Tag: Law

Part 179- Contract

Rovija Khapre 0 Comment Law and Justice , , , ,

 Hey so I wrote my very first ‘legal’ contract. So here’s how I got to this very difficult position. My grades were not up to par with my very much Indian parents’ expectations. (Mind you I’ve got excellent grades. Not impressive enough apparently.) Due to this very tiresome reason, I got my Instagram app deleted. (And Weverse but we don’t talk about that ) In order to get my beloved very useless social app back, I made a deal with my very much so Indian father on a list of activities I would need to complete for a certain period of time. These were then condensed into a contract, which I have written down below. Please enjoy reading about my suffering. Thank you. 🙂  

PS: My contract writing business is now open and I am willing/very desperate to take new clients. Please support this business run by a teenager. 

Agreement for the reinstallment of Instagram 

This is an agreement dated 02/22/2023  between _____ referred to as Daughter of _______ residence and _______ referred to as Dad of _______ Residence.

What is to be exchanged

  1. This is an agreement made between the parties for the reinstallment and usage of the Instagram app on Daughter’s iPhone in exchange for Daughter completing the following requirements up to exactly a week from the starting date (02/22/2023):

    1. Complete 5 pages of Kumon either digitally or physically (on paper). A page is considered front and back of a worksheet. Necessary corrections to prior work must be completed before beginning a new set of a 5-page worksheet. 

    2. Write a review of the school day’s activities and learning. This includes new concepts, getting ahead topics/assignments, upcoming tests and quizzes, and a daily summary of what was learned

    3. Tweeting everyday with proper format, including hashtags, on something related to United States politics. This includes but is not limited to:

      1. Congress: Senate and House of Representatives members, Vice President, Speaker of the House

      2. President, Cabinet

      3. Supreme Court

    4. Having evident proof of having “got ahead” in my studies. This includes getting ahead for assignments due later or learning new concepts for a subject ahead of time

    5. Sitting with at least 3 different people for lunch for three different days. This excludes the following people:

      1. _______ referred to as F1 (Friend 1)

      2. _______ referred to as F2 (Friend 2)

      3. Someone I have already sat with for this agreement

  2. The promises above will be completed on or before midnight 11：59 pm of Thursday March 2nd 2023.

  3. Payment will be performed by Dad, by reinstalling the Instagram app on Daughter’s phone, and allowing usage of it without any prohibitions, restrictions, or limitations on the amount, activity, or usage of the app. 

Termination

  1. This agreement will come to an end when the following requirements as listed above have been completed without fail and need to ask for completion. If failed to do so, a punishment will be invoked of which there will be added requirements and an extended time period of which the app will be installed and able to be used. 

Dispute resolution

  1. If a dispute arises out of or relates to this agreement, and the dispute cannot be resolved by negotiations between the parties, the parties agree first to try in good faith to resolve the dispute by mediation before resorting to arbitration, litigation or some other dispute resolution procedure. 

Severability

  1. If any part of this agreement is found to be unenforceable, the rest of this agreement will remain enforceable without the unenforceable part. 

  2. If in any case there are excessive limitations, delays, or extra restrictions added to this agreement even after the requirements have been fulfilled correctly, on time, without fail, this agreement will be enforced immediately and the ending benefits shall be given without hesitation 

Governing law and jurisdiction

  1. The governing law and jurisdiction for this agreement are as follows:

  • The laws of the ____ Residence and the laws of _____ referred to as Mother, applicable in that residence govern this agreement.

  • The parties agree that the courts of ____ Residence will have exclusive jurisdiction to hear and decide any litigation relating to this agreement.

Each of the parties has read this agreement and agrees to be bound by it.

————————————

Party’s signature

————————————

Party’s signature

————————————

Name

————————————

Name

————————————

Date signed

————————————

Date signed



Part 168- Teen Court

Rovija Khapre 0 Comment Law and Justice , ,
Part 168- Teen Court

Recently I’ve been participating in something called Teen Court. No it’s not because I’m in trouble. (I have a funny story about that that I’ll mention later.) It’s because I wanted to see the court process as well as practice making decisions on serious things. Although Teen Court doesn’t deal with cases such as murder or kidnappings, they do deal with things that are serious for teens. Ex: Drug paraphernalia, speeding, assault, etc.

I’ve seen the process twice now, which I am extremely lucky to have. When I first applied I accidentally misunderstood the purpose and though that I had to have some class C misdemeanor to participate. I got extremely anxious and the court supervisor calmed me down and offered me the opportunity to observe the trials. I went for the first time and witnessed two of their more serious cases. Those include an official court and attorneys who argue for your case. I have mad respect for those attorneys. I remember seeing 2 girls who absolutely amazed me. One of them completely wiped the case clean. She presented her case so calmly and was so cool in her rebuttals. I was really impressed with how she performed. The other wasn’t as powerful as the other, but she still had a really interesting way of asking questions. I also liked how she presented her argument and how she concluded.

The second time I went was last week. I had asked after the first two cases were over if I could come back in to watch once again. However, instead of just observing, the court supervisor allowed me to also participate in the process as this was a more minor case. This is something I’m extremely grateful for. When I signed up there were 90 other kids in front of me. I had been expecting to get an actual opportunity maybe in December or so, but I was lucky and got to go before my time. It was really exciting but also scary. I had never participated in something like this before and didn’t know what to do.

Let me explain how Teen Court works. ( I don’t remember the exact process of the first cases I saw, so I’ll do my best to explain.) I participate in the Southlake Town Hall Teen Court System, so it may be different or similar to other courts.

“Welcome to Volunteer Southlake.” Welcome to Volunteer Southlake | Southlake, TX – Official Website, https://www.cityofsouthlake.com/97/Volunteer-Southlake. 

 So there are two different kinds of ways a case is handled. For the more serious offenses such as underage alcohol possession or consumption or drug paraphernalia, there are trials with attorneys. After the jury and defendant take an oath, the offense first states their case. Then the defense. After that there’s a closing statement given to the jury and a final statement the defendant can give to explain themselves if wanted. The jury then goes into another room where they all make a decision. In Teen Court there aren’t really punishments. There is a minimum and maximum amount of volunteer hours given based on the severity of the offense as well as a certain number of jury terms. This is usually set by judges and cannot be changed. The jury makes a decision to assign the defendant a number of hours between that range according to what they have seen and then announce the decision once agreed upon.

For the other type of cases, the defendant and their guardian sit with a group of jurors and a supervisor. The jurors ask the questions instead and the defendant answers. The supervisor asks if there’s anything the defendant wants to say, and then the bailiff escorts them out of the room as the jurors make a decision. I was one of the jurors who got to ask a few questions and make a decision. In this I think something I learned was paying attention to every detail. We have to take in everything we’ve learned from the defendant, their case, and the given circumstances to make a decision. A decision made for one of the cases was based on a small detail I forgot to take into account for. Although a different decision seemed the better one in my opinion, it was that small detail that made the final more reasonable with a better mindset kept for the defendant. 

“Welcome to Volunteer Southlake.” Welcome to Volunteer Southlake | Southlake, TX – Official Website, https://www.cityofsouthlake.com/97/Volunteer-Southlake. 

I think Teen Court is a good system. I like how it’s giving an opportunity for kids to correct their options in a way that can help them learn and give them a second chance. Instead of sending them to juvenile detention or something similar for their actions, it’s letting them get a decision made by kids of their age to decide for themselves. It allows kids who have been in their shoes to do the same. (Here’s the funny story)

So during my last interaction there was a short break in between the next case and everyone was talking about speeding tickets. I realized then that all these kids were completing their volunteer service hours by participating in this trial. They all were discussing what they were there for. Except me. The kid in front of me asked what speed I was going at and I told him I didn’t drive. He asked whether I assaulted someone. I said I was there to observe. The kid just nodded his head. Anyways, I just felt good/awkward that I was the only one without an offense. I didn’t really realize the majority of the jurors would be kids trying to complete their offenses.

Moving on. It just allows kids who have been in the same situation as them to make a decision based on experience and a similar mindset to help. On an unrelated note, the craziest takeaway from that last experience was that I actually found out one of them is an upperclassman at my school. Here’s how it goes. I see him on Tuesday for the court, and then two days later as I walk to math I see him walking the other direction with his friends. I almost double-take to make sure it was him. IT WAS. I saw him the day after that in the fine arts hall. And now I see him almost every day in some way. I mean, a Pokémon backpack and tall figure is noticeable in the crowd, right? Every time I see him, I can’t help but think, “Oh, there’s the kid from court who got pulled over for speeding. Huh. Wonder if his friends know.”

In terms of whether Teen Court is a good or bad influence, I would say good. It does several things, including giving kids a second chance, time to volunteer, learn about the law, and a learning opportunity to make better decisions. Although I’m not participating because of some offense. It’s a great learning opportunity for me- or other potential lawyers/attorneys- to learn more about law and court. For me I can learn how court works and the sort of decisions made based on presented evidence and arguments. It can help to learn how to take everything into consideration when making a decision, and making the best choice. I think I can definitely learn a lot about the court from these opportunities in order to become a better attorney.

Part 167- Washington D.C. Trip

Rovija Khapre 0 Comment Law and Justice, Vacations , , , , ,
Part 167- Washington D.C. Trip

Summer break ended a few days ago and so school has once again begun. However, today’s post is not about what high school is like or anything. Instead, I’m talking about my very last summer trip of the year.

A little more than a week ago, for the last trip of the summer, my family and I went up east to New Jersey as well as other states nearby such as Pennsylvania and New York. But, that still isn’t the main focus of today’s post. The main focus was in fact the highlight of the trip. A visit to Washington D.C.

Our trip included staying in D.C. and taking a tour of the White House as well as the Capitol building. Unfortunately, due to – I’m assuming- the weather accident with lightning in front of the White House, our White House tour was rescheduled to a later date we already had plans for. To sum it up, we could not visit the White House. We could see it from a barricade and see its white exterior illuminate the dark night sky, but we couldn’t go inside and tour the actual building.

Apart from that, we did get to tour the Capitol – which I am extremely grateful for- as well as visit many other places such as the Lincoln Memorial, National Archives, and the National Museum of American History. This post is about what D.C. was like, and what I thought of it.

I’ve wanted to go to D.C. for a long time. Okay maybe for a few years now, but I’ve still been really set on visiting it sometime soon. The main reason was because the last time I went was when I was still a toddler, and I have no recollection of doing so. But I also wanted to visit D.C. because of the show The West Wing.
If you don’t know what it’s about I’ll summarize really quickly. The West Wing is a political drama series on how fictional Democratic President Josiah Bartlet and his presidential advisers and staffers try to run the country. It shows different political scenarios such as working through two presidential terms, political threats, scandals, other possible scenarios, and even the election race to succeed President Bartlet. I’ve always loved The West Wing and it’s one of the things that have inspired me to become a lawyer or just someone who works in the political field one day. I dreamed of one day working in the West Wing or even in D.C. and that still remains as one of my goals for the future.

Another reason for wanting to visit D.C. was because I had taken U.S. History this year and was really interested in the subject. After learning about the struggles our founding fathers went through to create this government simply for the people, I wanted to see the buildings where the same principles are applied today, 300 years later. I think because of taking that course, I had become more appreciative of not only my country but also for what it was established on. That made me more perceptive towards what we saw, and also allowed me to make better connections to what I learned. Side note: I now cry when I hear the national anthem. I- Yeah. Oh the things one history class has done to me. I mean it’s not bad. I think it’s a good thing that I actually know more about my country and I really appreciate the principles for what it was built on as well as am proud as to how we got this far. If I cry by remembering all that then so be it.

Enough about how I cry during the national anthem. Let’s actually get into the overview now.

Honestly I’m not sure what I was expecting from D.C. Whenever I hear about it I always imagine the Capitol and White House only some distance from each other and then there are a bunch of other government buildings and monuments there as well. It is like that but also different. For example, I did not expect to be able to calmly take a walk under the shade of huge trees while drinking a slushy right next to the Department of Justice. I could just walk by and wave up at the windows and be like, “Oh hello Attorney General Garland, how are you today?” I doubt that’s even possible and I would look like an absolute fool, but the idea does amuse me. Please don’t misunderstand. I’m not trying to seem disrespectful towards a government official or the employees. I’m just saying it was really unexpected to be able to walk right next to such an important building as if it was normal. 

Me standing in front of the
Department of Justice
If you remember, I had visited India near the end of 2021 and early 2022 after 7 years. During that trip my parents and I visited New Delhi and saw the Parliament of India, Rashtrapati Bhavan, and many other government official buildings/houses from afar. That time I was surprised about how open and nearby it was. I think that was how I thought D.C. would be. Boy was I wrong. I only got to see the Parliament from a distance and yet I was walking right next to the White House. (Not that close but still a much closer distance than I could in India.)

Apart from D.C. being full of government buildings and monuments and museums, it does have a bit of life to it. We always think of these officials as powerful and they are always making decisions that we either do or don’t agree with when they are also human like us. People in D.C. may be officials or employees but they also have normal lives. They also like minimal spice Indian food and Starbucks as well. *Ahem*

First let’s talk about the Capitol tour. Huge thank you to Senator Cornyn for getting us the opportunity for this tour as well as having one of his staffers guide us around. I would say it was different from my expectations. From a Capitol tour, I was expecting maybe how the Senate or House works and what their daily basis is. That was what a Capitol tour first meant to me. Instead, we got a building tour. We learned about the architecture of the Capitol, the statues that decorate the interior, background to the many murals and paintings, as well as how different events in history have shaped it to how it is today. I’d say I was more relieved. I was expected to ask questions during the tour and I was extremely nervous on what to ask or share an insight if it was on how Congress worked. I do know how it works, but I was worried that the amount I knew wouldn’t be enough or I may ask something stupid or say something incorrect. I found the tour guide extremely impressive and I didn’t want to embarrass myself in front of her. I also felt this sort of pressure to impress her and ask really high level questions. I think that’s why I felt so nervous to ask a question at the beginning. But throughout the tour that pressure slowly reduced and it was easier to do so. I found myself wanting to know more and tried to let that fear go. I still do think I could have asked better questions and I am disappointed at myself for not doing so. But I am happy that I was able to gather the courage to do so.

The Capitol is absolutely beautiful. I love how everything ties back to history. It’s like the Capitol is a sort of temple to thank our founding fathers and historical figures for the impact in our country. Like, there’s George Washington almost everywhere. Statues, murals, paintings, etc. The more I think about it it does feel like a temple. Every small detail is built based on how our country started to grow, bad or good. There’s not much from current events except for some women’s rights statues and such. Everything else is designed with the idea of kind of thanking the things that made our country how it is today. For example, there are American tobacco plants carved all over the building. Tobacco was a major cash crop that was a driving factor in the economy as well as what increased the need for slavery. In the Rotunda, there’s a mural that shows everything from Columbus up to the Gold Rush. In the dome of the Capitol there is a fresco called The Apotheosis of Washington that shows George Washington becoming a god or apotheosis as he was the first U.S. president and commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. I honestly think that’s kind of motivating. Everyday Senators and members of the House will come for work and they see these statues or paintings of President Washington and decide to work hard for the country. Maybe not everyone would think that way, but I think it would be a huge honor to do so. I mean, President Washington was the precedent president. He was the example of what a president should do for future presidents to come. To be able to work everyday for this country that he first led and helped fight for, now that would be motivating. 

The Apotheosis of Washington
Credit: eyeofthestrom.blogs.com
Considering that, I want to talk about the riots that happened in 2021. The Capitol breach and vandalization. I wrote a post on this about a year ago when it happened, and I have a different perspective on the situation. A proper explanation of the Capitol breach can be found from my post Part 126- Breach in the Capitol. In that post my general opinion of the situation was mainly anger and displeasure. I was extremely upset at Mr. Trump’s words and was disappointed with how people reacted in agreement to his words. This time, I’m more disappointed and ashamed.

I’ve said this many times, but I will state it one last time. In my opinion, I think the Capitol is designed like a place of gratitude and honor towards not only President Washington, but also many important figures who have shaped our country. President Lincoln, General Ulysses Grant, Sam Houston, etc. By this breach of the Capitol, not only are we disrespecting the building and work space, but also the grounds on which our country first started developing. President Washington gave a farewell address at the end of his presidency. In that address was one request for many others to not form political parties as he was afraid it would divide our nation further. Despite that request, we immediately split into two parties after he stepped down, and look how that has gotten to today.

It’s almost embarrassing to see the results of something our first president warned us about, in front of something that respects and thanks him. It’s embarrassing to think our own people would do such a thing over something small.

Other than that, the Capitol felt much smaller to me than I thought it would be. It looks huge from outside, but it’s pretty close together inside. But then again, I haven’t really seen the ENTIRE building so I may never know. 
Actual picture of me at the back of the Capitol. 
One of the interesting things about the Capitol were the statues inside. Each state is allowed to give 2 statues to the Capitol to which they can swap out whenever they want. Many other people can do so as well. However it’s not necessarily guaranteed that it would be put outside on display. I like how every state chose something unique based on what was important for them. They’re contributing their own pieces of history or even culture/traditions through these statues and the Capitol displays them proudly for everyone to see and learn about. Below are some examples. 
Helen Keller from Alabama
Credits: aoc.gov
King Kamehameha from Hawaii
Credits: aoc.gov
We also visited the Lincoln Memorial and National Archives. Being in the Lincoln Memorial felt…powerful. I can’t really explain it, but when you look at President Lincoln, there’s kind of a powerful aura that can be felt. It’s probably because the statue is huge and the expression is very confident, but you never know. A fun part of visiting was that I actually know the “history” in this. I don’t know the details of the building, but I do know about the Gettysburg Address and his second Inaugural Speech. They were written on opposite walls of each other. It felt really cool to immediately know where they came from, the background of which he said those words, and what the purpose of it was. Other than that there’s not really much I can say. It was extremely busy there and I don’t think I got to properly admire nor pay my respects in a way towards President Lincoln properly. 
Me sitting in front of
Lincoln’s second Inaugural Speech
The National Archives were pretty interesting as well. I have to say, I was mildly dissatisfied when seeing the Declaration of Independence. I think it was obvious it wouldn’t be super clear given it is 300 years old, but I was let down due to my over hopeful brain. I really liked the set up of explaining the details when writing or what happened around the documents. There were things about spelling mistakes, drafts, reasons the ink is faded, and letters that were put up beside the documents in order to have a better understanding. We didn’t spend much time in the National Archives to explore so I really only got to see the Bill or Rights, Constitution, and Declaration of Independence, as well as Public Vaults. The Public Vaults were pretty much just small collections of history such as info about the 3 documents, colonization, invention patents, and more. I think there is more to the National Archives, but based on what I got to see so far, it wasn’t as exciting as I hoped it to be. Hopefully next trip we can stay longer. 
We also got to go to the National Museum of American History. I think that was one of the more interesting parts of our stay. It was quite literally a living documentation of everything in history. There was everything from transportation to cooking to democracy and everything in between. There was even a section on currency that showed how different forms of currency were used and made over time. One of my favorite exhibits was on American democracy that basically showed everything from the start of our government to now. There was stuff on the evolution of voting, protests, elections, news segments, and many more. 
A little something I found amusing
I’d say the best part of the museum was the Star Spangled Banner exhibit. Inside they first show you a timeline of everything that led to the national anthem being written. That meant a timeline of the War of 1812. There was info about the events, what weapons were used, and what it sounded like. There were real life ruins of old missiles and such on display. Further into the exhibit is the highlight. They have carefully maintained and displayed the original American flag with 15 stars and 15 stripes, that was made at that time. After being held onto by the original maker’s family for generations, it was given to the museum to which it has and presents today. This was no ordinary flag. It was HUGE. The usual size of an American flag is 3’x5’. This flag was 30×42 feet which is also much larger than the modern garrison flags used today by the US Army which are a standard 20 by 38 feet. The flag displayed was not the entirety as several parts including a star were cut away and given as keepsakes. However, it was still remarkably large and quite beautiful to look at. 
The original Star Spangled Banner
Credit: battlefields.org
My parents and I outside the
Star Spangled Banner exhibit.
To sum it up, D.C. was an interesting experience. I certainly went through a lot of emotions, including a bit of nationalism, confusion, nervousness, excitement, disappointment, gratitude, and relief to name a few. But mainly I was more motivated to work there. I couldn’t believe that people were working in such a beautiful building everyday. It seemed like an honor to work inside one of the country’s most important buildings and to do something for our country and people. Also seeing how the staffers and employees worked and were able to have such amazing opportunities of assisting and working there as well made me determined to become one of them. It would be great to one day work alongside great people and to carry on what the founding fathers established. So yeah. Washington D.C. was a great experience for me, and I really enjoyed touring the Capitol and being able to make connections to what I learned in U.S. history last year. I will certainly try to work hard to go to D.C. again – hopefully for work- and yeah, I hope you have a great weekend. See you!

Part 166- Abortion rights

Rovija Khapre 0 Comment Law and Justice, Social Responsibilities , , , ,
Part 166- Abortion rights

Hello! Were you expecting me? I know it’s been a while- ok a really long while- since I’ve last posted, and I’m truly sorry about that. I’ve had a handful of things to do this summer and have been so busy I haven’t been able to do many other things. Although some would argue it’s not that busy compared to what others do, it has been extremely busy for me and so because of that I have not been able to work on posting. But enough about my busy summer, I have a new post over something recent- not really recent- but a major event within political history. The overturning of Roe v. Wade.

The main reason I chose this topic is because a) it’s a landmark Supreme Court Case – now overturned- that is used in so many other cases throughout the years, b) because it is something that can alter so many things in the upcoming future for so many people, and c) because me being a girl means I am one of those people whose lives are now changed.

Roe v. Wade:

Roe v. Wade is a legal case in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled (7-2) on January 22, 1973, that “unduly restrictive state regulation of abortion is unconstitutional.” (Britannica: Roe v. Wade) It struck down many federal and state abortion laws, as well as fueled an ongoing abortion debate in the United States about, “whether, or to what extent, abortion shoudl be legal, who could decide the legality of abortion, and what the role of moral and religious views in the political sphere should be.” (Wikipedia: Roe v. Wade)

The case was brought by Norma McCorvey- legal pseudonym “Jane Roe”- who in 1969 became pregnant with her 3rd child. She wanted to get an abortion, yet she was living in Texas where abortion is illegal except when necessary to save the mother’s life. After a ruling in her favor from a special three-judge court of the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of Texas, it was taken to the Supreme Court. On January 22, 1973 the Supreme Court issued a 7-2 decision holding that the Due process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution provides a fundamental “right to privacy”, which protects a pregnant woman’s right to an abortion.

Before I start with what I think, I wanted to share a small opinion about the case itself. Not the decisions but rather the people involved. I feel like the basis on why Roe wanted to get an abortion is wrong. She had originally wanted an abortion, but since Texas says it is illegal to have one, many of her friends said that she should assert falsely that she had been raped by a group of black men in order to gain a legal abortion. Although it was never successful, I feel like making up a lie using something realistic and widely happening in our society isn’t right. Rape isn’t something to joke about, and in my opinion shouldn’t be used lightly. I don’t know the full context on the decisions and on what really happened so I can’t say much, but I do want to point out that using a false statement wasn’t right, and by doing so it felt as if rape was taken lightly to use for her own personal reasons. Probably not, but to me it feels that way.

Opinions:

For me, I would say I’m more pro-choice. I believe that it should be a woman’s right to decide what to do, especially since this is her body. Giving birth is a huge thing. Even just being pregnant is something huge within itself. It’s not easy, and requires full dedication towards the full time. Giving birth itself is very dangerous. It’s strenuous , painful, and can be a life-threatening thing.

However, it is proven that abortion is a safe medical procedure that protects lives. Compared to child birth, the death rate for legal abortions is 0.7 deaths for every 100,000 abortions, and 9 deaths per 100,000 deliveries. Medication abortion has a mortality rate of 6.5 deaths per one million patients.

Having an abortion in itself isn’t easy either. It’s not as if the mother/woman is so willingly going to give up her child. It’s not an easy decision for her as well. However, based on the circumstances of her situation or anything else, she has a reason why she needs to. It’s not a “convenience” and an “easy way out”. Abortions are often because of family obligations and concerns about future children. They base their decision mainly on the ability to stay financially stable and care for their current children. It’s not an easy way out, but instead a painful and difficult decision. They do this while considering what’s right for the baby. They look ahead at the kind of life the baby would have based on finances and the ability to care for other children and dependents.

According to verywellhealth.com, there are many, similar, reasons why a decision for an abortion is made.

  • Not financially prepared: 40%
  • Bad timing, not ready, or unplanned: 36%
  • Partner related reasons- New or bad relationship, would be a single parent, partner isn’t supportive, partner doesn’t want the baby, partner is abusive, partner is the “wrong guy”
  • Need to focus on other children: 29%
  • Interferes with educational or job plans” 20%
  • Not emotionally or mentally prepared: 19%
  • Health-related reasons: 12% – concern for their own health; concern for fetus’ health; use of medications, other drugs, alcohol, or tobacco
  • Want a better life for a baby than they could provide: 12%
  • Not independent or mature enough: 7%
  • Doesn’t want a baby or to place the baby up for adoption: 4%

Another reason is also disease and genetics. (Inherited diseases) According to theconversation.com, “…each of us is more likely than not to be carriers for a disorder that would be legal before adulthood. As carriers, we are not affected by the disease, but are at risk of transmitting the disease to children if a partner is also a carrier.” For families that have experienced a serious inherited disorder, subsequent pregnancies are traumatic. Abortions are a critical option and are a security feature that allows them to consider having children again. While there are other options such as adopting, sperm or egg donations, or pre-implantation diagnosis of embryos, these all can become financial, social, or even moral burdens that some women can find impossible. Abortion should be seen as an available option if necessary. It doesn’t necessarily ALWAYS have to be used, but in certain times when truly necessary, something that can be considered and done. It can help prevent watching children die of untreatable disease.

People who often oppose abortions often criticize people with unplanned pregnancies, saying it’s irresponsible and those people should have used birth control. And that’s partially true. However, even with birth control, there are more than half of pregnancies that still occur.

Adoption. People also say, if you don’t want the child just give it up for adoption. It’s not that simple. Although that could be an option, it’s still quite dangerous for a woman who is not fit (emotionally or mentally) to have a child, give birth.

Another thing I want to bring up is rape abortions. There was a recent article of a 10-year-old being raped and getting pregnant. 10-year-old. That poor child had to travel to another state to get an abortion, since her state doesn’t allow abortions. Are you seriously going to force a 10 year old child, someone who is still learning, still maturing, still is a child and is dependent on their own parents, to become a mother and raise a child themselves??? Do you not understand how bad this is? How much pain and trauma can this have on her? Do you seriously want this poor child to suffer and go through pain, and a life-threatening thing just because you think abortion is wrong and the fetus is a living person? What if she dies??? Who knows what could happen.

In short, it should be a woman’s decision on what they should do. Some politicians should not be given the right to put their own beliefs and opinions into a decision that affects my body. The thought of having someone who I don’t even know make a decision about my own body and choice is a bit uncomfortable. I should have the right to decide what I do to my body and why. (I refer to women/ me as a woman/girl) I’m the one who knows it best. Not only that, I’m the one who knows what happens in my life. Those mothers and women have the strongest connection with the fetus and baby. They are the ones who should decide. It’s not like they willingly want to for fun and because all of a sudden they don’t want a baby anymore. Sometimes they’re not ready for it. If they give birth, based on their current life/status, the baby may not have a happy life. Or maybe the baby may not get all the love they deserve. Those mothers/women don’t want the baby to go through that. They want to raise a child with life and care in a good, steady, comfortable part of their life where they can emotionally, mentally, and financially support the child and their needs. They look forward and try to hope for the best for their child. This decision they make is difficult, but often necessary.

Abortion should be a choice made by the person having one. I believe that they are the only ones who can make the best decision for themselves and the fetus/baby. They should be the judge on what to do, and apply their own morals, experiences, opinions, etc. into a decision for themselves. They should not be pushed nor forced by others to do something they don’t want to or prevent them from doing. It should be an available option when necessary, no matter what. 
The last thing I want to talk about is rights. After the overturn of Roe v. Wade, there have been so many claims and protests saying abortion is their rights. I agree as well. But, for how long will we continue saying this? Will we continue protesting and demanding for a change and that abortion rights are women’s rights until the decision is flipped again? And then what happens after that? What happens then if it is once again flipped? Will we continue going back and forth? Instead of blaming these politicians and governors for making these decisions, shouldn’t we instead try to make it an official declaration? Shouldn’t we make it final, make it an official law that abortion is women’s rights? The job of the Supreme Court is to interpret the meaning of the law, and decide whether a law is relevant to a particular set of given facts. That means, based upon the majority of what the judges believe in the Court at that time, the decision/law will be interpreted differently. You can interpret something differently based on your beliefs or opinions, and that changes the outcome of things. 
A Supreme Court Justice remains in office as long as they choose and can only be removed by impeachment. That means we probably won’t be able to flip the decision again until the judges change to become in favor of pro-choice. Who knows how long that will take. So instead of continuously blaming governors and so many other people for making a decision that a state can have abortions or not, why not go and make it a law. Put it into the Constitution. 
The Bill of Rights are the first 10 amendments added to our Constitution. They were made for us to have rights and the freedom to do things. For example, the right to speech or religion, the right to not incriminate yourself in court, the rights not written yet still given to the people, etc. The entire purpose of the Constitution is to guarantee certain rights to the people.

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

That is the exact wording of the Constitution. It articulates the rights of citizens that institutions, procedures or legislation must not infringe, and which the state must strive to ensure. This being said, if you want to have abortion rights, shouldn’t we make it an amendment to the Constitution? By doing so we could establish it is a right, and no one, not even the states can infringe our right from it. Make it official. 
Before Roe v. Wade was overturned, people were able to get abortions. This being said, now that it is illegal in some states, are those women who want an abortion, no longer equal to those who previously could? We believe and try so hard to promote equality, equity, and bring everyone to the same level as one another within our needs, yet by not giving these rights, aren’t the two not equal anymore? 
The United States is often an example for others. We’re seen as a role model, a country that supports our allies and is the land of the free and home of the brave. Our entire government was built upon establishing our rights and freedoms we were denied of in England. When we don’t give equal rights to women to have abortions, wouldn’t other countries follow suit? Wouldn’t they see us differently? Aren’t we pretty much contradicting what we stand for? So is it really fair to remove a woman of her rights to have an abortion, when this not only makes her less equal to those who have before, but also to those in other countries who can today? (I’m not trying to compare countries or other people living in them, but trying to show how by banning abortion rights women are no longer equal to one another as well as others-not just women- in the world as well.)
Below I’ve linked some sources that helped me during my research on this topic. They give both sides to the debate and were interesting to read though:

Part 163- Ukraine & Russia

Rovija Khapre 0 Comment Law and Justice , , , , ,

Big things are happening in the world right now. Specifically, Russia invading Ukraine. I want to talk about the major questions that have come in throughout these past few days involving this war. Why is Russia invading Ukraine? Why isn’t NATO or the UN helping? Why isn’t the US helping? These questions all go back a long way to WWII. From the midst of it up until now, so many events have accumulated, leading us to this problem today.

Let’s start with the main question.

 Why is Russia invading Ukraine in the first place?

The answer to this is a bit complicated. The main start to this begins a long time ago when the USSR was ending. After the Soviet Union was declared as no longer existing, many republics began to declare independence. Among these included Ukraine. After this, Russia remained. The USSR was heavily ruined after WWII. It faced a lot of damage in the aftermath, and with the republics declaring independence from the Union, Russia – after the collapse- lost many resources.

When making machinery or militia, not everything is made in the same place. Different parts are built in various places and then brought together in one place to assemble the final product. Because of this, Russia lost many weapons and nuclear arsenal when Ukraine declared independence. That’s one thing. Although Ukraine and Russia had an agreement and Ukraine gave up all the arsenal to Russia, there is another thing that Russia could be after. The reason why Ukraine had a nuclear arsenal in place. Ukraine sits on an abundant amount of Uranium. Uranium is used to make nuclear weapons. Although Russia does have Uranium, Ukraine has a plentiful amount of it, hence a reason to invade.

Another reason is oil. Ukraine is near the Black Sea, which leads to the Mediterranean Sea and then to the Middle East. What’s found in the Middle East? Oil. 

Source{Library of Congress}

Oil and Uranium are the most possible reasons why Russia is invading Ukraine. I’ve done some research on this incident and officials- or merely just reporters- are saying there are other reasons relating to why Russia is invading Ukraine other than the ones I’ve listed. So, we don’t know just yet.

Why isn’t NATO helping? 

Well, what exactly is NATO? Let’s backtrack.

During WWII, the heads of the United States, United Kingdom, and Soviet had a meeting to discuss the postwar reorganization of Germany and Europe. This was known as the Yalta Conference, which took place near Yalta in Crimea, Soviet Union. Within a few years, the Cold War began.

The Cold War was a period of tension between two major superpowers at the time, Russia and the United States, and each of their respective allies. Although this conflict was never through any actual war, many proxy wars occurred between the two. One example is Afghanistan.

Afghanistan was used for one of the proxy wars that occurred between the US and Russia. Neither wanted to get into a war on their turf, as seen during WWII, so it was better to fight on another country’s land instead. The US helped a group grow to fight Russia. It’s one we’re very familiar with. The Taliban. However, Afghanistan isn’t surrounded by water. So, the US was pretty much bringing the Taliban through Pakistan, to Afghanistan. This led to Pakistan being on US’s side, as the US was helping them. Since Pakistan and India have many, many conflicts, Russia decided to help India. But anyways, the US was trying to grow the Taliban under their influence so they’ll fight against Russia. In the end, they left Afghanistan in ruins and decided they weren’t going to do anything with the Taliban anymore. This led to the group growing even more and becoming a terrorist group, which was led by Osama bin Laden to attack the Twin Towers. A bit ironic isn’t it?

Another proxy war was the Vietnamese war. Russians fought on Vietnamese land with Vietnamese people against the United States and ended up leaving Vietnam in ruins as well.

Anyway, the Cold War pretty much created a division between the continent. Germany was split into two parts, West and East Germany. East Germany was controlled by the Soviet Union, while West Germany was controlled by the US, Britain, and France. After this, the United States and its allies created NATO.
Russia, seeing this, forms its own “group” called the Warsaw Pact with Eastern European Countries, as an equal balance of power with NATO. 

Source {The Glass Files}

Now, as I said before, the United States is not surrounded by any other countries, except Canada and Mexico. Russia, on the other hand, is bordered by 14 countries. This is a problem for Russia, as they cannot get close to the USA as easily. The US, on the other hand, can. The entire Western border of countries that surround Russia- except for Ukraine- are all part of NATO. Why not Ukraine? Well, Ukraine is directly next to Russia. If Ukraine were to join NATO, that means the US would have access to have its missiles and troops directly at Russia. Ukraine is an aspiring member of NATO, not yet a member, and Russia wants NATO to promise to never accept Ukraine as a member. They said that Ukraine joining NATO would be a threat to Russia’s borders, as already there are 5 NATO countries currently bordering Russia. Because of this, NATO, unfortunately, cannot help Ukraine. 

Source { Quora}

What about the UN?

In the United Nations, there is something called a Security Council. In the Security Council, there are 5 permanent members and many temporary members which change. The 5 permanent members are the USA, UK, France, China, and Russia. These 5 members have veto power over UN resolutions. This means that a permanent member can block the adoption of a resolution without having to debate on it. So, if one member says no, then the resolution is vetoed, even if the others say yes. Everyone has to agree.

Source {Cambridge Global Affair}
Source {dw.com}
Council meeting to discuss Ukraine-Russia
Situation

When Ukraine came to the UN, Russia- a permanent member- vetoed the resolution to help Ukraine. Because Russia said no, nobody could do anything, which means that the UN cannot help Ukraine as well.
There is one country that could help Ukraine, but they have stepped back. India. India became the President of the Security Council, and could help Ukraine, but has already said that it will remain independent and balanced, and will not help. India has a very strong reason to do so.

When India was testing nuclear weapons, Ukraine thought of India as bad. Many times, Ukraine has always condemned India and said India was bad for many things, including its conflicts with Pakistan. Ukraine even sent tanks to Pakistan, which were then used against Indians. So, when Ukraine came to India to help them, India chose to stay out and remain independent.

What about other countries?

Many other countries in Europe can’t help Ukraine, as Russia controls an energy supply, which can be cut off by them.

One other question I’d like to talk about is about what was to happen if Ukraine ended up being taken by Russia.

First, let’s go back to the end of WWII- again- and start from there. When Germany realized it was going to lose the war, it started to crumble and was destroyed. However, there was still one country that was still fighting. Japan. At this time, the United States decides to finally stop this and dops two nuclear bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Seeing the effects of the bombs, the world was shocked. This was when they realized the United States was on a completely different level compared to them. At that time, the United States didn’t see Russia as a threat. Russia was left in ruins after the war, while the US was perfectly fine, as there was almost no fighting on US soil.

Slowly, over time, Russia began building itself up again, until it became a superpower as well. Soon the Cold War emerged, and Europe was divided between two sides. Pro-USA or Pro-Russia. As I mentioned before, Ukraine has an abundant amount of Uranium. Russia has already close to the level the US is at now, so there is some tension between the two. The US doesn’t want them to be the same, and so they don’t want Russia to get their hands on that Uranium. So, as far as I have heard, the US has troops ready and planned to send some, but they are still not sent just yet.

Overall, I think Ukraine might be the one to blame here. It got itself in its mess. Although Russia is wrong to just attack Ukraine like that and is using hostile force, Ukraine can’t do anything about it. Although the rest of the world is trying to help them, I feel like they should have planned or even seen this coming. I mean, Russia and Ukraine have been having problems since 2014. Ukraine should have been better prepared in case this happened. They also shouldn’t have been too hasty in taking sides. India could have helped Ukraine and talked with Russia about this issue If Ukraine hadn’t condemned India many times in the past. Ukraine was hasty to make a decision and jump to say that India was bad, without even thinking of what could have happened in the future. It’s practically karma. Not only that, Ukraine was aspiring to be part of NATO.

There are many requirements to joining NATO and Ukraine didn’t meet any of those at first. With the help of NATO, Ukraine was getting there. However, many European Allies were against Ukraine joining since it could affect their relationship with Russia. They hoped they could have a closer relationship with Moscow, and Ukraine joining NATO could be a problem. If those Allies could have overcome those thoughts, we possibly could have saved a lot of Ukrainian and Russian lives by now.

The UN is also at partial fault. I feel like their system is very slightly biased. Out of the 5 permanent members, there are three European members, one Asian member, and one North American Member. There are six continents, excluding Antarctica. More than half of the permanent members are from one. Not only that, these countries are all those big powerful ones, and they won’t give up their positions. Because of that, they don’t let countries that need voices to speak out have a chance. Yes, sometimes you need these stronger countries to lead and make decisions because they have the resources and can often make the best decisions to help, but it’s always biased. These big countries that have conflicts with other smaller countries- Russia or China- will use their power as permanent members to prevent those smaller countries to have a voice in decisions. They kind of overpower the others. The concept of the UN was made with good intentions, by a great man. President Franklin D. Roosevelt had a dream and decided that the United States cannot ever turn its backs on the world again. From this dream, the UN soon came to be. Although many beneficial things have come out of the efforts of the UN, sometimes the resolutions to certain problems are biased. Or the problems may not even be solved, like what’s happening with Ukraine. I believe there should be a better division of power between the permanent members. Maybe a member per continent or even an ally speaks on behalf of many other countries and is represented. I’m not sure how that could or even would complicate things, but it is a suggestion.

Anyways, that was my take on the Ukraine-Russia situation. I wonder how the other countries will assist Ukraine, and how Ukraine figures out a way to solve this matter. I also wonder if Ukraine will still be an aspiring member and if it ever will get to be a part of NATO.

Part 134- Death Penalty

Rovija Khapre 0 Comment Law and Justice , , ,

Quick Facts:

  • Capital Punishment, or more commonly known as the death penalty is a state-sanctioned homicide as a punishment for a crime. ( Also known as death row)
  • The ordering that someone is punished with the death penalty is called a death sentence
Okay, so, big news. ( More like drastic, serious news.) A woman named Shabnam Ali has become a death row convict in Uttar Pradesh. What’s wrong with that? Well, she is on course to become Independent India’s first woman to be executed. This means that she is the first woman to be executed in India since they became independent. ( Well, there have been a few cases, but this is the first time a woman has been hanged in recent times.) Shocking, right? Here’s why.
In India, women were never, or even rarely, given the death penalty because they were seen as multifaced and indispensable members of the family. People would/could never see women as criminals, stereotyping them as caregivers and nurturers. Yes, they were arrested for crimes, but never sentenced to death. I have to ask, did they think that a woman was innocent just because she is a caregiver. Even though they take care of a family and are very precious, women shouldn’t be let go easily or not given the right punishment if they commit a terrible crime. Barbaric, inhuman ones. For instance, the Amroha Case. The one we will be talking about. 
Ms. Shabnam has been convicted of killing 7 members of her family- Father, mother, older brother, brother’s wife, elder brother’s 10-moths old son, younger brother, and her cousin- in 2008. She apparently, sedated 6 of the members- except the child- and then chopped their heads off with an ax while her lover- Saleem- held them by their hair. She then throttled her 10-months old nephew. After doing so, she would have been the sole heir to the house and property. Apparently, her family did not approve of her relationship with Mr. Saleem, a Class VI dropout. 5 days after that they were arrested, and Ms. Shabnam was found to be 7 weeks pregnant. Her 12-years old son appealed for President Ram Nath Kovind to “forgive” his mother, and that same day Ms. Shabnam filed a second mercy petition with the Governor of Uttar Pradesh. 
She initially claimed that she was the one who raised the alarm of her family’s murder and that, unknown assailants had entered her house and killed everyone. During the trial, the couple turns on each other. Ms. Shabnam claims that Mr. Saleem entered the house and killed everyone, but Mr. Saleem claims that Ms. Shabnam called him and confessed that she killed everyone. 

The Mathura Prison- the only place that has a female execution place- “prepares” itself for Ms. Shabnams’s execution. Apparently, the hanging house has not been used in quite a long time and needs maintenance. 
I actually want to know why she did this. I know that her family wasn’t in favor of her relationship and her anger could have gotten the best of her, but why? It’s even slightly possible that she is innocent. She has been doing her very best to use legal remedies so her mercy petition could be heard. Under the law, if multiple people have been sentenced to death in the same case, they have to be executed together. So, they have to be executed after they exhaust their legal resources. But, I think that she shouldn’t be forgiven. Even though the death penalty is kind of a way to get justice for murder or even free a family from the guilt of not finding the murderer, it is really extreme and inhuman. It’s been about 12 years since this has happened, and she has been in jail this whole time. During this time she might have changed and realized the gravity of her actions. I’m not saying to easily let her go. She literally murdered 7 family members, including a teenager and a mere child. Maybe life without parole would be better than the death penalty. I don’t think she or Mr. Saleem should be let go easily or even sent to rehabilitation and then be let go, but I also don’t think they should be given the death penalty. 
It doesn’t show that we are any better than those who have murdered others. Even though we are legally doing this, it is still inhuman and very extreme punishment. We’re almost the same as them when doing this. It’s like violence for violence. Except, more controlled violence for uncontrolled violence. Even if the penalty isn’t given, they should be given life without parole. To make up for the time lost for those family members. ( I know that’s not how it works.) Maybe serve to make up for the lives lost and make up the time they still had left? If given life without parole, they already would be serving prison until they die. But maybe they should do something during their time to make up for it. I’m not sure. ( It’s a bit silly, I know, but I’m just stating my mind.)
Anyway, that’s all I have to say in this case. I honestly am at a loss for words. I just don’t know what to say about this. I had to stop in between writing and think about what I mean and actually think. I could feel myself going back and forth from sides and facts, not knowing where I was going. There are so many things I wanted to talk about regarding this and I just couldn’t phrase it right. It’s so hard to believe what happened. I-I just don’t know what else to say. 

Part 133- Impeachment trial

Rovija Khapre 0 Comment Law and Justice , , ,

 So, President Trump’s Second impeachment Trial has just ended, and he was acquitted. Again. If I remember well, I think it was all 48 Democrats, both Independents and 7 Republicans that said Guilty, while the other 43 Republicans that said Not Guilty. There need to be 67 votes for a conviction, and they were 10 short. ( For 2/3 majority.) There are two sides to this. One, President Trump really is guilty. Two, he isn’t. Here’s why. ( Note: In my opinion, he is guilty. But, I wanted to share both sides- possible reasons- and it’s changed my perspective a bit. ) 

Guilty:

We all know how bad the Capitol riots were. People were trashing and destroying everything in the building. It was chaos. President Trump did tell his supporters to go, storm the Capitol, and stop the vote-counting. He did provoke the violence that occurred. He was constantly claiming how the election was a lie and how there was voter fraud many times over the months, and his supporters agreed. This kind of just built up into a balloon and President Trump popped it. It was foreseeable- the riots- and was a possible consequence of the false statements. Even though President Trump had the right to speak his mind, it provoked violence. Plus, he is a public figure, to which many look up to. 

Not Guilty:

Even though President Trump said to storm the Capitol, he had made some comments before the speech calling for peace. Michael van der Veen- one of President Trump’s attorneys- says, “…Trump had a First Amendment right to use what is largely commonplace political rhetoric, calling for his supporters to ‘fight’…” He also repeatedly claimed that President Trump’s language is almost indistinguishable from similar rhetoric used by Democrats and the media. ( From ABC news link) This is similar to saying, ” Oh, you’re killing me.” It’s metaphorical and isn’t taken literally. Senators have also said this saying they want their supporters to “fight” or they would “fight” on the Senate floor. President Trump may have been just metaphorically implying to fight but was taken seriously by his supporters. 

What do you think? I personally am in the middle. I feel that President Trump was at fault for building up the amount of voter fraud claims and then provoking violence by saying to storm the Capitol. But, he could have only been metaphorically saying to fight but got taken seriously. He could have been meaning to say that we should fight for what we believe in and was implying it peacefully. He could have been taken literally and people thought he meant to fight harshly. 

Anyway, I’ve got to go. I’ve just been really busy last, and this week with the DI tournament and getting the Mian and Instant Challenge solutions recorded and uploaded. Being virtual is really hard, and it really changed DI for me. This year, my team got delayed a bit and we were on a major time crunch so things were really nerve-wracking and stressful. We just submitted our Main Challenge video yesterday, and I am really tired of it. I’m hoping to catch up on relaxing and my video hours from this and last week today and tomorrow. ( I tried to make a short yet informing blog today.) Plus, it’s snowing!!!! In Texas!! It’s a flurry Valentine’s Day! I’m not sure why I wrote a paragraph on my own life in an impeachment blog, but, yeah. Anyway, Happy Valentine’s Day everyone, and have a wonderful long weekend!

ABC News: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/president-donald-trump-acquitted/story?id=75853994

CNN News: https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/14/politics/donald-trump-impeachment-republican-vote/index.html

NY Times: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/02/13/us/impeachment-trial#impeachment-has-provided-the-most-comprehensive-account-to-date-of-what-happened-on-jan-6

The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/feb/13/donald-trump-acquitted-impeachment-trial

Part 131- Executive Orders

Rovija Khapre 0 Comment Law and Justice , , , , ,

  We have already started 2021 off with Capitol riots, our Commander in Chief getting Impeached for the SECOND time, and Inauguration Day. Yes, President Biden is now the 46th president of the United States of America. And as the current president, he has already started signing executive orders. Quite a lot, actually. Oh boy, here we go. 


The most basic question to ask at the moment is, “What is an executive order?” Well, here’s your answer. An executive order is just like what it sounds like. Orders produced by the President, head of the executive branch- that are generally directed to, and govern actions, by Government officials and agencies. Okay, maybe it’s not what it sounds like. To clarify, it’s a rule or order issued by the president to an executive branch of the government and having the force of law. Executive Orders are issued by the White House and are used to direct the Executive Branch of the U.S. Government. It states mandatory requirements for the Executive Branch and has the effect of law. Here’s an example of an executive order. ( Or two, or three)

Some of the most notable executive orders in the past include President Franklin D Roosevelt’s Executive Order 9066 ( February 19, 1942), which authorized the mass internment of Japanese Americans during WWII; President Harry S. Truman’s Executive Order 9981, which abolished racial segregation in the U.S. military; and President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Executive Order 10730, which dispatched federal troops to protect the civil rights of the Little Rock Nine during the integration of Little Rock’s Central High School. 

So far, as of today, President Biden has signed 30 executive orders. So, I’m going to list the top 5 which I think are the most important. This is for two reasons. One, it’s a better idea to point out the most important and key ones rather than all. Two, I don’t have enough energy to write about all 30.

  1. Executive Order on Organizing and Mobilizing the United States Government to Provide a Unified and Effective Response to Combat COVID-19 and to Provide United States Leadership on Global Health and Security

Section 1 ( Purpose):

  • ” The Federal Government must act swiftly and aggressively to combat coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).  To that end, this order creates the position of Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President and takes other steps to organize the White House and activities of the Federal Government to combat COVID-19 and prepare for future biological and pandemic threats.” – White House

Section 2: (  Organizing the White House to Combat COVID-19. COVID-19 Response Coordinator)

Reason: One word to sum up 2020 is, Coronavirus. When we look back to 2020, we will forever remember what the pandemic did to our lives. There were huge numbers of deaths, and every day there were more cases reported than the last. Seeing how bad the virus was this time, the one next time will very much be much, much worse. We need to make sure we have some sort of firm plan and strategy for next time so that we don’t go through something worse.

2.  Executive Order on Protecting the Federal Workforce and Requiring Mask-Wearing  

 

Section 1 ( Policy): 

  • “It is the policy of my Administration to halt the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by relying on the best available data and science-based public health measures.  Such measures include wearing masks when around others, physical distancing… Put simply, masks and other public health measures reduce the spread of the disease, particularly when communities make widespread use of such measures, and thus save lives.” – White House

Section 3: ( Encouraging Masking across America)

Reason: Even though a vaccine is out, we must still wear masks to protect ourselves from the pandemic. Even though it shouldn’t be forced, it should be HIGHLY encouraged. Hopefully, if we encourage people to do so, they will agree to wear masks. They should still have an option on whether they want to or not, but encouraging helps as well. Especially now. Now that we are slowly, very slowly, fighting back against the virus, we shouldn’t stop what safety measures we were doing. 

3. Executive Order on the Revision of Civil Immigration Enforcement Policies and Priorities

Section 1 ( Policy): 

  • “Immigrants have helped strengthen America’s families, communities, businesses and workforce, and economy, infusing the United States with creativity, energy, and ingenuity.  The task of enforcing the immigration laws is complex and requires setting priorities to best serve the national interest.  The policy of my Administration is to protect national and border security, address the humanitarian challenges at the southern border, and ensure public health and safety.  We must also adhere to due process of law as we safeguard the dignity and well-being of all families and communities.  My Administration will reset the policies and practices for enforcing civil immigration laws to align enforcement with these values and priorities. ” – White House

Reason: America is like a Melting pot. ( I think of crayons when I hear this.) America is America because immigrants from all around the world come together, sharing just a little bit of their culture, their style, their flavor, and blending it with other cultures. Everything comes together, and you have America. It’s where a small crayon shaving from each country gets added to this melting pot to create something truly amazing.  Without it, it doesn’t feel right. Immigrants shouldn’t be treated harshly when they come. They should feel safe when coming and not threatened or worried that something would happen to them.  

4. Executive Order on Supporting the Reopening and Continuing Operation of Schools and Early Childhood Education Providers

Section 1 ( Policy):

  • “ Every student in America deserves a high-quality education in a safe environment.  This promise, which was already out of reach for too many, has been further threatened by the COVID-19 pandemic.  School and higher education administrators, educators, faculty, child care providers, custodians, and other staff, and families have gone above and beyond to support children’s and students’ learning and meet their needs during this crisis… However, leadership and support from the Federal Government are needed.  Two principles should guide the Federal Government’s response to the COVID-19 crisis with respect to schools, child care providers, Head Start programs, and higher education institutions.  First, the health and safety of children, students, educators, families, and communities is paramount.  Second, every student in the United States should have the opportunity to receive a high-quality education, during and beyond the pandemic.”- White House

Reason:  When the topic of reopening schools first came up, the president decided to hand it over to the state governors and let them decide. The state governors then decide to give it to school districts. They both passed down such an important thing to school districts, and let them decide what they want to do. It may be a pro, but I feel that it’s more like a con. If the federal government had taken this matter into its own hands from the beginning, it wouldn’t have been a problem now. Cases of COVID are popping up in schools, one after the other, and I think it would have been better if the federal government had originally taken this into their own hands instead of handing it down, twice. 

5.  Executive Order on Strengthening Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act

Section 1 ( Policy): 

  • “ In the 10 years since its enactment, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has reduced the number of uninsured Americans by more than 20 million, extended critical consumer protections to more than 100 million people, and strengthened and improved the Nation’s healthcare system.  At the same time, millions of people who are potentially eligible for coverage under the ACA or other laws remain uninsured, and obtaining insurance benefits is more difficult than necessary.  For these reasons, it is the policy of my Administration to protect and strengthen Medicaid and the ACA and to make high-quality healthcare accessible and affordable for every American.” – White House

Section 2 ( Special Enrollment Period): 

  • “The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has triggered historic public health and economic crisis.  In January of 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic was spreading, the Secretary of Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency.  In March of 2020, the President declared a national emergency.  Although almost a year has passed, the emergency continues — over 5 million Americans have contracted the disease in January 2021, and thousands are dying every week.  Over 30 million Americans remain uninsured, preventing many from obtaining necessary health services and treatment…”

Reason: The ACA has helped many in the past ( not too long ago) for people who were in need of medical help and were uninsured. It helped reduce the number ( of uninsured Americans) by more than 20 million and was taken out. It’s a good thing that it will be reinstated and strengthened at this time, for COVID patients that are uninsured. Many, many Americans ( 30 mill. +) do not get the medical treatment and necessary health services required for COVID, simply because they are uninsured.  I think it will help to reduce the number of Americans dying from COVID if they get treated even without insurance. Yes, there will be more cases, but at least they will be treated and given the necessary health services to help them. 

I am truly sorry for posting this a week late. It just took a while to make sure I had everything in order and I had the right sources to update me and so on. I had to cut down the number of executive orders mentioned to save time, but I have linked a MarketWatch link with a list of key executive orders and a link from the White House with a list of the presidential actions and more details on it.  ( I have also added the link for each order listed after the first section.) I hope you are well, bye!

Sources:

Britannica- Executive orders

White House- Presidential Actions

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/all-of-president-bidens-key-executive-orders-in-one-chart-2021-01-21

Part 122- Pardons

Rovija Khapre 0 Comment Law and Justice , , ,

So, I’ve been reading, and I’ve realized that a lot of these presidential pardons are outrageous. A pardon is a government decision to allow a person to be relieved of some, or all, of the legal consequences resulting from a criminal conviction. Basically, it allows a person charged with a criminal conviction to be relieved of some, if not all, of the legal consequences. I think that pardons aren’t right, and here’s why.

A lot of presidents are generous when giving pardons while others are more rigid. I personally would be rigid if I were allowed to give pardons. To me, it just doesn’t feel right to pardon someone for breaking the laws of our country or doing something that violates them, which were meant to protect us and our general safety, as well as ensures our rights as citizens. Here’s a presidential pardon I disagree with. President Andrew Johnson, the 17th president after President Abraham Lincoln, pardoned about 7,000 people. Including 3 people who were conspiring to murder President Lincoln. Those 3 people- Samuel Arnold, Samuel Mudd, and Edmund Spangler- served about 4 years in prison. 4 years! I wouldn’t have pardoned them at all. They had conspired to murder a president. A president! Here’s another example. Oscar Collazo attempted to assassinate President Harry Truman and was pardoned by President Truman himself. I wouldn’t really pardon someone who tried to kill me, knowing that they are/were a threat to me. My last two examples were of presidential assassinations. For my last example, I’m going to use a more recent example by our current president. President Trump. 
President Trump has been pardoning people in his office and those who committed crimes for the benefit of him and is even thinking about pardoning his family and himself. I find that selfish. The power of being able to pardon someone is supposed to be for the good of the country and for the citizens of the United States. Not for the people who helped and supported you when you were the president. Although President Trump has gone out of his way to claim that this was false, he pardoned his former national security advisor, Michael Flynn, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI. Twice. It’s like President Trump is taking advantage of his power. Plus, who’s to say this won’t happen again with some other president in the future? There may not be a high possibility, but we can’t say that this may not happen again, or something similar to this. Also, if a president pardons someone who has been already pardoned once, that person will just take advantage of it. They will do anything knowing that they will be pardoned later. This would also happen to someone who hasn’t done anything yet. Knowing they are already pardoned, they might just commit a crime not even worrying about serving in prison.
Despite all this, a president’s power to pardon something isn’t all bad. Sometimes the people who are charged with a criminal conviction were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. It would be okay to pardon someone who was innocent the whole time and was falsely charged with a crime. 
In my opinion, I think pardons should be restricted/ limited and only used for certain purposes. ( Note: These changes are just my opinions and not any criticism) A president should be able to pardon anyone who was falsely accused/ charged with crime but not just pardon anybody without some vote or consent from others. I also think that a president shouldn’t be deciding who to pardon on his/her own. Maybe the president doesn’t make it alone, but I haven’t found anything on that. This also relates to the consent from others. The president shouldn’t pardon anyone who was conspiring against the president or any leader- governor, senator, congressman, etc- unless he/she absolutely must. Also, they shouldn’t pardon anyone who has been charged with a crime at least twice. It doesn’t make sense. That person will clearly take advantage of this and just do anything knowing that they will be pardoned. Lastly, I believe that a president shouldn’t use his power of pardoning for themselves and for their own purposes. They must use it for the good of the country. 
Once again, these were my opinions on what the president should be limited to when pardoning. I am not criticizing any pardons, but just sharing what I feel about them. I hope you have an excellent week! Bye!

Part 118- Judge Amy Coney Barrett

Rovija Khapre 0 Comment Law and Justice , , , ,

 Hello. Today’s post is going to be on, Judge Amy Coney Barrett. Why Judge Coney Barrett? Well, if you remember from one of my – not so recent- recent posts on Justice Ginsburg, you’ll know that Justice Ginsburg was, well, Justice of the United States Supreme Court. Anyway, to fill up that position President Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett on September 26th, 2020, and recently, has been going through the confirmation process. The process lasts 4 days and has ended, just a couple days ago. The vote of whether to appoint her Justice of the Supreme Court will come soon- October 22nd- and it is an important topic to think about because, some of the decisions our country will make, will be in her hands, and what we do and what our vote is, will affect that.

Judge Coney Barrett is an American Attorney and serves as a circuit judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. The Court of Appeals is the U.S. federal court with, “appellate jurisdiction” over the courts of the districts of :

Central District of Illinois
Northern District of Illinois
Southern District of Illinois
Northern District of Indiana
Southern District of Indiana
Eastern District of Wisconsin
Western District of Wisconsin

Before she served on the federal bench, she was a professor of law at Notre Dame Law school. Judge Coney Barrett clerked for Judge Laurence Silberman, as a judicial law clerk, after law school. She was added to President Trump’s list of POTENTIAL Supreme Court Nominees, 11 months after her confirmation to the Seventh Circuit.

Some of her achievements are from when she was a law student. She has received the Hoynes Prize, for achieving the best record in scholarship, deportment, and achievement when she was at Notre Dame. She also received the John M. Olin Fellowship for aspiring academics. At Rhodes College, she graduated with multiple highly respected honors, “including induction to Phi Betta Kappa.” These were only a few of her achievements, and some more are listed in the link below.

Achievements.

Judge Coney Barret has seven children, two of whom are adopted from Haiti. One was adopted in 2005, and the other was adopted after the 2010 Haiti Earthquake. Their youngest biological son has Down Syndrome. Judge Coney Barrett has voted in BOTH Democratic AND Republican primaries.

Let’s move onto her confirmation hearing because, in my opinion, to find out what her own views and beliefs in certain political topics are, would be to look at the video and the questions and answers from the hearings. 

So, I actually cannot find out, which party or type of views Judge Coney Barrett has. I can only find that her nomination is mostly/ generally supported by Republicans. I want to say that she may be a conservative judge- but I don’t want to assume that, so I’m just going to state that I am not sure about her views and which party she is “from/agrees with most”. 

She has never, directly ruled with abortion but has voted to rehear a successful challenge to Indiana’s parental notification law in 2016. Reading this article about how she may deal with abortion-related cases, might give us a better idea of her view on this topic. ( For lack of time/ length of this post, I’m only going to talk about the first thing learned, not all four)  So, for the first thing learned, it says, ” …Barrett acknowledged she signed two anti-abortion rights advertisements that call for the reversal of Roe v. Wade… Barret and her husband’s signatures appeared on a page that said, ‘ We…oppose abortion on demand and defend the right to life from fertilization to natural death…'” I think, this clearly tells us her view on abortion. In my opinion, I think I may agree. I know that it is the person’s choice on this and whether they want to continue to raise the child or abort it but, this is someone’s life. A new life has been created and started to thrive. It doesn’t feel right to let go of life and not let it live. At least, let it live, and then choose whether you want to raise it as your own, or not. But then again,  if one does not want to raise the child as their own or even wants the child, then why do they have to take care of it? It’s like, all that work or taking care of the child even though you don’t want it, is not the right use of time.  

She does, want Coronavirus measure to be put in place and remained as they are, as she joined an upholding of the district court’s denial of the Illinois Republican party’s request for a ” preliminary injunction to block Governor J.B. Pritzker’s COVID-19 orders” in September. I think this also may because, in the 2020 summer, she was tested positive for COVID- and successfully recovered- and doesn’t want more to also experience the disease. Knowing how it feels and the risk and danger of what could happen might have changed how she might have thought about this topic before she tested positive. ( IF she did have a different opinion than now on COVID measures.) 

Here is a link to see some more of her opinions.

I do want to mention this as well. During her confirmation trials, all the senators were asking her questions and they had these binders filled with stacks of papers and had notes and papers all over their desks to ask the questions. She was asked by Senator Cornyn about what she was reading off of, and she held up her notepad/notebook and he asked her what was written on it. She said it had the United States Senate. It was the only thing written. It was just a blank notepad. She didn’t write anything down or used any notes to answer the questions. She answered them as they came by herself. I have to say, it is EXTREMELY remarkable and impressive that she didn’t need anything will do that. No electronic notes or written notes or anything written. She just answered like that.  Very impressive. She is certainly very intelligent and knows her stuff. She doesn’t need any notes to answer for her or to “principle” her. Here is an article I pulled, about the event. It’s actually really funny that she just holds it up for everyone to see, and it only says United States Senate. 

 I think that Judge Amy Coney Barrett is a remarkable woman and has some very interesting views and opinions, based on what party I think she may be from- conservative views. Oh, quickly, I want to tell you that, my parents found this AMAZING book from a garage sale the other day. It is a 100-year-old student manual on the Government of the United States, with a perspective from 100 years ago. It is like a textbook, with questions and answers, an index, and even a constitution in the book. Plus, it was only for 50 cents! Best deal ever. I am really excited to read it, and am really glad my parents found it! Anyway, bye!