More Power to Him!

Dear Editor-in-Chief,

As many are well aware, Wikileaks has caused great controversy concerning top secret information about governments around the world. Some would say that the release of such information could cause great damage to people around the globe, and could very well cause a war. Some would say that this activity encourages the theft of government records. Some would say, “He can’t do that!” , but Julian Assange has done just that. He has shocked reporters, citizens, and governments by releasing the truth to the people of the world. And honestly, more power to him!

He has risked lots and has had the courage to do what few others would be willing to do. Just the fact that Assange and his team were able to get this confidential information is commendable. Many countries would love to see Julian behind bars so he won’t deteriorate their public image. These countries that are now embarrassed by their tarnished reputations, courtesy of Wikileaks, are trying to use every trick in the book to stop Assange and Wikileaks. Though, the question is what can governments do to stop Wikileaks? The Answer: Nothing (at least not in the United States). As Americans, we are guaranteed our First Amendment Rights, which include Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Press. As long as these rights are granted to us, Wikileaks will continue. Wikileaks is prepared to fully defend themselves if needed. If Assange or Wikileaks were ever to be harmed, Wikileaks would release the “Insurance File”, a large file about the Afghan War Logs, which would be dispersed to everyone. Strangely, Wikileaks was founded in 2006, and yet, has not gained the kind of attention that it has up until the last few weeks. Citizens need to know what goes on in their government, no matter how ugly the truth may be. One incident that is particularly bruising to the United States’ world appearance is the video footage of members of the US military killing Afghani civilians and journalists. This video is quite different from the United States’ view of helping the Afghanis to get back on their feet and protecting the US from further terrorist attacks. Well, from the Afghani viewpoint, it might look like the other way around. Wikileaks has also gained many awards applauding its efforts. Russia even wants Julian Assange to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. These “leaks” have changed the way residents view their countries and show how much citizens should trust their governments.

Though, the original Wikileaks website has been shut down, many mirror websites exist in order to continue Wikileaks’ mission. The Wikileaks Facebook page has over 1,300,000 fans and gaining. People are definitely showing their support with donations and rallies. Some U.S. Congressmen are publicly supporting Wikileaks. Assange was notified of the great support for his release from his London jail from his visiting mother. I personally wish for Julian to be acquitted of his sexual offense charges and for the continuation of the fight for the truth from governments.

Image Source: http://www.australia.to/2010/images/stories/1c/Wikileaks_Founder.jpg

What Do You Know About...?

    You won't get any information out if your treat a captured enemy nicely. It always helps if the detainees are more cooperative, though unfortunately, this is rarely the case. In order to get the vital information needed to protect your country, some extreme measures may need to be taken. Waterboarding, messing up a prisoner's meal times, and making the detainee think he is lying all work to affect the mind in order to make that person more vulnerable and more likely to open up to questioning. Some physical treatment, like having the male prisoner strapped to a chair naked with a hole in the seat of a chair being whipped when not answering a question (see Casino Royale for more details), that would cause excruciating pain would be quite effective. The short-term effects of these treatments would be, pain, redness, swelling, being unsure of basic facts, thinking that one is drowning, and not knowing what time it is. The long-term repercussions of such punishment would be anxiety disorders, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), possible complications with the male reproductive system, depression, certain phobias, and other psychological damage.

US and Germany Wordles

         The US really didn't want to get involved in World War I, but after the sinking of the Lusitania by Germany, the US got dragged into the war. Words like "peace", "rights", "people", and "lives" show that the US was interested in neutrality and wanted the Europeans to fight their own war. The size of the words "government" and "German" show who the US blames for their involvement in the war and how this action will affect the way  America's government is run. The US felt like they had to do something after American lives were lost during the sinking. Germany looked like they were itching to go to war by words such as, "United States", "England", "allies", "policy", and "President Wilson". These words are completely directed toward the United States and Great Britain, no other countries in Europe. "Unrestricted" and "submarine" show by what means Germany took in fighting American and British ships. The Germans seemed quite eager and prepared to fight a world war by the choice of words used in the Germany wordle.

Video Game War vs. Real-life War

      Only the people who fought in war themselves will be able to speak of the danger, horror, and tragedy that occurred on the battlefield. The belief that some see war as a video game in real-life is saddening. There is no restart button on an actual war and no amount of playing “Call of Duty” can prepare a person for what is to be experienced on the battlefield, both physically and mentally. Violent video games, such as “Call of Duty”, shouldn’t be allowed to exist because they greatly diminish the effects and horrors of war.

            The scars a soldier receives from war not only marks him physically, but mentally as well. Studies show that more and more soldiers are returning home with mental traumas from what they have seen while at war. Watching a dear friend get blown up by a bomb during duty would cause anyone to be deeply hurt by what they saw. A gamer will never be able to experience that kind by sitting in front of a T.V. screen. If the soldier you are playing dies in battle, “restart” is a simple option, not the case in real-life. A game doesn’t prepare anyone or real combat or for witnessing horrific deaths on a daily basis. War video games sold on the market today are fairly tame compared to what actually happens in the field. Movies like “Saving Private Ryan” show a more realistic version of how gruesome war can be. A medic trying to clamp down a soldier’s artery while the enemy is shooting at them is something not many gamers have ever dealt with before.

            There are probably some people who have enlisted in the military thinking that they’ll be Rambo on the battlefield shooting everyone in their way or that they know how shoot and fight a war since they’re seasoned “Call of Duty” players. Once someone is finished playing the video game, there are no feelings of pain, lose, or guilt. The person can take a break from the world of “play-war” and know that he or she can sleep soundly at night since there is no war on their own street. Imagine being told to shoot the enemy, even when “the enemy is someone’s husband or dad. The guilt can be difficult for someone to live with if not fully prepared for this, and even being mentally prepared is sometimes not enough. Even so-called “tough guys” may not completely understand what they got into until it really hits them while in war.

            Video games, like “Call of Duty”, greatly diminish the effects and horrors of war. A gory video game cannot begin to compare with the physical and mental traumas that occur on the battlefield. Many soldiers return home from war unable to walk ever again or with so much mental shock that they can’t function properly in civilian life. It’s unfortunate that violent video games are used for entertainment and, in a way, mock what real soldiers have to put their lives up for.


Image Source: http://www.blockaderunnerantiques.com/images/60728-004-bcf9187d.jpg

Heartbreaking Letters

         Going to war is difficult for anyone, but leaving loved ones behind can bring a whole other dimension of pain to departing soldiers. During World War I, the only form of communication between soldiers and their families was the letter. Unfortunately, there were many obstacles in transporting letters from the battlefields to the United States and back. Letters could have been lost in the mail or burned by fire in a battle before they could arrive in the States. It would also be difficult to get letters from family to the soldiers since soldiers needed to move to where the fighting was. Soldiers might have written letters and mailed them to their wives and girlfriends in the U.S. and by the time the family members received them, the soldiers were already killed in battle. Family would think that their husband or brother was alive when he wasn't. The passing of a loved one affects a family emotionally, mentally, and financially. The children that grow up without a father, the traumatizing effect of watching a friend die to a bullet or a bomb, and the family that can no longer afford their home since the father won't be coming home all feel the effects of war.

The First World War's Impact

        Up to that point in time,  the world had never experienced a war with such intensity as it had with World War I. A main reason that there was such a high causality rate was because no country was prepared to fight a war of this magnitude. The weapons and strategies used in WWI were not of the highest technological caliber compared to those of WWII. Most of the combat fighting took place in trenches, which didn't give the soldiers much protection. The strength of bombs weren't as great or as effective as in WWII. The artillery that the soldiers used had bayonets attached to the front of them, which would mean that the soldiers would have to get really close to the enemy in order to use the bayonet. Since no one was prepared for the devastating effects of the war, the deaths and injuries of loved ones may have come as a surprise to family members who expected to see their soldiers return home from war. Fewer men returned home from war, which effected family life and the workforce. During the 1910s, it was the man's job to work outside of the home and support the family. With fewer men returning from war to go back to work, more jobs needed to be filled. Though no one knew what the effect of a world war would be, WWI served as the only primer the world could have had prior to WWII.