US Migration Talks With Cuba

Unit 5

     U.S. and Cuban representatives are scheduled to meet in Havana to have migration talks. The meetings are supposed to help with the tension that was felt in the 1960's between Cuba and the United States.  In the meetings, the two countries' diplomats discuss areas of interest and the implementation of an accord that gives Cuba 20,000 visas to the United States annually.  These talks were suspended in 2011 after a US subcontractor was accused of acting against Cuba's national sovereignty.  The talks have resumed.  One issue that may come up in this meeting is Cuba's recent banking woes.

     I think that these talks are a great thing.  I think that whenever we are trying to improve our relationship with other countries that it should be done like this.  We shouldn't have to fight over our disagreements.  It's a great thing that we are working things out.  I don't like how a US subcontractor disturbed these meetings for acting against Cuba's national sovereignty.  He should have represented the US better.  He was just being selfish and caused some major problems.
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/01/09/us-cuba-to-hold-migration-talks-in-havana/?intcmp=latestnews

"Jihad Jane" sentenced to prison

Unit 7
     A Pennsylvania woman was sentenced to ten years in prison yesterday.  She was convicted for the planning of the murder of a Swiss artist.  She was connected with a terrorist group who ordered her to murder the artist.  Colleen Larose, who called herself jihad jane, would have served a life term if it wasn't for a Chief US District Judge giving her credit for her guilty plea and the conviction of two others.  Prosecutors wanted a longer term of prison because they thought the woman could still be manipulated.  Larose had a very hard childhood where she suffered the effects of rape, hunger, and alcoholism.  Her future marriages were effected by abuse and she began to use crystal meth.  She got involved with the terrorist group when she was in Amsterdam.  The terrorist group was offended by the artist's works that depicted the prophet Mohammed as a dog.  Larose could serve as little as 4 more years in prison due to her 4 years she has already been in prison and her good behavior.
     I think that this is a just punishment for this woman.  We can't tolerate involvement in terrorist groups and plans for murder, but she had not acted on these plans.  I think that this also changes the face of terrorism.  Larose was not the typical terrorist when it comes to appearance.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/01/06/jihad-jane-sentencing-hearing-underway/

Racial Profiling Costs in Arizona

Unit 5
     An Arizona county's racial profiling will cost the county at least $22 million.  The cost is specifically for Sheriff Joe Arpaio's tough "cracking down on immigration laws."  A court ruled that it wasn't immigration law enforcement but was racial and ethnic profiling and deserved a penalty.  The sheriff's office was apparently targeting a lot of vehicles with drivers that had darker skin or were Latino.  They were scrutinizing and detaining these vehicles more often than others.  The sheriff's lawyers are appealing the decision.  The judge ordered a retraining of the sheriff's office.  The $22 million cost comes from this retraining and the maintaining of a community advisory board.
     I thought this article was good because we already talked a little bit about this in class.  I agree that the sheriff was being very unfair.  You can't just stop people on the road because they look like illegals.  I'm glad that the county finally cracked down and put an end to this injustice.
http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/03/us/racial-profiling-payments/index.html?hpt=us_c2