Koo 1 Alexander Koo Mr. Kim English 3AP-1 11 September 2012 Headlines 1.

Fears about Shariah Law Take Hold in Tennessee http://www.npr.org/2012/09/03/159378918/fears-about-shariah-law-take-hold-in-tennessee Rep. Diane Balck was accused of being soft on Shariah law, the code that guides Muslim beliefs and actions, in Tennessee. Furthermore, the states governor has been attacked for hiring a Muslim in the economic development office; a resolution criticizing the governor and Islam has been signed by a growing list of GOP (Republican) executive committees. Despite Gov. Bill Haslams assertion that the Muslim staffer grew up in a small town in Tennessee, critics are not willing to be quiet. With more than half of the states population is evangelical protestant, many believe that Islam is the antithesis of the Christian religion; health care investor Andy Miller went so far as to donate a couple hundred-thousand dollars to Louu Ann Zelenik, a candidate who shares his same anti-Shariah views. However, Rebin Omer, a Kurdish refugee, dismisses the notion that Islam is violent, claiming that no such aggression was witnessed in his upbringing. There are two major questions that is brought up from the article: how far should religious freedom go in relation to the potential moral contradictions it may bring about, and how much affiliation should the government have with religion? The Sharia Law that governs Muslims today is deemed by many to be backward and cruel; many of the punishments within the legal codes call for severing of limbs, stoning, hanging and flogging, and beating. Additionally, there is severe discrimination against women within those codes. However, Muslims have responded in diverse ways to the liberal views of modern times; many interpret the sharia in different ways, while the extent to which sharia is enforced to the public by the states is also affected. While the Sharia Law has previously been a moral contradiction to the beliefs of the Americans, many Muslims embrace the legal code in different, more liberal ways as a response to the forces of modernity. The second question regarding government affiliation with religion is obvious: the state and the church should remain separate entities. The three functions the government playsthe executive, legislative, and judicial processesshould not be concerned with religion at all. The executive branch should implement and enforce fair laws that remain detached of biases based on religion, the legislative branch should create those fair laws, and the judicial branch should mete out justice in a fair manner. Under the 1st Amendment in the constitution, people have the freedom to religionand this ideology should be implemented within the state accordingly. The government should only be concerned with particular implications an action may have, not the belief those actions are associated with.

Koo 2 2. Romney and Abortion: Another Shift in the Works? http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/09/03/160502626/romney-and-abortion-another-shift-inthe-works Mitt Romney has shifted his position on abortion several times since the nascent stages of his political career. Romney proclaimed himself an ardent supporter of abortion rights in 1994, when he ran for Senate against Democrat Edward Kennedy, as well as in 2002, when he defeated Democrat Shannon OBrien to become governor. However, halfway through his term, Romney switched sides, converting to pro-life after a conversation with a Harvard scientist about embryonic stem cells. This position has been additionally altered recently when he told CBS that he was in favor of abortion except when womans health was considered. Other candidates such as Paul Ryan insist that it creates too large a loophole, while some are stunned by those who oppose the exceptions for health reasons. Romneys position on abortion still remains ambiguous due to the fact that the Republican platform calls for protecting life from conception, not allowing any exceptions. To what extent are politicians held accountable for their beliefs? How much freedom do they have in upholding a particular view? In this particular case, Mitt Romney has frequently changed his stance on abortion throughout his political careerand yet the question of whether he did so out of a true change in conviction or for manipulative political motives remains unanswered. It is partially because of this that Romney, in this case, should not be judged leniently. A political figure should uphold his or her stance on a political or controversial issue when they assert one. A change in their views is often more to qualify their position and ensure a safe, controversy-free term. As people we can make mistakes and find that we support one part of a particular debate that we had previously opposed. However, political figures represent ideals and beliefs the people need to look upon as modelsand therefore their beliefs and convictions upon a particular issue predetermines who their supporters will be. Considering this, politicians should not be able to change their views with such frequency as Romneys indecisive stance on abortion.

Koo 3 3. Chicago Teachers Strike Looms as Negotiations Enter Final Hours http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-chicago-teacher-strike-looms20120909,0,7370872.story Teachers union representatives and school administrators in Chicago have not been able to previously agree on certain terms in their contractsand as a result 29,000 teachers and school workers are possibly going on a strike. The controversy is between Chicagos Democratic mayor, Rahm Emanuel, and the partys union supporters. In the midst of the contentious atmosphere remain 404,000 students and their parents. Union spokeswoman Stephanie Gadlin claimed that the union and the administrators remain far apart on fundamental and crucial issues. Does absolute power equate to absolute corruption? The teachers in Chicago are one of the highest-paid public school teachers in the U.S.yet they are now demanding for more. It is quite important for the teachers to voice their opinions on matters and reject unfair policies, but often times the unions, with their unmatched power, take advantage and demand for pay raises and longer or shorter school days. Amidst this conflict are the innocent bystandersthe students and their parents. Although the teacher unions were constructed upon the belief that teachers should be protected toothey resulted in strikes and protests, demands for cost-of living increases, longer school days, and compensation to test results rather than experience. Furthermore, critics are harshly condemning the inability for teachers and administrators to figure out a solution without posing harm to the students; the students are in no way responsible for the conflict, nor are they a part of it, yet they receive the most damage. Therefore looking at the fact that teachers are demanding policies that benefit them instead of using unions to protect themselves, and the fact that students are suffering because these demands were not met, absolute powerthe teacher unionscan be said to lead to absolute corruption.