Argument and Synthesis – Specific Example Argument Bank
Scientists:
He or she is known for what:
Marie Curie
The first woman to win a Nobel Prize in Physics, and with her later
win, in Chemistry, she became the first person to claim Nobel honors
twice. With her husband Pierre, they discovered polonium and radium
which later led to the creation of X-rays.
Ada Lovelace
In 1843, Ada became the world's first computer programmer for
writing an algorithm for a computing machine. Lovelace was the first
to recognize the full potential of a 'computing machine', suggesting
it had applications beyond pure calculations. She believed computer
could follow a series of simple instructions, a program, to perform a
complex calculation.
Charles Darwin
He was a scientist who developed and proposed a theory about
evolution. His theory has had far-reaching affects on science and the
way we understand life. The theory of evolution by natural selection,
first proposed in his book "On the Origin of Species" in 1859, is the
process by which organisms change over time as a result of changes
in heritable physical or behavioral traits. Darwin founded a new
branch of life science: evolutionary biology.
Bill Nye
He is an American science educator and mechanical engineer best
known for hosting the television program Bill Nye the Science Guy.
His image as a playful science educator made it possible for him to
reach out to more audiences while conveying factual scientific
principles and elements.
Aristotle
He was one of the greatest philosophers who ever lived and the first
genuine scientist in history. He made pioneering contributions to all
fields of philosophy and science, he invented the field of formal logic,
and he identified the various scientific disciplines and explored their
relationships to each other. He applied Socrates' principles of logical
thinking to the real world, which is why he is called the “father of
scientific method.”
People of Courage:
He or she is known for what:
Malala Yousafzai
She defied the Taliban in Pakistan and demanded that girls be allowed
to receive an education, survived a gunshot wound by the Taliban and
continued on to be a feminist activist advocating for education and
civil rights, later earning her a Nobel Peace Prize.
Argument and Synthesis – Specific Example Argument Bank
Claudette Colvin
She demonstrated her courage by standing up for her rights and the
rights of African-Americans by not giving up her seat on the bus. She
was one of the plaintiffs for the court case that led to the bus system's
segregation being announced as unconstitutional and inspired a civil
rights movement/boycotting. Rosa Parks basically copied what she
did.
Kao Saelee
In addition to serving his sentence for a robbery case from his
adolescence, Saelee also served the state of California while
imprisoned: in 2018 and 2019, he worked as an incarcerated
firefighter, battling the kinds of blazes that are
currently devastating huge swaths of the western US. As he neared
the end of his sentence, Saelee was thrilled to get a firefighting
opportunity, which he qualified for because of good behavior. He is
now facing deportation to Laos, a country his family fled as refugees
when he was two years old.
Buddha
The Buddha traveled on the path of awakening and overcame all sorts
of difficulties. He demonstrated that fixation on the self can be
overcome. He was brave enough to take a stance against materialism
and his own attachment to pleasure. Ultimate courage is the
recognition and realization that the self is non-existent. The Buddha
embodied total and utter fearlessness, total courage. This is the
courage to take on the sufferings of all beings, to do what is needed to
help others, the total courage that arises out of fearlessness.
Neerja Bhanot
On September 5th,1986, Neerja Bhanot died while saving passengers
on Pan Am Flight 73, which had been hijacked during a stopover..
She was recognized internationally as "the heroine of the hijacking"
and became the youngest recipient of the Ashok Chakra Award,
India's most prestigious gallantry award for bravery during peacetime.
In addition to saving the lives of many hostages, Neerja had also
helped prevent the plane from getting off the ground.
Activists/People who
changed the world
He or she is known for what: (No MLK, Rosa Parks,
Hitler)
Supreme Court Justice
Ruth Bader Ginsberg
In 1993, she became the second woman ever to serve on the United
States Supreme Court. Throughout that time she has continued to be a
leading voice for gender equality, women's interests, and civil rights
and liberties.
Argument and Synthesis – Specific Example Argument Bank
Eleanor Roosevelt
In the White House, she was one of the most active first ladies in
history and worked for political, racial and social justice, more
specifically expanded roles for women in the workplace, the civil
rights of African Americans and Asian Americans, and the rights of
World War II refugees.
Socrates
He’s the founding father of Western philosophy and his most
important contribution was his technique for arguing a point, known
as the Socratic technique, which he applied to many things such as
truth and justice.
Confucius
Confucius is known as the first teacher in China who wanted to make
education broadly available and who was instrumental in establishing
the art of teaching as a vocation. He also established ethical, moral,
and social standards that formed the basis of a way of
life known as Confucianism.
Events that made the
world better
He or she is known for what:
The Renaissance
With each new intellectual advancement, this movement paved the
way for further advancements such as the Enlightenment and etc. It
was the rediscovery of classical philosophy, literature and art and took
place from the 14th century to the 17th century.
Industrial Revolution
It was caused from the transition to new manufacturing processes
which created job opportunities and a better economy. There was
improvement in the production of goods, and the standard of living.
People had access to healthier diets, better housing, and cheaper
goods, along with the improvement of education.
Foundation of United
Nations
In 1945, the United Nations was officially established to prevent war
and coordinate humanitarian efforts to reduce poverty, uphold
international law and protect the environment. Although the UN has
often lacked the power to stop aggression, it is still an important
international forum with the charter of the United Nations upholding
basic universal rights and freedoms without distinction or
discrimination. It also established the first international Court of
Justice at the Hague. The UN has played a role in global humanitarian
efforts and UN bodies such as the Global smallpox eradication
program.
Argument and Synthesis – Specific Example Argument Bank
Gutenberg Printing
Press
It was invented in 1440 by a German printer Johannes Gutenberg,
which in turn introduced movable type printing to Europe. It helped
revolutionize literacy, which ultimately allowed the spread of
knowledge and education throughout the world. His invention was
one of the major driving forces behind the Renaissance.
Events that made the
world worse:
He or she is known for what:
Hiroshima Bombing
The two atomic bombs dropped on Japan in 1945 killed and wounded
hundreds of thousands of people. By the end of 1945, the bombing
had killed an estimated 140,000 people in Hiroshima, and a further
74,000 in Nagasaki. In the years that followed, many of the survivors
would face leukemia, cancer, or other terrible side effects from the
radiation.
COVID-19 Pandemic
Global ‘lockdowns’ forced people into quarantine, led to business
closures and travel bans due to the widespread virus to all countries,
and left detrimental consequences to the global economy with a sharp
rise in unemployment and furthermore.
Holocaust
The state-sponsored mass murder of some 6 million European Jews
and millions of others by the German Nazis during World War II, led
led by Adolf Hitler.
The Trail of Tears
The Indian Removal Act of 1830 passed by President Andrew
Jackson led to the forced removal of the Cherokee nation by U.S.
Army troops, along with various state militia, who forcibly evicted
more than 16,000 Cherokee Indian people from their homelands in
Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina, and Georgia to the new Indian
Territory defined as “west of Arkansas,” in present-day Oklahoma.
(historical) Current
Events:
He or she is known for what:
Black Lives Matter
Movement
A political and social movement dedicated to fighting racism/raciallymotivated hate crimes and police brutality against black people
through non-violent civil disobedience and protests.
Argument and Synthesis – Specific Example Argument Bank
Uighur Muslims in
Since 2017, at least 1 million Uighurs have been interned in over 85
Chinese Concentration detention camps within Xinjiang, China, in an effort by the Chinese
Camps
government to suppress the Uighur Muslim minority population due
to religious discrimination. There, the Chinese Communist Party has
forced them to undergo psychological indoctrination programs. The
U.S. along with 30 more countries have condemned China for these
atrocities however no legitimate action has been made to relieve the
Uighurs.
2020 Beirut Explosion
On August 4, 2020, a massive explosion occurred at a warehouse on
the waterfront of the Port of Beirut, Lebanon. It was caused by a large
amount of ammonium nitrate, which killed more than 200 people,
wounded over 5000 others, and left about 30k residents temporarily
homeless. The Lebanese authorities blamed the explosion on
mismanagement by port officials, but there is reason to suspect that it
was the result of Hezbollah negligence or a bomb/rocket.
2020 U.S. Presidential
Election
The 46th presidential election between Republican Trump and
Democratic Biden. It is significant as Trump insisted that he will only
lose if there is massive electoral fraud, which is a shock as none of his
predecessors has so relentlessly compromised the electoral process.
The election set record for highest voter turnout, and perhaps no two
candidates are more at odds over the future of the country and the
direction they want to take it in. This election was fundamentally
about what it meant to be an American.
World Leaders:
He or she is known for what:
Jacinda Arden
She is the world's youngest female head of government at age 37 who
successfully eliminated COVID-19 as prime minister of New
Zealand, and banned military-style semi-automatics less than a month
after Christchurch shootings.
Park Geun-Hye
The first woman to be President of South Korea and also the first
female president popularly elected as head of state in East Asia.
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States of
America, who successfully prosecuted the Civil War to preserve the
nation. He played in key role in passage of the Thirteenth
Amendment, which officially ended slavery in America.
Argument and Synthesis – Specific Example Argument Bank
Queen Victoria
Former queen of the United Kingdom; She was the matriarch of the
British Empire. During her 63-year reign, a length surpassed only by
our current Queen, Victoria presided over the social and industrial
transformation of Britain, as well as expansion of the empire.
Her reign saw great cultural expansion; advances in industry, science
and communications; and the building of railways and the London
Underground.
Creative Genius:
He or she is known for what:
Leonardo da Vinci
“The Renaissance Man” — (a person with many talents or areas of
knowledge) He was an artist of paintings and designs, art,
cartography, geology, and studies which later helped us as blueprints
for inventions such as the tank and parachute and many more.
Ludwig van Beethoven He was considered to be the greatest composer of all time, as his
works are widely recognized as being the bridge between the classical
age of Western music and the later romantic age.
Wolfgang Amadeus
Mozart
He was a musical prodigy composed by the time he was 5 and wrote
his first symphony by age 10. As an adult, his music was
extraordinarily complex, drawing influence from many different
styles, and considered radical at the time. He composed more than
600 pieces, including concertos, operas and symphonies, in his short
life and is considered the most significant European classical
composer.
Benjamin Franklin
He may have been the Unites States' first true contribution
to creative polymathy. He was an inventor, creating a clean-burning
stove, bifocals, and the lightning rod. He was a scientist, charting out
the Gulf Stream and discovering new properties of electricity.
Important Women:
He or she is known for what:
Maya Angelou
She was an activist for the women’s rights, young people and the
oppressed through the medium of literature and activism, and greatly
contributed to the civil rights movement.
Argument and Synthesis – Specific Example Argument Bank
Princess Diana of
Wales
She modernized royalty, was a compassionate philanthropist who
participated in extensive charity work which included campaigning
for animal protection and fighting against the use of landmines. She
was the patroness of charities and organizations who worked with the
homeless, youth, drug addicts, and the elderly.
Cleopatra
Queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt is remembered as history's temptress, a
queen adept in the art of seduction – the ultimate femme fatale.
She influenced Rome and Egypt because she made Egypt wealthier
and more powerful. Cleopatra needed Rome's resources to make
Egypt more powerful than it already was. She used the help of Caesar
and Antony and in turn, had an influence on the politics that made
Rome become more powerful too.
Jane Austen
Jane Austen, a famous novelist who wrote a total of 6 novels, was
extremely important as she reflected women’s roles in marriage and
brought self-awareness to many through her writings. She is mainly
famous for her romantic novel called “Pride and Prejudice,” which
expressed how love works and was ultimately a feel-good story.
Literature
Events or characters who do what – for what is work known
"The Vindication of
Rights of Women" by
Mary Wollstonecraft
A literary work written in 1792 and one of the first works of feminist
philosophy arguing for equal rights for and between both men and
women especially in regards of education in Britain.
"The Interpretation of
Dreams" by Sigmund
Freud
The father of psychoanalysis introduces his theory of the unconscious
about interpreting dreams and later what we would call the Oedipus
complex.
Don Quixote by
Miguel de Cervantes
The first modern novel published in 1605 and second part in 1615.
The plot revolves around the adventures of a noble (hidalgo) who
reads so many chivalric romances that he loses his mind (and has
signs of paranoid personality disorder) and decides to become a
knight (caballero andante) to revive chivalry and serve his nation,
under the name Don Quixote de la Mancha. This gained us the
archetype by the name Don Quixote — someone who is determined
to change what is wrong, but who does it in a way that is silly or not
practical.
Argument and Synthesis – Specific Example Argument Bank
Romeo and Juliet
“Romeo and Juliet” is a story about two lovers whose families despise
each other, which then ultimately causes a bloodshed. This piece of
literature was written by William Shakespeare and is one of the most
famous works of literature of all time. Almost everyone knows the
name of Romeo and Juliet because of its tragic storyline. They coined
the term “star-crossed lovers” in literature.
Tragedies
Events – people know dates and context
The Murder of
Breonna Taylor
She was fatally shot in her home in Louisville, Kentucky on March
13, 2020 two police officers raided her home attempting to serve a
no-knock search warrant as a part of a narcotics investigation.
The Yemen Crisis
Thisis the largest humanitarian crisis in the world, with more than
24 million people, about 80% of population in need of humanitarian
assistance due to the civil war causing a collapsed economy and in
turn food crisis from inflated prices. More than 3/4th of the people
suffer from famine, malnutrition, death by conflict and disease.
Hurricane Harvey
Hurricane Harvey was a hurricane that occurred in Texas and
Louisiana in August 2017 and had destroyed thousands of homes and
displaced more than 30,000 people. It was also one of the hardest
hurricanes to ever hit in the U.S., making it a very well-known
tragedy.
The Titanic
The Titanic was a luxury British steamship that sank in the early
hours of April 15, 1912 after striking an iceberg, leading to the deaths
of more than 1,500 passengers and crew. Titanic has inspired
countless books, articles and films (including the 1997 “Titanic”
movie starring Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio), and the ships
story has entered the public consciousness as a cautionary tale about
the perils of human hubris.
American Wars
What happened and who is/was involved/how did it start how did
it end
Argument and Synthesis – Specific Example Argument Bank
Civil War
A civil war in the United States from 1861 to 1865, fought between
northern states loyal to the Union and southern states united as the
Confederacy over clashing issues, most notably their disposition over
the legalization of slavery.
The French and Indian
War
Also known as the Seven Years War, a conflict primarily fought
between Britain and France colonies in the New World of America
over territory with Native American allies on each side which ended
in British victory and the diminishing of French colonies in North
America.
The Revolutionary
War
The Revolutionary War was an American war that took place from
1775 to 1783 and started because of ongoing conflicts that the
American colonists had with the British. Therefore, the Americans
started the Revolutionary War so that they could gain their
independence from Britain. The war included people like George
Washington who was the commander in chief of the Continental
Army and led the Americans to victory during the Battle of Yorktown,
the last battle of the war.
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was an American war that occurred from 1812-1815
because of the restrictions on U.S trade made by the British and the
restrictions on territory expansion. Some people that were involved
included Andrew Jackson, Winfield Scott, etc. Approximately 15,000
Americans died during the war. The war finally ended when the
British and the Americans signed The Treaty of Ghent which handled
the territory issue.
Related to Truth:
He or she is known for what or what happened:
Ashley Judd and
Miriam Haley (Victims
of the Harvey
Weinstein case)
In light of the #MeToo movement speaking up against men using
their position of authority/prestige to subjugate women
inappropriately and sexually, Ashley Judd was the first actress to
publicly accuse Mr. Weinstein of sexual misconduct. Miriam Haley is
another whose allegations led Harvey Weinstein to face charges in
New York. By revealing the truth, they testified in court along with 85
more women against one of most influential producers in Hollywood,
who was found guilty of rape and criminal sexual acts.
Argument and Synthesis – Specific Example Argument Bank
Mark Felt (aka “Deep
Throat”)
He was the secret informant known as Deep Throat who told the
Washington Post reporters of Nixon’s political scandal following the
1972 presidential election. His truth led to the eventual resignation of
President Nixon under the threat of impeachment. Felt’s identity was
not revealed until decades after the incident, however, he as Deep
Throat became a symbol of sources dishing out information in
clandestine meetings.
Doctor Fauci
Doctor Fauci is an American physician and also the director of the
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984 who
is the key figure to informing the general public about public health.
He is the main source of information in regards to how COVID was
severe and should be taken seriously based on scientific facts/his
knowledge as a doctor. He told the public the truth about COVID
while President Donald J. Trump misled the public by telling them
that COVID isn’t that severe and would disappear by April.
Nellie Bly
She was the most famous American woman reporter of the 19th
century. Her investigation of conditions at an insane asylum sparked
outrage, legal action, and improvements of the treatment of the
mentally ill. Her trip around the world in 72 days brought her even
further fame.
Related to Deception:
He or she is known for what or what happened:
Stephen Glass
In the 1990s, he was wunderkind associate editor/writer at 25, being
the most sought-after young reporter in the nation's capital, only to be
revealed as a serial fabricator who made up nearly half of the
characters and situations in his published articles.
Benedict Arnold
He was a famed American military officer who fought in the
Revolutionary War, who later was discovered and became one of the
most infamous traitors in U.S. history after he switched sides to
fought with the British.
Ted Bundy
He is one of America’s most notorious serial killers, known to use his
charm and intelligence to lure women to their deaths. Bundy was a
cunning and charming psychopath who kidnapped, raped, and
murdered more than 30 women in seven states between 1974 and
1978. He would typically approach his victims in public places,
feigning injury or disability, or impersonating an authority figure,
before overpowering and assaulting them in secluded locations.
Argument and Synthesis – Specific Example Argument Bank
Everything, Everything Maddy is a girl who was sheltered her entire life by her mother
because she was thought of to have SCID, an immune disorder that
prevents her from leaving her home and interacting with others. A
doctor confirms that she has never had SCID, just an underdeveloped
immune system from under-exposure due to living in filtered air her
whole life. Her mother later tells her that after Maddy's father and
brother died in a car crash, Maddy was all she had left and she wanted
to protect her and keep her safe. Maddy is upset and leaves because of
her mothers deception.
Ambition:
He or she is known for what or what happened:
Genghis Khan
He was a famous historical figure with great ambitions, leading him
to become the founder and first Great Khan and Emperor of the
Mongol Empire, which became the largest land empire in history.
Through uniting nomadic Mongol tribes, his ambition led him to
conquering territory all around the world.
Alexandria OcasioCortez
She is the youngest woman to be elected to Congress at 29, and being
born to a working-class family, she made great strides to pursue her
education and career, with her success leading her to push for an
ambitious set of policy priorities, including the Green New Deal.
Julius Caesar
He was a renowned Roman general, political and military genius who
overthrew Rome's decaying political order and replaced it with a
dictatorship. He triumphed in the Roman Civil War, and helped
transform Rome through his ambitious political reforms. However,
he was assassinated by those who believed that he was becoming too
powerful.
Vincent Van Gogh
Van Gogh was a Dutch painter, generally considered to be the
greatest, and one of the greatest of the Post-Impressionists. His
ambitions to persevere despite his constant failure led to how he sold
only one artwork during his life, but in the century after his death he
became perhaps the most recognized painter of all time.
Justice:
He or she is known for what or what happened:
Argument and Synthesis – Specific Example Argument Bank
Thurgood Marshall
He was the Supreme Court's first African-American justice, but
before, he was a distinguished civil rights lawyer who argued a
record-breaking 32 cases before the Supreme Court, winning 29 of
them. He helped promoting racial equality during the civil rights
movement. Most importantly, he succeeded in having the Supreme
Court declare segregated public schools unconstitutional in Brown v.
Board of Education (1954).
14th Dalai Lama
He is the current Dalai Lama, the head monk and highest spiritual
leader of Tibet, and considered a living buddha. He believes that
peace and justice can coexist. “Too often we consider that peace
requires forgoing justice, or that seeking justice defers peace. This is a
false choice. Justice and peace are inextricably linked.” In 1989, he
was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his nonviolent efforts for the
liberation of Tibet and his concern for global environmental
problems. He believes in promoting peaceful acts to achieve justice.
Angelina Jolie
She is not only known as a famous actress but also a social activist,
Angelina Jolie used her celebrity influence to raise awareness for the
Syrian crises in an UNHCR video. She has been passionate about
advocating for those displaced by war and conflict.
Chief Joseph
Chief Joseph (1840-1904), chief of a Native American tribe, fought
for justice against the U.S. government during the time of the
westward expansion of many Natives. He helped his tribe peacefully
protest and attempted to form an agreement with the government to
let his tribe remain on their lands. He was an acknowledged leader by
his tribe and tried to gain justice until his death.
Injustice:
He or she is known for what or what happened:
LGBTQ+
Discrimination and
Oppression in Poland
In Poland, same-sex marriages are not legal and same-sex couples
also have no legal right to adopt children. Diplomats from over 50
countries around the world have called for the rights of gay and
transgender people to be respected in Poland, where many towns have
declared themselves free of "LGBT ideology.” Poland is considered
to be hostile and discriminatory against sexual minorities.
Argument and Synthesis – Specific Example Argument Bank
#EndSARS
Activists in Nigeria seek to abolish the Special Anti-Robbery Squad
(SARS) as the government has been covering up the death count at
the hands of authorities since protests have began. This is a grassroots movement to end police brutality in Africa’s most populous
country as Nigerian soldiers opened fire on a peaceful demonstration.
The Death of Elijah
McClain
Elijah McClain, a 23-year old anemic African American man, was
wearing a ski-mask at a convenience store only to be suspected by the
police to have committed a crime that he did not commit. The police
had put him in a chokehold and ultimately after the paramedics
injected him with Ketamine, in which led to his death by cardiac
arrest, all of which occurred in August 2019.
The execution of
Brandon Bernard
Brandon Bernard was one of five gang members convicted of killing
youth ministers in 1999, who was executed by the federal government
in December 2020. The gunman, Christopher Vialva, was executed in
September, while the other co-defendants were given lesser sentences.
He was the youngest person in the United States to receive a death
sentence in nearly 70 years for a crime committed when he was an
adolescent. The general public brought attention to him and many
celebrities and significant public figures called for a pardon or delay,
however, the Supreme Court denied the petition, with three justices
issuing public dissents.
Court Cases:
Who, what, when, why, result:
Miranda v.
Arizona (1966)
In 1966, The Supreme Court ruled that the police must inform
suspects of their rights to remain silent before questioning after
Ernesto Miranda confessed to rape and kidnapping and protested
during his trial.
U.S. v. Nixon (1974)
In 1974, the Supreme Court ruled that the President is not above the
law as prosecutors had the right to subpoena evidence and that right
outweighed the President’s executive privilege since national security
was not compromised. This was due to President Nixon’s resistance
against having his personal information subpoenaed during the
Watergate scandal following the White House's involvement and
attempt to cover-up the break-in.
Argument and Synthesis – Specific Example Argument Bank
Plessy v. Ferguson
(1896)
It was a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision that upheld the
constitutionality of racial segregation under the “separate but equal”
doctrine. The case stemmed from an 1892 incident in which African
American train passenger Homer Plessy refused to sit in a car for
blacks. As a controlling legal precedent, it prevented constitutional
challenges to racial segregation for more than half a century until it
was finally overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court in Brown v. Board
of Education.
Roe v. Wade (1973)
It was a landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in which they
ruled that the Constitution of the United States protects a pregnant
woman's liberty to choose to have an abortion without excessive
government restriction. The court ruled that a state law that banned
abortions (except to save the life of the mother) was unconstitutional.
The ruling made abortion legal in many circumstances.
Basic Principles/
Theories
Author of theory and definition/description
Maslow’s Hierarchy of
Needs
In 1943, Maslow introduced this as a theory of motivation in
psychology, categorizing human needs into five aspects that dictate
an individual's behavior. Those needs are physiological needs,
safety needs, love and belonging needs, esteem needs, and selfactualization needs. This model is often depicted as five-tier
hierarchical levels within a pyramid. However, it should be noted
that there is little scientific basis to this theory.
The Big-Five Theory
Psychologists believe there are five broad traits/aspects of
personality, categories being: extraversion (also often spelled
extroversion), agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness,
and neuroticism.
Argument and Synthesis – Specific Example Argument Bank
Buddhist Principle of
Rebirth and Nirvana
In Buddhism, karma plays out in the Buddhism cycle of rebirth,
wherein one can be reborn in six separate planes/realms, with the
realm of man being the only one that can offer the opportunity to
achieve enlightenment, also known as Nirvana.
Attachment Theory
John Bowlby (1958), a psychiatrist, introduced the Attachment
Theory which states how attachment is an emotional bond that one
has with another and plays a part in our overall development as a
person. Attachment issues that we experience as a child may affect
our relationships with people in the future.
Current Events-Immigration
Who/What/Where/When
Trump Administration
using COVID-19 to
shut U.S. borders to
migrant children
Since mid-March, Trump administration has made unprecedented
efforts to use the COVID-19 pandemic as justification to sidestep
legal protections for minors who arrive at America's borders without
documents. However, instead of these migrant children being housed
in shelters and allowed to seek asylum or other forms of U.S.
sanctuary with the help of lawyers, they faced expulsion and risk of
being sent back as the government designated them as public health
threats who could spread the virus.
DACA
A federal judge recently ruled the new rules for DACA to be invalid
as the Obama-era program aimed to protect undocumented
immigrants who came to the U.S. as children from deportation’s
renewals would be limited to one year instead of two amid an
ongoing review.
Argument and Synthesis – Specific Example Argument Bank
Biden taps Alejandro
Mayorkas as first
immigrant to lead
Homeland Security
In November, President-elect Joe Biden said he is nominating
Alejandro Mayorkas, a former Obama administration official, to lead
the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), a key role at the helm
of anticipated efforts to undo President Trump's flurry of
immigration changes. He is the first immigrant to lead Homeland
Security.
Supreme Court tosses
challenge to Trump’s
immigrant census plan
The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in December to dismiss a challenge to
the Trump administration’s exclusion of undocumented immigrants
from the U.S. census, the once-per-decade population count used to
allocate House seats among the states. If the courts take no further
action on Trump’s plan, the ruling would effectively allow him to
subtract undocumented residents from his mandatory January
apportionment report to Congress, which could reduce House seats
and federal funding among states with large undocumented
populations.
Current Events-Poverty
Who/What/Where/When
Scotland to make period Just recently, Scottish lawmakers have unanimously passed
products free and
legislation through a bill that will make period products freely
available to everyone
available to anyone who needs them, requiring local authorities to
provide free access to items such as tampons and sanitary pads in
order to combat “period poverty” (when someone who needs
sanitary products can't afford them) especially with the Coronavirus
pandemic.
Brazilian Squatters
More than 8,000 shacks and poorer shelters make up what’s known
as a squat. The 20-year-old Brazilian group, Homeless Workers
Movement, organized it and others across the country. The group
seizes abandoned government buildings to house homeless people.
Sometimes the group negotiates with governments and private
companies for such use. Squatters are known to be “the face of
Brazil’s poorest citizens.”
Argument and Synthesis – Specific Example Argument Bank
Democratic Republic of The Democratic Republic of Congo is potentially one of the
Congo
richest countries on earth, but colonialism, slavery and corruption
have turned it into one of the poorest, according to historian Dan
Snow. While its poverty rate has fallen slightly over the past two
decades, particularly in rural areas, the DRC nonetheless remains
one of the poorest countries in the world. In 2018, 72% of the
population, especially in the North West and Kasaï regions, was
living in extreme poverty on less than $1.90 a day.There are 5.2
million people internally displaced in the country, including 3
million children. Fifty per cent of displaced people were displaced in
the last 12 months, which has created a protection crisis of
unprecedented size.6 Displaced children are exposed to extreme
violence, at heightened risk of abuse and live in precarious
conditions with limited access to basic services such as drinking
water, primary health care and education. Four million children in
the Democratic Republic of the Congo are in urgent need of
protection.
Millions of Hungry
As a year marked by coronavirus nears an end, millions of
Americans Turn to Food Americans are depending on food banks to stave off hunger. Feeding
Banks for 1st Time
America estimates those facing hunger will swell to 1 in 6 people,
from 35 million in 2019 to more than 50 million by this year’s end.
The consequences are even more dire for children — 1 in 4,
according to the group. In four states — Mississippi, Alabama,
Arkansas and Louisiana — more than 1 in 5 residents are expected
to be food insecure by year’s end, meaning they won’t have money
or resources to put food on the table, the report said.
Argument and Synthesis – Specific Example Argument Bank
Current Events-Environment
Who/What/Where/When
Central Vietnam’s
Floods and Landslides
Since the beginning of October, central Vietnam has been hit with
consecutive tropical storms and typhoons, leading to widespread
flooding and landslides in the region. At least 1.5 million
people have been affected by flooding and 235 people have died or
are missing, according to the Vietnamese government. Typhoon
Mojave is considered to be the worst typhoon to hit the country in
the last two decades. Local NGOs have made efforts to provide aid
and financial support/relief for the communities.
Heat-trapping gas levels Despite the Coronavirus lockdown, the concentration of greenhouse
hit a record high
gases in the atmosphere surged to a new record high this year
according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Under
the Paris Agreement, the vast majority of nations agreed to limit
global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial
levels and to pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5 degrees. To reach that
goal, greenhouse emissions need to drop dramatically and soon. The
United Nations calculated last year that to stay within the 1.5
degrees limit, emissions would need to fall by 7.6% each year
between 2020 and 2030.
Asian countries building Too many Chinese vessels, whether fishing boats or dredgers,
artificial islands
destroy marine protected areas. The damage to the marine
environment is not limited to territorial waters and exclusive
economic zones of other states. In the high seas, dredging to build
Chinese artificial islands resulted in the destruction of coral reefs,
the habitats of rare marine species. An expedition of marine
biologists from the University of the Philippines uncovered such
destruction and aired pictures and videos on social media.
Argument and Synthesis – Specific Example Argument Bank
Satellite images confirm Reported on November 26, 2020, researchers have been following
uneven impact of
vegetation trends across the plan’s driest areas using satellite
climate change
imagery from recent decades. They have identified a troubling trend:
too little vegetation is sprouting up from rainwater in developing
nations, whereas things are headed in the opposite direction in
wealthier ones. As a result, the future could see food shortages and
growing numbers of climate refugees.
Current Events—
Gender
Who/What/Where/When
Saudi Arabian rapper
faces arrest over song
about ‘powerful and
beautiful women’
A female rapper named Asayel Slay in Saudi Arabia is facing arrest
for her music video which celebrates women from the holy city
of Mecca as “powerful and beautiful.” Authorities in the Middle
Eastern country called for the arrest of the Slay and any individuals
involved in producing the video under the order of the governor of
Mecca, Prince Khalid bin Faisal of Mecca. He says that the video
“offends the customs and traditions of the people of Mecca and
contradicts the identity and traditions of its esteemed population.”
Supreme Court Backs
Protections for LGBTQ
Workers
In June 2020, the high court ruled 6-3 that people cannot be
discriminated against because of their sexual orientation or gender
identity, which was a major victory to millions of Americans who
feared being fired because of their LGBTQ status. The high court
ruling addresses two cases, one by two gay men, and one by a
transgender woman, and instead of ruling separately on the two
cases, the high court combined them, saying both matters went to the
issue of whether Title VII applies to people facing discrimination
because of their LGBTQ status.
Argument and Synthesis – Specific Example Argument Bank
Candace Owens
criticizes feminine
masculinity
Candace Owens, an American right-wing commentator and author,
criticized famed singer and celebrity Harry Styles for posting a
picture of himself wearing dresses and skirt on Instagram from his
recent Vogue photoshoot, as she believes it signals the end of “manly
men.” She tweeted, “There is no society that can survive without
strong men,” and demanded for the Western societies to “Bring back
manly men.” To Owens, a man wearing a skirt, a garment we now
associate with women, makes them less of a man. But since skirts
historically were symbols of masculinity, maybe Candace is
confused.
Pinterest pays $20m to
settle gender
discrimination lawsuit
The virtual scrapbook company Pinterest is paying out a record
$20mil to settle a gender discrimination lawsuit brought by a female
executive who had alleged she was fired after “speaking out about
the rampant discrimination, hostile work environment, and
misogyny” at the San Francisco firm. Françoise Brougher, the
company’s former chief operating officer, had accused it of
marginalising and silencing women and excluding them from
decision-making. As part of the settlement with Brougher, the $43bn
company is also investing $2.5m in “advancing women and
underrepresented communities in the technology industry”. The tech
sector in the US is frequently portrayed as having a “tech bro”
culture that encourages men and blocks women from top decisionmaking roles.
Current Events— Who/What/Where/When
Role of government
Argument and Synthesis – Specific Example Argument Bank
Hong Kong Protests
Protests since June 2019 stemmed from the opposition of millions of
people against a controversial bill that would have allowed
extradition from Hong Kong to China. Although the government has
then shelved the bill, protests have shifted to call for a greater
democracy and an inquiry into allegations of policy brutality. In June
2020, a new national security law was passed, affecting the freedoms
of Hong Kong’s residents, criminalizing words and images that just
hours earlier had been legally protected free speech. Police have
arrested people under the new law, which lays out political crimes
punishable by life imprisonment in serious cases, and allows Beijing
to intervene directly if it wants.
Governments deciding
who gets the
coronavirus vaccine
first
• Since demand will outweigh supply for the vaccine, governments
must decide who gets the vaccine first or early, and who must
wait.
• The U.S. federal government’s vaccine program plans
to distribute 6.4 million doses of a Pfizer/BioNTech
vaccine within 24 hours of regulatory clearance. But even this
initial effort to immunize front-line health-care workers
risks wasted doses.
• The European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen
confirmed this week that the EU has secured vaccines for 430
million people — enough for virtually every EU resident.
• The U.K.'s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation
has an 11-step order of priority. After healthcare workers, the
priorities are older adults in care homes, then older Britons,
starting with the eldest and descending in 5-year age brackets.
Thai government bans
protests after COVID
uptick
Thailand's government is facing a sustained protest campaign that
has brought thousands of people, mostly young, out on the streets to
demand the resignation of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha and
his cabinet, constitutional changes drafted by representatives of the
people, and reform of the monarchy under the constitution.
However, due to the increase of Coronavirus cases, the government
has issued a prohibition on mass gatherings citing public health
concerns.
Argument and Synthesis – Specific Example Argument Bank
Brexit deal is done
Freedom of movement is gone for Britons (British citizens) as
starting Jan. 1, Britons will no longer be members of the European
Union with all the rights and responsibilities, but members of a
“third country.” Therefore they will no longer be able to freely pack
up and move to Europe, as if there were no border, to find a job, rent
a home, start a life or retire, without a stack of permissions. Nor will
Europeans be able to do the same in Britain. For those who want to
relocate and work, there will be visas and paperwork required.
Current Events—
Safety
Who/What/Where/When
CDC to vote on who
will receive COVID-19
vaccine 1st as Pfizer
shot could be approved
in weeks
In light of the developments of the Coronavirus vaccine, the Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) is holding an "emergency-use
authorization" meeting about Pfizer's vaccine in December. The
FDA could be authorizing a coronavirus vaccine in a few weeks, as
the CDC plans to vote next week on where distribution of approved
vaccines will begin.
Kim Jong Un says
nuclear weapons will
guarantee North Korea's
national safety
President of North Korea declared his country's nuclear weapons as
a powerful deterrent against military threats, amidst the delayed
discussions in regards to denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula in
exchange for sanctions relief from Washington. Kim and President
Donald Trump have met on separate occasions to negotiate an end to
North Korea’s nuclear program, but have failed to reach an
agreement. North Korea’s poor economy is believed to have fallen
on even harder times during the coronavirus pandemic, despite their
claims that the country has so far avoided any cases of the disease.
Argument and Synthesis – Specific Example Argument Bank
Allergists' Group
Updates Guidelines on
COVID-19 Vaccines
In very rare cases, some people have had severe allergic reactions
after receiving the new COVID-19 vaccines, leading the American
College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAAI) to issue
updated guidance for Americans with allergies. The U.S. Food and
Drug Administration has given emergency use authorization to
COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. The
ACAAI's COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force offers guidance on the risk
of an allergic reaction from the vaccines.In general, reactions to
vaccines are rare, and the incidence of severe allergic reaction
("anaphylaxis") is estimated at 1.31 per 1 million doses given to
patients, according to the ACAAI. The mRNA COVID-19 vaccines
should be given in a setting where anaphylaxis can be treated. All
patients must be monitored for 15 to 30 minutes after injection for
any adverse reaction. All anaphylactic reactions should be managed
immediately with epinephrine as the first-line treatment, the experts
advised in a college news release.
Preventing COVID
Keep your distance. Although wearing a mask can limit transmission
Means Wearing Masks of droplets that spread COVID-19, it may not be enough unless
While Social Distancing people also stay at least six feet apart, new research shows.
Researchers at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces found
that at distances of less than six feet, enough droplets to potentially
cause illness still made it through several masks made of commonly
used materials.
Current Events—
Media bias
Who/What/Where/When
Argument and Synthesis – Specific Example Argument Bank
CBS News
CBS News is a news and information corporation providing services
through television, radio, and the Internet. The channel now
broadcasts breaking news internationally 24 hours a day, seven days
a week. The AllSides Bias Rating™ for CBS News is leans left,
meaning they portray a moderately liberal rating on the political
spectrum.
FOX News
Fox News Channel, also known as Fox News, (FNC) is an American
basic cable and satellite news television channel that is owned by the
Fox Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of 21st Century Fox. It is
considered strongly right-biased due the story selection that typically
looks at the issues from a conservative perspective and also has a
number of on-air personalities that are strong supporters of Trump.
CNN suddenly reports
COVID truth after
spewing anti-Trump
propaganda
CNN has just announced that it has uncovered a “vast trove of
leaked documents show[ing] China underreported COVID-19
numbers” and deliberately covered up the seriousness of the
epidemic. However, this information is a year old. The rest of the
world has known since February or so that China’s Communist
leaders hid the epidemic from the world for as long as they
could. Beijing did all this while reporting such ridiculously low
numbers of cases and deaths that most credible news organizations
were skeptical. Real journalists, such as those who work at our
government-funded Radio Free Asia, started digging. RFA reported
at the end of March that the death toll in Wuhan was many times
higher than the 2,500 or so that Beijing was claiming at the time.
New York Times
A piece in New York Magazine reveals just how far and fast the
paper has fallen, executive editor Dean Baquet somehow allowing
his millennial social justice warriors to dictate not just how stories
are covered but who writes them, edits them, or whether they should
run at all. The paper has been steadily morphing from a news
organization into a far-left propaganda sheet that can please no one
but the truest believers.
Argument and Synthesis – Specific Example Argument Bank
Current Events-Inequality
Who/What/Where/When
Is Your
Generation
Doing Its Part
to Strengthen
Our
Democracy?
I believe that our democracy has only unwittingly exposed the
inequality that lies within our society and government through the
practices of systemic oppression of marginalized groups and
communities, therefore we are left with a democracy built upon a
foundation of equality but has ultimately failed to do so by the
power of the people. The biggest challenges and threats would be the
abhorrent belief that the breakdown of the future is inevitable, the
belief that the youths hold no real power due to their apathy and
discouragement in partaking in the democratic process and voting
since "their vote will not make a difference" and what they believe in
will never impact the world or society in any way. It is the plague of
not doing anything at all because the American Dream was built
upon the principle of individualism, yet that same principle has
consequently become a barrier from educating, empowering, and
encouraging the generations to come about what needs to be fixed
for us to wholly prosper in the future. We have become so focused
on the materialistic, meaningless aspects of life instead of focusing
on our duties and responsibilities held as citizens of the United
States who hold the key to change, and all our efforts in actuality, do
have meaning and can contribute to the possibility of improvement
for the future of our democracy.
Argument and Synthesis – Specific Example Argument Bank
This Is the
Casual Racism
That I Face at
My Elite High
School (Do you
think the
restorative
justice model is
appropriate for
all kinds of
issues related to
bias, hate and
bullying that
might come up
in a school?
Why, or why
not?)
Yes, I believe that the restorative justice model is not only
appropriate but it is the ideal solution to promote growth in social
situations such as these related to bias, hate and bullying especially
in an academic/educational setting where students are encouraged to
expand their knowledge which should also include the social and
societal norms of our world. This is the best situation if both parties
were to comply with an open mindset as it could provide for learning
opportunities and rehabilitation for the thoughts and beliefs that may
have formed not due to their innate mindsets, but have developed as
a result of the community and society that surrounds them, and
implementing this would open up a multitude of avenues in order to
find compromise by opening up a safe space for dialogue for
students to reflect upon their wrongdoings and find understanding
between them and their peers to improve. This grants hope for
changing and improving the perspectives of others by offering them
the ability to repent for their mistakes, and even if they do not fully
understand, it is better than simply punishing them and having the
hate and resentment grow, without offering any fluid solution.
Coronavirus has
upended school plans. It
will also worsen racial
and economic
inequalities, experts
warn
With coronavirus cases still high around the country, half of U.S.
elementary and high school students will attend school only virtually
this fall, according to a study by Burbio, which aggregates school
and community information nationwide. That will have grave
implications for minority and disadvantaged students, said Madeline
Hafner, executive director of the Minority Student Achievement
Network Consortium at the Wisconsin Center for Education
Research. Black and Brown families are disproportionately affected
by the virus and face inequality in health care, and a lot of families
live in multi-generational housing, Hafner pointed out. When it
comes to school, many families use it for services and support,
including food, health care and libraries. In addition, educators agree
that virtual learning can’t completely replace in-person learning. For
disadvantaged students, the stakes are even higher: Thirty percent of
all K-12 public school students, about 15 million to 16 million
children, live in homes that don’t have an internet connection or an
adequate device for distant learning at home, a study by Common
Sense Media and the Boston Consulting Group found.
Argument and Synthesis – Specific Example Argument Bank
The Pandemic is
This recession is hitting women harder. Between February and April
Making the Gender Gap 2020, male unemployment increased 9.9%; female unemployment
worse
increased 12.8%. The pandemic has ravaged in-person service jobs
— at restaurants, hotels, pilates studios, retail outlets and so on —
which are disproportionately done by women. Men are more likely
to be able to work remotely, and male-dominated construction and
manufacturing, while down, have also proven to be relatively
pandemic-proof. Since April, the gender unemployment gap has
narrowed, but the women's unemployment rate remains almost a
percentage point higher than men’s.
Current Events-Other
Who/What/Where/When
Violence against
Women in Turkey
Femicide is considered political and poses a major problem in
Turkey, as the homicide rate of women in Turkey is considerably
high, with 110 women have been murdered by men in 2020 alone,
and an annual death rate of 400 women.The basic rights and
protections won by Turkish women have come under threat as Recep
Tayyip Erdoğan’s conservative Justice and Development party
(AKP) has tried to roll back legislation politicians say threaten
traditional family values.
Argument and Synthesis – Specific Example Argument Bank
#AboriginalLivesMatter In Australia, racial justice activists have focused on the deaths of
Aboriginal people in custody which has been an ongoing issue for
decades. At least 441 Aboriginal people have died in custody in
Australia since 1991, according to the Guardian. The deaths of
Aboriginal and other Indigenous people accounted for 22% of prison
deaths, according to one study. Aboriginal people are also more
likely to be incarcerated; they are 28% of prisoners in 2019, despite
only being 2 to 3% of the national population. No police officer has
been convicted for any of the deaths, however, “Justice for Walker”
has made headlines since a judge decided on Oct. 26 that the officer
who killed Walker must stand trial for murder. Rolfe, a decorated
officer with a military service record, will be the first member of law
enforcement to face trial for an Aboriginal death in custody in the
Northern Territory.
1.5 Million New
Yorkers Can’t Afford
Food. Pantries Are
Their Lifeline.
Since the coronavirus pandemic began, tens of thousands of New
Yorkers have relied on food banks to feed themselves and their
families. Nationwide, 26 million Americans say they do not have
enough food to eat. People who were already going to the pantries
have grown more reliant on them. But there is relief and hope when
they are at home cooking.
Chinese journalist who
documented Wuhan
coronavirus outbreak
jailed for 4 years
AN independent Chinese journalist who reported from Wuhan at the
height of the initial coronavirus outbreak has been jailed for four
years by a Shanghai court, her lawyer said Monday. Zhang Zhan, 37,
was found guilty of "picking quarrels and provoking trouble,"
according to one of her defense lawyers Zhang Keke, who attended
her hearing. The offense is commonly used by the Chinese
government to target dissidents and human rights activists. For more
than three months, she documented snippets of life under lockdown
in Wuhan and the harsh reality faced by its residents,
from overflowing hospitals to empty shops. She posted her
observations, photos and videos on Wechat, Twitter and YouTube -the latter two of which are blocked in China.
Argument and Synthesis – Specific Example Argument Bank