Censorship In Iran

Based on a true story about a journalist who gets detained and brutally interrogated in prison for 118 days; the journalist Maziar Bahari was blindfolded and interrogated for 4 months in Evin prison in Iran, while the only distinguishable feature about his captor is the distinct smell of rosewater. An interview and sketch that Maziar did with a journalist on The Daily Show was used as evidence that Maziar was a spy and in communication with the American government and the CIA.

Freedom of expression and of information will always be the world’s most important freedom. If journalists were not free to report the facts, denounce abuses and alert the public, how would we resist the problem of children-soldiers, defend women’s rights, or preserve our environment? In some countries, torturers stop their atrocious deeds as soon as they are mentioned in the media. In others, corrupt politicians abandon their illegal habits when investigative journalists publish compromising details about their activities. Still elsewhere, massacres are prevented when the international media focuses its attention and cameras on events.

1) Why are some politicians and governments afraid of a 'Free Press?'

2) How free is the American press when compared to Iran and the rest of the world?

3) Despite having a free press what do we really know about Iran and its people?

4) How is being a Journalist increasingly a dangerous job?

5) Why is Journalism still such an important job?

No Way To Prevent This

‘No Way To Prevent This,’ Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens https://t.co/AiYGBQLaGW pic.twitter.com/Zr0X8qcDqJ

— The Onion (@TheOnion) February 14, 2018

After every mass shooting since 2014 satirical news outlet the Onion repeats this story with the headline: “ ‘No way to prevent this,’ says only nation where this regularly happens.”


Why does the Onion routinely publish this headline over and over?

Are we the only nation where this routinely happens?  Explain.

What ways can we prevent these tragedies from ever happening again?

Columbine: Whose Fault Is It?

Today marks the 20th anniversary of the Columbine shooting. Look back at Marilyn Manson's 1999 essay where he speaks out about the aftermath of the tragic event https://t.co/mRlVmzBNGG pic.twitter.com/su8vfF43pI

— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) April 20, 2019

Cry, little sister! (Thou shalt not fall)

Love is with your brother! (Thou shalt not die)

Unchain me, sister! (Thou shalt not fear)

Love is with your brother! (Thou shalt not kill)

Prom: Back to the Future?

Prom season usually means stretch limos and super-extra promposals. But where did this time-honored coming-of-age tradition even come from? Whembley Sewell breaks down the timeline of Prom's racist and misogynistic backstory as well as the teenagers who have fought against it for decades.

What is the History of Prom in the United States? How has it changed/ evolved? How do you feel about the future of the traditional dance?  Why?

Chewbacca Obituary

British actor Peter Mayhew has died at age 74. He was best known for playing the beloved Chewbacca in the “Star Wars” series. Here’s a look back at Mayhew’s best on-screen moments as the galaxy’s most famous Wookiee.  Read his obituary.

An obituary acknowledges the loss of our loved one, expresses the pain of their loss and the joy that their presence among us brought.

According to James Loewen in his book Lies My Teacher Told Me: Sasha and Zamani are two aspects of time as expressed in some Eastern and Central African cultures. Sasha are spirits known by someone still alive, while Zamani are spirits not known by anyone currently alive. The recently departed whose time overlapped with people still here are the Sasha, the living dead. They are not wholly dead, for they live on in the memories of the living ... when the last person knowing an ancestor dies, that ancestor leaves the Sasha for the Zamani, the dead. As generalized ancestors, the Zamani are not forgotten but revered.


Your assignment: write your own Obituary. Follow the steps outlined in the linked article. Assume you live to be at least 80 years old. What will you have accomplished? Who will you leave behind? What will your legacy be?

Have fun at Prom this weekend...  don't be a statistic!

First Freedom

Recent attacks against worshippers in Sri Lanka, California, New Zealand and the South have targeted people of all different faiths and beliefs;  but they also are attacks on one of our most cherished freedoms.  The first line of the 1st Amendment to our Bill of Rights clearly states:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.

First Freedom: The Fight for Religious Liberty is the story of how the most basic of human freedoms - freedom of conscience - was codified for the first time in human history as an inalienable human right protected by law.  Most of us believe we understand what religious liberty means and that it is part of the U.S. Constitution. However, religious liberty is not an absolute freedom and poses many unanswered questions.

By 1630, the Puritans had set up a colony in Massachusetts to practice their own form of Christianity without interference from king or pope. Though they established democratic communities, they did not allow any serious dissent to their beliefs. Faith in God was absolute and could not deviate from what the Bible said or what the leaders said it said. When Anne Hutchison challenged this doctrine and began to preach the Bible as men were doing, the leaders stopped her and banished her from the colony. This incident presented one of the major tests for any democracy:

1) Can a society that seeks religious freedom for itself also extend it to others who don’t believe the same way?

2) What freedom does religious liberty grant members of a society?

3) Does religious liberty allow followers to practice a religious act that might bring harm to themselves or worshippers?

4) Does religious liberty allow individuals to wear religious clothing or jewelry that reflects their religious beliefs even if others find it offensive?

5) Does religious liberty allow individual to disregard or break a law in the practice of their religion?

Notre-Dame Cathedral

Every day, over 30,000 visitors flock to the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris to tour the exquisite architecture made even more famous by Victor Hugo’s Hunchback of Notre Dame. With its gothic style and storied past—construction began in 1160!—the Cathedral maintains an air of mystery and awe.

With the release of VR cinematic experience, The Man Behind Notre Dame, TARGO hopes to explore the unique fascination with the revered Cathedral’s history and secrets that has made it a global phenomenon. “In our modern societies, we constantly question our cultural heritage but the Notre Dame Cathedral creates a sort of magnetic consensus, even among nonbelievers. Notre Dame speaks to everyone. It goes way beyond religion, and we wanted to know why,” said director Chloé Rochereuil.

UPDATE [4.15.2019]*: Earlier this morning an apparent electric fire has resulted in permanent damage to large portions of the Notre Dame Cathedral. French authorities have confirmed that the primary bulk Notre-Dame’s structure and two towers have been saved, although lasting damage has been done. One firefighter was reportedly injured during the blaze. 


As millions of dollars roll in to help rebuild the historic Notre Dame Cathedral in France, people have been inspired to donate to rebuild three churches in Louisiana that were intentionally burned down in the last month.

1) Whether its a historic Cathedral or a small local congregation in Louisiana, how is a church more than just a builiding ?

2) What would motivate someone to commit such a heinous crime?

3) Wss this a 'hate' crime in your opinion? Why/not?

4) What should the punishment be?

5) What efforts are being made to rebuild these churches? Will you contribute? Why/ not?

6) What can we do to stop the hate?