issue 22 // volume 40 The most maligned country on Earth » While there are legitimate criticisms of US foreign affairs, there is a danger in such criticism Idrian Burgos Senior Columnist Ww to be the hippest person ina public political discussion? Denounce the United States. Although it’s been going on for a long time, criticism of the US in foreign policy has become : : needs first when dealing with : others. more fashionable since the Cold War. You may have read, heard, or watched such criticism from politicians, academics, pundits, news reporters, and Sean Penn. You may even remember some of the lines and arguments backed up with evidence. US foreign policy is driven by corporations. The US promotes democracy abroad for its own interests. The US is hypocritical in sponsoring democracy since it has supported dictatorial regimes and overthrown democratically elected ones. Invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan were just for oil and resources, not hunting down terrorists or bringing freedom to those places. Anything the US does in the world causes death and destruction. The country itself hasn't helped in erasing this negative reputation, either through continuation of its activities abroad or attempts in creating a more positive and less- aggressive image. Only a cave- dwelling American patriot will The Report Card: Education : inmates deal with daily : problems to vocational : education that teaches them : certain trade skills. 4 Elliot Chan 4%. Opinions Editor ==, M opinions | @theotherpress.ca ducation is akin to medicine, nutrition, and fitness; it’s a vital part of being : a person. But knowledge is not about being smarter than the person beside us, it’s about mutual support. In post-secondary, we are forced to think and learn witha competitive mindset—we're all battling for the best life possible, after all. But for other students, it’s more than simply getting good grades, graduating with honours, and applying for work: it’s about surviving and creating normality. Blessed or cursed, the willingness to learn is what : defines us in the end. : deny these: backing of so-called : : Third World regimes and : armed groups that support US : interests, regardless of respect : for democracy and human : rights, and the weighty role of : business interests in foreign : policy, whether through trade : agreements or governments in : developing countries. Uncle Sam certainly thinks about his For all its problems at home : and mistakes abroad, the US : has successfully crafted a global : image as the centre of freedom, : democracy, and prosperity. : Compared with many other : countries, there are relatively : few governments with social : checks on speech, movement, : action, and business rights. : Every American can essentially: : do whatever they want provided : : nobody else is negatively : affected. Personal participation : in commerce is not only allowed : but encouraged. Governments : and private operations are : efficient, and Americans can : participate in how they run. : It’s no surprise that citizens : of countries with poor US : relations such as Iran view that : country positively. For them, : the US is a paradise where they : are free to do whatever they : desire. Media-constructed : and -facilitated images help in : spreading this good view of the : US. Pass: Supporting inmates We all make mistakes— some more haunting than others—but we must be afforded the opportunity to redeem ourselves since capital punishment is not an option. If you think it’s hard to bounce : back after your GPA drops, try criminal record. Certain doors more important to support our inmates as they attempt to make the transition from criminal to lawful civilian. The current correctional and educational services offered by the Canadian government are available in institutions of all levels (minimum to maximum security). Everything from teaching basic grade school- level knowledge that helps More importantly, no other : country has successfully created : an alternative to the US model. : The Soviet Union tried to do : that during the Cold War and : it no longer exists. While the : Islamist model launched by the : Islamic Republic of Iran suffered : from several issues even before : the more recent Arab uprisings. : Most other countries in the : world have accepted capitalism : as an effective form of economic : organization, even when : they reject liberal democracy. : Other political and economic : alternatives only remain on the : drawing boards. Between an : unstable Western democracy : and a fossilized, authoritarian : basket case, most people would : naturally choose the beneficial : choice. So where does this leave us? Does it mean we can only have : the US option? Not necessarily. : The freedom, democracy, and : prosperity offered by the US : model have their own defects. : Excessive freedom leads to : irresponsibility. Democracy : brings ideas that may lead to : social disaster. American-style : prosperity benefits some and : hurts others. The challenge for : other countries is in creating : models that don’t just improve : on the problems in the US : example, but are models that : present a fully radical alternative : to the dominant model—and : any country can do that if they : choose to. These initiatives help : inmates put their best foot : forward the day they leave their : correctional facility. We, as poor college students, may often feel the : : injustice of having to take bouncing back after receiving a : student loans and work : extra shifts to pay for our are closed after that, so it’s even : own education—leaving us : exhausted and in debt; we : also begrudge the fact that our : tax dollars are paying for the : education of criminals. That is : adisgusting thought to many : people. But that notion in : itself is disgusting. Poverty and : crime go hand in hand, and the : solution for both is education. : The same way we offer shelter : and food for the poor, we : must also offer education and : support for the troubled. opinions // 15 Barack Obama // By AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster : Fail: Pressuring : prodigies : Our strengths give us pride. : Those are the attributes we : showcase to employers, friends, : : and especially our parents. But : focussing only on our strengths : : at ayoung age, in the way : prodigies are often treated, : causes the loss of a lot of : substances and the sensation : of growing up in a modern : world. Today, it’s less about what : you know and more about : who you know. I believe the : prodigy model is fading. Young : : geniuses are often introverted : and reserved, and have shown signs of autism and other social prodigies grounded, and avoid : deficiencies in addition to their : positioning them ona pedestal. : brilliance. Organizations today : : are built not with a nucleus, an overruling boss who makes : all the decisions, but rather a functioning support staff : that contributes to finding : solution for every problem : that arises. Prodigies not only : need to understand complex : mathematical concepts or the : majesty of music, they must : also learn how to interact with : others. Therefore, we should : avoid pressuring prodigies. We must nurture talent, : but talent does not have to : beasingle-lane career path. : A talent can also bea hobby : or an enjoyable pastime. We : often preach, “Do what you : are good at,” but I believe we : should do more than we are : good at, we must attempt : what we are shitty at as well. : We must teach modesty, keep : Teaching talented individuals : to overcome adversity in the : form of challenges is support in : a different way, and is equally : valid.