WW2 Japanese Internment Camps

The article was interesting. I haven't really ever delved into the subject of the Japanese concentration camps, so my knowledge is slightly limited. It seems as though it isn't really a subject that comes up in conversations often, so I doubt I'm alone in my lack of information. I can only guess as to the reason for it, however. It's not exactly a bright, shining moment of American compassion and understanding. It's something we (as a country, not as an individual) should be ashamed of, so we rarely speak of it as if to cover up the shame.
It is without a doubt that the whole ordeal spawned of a fear that gripped the US population. Fear of the unknown, fearing the absolute worst case scenario, fear of a threat that wasn't ever there at all. In times of war everyone is tense and on their toes, looking for an enemy to direct their hatred towards. In this case, it was the local Japanese Americans. Why? Because we're at war with the country they were descended from. How does that make any sense? It doesn't, seeing as how they were actual citizens, while German POW's were treated better in every sense than the Japanese people actually living and being productive here. It all comes down to an unfounded hatred and fear of what people don't know about. They were all worried about how the harder-working, more efficient Japanese were taking their jobs. It came down to jealousy, and jealousy breeds fear and hatred.
So I did feel a slight tinge of frustration at the American population. Who couldn't see past the haze of their own fear, and have the ability to realize there was nothing to be fearful of. There was no enemy on their land, only fellow citizens of a different background.

Life Without Parole: Juvenile Edition

There is an ongoing debate in the Supreme Court, and the entire justice system for that matter, on whether sentencing juveniles to life without chance of parole is constitutional or not. Some say that LWOP can be considered cruel and unusual punishment, which is forbidden in the 8th amendment of the Constitution. Others say that kids who commit heinous crimes should be treated as adults, and tried as such. In my opinion, juveniles should never be sentenced to LWOP, neither should anyone I believe. LWOP should be abolished completely (except in special circumstances which I will cover later). My reasoning is that kids are very immature, irrational, and have not yet fully developed mentally to understand what exactly their actions constitute. Adults will almost always say that they are not the same person that they were when they were 16. So why should adults in prison who were sentenced while juveniles be kept in prison if they're not even of the same mindset as they were when they committed the crime? It's unjust to expect people never to change, and never give them the chance to reconcile with themselves. Parole is a chance for criminals to redeem themselves, and gives them the chance to assimilate back in to society as a productive, law-abiding citizen.
Kids are even more open to having a change of heart as they still have time to mature and grow mentally. So giving a kid LWOP robs them of that chance to reflect upon themselves and witness the error of their ways. Giving LWOP to anyone robs them of the chance to reconcile their crimes. But let's face it, some people cannot and will not redeem, reflect, or reconcile, and will never be able to join society as a good citizen. It's the job of the parole board to weed those who can't be good citizens out of those who can.
But what happens if someone commits a crime while on parole? In that case, they have committed the worse crime of all, betraying the trust and abusing the chance to live normally again. If this is the scenario, where someone on parole commits an equally terrible crime to the one that got them in jail, there will be no mercy for them. At that point, it's reasonable to sentence them to LWOP. Because after that chance has been spoiled, it should be obvious that they will never reconcile with their crimes, and they should never be given the chance to abuse the trust and responsibility placed on them again.

International Women's Day

One of the women I am appreciating today is my girlfriend Taylor Cook. I met Taylor early this year, and started dating her in December. She is utterly devoted and loyal to me, and I am utterly devoted and loyal to her. She thinks of me like no other person I've met, believing I'm the greatest individual to enter her life, and walk on the face of this earth. Of course she's biased to some degree, but it she gives me that boost of confidence and support that everyone needs at some point or another. She makes every day that much better, and is always there when I need her. Sometimes I myself am surprised by how disgustingly cute and sappy we can be. Out of all the girls I have dated, Taylor is the first I've ever loved, and the one I plan on staying with the longest.

The other women I am appreciating today is Ayn Rand. Ayn Rand's philosophy on society and the economy is thoroughly stimulating and makes several powerful arguments against philosophies such as communism and socialism. Ayn Rand's book, Atlas Shrugged, is a powerful book that really outlines her perspectives on working, government, and life itself. She may have passed away, but her legend lives on, and especially so today.

Afterthoughts on White Supremacy

In the US, 87% of the top 5% of household incomes are white. By comparison, African Americans make up only 1.04%. However, blacks make up 10% of the US population, so how is it that only 1% is represented in the top 5%? The answer is not clear, and may be one of many things. Perhaps it's just a coincidence. Perhaps it is the product of a particular genetic anomaly that makes blacks not as smart as whites. It could be anything. But while the concept of "white supremacy" was done away with long ago, its shadow can still be found looming over the USA. It is not actively acting against blacks, instead, this white supremacist movement is more of a passive front sweeping the nation. Perhaps there is some underlying cosmic force that simply denies blacks the proportional representation in our government. We don't think about it, but maybe an underlying subconscious impulse influences our (whites that is) attitude and acceptance towards blacks. I would ask you to not confuse this with racism, as a majority of Americans are not malicious nor angry towards the African American race. Instead, perhaps a part of our brain convinces us without our knowledge that we are somehow better then the black community in some way. This maybe prevents blacks an equal chance in our country that we whites enjoy. So no, I do not believe in an overlying white supremacist mindset that we still partake in. I instead prefer to believe that hard coded into our brains is the thought that we are somehow better then blacks. We do not actively act on these impulses, but these thoughts influence our decisions and change the way we behave towards African Americans.