Americanists....worldwide!

From Lugano to La Jolla....what a remarkable amalgam of ideas, insights, and perspectives. Welcome to this site. Mr. Izsa (TASIS) and Mrs. Shaul (LJCDS) invite you to join us in our conversations about the history and the realities of America's history and culture--from a decidedly international perspective.

Each month a new series of questions will be posted here by Mr. Izsa and Mrs. Shaul. Please click on the blog posts and write in your comments for the questions below, per your teacher's instructions.

Please make certain that entries are thoughtfully written (check for typos and grammatical faux pas), as erudite as you can make them, and appropriately worded for a school-related activity (note: students from other parts of the world may not share your same philosophies or your same sense of humor, so please be mindful of our differences).

With every blog session assigned, one or two can be direct responses to the questions, but at least one MUST respond directly to the students who have already written posts, answering one thread per question (more is welcome, this is the minimum requirement).Be specific. Explain why you might agree or disagree with their (his/her) opinions. Feel free to "debate" or "discuss" with your international counterpart. Make sure we can identify you with your name so you can receive credit for your contributions.


Sunday, January 11, 2015

January question #1: Reparations

1.  The Civil Liberties Act of 1988 and the subsequent Civil Liberties Act Amendment of 1992  made it possible for the families of those Japanese Americans placed in Internment camps during World War II (per Roosevelt's order 9066) to receive reparations for their mistreatment at the hands of the American government.  However, no such reparations have ever been offered by the US government for those families who are descendants of slaves, an insidious institution that lasted for centuries longer than the horrible four years of internment for West Coast Japanese Americans.  Are reparations the answer for a government's fear-induced/unethical/racially motivated practices?  Why was it possible, do you think, for the US government to provide reparations to (most) of the 10,000 Japanese Americans and/or their descendants yet no one has offered reparations to the descendants of slave families?

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January question #2: Wealth and capitalism


2. The Industrial Revolution in America provided an opportunity for those with money to become far richer than the standards of the 19th century had ever allowed for before. It allowed a "middle management" to grow, in effect giving America it's first taste of an "Upper Middle Class" and perhaps a true "Middle Class " at all.  At the same time, others were terribly exploited in the work force, and the sheer overwhelming nature of impoverished Americans is a huge part of what we study as we examine the "progress" that the Industrial Revolution wrought.

Consider the 21st century and the distribution of wealth in our own time.  Are the wealthiest people of the world to be admired?  Why or why not?  Is our capitalist society "fair"--why or why not?
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January question #3: Charlie Hebdo

3.  On January 7, three masked men attacked the paper Charlie Hebdo in Paris, killing 12 (including two police officers) and wounding another 11.  At the writing of this question, three terrorists have been killed and at least four hostages have died as well.  There is still one alleged terrorist at large in the area outside of Paris.  The magazine has been under fire in the past (literally and metaphorically) for its controversial depictions of Mohammad (the purported cause of Wednesday's attack).  Should such free speech and freedom of the press (consider the US Constitution's 1st Amendment) always be protected?  Are the depictions of Charlie Hebdo acceptable?  Why or why not?

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