Is Facebook Meddling In Political Activity?

In 2016, Facebook was suspected to change presidental election result by showing posts and articles that were injurious to candidate Hillary Clinton. Some suspected that Russia was behind the act but there was any evidence yet. However, a greatful amount of Americans have believed in the interferance of the 2016 election. Things have not over yet, but Facebook has recently been called out to involve in upcoming midterm elections. Thomas Knapp has published a blog titled “Facebook Meddles in the 2018 Midterm Elections”, on Counterpunch.org, on October 16,2018 to explain the occurence.

In the blog, he claims that Facebook’s attempt to remove more than 800 pages and accounts that are suspicious to timing ahead of midterm elections, is to interfere politics, under a name of “preventing meddling in politics”. I agree with his arguments that Facebook’s decision in deleting these accounts is unreasonable. In fact, I believe that the political debates they have created actually help participants to think and understand the issues thoroughly. Moreover, Facebook has made the decision by themselves, without any agreement from authority officials. In addition, the author is true to assert that Facebook is becoming more political mainstream and establishment. Since a large amount of Facebook users become more dependent on their newfeeds, Facebook can tremendously affect what they watch and receive information. Among with removal these accounts, Facebook has been against the Freedom of Speech the First Amendment, and monopolized the perceived political center.

The conclusion is a meaningful. It is so true but I have never realized it happened. The mass media always has a huge impact on politics. Facebook and major social media have superseded television and prints to control the elections.




https://www.counterpunch.org/2018/10/16/facebook-meddles-in-the-2018-midterm-elections/

Do Not Arm Teachers with Weapons.

I believe you have heard or read about education department is going to allow states to use federal money to arm teachers. Some support the idea, some do not. The Washington Post’s Editorial Board has released a post to criticize the idea with a strong sense of care for the children. The article is named “Arming Teachers With Federal Education Money? Are They Even Thinking?”, published on August 23rd, 2018.

The author does not agree with this idea from the leader of the education department, Betsy Devos. She begins with evidence that 94% of teachers have to dig their own money for students’ supplies and needs, which means finance is always a problem to public schools. She quotes from the New York Time that letting school use federal money would be an unprecedented break with federal policy. It is also prohibited and disallowed to spend money on firearms or ammunition for school. Therefore, she implies the idea of arming teachers with weapons is against the laws and unethical.

Firm word use from the writer is solid and convincing that the new policy would be worse and unacceptable to school environment. She provides two expressions from Senator Dianne Feinstein and JoAnn Bartoletti, the National Association of Secondary School Principals to express their anxiety and worry of children unsafety. Repeating a tweet from the father of a student killed in the Parkland, Florida mass shooting, the author once again proves that approval to arm school with weapons is not a solution to prevent violence. Lastly, she attacks the idea that students and people in need of protection and secured are not directly benefited by the new policy, but gun manufacturers and the gun lobby.

As a student, I would be worried and thrilled to study in an environment that is protected by weapons. Instead of arming teachers with deadly weapons, I suggest we should install X-ray scanners at the entrance to recognize and seize woundable weapons to prevent violence.