"I AM AMERICAAA, ONE VOICE UNITED WE STAND!!!"

by Noushin Ahdoot

It begins once again.  That season of pain, triumph, humor, and money.  This is of course the beginning of a new political season, the race of 2012.  With every political race, politicians try to appeal to the hearts, minds, and most importantly, the pockets of Americans.

Then, out of nowhere, appears the head of Herman Cain.  He gently shifts his neck to view the audience and begins to make the slowest attempt at smiling in the history of mankind as the most inspirational song in the universe plays.  By this time, tears should be streaming down your face, and there should be remnants of your brain splattered on the floor because your mind was just blown.  And then you are left with nothing but the memories of one of the greatest political ads in history.  While critics have seen this ad as a campaign in favor of smoking, I believe that there is a much larger metaphor.  Clearly, Cain is trying to show the American people that he is going to smoke up the competition and  kill you with sheer awesomeness.  While you may not like the fact that the super powerful Koch brothers are funding Cain, or his immigration policy, we can all agree that this ad was beautiful.

This is not the only campaign ad that has garnered Cain some attention.  ”He Carried Yellow Flowers” is a video just as beautiful as the latter, albeit slightly more confusing.  The video begins with a jingle that sounds like it was taken off of Microsoft Office Powerpoint and was titled “Countrysong1″.  In cowboy-esque font, read the words “There was a time in America, when a man was a man…”  to give you the sense of how terrible this country is now that men are no longer men. (They’re ducks.)  This alarming message is then followed by “and a horse was a horse…”  What has happened to the America that we knew and loved?

The “real man” cowboy riding on the horse slides into town where he has a confrontation with an anachronistic black cowboy. They start to fight, and then somebody shouts “cut” and you realize everything you know is false. This has been a movie set.

The “real man” cowboy is actually a pansy actor named Nick Searcy, who has very particular demands for you, the viewer of the ad.  You know Searcy from such films as Planet Earth, Bride Wars, and Castaway where he is neither Tom Hanks nor Spalding.  The point of the ad is that you can’t know a person from how they present themselves on television. Like this cowboy, who acts tough on screen, but is really sipping a daiquiri off camera. Or like politicians who use words like “hope” and “change” and “vote,” but are really reading off of a wimpy communist TelePrompTer. But Herman Cain is a REAL man who has done REAL things.  Searcy leaves to finish his scene and then the beautiful face of Herman Cain reappears to try to smile for a good 8-10 seconds.  Mind blown? I think so.

Mark Block

Onto the wondrous ad that is Interim Mayor of San Francisco Ed Lee’s video. While it is unclear whether or not Lee authorized this video, all parties involved support his election on November 8th. This trinket of political gold is titled “Ed Lee is…2 Legit 2 Quit” and features MC Hammer, will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas, Brian Wilson, and other people who work for Youtube and Google. A song, while not as enchanting as Herman Cain’s picks, pumps you up and gets you to remember that “Ed Lee is…too legit to quit.” The song tells us to “fear the mustache” because Lee’s ‘stache is quite impressive while Brian Wilson reminds us all that if your last name is Lee, then you are “kind of sweet.” Wilson uses Sarah Lee, Bruce Lee, and Mot-Ley… Crue as examples. How could anyone not vote for someone too legit to quit?

So if you have not already done so, watch these campaign videos and revel in their beauty because in an abysmal political world where money matters more than the welfare of the American people, we all need a chance to laugh at our candidates who too often take us for granted.

taken from ronpaul.com

America\’s two party system has served us well presenting voters with a large variety of candidates who vastly differ in their views and truly connect with the American people. Despite George Washington’s ridiculous warning to beware of the political party, the system has worked to perfection in America.  We definitely have the freedom to choose from the entire spectrum that is our colorful and varied political world.  That is of course the freedom to choose between blue and red.   Only two colors? Well, let me introduce you to the black and white  reality.

Hopefully, you were able to discern the sarcasm of that description.  And unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last few decades, you know that America is being scammed by the two party system into a black and white choice. This system could even be considered one gray blob, as its two parties merely change colors such that the public can feel they have variety.

So, what’s the difference between our current president and the host of Republican candidates trying to nab his job? Well the difference is a few trillions dollars in spending, gay rights vs. no rights, pro-choice vs. life, high taxes on the wealthy vs. low taxes on the wealthy, and health care (although the Republicans want there fair share of government welfare too). But really, there is not much difference between red and blue when you look closer.

What\’s not different across party lines ? Well, a success from either party would still leave  America at war in the Middle East, an economy wavering over recession, and a nation with debt and inflation. The federal regulations would not change, nor would the increasing police state with the highest incarceration rate in the world at 2.5 million. All we have is the two party system with Democrats and Republicans…right?

Wrong.

There\’s a good chance that the average high school kid does not know his name; there\’s also a good chance that the average American does not know it. His name is Ron Paul, he represents the third choice right now that Americans have in their two-party system. Of course he is “part” of that two-party system but it is no secret to him, his competitors or his supporters that he is a revolutionary of both parties. Let\’s revisit the similarities between the parties and see how Ron Paul does. Ron Paul has stated repeatedly and consistently to not fight foreign wars of aggression and to bring American troops home and saves both lives and trillions of dollars, and not mention the increase in diplomatic and peaceful negotiations. Ron Paul has stated that the government needs to get out of the way of the economy and allow producers to cease fearing the uncertainty of government intervention. Most importantly Ron Paul is the only candidate who will fervently control inflation, and the debt issue by attacking its source, the Federal Reserve.

There is a choice this election. Dr.Paul has a large following of youthful and dedicated followers, Ron Paul has raised most of his money out of grass roots campaigning; compared to the millions other candidates receive from corporations and wealthy individuals. Ron Paul has been shunned by the media and there is a good reason that the majority of Americans may not have heard of him, or know his stance. Do not be ignorant of the choices in 2012. America is prided on the fact that its citizens have millions of choices every day, and presidential candidates should be no different than the choices we have for fast food. Research the issues, the candidates, and their views and make an informed decision, do not sit idly by, America and the world are at a turning point in history.  In this election, don’t feel limited to two eerily similar primary colors.

Staff writer

Dissatisfied and angered with the hardship that dominates daily life perpetuated by the lawless and autocratic regime of Hosni Mubarak, Egyptians took to the streets.

Recently, the economic woes of the Egyptian middle and working class have taken a turn for the worse as unemployment rates and food prices have sky-rocketed. More than 40% of the population lives off of two dollars a day. The culture of corruption and elitism created by Mubarak’s 30 year-long dictatorship has greatly upset the struggling population. In addition, the regime has gone out of their way to stifle any sort of free speech and opposition with a horrendous human rights record as proof.

In response to these injustices, people took matters into their own hands, spawning a populist revolution free of any religious influence. The crowds have been unified by a patriotic desire to oust Mubarak. On January 27, the Egyptian government cut off internet and cell phone communication in an attempt to quell the revolt. However, the masses would not be stopped. The next day, Mubarak sent the army to the streets of major cities like Cairo (for the first time since 1985). But with the military surprisingly in support of the people, demonstrators could not be deterred. He also announced that he would be dismissing his cabinet, but he would still remain in charge. In addition, the government shut down Al Jazeera, a popular independent news source. While crowds have not been discouraged to continue demonstrating, brute and violent force has been used against the protesters. One of the many videos to come out of the conflict showed a clearly unarmed protester being shot by the police.

The swiftness of the movement inspired by desires for change is prompting many to declare the unrest a revolution. Since Egypt is the largest Arab nation, this movement has the capability to spur pro-democracy movements in the rest of the Middle Eastern and Arab world. The world is watching as the Egyptian people fight for their freedom.

Linkin Park

By Kristine “Marie” Nichols

Staff Cartoonist

Let me start off by saying that if you didn’t like Linkin Park’s previous album, Minutes to Midnight, you most definitely won’t be able to appreciate A Thousand Suns. In many respects, it strays almost as far away from the band’s classic albums, Hybrid Theory and Meteora as possible. The overall sound and message of their music has evolved drastically since their the first album, and even since previous release.
A Thousand Suns is Linkin Park’s artistic venture, and makes many highly current and political statements. The album opens with apocalyptic references as a female voice sings the line ‘God save everyone. Will we burn in the fires of a thousand suns?’ and immediately tells us what the album was named for. The seventh track,’Jornada del Muerto,’ which is Journey of the Dead in Spanish, is a song in Japanese. The Japanese lyrics translate to a haunting refrain of “lift me up” and “let me go.” The lyrics are revisited in ‘Catalyst’ and sung in English. ‘Wretches and Kings’ begins with the voice of Mario Salvo, giving his famous ‘bodies upon the gears’ speech, and spirals into a rap song about the oppression of the government. ‘Wisdom, Justice, and Love’ is a remixing of a speech by Martin Luther King Jr. It calls out against war as King’s voice is distorted into the symbolic sound of a robot.

Even with just these small snippets, it is clear that the album is a piece as a whole, and not a collection of songs. As proof of this intent, Linkin Park has released the album as one continuous track on iTunes. Musically, it is as varied as it is thematically unified. As I said, the album opens with a female voice pleading for salvation. Th album ends with acoustic sounds, and encompasses every faucet of music in between, including rap, metal, and even a screamo piece in ‘Blackout.’
A Thousand Suns is a beautiful culmination of Linkin Park’s growth as a band to date. It is an artistic piece, not a commercial album meant for listeners to pop into their car stereo and sing along with. Sadly, mainstream listeners are very displeased. Many scathing reviews have been released, with one of the writers, Jared Ponton, going so far as to say that Linkin Park has “destroyed itself beyond a shadow of a doubt, hammering the final nail into its own coffin.” By fighting the mainstream expectation, Linkin Park has appeared to have committed commercial suicide in the name of artistry. Few people appreciate Linkin Park’s efforts to grow and spread their wings, not just as another band, but as an artistic entity. I agree with the writer on reviewrinserepeat.com, any great band that desires to stand the test of time, “must be fluid, maturing with every album, changing their sound, exploring new territory,” as Linkin Park has been doing just that.
For those who will argue the album is too drastic, too far from their roots, Chester Bennington told Rolling Stone “This time we realized it doesn’t matter what the songs sound like. If we like it and it comes from us, it’s Linkin Park.” Here’s to Bennington- A Thousand Suns is five out of five stars.

On January 12, 2010, Haiti was hit by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake killing over 300 thousand and leaving the entire nation in utter chaos and destruction.  While initially people around the world reacted to the disaster with open arms, little has improved in Haiti.  A year later, the nation is still far from being back on its feet.  The root of this difficulty to rebuild is the chaotic political climate that has impaired Haiti long before the disaster.

A Tragic History

By the late 18th century, Haiti had accounted for the majority of the Atlantic slave trade and France’s occupation had monopolized the economy.  France exploited the resources that the island had while leaving nothing for the Haitians.  The French Revolution inspired the Haitian slaves to rebel and fight the French.  On January 1, 1804, Haiti became the second republic in the western hemisphere, but their independence was not won without a price. Haiti had to pay reparations in order to be recognized by France and they took out loans from several nations including the United States.  Economic downturn leveled Haiti’s economy as debt increased.  Dictators soon took advantage of the country’s economic instability and lack of infrastructure.

During the 1950s to the late 1980s, father and son dictators “Papa Doc” and “Baby Doc” unleashed a reign of terror and corruption.  From 10 to 60 thousand Haitians were killed and even more were raped and tortured under their rule.  The two embezzled large sums of money and later went into exile.  In 1990, beloved by the public, Jean-Bertrand Aristed was democratically elected as president.  He ushered in an era of social and economic improvement. However, he was ousted shortly after his second term in which a US Government-staged a coup took him out of Haiti and into exile in Africa.  Since then, Haiti’s political leaders have been characterized by a lack of  genuine concern for the public and building the country’s infrastructure.  When the earthquake occurred, the whole country collapsed into chaos without a strong government to rebuild. It had to rely on abysmal amounts international aid slowly trickling through NGO bureaucracy for it’s grieving and starving population.

A Reminder From the Past And Uncertainty for the Future

Currently, the President of Haiti is Rene Prevail who came to power after a questionable and contested election.  The 2010 general elections have also been the scene of corruption charges.  The United Nations presence has been increasingly opposed by the public following the fallout over the actions of peacekeeping troops after the earthquake.  After 25 years in exile, Baby Doc returned to Haiti.  Although he was arrested, his return futher highlights the chaos of Haitian society in which a dictator may return.  This week, Aristed was finally granted his request to return after 6 years in South Africa.  Haiti’s political climate after the quake is quite uncertain.  Even a year ago Dr. Evan Lyon predicted how the future would unravel: “This aid attention is nice. The extra supplies are nice. The energy and the money is helpful. But if the Haitian institutions are not rebuilt, nothing will be durable, and in one year we\’ll be exactly where we are right now, which is in pain”.

“Those who would sacrifice a little liberty for a little security lose both and deserve neither”.

Benjamin Franklin’s famous words point out the absurdities of Wikileak’s critics in the United States. From about 2 months ago, the war against the whistleblower web-site has escalated into something out of a Jason Bourne flick, only the drama unfolding is far from fictional.

A Diplomatic Disaster

More than 250,000 US embassy cables were recently leaked by Wikileaks, which confirmed many suspicions of those not entitled to the details of state secrets. Majority of these documents are yet to be delved into. However, many paint a picture of a more corrupt international political image, revealing the US has a troubled relationship with
its allies. One major revelation was that Saudi Arabia has been pressuring the US to engage in a war with Iran.

Another startling disclosure was that US Special Operations have been executing drone and missile strikes in Pakistan despite the Pentagon’s denial of these attacks. An additional cable alluded to strikes in Yemen that killed several
civilians all of which were claimed to be the fault of the Yemeni government. The cable proved otherwise that the Yemeni government had admitted to lying and taking responsibility while the strikes were actually the fault of the US military.

According to several cables, China appears to be aggressively advocating for a unified Korean state in the event that North Korea would unravel. Iran is revealed to becoming more unstable. European leaders like French president, Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor, Angela Merkel are dealing with rising antagonism in their home nations as people become dissatisfied with involvement in the Afghan war and with the global economy. In addition, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was confirmed to have lavish parties and appears to be quite incompetent. The crisis in the Middle East was confirmed to be even more complex than originally thought. There was also evidence of US surveillance activity in Africa and in Latin America. The UN responded to revelations about the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq by calling on the Obama Administration to prosecute individuals who partook in activities one could describe as “enhanced interrogation techniques” (aka torture).

Overall, the cables confirmed that the US government has a major lack of transparency and the world is in a much more chaotic state than previously thought. Many of these revelations will prove costly to US foreign relations and sources say that the most startling ones are yet to come.

Assange: A Wanted Man

US talking heads have been clamoring for the execution of Julian Assange (Wikileaks creator) in recent days. Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton, on behalf of the white house stated she felt that the leaks endangered national security. Attorney General Eric Holder, said that he would look at all options as to how to deal with Wikileaks. This increased attention has forced Assange to go into hiding. He stated that he has received many threats and fears for his own well-being. An international arrest warrant has been issued for him. It has since been rumored he has turned himself in to British authorities. This week, Joe Liberman contacted Amazon.com, the host of Wikileaks, and Wikileaks was consequentially shut down.

Facts are stubborn things, even when we hear what we don’t want to hear from someone we don’t like, but cannot be disputed. Apparently, many would gladly sacrifice their liberty for security since Wikileaks is much too big a threat to their foreign policy hubris. Clearly, Franklin would not be pleased.

Senior Henry Trinh has a passion for history and politics. As an avid member of FVHS\’ Model United Nations, Trinh serves as Secretary-General and teaches members more about the organization. He plans on majoring in history in college.

Baron Banner: Why do history and politics appeal to you?

Henry Trinh: Well, first I have to say I\’m more of a history buff than a politician, but that doesn\’t mean I\’m an apathetic idiot. I do know what I\’m talking about. History and politics are very closely related. A politician that doesn\’t know his or her history is pretty much a traveler without a map. You really have no idea where you\’re going. History is just plain exciting. All the wars, scandals, explorations, movements, etc. are all extremely interesting and not made up like in your English classes.

BB: What are your political views?

HT: I tend to be more of a conservative. I don\’t support Obama on most of his policies. It\’s all idealistic but no show. For example, within a week of his inauguration, he signed an executive order to close down Guantanamo Bay prison. Has it been closed down yet after a year? Nope. Obama is nothing more than a backseat driver.

BB: What has influenced you to develop those views?

HT: Most of my views are based on my studies in history. If you ask a person why we study history, she would usually answer that we study history because we should learn about our mistakes in the past so we don\’t make them again. That is only half the answer. We should also study history because it shows us all the things we did right, so we can do it again. For example, Japan and Germany used to be our enemies, but today they are our closest allies. This is because we destroyed their countries and helped them rebuild. (laughs) That doesn\’t really sound too smart, but it works. Iraq is probably going down the same path right now.

BB: What do you think of the other side?

HT: I believe that the liberal side does put up a strong argument but like I said earlier, all talk no action. We can\’t be the greatest nation in the world without stepping on other people. That\’s just how life works.

BB: Who is your favorite U.S. president?

HT: Andrew Jackson, hands down. He was probably the Chuck Norris of his time. People would say that Jesus was just another Andrew Jackson.

BB: What do you think of Obama\’s healthcare bill?

HT: Two words: class conflict. The people who want cheap health care are the people not paying for it, and the people who don\’t want it are the ones paying for it. It\’s the classic war between the haves and the have-nots. Your side depends on your situation. I will probably never be rich, but I hate the idea of someone else paying for a product that I\’m using; that\’s why I\’m not supporting this bill. Canadians come to this country to get specialized medical operations because we have them. You get what you pay for. That\’s life. That\’s the free market!

BB: What does the government need to do to improve our economy?

HT: The government can help ease people\’s suffering and a safety net isn\’t a bad idea, but for the most part, historically the private sector has always done a better job at producing things at better quality and more efficiently. There should be some government intervention to stop unethical business practices, but too many regulations can also be a bad thing.

On Thursday, April 2, students against the G20 Summit called for a “walk out” during fourth period to sign a petition in the bowl area. They called for President Obama to stop spending time on the crises abroad and instead focus on education.

The G20 Summit is an economic forum of 19 of the world\’s largest economies along with the European Union. They gathered in London from April 1-2 to discuss how to solve the global economic situation.

President Obama\’s attendance at the G20 sparked some frustration at FVHS. Some students hoped he would spend more of his time focusing on the school budget.

“I think it\’s important to keep the students at FVHS in mind during these budget cuts because we\’re being seriously impacted by a lack of funding. Obama needs to pay more attention to our education since we are the future of our nation,” says sophomore Sarah Haydock.

A flier, which promoted the walk out, was distributed to persuade students to join the cause by walking out during 4^th period to sign a petition at the bowl. The flyer said that leaving class “is protected free speech that is immune from consequences.” However, Administration found out about the plan and announced via the school speakers at the end of 3^rd period that students leaving fourth period would be marked truant, and that an opportunity to sign the petition could take place at lunch.

“We need to tell leaders what we want—that\’s democracy. They can\’t just decide what they want to do,” says junior Josh Alvaro at the G20 gathering at lunch. “We can\’t just go along with corporations. Capitalism in decline is facism.”

“It especially makes me angry that the demonstration had to be rescheduled. President Obama\’s decision to attend the G20 Summit is probably going to have a huge impact on our already impacted school budget. Instead of going there, he could have been trying to solve problems in his own nation. By walking out of 4^th period, we could have had a more direct and dramatic impact,” says junior Brandi Lucey, one of the organizers of the walk-out.

Although the G20 protest was rescheduled to lunch, organizers of the protest are pleased to report a significant amount of signatures.

“Maybe we couldn\’t practice ‘free speech\’ today during fourth period, but we were able to give an example of democracy through the petition signing at lunch,” Lucey says.

By Brian Larzelere, Staff writer

President Obama gave his first address to a joint session of Congress, outlining his agenda for the nation, and promising action- especially in tough situations to come. In almost an hour, Mr. Obama covered his plans to attack economic crisis, America’s dependence on foreign oil, the rising cost of health insurance, and the problems facing public education. He also challenged Congress to pass a bill limiting carbon emissions, and for American youth to pursue post high school education and job training.

Critics point out the financial cost of Mr. Obama’s proposals, particularly the recent $787 billion stimulus plan, subsides for alternative energy, and a universal health care system. His agenda is an ambitious one, even in healthy times. With the declined tax revenue of a recession, the funds to fulfill these goals simply isn’t there.
President Obama spoke specifically to the matter of the budget. He renewed his pledge to cut the federal deficit in half in his first term, by reducing military spending, and elimination wasteful, and inefficient programs. Mr. Obama contends universal health care will create a net savings to the country, and a federal investment in education will pay returns in a better workforce.

“And dropping out of high school is no longer an option. It’s not just quitting on yourself, it’s quitting on your country — and this country needs and values the talents of every American.”

President Obama cited the importance of school, “a good education is no longer just a pathway to opportunity — it is a prerequisite.” With the rise of globalization, this is becoming more and more true. A high school diploma and a degree in a relevant field is more important than ever.

Of interest to many is the President’s plan for public education, and college. As a part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, struggling families will be able to receive $2500 for each of the four years of college. The seemingly high cost of tuition is a major concern to families, especially in California, where state budget shortfalls are expected to raise UC and Cal State tut ions by 7 to 10 percent. Mr. Obama’s plan has the potential to close the gap between savings and tuition for many undergraduates.

Even in the most trying times, with inherited challenges, the new leader of the free world put a positive spin on current circumstances, “We will rebuild, we will recover, and the United States of America will emerge stronger than before.”

A lot of big promises were made, and nothing will be easy. Can Barack Obama make good on his pacts with America? We can only hope.

THIS IS PART OF THE BARON BANNER BLOGS, A PUBLIC FORUM FOR STUDENT EXPRESION.  THERE IS NO EDITING.

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