Global Scholar's Blog 2022-2023
Photo courtesy: Alice Lagarde "Dear Adonis, I'm sorry that man is your father, let me be honest." This line has been all over the media in relation to the Kendrick Lamar and Drake rap saga that has taken fans by storm. In short, Kendrick Lamar, Metro Boomin, Future, and other rappers have collaborated in firing disstrack after disstrack towards Drake, levering accusations of pedophilia, Ozempic-usage, cosmetic surgery, ghostwriters, hiding an 11 year old daughter, and faking street cred just to name a few. The relationship between Drake and Kendrick has always been rocky; however, it wasn't until 2023 when Drake and J. Cole released "First Person Shooter" where the rappers claimed to be the "Big Three" of rap along with Lamar. Offended with being compared to the same degree of J. Cole and Drake, Kendrick fired back on Future and Metro Boomin's song "Like That" rapping "[Expletive] the big three, it's just big me." Ever since, both Drake and Kendrick have been releasing songs pointed at the other, with unverified allegations flying from both ends. To the public, Kendrick has won the battle with his talent for spinning a plethora of accusations into hard beats.
The rap battle between the artists continues to expose dark secrets from all involved; however, it sheds light on a larger picture: fact checking. While many, including myself, are buying into the narrative that Kendrick Lamar has built against Drake, it is important to remember the consequences of believing information blindly. It is especially crucial to challenge our beliefs in the prime era of technology, where tools like AI can manipulate content. Not fact-checking can lead to false information, damage to reputation, and harm to individuals. It is fair to say that Drake's career will forever be tarnished by Lamar's heavy accusations, which has consequence for the Canadian rapper's reputation. It will be interesting to watch how the lyrical battle will play out, and if physical or economic consequences fall onto those involved. Sources:
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Ground Breaking or Breaking Ground?
Every so often, Poly prefaces an event or announcement with a land acknowledgment— an acknowledgment that we operate as a community on land stolen from the indigenous people who used to steward it. The point of a land acknowledgment is to express gratitude for the land we reside on as a means of honoring the indigenous people who have been living and working on the land. However, as many indigenous groups point out, colonialism is an ongoing process, and we need to build the mindfulness of our present participation. On October 9, 2023, Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebrated the recognition of Native communities and the land they lived on and continue to preserve and advocate for. Ironically, just two days later, Poly announced in an email a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” for the community. Curious, I opened it. Poly announced that they had agreed with Nuccio’s Nursery, a longstanding sanctuary home to rare azaleas and camellias, to construct, transform, and modernize the site into an extended satellite campus. The 78-acre property in the northern foothills of Altadena is set to expand Poly’s athletic facilities, environmental studies, and outdoor opportunities. For Poly’s sports programs, the project sparked both excitement and caution among the school’s athletes. Many important considerations, such as the act of encroaching on indigenous land, the impact of noise and light pollution on the environment and wildlife, the increased risk of wildfires, and the unnecessary carbon emissions of transportation to the campus, give rise to a burden of proof that Poly must meet if they decide to go through with the process. If Poly cannot demonstrate how its proposed land usage plan outweighs the negative factors the project creates, Poly should abandon its plans to acquire the property. In other words, if Poly cannot meet the burden of proof, Poly has an ethical obligation to abandon the property acquisition process. As a person familiar with both Poly’s athletic program and Altadena’s ecological landscape, I wondered, “What driving reasons does Poly have for building this facility?” In an interview with Mr. Bracker, I learned that Poly’s central motivation behind this purchase is its desire to address long-standing wishes in the athletic department. Although Poly has a soccer/football field, the school cannot use these facilities at night due to an agreement made with neighbors because of the bright lights and noise. In the interview, when asked why Poly planned to build new facilities instead of solely renovating our current ones, Mr. Bracker said, “We realized it was very expensive, and it wasn’t solving our biggest problem, which was too many of our teams don’t have field space and are traveling off campus to practice or to play home games, and so that became a bigger deal.” Poly has been looking for a solution to this problem for a very long time, so perhaps this begins to explain why they so quickly “jumped” when an opportunity came about. Poly has laid out a roadmap of how they plan to mitigate its impact on the land; however, much of its plan struggles to reconcile with the burden of proof. For example, Poly maintains that they plan to build the facility within the physical footprint of the nursery, leaving the rest of the property the way it is. This sounds ideal in theory, but this project would inevitably have harmful consequences on the surroundings. Introducing artificial light to nocturnal species significantly disadvantages prey that use the cover of darkness to hide from predators. Also, noise pollution damages species by interrupting breeding cycles, rearing, and potentially hastening the extinction of species, according to the Nation Park Service. And despite Poly’s insistence that the impact of noise and light pollution won’t be significant, Poly has still not given reason beyond convenience for some sports teams to outweigh the harms of the project. Due to the foothills of Altadena being a fire hazard zone, the residents comply with meticulous regulations that aim to reduce the risk of wildfires. The guidelines include, alongside using fire-safe materials, maintaining a defensible space around structures by removing dead vegetation, clearing combustible materials, and trimming trees and shrubs. This would mean that Poly would have to maintain the entirety of the 78-acre plot to this standard. This would require a massive and costly effort from Poly each year. While this consideration is not necessarily a reason not to purchase the property by itself, it builds on the burden of proof and further requires reason from Poly as to why we NEED to pursue this project. Another important part of this discourse has been communication with Altadena residents and neighbors. Firstly, I want to establish a distinction between the sincerity with which many residents engage in these conversations and the ways in which NIMBYism or Not In My BackYard may have affected how we talk about this development. A NIMBY is a resident who opposes a new development because it deviates from the ways in which they envision its surrounding community spaces. It’s important to recognize that criticism for Poly’s plans, and the burden of proof for which this speech is based on, are supported by evidence-based reasoning around environmental protections as opposed to superficial NIMBY critiques. That said, NIMBYism is still a factor we should be aware of as we weigh the pros and cons of this plan. Some of the cons, according to many Altadena residents, include traffic and general disruption. It’s important to evaluate these criticisms while considering a range of factors, and yet the weight of these concerns are met with little pushback from Poly’s side. The burden of proof still stands. Our campus lies on Tongva land, our city lies on Tongva land, and the Nuccio Nursery lies on Tongva land. What I found most striking in my interview with Mr. Bracker was his admission that Poly, as of the time of my interview, had yet to involve indigenous voices in this process so late in the discussion. This should give us pause and invite us to consider the discontinuity between the positing of things like the Poly-produced indigenous land acknowledgment and Poly’s real-life practice of ignoring the messages it teaches in our classrooms. Embedded in the subtext of every land acknowledgment is the dim reminder that we can’t just revert the land back to the indigenous peoples who once lived here. We can’t just tear down Poly and revitalize the wildlife of the area. However, in the case of the Nuccio Nursery, Poly has the rare opportunity to engage with indigenous peoples in order to preserve the land to the best extent—and yet, at the time of my interview with Mr. Bracker, this was not a consideration made. Considering these observations, it becomes increasingly clear that Poly's plan falls short of meeting the burden of proof required to justify the proposed sports complex. The school's offered justifications centered mainly around the convenience of our sports teams but fail to outweigh the potentially detrimental consequences that such a project may entail. As a result, I strongly urge Poly to abandon its current plans and redirect its resources toward enhancing existing infrastructure and community spaces. Let this be a transformative moment for our school, one where we prioritize collaboration, inclusivity, and a genuine commitment to honoring the land we occupy. It is simply not enough to acknowledge the Tongva people's historical presence; we must take tangible steps to immortalize the foothills and ensure that their legacy is respected and perpetuated. Sources:
Think tanks are organizations or institutions that conduct research and analysis on various social, economic, political, scientific, or technological issues. They aim to provide insights and recommendations to policymakers, businesses, and the public. Think tanks typically employ experts, researchers, and analysts who study specific topics in depth. Their work often includes producing reports, organizing events, and engaging in public advocacy. Think tanks may be independent or affiliated with universities, political parties, or other organizations, and they can have different ideological or policy focuses.
However, while think tanks can act as treasure troves of knowledge, they can and are used in America as political weapons of influence. In the United States, think tanks are like idea factories that make research and advice on different topics, such as politics, economics, and science. They write reports, talk to the media, and even talk to politicians to try to convince them of their ideas. Sometimes they even help make new laws by giving advice to the government. They get money from different places like companies and rich individuals, using it to conduct their research. Overall, think tanks in America try to change what people think about politics by giving them information and ideas. Recently, one right-wing think tank, called the Claremont Institute, was exposed for its link to an extremist fraternal order. Claremont Institute officials were revealed to have connections with the shadowy Society for American Civic Renewal(SACR), which experts say is rooted in Christian nationalism. The SACR is a male-only fraternal order that "aims to replace the US government with an authoritarian aligned regime" (The Guardian). As a series of New York Times investigations in 2014-2017 revealed, the think tank business model has drifted disturbingly toward selling access and influence. For some, the point is no longer to generate new ideas or inform a deliberative process, but rather to sell ideas that promote the interests of funders. Should Americans trust think tanks? The reality that real, unbiased news in the United States is dead has been a reality for many. Examples like Trump's fake news campaigns, deadly violence from incorrect Facebook posts, and conspiracies from organizations such as QAnon, have all contributed. Will think tanks ever recover their credibility? Sources
image from Geographical Microplastics, diminutive fragments of plastic measuring less than 5 millimeters, pervade various facets of modern existence through a multitude of pathways. Their origins span from the degradation of larger plastic objects to the shedding of microfibers from synthetic textiles and the incorporation of microbeads in personal care products. Once disseminated into the environment, they exhibit remarkable persistence, accumulating in ecosystems worldwide, including remote regions such as the Arctic and Antarctic, and infiltrating human consumables. Human exposure to microplastics primarily occurs through ingestion via contaminated food and water sources. These particles infiltrate seafood, salt, and bottled water directly, while also indirectly entering the food chain through soil contaminated with microplastics or irrigation with water containing plastic residues. Of particular concern is the potential for these minute contaminants to translocate across the gastrointestinal tract, potentially disseminating through systemic circulation and raising substantive questions regarding their impacts on human health.
Additionally, microplastics present a notable concern through inhalation, as studies have identified their presence in atmospheric environments, particularly in urban locales and indoor settings characterized by heightened plastic pollution. The inhalation of airborne microplastics poses potential health risks, including pulmonary inflammation and the deposition of toxic substances within the respiratory system. As awareness of the pervasiveness and potential consequences of microplastic exposure grows, urgent actions are required to curtail their production, mitigate environmental release, and safeguard human health. Moving forward, it is imperative that proactive measures are taken to address the proliferation of microplastics and their potential implications for human health in the future. As these minuscule plastic particles continue to accumulate in our environment, the long-term health consequences remain uncertain but warrant serious consideration. Potential adverse effects may encompass digestive disturbances, respiratory complications, and the dissemination of harmful substances throughout the human body. To effectively tackle this issue, concerted efforts must be made to reduce plastic consumption, improve waste management strategies, and innovate solutions for plastic recycling and pollution mitigation. Moreover, ongoing scientific research into the health impacts of microplastic exposure is essential to inform evidence-based policies and public awareness initiatives. By prioritizing environmental stewardship and embracing sustainable practices, we can strive to safeguard human health and preserve the ecological integrity of our planet for generations to come. Sources:
Image from the film I thoroughly enjoyed the documentary "A Step Without Feet." I thought that co-director Jeremy Glaholt did a phenomenal job encapsulating the real stories of refugees without pushing a Western-savior narrative. One moment of the film that stood out to me was when one of the refugees noted that although the transition to another country was extremely difficult, she could find a piece of home anywhere she went. I wonder what the film would look like today if Mr. Glaholt did a sequel, interviewing the same people. Additionally, with anti-immigration sentiments on the rise in Berlin, I wonder how the Syrian refugee community is handling it. One of the refugees stated how the immense pain of being away from his family affected him, but became of his limited income as an artist, he can't bring them to Berlin. I found it interesting how immigration has become a monetary issue, leaving many to resort to illegal methods.
A massive influx of Syrian migrants are filling up German shelters, further fueling far right rhetoric calling for violent measures. As shelters reach maximum capacity, Berlin faces local and state officials demanding more funds from the federal government, without success. In addition to the Syrian refugees, Berlin is dealing with 11,000 Ukrainian refugees who fled Russia's war. With this migrant crisis unfolding in a country plagued with xenophobia, it will be intriguing to observe how Germany will deal with balancing both sides. Sources:
PHOTOGRAPH BY: PAULO OLIVEIRA/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO Hermit crabs are anomuran decapod crustacenas that have adapted to protect their fragile exoskeletons into seashells. Similar to many species native to the ocean, hermit crabs are negatively affected by microplastics that leech from human trash. However, unlike other species, hermit crabs don't injest these microplastics, but rather absorb the materials emitted from them. In a study conducted by Faunalytics, Researchers gave the hermit crabs a shell that weighed only half as much as hermit crabs prefer. Once they were acclimated to the 50% shell, researchers offered them a choice between two shells, one that weighed as much as they prefer and one that weighed only a quarter of what they prefer. The researchers put each shell in a vial. The results were alarming. The study indicated that microplastic exposure negatively impacted the cognitive decision-making abilities of hermit crabs, leading to suboptimal shell selection. However, more recently, scientists discovered that hermit crabs have been using human trash into homes. Researchers said that plastic waste is the “most pervasive element” of marine pollution and, as a result, widely available to hermit crabs. Additionally, plastic homes weigh less than natural shells, have a different smell, “may be attractive for females” and “may act as efficient camouflage in polluted environments.”
Hermit crabs are not the only species experiencing challenges from plastic pollution. Fish, for example, are dying in unprecedented numbers for mistakenly ingesting microplastics. While this niche example of hermit crabs may seem small-scale, the consequences of not addressing it will prove detrimental. While the long-term affects of plastic debris on marine life is unknown, we do know that ocean biodiversity will significantly decline and humans will continue to injest microplastics from food. Sources:
Barrell: 9 September 2022 The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates climate change is expected to cause approximately 250,000 deaths annually between 2030 and 2050. These deaths are projected to be associated with factors such as malnutrition, malaria, diarrhea, and heat stress. So, why is climate change being overlooked? According to the PEW Research Center, a non-partisan American think tank, extreme weather is seen as a part of life and not happening more often. Many interviewees said that extreme weather events are natural occurrences and did not draw a connection between their intensity or frequency and climate change. To ensure a liveable climate for future generations, the first step to approaching climate change is through international collaboration. As demonstrated in our class climate simulation, each party has its own political agenda fitted to their country’s best interest; however, international agreements and partnerships to regulate emission levels for top greenhouse gas producers must be at the forefront.
It is imperative for the United Nations to set harsh emission restrictions on countries like China and the United States, which collectively emit over 18.6 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. Additionally, the United Nations should reprimand top carbon emitters by holding ethical trials to determine the cost that the country owes in damages. For example, Tuvalu, an independent island nation in Oceania, is projected to be fully underwater by 2100 due to rising sea levels. However, Tuvalu has contributed virtually no greenhouse gas emissions to threaten the future of its country. It is the countries that produce the least carbon emissions that pay the most. By sharing technological resources with underdeveloped countries, a more equitable future will promote sustainable practices and plenty of job opportunities. I believe that carbon taxing will incentivize businesses and corporations to reduce their carbon footprint. Though mandatory regulations may cause arguments from countries like China, which have an economy dependent on manufacturing, reduced carbon emissions will pay off in the long run. Sources:
PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo Following a gruesome attack in November where a man stabbed three children and a teacher, outrage sparked in Ireland with many calling for the obliteration of all immigrants. A rumor that the assailant was an immigrant (never confirmed by police) created xenophobic rhetoric on social media prompting far-right fanatics to take action in the streets. Extreme messages even called for people to "Kill any foreigner in sight". In December, a rise in racism and street crime raised questions about safety for immigrants. According to El País, a Spanish Newspaper, "some groups of protesters attempted to hunt down refugees sleeping in accommodations across Ireland. There are about 73,000 currently in the country, with more than 50,000 from Ukraine. The doors and windows of the Dublin City Dorms (a residential building) were covered with wooden panels: no immigrant had slept there for months, but the assailants tried to enter the building." Additionally, rioting in the streets directly hit businesses with many store owners observing the damages to their own properties. Police cars, vehicles, and tram cars erupted in flames prompted heavy police presence. The Irish Government claims that the riots have been the worst in the country since 2006.
Xenophobia has been prevalent in Ireland from far right politicians and worsened since the arrival of Ukrainian refugees around 2 years ago; however, social media has played a critical role in giving a platform to extremists. Another major reason for the increase in anti-immigration sentiments point to housing insecurity and lack of public services. Far right groups condemned immigrants for "taking housing away from the Irish" when in reality, the 5 million Irish population is the majority to the 150,000 immigrant population. The rise in xenophobic attacks led to an asylum hostel being torched on December 18th causing fear in the immigrant community. One asylum seeker from Nigeria, Promise Enofe, admitted his fear after the attacks and rioting in the streets. He also explained that the increase in anti-immigration hate online gave him constant anxiety. However, the heavy police presence gave Enofe some peace of mind for the time being. Overall, the concern for immigrant safety in Ireland has pressured the Irish government to toughen laws against hate crimes and continue to provide police when necessary. Sources:
"We are living in a post-genocide world, but when does that become forgotten?" - Dr. Karapetian
Historically, the international community sparked debates about mass murder by examining the Armenian genocide. Raphael Lemkin, a Jewish scholar from Poland, followed the case of a young Armenian, Soghomon Tehlirian. Tehlirian killed the Turkish minister in 1921 because the minister was significantly responsible for the organized killing of Armenians. Lemkin found it hard to understand a system in which Tehlirian could be charged and tried for the death of a single man but which did not hold Turkish leaders accountable for the mass killing of Armenians. Now, the international community watches again, but this time the media has remained quiet. Armenians were systematically forced out of their homeland, Nagorno karabakh, also called Artsakh. Additionally, the only route that connects Azerbaijan to Artsakh was blocked by Azerbaijani "environmental activists" along with the support of their government's authorities. Azerbaijan believed Armenians to be "pillaging natural resources." Then, armed Azerbaijani forces set up a checkpoint at the Lachin corridor to "prevent weapons smuggling," however, these actions prevented aid resources from reaching Armenians and prevented families from trying to communicate with their relatives across the checkpoint. From the Azerbaijan perspective, the policy of "corridor for corridor" has been pursued by its president, Ilham Aliyev, who wants to parallel the Lachin pathway to Zangezer corridor, a transit route in Azerbaijan. The Zangezur corridor lies between western Azerbaijan, Nakhchivan, an enclave between Armenia, Turkey, and Iran. The Azerbaijani government believes that the Lachin corridor should serve as a blueprint for the Zangezur corridor, implying that Armenia should accept their checkpoints. However, Armenia does not want to allow these checkpoints at the corridor because they block a vitally important border with Iran. According to Steve Swerdlow, a Jewish Human Rights Lawyer, all crimes against humanity all equally horrid. During my facilitation of the event, I especially appreciated Mr. Swerdlow's commitment to defining genocide and reaffirming the importance of understanding the difference from ethnic cleansing. A major aspect of people's lack of awarness to the genocide is the gap in understanding the history and key terms. Our theme for this year’s Global Initiatives Program, Ubuntu, encapsulates the idea of bringing people together as global citizens, acknowledging our part as a diverse collective while simultaneously responsible for the aid of others in need. We have hope that the event inspired the audience to continue putting empathy into action and seeing the humanity in others. Resources:
Jennifer Godwin Minto: GIP "Transformative Power of the Arts in Human Rights" “The Khmer Rouge took my instruments and gave me guns.” - Arn Chorn Pond After decades of political turmoil, the communist party of Kampuchea, also known as the Khmer Rouge, led a forced evacuation of over 1.5 million Cambodians overnight. The Khmer Rouge envisioned making Cambodia a classless society of rice farmers. The communist party produced propaganda against the United States because they opposed capitalist Western imperialism and wanted to become a self-sufficient country after being under French rule for 90 years. This historical context is necessary to understand all perspectives of the genocide and what motivated individuals’ actions. I was unaware of the Cambodian genocide until my sophomore year of high school when we read "Never Fall Down," a book based on the lived experiences of Arn Chorn Pond.
As a young boy, Arn trained in the temple and often got beaten by the monks for sneaking out and listening to rock and roll music. Arn had no choice but to work in the labor camps deep in the jungle, helpless as his brother and sister starved. As a young boy, Arn was exposed to extreme violence and trauma. When he came to speak at Poly, Mr. Pond said that he learned early on to shut down his empathy for others so that he could survive. He was trained to play the flute, which often acted as a facade to silence the massacres in the Mango Groves. Another survivor, Haing Ngor, describes his brutal imprisonments with the Khmer Rouge and the constant fear of hiding his true identity, a doctor who practiced Western-based medicine. Ngor recounted the horrid memories and trauma as a witness of the genocide as well as the risks he took helping the injured. In our joint discussion with the International Relations class, I asked Arn how he was able to separate the traumatic memories attributed to the camps with the flute and turn them into a tool to reclaim Cambodia's living arts. Mr. Pond emphasized the importance of looking to the future and the need to get the youth off the street and into music. While Arn still has nightmares of his past, he learned how to cry to express his emotions. A moment in his speech that especially struck me was when he said, "I would wake up with my face wet from tears, but smile knowing I survived the night." Even after Arn was rescued from the Khmer Rouge, he faced obstacles in New Hampshire, such as bullying, violence, and language barriers. I would argue that Arn's ability to speak as a survivor is an equally powerful tool as his flute. Mr. Pond concluded that empathy is formed through understanding the perspectives of others, a lesson relevant to all cultures around the world. Beyond our part in educating ourselves, organizations such as the Karam Foundation enrich Syrian refugees' knowledge to prepare them for future aspirations. The youth of disparaged communities, broken homes, and vulnerable conditions are the groups most crucial to the success of their generations. By supporting these organizations, we support an equitable future for all. Sources:
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May 2024
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