Week 10: "In the Arab World, It’s the Past vs. the Future" - Thomas L. Friedman, NY Times

This week, Tom Friedman's column discusses the situation in Syria (as well as the slew of democratic uprisings in the Middle East). Tom Friedman says that while he deeply admires what the Syrians are protesting against and the bravery they are showing, he is worried that the longer the fighting and protesting is seen in Syria the less likely it is that a stable democratic government will be implemented. The prospect of a civil war in Syria not only promises a bleak future for the country, but it also negatively impacts the surrounding countries, which house many of the same sects and religious groups that Syria contains. He also emphasizes that the 'battle' the Syrians are fighting is quite literally an 'old vs. young'/'modernity vs. tradition'/'lexus vs. olive tree' battle - with the youth fighting for modernity and true democracy - and that we should support them.

Source: Friedman, Thomas L. "In the Arab World, It’s the Past vs. the Future." New York Times. 26 Nov 2011: n. page. Web. 26 Nov. 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/27/opinion/sunday/Friedman-in-the-arab-world-its-the-past-vs-the-future.html?ref=thomaslfriedman>.

Week 9: My Opinion

I personally believe that the Occupy Wall Street protests are justified. I agree with both Paul Krugman from the NY Times and Roland Martin from CNN in saying that the Occupy Wall Street protesters are protesting against the corporate greed of Wall Street and the unfair imbalance in the tax system. I agree with their statements that it is unfair how many of the top corporations of Wall Street are paying minimal taxes while the 99% of the population that is not in that elite category can barely afford to live. Unlike what the Washington Examiner is saying, I don't believe that the protesters are protesting against the freedom and liberty that made the US what it is today - in fact, I think that the are protesting for freedom and liberty and are emulating the dissenters that helped fundamentally shape the US into a relatively successful state. I also believe that many Republican politicians, Rightist supporters, and Wall Street moguls are blowing these peaceful protests out of proportion and reacting with false accusations and generalizations to suppress any criticism of the 1%.