Counterintuitive Spring 2023

With the 2016 Presidential campaign in full swing, the whole country has its focus on the candidates pursuing the dream of becoming our nation’s next great leader. But the person who might be the next great president probably won’t win. This is so because he/she is most likely a part of a third party group, which does not get attention equal to Republicans or Democrats. But is it because the American people don’t vote enough for the third party? Or is the government just making it impossible for there ever to be a president is not one of the big two.

Could a third party ever become president?

This article explains the very extensive process that the presidential voting goes through and how the people’s vote ultimately has very little say in the matter. It states that it would be nearly impossible for a third party to win because it is set up so that the Electoral College has the final say.

This will be useful because the third party runners may be the best option for presidency, but will most likely never get there due to government interference,

Red vs. Blue States

This page displays tables and graphs on information from the 2008 presidential election. It shows the projected outcome of red states and blue states along with the stereotypes that are associated with them.

This is useful because these numbers could be very different and the stereotypes greatly changed if a third party group was thrown into the state color vs. state color.

2016 Needs A Third Party

This article explains why America needs to have a third party in this year’s race to make a difference in the way things have been done over recent years.

We Want a Third Party

Americans want to have a third party run for president, but it has not been able to reach a competitive point in recent years due to lack of candidates. This article will certainly help show that the American people are more than open for change in our government.

Independents are the Majority

This page has an interesting fact in it that states that people labeled as “independents” are the majority now over republicans and democrats. If there ever is a third party candidate that garners enough attention, he/she may certainly have the backing to make some noise in the polls.

72 percent of professors teaching at an American university are liberals while only 15 percent are conservatives. With this being said, it seems as though theirs more of a chance that a liberal teacher is going to bring their beliefs into the classroom. More professors will persuade liberalism which leads to how college professors are indoctrinating students. This affects our generation because teachers fail to adequately challenge undergraduates which often leaves many of them unprepared for the real world.

https://www.quora.com/Does-the-American-college-system-brainwash-students-towards-liberalism

This article talks about how professors are brainwashing their students with liberalism. How being exposed to diversity, literature, and the arts is more likely to liberalize one’s viewpoint.

http://townhall.com/columnists/danieldoherty/2011/11/19/avoiding_leftist_indoctrination_at_american_colleges_and_universities/page/full

The article talks about avoiding leftist indoctrination on college campuses. “College courses, which are often taught by biased professors who espouse leftist ideology, fail to adequately challenge undergraduate students and often leave many of them woefully unprepared for the real world.” Many students hide their political views with the fear that their professors will penalize them. 72% of professors in american universities are liberals while 15% are conservatives.

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2012/02/admit-it-american-colleges-do-indoctrinate-students/253607/

The article touches on how teachers value intellectual achievement more than moral achievements which essentially states that they care more about the “parrot effect” where a student repeats what the teacher has taught them rather than showing what a student has learned. Which brings me back to how teachers bring liberalism into the classrooms with only their beliefs in mind.

http://conservativeteachersofamerica.com/wordpress/tag/liberal-indoctrination/

This article touches on the issue of the definition of diversity that is being taught in the American education system. One student at Swarthmore University stated in an interview that the ideas of a conservative individual should not be mentioned at a liberal arts college and those ideas that agree towards hers are acceptable. This is stated because she feels as though conservatism is the dominant belief and people should not conform to this. In a true liberal arts college, the objective is to find the truth within an argument by closely observing all sides, yet this student refuses to allow certain views in, thus making her argument not a true liberal arts belief. These ideas have come from her indoctrination at this school and comes from the professors that have fed these views to her.

https://www.quora.com/When-people-complain-about-left-wing-indoctrination-in-public-schools-do-they-think-right-wing-indoctrination-would-be-better

The article talks about how schools should not have to decide on whether to be a conservative or liberal, but rather the students be able to learn basic skills and consider different ideas, opinions and beliefs.

The death penalty is legal in many states today, leaving only a small number illegal. The death penalty is a form of legalized unusual punishment, which includes executions such as lethal injections, firing squad, electrocution, and gas chambers. Many people around the world protest against the death penalty in states its legal, like Texas, Utah, Georgia. People preach the death penalty eliminates human rights, while others believe criminals/inmates deserve it. The legalized punishment is a form of violence, rather than a solution to it. The death penalty deserves to be illegal and abolished all around the country.

1. https://www.amnesty.org/en/what-we-do/death-penalty/

Background: This article explains when the death penalty started and went into effect in states in the U.S It also explains the type of executions states perform during the punishments.

This article will be useful, when defining what the death penalty is and what states do perform these punishments and what don’t. It will also help explain what type of punishments state’s use.

2. http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/states-and-without-death-penalty

Background: This map of the country, shows what states allow the death penalty and what don’t. It shows the name and year the state abolished the penalty.

The information the map gave will be useful when explaining the different states that allow and not allow the death penalty. It will create a better understanding, when including the year the state officially abolished the punishment.

3. http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/methods-execution

Background: This article gives information on what type of methods of execution states perform. It shows dates and states that authorize methods like, lethal injection, electrocution, and gas chamber.

This source gives more facts on  methods and states that use certain punishment, which will better my paper in explaining the type of executions state use.

4. http://marchforabolition.org

Background:  This discusses the 16th annual March to abolish the Death Penalty in Austin, Texas, which is coming up this month. It will be held on October 24th and is expected to have more than 500 people march.

This site will be useful to my writing because it helps explain why some people want to make it illegal in their state. It will better my explaining on the differences people have on keeping the death penalty legal or illegal.

5. http://www.amnesty.org.au/adp/comments/32961/

Background: This article explains 5 reasons, why the death penalty should be allowed. It tells readers that, we need to be “tough” on crime and these inmates deserve to deal with the consequences.

This source will be used to show the opposing side of why the death penalty should be illegal. It will help show reasons why other people believe these punishments should be allowed to inmates.

Doctors are making a lot of mistakes that are becoming very dangerous to the patients.they are taking risks at patients lives to where it has became an issue to the patients and the doctor.every year in the hospital 1 million people are being harmed from the cause of infections ,injuries and surgical mistakes.sadly hospitals are killing patients with needless mistakes.

http://www.propublica.org/article/how-many-die-from-medical-mistakes-in-us-hospitals

background: this article discuss how many patients have died from medical mistakes in U.S. hospitals.it estimates on how many patients die each year.”way to many people are being harmed by unintentional medical error,”Mayer said,”and it needs to be corrected.”

http://www.alllaw.com/articles/nolo/medical-malpractice/injury-lawsuits-against-hospitals-doctors.html

background:this article discuss how patients are getting injured by hospitals.how it is causing an issue for the patients and the doctors. due to wrong medications ans surgeries.how the hospitals are having improper care.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/04/09/hospital-acquired-infections.aspx

background:this article discuss how many patients have gotten infections from hospitals.” hospitals have become particularly notorious for spreading lethal infections.”it focuses on how infections are killing people in hospitals.

ahttp://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/medical-malpractice-patients-sue-hospital-negligence-30189.html

background:this article discuss how many hospitals have gotten sued from patients.doctors are not doing what should be done cause to many deaths, injuries and mistakes on patients.it focus on the hospital will not be liable for the doctors mistakes.

http://www.prevention.com/health/healthy-living/how-avoid-common-hospital-mistakes

background: this article discuss many ways how to prevent deaths,injuries and surgical mistakes from hospitals.patients can be more care by getting to know there doctors experience before going to them.this article focus on how patients can prevent bad experiences out of their doctors. what they should do to stop the causes of things happening.

In my research essay I will be examining the use of excessive force by the U.S. police departments on African American males. For many decades, police brutality has been an ongoing issue in our society that has led to more deaths than arrests. From the severe beating of Rodney King that took place in 1991 by the Los Angeles Police Department to the recent shootings of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown, as a society we see this is an controversial issue. As a nation that strongly believes in freedom of speech, without fear of government retaliation this has become a big problem in our society as the amount of African Americans being beaten or killed by police officers increase.

“Here’s A Timeline of Unarmed Black People Killed By Police Over the Past Year”

Background: This article is a timeline of all the unarmed African American males that were killed in the last year. This article also covers how many times each victim were shot, where they were and what made the police mark them as a target.

This article will not only provide me statistics how many African American males were killed in over such a short amount of time by police officers but also why these innocent victims look so “suspicious” to them. (STEREOTYPES)

“Why do U.S. police keep killing unarmed black men?”

Background: This article talks about the stereotypes, racial profiling and African American males are found more intimidating than Caucasian males. Also, speaks a little on police enforcement and how police are trained to handled situations where they may feel uncomfortable.

This article will allow me to understand why African American males are viewed as targets based off stereotypes and racial profiling. Also, will allow me to speak on how police officers are trained to immediately respond to a situation where they feel endangered and are quick to pull the trigger.

“Unarmed People of Color Killed by Police, 1999-2014”

Background: Another timeline that lists the deaths of not only African American males but African American females as well.

This article will allow me to cite current killings to killings that happened decades ago to show how police brutality against African Americans is an ongoing, dangerous issue in our society today.

“What is Excessive Force?”

Background: This article defines what excessive force really means and how it has different meanings in different jurisdictions. Goes into further explanation why police feel like excessive force is sometimes needed in certain cases (depending on location and who the victim is identified as).

This article will allow me to provide a clear definition of what excessive force is and how police officers use it.

“One Troubling Statistic Shows Just How Racist America’s Police Brutality Problem Is”

Background: Provides statistics that show just how big of a problem this is in our country

Will allow me to provide accurate data to back up my other points.

For my topic, I will be discussing the problem on mass shootings that have occurred a lot through the past decade. This is no doubt been a problem for this country ever since the Columbine shooting that occurred in the late ninety’s in Colorado. The main question is how do we as a nation fix this problem. There are two main reasons why mass shootings happen, some of them include not enough strict gun control laws and people aren’t getting the right treatment for mental health issues. This will be the debate that I will use throughout my paper and I will try to provide as many facts as possible. I will also provide some of the articles in detail that support my claim on why laws need to change.

1) http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/06/18/11-essential-facts-about-guns-and-mass-shootings-in-the-united-states/

Background: This article describes the facts that amount to the gun control situation and the mass shootings.

How I intend to use it: This article will help support my claim that something needs to done with gun control. My claim will basically be that think Americans we do have the right to own guns but it should only be certain types.

2) http://www.psmag.com/health-and-behavior/actually-know-connections-mental-illness-mass-shootings-gun-violence-83103

Background: This article describes the relationship between mental health issues and mass shootings.

How I intend to use it: To establish a point to help get people better treatment for people that suffer from mental health problems.

3) http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/wp/2015/06/29/has-there-been-one-school-shooting-per-week-since-sandy-hook/

Background: Discusses the facts on school shootings since Sandy Hook.

How I intend to use it: To describe that this is a daily occurrence and not just something that happens only once a year.

4) http://www.salon.com/2012/12/18/gun_rights_advocates_arm_our_teachers_to_help_stop_school_shootings/

Background: Discusses how arming teachers could help prevent shootings.

How I intend to use it: As a proposal to limit mass shootings that are happening today.

5) http://touch.latimes.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-84274894/

Background: This article describes how the United States leads the world in Mass shootings.

How I intend to use it: To show why the United States is leading the world in school shootings and what can be done to bring the rate down.P

For my research essay, I will be evaluating the merits and downfalls of the NSA’s extensive surveillance and their affects on the American public. After Edward Snowden’s critical reveal of the levels of surveillance the NSA had over America in 2013, the public outraged and began to investigate deeper. Since then, we have been able to analyze how, what and why the NSA have been monitering us.

What the NSA has been doing has done us more harm than good. They claim that they are using their surveillance abilities to watch for terrorists but their abilities go far beyond that and it is being used to gather more information than just terrorist plans. Although many of us having nothing to hide and no wrongdoings in mind, it is not information that is necessary to share with our government and something should be done for our privacy.

Privacy Is Dead. Long Live Transparency!

This MotherJones article asks questions that most people were probably wondering when the information was first released such as “What happened to the Fourth Amendment?” and “Can we save privacy?” and answers them with information about the NSA and the government.

This articles is useful for supporting my argument with information from things such as the Patriot Act and FISA Amendment Act

5 Reasons Why The NSA’s Massive Surveillance Program Is No Big Deal (And 2 Reasons It Is)

This article gives reasons why we should not be as worked up about the NSA’s surveillance as we are.

This article gives reasons from the other side of the argument and can be used to enhance my argument by arguing against these reasons.

The NSA’s Second Coming

This is a more recent article that illustrates everything the NSA is still doing since the release of information in 2013.

This information useful for my essay because it shows all the boundaries the NSA is still overstepping.

U.S. Confirms That It Gathers Online Data Overseas

This article gives information on just how much data the NSA is collecting. Not only do they tap American phone calls but they are collecting information from the internet and all around the world.

This is useful for understanding just how much information the NSA has at its hands.

Mikko Hypponen: How the NSA betrayed the world’s trust — time to act

Mikko Hypponen is a security expert from Finland giving his TED talk in Brussels about the information leaks from Edward Snowden about the NSA and giving his views as a foreigner of the US on our surveillance. He brings many things the NSA or defenders of the NSA may say as points of their arguments and gives reason why those arguments are weak or even wrong.

This source gives insight from a point of view outside the US which can be valueable to the paper as it gives reasons why the NSA’s actions are wrong from a different yet still very valid angle. He brings up many points which can all be elaborated on.