text:
El Salvador’s Constitutional Court Invalidates Amnesty Law

 Naomi Roht-Arriaza

President of the Board of Directors of DPLF

Professor at Hastings College of Law, University of California

Versión en español

El Salvador mural

After years of deliberations, the Constitutional Chamber of El Salvador’s Supreme Court ruled on July 13 that the country’s 1993 amnesty law is unconstitutional and must be stricken. The 4-1 decision, although long expected, has caused uproar in El Salvador, where neither side in the civil war has been supportive of prosecutions for past crimes and where rampant criminality and insecurity are present-day scourges. The four-person majority of judges Sidney Blanco, Florentín Meléndez, Rodolfo González and Eliseo Ortiz, grounded the decision in the rights of the victims to access to justice, to judicial protection of fundamental rights, and to full reparations. It makes extensive use of international law, especially the jurisprudence of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. It will provide new hope for the long-suffering victims of the country’s twelve-year civil war, but will also complicate the country’s politics and challenge a weak and compromised prosecutors’ office.

The complaint was brought by a number of NGO representatives and victims of rights violations, alleging that the amnesty law was illegally passed and violated El Salvador’s international commitments and constitution. The 1993 amnesty was passed to deal with the crimes of both sides in a civil war that cost some 75,000 lives. The amnesty was passed just three days after a U.N. sponsored Truth Commission issued its report. The Commission found that most of the massacres, assassinations, forced disappearances and torture committed had been carried out by the armed forces or by death squads connected to them.

The text of the decision

The Court first dismissed the procedural illegality argument, but used the occasion to note that the amnesty was not, as the Prosecutors’ office argued, a part of the peace accords that ended the civil war. On the contrary, those accords had stressed the need to end impunity for human rights violations. The Court thus confronted head-on one of the central myths of the country’s political classes, that amnesty was required by the peace accords. Rather, the Court held that the legislature had to balance the need for reconciliation with the need for justice for the victims. It cited with approval in this regard the 1992 Law of National Reconciliation, which provided amnesty for political crimes, but expressly excluded “grave violent events from January 1, 1980 on, which have left their mark on society, and demand the most urgent public knowledge of the truth” that were mentioned by the U.N.-backed Truth Commission.

In its July 13 judgment, the Court held that the amnesty is unconstitutional as applied to all crimes against humanity and those war crimes that violate the fundamental guarantees of Protocol II of the Geneva Conventions, committed by either side in the conflict. The amnesty violates the country’s international obligations to investigate and prosecute under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the American Convention on Human Rights, Protocol II, and the constitutional right of the victim of a crime to civil damages and to judicial protection of fundamental rights. Regarding war crimes, although Protocol II calls for the “widest possible amnesty,” that provision must be read in light of all the country’s international obligations, and the amnesty cannot be absolute. With respect to crimes against humanity, those crimes are by definition not subject to amnesty or statutes of limitations and are subject to universal jurisdiction.

To potential critics who argue that peace processes require different rules from other types of transitions (see, for example, Judge Garcia Sayán’s concurrence in the Inter-American Court’s El Mozote case) the Court explained that while a certain “margin of appreciation” was allowed in the implementation of punishments based on the degree of responsibility of the perpetrators and even based on transitional justice considerations, that doesn’t mean that legislators could ignore the commitments and basic constitutional and international obligations of the State with respect to the judicial protection of rights.

The Court had ruled in 2000 that the amnesty law could not stand in the way of investigating and prosecuting cases that involved violations of fundamental human rights. The Prosecutors Office never took up that invitation to interpret the amnesty law as limited in human rights-related cases. The current decision laments the fact that its earlier holding didn’t have the desired effect of opening investigations, that apparently an interpretative move was insufficient to overcome impunity, and that therefore a declaration of absolute unconstitutionality was needed.

The decision adds to the extensive regional and international jurisprudence on liability for international crimes. It refers to the existence of an organized apparatus of power that not only ordered or committed atrocious crimes, but did so as part of a pattern of criminality, rather than as isolated cases. Therefore, penal responsibility extends to the direct perpetrators, those who gave orders and those who, in positions of command, could have avoided the crimes and did not. The Court calls on the authorities to prioritize and organize the cases accordingly.

It also reaches the same conclusion as other courts with respect to statutes of limitations. On statutes of limitations, the Court finds that the non-applicability of statutes of limitations for war crimes and crimes against humanity is now both customary law and a rule of jus cogens, and doesn’t depend on a State having ratified the UN Conventions on the subject. To the argument that whatever its current status, that norm had not crystallized at the start of the civil war, the Court refers to the language of Protocol II: breaches that are prohibited “at all times” implies that temporal limitations on their prosecution do not apply. And moreover, the statute of limitations would have been tolled in any case by the inability to prosecute from 1993 until now.

Dissenting judge Belarmino Jaime rehearsed some of the common arguments against invalidating amnesties. He began by agreeing with the majority that terrible human rights violations were committed, and should be punished. However, he argued that the Court had overstepped its jurisdictional authority and ignored areas of constitutional law. His argument was, first, political: the legislature had good reasons to pass both an amnesty and to undo the 1993 amnesty risks reopening conflict. El Salvador did enact a law declaring no statute of limitations on certain grave crimes, but they did so only prospectively and in 1996.

The decision to allow reopening of cases that would otherwise be subject to an expired statute of limitations is contrary to the constitutional principle of legality (non-retroactivity of law), he argued. Some crimes can be imprescriptible, but the declaration of imprescriptibility cannot itself have retroactive effects. Moreover, the judgment constitutes in practice an annulment of the law rather than a declaration of unconstitutionality, and this Court has no power to annul the law with retroactive effect. It also constitutes a violation of judicial security and ne bis in idem, in that potential defendants had a due process right to rely on the closing of their cases due to the amnesty law. Not doing so violated the rule against double jeopardy, and the penal law rule that when there is a change in the law during the course of a proceeding, the law most favorable to the defendant prevails. Nor did the majority take into account El Salvador’s reservation to its acceptance of the jurisdiction of the Inter-American Court, which expressly limited jurisdiction to future acts or laws. It ignored the reservation even while treating international law as directly applicable, when it is actually just an interpretative aid to constitutional law.

As to the right to the truth and reparations, the dissenting judge argues that these can and should be untied from criminal prosecutions. Even if prosecutions do not go forward, the state can and should develop a reparations program (citing decisions from Colombia and Peru on the subject).

Now what?

With the annulment of the 1993 law, the Court specified that the earlier 1992 National Reconciliation Law governs, to the extent it is consistent with the current judgment. Prosecutors should prioritize those cases cited in the Truth Commission report, as well as those others of equal or greater gravity and importance, that can be imputed to either party in the war, and that have been the subject of investigation and indictment by the proper authorities.  This gives rise to some ambiguity: while most of the cases discussed in the Truth Commission report have a record of proceedings that was closed when the amnesty law was passed, it is unclear what happens to those cases that have no preliminary proceedings, or even no complaint. The Court makes clear that the cases that do have initial investigations should be reopened and pursued, that the legislature may not pass a new limitation on prosecution of these cases, and that defendants may not raise claims of settled expectations or ex post facto law to defeat investigations and prosecutions. In addition, the Court affirms that those cases involving state actors during the presidential period in which the amnesty was passed, that is, 1989-93, cannot be amnestied under Art. 244 of the Constitution.

The Truth Commission’s mandate was to pursue grave acts of violence, not to legally determine whether these violated international criminal law. It received 23,000 testimonies, which resulted in a list of 13, 569 cases that needed investigation. Its report discussed 32 cases in detail. The Truth Commission report, however, makes clear that it is detailing “illustrative” cases, and its report by no means exhausts the number of similar incidents that took place in the context of the armed conflict. Thus, the Court could not limit its decision only to the cases named in the report. One way to read the decision is as a map for prosecutors to prioritize those cases mentioned by the Truth Commission, while not shutting completely the door to others. The Court thus tries to answer the objection that, especially given the glut of current cases, reopening all possible cases of crimes against humanity and war crimes would overwhelm the courts. It remains to be seen whether the Prosecutors’ Office will take the hint, or will deliberately atomize and disperse the cases into thousands of individual events.

The Court calls on the legislature to facilitate access to information about the crimes, make available the necessary resources to investigate, prosecute and punish those responsible for the crimes, and make possible true and integral reparations. It also indicates that judges may issue reparations awards as part of criminal sentences. The insistence on reparations measures will hopefully jumpstart the government’s fitful efforts at reparations, which have stalled on a lack of adequate budget and political commitment.

A long, hard road lies ahead. The government has said that it supports the Court’s decision, which is not reviewable. However, military spokespeople and politicians are already warning of witchhunts and chaos. The Prosecutors office defended the amnesty law before the Court, and has used it as a shield to avoid bringing cases. It will no longer have that shield, but without adequate budget and security for prosecutors, judges and witnesses, the Court’s decision may not translate into action. Moreover, serious investigations of complex crimes will require the creation of a special investigative unit like those used in other Latin American countries, including neighboring Guatemala. So far, it is not clear that the current prosecutor has the appetite to set up such a unit.

Both sides have worried that a reopening of cases will reach the economic and political elite of the major political parties, with unpredictable results. Many elite voices have called on the authorities to prioritize current gang warfare, widespread extortion and organized crime, and corruption cases above the now 20+ year old cases arising from the war. However, the vicious methods used by criminal organizations, the heavy-handed police response, and the lack of attention to civilian victims are, at least in part, legacies of the war. The impunity for crimes of the past facilitates impunity for current crimes. By breaking the former, it may be easier to attack the latter. At least that is the hope that this decision provides.

About Justicia en las Américas

Este es un espacio de la Fundación para el Debido Proceso (DPLF, por sus siglas en inglés) en el que también colaboran las personas y organizaciones comprometidas con la vigencia de los derechos humanos en el continente americano. Aquí encontrará información y análisis sobre los principales debates y sucesos relacionados con la promoción del Estado de Derecho, los derechos humanos, la independencia judicial y el fortalecimiento de la democracia en América Latina. Este blog refleja las opiniones personales de los autores en sus capacidades individuales. Las publicaciones no representan necesariamente a las posiciones institucionales de DPLF o los integrantes de su junta directiva. / This blog is managed by the Due Process of Law Foundation (DPLF) and contains content written by people and organizations that are committed to the protection of human rights in Latin America. This space provides information and analysis on current debates and events regarding the rule of law, human rights, judicial independence, and the strengthening of democracy in the region. The blog reflects the personal views of the individual authors, in their individual capacities. Blog posts do not necessarily represent the institutional positions of DPLF or its board.

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Welcome to Dragon Cave! Dragon Cave is an online adoptables game. Collect eggs, raise them to adulthood, and then breed them to create interesting lineages. New types of dragons are added regularly!

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Young dragons are relatively defenseless. They are born with relatively soft scales, which are shed and replaced with harder ones as the hatchling matures. Once a hatchling’s wings grow in, it marks the beginning of maturation. At this point they are often capable of hunting on their own and are usually left alone by their mother.

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Dream Feat – Deepak Muraleedharan

This week we’re speaking with Deepak Muraleedharan from Kochi. His dream is to use gaming as a platform to help solve social and medical issues, hence creating Joconoi Solutions. We talked to him to learn more about how his idea on how gaming could help people around the world.

Dream:IN: Hi Deepak, Can you give us an overall picture of what ‘Joconoi Solutions’ does?
Deepak: We are a gaming company with an ideology of using game mechanics to solve real life social problems. We believe the gaming industry has that power to become something great. As our flagship project, we are “gamifying” the special needs sector, and are developing a game+hardware solution for children & adults with autism, spectrum disorder, ADHD, and learning disabilities. India has more than 10 million children people with special needs attention, so this is much bigger issue than we think.

Dream:IN: What does ‘Joconoi’ mean, and how did you come up with this name for your software/gaming company?
Deepak: “Joconoi” means gameboy in the Catalan language, so the meaning is “a gaming boy’s solution”. Because I am a hardcore gamer, and a designer by profession, I’ve done branding for several companies and I’m usually the one who find names for all of them. So what we did is we tried to look for words that we want in other languages so that there won’t be any “.com”/registration issues, and I was seeking for a name that’s not there, so we finalized “Joconoi Solutions”.

Dream:IN: How exactly do the games your company create help change lives?
Deepak: The games we create are helping children (at first), in many ways. Our concentration is on academics, social behavior, biofeedback, communication, along with art. We divide our games in to phases, such as if you have a 6 or an 8 year old child, they would have to go through a separate series of training. Our unique way of making content is that we have prominent people in the special needs field, teachers, parents, PhD holders, and even kids, who are helping us to design these games. We never copy anything from the web.

Dream:IN: Can you expand more on how your games can help the autism community? And other children with learning disabilities?
Children with autism have a very hard time concentrating on “bookish methods” of learning. By introducing affordable, interactive learning technology, their attention span will increase, which they can learn by having fun. The way we teach them syllabus-based subjects is very unique; the method has been developed by teachers with more than 25 years of experience. Additionally, all the content is available in local languages which will help them to understand. Because there are more children with different sensory issues, our games are purely customizable to the core, so the parent & teacher can use their imagination in action and help the kids more.

Dream:IN: What ‘turned the light bulb on’ for you? What gave you the idea to start this venture?
Deepak: I will say, the idea just came to me really. It all started from an interview on a TV channel, (I am not a big fan of TV’s, but I know games have lot more potential than we think). The interview was about a “not-so-famous” singer/celebrity, who is doing music therapy to children with AUTISM. It’s the first time I heard that word, so I become curious and listened to the interview fully. For 3 weeks, I stopped thinking about it, but then I heard my distant relative sister has a PhD in autism. I began researching about autism for many days and then I realized the potential market behind it and went on to construct an idea around it.

Dream:IN: How did you find the idea that gaming could be used in a positive way to change lives?
Deepak: Actually if u think about it, everything we do is a game:

– exams are sort of games, we have to complete a task in the given time.
– going to office : do a task, in a given time, by tackling some obstacles and reach your destination.

When u think of life, our one day is like a level, we are beating each level to reach a long time goal, the only difference is, you don’t have an endless life, if u die, game over.

Like that, the way teachers take class to special needs children is a game, they just don’t realize it that’s all, and in my research I came to know technology can make a big impact. In fact sometimes teachers will make their own games to teach children.

Dream:IN: When did you start enjoying games? Also, what’s your favorite games to play?
I started playing games when I was in 2nd standard. I played close to almost 200 games in my life till now, and still counting.

My favorite game ? I like all games, I worked for 1 year as beta game tester for gamesprout.com. Games are like oxygen to me. Every day, I will play at least one level of a game before I sleep.

Dream:IN:  How can people view your games? Is there a way for people to test out the games?
Deepak: Yes, people can test it by Feb 2015. We are looking for investment now, our prototyping is almost complete, and we have a very good response from parents.

Deepak Muraleedharan, Founder of ‘Joconoi Solutions’

Dream:IN: If a reader knows someone with a learning disability or autism, is there a way they can get a copy of the game or get involved with your venture?
Deepak: Yes you can mail me at iamdeepakmurali@gmail.com. This I my personal id,  anyone who has interest can contact me. We welcome new ideas also.

Dream:IN: Do you have plans for new games in the future?
Deepak: Yes we are planning in a big way, after this we are coming to make every ones brain healthier

Dream:IN: What other problems would you like to solve with your games?
Deepak: There are so many! We have found problems in more than 20 sectors, to solve with games.

Dream:IN: Where would you like Joconoi Solutions to be in the next 5 years?
Deepak: The future is very bright and strong! We would like to extend Joconoi to many sectors, such as wearable’s, toys, board games, and artificial intelligence are just some of them. We like to “customize the future for the mass”.

Dream:IN: What’s next in the near future for ‘Joconoi Solutions’? What should we keep an eye out for?
Deepak: Games that can interact, and be your best friend. Games which can transform your surroundings into levels, play and earn real-time rewards.

Dream:IN:  Do you enjoy entrepreneurship? Would you ever go back and do it differently?
Deepak: I love entrepreneurship, it’s like a game you play in a hard mode. If I can’t make it, I will try harder and smarter to make that happen! I never quit any game! One day I played a level of a game called ‘DARKSIDE 2’ for two days, and then I finally did it!

Dream:IN: If people want to learn more, stay up-to-date, or follow ‘Joconoi Solutions’, what’s the best way they can stay connected?
Deepak: Mail me directly, I like to chat and meet new people.

Dream:IN: What tips do you have for other budding entrepreneurs who are just starting out?
Deepak: We are still a budding company, so I don’t think it’s appropriate to give tips but, NEVER QUIT!!

Dream:IN: Fun answers, thank you for your time Deepak!

Dream Feat – Mind Dots

We spoke to Durga, the co-founder and tech-team lead, of Mind Dots an app-development company, based here in Bangalore.

durga_photo (1)

Dream:IN: Hi Durga, Thanks for speaking with us today. Can you give us an overall picture of what Mind Dots does?
Durga: Mind Dots is a product engineering firm, with focus on api integration, cloud data automation and apps development for Smart TV, Google Glass, Watch and other Smart devices. MindPulpy automates, sync’s up the data, task between cloud applications, aggregates, manipulate, simplifies and mashup content from around the web’s api, gets data from any web protocol/authentication, method and convert into a developer friendly urls and built apps for multiple devices using Apps builder. Here is the platform url http://mindapp-pulpy.rhcloud.com/

Dream:IN: What was your “aha!” moment and knew that you should start Mind Dots?
Durga: Their is no ‘aha’ moment so far. We have started Mind Dots solely because of our passion towards digital medium.

Dream:IN: How did you get the idea to start this?
Durga: We are a small team based in Bangalore and having a passion for apis and cloud technologies. The idea by seeing an increase in app-development including Internet products, brands & mobile apps, we wanted to simplify consumer time by either aggregating data, rapid prototyping to multiple devices for developers and automating data exchange.

Dream:IN: What things in the industry are you trying to change and do new and differently?
Durga: We are trying to connect apps to devices, apps to apps via apis, in an easier and faster way.

Dream:IN: Are there any new features you plan on adding?
Durga: Currently we are in beta stage. We are adding features based on the market demand.

Dream:IN: What are your marketing tactics presently?
Durga: We currently rely on our partners.

Dream:IN: What has been some of the most memorable projects you’ve worked on?
Durga: Many memorable projects. Since we have a strict nda in place, we’re not supposed to talk about the third party projects here.

Dream:IN: What types of apps have you worked on?|
Durga: We worked on a plethora of apps across verticals and categories. Most of our apps are on top of third party apis.

Dream:IN: What the most interesting thing you find about app development?
Durga: We get to talk with several budding entrepreneurs, start-ups, studentpreneur and corporates for the app development. The interesting part is to hear their ideas and their views on solving the problems; Some really solve the hard problems in both the personal and business side, some make the process of our daily routine work smoother and better, some really assume the fictional problem, and some just ask for the clone/similar app.

Dream:IN: What do you think the future of app, and app development is? Furthermore, what do you think the future of mobile technology is?
Durga: As we all know that mobile & wearables is going to be everything for the next few years, I echo the same thought everything is getting/going to be connected, mobile is just a interface for I/O commands

Dream:IN: What tips do you have for other budding entrepreneurs who are considering entrepreneurship?
Durga: I really haven’t yet build that credibility in the industry so I cannot comment on this, however based on the last 5 year journey, i understand entrepreneurship is a very tough game to play, you need to commit at least for 15 to 18 months to see the cash flow along with the good supporting team.

Dream:IN: Great. Thank you for your insights in ‘Mind Dots’ and your thoughts on the industry and entrepreneurship.

DREAM FEAT – Shiva Kumar N

This week, we are featuring Shiva Kumar N who was recently featured in the Times of India. He was a newspaper vendor, working long hours for little pay. He started as a delivery boy but with his entrepreneurial spirit, he started his own distribution agency. Recently, he worked hard and received high marks on his CAT, which got him accepted into IIM-Calcutta, as a PGP Student. We wanted to speak with him about how he achieved his dreams, and what’s next for him, because he’s truly an inspiration to everyone here in the Dream:IN team, his peers, in his community, and to everyone he encounters.

DREAM:IN: Hi Shiva, thank you for speaking with us today. How long have you been selling newspapers? How old were you when you first started?
Shiva Kumar N: I have been selling newspapers for the past 11 years i.e. since 2003. I was 13 years old when I first started. I worked as a delivery boy from 2003 to 2007 and in 2007 I saw an opportunity to start an independent newspaper distribution agency. Since 2007, I have been running my own distribution agency.

DREAM:IN: How did you first get the job?
Shiva: Due to financial problems at home, I was looking for part-time jobs which could help to earn some money without stopping me from going to school. On one fine day, around 6 am, I saw a boy delivering paper in my neighbourhood. It suddenly flashed my mind that even I could start delivering papers between 4am and 6am and I’ll also be able to go to school without any issues. Then I figured out the nearby distribution centre and got a delivery job with one of the vendors there.

DREAM:IN: What was the toughest part of the job?
Shiva: I have always enjoyed whatever job I have done and never it as a burden. But it was a challenge to manage your work, as well as make sure that you don’t underperform in your academics. I started enjoying every bit of the challenge. I started setting goals, both in academics and work, and always gave my 100% to accomplish those goals. Time management and coping up with fewer hours of sleep were the few challenges.

DREAM:IN: So in 10th standard, you became an entrepreneur and started your own agency, can you tell us about it? What happened to that agency now? Is it still running?
Shiva: In 2007, I saw an opportunity to start my own newspaper distribution agency. But I had no money to invest in the venture. So I borrowed some money from my friend’s family and raised some more money through mortgaging my mother’s jewellery which was gifted to her during her marriage. Finally I started the venture in 2007 with less than 50 customers, and currently in 2014, our customer base has crossed 550. When I got admitted to IIM Calcutta, I started training my father to manage the business. Now currently he is running the agency in Bangalore. There are 5 delivery boys working under him and we are looking to grow the business after I pass out from IIM Calcutta.

DREAM:IN: That’s amazing, especially how you turned it into a family business, and employed your father as well as with how much it has scaled up. While you’re studying at IIM-Calcutta, we wish your father lots of success with the distribution agency. Can you tell us more about your experience and relationship with Krishna Veda Vyasa? Are you still in contact with him?
Shiva: When I was in 8th class, my family was facing a very bad financial situation. My school fees liability kept on increasing and we had no money to pay the fees. So I decided to approach anybody for help. But I had no friends or relatives who could help. One day at 5 am in the morning, I was delivering newspapers. One of my customers was standing near the gate waiting for the newspaper. That customer had very recently moved into that locality. I was a stranger to that customer and vice versa. During our first meeting, I figured out that he looks like an approachable person. So I approached him for help. His name was Krishna Veda Vyasa. He is funding for my education from 8th class to present. He is the only reason for me getting into IIM Calcutta. We have become good friends over the years. We chat about various topics whenever we get time. We are always in constant touch and discuss about each other’s life.

DREAM:IN: That’s really nice! You are lucky to have come across such a warm-hearted person. Do you see yourself ever dealing with newspapers again in the future?
Shiva: Yes, for sure!!! I might not work full-time in the newspaper business, but it will continue as a part-time business. I don’t want to forget my roots till the very end. It will keep running to keep us grounded, irrespective of what other lucrative ventures I start in the future. I will try to grow the business in the future and set aside the profits generated from it for helping the newspaper community. Now it’s time to give back whatever the newspaper has given to me. I would like to create a fund for helping the delivery boys/vendors/agents.

DREAM:IN: What’s your dream?
Shiva: My dream is to make my country proud in whatever I do and make it shine on the world map. I want the people around the world to look back at India through whatever work I do. I want to create Indian brands which will dominate all around the globe. And also support government in all their current and upcoming projects like Swachch Bharath/Make in India/Smart Cities etc…I want to dedicate myself for making India the best place to live in the world.

DREAM:IN: What’s your dream job?
Shiva: There is nothing called as dream job. Every job will have its own pros and cons. I want to be an entrepreneur. Being an entrepreneur will be more satisfying than working for a MNC. I want to create Indian brands which will dominate the global markets and make India & Indians proud.

DREAM:IN: And what about your charitable dream?
Shiva: I want to touch people’s lives in every possible manner to make their life more easy and peaceful. I would start with education and let’s see how I could build on it.

DREAM:IN:What made you want to go to an IIM?
Shiva: During my 3rd year of engineering, I got placed in Wipro Technologies. And I told this happy news to my uncle (Krishna Veda Vyasa). But my uncle told me that getting a job at Wipro will not make any drastic changes to my life. Yes, it will give a standard source of income, but that will not give you the freedom to explore your dreams of helping the society. By getting into IIM, I would be able to earn more and also I will mature into a better individual. This will give me better opportunities to explore new avenues in life and you will have the financial ability to help the needy. On my uncle’s advice, I got into IIM.

DREAM:IN: What was the process of you getting in Calcutta? Why did you choose to apply to IIM Calcutta vs other IIM?
Shiva: After I decided to appear for CAT, I enrolled into a tutorial and started preparing for CAT aggressively and the results went in my favour. It was my uncle’s decision to prefer IIM Calcutta over other IIMs. He wanted me to move out of my comfort zone (Bangalore) and get the exposure of the outside world. And with due credit to all IIMs, he also told me that people who pass out of IIM Calcutta will become a CEO one day.

DREAM:IN: What has been the biggest inspiration or motivation factor on your path to IIM-C?
Shiva: My uncle has been the biggest inspiration. He is the only reason for what I am today. He has changed my life completely. So now, even I want to change other student’s lives. But that will be possible only if I’m able to get into an IIM and do well for myself in life. It all started there and half-way through. Now I need to recognize talents and nurture them into future leaders of India.

DREAM:IN: What are your favorite subjects?
Shiva: Back during my school days, mathematics was my favorite subject. At IIM Calcutta, finance has been the most challenging subject. Because it is challenging, I like finance the most even though I perform very badly. I am trying hard to learn finance and perform well. Marketing and operations are also very exciting.

DREAM:IN: What’s some of your passions and hobbies?
Shiva: I am a huge cricket fan. I follow most of the sports. I am sports person too. I play TT, Pool, Badminton & Cricket. I have very recently started reading books. The few books which I have read are “The monk who sold his Ferrari”, “Rich dad and poor dad”, “Biography of Steve Jobs”.

DREAM:IN: When times were tough, what were some of the things that kept your head up high and kept you going?
Shiva: I have never felt that I was going through a tough time. I just enjoyed my life as it was. You need to have idols in life. One of my idols is Sachin Tendulkar. Even though he is the best batsman in the world and a sincere genuine servant of the game, it took him 22 years to win the world cup for his country. This sums up everything. It is a tough world; you need to just keep fighting your way through. One fine day, the world give up looking at your determination to succeed and you win.

DREAM:IN: So what’s next for you?
Shiva: It is just the beginning. The real challenge starts from here. I need to leverage the platform that is given to me. I will work on my entrepreneurial ideas and try to create Indian brands at the earliest and make India shine at the global scale. I also want to support government in all their projects such as Swachch Bharath, Make in India etc. And also, I want to work simultaneously on helping the needy in all possible manners and touch their lives in all areas to make it a peaceful experience.

DREAM:IN: Can you give our readers some words of wisdom with regards to achieving your dreams?
Shiva: You need to stop worrying about your problems and start enjoying every process of whatever you do. Be positive in your thoughts. Dream big, believe your abilities and have hopes of a better future. I have always kept things simple. Do your best and forget the rest. Everyone is here for a purpose. Identify your purpose and start fulfilling it. Never hurt anyone. Always try to bring smile on others face. Respect your parents and everyone else. Make India proud in whatever manner possible by you. Prioritize India first and everything else next.

DREAM:IN: Thank you so much for your time and inspirational words Shiva, you truly have an inspiring story, and your positive outlook on life and work does enlighten us all. We wish the best for your studies at IIM-Calcutta and for your future.

Very Productive & Successful “Dreamers Network Meetup” at the DREAM:IN Center

Last friday afternoon, DREAM:IN hosted its first meet-up for the newly formed Dreamers Network Facebook Group. The ‘Dreamers Network’ is a community where local, national, and international entrepreneurs join together to network, help each other, spark conversation, create new business opportunities, provide possible collaboration, provide suggestions and solutions for business obstacles, along with helping other entrepreneurs with resources if needed. DREAM:IN decided to take this aim and host a meet-up, where members could meet and discuss in person. The meet-up was very successful to say the least. Attendees were very immersed in the conversations, everyone input their thoughts, and they even helped with resources that some other business owners needed. DSC02349 The evening started when all the budding entrepreneurs arrived at the Dream Center. Friendly introductions and small talk occurred over coffee. Once we started, everyone took turns with formal introductions, introducing themselves and their company. After each introduction, all the entrepreneurs took turns describing their, “Eureka!/Ah ha!” moment when they realized that they had a great idea and wanted to take it further turning it into their enterprise. Each business idea was unique and different, had a great story, and not even two were closely related. It was very inspiring to hear everyone’s dreams and learning how they took the steps to make their dream a reality. One story we liked was Rakesh Agarwal, the founder of expin.me, who turned his love of traveling into a platform where users can, “Give voice to your passion with expression”, which prides itself to be the “Linkedin” for passionate and creative people worldwide.  (Hosamane talking about how she got the idea for ‘Hasovan) The entrepreneurs, continued by discussing what stage their companies are currently in, what challenges and obstacles they are currently facing, what resources they were looking for, and their roadmap plan for the future. Nearly each time someone stated they needed a resource to help improve their business, a different attendee had a networking contact for them to get in contact with. Take for example, Brekkie, co-founded by Ashwin Chandra and his two partners. Brekkie delivers breakfasts to residential and office addresses each morning in and around the Indira Nagar area, Bangalore. His company uses a lot of plastic to package the food, so he wants to find an alternative, but doesn’t want to compromise on the quality of food. Another attendee, Hosamane, who founded Hasovan pvt. ltd, a startup company which provides humorous products and services for your home and workplace to keep you happy and stress-free, offered Ashwin a connection she had, who could help with a more sustainable, eco-friendly packaging option for Brekkie’s breakfasts, which he warmly accepted. DSC02347 There were lots of laughs and productive talks that happened throughout the evening. Everyone was supportive of each other. Ankith Nazre, who is the sole founder and director of Groceshoppers.com, who was more than willing to share his business strategy, business tactics, and marketing strategy with the rest of the group, and the other members were very grateful for his strategies and insights. DSC02348 Before the meet-up started to shift to a close, DREAM:IN recorded a short video of each attendee, having them talk about their dream and their venture, so we could feature them on the new and improved DREAM:IN Portal (www.dreamin.in). Each attendee had a great time, they told us they were looking forward to the future ones, and I think it’s fair to say that each person left with a lot more than they came with. DSC02383 The attendees were made up of five budding entrepreneurs and their team members. Some of the businesses that were in attendance:

10696351_1516344418606273_7047692238611939388_n  Brekkie https://www.facebook.com/brekkieblr

10177255_1006578879369291_9018543515162725526_n Hasovan Pvt. Ltd.  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hasovan/397872023573316

10702229_935999593096915_1561157210493113041_nGroceshoppers.com https://www.facebook.com/pages/Groceshopperscom/908563575840517

10649459_609086509200135_1590146102056592347_nexpin.me https://www.facebook.com/expin.me/timeline


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Canada: Cannabis Abuse Guidelines Published By Public Health Journal

24 Sep

Researchers have come up with Canada’s first guidelines for the safer use of the marijuana, arguing for a public health response to blunt widespread use of the illegal narcotic.

Research has revealed a high prevalence of marijuana use in Canada

“Given the prevalence and age distribution of cannabis use in Canada, a public health approach to cannabis use is overdue,” said Benedikt Fischer, who led a peer-reviewed study to develop the protocols.

More than one in ten Canadian adults and about one in three young people aged 16-25 reported using cannabis during the past year, according to the research.

Despite the prevalence and health risks associated with cannabis use, the study points out that Canada has not yet taken a public health approach to address its harms, as it has with alcohol, tobacco, and even injection drug use.

“Misinformation about cannabis can be dangerous,” Fischer said.

For example, surveys show that many young cannabis users believe that it is safe to drive after smoking marijuana when in fact data shows it has led to a number of traffic fatalities.

“This resembles the situation forty years ago, when the majority of Canadians still believed it was safe to drink and drive,” Fischer said.

The “Lower Risk Cannabis Use Guidelines,” which have been endorsed by the Canadian Public Health Association, are similar to alcohol consumption guidelines introduced in the 1990s.

They recommend abstinence from cannabis use during pregnancy, for example, and that anyone using cannabis should not drive for three to four hours after consumption.

As well, the researchers warned in the set of guidelines that using cannabis from a young age has been associated with mental illness and dependence, and that frequent use may lead to cognitive and memory performance problems.

Fischer is a scientist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research/Public Health Agency of Canada chair in applied public health at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver.

The study is to be published in the upcoming September/October issue of the Canadian Journal of Public Health.

The Canadian Journal of Public Health is the official organ of the Canadian Public Health Association. It is distributed on a bi-monthly basis exclusively to paid …

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Social Work Home

Field Education

Field Education is an independent and integral sequence of the MSW curriculum. Students are exposed to selected and organized internship opportunities guided by the Educational Policy and Educational Standards (EPAS) and the 9 Core Competencies of the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Field Education seeks to apply, and integrate the knowledge, theories and concepts of social work practice learned throughout the curriculum.

Field agencies are expected to provide "in vivo" experiences relevant to the academic content. The student, on the other hand, is expected to apply academic knowledge, social work skills, critical thinking, professional behavior, ethics and values learned in the classroom to direct practice.

All MSW students must complete four semesters of field placement, or a minimum of 1,000 hours of hands-on training, through a field placement. More hours may be added if students select to pursue special programs such as the Pupil Personnel Credential Program in the State of California, which requires 600 hours.

MSW students are matched with various social service agencies, government entities, private organizations or even non-traditional social work settings. To achieve completion of hours, students are required to complete a minimum of 16 hours per week in their first and second semesters, and a minimum of 550 hours, or 20 hours per week, in the third and fourth semesters.

The school matches students with field agency sites based on their geographic location, previous work and volunteer experience, future goals and career track, professional interests and agency needs.

field partner and student
Community Partners

Our field agencies are located throughout the country and represent a wide range of social work services and practice.
Learn More

filling in a form
Students - Forms

Forms and reflective learning tools required for student field studies in the departments of AMHW, CYF and SCI.
Learn More

faculty in the field
Field Instructors

Field instructors play a crucial role in the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work field education experience.
Learn More

Objectives of Field Education

Field Education prepares students to enter the social work profession by meeting the following objectives:

  1. Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior

  2. Engage Diversity and Difference in Practice

  3. Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice

  4. Engage in Practice-informed Research and Research-informed Practice

  5. Engage in Policy Practice

  6. Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

  7. Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

  8. Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

  9. Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

University Park Campus

669 West 34th Street
Montgomery Ross Fisher Building
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0411

Virtual Academic Center

1150 S. Olive Street, Suite 1100
Los Angeles, CA 90015


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Another Flying Car May Hit Market Soon

Which would you rather buy: The sleek PAL-V One or the practical Terrafugia Transition?

Terrafugia’s Transition, the world’s first flying plane available to the consumer market, is headed to the New York Auto Show looking to cash in on the as-yet non-pilot market. And another, Holland’s PAL-V One, has logged its first successful flight and is searching for investors.

The PAL-V One took its maiden flight in March and all went smoothly, reports show. It’s a two-seat three-wheeler that’s one part car, one part gyrocopter with a rotor and propeller that can be deployed for flying, then folded away for driving. It typically flies below 4,000 feet, the airspace available for uncontrolled Visual Flight Rules (VFR) traffic. That means pilots/drivers can operate the PAL-V One with no interference from commercial air traffic and won’t be required to submit a flight plan. Speed tops out at just over 110 miles per hour on land and in the air, and it can fly for up to 315 miles depending on the onboard weight. It has short takeoff and landing capability, making it possible to land just about anywhere – no crazy stretch of runway space necessary.

As with seemingly all things Dutch, the PAL-V One sports a sleek, sexy style that makes it look and drive a bit more like a motorcycle than a sedan on the road.

“It is dynamic without being overbearing and delivers elegance rather than extravagance,” the website boasts.

Frankly, we here at E3 Spark Plugs agree. That sexy styling just might give the PAL-V One an edge over Terrafugia’s Transition, which kind of screams “airport shuttle,” style-wise. But you’ll have to wait a while. The PAL-V makers are still looking for investors to help bring it to mass production, while Terrafugia is already taking orders for the Transition, marketing it at a base $279,000 with a variety of equipment options. Plus, with room for your golf clubs and a tablet computer compatible glove box, the Transition wins in the practicality category.

In fact, “We’ve noticed in our order backlog there are actually a fair number of people who are not currently pilots who are putting deposits down to order a Transition,” said Terrafugia’s Richard Dingemanse. Ergo, the New York Auto Show gig.

So, which one would you drop a few hundred grand to buy: The sleek, stylish PAL-V One or the more practical (and near-readily available) Transition? Post your thoughts on the E3 Spark Plugs Facebook fan page. And if you go the New York Auto show this weekend, be sure to post your pics too.

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E3 Spark Plugs Says “Look Out for that Pothole!???

Potholes can cause major instant and cumulative damage to your vehicle.

Potholes are more than an occasional body-jarring, coffee-spilling annoyance. They can cause serious damage to your vehicle, E3 Spark Plugs‘ auto experts say. Potholes can cause damage to suspension and steering components, tires and rims, shocks and struts, exhaust systems, control arms, ball joints, tie rods, idler arms, pitman arms, sway bars and sway bar links, center and drag links, wheel bearings and axle shafts. In fact, Pothole damage accounts for nearly 500,000 insurance claims each year.

Shocks and struts take the biggest brunt of pothole damage. Using hydraulic oil, they compress and expand to help alleviate the negative effects of driving on uneven surfaces. The bump gets transferred from the tire and wheel directly to the shock absorber. Hitting a large pothole can cause the shock or strut to bottom out. Over time, the shock absorbing springs and struts become less resilient, leading to a much rougher ride and less responsive steering.

Potholes are a leading contributor to your car needing an alignment. They also can dent or crack your rims, especially if your tires are improperly inflated, and cause premature wear on your tires. This, along with long-term damage to suspension and steering component can make your car a mess to handle. In severe cases, potholes can even damage the lower engine and undercarriage components including the exhaust system.

Another major pothole problem: liability and reimbursement for repairs. While a few cities assume responsibility for pothole damaged caused by shoddy upkeep of their streets, most do not. Most insurance companies recognize an immediate pothole damage claim, but you can bet they’ll argue that much of the damage is cumulative. Ultimately, the responsibility and cost falls on you.

E3 Spark Plugs recommends avoiding potholes altogether if possible. If there’s no way to miss it, for Pete’s sake, don’t slam the brakes over a pothole. A blocked wheel is more likely to be damaged on impact than a wheel in motion. Instead, release the brakes just before the impact and let your car roll into and over the pothole. Keep your hands on the wheel and do your best to keep the car steady.

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Reflections on becoming a cancer patient following a career in the early days of palliative care

Julia Franklin from the UK contributes to this month’s Palliative Stories – the EAPC’s blog series from the perspective of patients and family carers.

 Julia has had a long and distinguished career as a palliative care social worker, working first at University College Hospital, London, and then setting up the first social work post at St Barnabas’ Hospice in Worthing, where she also offered clinical supervision to staff in local hospices in Sussex for several years. Here, Julia explains what it’s like to change gear from health professional to patient.

Julia Franklin

Julia Franklin

After a long career in palliative care from 1982 until 2013, I finally started to make plans for my ‘retirement’. I went to see a surgeon about my haemorrhoids (first things first!), and went into hospital for a haemorrhoidectomy on 30 December – lots of jokes about celebrating the New Year on a cushion …

I came round feeling very bright following the anaesthetic, mainly because they had not carried out the planned operation. I was interviewed by a gynaecologist who diagnosed a grade 3 ovarian cancer that needed gynaecological investigations. I was booked in for immediate chemotherapy – eight sessions if I could manage it – and a total hysterectomy. So, in one fell swoop, I became one of the patients I had supported during my career.

Breaking bad news
Something I shall never forget, and will always be grateful for, was my meeting with the surgeon who was going to carry out my hysterectomy. Sometimes surgeons are not known for their sensitivity for breaking ‘bad news’ but he gave me one hour, stroking my arm the whole time whilst telling me the best and worst case scenarios about my future. I wanted to be told the truth so I knew how to plan. I didn’t ever meet him again on my journey (I was unconscious on the operating table!), but for me having the bad news broken so sensitively was really important and an experience I shall always remember.

Becoming a patient
Because of my prognosis, I applied for Attendance Allowance (a benefit payable to people with severe disability or applied under ‘special rules’ for those with progressive illness). My application was successful and I was pleased that the letter of confirmation was so sensitively written and so much improved from that which was sent to people in the early days of palliative care in the community. I, along with colleagues, had led a campaign in those early days to change the wording of the documentation for people with progressive illness. It took a very long time to convince the decision makers to make the changes – but we did enough to be invited to 10 Downing Street (the official residence of the UK’s prime minister) to meet Sir John Major, the prime minister at that time!

So my experience of becoming a patient, living with an uncertain prognosis, undergoing eight sessions of chemotherapy, losing (and regaining) my hair, and living with an ‘uncertain’ future, reflected very much the lives of those people we had tried to campaign for and support in the early and later days of my career.

The transition from being a ‘professional’ in palliative care to becoming a patient was not always an easy journey for me, partly because I could see how stressed and short of time the professionals running the clinics were, including the chemo-consultant. My earlier work in a London hospital, and more recently offering clinical supervision and support to staff working with terminally ill people, made me wonder what support the staff could be offered for themselves, especially now that there is such financial pressure on the National Health Service. It was thus sometimes difficult for me to ‘behave’ as a patient.

As I draw to a close, I realise I have so many thoughts and ideas, based partly on my experience of most unexpectedly becoming a patient. But I owe a great deal to the fact that my cancer was discovered in time… I have had time to ‘put my affairs in order’. So many of my ex-colleagues have been very supportive and have been able to give me good advice. My family has rallied round us both (my husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s amongst all this); and above all I thank the Lord, if there is one, for giving me such a keen sense of humour and a sense of the ridiculous. It is all par for the course and part of life’s rich tapestry and I shall have learned a lot about ‘living with uncertainty’.

Read more ‘Palliative Stories’ on the EAPC blog
Next month, we shall be publishing another story in this series. If you missed the previous posts please click here.

If you have a patient, or a family member or friend, who would like to contribute to the series please contact the editor.

A message from the EAPC
We would like to thank everyone who has kindly contributed to this series of ‘Palliative Stories’. In publishing patients’ and families’ stories we are aware that content may sometimes focus only on one side of the story but we hope that the stories will help us all to better understand people’s palliative and end of life care experiences. Unfortunately, we are not able to give advice or comment on individual cases but we share in the distress that our contributors have experienced.

This entry was posted in Palliative Stories, PATIENT & FAMILY CARE and tagged . Bookmark the permalink.

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About Us

Frequently Asked Questions:

What is the Easthampton Healthy Youth Coalition?

The Coalition is a group of people from various sectors of the community who care about keeping Easthampton’s youth as healthy as possible, protecting them from using drugs, and supporting families in this.

What is the Coalition’s mission?

Our mission is to reduce and prevent underage drinking, drug use and other risky behaviors, and promote positive and healthy choices for Easthampton youth and families to improve the quality of life for all.

When was the Coalition established?

In 2008, the Easthampton Prevention Task Force was created as an extension of the Strategic Planning for Family and Youth (SPIFFY) based in Northampton. This Task Force was created to address underage alcohol and drug use in Easthampton. In 2013, after we won a competitive federal grant, the task force was renamed to the Easthampton Healthy Youth Coalition (EHYC).

How is the Coalition funded?

EHYC is funded almost exclusively through a Drug Free Communities (DFC) grant from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. The $125,000 a year grant is administered through another government body, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and we get technical assistance from a third one: the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA). The grant is for 5 years, and we are currently in Year 5 of our funding. If we are successful in showing outcomes, we can apply for a second 5 year grant in 2018.

What is the Coalition’s structure?

The grant required position of Project Director is filled by Nancy Follansbee, Superintendent for Easthampton Public Schools, who oversees and approves all activities. Nancy’s role is to ensure that we are complying with the requirements of our grant; her position is considered “in-kind” and she spends a couple of hours a week on average on coalition work. There is a full time paid Coalition Coordinator, Ruth Ever who holds a Master’s in Public Health and has been in the field for over 20 years. Recently hired is Community Outreach Liaison, Corinne Briggs. Both Corinne and Ruth organize and plan Coalition activities out of White Brook Middle School.

What is the focus of the Coalition?

As part of the DFC grant, we are charged with creating programs, activities, and campaigns that are based on proven methods that help lower underage alcohol, nicotine, and marijuana use. These three substances are targeted based on data collected by the school district every 2 years which show they are the most used substances by minors under 18 years old here in Easthampton. Although it’s worth noting that the vast majority of teens had not used any of these in a 30 day period when asked on the survey in 2015.

It has been shown that if a person waits until they’re at least 21 (ideally, closer to 25) to use alcohol, nicotine, or marijuana, their likelihood of addiction or permanent harm is decreased significantly. We do focus some of our time on opioids and heroin, because there is a serious epidemic happening, but that is not the primary focus of our coalition since our focus is on underage youth. We know that reducing underage alcohol, nicotine, and marijuana use may contribute to a decline in heroin/opioid use later on.

Our funder is most interested in strategies that have a wide impact—such as environmental strategies like policy changes, and wide audience reach programs like marketing campaigns. This could include for example, advocating for raising the legal age to buy tobacco to 21 years, or the parent social norms marketing campaign the coalition ran in 2016.

Specifically, we have two goals from our funder:

1) Increase community collaboration and;
2) Decrease youth substance use.
The strategies we use to address these depend on what the needs and resources are in our community. You can see a summary chart of our Year 3 action plan: Goal 1 and Goal 2.

Does the Coalition lobby?

We do not lobby. We receive federal funds, which prohibits us from explicitly urging anyone to vote on specific legislation or regulations. We have met with U.S. Representatives and Senators to explain the importance of DFC funding or related funding, and other applicable bills related to substance use prevention. We have also met with local policymakers to explain the significance of strong local policies, and highlight model regulations that can effectively protect youth in Easthampton or Massachusetts. In recent years, we have presented on alcohol policies that can restrict underage access, spoken to City Council about the importance of considering how any policies might impact our youth, and discussed best practices regarding e-cigarettes and tobacco to the board of health. So while we don’t push for specific passages of laws, we do have an understanding of the best practices and recommended model regulations that might effect underage use and we try to bring these to the attention of key decision makers in our community.


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It's really simple.

Just bring your book and a friend, pay one main course in full and you'll receive the second one for free.

To give you some steps to follow to use EATSingapore - here you go:

1. RESERVE A TABLE: Make a reservation at the restaurant of your choosing, highlighting that you want to use EATSingapore.

2. BRING A FRIEND: It's more fun to dine with a friend or loved one right? So bring him/her along for dinner as well as your EATSingapore book.

3. ORDER TWO MAINS: You can order a-la-carte or have the set menu and you can choose what you want as per normal.

4. ONE MAIN ON THE HOUSE: When you're 2 people, ordering 2 main courses, 1 will be for free. Just remember, at least one main course / set menu must be paid in full to redeem the restaurant’s privilege.

5. CHEF / GM SIGNATURE: When you claim your privilege, the restaurant’s General Manager or Chef will sign and date your visit in your book, as a memento of your experience.

You can read our full How it Works section here: Rules or check the last pages in your book where this is featured as well.


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The American Lie (Orginal Intent)

I am by no means a Constitutional scholar; I think back to my courses, teachings, and readings and often ponder the political dimensions of those who are self-serving. As I watch the confirmation hearings and listen to Sean Spicer (not a credible person) articulate the notion of a White House seeking original intent protection, my thoughts jog back to the 18th century justification for the protection of white male supremacy, under the notion of wealth, capitalism, and white supremacy. Yet I recall those same white men stating the Constitution “is” a living-breathing document with mechanism for change. Who sets those changes? Who benefits from them? Moreover, if the right believes in original intent – what does this mean for the biological reproductive measures of women who have historically been suppressed, silenced, and exploited by white male hegemony? American Indians? Asians? How about Black folks who were deemed property (1857)? “They had no rights which the white man was bound to respect.” How about blacks as second-class citizens via Jim Crow laws by the Court? LGBTQ folk?

The argument of original intent is one manifested by straight, white, male, Christian hegemony since the dawn of the modern culture war. It is a white male ruling-class argument to manifest their interest. Yes I have read the Constitution. I have read it and the Declaration of Independence. I have challenged my students through various periodization studies to be suspicious and guarded against the American lie of American democracy and Constitutionalism. But I would love to hear from others.

American Knowledge

We completed day 1 here at Houston Christian for the 2010-2011 academic year; I met with sections of American Studies, European History, and US Government & Politics. Today I have my other section of US Government & Politics. I will have them, as I did yesterday, complete a quiz that was conducted to see how much (or little) students know about the historical and political nature of the United States. I will admit that not all of the questions were great. Better yet, I am not sure all were relevant in that if you did not know something, it would hamper your academic or professional growth in life. Here is what was noted about this survey:

  • 71% of Americans failed the civics knowledge test;
  • 51% of Americans could not name the three branches of government;
  • The average score for college seniors on the civics knowledge test was 54.2% (an “F” by any standard);
  • The average student’s test score improved only 3.8 points from freshman to senior year;
  • Freshmen at Cornell, Yale, Princeton, and Duke scored better than seniors on the civics knowledge test.
  • 79% of elected officials that took the civics knowledge quiz did not know the Bill of Rights expressly prohibits the government from establishing a religion.
  • 30% of office holders did not know that “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” are the inalienable rights referred to in the Declaration of Independence.
  • 27% of politicians could not name even one right or freedom guaranteed by the First Amendment.
  • 43% did not know the purpose of the Electoral College.
  • 39% of lawmakers believe the power of declaring war belongs to the president.
  • The average score for college professors who took the civics knowledge quiz was 55%.

You can find this particular quiz here.

American Studies Reading List

I think I have selected an array of intriguing works as “required readings” for my new Contemporary American Studies seminar course next fall; in truth, I have been working on this course, its syllabus and outline, as well as the required readings for years now. The challenge was limiting the scope of books I want us to read. I have decided to put together a “course pack” which is comprised of a diverse set of primary and secondary articles to read, alone with the following three books:

The first is a great read linking race and black nationalism as a historical phenomena to the rise of hip hop and rap music. From Black Power to Hip Hop asks students to take on a more critical position regarding the music they listen to and the forces regarding economics that have shaped the modern paradigm called America. This review stated:

Despite legislation designed to eliminate unfair racial practices, the United States continues to struggle with a race problem. Some thinkers label this a “new” racism and call for new political responses to it. Using the experiences of African-American women and men as a touchstone for analysis, Patricia Hill Collins examines new forms of racism as well as political responses to it.

In this incisive and stimulating book, renowned social theorist Patricia Hill Collins investigates how nationalism has operated and re-emerged in the wake of contemporary globalization and offers an interpretation of how black nationalism works today in the wake of changing black youth identity. Hers is the first study to analyze the interplay of racism, nationalism, and feminism in the context of twenty-first century black America.

From Black Power to Hip Hop covers a wide range of topics including the significance of race and ethnicity to the American national identity; how ideas about motherhood affect population policies; African-American use of black nationalism ideologies as anti-racist practice; and the relationship between black nationalism, feminism, and women in the hip-hop generation.

The second work above looks at the Simpson’s and how the popular TV show has had a huge impact on contemporary history. I think the most interesting thing about this work is that it allows both historians and students to assess the functionality of culture, especially when it comes to defining the traditional family and knowledge. As one reviewer of this work noted:

In exploring the thought of key philosophers including Aristotle, Marx, Camus, Sartre, Heidegger, and Kant through episode plots and the characters’ antics, the contributors tackle issues like irony and the meaning of life, American anti-intellectualism, and existential rebellion. The volume also includes an episode guide and a chronology of philosophers which lists the names and dates of the major thinkers in the history of philosophy, accompanied by a representative quote from each.

And the last work above is one I most recently read: American Jesus: How the Son of God became an American Icon. This work will push students into thinking about how different groups see and define Jesus. Moreover, it will ask students to look at how Jesus has become exploited by various groups with different agendas. A review of this work stated:

Jesus appears to be alive and well in America. Many people seek to discover the “historical” Jesus who gave rise to the Christian religion, but at least as interesting is the “cultural” Jesus which has given rise to all sorts of modern religious movements, political developments, and cultural progress. Jesus is an important figure in the Christianity of every nation, but he appears to be far more significant in America. Why?

Gay Adoption and Arkansas

During the month of November 2008, the people of Arkansas voted for the passage of Arkansas Law Act 1, which prohibits any unmarried individuals or couples from adopting children. In part, many contend that this law passed as an attempt to keep homosexuals from adopting children. Critics of this law state that it is a political ploy at the expense of Arkansas children waiting to be adopted. This law also includes foster children. Any individuals  living in cohabitation outside of a valid marriage are not permitted by law to adopt or serve as foster parents. The argument is that children function best in a “traditional” family environment between a man and a woman. Academics do not dispute this; however, they do contend there is a violation of the 9th amendment. Moreover, some sociologists have stated that the evidence of a “family” unit between a man and a women is not supported. Thus, this matter becomes one of  religious faith and belief — making it a 1st amendment issue, too.

As noted in other landmark cases such as Griswold v. Connecticut and Roe v. Wade, the court stated that both venues were in fact legal as thus they address matters of privacy. The matter of privacy is a significant one. There was a point in which states declared by law that one had to be of a certain age to purchase contraceptives such as a condom or diaphragm. This is no longer the case with the rise of AIDS.

After being challenged by the ACLU, a judge has ruled against this law in Arkansas; many state it is a law clearly driven by ideological and political motives, thus serves no purpose for the welfare of children. But, those that collected enough signatures to have this law placed on the ballot via initiative, contend that research backs their basic contention of family stability. Conversely, opponents of this act noted that it is not about family stability; it is anti-gay. Hence, research does not support same-sex couples having an adverse impact on children. Furthermore, as some have stated, Act 1 is in opposition to matters of abortion, as stated by some in the state of Arkansas. On one hand, 57% of the population ruled in favor of Arkansas Law Act 1. On the other hand, many within that same population argue that women should not seek an abortion, but simply but their child up for adoption.

The Ideology of the Court

One element consistent of the political processes since the Warren court is the cultural wars. This ideological conflict really came to prominence during the conservative vs. liberal debates regarding gender, race, and religion in the 1920s. Moreover, the same arguments hold true for the decade of the 1950s and the 1980s. With the retirement of Justice Stevens from the Court, both the left and the right have armed themselves for conflict; I am not sure why.

If the Court is supposed to be a neutral arbiter of the Constitution, then why did the Framers construct a system that allows a partisan official of ideological disposition to make such a selection? I would hope that my students would answer this question by stating that during the construction of the Constitution, there “technically” were no political parties; however, even that answer would not be wholly sufficient, seeing that the process of drafting the Constitution was in and of itself an ideological conflict between Federalist and Anti-Federalist. This division shaped much of the political conflicts throughout the 1790s.

So, I ask the question, why go to arms over a presidential appointment to the Court? According to the Constitution:

The power to appoint Justices belongs to the President under the Constitution (Article II, Section 2). The “advice and
consent” of the Senate is required for any Supreme Court appointment. The Senate Judiciary Committee conducts
hearings to question nominees and determine their suitability. Thereafter, the whole Senate considers the nomination; a
simple majority vote is required to confirm or to reject a nominee. In some instances, the Senate may defeat a nominee
by failing to take a final vote on the nominee, rather than by explicit rejection. For example, the minority may filibuster
a nominee, indefinitely prolonging debate and refusing to permit a vote.

Thus, since this is the case, the Framers constructed a system in which an ideological figure has the power to appoint a person to uphold the Constitutional rights of U.S. citizens, but others who might not hold that position can check his/her powers to appoint.

I am hoping the president will appease the base that elected him by selecting Diane Wood to the bench; I like the fact that she is a woman, but I also like that she holds the intellectual understanding that the Constitution is a document for all Americans. It is important that groups that hold their own ideological positions do not work against that of others. I am a fan of the Bill of Rights and believe they are not in place to deny the rights of Americans, but to protect those rights. And yes, that means the rights of religious fundamentalist or those who are in the KKK; we cannot pick here.

The United States is a plural society. The joy of pluralism is that it offers an array of diverse views. A Muslim should have the same rights as that of a Christian, as noted in the 1st Amendment. A justice should be one that looks to uphold all aspects of the Bill of Rights. If Obama fails to select Wood to the Court, many will see him as a weak president.

Join the 21st Century Louisiana

In an age in which we have seen a dramatic increase in interracial dating and marriage, this article below that I received from a friend today showcases that there are a few living in the dark ages. Read all of it here. Interracial couples in Houston are a normal sight; however, one supporting Obama is not.

HAMMOND, La. – A Louisiana justice of the peace said he refused to issue a marriage license to an interracial couple out of concern for any children the couple might have.Keith Bardwell, justice of the peace in Tangipahoa Parish, says it is his experience that most interracial marriages do not last long.

Neither Bardwell nor the couple immediately returned phone calls from The Associated Press. But Bardwell told the Daily Star of Hammond that he was not a racist.

In a day and age in which over half the population is divorced, to argue that it is any different for interracial couples is laughable.

Sotomoyor: Race, Reproduction, & Gender By Jaylon Williams

I am watching the confirmation hearings of Sotomayor; currently, Republican Senator Jeff Sessions is attacking her 1970s liberalism via race, gender, and reproductive rights. The topic of affirmative action, once thought almost dead, has been recently resurrected by way of Obama’sselection of a candidate who might look to find sympathy among the American people. I suspect the key  issue today is that of race and gender, the two factors that shaped the 1970s with two instrumental court cases: Bakke v. California…. The court upheld the use of race as a factor in hiring and admission. The other factor regarding gender/reproduction was Roe v. Wade. Here the court utilized the 9th Amendment to draw a conclusion. Conservative blacks and whites fear Sotomayor due to her 1970s approach.

As public policy, affirmative action can be dated to President Lyndon Baines Johnson’s June 4, 1965 address to the graduating class of Howard University. LBJ intended this speech as his own Civil Rights Proclamation. He chose his words carefully, with an eye towards posterity: You do not wipe away the scars of centuries by saying: ‘now, you are free to go where you want, do as you desire, and choose the leaders you please.’ You do not take a man who for years has been hobbled by chains, liberate him, bring him to the starting line of a race, saying, ‘you are free to compete with all the others,’ and still justly believe you have been completely fair…. This is the next and more profound stage of the battle for civil rights. We seek not just freedom but opportunity – not just legal equity but human ability – not just equality as a right and a theory, but equality as a fact and as a result.”


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Bengaluru FC: All You Need to Know

Guess who is the latest entrant in the I-League this year?  It’s none other than the team from ‘Namma Bengaluru’, Bengaluru FC.

This is for all you people who follow football but who have no clue about the I-League and its newborn team.

Who Owns the Team?

Its one of the two clubs to get a direct entry in the I-League(along with Mumbai Tigers) who were accepted automatically into the league through payment instead of being promoted from the I-League 2nd Division. The team is currently owned by JSW Group and its managing director is Sajjan Jindal, just so you recognise it if his name pops up somewhere. The company obtained rights to run the team with a three year relegation-freeze, that means Bengaluru FC doesn’t get relegated no matter what for three years , because JSW is helping out overall football infrastructure in the city in return. On 20th July 2013, JSW launched the team officially and announced Bangalore Football Stadium as its home ground for the season, while setting up a youth academy in the city.

The Logo

The logo contains the outlined structure of an unmistakable icon of the city, the Bangalore Palace and the two headed mythical bird is called the Gandaberunda and is apparently the emblem of Karnataka.

 The Team

Heading into July, the club announced Ashley Westwood, a former Manchester United youth player and former Blackburn Rovers assistant manager, as the club’s first head coach. The club managed to grab the headlines when they signed the Indian Football Team captain, Sunil Chhetri amongst a host of other Indian superstars. The four foreign players , including John Johnson, Curtis Osano, Sean Rooney and Johnny Menyongar, are no less capable and a couple of promising local youngsters have been signed on as well.

Support & Impact

The support for the club has been pouring in huge numbers, going by the incessant posts and tweets on Facebook and Twitter. The club even has a tie-up with Bookmyshow, so that fans can buy their tickets online, which are priced to be from Rs. 30, 50, 150, 300 and 450. And Arbor Brewing Company is going to be the home pub for the season, telecasting games and selling merchandise.

This is the most excited I’ve been about the I-League ever! I’ve been longing for a local team to support and Bengaluru FC is the answer. With a revamped stadium, and thousands  of supporters behind the team, it will be wise to say that OUR time has finally arrived.

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From the Pocket of a Dream

Play of Colours

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Monthly Photo Challenge: The Changing Seasons – part 4: Moody April

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whatever our souls are made of

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Confidence and doubt are at two ends of the scale. And you need both. Barbara Streisand Photo: © Eclipse 2015 Shared on Photo Challenge: Scale

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There are things known and things unknown and in between are the doors ~ Jim Morrison Photo by SteXenArts Photography Shared on Where’s my backpack? – Travel theme: Doorways *** … Continue reading

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There is only one day left always starting over it is given to us at dawn it is taken away at dusk Jean-Paul Sartre *** Photos by SteXenArts Photography Shared … Continue reading

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They Said About Love

Love is when he gives you a piece of your soul, that you never knew was missing. Torquato Tasso *** Love is the flower you’ve got to let grow. John … Continue reading

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