The Eagle Has Landed

It was 40 years ago this summer that the US astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were the first men to walk on the moon. Millions of people world wide were tuned into their televisions to watch this single event. Some critics still claim that the whole thing was a hoax. Why is the moon landing still inspiring and controversial even today? Compare the moon landing to the other events hanging on our classroom wall. What do they all have in common? What events today are as important?

The First Amendment

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

We begin our study of Current Affairs by looking at what exactly is 'news' and the rights and responsibilities of the press. Our founding fathers realized the importance of a free press to our democracy; so much so they put it in the first amendment. Why do you think free press is this important?

Just Sayin'....

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No longer is the Daily Newspaper the most relevant source of news. We live in an age of information where we are bombarded with news 24 hours a day from cable television, to Youtube, to Twitter. What exactly is 'news?' Where do you get your news from? How has technology affected the press and its freedom?

Take a look at these HEADLINES and then decide whether they are news worthy. Is this what the founders had in mind when they wrote the first amendment?' What responsibilities does the 'media' have?