Dear Pricila,
I completely agree with your argument! These children have already gone through so much, and whatever they can do to help them into a better future we will take, but the question does remain, if this does work, will they help all of the other children in that need or only some? And to answer one of your questions I suppose that they will not force a child to participate in something that he or she would not like, unless they see it necessary or maybe for the best of the child, because at the end of the day that is what is important and matters, for these children that have gone through so much to find peace and be happy in their new safe lifes where they get to enjoy their childhood.
Friday, December 16, 2016
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
The Day Austin Lost Its Innocence
Tuesday marked 25 years since the Yogurt Shop Murders which till the day remain unsolved. December 6, 1991 the day the city lost its innocence and dozens were left in pain for the loss of four teenage girls who were brutally murdered inside a yogurt shop and later set on fire resulting in the contamination of the crime scene leaving no clear suspect. Four were arrested but only two were trailed which were later set free due to new finding of DNA on the youngest victim, and questions were left if any of the evidence was affected by the recent problems and closing of the Austin Crime lab.
On December 6th 1991, Eliza and Jennifer were getting ready to close the "I Can't Believe it's Yogurt Shop" on Anderson Lane, tagging along for the ride after being at the North cross mall was Jennifer's younger sister Amy and her friend Sarah, the girls were suppose to go and have a sleep over at Sarah's house, and were last seen alive at 10pm. The girls were "stripped, bound, shot and burned," the youngest, Amy, was also sexually assaulted. At first, Police and Fireman thought it was just a fire in the yogurt shop, hundreds of gallons of water were used, dozens of fireman entered the scene without realizing it was a crime scene until they discovered the bodies of the teenage girls stacked on top of each other.
The scene was contaminated resulting in small evidence found, eight years later four suspects were arrested but only two were set for trail, Robert and Michel confessed to the murders, after being convicted the two were released after new finding of DNA on the youngest victim Amy, although there is still no clear suspect APD and the families continue to be hopeful to have closure to this cold case. Concerns that if the recent problems and closing of the Austin Crime Lab had affected the evidence of the Yogurt Shop Murders, but Detective Swann stated that it has all been tested by other labs.
This day was a big impact for the City of Austin, a memorial still stands for the loss of the teenage girls and hopes of catching the murder have not died. It has been twenty-five years since the murders remain unsolved, but for many it seems like only yesterday this tragedy occurred. Families want questions answered since very little was said twenty-five years ago. In the hopes to bring this case back to the court room, Det. Swann states that all they need is a DNA sample of the person they think it could be and get to a point where they have a national database for different types of DNA.
On December 6th 1991, Eliza and Jennifer were getting ready to close the "I Can't Believe it's Yogurt Shop" on Anderson Lane, tagging along for the ride after being at the North cross mall was Jennifer's younger sister Amy and her friend Sarah, the girls were suppose to go and have a sleep over at Sarah's house, and were last seen alive at 10pm. The girls were "stripped, bound, shot and burned," the youngest, Amy, was also sexually assaulted. At first, Police and Fireman thought it was just a fire in the yogurt shop, hundreds of gallons of water were used, dozens of fireman entered the scene without realizing it was a crime scene until they discovered the bodies of the teenage girls stacked on top of each other.
The scene was contaminated resulting in small evidence found, eight years later four suspects were arrested but only two were set for trail, Robert and Michel confessed to the murders, after being convicted the two were released after new finding of DNA on the youngest victim Amy, although there is still no clear suspect APD and the families continue to be hopeful to have closure to this cold case. Concerns that if the recent problems and closing of the Austin Crime Lab had affected the evidence of the Yogurt Shop Murders, but Detective Swann stated that it has all been tested by other labs.
This day was a big impact for the City of Austin, a memorial still stands for the loss of the teenage girls and hopes of catching the murder have not died. It has been twenty-five years since the murders remain unsolved, but for many it seems like only yesterday this tragedy occurred. Families want questions answered since very little was said twenty-five years ago. In the hopes to bring this case back to the court room, Det. Swann states that all they need is a DNA sample of the person they think it could be and get to a point where they have a national database for different types of DNA.
Thursday, November 17, 2016
Blog Commentary On Colleague
Dear Priscila,
I could not agree more with your argument on Open Carry! I was stunned at the fact that people could carry their weapons to schools, stores, restaurants or even into Churches! At first I believed that anyone old enough could carry, until I started researching, and in the State of Texas you have to go through certain processes for you to be able to qualify to be licensed. I was relieved that they were at least taking precautions to make sure that just not anyone could be able to carry. Because you are completely right, anyone at any given moment and without a warning can have a breakdown and all hell could break loose if they have a weapon in a place filled with civilians, it could be tragic. Although I like the idea of being armed because one never knows what can happen, I still have some fright inside me, situations can go bad in a matter of seconds, like all the tragic shooting on the news, it all happened in a matter of seconds without a warning. I believed that because of this privilege Texas would be doomed, but, not long ago I came upon an article that stated that the crime rate has surprisingly lowered since the approval of open carry, I was shocked at the fact that they claim that in Texas the firearm homicide rate is at least one third down since 1996! Crazy Right? I would have thought it was the other way around, maybe open carry is for the better of Texas.
I could not agree more with your argument on Open Carry! I was stunned at the fact that people could carry their weapons to schools, stores, restaurants or even into Churches! At first I believed that anyone old enough could carry, until I started researching, and in the State of Texas you have to go through certain processes for you to be able to qualify to be licensed. I was relieved that they were at least taking precautions to make sure that just not anyone could be able to carry. Because you are completely right, anyone at any given moment and without a warning can have a breakdown and all hell could break loose if they have a weapon in a place filled with civilians, it could be tragic. Although I like the idea of being armed because one never knows what can happen, I still have some fright inside me, situations can go bad in a matter of seconds, like all the tragic shooting on the news, it all happened in a matter of seconds without a warning. I believed that because of this privilege Texas would be doomed, but, not long ago I came upon an article that stated that the crime rate has surprisingly lowered since the approval of open carry, I was shocked at the fact that they claim that in Texas the firearm homicide rate is at least one third down since 1996! Crazy Right? I would have thought it was the other way around, maybe open carry is for the better of Texas.
Sunday, November 6, 2016
Learn, For a Better Tomorrow
As we had discussed in class early October, the Texas Senator wants Teens to Learn What to do During Police Stops.Texas State legislators are exploring having Texas schools teach students how to act when stopped by law enforcement, joined by the Department of Public Safety who are looking into new language but in its guidelines to help drivers when they are pulled over by Law enforcement. These changes are in an effort to change the unfortunate high profile fatal encounters between police and civilians, mainly among unarmed black men and women in the past years. Texas should teach young drivers to be better informed of their Rights and the Law to avoid unwanted and unfortunate accidents like the Sandra Bland case, which because of misinformation of Rights and Power, ended in a tragedy.
Recently, the County where Sandra Bland died, is looking into electing their first African American Sheriff in the hopes to put it back after being in the national spotlight, but I feel this is not the way it should be. I feel that if Texans, both civilians and our Officers were better informed, tragedies or remedies out of convenience would not have to occur. Civilians abuse their knowledge of thinking they know their rights and the Law, and Law Enforcement Officials do abuse their power, but if Texas does go through with teaching teens what to do during police stops, it could be one step into a better Texas.
Texas should not only teach teens what to do during Police stops, it should also teach its Officers. The information should be for both parties, because todays society is not as it was a couple years back. Most young adults have changed in a dramatic way, where they have no respect for their elders but most of all for the Law. I feel that this is something Texas should remind its officers, most teens today are a bunch of wanna be thugs who think they know it all, and this infuriates many Officers. But Texas and maybe as well as all the other States should teach their Officers to NOT be bugged by it, because that is the start of the abuse of Power, by the Police Officers.
"Comply then Complain", great words that every Texas civilian should know. Because the middle of the freeway is not the place to complain of a speeding ticket. Texas should ENFORCE that officers cannot sit there with the civilian and talk over the matter, they should just hand the ticket and drive away and make it as clear as they can to the civilian that they can complain in court. For this statement, and the reasons stated above as well as many others I feel that Texas should go through with teaching young drivers handout their Rights and what they are required to do when stopped by Law Enforcement.
Recently, the County where Sandra Bland died, is looking into electing their first African American Sheriff in the hopes to put it back after being in the national spotlight, but I feel this is not the way it should be. I feel that if Texans, both civilians and our Officers were better informed, tragedies or remedies out of convenience would not have to occur. Civilians abuse their knowledge of thinking they know their rights and the Law, and Law Enforcement Officials do abuse their power, but if Texas does go through with teaching teens what to do during police stops, it could be one step into a better Texas.
Texas should not only teach teens what to do during Police stops, it should also teach its Officers. The information should be for both parties, because todays society is not as it was a couple years back. Most young adults have changed in a dramatic way, where they have no respect for their elders but most of all for the Law. I feel that this is something Texas should remind its officers, most teens today are a bunch of wanna be thugs who think they know it all, and this infuriates many Officers. But Texas and maybe as well as all the other States should teach their Officers to NOT be bugged by it, because that is the start of the abuse of Power, by the Police Officers.
"Comply then Complain", great words that every Texas civilian should know. Because the middle of the freeway is not the place to complain of a speeding ticket. Texas should ENFORCE that officers cannot sit there with the civilian and talk over the matter, they should just hand the ticket and drive away and make it as clear as they can to the civilian that they can complain in court. For this statement, and the reasons stated above as well as many others I feel that Texas should go through with teaching young drivers handout their Rights and what they are required to do when stopped by Law Enforcement.
Tuesday, October 25, 2016
Critique of Rick Perry vs. The World Blog
Rick Perry vs. The World is a Texas Politics blog created in December 2004. The purpose of this Blog was for people to come and read what was going on in the Debate with Rick Perry and who would challenge him. The author of the Blog has decided to keep private because he doesn't want employers to see the Blog when they Google his name, but you can tell he has a passion for his writing and as he states you can figure out who really cares. The Blog tracks the Gubernatorial race, and other Texas Politics, his aim is to simply record the events that are happening around and in our Texas. I fell like he is trying to reach towards Republicans, he speaks about a variety of different topics, topics that people want to read, since it is relevant to what is trending. His argument in the past months have been over the presidential debates, focusing primarily on if Cruz supports Trump. I like his points of attack and how he usually backs up what he is talking about. His last post was in September 2016, his aim at recording the events that were unfolding were truly successful, he reached the audience he was aiming for, this posts were thoughtful, with evidence to back up the topic he was pointing out. And I completely agree with his last post that where he speaks that Deace is fierce fully defending Cruz, where Deace states that if people would be able to go back and do the GOP all over again, would we vote for the same people we voted for knowing what we know now? NOPE! #NeverTrump
Saturday, October 8, 2016
Critique of Making the Case Against Banishing Sex Offenders
On Thursday, October 6, 2016 Maurice Chammah posted the article "Making the Case Against Banishing Sex Offenders" on the Texas Observer. He addresses how Mary Sue Molnar estimates that she receives about five calls a week from Texan sex offenders who can not find a place to live. Since numerous towns around the state of Texas have passed an ordinance prohibiting registered sex offenders to be in certain distance (anywhere from 500 to 3,500 feet) from a school, daycare, park facility or playground. They are in a crisis since in most towns there is a school, daycare, park facility or playground everywhere! Molnar who runs the sex-offender-rights group Texas Voices for reason and Justice, created a small army of parents and siblings of sex offenders to try and ban these ordinances, since she expresses how most sex offenders have had to "stay in extended stay motels" or go homeless, providing the example of "Taylor Rice who as a 20 year old had sex with a 14 year old he met online and now after his conviction for sexual assault, was legally barred from living with his parents because their house was too close to a baseball field." Over the last years "Molnar and her counterparts in other states have come to the same conclusion: Politicians aren't going to help them. "Who wants to risk being called a pedophile-lover?"
The article summarized above, was I feel a piece in providing information to Texans of how sex offenders feel in our state and to maybe try and help them out by partnering with Molnar since most of them do not have a place to live in, considering that the law they have to follow prohibits them to be close to and or work in a certain distance of children. Chammah the author for this article created excellent information over this issue, with enough evidence from both his main source of information Mary Sue Molnar and her counterparts. He made it clear for the reader to know that legislators and politicians are not willing to twist their arms over what Molnar is trying to do for sex offenders, and in my opinion I would also have to disagree with Molnar in trying to ban the ordinances toward sex offenders. Although the case she brought up of Taylor Rice is very unfortunate since he is still young and mistakes happen, there are worst cases out there of pedophiles and to allow them to be next to our children would be like giving them a free ticket to do whatever they wish to do. This is still an ongoing case and you are able to read more of it on Texas Observer.
The article summarized above, was I feel a piece in providing information to Texans of how sex offenders feel in our state and to maybe try and help them out by partnering with Molnar since most of them do not have a place to live in, considering that the law they have to follow prohibits them to be close to and or work in a certain distance of children. Chammah the author for this article created excellent information over this issue, with enough evidence from both his main source of information Mary Sue Molnar and her counterparts. He made it clear for the reader to know that legislators and politicians are not willing to twist their arms over what Molnar is trying to do for sex offenders, and in my opinion I would also have to disagree with Molnar in trying to ban the ordinances toward sex offenders. Although the case she brought up of Taylor Rice is very unfortunate since he is still young and mistakes happen, there are worst cases out there of pedophiles and to allow them to be next to our children would be like giving them a free ticket to do whatever they wish to do. This is still an ongoing case and you are able to read more of it on Texas Observer.
Saturday, September 17, 2016
National Association of Hispanic Priests.
El Paso, located on west Texas, right next to the border of Mexico, which is a city whose population is mostly of hispanic culture by nearly 80% has recently released this statement on El Paso Times, "Having received a blessing from Pope Francis and being a part of the national conversation on immigration, El Paso seemed like the ideal city to hold the upcoming conference by the National Association of Hispanic Priests." This Article mainly discusses the reasons as to which almost 100 priests are having this conference and the main reason why I feel that you guys should read this article and know where El Paso is, is because right know is a critical time for the Hispanic culture, like said on this El Paso times article "We hear all over the news "to go back where you came from," but people really do not know the truth behind leaving near the border. Don't get me wrong, a city next to a border is a city rich in culture like no other city is, but there are many there other things that follow, involving young minors looking for a better future and much more. I believe that with this conference, it will be a step to get to know and understand more of what happens to individuals when they come looking for a better life and a even greater step to help them out.
Friday, September 2, 2016
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