Veronica Jones: Disney to pull Boy Scouts funding by 2015 over policy banning gay leaders

Though Disney can't directly donate money to organizations, it can give money to their employees to go to their charity of choice if they participate in the voluntEARS program. However, Disney has informed the Boy Scouts of America that they will no longer be allowing members to donate to the Boy Scouts. "According to Disney's charitable giving guidelines, groups become ineligible to receive Disney funding if they 'discriminate in the provision of services unlawfully or in a manner inconsistent with Disney's policies on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, marital status, mental or physical ability, or sexual orientation.' " And though the Boy Scouts have recently opted to include gay scouts, they still do not allow gay scout leaders to join.

Disney is a corporation that has for a long time been associated with people's childhood. Most adults have seen at least one Disney film and have influenced many people's lives. It's seen as a staple of most American children's lives and, as a result, is held up to an odd standard not many companies are forced to even consider: pleasing everyone. Disney has had (and still does) have it's fair share of stereotyping, white washing, and sugar coating throughout its movies. But for a company that for a long time has been stuck in the 50s, it's making major strides towards being inclusive to all. Does that mean it's there yet? No, Disney still has a long way to go before it can shake off some of it's less progressive and more dated habits, but this is a step in the right direction and that's really all we can ask for.

link: http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/28/us/disney-pulls-boy-scouts-funding/index.html?hpt=us_c2

Patience Henderson 1st Period; NFL analyst Darren Sharper fired amid rape charges

Darren Sharper has been fired from the NFL Network by the president of communications for being accused of rape. Sharper was suspended without pay and after this he turned himself in to the Los Angeles police on Thursday. Himself and 26 year-old Erik Nunez each face two counts of aggravated rape and are both wanted in New Orleans. They could possibly face life in prison without parole.


Analysis:

I have mixed emotions about this article, I honestly think he did it because why else would he turn himself in? Instead, of trying to fight the case and stick it out. So I feel like that was a good move by turning himself in but also it isn't right for what he did to those girls. I don't know how people could live with themselves knowing that they did something horrible to someone. It makes me sick to my stomach.

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http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/01/us/nfl-network-darren-sharper-fired/index.html?hpt=us_c2

Obama Speaks With Putin - Lizy Rutherford PD 4

Recently, after Russia sent troops and occupied Crimea, a Ukrainian peninsula, Obama made a 90 minute phone call to Putin and discussed with him at length the current situation. The White House summarized the message as "President Obama made clear that Russia’s continued violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity would negatively impact Russia’s standing in the international community.”
Acting Ukrainian president Oleksandr Turchynov recently arranged the country's army to be ready.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/obama-putin-speak-russia-sends-soldiers-ukraine-article-1.1707618

What in the world is Putin doing? He was already criticized heavily during the Olympics for his gay propaganda laws and now he's occupying Crimea to 'protect national interests'? Something feels very very wrong. Obama's message needs to be stronger. We have no idea what Putin is up to. This could be history repeating itself when the US didn't see Hitler as a valid threat.

Disney to pull Boy Scouts funding by 2015 over policy banning gay leaders-Rowan Barcham

Disney to pull Boy Scouts funding by 2015 over policy banning gay leaders

http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/28/us/disney-pulls-boy-scouts-funding/index.html?hpt=us_c2

In recent news, the Walt Disney Company has alerted the Boy Scouts of America that it will start pulling all funding to a group by 2015 due to a policy that bans gay leaders, in accordance with the BSA. Disney itself does not directly fund any BSA council, but, rather, lets its employees volunteer in exchange for donations to their choice of charities, in a volunteer program known as "VoluntEARS". 

In 2013, the Boy Scouts officially allowed gay adolescents to enroll, but nonetheless still prevents gay Scout leaders from enrolling. According to Disney's guidelines regarding charity, groups lose eligibility if they are to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, sex, race, religion, age, or mental or physical ability. Many are in favor of Disney's decision to abstain from supporting the BSA "until Scouting is fully inclusive". I'm not sure when this will be, but at the rate we are going as a country, I am sure that this will be soon. Yes, the homosexual community faces discrimination day and day, but our country has been slowly progressing, with same-sex marriage, homosexual-inclusive laws and acts, and an emphasis on bringing people together as one. If and when the BSA officials finally decide to include scout leaders, regardless of their sexual preference, it will be a landmark in our history, and will surely help the snowball grow in ridding the common ideal of ignorance, like that of the BSA's. 

"Is religion under attack in Arizona?" Carson Wright, 5th Period

Anderson Cooper recently interviewed an Episcopal reverend, holding a discussion on the Arizona anti-LGBT business law. Cooper brought up the concern of some that vetoing this piece of legislation would infringe upon religious rights in Arizona, in that those with strong religious convictions would be "forced to interact with and work for" LGBT individuals. The reverend countered these arguments with the contention that the bill is discriminatory at heart, and maintained that it should be vetoed. Part of his argument was religious; he felt that it was the duty of Christians to love their neighbors and treat everyone with respect and human dignity. Cooper asked the reverend if he believed that Christianity is under attack, to which the reverend replied that he didn't, citing the 1st Amendment and federal and state laws as evidence of religious freedom.

If there is any force in this nation that's attacking Christianity, it's the fundamentalists thereof. Any negative sentiments held against this faith are caused by the bigoted and discriminatory views espoused by excessively traditional, right-wing Christians. But this man, this reverend, is the type of religious leader that can save his faith from things like bigotry.
The anti-LGBT Arizona bill was vetoed, and for many good reasons. It was, in essence, a relative throwback to the 1960's in terms of discriminatory legislation. As well, from a theological standpoint, it is far from consistent with basic Christian philosophy; the reverend is right. "Love Thy Neighbor" comes first in Christianity, not "Refuse Them Service."

Video: http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/bestoftv/2014/02/26/ac-dean-mendez.cnn.html

Disney to pull Boy Scouts funding by 2015 over policy banning gay leaders - Camille vigil

     This week, the Walt Disney Company has notified the Boy Scouts of America that they will no longer be able to receive donations from Disney through a volunteer program offered by the company. This decision was made by Disney after consideration of the BSA's ban on gay scout leaders, though gay scouts are now able to participate in the organization. The VoluntEARS program offered by Disney to its employees allows them volunteer at various events and organizations in exchange for monetary donations to their choice of select organizations and charities. This program will remain a part of Disney, but beginning in 2015 will exclude the Boy Scouts of America as a choice for donation; any donations by other means from Disney to the BSA, aside from the VoluntEARS program, will also be eliminated. Deena Fidas, the director of workplace equality for the Human Rights Campaign, said on the subject that Disney's choice in the matter "carries a unique weight. When you think about brands that exemplify childhood, you think of Disney, and with them dissociating with BSA, it speaks volumes of where we are with the views we want to send to young people."
     I couldn't agree more with the statement by Deena Fidas. Disney is a global company that nearly every child grows up with. We all know Disney World/Land as the place that makes "dreams come true" and as a place that harbors some of the best childhood memories for people. Given this, Disney could not have made a better choice in eliminating funding to the Boy Scouts. Disney stated that the Boy Scouts of America were ineligible for funding because they "discriminate in the provision of services unlawfully or in a manner inconsistent with Disney's policies on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, marital status, mental or physical ability, or sexual orientation." This is a quote from Disney's guidelines for choosing charities to fund. By no longer funding the organization, Disney is sending a message that establishes a value on equality to all people, which will likely instill this value in current youngsters who are growing up with Disney.
http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/28/us/disney-pulls-boy-scouts-funding/index.html?hpt=us_c2

Dead Mississippi man begins breathing in embalming room, coroner says- Alix Kast

A man named Walter Williams, 78 years old, was declared dead on Wednesday night. A hospice nurse and a family member called Coroner Dexter Howard, and he and Byron Porter (from Porter and Sons Funeral Home) picked up the body for funeral preparations. Howard checked the man's pulse at 9 p.m. and declared him dead. The body was placed in a body bag and was taken to the funeral home. But then, something rather unexpected happened. The bag moved. They realized that his legs were moving (as if they were kicking) and that the supposedly dead man had begun to breathe. They called an ambulance, and when he was hooked up to the monitors, he had a heartbeat. He was taken to a hospital. Howard said that he had never seen anything like it, and his hypothesis was that Williams' defibrillator had to have jump-started his heart. On Thursday, he was still weak, but he was actually conscious and was talking with his family members. 

Every once in a while, you hear about someone who was believed to be dead and then taken to a morgue, where it turns out that they were actually in a very deep coma, or something along those lines. I'd hate to have been that coroner, because you'd feel like you were starring in a zombie movie. But in all seriousness, hearing about something this extreme is really incredible. The people involved were calling it a miracle, and I'd have to say that it comes pretty close to being one. It will be interesting to hear what his doctors think happened, or if they can actually find out what brought him back to life.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/28/us/dead-man-comes-back-life/index.html?hpt=us_c2