Month: September 2015 (Page 2 of 2)

Defying the Law for One’s Beliefs

One name has recently struck the headlines and made an impact in the media; that name is Kim Davis. Davis is a Kentucky county clerk who was jailed for defying a federal court order to issue marriage licenses, but against her Christian faith refused to do so for a same-sex couple.

According to Kim Davis, her Christian faith prohibited her from authorizing the marriage license to the same-sex couple, which in return landed her in jail for contempt of court. However, her lawyers are going to appeal the charges on the grounds that she has a right to due process–which may or may not have been violated. The 5th and 14th Amendments contain a “due process clause,” which states no one shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. Due process is only one of many promises of protection the Bill of Rights gives citizens against the federal government, which is the court of law she is being charged against (Legal Dictionary, 2005).

Davis’s refusal to issue the marriage license has made her a hero among conservatives, who say laws protecting gays and legalizing same-sex marriage infringe on the rights of religious people who believe homosexuality is a sin. Same-sex marriage was legalized on June 26, 2015.

This is a noteworthy story in my opinion because it is something I saw coming. Religion is a huge part of our nation’s culture, as is marriage. I believe people will go to extreme ends to defy the law in order to protect their religious views. This article did a great job portraying the situation without being biased.

Link to article: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/07/us/jailed-kentucky-clerk-starts-federal-appeal.html?ref=us

F.D.A. Warns Public of Potent Powdered Caffeine

In its pure, original form, caffeine is powerful. A tablespoon of caffeine powder can be lethal. For example, 3.5 ounces of caffeine can be compared to 400 tall cups of Starbucks coffee, 1250 cans of Red Bull or 3000 cans of Coke. Wow.

This headline struck me. As a student-athlete involved in various activities on and off campus, I have time management skills. Even if I plan my day out to a T, I still may have a late night of homework or studying because the phrase, “there’s not enough time in the day,” comes into play. As a student, I turn to coffee to help me out with those late night homework sessions. Last year, two healthy young men died after using too much of the powdered caffeine product. Too much caffeine can lead to rapid or erratic heartbeat, seizures, and evidently..death. The Food and Drug Administration has received petitions to ban the selling of pure caffeine. The F.D.A. has sent warning letters to various companies in regard to the production of caffeine. One company’s founder responded via email stating the company “immediately stopped selling the material.” However, when does it become a problem to ban this product completely and not leave it up to the companies to stop production?

Caffeine is a drug. After a summer of interning at the Iowa Department of Corrections, I can tell you: making something illegal will not stop someone. This is a mere situation of doing what is best for your body. If someone wants to do something, they will do it, whether it is legal or not. Overall, I think this article did well in explaining the significance of the situation the FDA is facing. If I had to write an article like this, it would be difficult to write without being bias and formulating my own opinion (like I shared above).

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/02/health/fda-warns-5-producers-of-powdered-caffeine.html?ribbon-ad-idx=4&rref=health&module=ArrowsNav&contentCollection=Politics&action=keypress®ion=FixedLeft&pgtype=article

Meet Taja Prince!

Taja Prince is a sophomore, student-athlete at Morningside College. Taja was a 2014 graduate from Westside High School in Omaha, Nebraska where she resided with her family consisting of her parents, brother, and sister. She was born on October 2, 1996 and is the youngest child of the family.

At Morningside College, Taja is majoring in graphic design and advertising; she is a sprinter for the Women’s Track and Field team and enjoys running the 100m and 200m. This year she resides on campus in the newly renovated Dimmitt Hall and in her free time she enjoys listening to R&B and hip-hop music and watching the television shows Walking Dead and That 70’s show. Taja also works on campus, in the Morningside College bookstore! She is going to graduate from Morningside College in 2018 and would like to work and live in Colorado.

My Definition of Objectivity

What’s your definition of objectivity? Why be objective? How do you do it?

In the articles we read for class, my interpretation of objectivity is defined as covering news without conveying my own thoughts and feelings. Objectivity is used to prevent bias opinions in writing. To be objective, you must be fair. Fairness means covering both sides of a story, regardless of your opinion.

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