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Old Enough to Save the Planet: Young Activists Lead the Fight for Climate Change
By: Frances M. Rivera Reyes, Associate Editor In this era of social media, distinguished by information overflow, young people have surprised the established system by taking leadership roles traditionally held by nation leaders. Children like Greta Thunberg have made headlines for initiating worldwide movements and expressing blunt frustration with the lack of urgency world leaders have shown in matters that will mainly affect newer generations. Adolescents like Thunberg are paving the way for the growth of movements such as the fight against climate change. Last week, a group of sixteen children ages 8 to 17, including Thunberg, filed a complaint with the United Nations against five of the largest carbon…
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FIFA Lays Down the Law for Iran, Inspired by #BlueGirl
By Jake Gellerstein, Associate Editor In early September, 2019, the hashtag “#BlueGirl” began trending on Twitter. This moniker referred to Sahar Khodayari, an Iranian citizen who passed away as a result of lighting herself on fire in protest. Khodayari was potentially facing up to six months in prison for the crime of entering an Iranian football stadium. Women have been banned from entering Iran football stadiums since the Islamic revolution in 1979. Khodayari’s story received national attention from NGO’s such as the Human Right’s Watch and the Open Stadiums Movement, a coalition started by Iranian Woman seeking to ensure more freedoms for women and end the constant discrimination. Masoud Shojaei,…
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From Sanctions to War: An Analysis of America’s Relationship With Iran
By: Sarah Hansen, Associate Editor On Saturday, September 15, 2019, drone strikes hit oil installations in Saudi Arabia. While Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen claimed responsibility for the attacks, the United States and Saudi Arabia maintain that Iran was responsible. The Trump administration claims intelligence assessments and satellite photos show evidence of Iranian involvement. Iran has denied any involvement and American officials have offered no evidence beyond satellite photos, which analysts said were insufficient to prove the source of the attack and responsible parties. Despite a lack of sufficient evidence, the U.S. continues to blame Iran for the attack. President Trump announced on Twitter he would “substantially increase sanctions” on Iran after…