The Freedom Tower

One World Trade Center, also known as the Freedom Tower, was opened on May 29, 2015 in Lower Manhattan, New York City.  This skyscraper was built as a tribute to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 when Al Qaida flown American Airlines planes crashed into the Twin Towers.  Nine years in the making, plans for the Tower began in 2006, driven by American banker David Rockefeller.  One World Trade Center is located on the northwest corner of the 16 acre World Trade Center site in the exact spot where 6 World Trade Center once stood.

Standing at 1792 feet tall, the Freedom tower is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere.  The architect for this massive project was New Yorker David Childs.  Childs said the following when discussing his approach to the project: “We really wanted our design to be grounded in something that was very real, not just in sculptural sketches. We explored the infrastructural challenges because the proper solution would have to be compelling, not just beautiful. The design does have great sculptural implications, and we fully understand the iconic importance of the tower, but it also has to be a highly efficient building. The discourse about Freedom Tower has often been limited to the symbolic, formal and aesthetic aspects but we recognize that if this building doesn't function well, if people don't want to work and visit there, then we will have failed as architects.”  Childs clearly took into account both the importance of the behind the meaning of the Freedom of tower as well as the actual functionality.

When you enter One World Trade Center you are directed through a series of metal detectors and security precautions to ensure the safety of the building and those visiting.  Next, you enter into a hallway where a screen covering the entire wall screen showing you the developement of the building.  Following this, visitors must stand in line to get into elevators that will take you up 104 stories to the first observation deck.  On this incredible ride up to the top of the skyscraper you are surrounded by screens on all four sides. As you get higher and higher you are shown the development of New York city starting in 1500 all the way to present day.  You see how the flat, wooded area that was once NYC has developed into the booming city it is today.  Once at the top, there are a series of observation decks that allow you to look out across all of NYC.  To enhance the experience, there are ipads available for renting that allow you to point them out the window, and see the buildings labeled on the screen in front of you.

Alcatraz Island

Any of us who have been the San Francisco have probably spotted a little land mass in the bay called Alcatraz Island.  Alcatraz operated as a federal prison from 1934-1963 where it was home to some of America’s most dangerous criminals.

First discovered in 1775 by Spanish explorer Juan Manuel de Ayala, the little island was named La Isla de los Alcatraces which fittingly translates to The Island of the Pelicans.  Fast Forward 75 years, and President Fillmore mandated that Alcatraz  be used as a military base.  Alcatraz soon began to house some of the most dangerous criminals in the country.

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One of the most notorious inmates that stayed on Alcatraz was gangster Al Capone.  Capone had originally been incarcerated in Atlanta, but was eventually moved because he had been able to continue running his criminal operations in Chicago from there.  Additionally, while in Georgia, Capone was known for corrupting the prison guards.  Another famous inmate was George “Machine Gun” Kelly who resided on Alcatraz for 17 years after being convicted of a kidnapping charge.

Since then, Alcatraz has been named a Golden Gate Recreation Area and has become tourist attraction that is visited by over 1.3 people each and every year.  

Bush v Gore

The 2000 presidential election was a tight race between republican George W. Bush and democrat Al Gore.  Florida was one of the swing states of this election and would therefore play a decisive role in the outcome.  The results, however, were not so straightforward.  After winning Florida by the small margin of 0.5%, Bush’s victory was not easily received.  Florida residents as well as Gore himself demanded a recount on the grounds that the machine’s that analyze the ballots could have easily made a mistake.

The ballots designed so that in order to cast a vote one must punch a hole through the indicated mark on the paper.  Because Bush won Florida by such a narrow margin, people began to wonder if it was possible that the hole-punch ballots could have provided inaccurate results.  Under this assumption, a recount began.  Media organization began analyzing the ballots— especially in countries known to be historically democratic.  Iconic terms came about to describe the errors of the whole punches that could have led to a miscount.  “Hanging door chad” meant that the whole was still attached by the corner.  “Swinging Door char” mean that the whole was attached by just one side.  Dimpled Chad” referred to when there was just a dent on the paper.  The list goes on.

Finally, on December 8, 2000 the supreme court halted the recount.  Judges on the court insisted that the recount violated the constitution, and therefore must stop.  Following the court decision, Gore accepted defeat to Bush.  AS a result,  George W. Bush became the 41 president of the United States.

Rush Limbaugh

Rush Limbaugh is best known for his work as a conservative radio talk show host in the 80’s and 90’s.  Born in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, Limbaugh had a conservative background.  e He started college at Southeast Missouri State University, but dropped out because of his lack of interest in academics.  From there, Limbaugh moved to Pennsylvania where he began his career in radio.  He had a variety of jobs working as music jockey or other lowly jobs, until in 1988 when Limbaugh first began broadcasting his show at the WABC station in New York City.

Limbaugh quickly built up a massive amount of listeners, making him a household name in the world of radio.  He used his platform to criticise liberal policies and politicians such as Clinton.  He Satirized Clinton’s policies as well as the first lady.  He had a unique talent in that he could take complex political issues and synthesize them so that the mass public could comprehend them.  His rightist attitudes, however, by no means made his radio show an unbiased or fact based news source.

Currently, Rush Limbaugh lives in Palm Beach, Florida where he hosts The Rush Limbaugh Show.  This newest endeavor of his has accumulated approximately 13.25 million listeners making it the most listened to talk show on the radio in the entire United States.

Ronald Reagan Before Presidency

On February 6, 1911, Ronald Reagan was born in an apartment building in Tampico, Illinois.  His family descended from Irish-Catholic immigrants who eventually made their way to Illinois.  Reagan grew up attending public school, and went on to attend Eureka College for economics and sociology.

After graduating from college, Reagan began his career film in radio.  He worked as an announcer for several radio stations, and landed a job as the announcer for the Chicago Cubs.  While traveling with the Cubs, Reagan found himself in the film world when he signed a contract with Warner Brother’s Studios. He can been seen in movies such as Humphrey Bogart, Santa Fe Trail, and All American.

After serving briefly in the military, Reagan began his political career.  In 1962 he made his transition from Democrat to Republican, coming out as a conservative voice of the Goldwater Campaign in 1964.  Prior to his time in the white house, we can see some foreshadowing of the issues he would focus on in the presidency.  For example, Reagan was stopped from leading an anti-nuclear rally by Warner Brother’s studios — which would soon be a major focus of his presidency.

In 1967 Reagan was elected as the Governor of California.  Notably, during his governorship Reagan was in opposition of the Berkeley Student Protests.  It was his order to send law enforcement catalyzed Bloody Thursday at Berkeley.

Jimmy Carter Before Presidency

James Earl "Jimmy" Carter was born in 1924 in Plains, Georgia.  Growing up, his family suffered greatly as a result of the Great Depression, but they benefitted from New Deal Programs including farming subsidies.  Carter attended Georgia Tech and was then accepted into the naval academy which began his career in the navy that would eventually lead him to work in the nuclear power sector.

By 1961 Carter was active in his community, the Baptist church, and the Sumter county school board.  Privately, he was for integration and was in favor of the outcome of Brown vs. the Board of Education.  By 1962 Carter had burst onto the political scene when he took office in the state senate as a democrat.  He was then reelected in 1864 to serve another two year term.  during that time, he was the chair of the Education Committee where he established a bill expanding statewide education funding.

Carter Served as the Governor of Georgia from 1971 to 1975.  In 1976 he began his presidential campaign.  Carter’s two greatest advantages were his appeal to the Christian voters because of his background, and the support he had from the mass media.  In 1976 Carter won the popular vote against Gerald Ford 50.1% to 48% and the electoral vote 297 to 240.  

Lois Gibbs of Love Canal

Lois Gibbs is widely known for her leadership in the Love Canal Crisis.  At the age of 27, Gibbs’ two children began to show symptoms of various skin, lung, and immunity diseases.  Although her pediatrician first dismissed her as just being “unlucky”, it was soon uncovered that Gibbs and her family were exposed to toxic chemicals that were causing these detrimental health problems.

It soon became public knowledge that Niagara Falls, New York was a dumping site for 20,000 tons of toxic chemicals.  These poisonous substances provided an explanation for the plethora of birth defects and illness that the children of Love Canal were coming down with.  Taking action, the Love Canal Homeowners Association struggled for two long years to obtain state funded relocation.  The state of New York agreed to move the families closest to the dump site, but this didn’t help families like the Gibbs who were trapped, unable to finance their own relocation.

Finally, a breaking point was reached and Lois Gibbs held a demonstration in attempts to end this insanity once and for all.  While two inspectors were visiting Love Canal, members of the Love Canal Homeowners Association led by Lois Gibbs peacefully held them hostage a local home.  They got on the phone with the White House and demanded the President Carter authorize the relocation of everyone in the chemically affected area they had been trapped in for years.

The demonstration was a success: Gibbs and her family were relocated to Washington DC, where she continued her work fighting for families being affected by the 30,000 toxic chemical dumps across America.  That year, (1981) Lois created the Center for Health, Environment, and Justice.  Lois Gibbs has been recognized for her fundamental role in environmental justice.

Was the Flag Raised at Iwo Jima Staged?

The flag being raised by American soldiers at Iwo Jima is arguably the most iconic photo taken during World War II.  Now commemorated by a statue at the Marine Corps War Memorial in Washington D.C., the iconic scene will be forever remembered. However, other photos taken by war photographer Louis Lowery have sparked controversy about what truly took place that day.

The real story goes, that photographer Louis Lowery was at the summit taking pictures of a smaller flag being raised, when celebratory gunshots went off.  When Lowery ducked for cover, he broke his camera lense.  As he was walk down to camp to get new equipment, he passed fellow photographer Rosenthal — who was heading the summit to take photos as well.  By the time Rosenthal reached the top, new soldiers had received orders to replace the small American flag that Lowery had photographed with a bigger flag that could be seen from farther away.  This bigger, replacement flag is the scene that gained such immense popularity.

So, is this iconic photograph the initial flag raised at Iwo Jima? No, but the photograph taken was not manufactured for the sole purpose of taking a good picture.  The flag in the photo was being raised to remind the entire island of the U.S.'s victory.

Why does the American form of Government Work?

“If a faction consists of less than a majority, relief is supplied by the republican principle, which enables the majority to defeat its sinister views by regular vote. It may clog the administration, it may convulse the society; but it will be unable to execute and mask its violence under the forms of the Constitution. When a majority is included in a faction, the form of popular government, on the other hand, enables it to sacrifice to its ruling passion or interest both the public good and the rights of other citizens. To secure the public good and private rights against the danger of such a faction, and at the same time to preserve the spirit and the form of popular government, is then the great object to which our inquiries are directed. Let me add that it is the great desideratum by which this form of government can be rescued from the opprobrium under which it has so long labored, and be recommended to the esteem and adoption of mankind.”

• Federalist Essay No. 10

This excerpt of Article 51, demonstrates how the American form of government was able to function due to its ability to keep the power in the hands of the people, while still maintaining an efficient nation.  Hamilton describes the intricate system, making it clear that in any situation, the decisions were to be made by the American majority.  If a movement is being made that has supplied less than majority support, it is the “republican principle which enables the majority to defeat its sinister views by a regular vote”.  In the case that the majority aims to cause violence or chaos, the Constitution is able to keep them in check  In all scenarios provided, the American form of government is equipped to maintain the republic, while keeping order in society, due to the system of majority rule and the provisions of the constitution.

"In order to lay a due foundation for that separate and distinct exercise of the different powers of government, which to a certain extent is admitted on all hands to be essential to the preservation of liberty, it is evident that each department should have a will of its own; and consequently should be so constituted that the members of each should have as little agency as possible in the appointment of the members of the others. Were this principle rigorously adhered to, it would require that all the appointments for the supreme executive, legislative, and judiciary magistracies should be drawn from the same fountain of authority, the people, through channels having no communication whatever with one another. Perhaps such a plan of constructing the several departments would be less difficult in practice than it may in contemplation appear. Some difficulties, however, and some additional expense would attend the execution of it. Some deviations, therefore, from the principle must be admitted. In the constitution of the judiciary department in particular, it might be inexpedient to insist rigorously on the principle: first, because peculiar qualifications being essential in the members, the primary consideration ought to be to select that mode of choice which best secures these qualifications; secondly, because the permanent tenure by which the appointments are held in that department, must soon destroy all sense of dependence on the authority conferring them."

• Federalist Essay No. 51

In this passage, Hamilton depicts how the American form of government divides its branches allowing for the strategic division of power within the governing body.  This division into three branches granted America the ability to have an organized government, while still keeping the principle of giving the power to the people.  HAmilton writes, “it would require that all the appointments for the supreme executive, legislative, and judiciary magistracies should be drawn from the same fountain of authority, the people.”  These three specified sectors allow for the smooth function of the government in that it narrows the range of authority of each branch.  This helps avoid the situation where a monarchical society would emerge, which the colonies worked so hard steer away from.