The Importance of the media in our society?

  The media is very important in today’s society. Media is essential to our daily needs. The media shapes public opinion and strengthens our society as a whole. The media acts as a watchdog to protect the public interest against malpractice and create public awareness. Journalists play a crucial role in exposing the truth.

President Trump has said negative things about the media since he began running for the White House in June 2015. He has called reporters “the most dishonest people.” He has called out individual reporters for being bias.

The problem is for Americans listening to Trump, this statement about reporters is taken as a fact. All reporters are not dishonest and untrustworthy. Networks such as CNN and FOX news are two major networks.

The question of which one is the better new source comes up. CNN generally puts out a greater number of stories, which focus on international issues. Fox News offers longer news items with extended story lines.

However, one thing is for sure, both networks show the division in America. In the election, there was a bold separation between Trump supporters and Clinton supporters. The two groups did not agree on anything.

There was never a discussion about what the two groups did agree about. Instead, arguments about what needed to be changed. The United States has become very politically polarized. Social Media has reinforced attitudes and ideas. The problem is, there is too much information available for Americans.

Some Americans are irresponsible with social media. They reinforce negative attitudes and it spreads like a wildfire. Social media websites are some of the most popular on the internet. They have revolutionized the way people communicate and socialize on the Web.

Social media have inspired mass movements including the Black Lives Matter Movement. Many people unfortunately saw this group as radicalism, labeling them a terrorist group. Some Americans wanted the Southern Poverty Law Center to name the group as a hate group.

The list is cited extensively by journalists, academics, and government officials, they help people understand extremism in America. However, they labeled the group as a movement that stands for “black lives also matter.” They were not labeled a hate group. 

This is an example of how the media can have positive and negative effects on groups of people. They can form your opinion without concrete facts. We as Americans, have to be careful to not abuse this power. Our society as a whole still does not accept the existence of racial injustice. This is why our president’s rhetoric is so important. Reinforced stereotypes should not be allowed in today’s society. 

"13th" Film Screening at Troy University

February 15, 2017 Troy University students of all different races and ethnicities, gathered to watch the 13th. A film and 2016 American documentary by director Ava DuVernay.


The documentary centered on race in the United States criminal justice system. The film is titled  after the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which outlawed slavery (unless as punishment for a crime.) The film opens with the idea that the United States is home to 2.3 million (2016) incarcerated and argues that slavery is being effectively held through mass incarceration.

In the 1960's Nobel Peace Prize winner Martin Luther King was labeled a liar by the FBI. King is notorious for being a pioneer in the Civil Rights Movement. He was put in jail for protesting the rights for African-Americans. This is where he wrote the famous letter in the Birmingham jail.

The film touched on issues regarding mass incarceration, prison-industrial complex, slavery in the United States, and southern slavery.

Slavery was a economic system, when it was legal. Now large corporations enforce slavery by hiring prisoners. Prisoners create products of (all kind) while incarcerated.

During the Nixon and Reagan presidency, they allowed mass incarceration. The problem only got worse over time during the Clinton Administration. The film talks about the drug epidemic of crack-cocaine. Minorities were getting long sentences for drug charges.

Furthermore, this caused an immediate impact in the minority communities. Children were growing up in single-parent households, increasing problems.

The film describes in many ways that prisoners are disadvantage once their sentences are finished. Jobs are hard to find after being convicted for a crime. Voting rights are taken away and many freedoms are lost.

Students discussed the film in a panel discussion. "How we live is so far removed from how we should live," many students shared great ideas to unite our country.

Donald J. Trump's first week as President

                             The first week our new president has sent shock waves around the world.
                       
                         Trump has proposed ideas of an "impassable physical barrier." He has a secret plan for Mexico to pay for the border wall. Now that Trump is president, he and his aids are discovering how difficult it will be to follow through on his particular promise.
                         The latest plan, is to appropriate $15 billion for building a wall, and pay for it out of the deficit. The administration wants to cover that cost with a 20% tax increase on imported goods from Mexico.
                        The tax does not force Mexico to pay for anything, it makes American tax payers responsible for the bill.
                        Trump tweeted on  Thursday, "Mexico has taken advantage of the U.S. for long enough. Massive trade deficits and little help on the very weak border must change, now!"
                        Yesterday, Trump sent out an executive order to block 500,000 legal U.S. Residents from returning to America from trips abroad.
                        The order will ban newcomers from seven countries from entering the United States the next 90 days.
                        The countries include Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Sundan, and Yemen.
                        The order will also effect people from these countries who live in the U.S. under green cards on temporary student or employee visas.
                        In addition, after the order was signed Iran Planned to Ban U.S. citizens in retaliation for U.S. Visa Ban.  There were several reactions to the band.
                      Protesters gathered at JFK Airport after the Muslim band. A woman set to be deported back to Chile attempting suicide at the JFK Airport.
                       The woman reportedly took 30 sleeping pills and a few muscle relaxers. The woman fell unconscious and had difficulty breathing. Port authority police were called to the scene.
                      For now, after the backlash, federal courts halted Donald Trump's Immigration Ban. The federal court for the District of New York issued an emergency stay. The people being detained at airports, and those in transit were allowed to continue.
                     Many people have recently come out in support of Trump.
                     Gospel Singer-Songwriter, Tina Campbell penned a lengthy open letter explaining just why she both forgives and supports the new POTUS.
                   She gives biblical reasons as to why others should pray for him.
                   In conclusion, maybe turning our backs is not the solution. We the people of the United States, must come together because we are divided. In order to move forward, ignoring the problem is not the answer.
                     
                       
                     

The Inauguration of Donald Trump

                               


                                        By far the biggest surprise of 2016, Donald Trump is officially the president of the United States of America.
                                         A public ceremony was held on Friday, January 20, 2017 on the West Front of the United States Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. Trump is the first person to be inaugurated as President without prior military or governmental service, as well as the oldest person, and the wealthiest.
                                    Donald Trump is also the first president to utilize twitter as a personal diary. Sunday, January 22, 2017 he tweeted "watched protests yesterday but was under the impression that we just had an election! Why didn't these people vote? Celebs hurt cause badly."
                                    Clearly, some people think he has no filter. Is this a good or bad quality?                                               The staff of President Trump are aggravated with the media allegedly for leaking pictures comparing president Obama's inauguration to Trump's. The pictures show far more people at Obama's inauguration in comparison to Trump. It only makes sense, the popular vote was won by Hilary Clinton. Which some people are confused and still need clarity over how Trump won.
                                     Trump's inauguration speech was a very important component. People were interested in what his speech would be about, He stated that " prejudice" would not be tolerated, which is confusing coming from a president who wants to be build a wall. Donald Trump's ideology from the very start of the election rubbed people in the wrong way. Trump was basically stating that international's coming into a new country, bring nothing but terror.  All of those statements could be seen as prejudice. His decisions and ideology on immigration are very skeptical.
                                   Furthermore, in his speech, "From this day forward, A vision will govern our land. From this moment it is going to be America first."
                                    "Every decision on trade, on taxes, on immigration, on foreign affairs, will be made to benefit the workers and American families. We must protect our borders from the ravages of other countries making our products, stealing our companies, and destroying our jobs." President Trump thinks that protection will lead to great prosperity and strength.
                                   Prior, to the presidency we know Trump was an American businessman, and television personality. Trump received an economics degree from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1968. It was in 1971, he took charge of his family's real estate and construction firm. Maybe his real estate experience could bring additional benefits to our economy.
                             In conclusion, there is no doubt Donald Trump is a smart man. However, is he smart enough to be the president of the United States? Time will be the deciding factor in Trump's presidency. For people like me, willing to give the new president a chance, we must wait with patience. It is not what a politician says, that makes him a politician, it is what he or she does in action.
                                -Jeremy R. Hilson, student of the Hall of Journalism at Troy University.
            My blog focus is on the presidency of Donald Trump
            My publication plan is weekly.
            The goal for my blog is to contribute to my writing skills.  
   

2016 Election

                  On Monday, Jan 18, Bernie Sanders made a trip to Birmingham, Alabama seeking the  Democratic Election.

 

             Sanders is a senator from Vermont. The event was held at the Boutwell Auditorium. Sanders was also joined by former Ohio Sen. Nina Turner, who made positive remarks on the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. Sander's focused on income inequality and Americans access to health care. The Boutwell Auditorium is usually used as a warming station.

 

            Many decided to join the rally to seek shelter. However 7,000 people were there at the event. Hilary Clinton and Sanders have stayed close in the polls.

 

 

 

                        Sander's covered a variety of topics such as free college tuition, a $15 hour minimum wage, and equal pay for women. Sanders mentioned  Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley refusing to raise minimum wage.



 

                        Sanders speech was on Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday. Sanders shared with the crowd a personal memory of marching on Washington as a student a the University of Chicago.

 

                        "To truly honor the life of Dr. King we must fight to carry out his racial and bold vision for America," Sanders said.

 

                      Sanders wants to create a economy for the middle class. This economy would not be a benefit to the upper-class. Sanders believed big businesses like Wal-Mart exploits its workers for workers for profits.

        

                      Sanders discussed that climate change is the single greatest threat facing our planet. Climate change is real, it comes from burning fossil fuels and it post a catastrophic threat to our planet. The long-term effect from the events will impact everyone.

 

                     Sea level rise will result from melting glaciers, higher food prices, and insufficient drinking water. The impacts of climate change are apparent now. 

 

                      Sanders concluded with thoughts about Donald Trump. "You can never underestimate what Donald Trump will say," Sanders said.

 

 

         -Jeremy R. Hilson student of the Hall of Journalism at Troy University.

         

           My bog focus is the Bernie Sanders Rally in Birmingham, AL.

 

           My publication plan is weekly.

 

           The goal for my blog is to contribute to my writing skills.

                   

 

 

 



 



 

 

            

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2016 Presidential Campaign

   

                               President Obama's presidency is coming to an end. When President Obama began his campaign in 2006, many people thought his presidency would not happen. However, since being elected, he has had more success than failure. Obama has had an impact on student loan tax rates declining. Under his presidency, gay marriage was legalized, and  healthcare laws have changed. President Obama also continues to inspire Americans with the most powerful speeches.           
                                  The question is, who will be the next president? President Obama is leaving a trailblazing image, cleaning up a long list of turmoil from president George W. Bush. The next president definitely has big shoes to fill. Our economy has drastically improved. The spotlight has been taken from high gas prices and unemployment. Unhappy Americans are given opportunities for better lives with this reformed economy.
                                 The 2016 Presidential Campaign has been a circus. The leading candidates are Hilary Clinton and Bernie Sanders for the Democratic nomination. For the Republican nomination, Donald Trump and Ted Cruz are leading.
                                Hilary Clinton's campaign focuses on topics like gun violence prevention, health care, immigration reform, and the economy. Clinton wants to raise the incomes for hard-working Americans. Candidate Bernie Sanders issues deal with income and wealth inequality. Also a unique issue, to make college tuition debt free. In addition, Sanders wants to raise big money from politics while restoring democracy. Sanders campaign trail will stop in Birmingham, Alabama tomorrow Jan 18. Americans like me will gather to hear him discuss his campaign.
                                Ted Cruz's potential nominations for the Republican party focus is on equal opportunity. However, Cruz's plans are traditional and conservative. Lastly, Donald Trump's campaign in which has created a spectacle. Trump attacks other candidate's on social media. He also confronts anyone who is not in agreement with him. Trump has recently attacked Samuel L. Jackson, who is an actor. Is this a president America wants? Trump's campaign focus is drug policies, the economy, education, and the environment.
                            How can America be great again? It is important to have a strong leader in a president. In conclusion, we as citizens can contribute as well. Together we can create change.

           -Jeremy R. Hilson, student of the Hall of Journalism at Troy University
            My blog focus is  The 2016 Presidential Candidates.
            My publication plan is weekly.
            The goal for my blog is to contribute to my writing skills.
           
          



                                

                                  www.twitter.com