Homework 3, Due February 1, 2013

Here's hoping for a complete week of school! I apologize for the missed assignment last week - tough luck, I know.  I wanted to have our discussion about the death penalty before posting it and we didn't get there until later in the week than I'd anticipated.  Thanks for all the distressed messages at the last minute!  Although this is Spirit Week (go Cougars!) please be prepared for an energetic and rigorous work week!

In light of the amazing uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt over the past two years and the recent news from that region I feel that it is appropriate to step away from our focus period and take a look at world events. You might be surprised that the US is so involved in events that seem so far removed from our domestic issues.  However, the US has many important interests which must be carefully protected in the Middle East.

Of all the countries to experience significant upheaval in the last two years Egypt is by far the most important to US interests.  After extensive protests and riots the Egyptian people unseated a government that had been in control for decades.  The regime of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak was a close supporter of America over the last 30 years and kept peace with Israel (Egypt was the first Arab country to sign a peace agreement with Israel during the 1980s). Unfortunately there is ample evidence to suggest that President Mubarak limited the rights of Egyptians (hundreds were arrested and tortured on a weekly basis, accused of minor crimes) and allowed an economy to develop that has made a very small minority extremely wealthy (think billionaires) while many live in terrible poverty (less than $2 a day).

The new government of Egypt was freely elected - a first in the nation's history.  Unfortunately, the Muslim Brotherhood, a political party that advocates radical Islamic policies, took power.  The US provides Egypt with about $2.5 billion a year, much of it in military aid (if you've been watching the events on the news, you've heard the debate about the US giving fighter jets to Egypt - all of which were produced in the US and paid for by US tax money...yours!). Why would the US government provide such support? Because Egypt is a loyal ally that a) has great influence in the area; b) controls the Suez Canal (through which comes much of the oil that Americans use); and c) is NOT a radical Muslim regime that threatens to attack Israel.

Of course we had hoped that what came out of the protests would be  a "peaceful transition" to democratic government with greater freedom and economic opportunity for its citizens. However, in 1979 we witnessed a very similar chain of events in Iran. It might surprise you to know that Iran was a very close ally of the US during the time it was ruled by the "Shah", but many people, especially young radical Muslims, were unhappy with his rule and forced the Shah to flee the country. It happened so quickly that many American embassy workers were unable to get out of the country. Most of those US citizens spent the next 15 months as hostages while President Jimmy Carter unsuccessfully tried to free them. The hostages were finally released on the very day the President Ronald Reagan took office, but I'll comment on that in a moment.

Your homework this week is to research the Iran Hostage Crisis on the link http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/04/middle_east_iran_hostage_crisis/html/1.stm . As you examine the photos and read the summary I want you to consider the possibility that a similar situation could occur in Egypt and answer the following questions: How should the US react to these events? If you were speaking for the President, what would you tell the Egyptian citizens? Considering Iran, what should the US have done to free the hostages? Should the US military have invaded, given the dangers of starting an all-out war and maybe causing the execution of the hostages?

I will make a couple of observations: first, there are those that suspect that Reagan and his team had a secret deal with the Iranians to keep the hostages in captivity until he became president. There is absolutely no evidence to prove this but after Carter worked for their release for more than a year it's embarrassing to some that Reagan gets the credit. Of course, during the election Reagan had hinted that he would do whatever it took to get the hostages out, and it's likely the Iranians feared an immediate attack.

Second, of special significance to us is that one of the hostages, Terry Waite, is now a professor at UK in the department of Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs. He is a recognized expert in world politics and is on major news networks nearly every week informing Americans about current events.

The requirements of this assignment are exactly the same as those that preceded it. Have a good week!

Homework 2, Due Friday, January 18, 2013

Although this week we will be finishing our coverage of the great reformers who ushered in the age of Protestantism we will turn our attention a little closer to the modern day for this assignment.  In honor of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I want to pause to reflect on the Civil Rights movement as it transpired in the state of Kentucky. While we spend a great deal more time discussing the topic in US History it is important to note that the issues of civil rights are very central to the human story of world history. It is in fact one of the great forces behind the development of western civilizations - that notion that "all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights".

The Kentucky Historical Society has constructed a wonderful website dealing with the Civil Rights movement in Kentucky. It can be accessed at the link http://205.204.134.47/civil_rights_mvt/ . The stories that are told are available in print and oral (and sometimes video) format. Browse the topics available and report back on two interviews (include identifying information such as name, location if given, etc.) You can download the free software that will allow you to hear the actual interviews or simply read the transcripts. What do these interviews teach you about life in Kentucky during the era? How different are things today? Is racial inequality still an issue that must be addressed? If so, how? If not, why? Please be respectful in your comments.

For full credit please follow the directions of these assignments completely:  a 250 word essay is due on Friday evening.  By Sunday evening you will need to have responded to at least two other essays (a total of 150 words in your responses).

Homework 1, Due January 11, 2013

Welcome back from Christmas break!  I hope our class discussions of critical thinking and academic writing have been useful.  Learning to write well and make compelling, logical arguments are central goals of any modern education and are skills that will serve you well in the future as you pursue your career.  Do your best on this assignment and commit to staying faithful to your homework in the upcoming semester.  Your grade depends on it!

As we continue to study the Reformation, this week's homework will give you an opportunity to do some meaningful research. We'll return to www.worldbookonline.com and use the school's subcription: the user id is "scs"; the password is "cougars". Chose the student version (not children) and search for "Reformation". This should provide you with more than 130 articles, several pictures, and a recommended web site.

Your assignment is to research an aspect of the Reformation with which you are unfamiliar and report your findings. Were you living in that era, would you act as the reformers did? Would you be willing to face the powerful resistance for the promotion of what you see as truth? Include the answers to those questions in your response.

As before, your essay must be at least 250 words in length and must be posted by midnight on Friday evening. You must respond to at least two other essays (a total of 150 words in response, due by midnight Sunday evening). Please be respectful and thoughtful with your comments. Have a great week!