Yadira Somoza 2nd blog post

Yadira Somoza

Professor Sherri Sinkoff

SPC 2608

Nov 10, 2022

    The second project, which was deemed to be a research project, was centered on three subjects that were very varied and comprehensive. The discussion started out with World's gun control, then moved on to immigration and the process of people coming into the United States, and finally settled on the effects of the Covid pandemic. During the course of the assignment, we were meant to cover the history of the issue as well as the thoughts of an outside source about it by conducting an interview with that source and providing several viewpoints on the themes from an outside perspective. We began in reverse order, going from the most recent group number to the first.

Group 3 was the first one to present, my group. We talked about gun control in different countries around the world. It was fascinating learning about how different countries have different laws regarding gun control. Even in some countries where people are able to use firearms freely, there are still fewer death rates than in the United States. In addition, in light of the foregoing evidence (facts, figures, views, etc.), it is impossible to deny that those who own weapons are safer than those who do not. If someone had to choose between having a gun to defend themselves in a situation that called for it and not having one, one would presume the choice to have a gun would have been made. Even though bad things happen, and there are bad people out there who use guns incorrectly, if someone had to choose between having a gun and not having one, one would presume the choice to have a gun would have been made. Why? Because that individual is aware that if they had a firearm, it would significantly improve their chances of surviving the situation. Every year, a significant number of deaths may be attributed to situations involving firearms. Therefore, the question of whether or not there should be regulations placed on gun ownership has been a contentious one for many years. Even while it should be legal for people to possess weapons for the purpose of protecting themselves, there should nonetheless be regulations. To ensure their personal safety, individuals do, in fact, have the legal right to own firearms.

The second group presenting was group number two. Their topic was the immigration process of people coming into the United States through the Mexican border. This presentation was very touching due to the fact that as of 2022 we have right now a crisis on the frontier border. For centuries, the territory that would become the United States was up for grabs. The boundary remained a work in progress, an imaginary line until armies battled and treaties resolved the subject. During this time, European countries placed claims on paper while Indians claimed the terrain itself. After the Mexican-American War ended in 1849, the United States sent groups of surveyors, troops, and workers to the desert in order to define a new boundary line. Although the task seemed straightforward, it turned out to be rather challenging. The teams had a difficult time in the midst of the violence in the Southwest. Even though a line had been drawn, the boundary wasn't even close to being established. For centuries, the territory that would become the United States was up for grabs. The United States has never been without difficulty at its borders. People have been crossing the boundary ever since squatters came through the Appalachians and across the Mississippi, ever since Americans made themselves at home in Texas, and ever since Apaches learned to pinch livestock from placid Spanish ranches. They have not yet completed the passage. Because despite all the changes that have taken place, there are still many things that are the same. The United States has a strong need for low-cost labor, Native American tribes are desperately trying to hold on to what little land they have, Mexico is struggling with poverty, disagreements often result in shooting, and the desert takes the lives of exhausted visitors. For centuries, the territory that would become the United States was up for grabs. Mexico is having trouble dealing with a fresh surge of migrants who have been deported from the United States, as even more migrants head north attempting to enter the United States. Shelters that were vacant four months ago are now forced to turn away a significant number of people. America's frontiers were up for grabs for centuries. 

Human traffickers have raised the expectations of the migrants by promising that President Biden's government would welcome them. Instead, the US is sending them back to Mexico, where they are waiting in line with hundreds of other people who also want to cross. Families detained in Mexico are under increasing strain and despair as authorities and shelters work to assist them. The federal government in the United States is struggling to control a substantial rise in the number of children who are crossing the border alone and being kept in detention centers for periods of time that are often longer than are allowed by law. And there is no indication that the parallel crises on either side of the border will end.

The third group presenting was group number 1. The pandemic was the issue that they discussed. Since we are in the midst of a pandemic right now, the first item that was brought up was CODVID-19, also known as the Coronavirus. This talk was quite enjoyable, although the primary emphasis was on the epidemic that is now occurring. In my view, they might have discussed other pandemics that had an effect on us in the past, such as the Spanish plague or the black plague, both of which are widely known and are examples of historically significant pandemics. The group went through the history of the coronavirus, including its origin, how it is spread, the immune response, and available vaccinations. The majority of these simplified methods are applicable to the treatment of other kinds of viruses as well. It discussed the "new normal" and the ways in which technology is being utilized to our benefit in today's world. 

The group leaders will summarize, in their own words, their own experiences as a way to round off the presentation. Both Valerie and Ivette, who are both excellent leaders, provided their feedback on each presentation that was given. Because each of the issues that were discussed was so comprehensive, it is hard to go into detail about everything. Because of these talks, I gained a significant amount of knowledge.