Items

• 
  2022-11-04

  hermit HERALD, ISSUE 147

  Welfare state can't have open borders
• 
  2022-04-05

  US obesity rates increased during COVID pandemic, doctors weigh in

  This is a text story from WITN by Justin Lundy. This is a news story on the increase in obesity rates since COVID started. In a study published by the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, the average BMI in US adults increased by 0.6% between March 2020 and March 2021. This increase happened even as exercise participation rates increased by 4.4%.
• 
  2021-04-18

  Feeding America in a Pandemic

  Feeding America released briefs in March of 2020, one for food insecurity locally and one nationally due to the pandemic. I have attached the national brief. This is relevant to my research on the consequences of the pandemic. The briefing looks back to 2019 and 2020 and compares notes on food insecurities. Feeding America reviews this and discusses the future of food insecurities. It also talks about how race effects food insecurity, which is something that needs to be talked about.
• 
  2021-01-08

  Thank You

  I want to thank all the organizers, activists, community leaders, lawyers, journalists, photographers, educators, event marshalls, and medics who against all odds and dangers have raised their hands to dig America out of its messes. We appreciate and see you.
• 2019-12-08

  The Bats are to Blame

  The bats were being experimented on in China and got infected. One naughty bat escaped and started infecting the public. People who were asymptomatic traveled across the world. That is how Americans got Covid. The bat might still be alive today if his virus did not affect himself.
• 
  2020-11-21

  Essential Jobs

  This image represents essential businesses like meat packaging plants that fed america during the pandemic. Essential Jobs like these were hotspots during the pandemic but were critical to feeding americans.
• 
  2020-11-04

  A Little Tired

  This meme is everything that COVID/riots/election America is right now. Nobody’s talking about it, but suicides are way up. Divorce is way up. Casual alcoholism is widespread. People are doing so many drugs it’s insane. People are visibly deteriorating, not taking care of themselves and it’s showing. Men I know who used to be clean-cut and disciplined aren’t getting haircuts, aren’t shaving, and barely exercise anymore. Depression is the real “new normal.” Everyone is affected. Oppressive government regulations, blatant abuse and murder of American citizens by the police, arbitrary emergency orders, and openly fraudulent election processes have broken the spirits of almost everyone. No one even thinks change is possible anymore. People want this nation to collapse and are now openly saying it. All hope has been lost in the hearts of the average American. It’s funny because it’s TOO relatable for EVERYONE.
• 
  2020-10-14

  Competition and Efficency in America

  Competition and Efficiency in America The American economy is built on competition. Everything from business to education has an aspect of competition embedded in it. This goes hand in hand with efficiency because competition is the reason that America is so efficient. Americans have a way of working towards their goals, and a mindset of making themselves better off for the future, instead of right now. For instance, historically the arts have been valued above other subjects such as law and medicine. However in aAmerica law and medicine is studied for more than the arts because that is where the money is. In an American's eyes, more money is a better future for your family yourself. America is currently and always has lived up to the core values of competition and efficiency because of the way that the American people work to achieve their goals to succeed in this country. There are many ways that competition and efficiency are built into the United States education system. It plays a role in the American classroom from grade school to college. One of the most significant changes that the American people have made to education is the way that they value the arts. As in they don’t. The arts used to be praised in Europe, and artists were looked at like royalty. They were paid large sums of money to paint everything from portraits to creating sculptures. However ever since colonizing the United States, art has been on a decline. According to The National Center for Education Statistics, in the last 15 years the amount of people who study art related topics in college has gone down from about 15% to about 5%. The primary focus of study is health professions. The amount of students who study health professions has gone up 175% in the last 15 years. That is because a career path as a doctor will pay a lot more, and will lead to a better future than a career as an artist. The competitive drive of Americans is what makes them want this better future. They want to outperform their peers and better themselves, and this makes America more efficient. Americans have found a way to work competition into every aspect of their lives. Everything from education to business has been improved by them in order to better themselves. That drive to be the best is what makes Americans so successful. That drive to be the best can be seen by looking at unemployment rates of the last 10 years. Unemployment rates range everywhere from about 28% to about 0.1%. In 2009 America had an unemployment rate of 9.1%. All it took was 10 years for Americans to turn 9.1% into 4.2% (Knoema Corporation). As of 2019 America had cut their unemployment rate in half. What this means is that in 10 years 4.9% of the population was no longer unemployed. This is 4.9% of Americans who are competitively driven to improve their future, improve their education, and make sure that their families and themselves are better off. The more that Americans improve themselves, the more efficient the country will be. The core American values of competition and efficiency can be seen in the way that Americans want to improve in order to be better off in the future. The more that Americans use this competitive drive to succeed, the more efficient the country will be. So far America has not shown any signs of letting go of this competitive mindset, therefore it has lived up to these values and will continue to do so. The mindset of Americans is like the mindset of no other country. It is a mindset that is not afraid to let go of the way things are usually done in order to create new and better ways to do them. This mindset results in competitiveness within ourselves and between our peers. This competition results in a more efficient way of life.
• 2020-09-09

  Is America Currently Living Up to Its Core Values?

  America has not lived up to one of their main core values which is Equality. Equality is a core value that came from the Declaration of Independence. The reason could be because another American core value, Liberty, interferes. Liberty also came from the Declaration of Independence written by Thomas Jefferson. Did you know a few days prior to October 1, 2017, hotel staff at Mandalay Bay unsuspiciously escorted over 20 luggage of guns and ammunition to Steven Paddock’s hotel room before he unleashed thousands of rounds of ammunition into a large crowd, killing 60 and injuring 869. The whole entire massacre occurred before the police even thought of reacting! However just a few months before, on May 19, 2017, officers kill an unarmed black man in Las Vegas. America has not lived up to one of their main core values which is Equality due to the indefinite racism, health care inequality, and social class inequality. Racism is a major issue that goes against the American value of equality. A man in Utah fired multiple rounds at a police officer using an AR-15. After multiple shots, the police officer decided not to return fire to keep the situation as peaceful as possible. Breona Taylor’s boyfriend, Mr. Walker fired back since the pounding on the door made him believe there were intruders. The police returned with a mini massacre. According to the LA Times, “An unarmed black man lying on the ground was repeatedly tasered by a police officer. Then he turned over and was put in what looked like a chokehold. He lost consciousness. After being rushed to the hospital, he was pronounced dead.” This quote shows a perfect example of racism and how it proves that everybody isn’t treated equally. The same party, (the cops) treated two parties, (Breanna & Utah man) completely differently in life-threatening situations. The white man got walked into the police car after his arrest, as a woman and her partner got killed via a violent rampage for self-defense. Both parties fired at officers, one intentionally and one in self-defense. The white man who tried to hurt the officers with malicious intent got to live while the innocent civilians who were only trying to prevent a break-in from getting killed. The wealth and health care cap creates inequality among the different social classes in America. People in the middle class tend to suffer the most from wealth and health care inequality since they don’t receive benefits like the lower class do and they can’t afford health care as the higher class can. The APA monitor states that “The Shorter Lives, Poorer Health report found that just about all Americans — from birth to age 75, with low incomes and high, with or without health insurance, with or without college educations — are worse off than people in other wealthy countries, including Australia, Canada, Japan and most of Western Europe.” The quote explains how people in wealth are more fortunate than those otherwise. It explains no matter how successful or how hard someone tries to work their way up from the lower or middle class, they will always be close to the edge of the clip waiting to make the wrong move and fall off. People in the low class gets a little but not enough help from the government through benefits. The rich can afford to pay off any inconvenience that may be introduced into their lives such as hospital bills or healthcare fees. The rich get richer and the poor stay poor, resulting in the middle class paying the price. Americans violate their core values of equality due to systematic racism and social class gaps. Equality is crucial, especially in America since it’s apparently “The land of the Free” but the actions of Americans beg to differ. Racism is only considered a problem for certain people and isn’t taken as seriously as it should. People lose their lives over the color of their skin, religion, or beliefs. It is time to take action and disrupt racism as a whole to put an end to it. Everyone should be treated with respect regardless of and move on with their lives. People pay a ton of taxes but somehow our government can’t take the homeless people off our streets nor employe current citizens but want to complain about immigrants attempting to enter and live a better life by working. The government should handle finances more responsibly to the point where all citizens are taken care of and racism should be banned to the point where people don’t feel marginalized or unsafe anywhere in America.
• 
  2020-09-11

  Altered 9/11 tributes underway as U.S. grapples with coronavirus pandemic

  The anniversary of 9/11 is a complicated occasion in a maelstrom of a year, as the US grapples with a health crisis, searches its soul over racial injustice, and prepares to choose a leader to chart a path forward. While many communities have canceled the 9/11 memorial events, many carried on with modifications. It's important to take a minute and remember the events that happened nineteen years ago. It's a time of reflection and remembrance at a time when nothing seems to be going right, we can be thankful for what we do have; starting with our lives. This year looks far different than previous years; commemoration ceremonies are filled with people wearing masks and standing six feet away from each other, but there is one aspect that has not changed, and that's the message of hope. We are reminded that we are one nation, though the good and bad, regardless of politics, social status, and race. We are Americans, we are strong, and we will persevere.
• 
  2020-09-08

  Has America Lived up to it's core values?

  It's an essay I wrote in American studies at California High School.
• 
  2020-09-01

  American Values

  This essay was produced as a part of the American Studies program at California High School in San Ramon, California. The essay is in response to the prompt "Is America currently living up to its core values?" This essay argues equal rights in America. It also includes references to the following modern events BLM.
• 
  2020-09-08

  The Puzzle Pieces of America

  This essay was produced as a part of the American Studies program at California High School in San Ramon, California. The essay is in response to the prompt "Is America currently living up to its core values?" This essay argues that leadership and hard work are currently being fulfilled today. It also includes references to the following modern events: foreign aid and current high school graduation rates .
• 
  2020-09-08

  Community in the United States

  This essay was produced as a part of the American Studies program at California High School in San Ramon, California. The essay is in response to the prompt "Is America currently living up to its core values?" This essay argues that America is not living up to it's core values involving community. Some modern events I included was the current election and the black lives matter movement.
• 
  2020-09-08

  One Step At A Time

  Write a brief description of what you are submitting. This essay was produced as a part of the American Studies program at California High School in San Ramon, California. The essay is in response to the prompt "Is America currently living up to its core values?" This essay argues The United States of America is living up to its core values because we have had a breakthrough in equality even if you don’t think America hasn't changed since 1865. If we aren't follwing this value of eqauilty we are forsure on the right path because slavery historycally was just a little while back. And Individualism has carried the economy to be stable and maintain balance for The United States . It also includes references to the following modern events: Black Lives matter Act and the stand on wearing mask's in public during Corona virus
• 
  2020-09-08

  Growth is optional

  This essay was produced as a part of the American Studies program at California High School in San Ramon, California. The essay is in response to the prompt "Is America currently living up to its core values?" This essay argues how Americans in their current state aren't living up to the values of Equality and Time/control. It also includes a reference to the March of equality.
• 
  2020-09-08

  Justice and Equality in Today's Society

  This essay was produced as a part of the American Studies program at California High School in San Ramon, California. The essay is in response to the prompt "Is America currently living up to its core values?" This essay argues that justice is a value that is being upheld but equality is still being fought for. It also includes references to the following modern events: Incarceration rates, the death of George Floyd
• 
  2020-09-08

  Black Lives On the Bottom of America's Totem Pole

  This essay was produced as a part of the American Studies program at California High School in San Ramon, California. The essay is in response to the prompt "Is America currently living up to its core values?" This essay argues that black people are a key example to why America is not fulfilling to the country it seems to be. It also includes references to the following modern events: the Black Lives Matter Movement and police brutality.
• 
  2020-09-08

  America living up to values

  The BLM movement fought for their rights just like the union and the rebels.
• 
  2020-09-08

  American Values and How They’re Under Strain

  This essay was produced as a part of the American Studies program at California High School in San Ramon, California. The essay is in response to the prompt "Is America currently living up to its core values?" This essay argues unity has been primarily lost as of late, in the midst of protests, while in turn people have been working harder than ever to make up for it. It also includes references to the following modern events: George Floyd protests & riots.
• 
  2020-09-03

  Right to Pursue Happiness

  This essay is about American core values, equality and peace and in this essay we talk about black lives matter with equality and peace in America with all that is going on with protests and anti protesters
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  2020-09-08

  Equality and Unity in Today’s Society

  In this essay, I describe how the U.S. is not currently living up to their American values of equality and unity. The leaders of our country is dividing the country for politics rather than unifying. This is making our country more two sided than ever before. To add on, another American value not given to us is equality. Equality is not given to people in the work place, on the streets, and so many other ways. That is why there are protests and riots all around the United States. BLM movement is doing something to change this. These American values will be given to the people of this country.
• 
  2020-09-08

  America Is Currently Not Living Up To Its Core Values.

  This essay was produced as a part of the American Studies program at California High School in San Ramon, California. The essay is in response to the prompt "Is America currently living up to its core values?" This essay argues that America is not living up to its core values. It also includes references to the following modern events involving: COVID-19 and immigration in America.
• 
  2020-09-08

  Are American Values being lived up to today?

  This essay was produced as a part of the American Studies program at California High School in San Ramon, California. The essay is in response to the prompt "Is America currently living up to its core values?" This essay argues how the values of equality and the right to protest are not being lived up to by Americans today. It also includes references to the following modern events: The core values of equality and the right to protest are not being lived up to today. Today, COVID-19 pandemic is spreading and normalizing racial inequality towards Asians. The president is adding on to this situation by constantly using the terms "China Virus" and "Kung FLu" even when many people pointed it out to him that it was considered racist. Additionally, the Black Lives Matter movement helps to support how the law enforcement is violating the basic right to protest. Peaceful protesters gathered to show their support for blm however the police dispersed the crowds by using excessive force.
• 
  2020-09-08

  Is America Currently Living up to their Core Values

  This essay was produced as a part of the American Studies program at California High School in San Ramon, California. The essay is in response to the prompt "Is America currently living up to its core values?" 2020 has been rough year for everyone but there are certain things such as cancel culture and censorship on social media platforms that has become a big problem.
• 
  2020-09-08

  Americans Are Not Living Up To Their Core Values.

  The reason why it's important is because many people are being discriminated against or being killed due to hate or their skin color, religion background, sexuality and etc. Also America needs to improve it's equality a little bit better.
• 
  2020-09-08

  Is America showing it’s core values?

  I submitted this because I want to share to people that they need to know their rights before they do something that can get them in trouble
• 
  2020-09-08

  Equality and Freedom Has Been Stripped Away

  This essay was produced as a part of the American Studies program at California High School in San Ramon, California. The essay is in response to the prompt "Is America currently living up to its core values?" This essay argues that equality and freedom were once core values and they are not being lived up to today in America. It also includes references to the following modern events: BLM protests and recent trials.
• 
  2020-09-08

  Equality and Fairness in the U.S

  This essay was produced as a part of the American Studies program at California High School in San Ramon, California. The essay is in response to the prompt "Is America currently living up to its core values?" This essay argues that the two core values of Equality and Fairness, are not being valued near as much in today's day in society.
• 
  2020-09-08

  America’s Values Today

  This essay was produced as a part of the American Studies program at California High School in San Ramon, California. The essay is in response to the prompt "Is America currently living up to its core values?" This essay argues that America is living up to it's core value of hard-work which is shown by Americans' beliefs about work, but it is not living up to it's value of equality as it can still be seen in many areas today. It also includes references to the following modern examples: inequality in the workplace and Americans caring more about work than most other countries. This essay looks at when these values were introduced and how well America is currently doing at keeping up with these values.
• 
  2020-09-08

  America's Battle for Equality

  This essay was produced as a part of the American Studies program at California High School in San Ramon, California. The essay is in response to the prompt "Is America currently living up to its core values?" This essay argues that America is currently not living up to one of its key values, equality, because of the racial disparity and gender inequality that still happen in today’s society. For example, there is still police brutality against black Americans and the Pink Tax. People now are protesting against these issues and bringing light to inequality in America, especially in support of black Americans.
• 
  2020-09-08

  Failure at Equality in America Leads to the Value of Dissent

  This essay was produced as a part of the American Studies program at California High School in San Ramon, California. The essay is in response to the prompt "Is America currently living up to its core values?" This essay argues America's failure at equality leads to the people using their right of protest and dissent. It also includes references to the following modern events: black lives matter movement, police brutality, gender inequality, and women's marches.
• 
  2020-09-08

  America is not living up to its core values

  This essay was produced as a part of the American Studies program at California High School in San Ramon, California. The essay is in response to the prompt "Is America currently living up to its core values?" This essay argues that America is not living up to its core values and people do not get the rights that are promised when living here.It also includes references to the following modern events such as the black lives matter protests.
• 
  2020-09-08

  Is America Living up to its Core Values

  This essay was produced as a part of the American Studies program at California High School in San Ramon, California. The essay is in response to the prompt "Is America currently living up to its core values?" This essay argues America has not lived up to the core value of equality that it promised, yet alleges that it has maintained its promise of freedom. It also includes references to the following modern events: the blm movement and the freedom of protest
• 
  2020-09-08

  Justice and Equality

  This essay was produced as a part of the American Studies program at California High School in San Ramon, California. The essay is in response to the prompt "Is America currently living up to its core values?" This essay argues America is not currently living up to its American values as it is shown through our legal system and African Americans lives.
• 
  2020-09-05

  Maintaining Core Values In America

  I believe that America is living up to it's current values that rose with the start of this great country. Values of equality and productivity.
• 
  2020-09-08

  Core Values of Equality and Diversity in America

  This essay argues that America is currently not living up to the core values of equality and diversity. Includes information from presidential debate, women in politics, and Companies that are owned by People of color.
• 
  2020-09-07

  We Can Do This So Much Better

  This essay was produced as a part of the American Studies program at California High School in San Ramon, California. The essay is in response to the prompt "Is America currently living up to its core values?" This essay argues that the BLM movement is taking advantage of its core values or equality and protest. It also includes references to the following modern events: BLM and riots
• 
  2020-09-03

  american values essay

  this is an essay that i wrote in high school responding to the prompt "is America currently living up to its values" I argued that we were and used the BLM movement to prove it
• 
  2020-09-08

  Disconnect from our Core Values

  This assignment is part of the American Studies classes at California High School in San Ramon, California.
• 
  2020-09-07

  American Values Essay, Lesson Plan

  This curriculum was designed for a junior level US History course. Students are asked to identify core American values and to formulate a claim in response to the essential question, "Is America currently living up to its core values?" The curriculum and student essays are being submitted to the JOTPY archive to provide a picture of how teenagers view America as a whole in 2020. They also give insight into the vast array of perspectives teenagers living during the COVID-19 pandemic have based on the diversity of their current life experiences.
• 
  2020-08-27

  lance

  it is important because you need to get about anywhere in the world
• 
  2020-07-03

  Political Cartoon Trump Oblivious to Current Events

  This political cartoon shows Trump standing on a flag, chaos all around him. In the background we see George Floyd being murdered.
• 
  2020-07-03

  Political Cartoon Lady Liberty is Confused

  The drawing depicts Lady Liberty in between a crowd of protesters and a crowd of police. Liberty thinks she somehow is no longer in America. The police are in riot gear, the protesters are wearing masks.
• 
  2020-05-28

  Corona in America

  Due to the recent rise in corona cases in the U.S people have been posting more memes about how the U.S is handling the pandemic.
• 
  2020-02-20

  Self isolation before it was labeled a pandemic

  I'm an American living abroad in China, so we went through the pandemic a bit before everyone else. After I'd spent twenty five days in Hong Kong (originally intended to be a nine day holiday for Chinese New Year) with my boyfriend, we flew back to Shanghai because things seemed to be getting better over here. Regardless, we still came back to a lot of uncertainty. We were assuming that his apartment complex would be enforcing a stricter lockdown than mine (at this point, basically each apartment complex and neighborhood were setting their own rules). What I didn't expect was for me to be the one "trapped" at home and feeling anxious about the situation unfolding. As I eventually calmed my nerves, I decided to start channeling the anxiety into creative channels such as cooking and also this bullet journal. In many ways, these two hobbies have been incredibly therapeutic as they provide a way for me to feel like I have some sort of control when in reality, who knows what will happen? With time, I've been able to see how lucky we were here in Shanghai to have escaped the worst of the pandemic, but that same anxiety and not knowing what will change, how long this will last, etc continues as the virus rages on around the world.
• 
  2020-03-16

  Corona Clap by Dee-1, New Orleans, LA

  New Orleans rapper Dee-1 released the song "Corona Clap," a remix of the New Orleans classic "Nolia Clap" by UTP (rappers Juvenile, Wacko and Skip) in March 2020. Lyrics include references to handwashing, cheap flights, NBA cancellations, school and church closures, and toilet paper shortages. The song includes a sound bite from New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell.
• 
  2020-04-28

  CoVid19 Meme - Counting and Naming Stones

  Meme posted to Facebook about CoVid19. Jokes about being bored and counting stones/naming stones in a wall.
• 
  2020-03-14

  For millions of Americans, no church on Sunday is coronavirus’s cruelest closure so far

  The article talks about how Christians in America are devastated that churches had to close due to the pandemis that is going on, especially during this holy time (Lent and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ). In the article, they expressed how deep of a loss this is for them because no church means no Communion or confession, two of the most important practices of Christianity. They also claim that live streaming Masses is not the same as feeling Jesus in an actual Sunday service.
• 
  2020-04-01

  America First, Americans Last

  I responded to our local hospital's call for donations for PPE and donated 10 N95 construction masks sitting in my garage. The same day I donated those masks I heard media reports of American companies selling millions of masks per day to be shipped abroad. It tells me that capitalism persists in this pandemic and that President Trump prioritizes the profits of some American companies over the safety of our health care workers. This reveals America First as a hypocrisy. Hence, I labeled my piece "America First, Americans Last".