and this weekend I had the opportunity to go back and judge a tournament. Which is usually quite enjoyable because you get to listen to people give speeches, some fabulous and some . . . . well, some not so fabulous, but these kids are learning so you get to share the knowledge you learned while debating. It's awesome.
Well I was judging this tournament and I got stuck doing a round of National Extemp which is basically: the kids get 30 minutes to prepare, using the sources they already have, a 7 minute speech on a topic related to the National news. I MUCH prefer Foreign Extemp, which is the same thing but with foreign topics. I competed in that. Anyway so I'm stuck with National Extemp for this round. Which is fine, but then. Oh But then.
My first speaker walks into the room and has his buddy shadow. Which is normally just fine. But instead of giving me a speech about how some new space object may or may not be leading to the militarization of space, he spends the next seven minutes talking about some VERY random things that don't pertain. and then the Death Star comes up, and he quotes Star Wars, He did it well (I'm a Star Wars geek, I should know) But it had nothing to do with the topic at hand and I did NOT get a serious speech, nor a speech that answered the question. Also he gave the entire speech in a accent that was not only obviously fake (also I knew he could talk normally, I had had him in a previous round) but it was a bad accent. lets be honest. I was not happy after that incident.
And then a couple speakers later this kid and his friend are back, except this time I get to listen to the other child speak. His sounded promising. Something about have the U.S's interrogation methods improved since 9/11. He answered the question, he told me no, they have not. Which was great I had an answer. But then he proceeded to use no sources to back it up. Also he informed me that 9/11 was an inside job, with Bush being involved. At that point I started to get irritated. What a load of bull. Such a conspiracy theory. Not only one that is unfounded, but one that I could rattle off a list of facts right now as proof that there was no way that 9/11 planning involved Bush. First and foremost among them that Osama bin Laden and his compatriots HATE westerners and would never involve them. So I first got mad at this child for an obvious conspiracy theory. And then. oh, and then.
He says something about President Obama. I am not going to type the words here, but just know that they were so disrespectful and rude that I flipped out. I had a very, very tough time keeping my judge face on, but I managed somehow. His ballot, however, was not very kind. It wasn't mean, but it did not tolerate that behavior in the slightest.
So, stepping onto the soapbox now,
In this country there are many people who disagree with what Mr. Obama has done and is trying to do. There are people who dislike him. . . a lot. But nothing gives you the right, EVER to disrespect the leader of your nation. EVER. it is simply not acceptable. I don't care who you are, where you're from, or where you are going. YOU SIMPLY DO NOT DISRESPECT THE PRESIDENT. You can disagree with him, you can dislike him, you can even hate him. But if nothing else I ask that you at least respect the office if you cannot respect the man. Disrespecting the office of president is not only uncouth, it is ill-informed and just down right rude. The man has pressures on him that you cannot even imagine. and you deign to call him rude names? You simply DO NOT have that right.
I'm sorry that you had to listen to this, but really it needed to be said. With all those out there who feel it their duty to be mad at our President, I ask of you two things.
1) I ask that you be understanding.
You really don't understand what this poor man has to do for his job. He can't work miracles all of the time, he has to work with a congress that was built to take a very long time to accomplish anything so that stupid things don't get passed. He has to deal with constant world threats like ISIS and Russia's recent aggression. The man has pressures you simply cannot imagine. So understand if, from time to time, he does things you don't agree with
2) I ask that you go out and vote next election
If you don't vote, who will? you want to have a say on what the president is doing, make sure you had a say in who the president is.
Okay stepping down off the soapbox now.
Sunday, December 7, 2014
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Scotland: still in the UK
Now, if what I'm about to tell you doesn't mark me as an International Relations/ Political Science junky I don't know what will. So if you are a well informed citizen of the world you will, of course, be aware that Scotland held their long awaited referendum vote to decide whether or not they would continue to be a member of the United Kingdom.
Last year I had the opportunity to research this referendum just a little. I found out that this has pretty much been in the works since Scotland joined the UK a couple of centuries ago. and they've tried a referendum before and rejected independence. The current referendum has been in the works for over 2 years. In the process of doing this research I was asked to give an opinion: Would Scotland choose to break off? or would it stay a part of the UK . . . again. My answer even a year ago was: they'll stay. The poor cat has been beaten till it's dead and now we're still beating the cat, but honestly Scotland probably couldn't have gone it alone, even economically. Let alone that the fact that those who rally behind the yes decision really didn't have a plan for setting up a government, it's almost as if they didn't expect to win. But then again, that's speculation.
So back to why I'm a hardcore IR nerd. So I decided to check at like 9 pm my time if the total votes were tallied, cuz you know this referendum was huge. So I checked and the Scottish deputy first minister made a comment that the final count would be announced at 5 am their time. So I did the natural thing when you don't know exactly how far ahead something is, I pulled up a world clock for Glasgow, Scotland. and I opened CNN and BBC and waited. Watching. My poor roommates got the countdown. 1 hour, 30 minutes, 10 minutes, 5, 30 seconds, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. and of course no announcement on my live feed from Scotland. But I kept checking and watched as each of the little areas votes came in. I watched as 'No' tallies came in from all over Scotland. And my prediction from an entire year ago, was validated. I feel pretty good about life right about now.
At 5:51 am local time deputy first minister Nicola Sturgeon admitted that the referendum had been defeated. And I could finally go to bed knowing the result (which obviously that hasn't happened yet). so in the UK a new day has dawned and they are still together, and according to Alastair Darling they are "better together".
Now comes the struggle, does Parliament give Scotland more autonomy because they stayed? and what does this mean for the rest of the UK that doesn't necessarily identify as English? will they do the same in coming years? It's an interesting topic for debate.
For now, let the world let out the breath it's been holding for 2 years, ever since this referendum was announced. I know I can breathe a little bit better and I've only been researching for a year. Honestly Scotland and the UK have a pretty good little relationship, why separate yourself from that economic and political steadiness and into an upheaval where you have to come up with an entirely different government and a new form of money (because you can't take the pound with you and you're not a member of the EU, so no Euro). They were setting themselves up for more problems that they would solve.
That debate is closed and the Scottish people have spoken. They are okay with being a part of the UK. So everyone take a breather and lets learn from this and move on with life and to the bigger fish we have to fry in the world!
**once again this is an opinion piece. Don't take anything as pure fact BECAUSE IT ISN'T****
Sources:
http://www.bbc.com/news/live/uk-scotland-29130277
and several cnn articles as well . . . .
Last year I had the opportunity to research this referendum just a little. I found out that this has pretty much been in the works since Scotland joined the UK a couple of centuries ago. and they've tried a referendum before and rejected independence. The current referendum has been in the works for over 2 years. In the process of doing this research I was asked to give an opinion: Would Scotland choose to break off? or would it stay a part of the UK . . . again. My answer even a year ago was: they'll stay. The poor cat has been beaten till it's dead and now we're still beating the cat, but honestly Scotland probably couldn't have gone it alone, even economically. Let alone that the fact that those who rally behind the yes decision really didn't have a plan for setting up a government, it's almost as if they didn't expect to win. But then again, that's speculation.
So back to why I'm a hardcore IR nerd. So I decided to check at like 9 pm my time if the total votes were tallied, cuz you know this referendum was huge. So I checked and the Scottish deputy first minister made a comment that the final count would be announced at 5 am their time. So I did the natural thing when you don't know exactly how far ahead something is, I pulled up a world clock for Glasgow, Scotland. and I opened CNN and BBC and waited. Watching. My poor roommates got the countdown. 1 hour, 30 minutes, 10 minutes, 5, 30 seconds, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. and of course no announcement on my live feed from Scotland. But I kept checking and watched as each of the little areas votes came in. I watched as 'No' tallies came in from all over Scotland. And my prediction from an entire year ago, was validated. I feel pretty good about life right about now.
At 5:51 am local time deputy first minister Nicola Sturgeon admitted that the referendum had been defeated. And I could finally go to bed knowing the result (which obviously that hasn't happened yet). so in the UK a new day has dawned and they are still together, and according to Alastair Darling they are "better together".
Now comes the struggle, does Parliament give Scotland more autonomy because they stayed? and what does this mean for the rest of the UK that doesn't necessarily identify as English? will they do the same in coming years? It's an interesting topic for debate.
For now, let the world let out the breath it's been holding for 2 years, ever since this referendum was announced. I know I can breathe a little bit better and I've only been researching for a year. Honestly Scotland and the UK have a pretty good little relationship, why separate yourself from that economic and political steadiness and into an upheaval where you have to come up with an entirely different government and a new form of money (because you can't take the pound with you and you're not a member of the EU, so no Euro). They were setting themselves up for more problems that they would solve.
That debate is closed and the Scottish people have spoken. They are okay with being a part of the UK. So everyone take a breather and lets learn from this and move on with life and to the bigger fish we have to fry in the world!
**once again this is an opinion piece. Don't take anything as pure fact BECAUSE IT ISN'T****
Sources:
http://www.bbc.com/news/live/uk-scotland-29130277
and several cnn articles as well . . . .
Friday, August 29, 2014
IS, ISIS, ISIL . . . that thing everyone (including me) is and should be worried about
Okay, so yesterday I touched on ISIS and when I say touched I mean it. I didn't even begin to scratch the surface of this 'organization' or whatever it is. I don't even understand half of what they are and what they are doing, but I do know one thing. They are dangerous.
Why? why are they dangerous? Well I'd like to point out their recruitment policies first of all. And also their massive presence on the web . . . and the way they perceive themselves.
Recruitment Policies . . . if one could call them that
First of all they are recruiting all over the place. Everyone from a 3 year old who can hardly handle the gun they place in his hands, to Americans, English, Bulgarian and so many others. It's kind of scary what they are doing. Okay, not even kind of, really scary what they are doing. The United States Government, specifically the FBI has been tracking American's that leave their country to go fight for ISIS. It's kind of scary to think that we have people in this very country who are willing to desert their country. They are willing to desert this land of so many freedoms and liberties, to go fight for a 'state' that wants to rule the Muslim world. an organization that has no qualms about beheading people or shooting them at close range. One of the scariest things is that we don't know all the people who have left to join ISIS so they could conceivably come back into this country and create a sleeper cell, or some unthinkable form of havoc because it is simply impossible to track everyone who joins them. We do know that two Americans fighting for ISIS have already been killed fighting for this terrorist group.
But honestly we here in America don't have quite the problem that those in Europe are having. Yes we've had close to a hundred leave this country for them, but Britain has had several hundred and other countries such as Jordan are seeing thousands. It's a rather frightening reality. This group has a magic that allows them to portray themselves as a good, humanitarian group who is just trying to help the people of a beleaguered Syria and Iraq who simply want stability.
The Islamic State starts young too. They are already indoctrinating children who are too young to understand what they are doing. These young kids are being taught IS ideology and how to handle weapons almost bigger than they are. One of the hardest things about an organization like this is that people who 'convert' can quickly become disillusioned, but people who grow up learning a certain way of thinking often don't lose it and it's a lot harder to convince them that the good willed, benevolent god-father they knew all their lives was actually a terrible force that threatened and killed many innocent people. In fact Brigitte Gabriel a U.S. journalist who grew up in Lebanon during the war and is a terrorism expert stated in her book Because They Hate that: "When humans become devoid of compassion, a sense of forgiveness, and open-mindedness, when they surrender their humanity to hate, they become an evil force of darkness that is irreconcilable with hope, love, and peace." Now I don't believe that every person who ever was indoctrinated into a terrorist organization or something of that nature is irreconcilable to hope and love, but I do believe that once someone thinks a certain way and has it in their head that a certain entity or type of people just is a certain way it is VERY hard to convince them that just the opposite is true.
But one of the most interesting and once again terrifying things about ISIS is that they actually can provide stability in this war torn region.
Quick history lesson, if you've lived under the ignorant-about-world-events rock (that's not a bad thing, I just can't understand it). Syria is going on 4 years of civil war that has left the country a very difficult place in which to feel safe. The Free Syrian Army has been trying to oust Assad (the Syrian President) for years. And the U.S. has been all for it. Now we have to make a decision because Assad is willing to band with the United States against I.S. but will that be counterproductive to our previous agendas? We'll see, it's an interesting decision Mr. Obama and his cohorts have to make. Which is the greater problem? That's the real question. But since I'm not a politician it's probably a whole lot more complicated than that.
Anyway, so Syria is not stable in any sense of the word. But IS has taken over about a third of Syria and some of Iraq and the problem now is that their areas are stable and they are able to control them. So that's even more scary. Because this faux government is more comfortable for the people and people are actually moving into the areas where the Islamic State is in control. Like my International Relations Professor said yesterday "Any bully can take territory, but it is magic for them to be able to keep and rule it" and the Islamic State seems to have that magic. Yet another frightening tic on their rap sheet.
ISIS uses Media
I know shocking, but it's just how they use it is what gets everyone's attention. think about Mr. Foley. How did we see that video? Media. How did we know that yesterday morning ISIS executed about 250 Syrian Soldiers? Media. How did we know that the car bombs and building bombs that killed some and injured others only a few days ago was ISIS? Media. They have a awesome command of media and getting word out about the things that they are trying to accomplish. It's terribly frightening. A lot of the terror in the areas where they are is because of the things ISIS is putting on Media. Isn't it fascinating that media has such a power over all of us? think about the things you see on Facebook or Pinterest or Instagram or Twitter. Do you believe all the 'facts' people put on there? what if they are false? do you bother to double check or do you take it for "what it is". Media has a very strong hold over all of us and we sometimes don't even realize it. so ISIS using media to increase the terror of what they are doing to some and the 'peace' they are spreading to those they want to join them. It's an awesome task and the mastery they have over media is something else. That else being something terrifying.
Their Idea of themselves
ISIS is the name that the world at large tends to use for this group. It means the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, and ISIL tends to be the name the United States uses to refer to them the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (see President Obama's speech on not have a strategy yet, but working on it because this is a real threat). But this group actually refers to themselves as the Islamic State, which is actually rather profound. it reveals some of their goals. They don't just want to have territory in Iraq an Syria, what they really want is to rule the Muslim World. it's a threat to mostly stable Iran and all surrounding countries. they have already established themselves as a caliphate, with a caliph (a religious and political leader). They are very serious about being a world power. they see themselves as a nation all ready and have no respect for current international boundaries, because to them those boundaries are nonexistent. The fact is that the Muslim extremist world has always posed a threat. at to say that it's just Muslim extremists that pose threats isn't exactly correct. because extremists of every type and kind pose threats every day. You have to be careful, because all Muslims are not extremist and they don't want american's to die, that's a very few, but even a few is significant. Anyway. This new Islamic state could pose a significant threat to the world at large, because they are literally executing any one who is not living the Shari'a law the way that they think it needs to be followed. So it's a tough world and tough situation.
The Horrors
IS is really ruling through a lot of terror, and there is some serious persuasion as well, but terror seems to be one of their primary tools. I mean they make 13-year-old boys watch executions by beheading and others by crucifixion. They execute people to make points. ex. James Foley and a recent Kurdish soldier who was killed simply to make a point. They leave others on display just to hammer their point home. It's a tough world they live in and you do NOT want to get on the wrong side of them. Which seemingly America has. in fact the Kurdish man was used as a point to 'encourage' the Kurdish Government not to involve themselves with the United States in trying to fight them. ISIS uses video to its fullest extent in trying to dissuade some and simply to spread the fear.
ISIS, ISIL, IS. Whatever you call it it is not something you can simply brush off. We must begin to take note of what is going on in this world. Because IS is NOT going to simply disappear because we pretend it doesn't exist. It does exist, it is a real threat. And somehow the world will have to find a solution, and that solution may not lay with the United States, it may lay with a unified Iraq and a unified Syria. And maybe this is the threat that finally brings unity to those two torn countries. Time will only tell.
Sources:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2736355/Islamic-State-ISIS-ISIL-Why-doesnt-matter-call-brutal-al-Qaeda-offshoot-boasts-80-000-jihadists.html
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Security-Watch/terrorism-security/2014/0829/Islamic-State-steps-up-propaganda-videos-beheading-another-captive
http://edition.cnn.com/2014/08/28/world/meast/syria-isis-atrocities-boy/index.html?iref=allsearch
http://edition.cnn.com/video/?/video/world/2014/08/28/pkg-paton-walsh-isis-children.cnn&video_referrer=
http://edition.cnn.com/2014/08/28/us/syria-americans-killed/index.html?hpt=hp_c1
******Disclaimer*******
This is an opinion piece, the facts are true to the best of my knowledge. but what is not strictly fact is my opinion, so take it as such.
Why? why are they dangerous? Well I'd like to point out their recruitment policies first of all. And also their massive presence on the web . . . and the way they perceive themselves.
Recruitment Policies . . . if one could call them that
First of all they are recruiting all over the place. Everyone from a 3 year old who can hardly handle the gun they place in his hands, to Americans, English, Bulgarian and so many others. It's kind of scary what they are doing. Okay, not even kind of, really scary what they are doing. The United States Government, specifically the FBI has been tracking American's that leave their country to go fight for ISIS. It's kind of scary to think that we have people in this very country who are willing to desert their country. They are willing to desert this land of so many freedoms and liberties, to go fight for a 'state' that wants to rule the Muslim world. an organization that has no qualms about beheading people or shooting them at close range. One of the scariest things is that we don't know all the people who have left to join ISIS so they could conceivably come back into this country and create a sleeper cell, or some unthinkable form of havoc because it is simply impossible to track everyone who joins them. We do know that two Americans fighting for ISIS have already been killed fighting for this terrorist group.
But honestly we here in America don't have quite the problem that those in Europe are having. Yes we've had close to a hundred leave this country for them, but Britain has had several hundred and other countries such as Jordan are seeing thousands. It's a rather frightening reality. This group has a magic that allows them to portray themselves as a good, humanitarian group who is just trying to help the people of a beleaguered Syria and Iraq who simply want stability.
The Islamic State starts young too. They are already indoctrinating children who are too young to understand what they are doing. These young kids are being taught IS ideology and how to handle weapons almost bigger than they are. One of the hardest things about an organization like this is that people who 'convert' can quickly become disillusioned, but people who grow up learning a certain way of thinking often don't lose it and it's a lot harder to convince them that the good willed, benevolent god-father they knew all their lives was actually a terrible force that threatened and killed many innocent people. In fact Brigitte Gabriel a U.S. journalist who grew up in Lebanon during the war and is a terrorism expert stated in her book Because They Hate that: "When humans become devoid of compassion, a sense of forgiveness, and open-mindedness, when they surrender their humanity to hate, they become an evil force of darkness that is irreconcilable with hope, love, and peace." Now I don't believe that every person who ever was indoctrinated into a terrorist organization or something of that nature is irreconcilable to hope and love, but I do believe that once someone thinks a certain way and has it in their head that a certain entity or type of people just is a certain way it is VERY hard to convince them that just the opposite is true.
But one of the most interesting and once again terrifying things about ISIS is that they actually can provide stability in this war torn region.
Quick history lesson, if you've lived under the ignorant-about-world-events rock (that's not a bad thing, I just can't understand it). Syria is going on 4 years of civil war that has left the country a very difficult place in which to feel safe. The Free Syrian Army has been trying to oust Assad (the Syrian President) for years. And the U.S. has been all for it. Now we have to make a decision because Assad is willing to band with the United States against I.S. but will that be counterproductive to our previous agendas? We'll see, it's an interesting decision Mr. Obama and his cohorts have to make. Which is the greater problem? That's the real question. But since I'm not a politician it's probably a whole lot more complicated than that.
Anyway, so Syria is not stable in any sense of the word. But IS has taken over about a third of Syria and some of Iraq and the problem now is that their areas are stable and they are able to control them. So that's even more scary. Because this faux government is more comfortable for the people and people are actually moving into the areas where the Islamic State is in control. Like my International Relations Professor said yesterday "Any bully can take territory, but it is magic for them to be able to keep and rule it" and the Islamic State seems to have that magic. Yet another frightening tic on their rap sheet.
ISIS uses Media
I know shocking, but it's just how they use it is what gets everyone's attention. think about Mr. Foley. How did we see that video? Media. How did we know that yesterday morning ISIS executed about 250 Syrian Soldiers? Media. How did we know that the car bombs and building bombs that killed some and injured others only a few days ago was ISIS? Media. They have a awesome command of media and getting word out about the things that they are trying to accomplish. It's terribly frightening. A lot of the terror in the areas where they are is because of the things ISIS is putting on Media. Isn't it fascinating that media has such a power over all of us? think about the things you see on Facebook or Pinterest or Instagram or Twitter. Do you believe all the 'facts' people put on there? what if they are false? do you bother to double check or do you take it for "what it is". Media has a very strong hold over all of us and we sometimes don't even realize it. so ISIS using media to increase the terror of what they are doing to some and the 'peace' they are spreading to those they want to join them. It's an awesome task and the mastery they have over media is something else. That else being something terrifying.
Their Idea of themselves
ISIS is the name that the world at large tends to use for this group. It means the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, and ISIL tends to be the name the United States uses to refer to them the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (see President Obama's speech on not have a strategy yet, but working on it because this is a real threat). But this group actually refers to themselves as the Islamic State, which is actually rather profound. it reveals some of their goals. They don't just want to have territory in Iraq an Syria, what they really want is to rule the Muslim World. it's a threat to mostly stable Iran and all surrounding countries. they have already established themselves as a caliphate, with a caliph (a religious and political leader). They are very serious about being a world power. they see themselves as a nation all ready and have no respect for current international boundaries, because to them those boundaries are nonexistent. The fact is that the Muslim extremist world has always posed a threat. at to say that it's just Muslim extremists that pose threats isn't exactly correct. because extremists of every type and kind pose threats every day. You have to be careful, because all Muslims are not extremist and they don't want american's to die, that's a very few, but even a few is significant. Anyway. This new Islamic state could pose a significant threat to the world at large, because they are literally executing any one who is not living the Shari'a law the way that they think it needs to be followed. So it's a tough world and tough situation.
The Horrors
IS is really ruling through a lot of terror, and there is some serious persuasion as well, but terror seems to be one of their primary tools. I mean they make 13-year-old boys watch executions by beheading and others by crucifixion. They execute people to make points. ex. James Foley and a recent Kurdish soldier who was killed simply to make a point. They leave others on display just to hammer their point home. It's a tough world they live in and you do NOT want to get on the wrong side of them. Which seemingly America has. in fact the Kurdish man was used as a point to 'encourage' the Kurdish Government not to involve themselves with the United States in trying to fight them. ISIS uses video to its fullest extent in trying to dissuade some and simply to spread the fear.
ISIS, ISIL, IS. Whatever you call it it is not something you can simply brush off. We must begin to take note of what is going on in this world. Because IS is NOT going to simply disappear because we pretend it doesn't exist. It does exist, it is a real threat. And somehow the world will have to find a solution, and that solution may not lay with the United States, it may lay with a unified Iraq and a unified Syria. And maybe this is the threat that finally brings unity to those two torn countries. Time will only tell.
Sources:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2736355/Islamic-State-ISIS-ISIL-Why-doesnt-matter-call-brutal-al-Qaeda-offshoot-boasts-80-000-jihadists.html
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Security-Watch/terrorism-security/2014/0829/Islamic-State-steps-up-propaganda-videos-beheading-another-captive
http://edition.cnn.com/2014/08/28/world/meast/syria-isis-atrocities-boy/index.html?iref=allsearch
http://edition.cnn.com/video/?/video/world/2014/08/28/pkg-paton-walsh-isis-children.cnn&video_referrer=
http://edition.cnn.com/2014/08/28/us/syria-americans-killed/index.html?hpt=hp_c1
******Disclaimer*******
This is an opinion piece, the facts are true to the best of my knowledge. but what is not strictly fact is my opinion, so take it as such.
Thursday, August 28, 2014
ISIS: sometimes the world astonishes me
So ISIS that Islamic terrorist group that is choking up my news feed and causing me to have worries for the world. They are now referring to themselves as IS (Islamic State) according to Vice News. they are a terrorist group based out chiefly out of Syria. They have gone to immense costs to inflict harm and pain on others. A lot of this has been in an attempt to curtail the United States involvement in the Middle Eastern countries such as Syria, at also because they want to reestablish the caliphates, which is their primary goal.
You may be aware of what happened to reporter Jim Foley last week. If not let me catch you up. Reporter Jim Foley was captured awhile back. In 2012. ISIS didn't exist back then so we know that he must have changed hands at some point and become ISIS's prisoner instead of that of whoever capture him in the first place. I know crazy how this world of terrorism/international politics works. Anyway. So last week a video was published, pictured in the video is a orange clad Jim Foley kneeling on the ground while next to him stands a ISIS member dressed all in black with a knife in hand. The ISIS member goes into a diatribe about American Forces and such the like, and then it cuts for a brief moment and then the insurgent wields the knife and Foley's head is gone. That's the kind of atrocities ISIS handles. Can you even imagine? I can't bring myself to even look for the actual video of Mr. Foley's murder. I can only handle the news stories, but I cannot even imagine what this man went through. Much controversy has arisen over this video because the insurgent that goes into the diatribe does so in English and in an accent that many are identifying as from London and the England area. So they have tried to identify him. but also they have found that the insurgent who does the actual killing is not the same as who does the talking. it's fascinating stuff, go read the news articles, because that's not what I wanted to talk about. (CNN has some good ones, especially if you designate you want the International version).
What I really wanted to talk about is the similarities I'm seeing from ISIS to other "World terrors" I guess is how you could put it.
Recently on Vice news I read a story in which it described the executions ISIS holds in the areas it controls every Friday. they inform the inhabitants of the areas that there will be executions and encourage them to attend. Sometimes they force people on the street to come and witness these executions. Children have been front row as these executions took place. At they weren't pretty by any means. Executions are either beheadings (not pretty, see the French Revolution and Madame Guillotine), or close range shootings in the head (also not pretty). Children and innocents are being forced to watch this go down. I cannot even imagine, or recreate this horrifying experience in my head. Besides public executions they will hang the bodies, sometimes on crucifixes for up to three days at a time, just to make a point.
But it sort of reminds me of things like the French Revolution. and The Romans who hated the Christians. IS is not necessarily soemthing we want in our world, but they are following the same pattern. Following a pattern of fear that will hopefully turn into obeisance. I mean come on, ISIS has a PR guy. for real, they do. Also a lot of what we hear from them, how they take credit for mass killings like the one this morning, or how we saw the video of Jim Foley. it's all from the website or other social media sites.
I see so many different ties in what they are doing to what regimes and people have done in the past it's kind of crazy. but I only see glimmers since my knowledge of in depth history is sketchy. But I'm still learning. And after all, I'm just a College kid.
Sources:
https://news.vice.com/article/details-of-american-woman-being-held-by-the-islamic-state-emerge
http://edition.cnn.com/2014/08/25/world/meast/james-foley-killer-five-clues/index.html?iref=allsearch
http://edition.cnn.com/2014/08/19/world/meast/isis-james-foley/index.html?iref=allsearch
Disclaimer: I am a college student starting out in the political and international world. I know how to research and I don't like twisting the facts, so if there are facts, I will back them up with sources. But my personal opinions are just that. Opinions. And therefore you probably shouldn't take those as true or relevant. They are just my OPINIONS.
You may be aware of what happened to reporter Jim Foley last week. If not let me catch you up. Reporter Jim Foley was captured awhile back. In 2012. ISIS didn't exist back then so we know that he must have changed hands at some point and become ISIS's prisoner instead of that of whoever capture him in the first place. I know crazy how this world of terrorism/international politics works. Anyway. So last week a video was published, pictured in the video is a orange clad Jim Foley kneeling on the ground while next to him stands a ISIS member dressed all in black with a knife in hand. The ISIS member goes into a diatribe about American Forces and such the like, and then it cuts for a brief moment and then the insurgent wields the knife and Foley's head is gone. That's the kind of atrocities ISIS handles. Can you even imagine? I can't bring myself to even look for the actual video of Mr. Foley's murder. I can only handle the news stories, but I cannot even imagine what this man went through. Much controversy has arisen over this video because the insurgent that goes into the diatribe does so in English and in an accent that many are identifying as from London and the England area. So they have tried to identify him. but also they have found that the insurgent who does the actual killing is not the same as who does the talking. it's fascinating stuff, go read the news articles, because that's not what I wanted to talk about. (CNN has some good ones, especially if you designate you want the International version).
What I really wanted to talk about is the similarities I'm seeing from ISIS to other "World terrors" I guess is how you could put it.
Recently on Vice news I read a story in which it described the executions ISIS holds in the areas it controls every Friday. they inform the inhabitants of the areas that there will be executions and encourage them to attend. Sometimes they force people on the street to come and witness these executions. Children have been front row as these executions took place. At they weren't pretty by any means. Executions are either beheadings (not pretty, see the French Revolution and Madame Guillotine), or close range shootings in the head (also not pretty). Children and innocents are being forced to watch this go down. I cannot even imagine, or recreate this horrifying experience in my head. Besides public executions they will hang the bodies, sometimes on crucifixes for up to three days at a time, just to make a point.
But it sort of reminds me of things like the French Revolution. and The Romans who hated the Christians. IS is not necessarily soemthing we want in our world, but they are following the same pattern. Following a pattern of fear that will hopefully turn into obeisance. I mean come on, ISIS has a PR guy. for real, they do. Also a lot of what we hear from them, how they take credit for mass killings like the one this morning, or how we saw the video of Jim Foley. it's all from the website or other social media sites.
I see so many different ties in what they are doing to what regimes and people have done in the past it's kind of crazy. but I only see glimmers since my knowledge of in depth history is sketchy. But I'm still learning. And after all, I'm just a College kid.
Sources:
https://news.vice.com/article/details-of-american-woman-being-held-by-the-islamic-state-emerge
http://edition.cnn.com/2014/08/25/world/meast/james-foley-killer-five-clues/index.html?iref=allsearch
http://edition.cnn.com/2014/08/19/world/meast/isis-james-foley/index.html?iref=allsearch
Disclaimer: I am a college student starting out in the political and international world. I know how to research and I don't like twisting the facts, so if there are facts, I will back them up with sources. But my personal opinions are just that. Opinions. And therefore you probably shouldn't take those as true or relevant. They are just my OPINIONS.
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