Globalglimpsefinal

Issue #1

December 2015

World’s Highest Paying Jobs American Imperialism Making Mexico Known

Haiti Surfacing After the Shock

Table of contents

3 Contributors’ Bios 4 Letter from the Editors 5 From Grenada to Gabon; America’s Global Influence 1

Love Haiti Relationship 11 Viva Mexico 15 Top Grossing 19

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CONTRIBUTORS Seth Allen is a sophomore at Woodford County High School. He is from Georgia, but currently resides in Midway, KY. Seth is a member of the Academic team. He is also involved in the Central Kentucky Youth Orchestra. He hopes to have a career in Hotel Management.

Elizabeth Evans is also a sophomore, at WCHS. She was born and raised in Woodford County.

She is on the WCHS tennis team, and is on the dive team. Elizabeth has been to Haiti, and hopes to go back. She would like to be an American Sign Language Translator, or do mission work.

Noah Johnson is a sophomore at WCHS. He was born in Opelika, Alabama, but moved to Versailles as a small child. Noah is a member of the Gaming Club, here at WCHS. He would like a career in the Engineering field.

Elizabeth Pecina is a Sophomore at WCHS as well. She was born in Frankfort, KY, but she was raised in Versailles. She is a leader of the Esperanza Club, here at WCHS. She appreciates learning about different cultures, and is interested in her own hispanic culture. She hopes to pursue a career in Psychology, or as a Spanish teacher.

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Letter from The Editors

Dear Reader, To start off, we’d like to thank you for reading our magazine. We put a lot of thought and hard work into it, and are extremely grateful that you took time to read through it. The world is a large place, and our group felt the need to bring the world to our little town of Versailles, and help send our town to the rest of the world. Whether it’s Hispanic Culture from a fellow student, or the relief effort for Haiti, we all brought a piece of the world to this project. We hope this paper, although diverse and somewhat unorganized, will provoke thought and discuission about what goes on outside our little town in Central Kentucky.

S

incerely,

Authors of the Global Glimpse

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From Grenada to GabonAmerica’s Global Influence By: Seth Allen

Imagine two different people--a man who lives in South Korea in the year 1970 and a child who lives in Nicaragua in the year 1990. The South Korean man is a lawyer who wakes up every day in a modern home, drives a modern car, and lives a modern life. The Nicaraguan child awakens every day to a life of poverty, as her family was displaced by the Contras just a few years before. She and her family have very little, and their country’s government is very unstable. How did these people get to be in these situations?

United States imperialism shaped both of these people’s lives. Whether the United States is a positive or negative influence on the world remains to be argued.

Whether the United States is intentionally or unintentionally politically imperialist also remains to be argued. However, the imperialist nature of the United States is clear. The word ‘imperialism’ does not necessarily carry a negative connotation.

It also no longer carries its traditional definition. The United States is not considered imperialist because it is looking to build a traditional empire. Imperialism today means extreme political influence to the point of shaping other countries’ politics.

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American troops hoist the The Spanish American flag American over the JapWar was an anese island early of IwoexamJima. ple of American Imperi-

Borrowed from nationalww2museum.org

The United States does not necessarily do this intentionally, as it is a superpower, and its influence is great enough that many countries cannot avoid being shaped by her. Imperialism is related to influence, but they are not the same. Israel influences the United States, but it is not argued that Israel is imperialist in regards to the US. The reverse is more easily argued. America’s history of im-

In American AmericansProgress raise the American

by John Gast, Columbia, flag ata Iolani representation Palace, Hawaii of America folleads American lowing the settlers annexation into the of Hawaii. dark West.

Borrowed from resourcesforhistoryteachers.wikispaces.com

perialism, as well as their military and economic power in various regions of the world support the idea of America’s imperialist nature.

Manifest Destiny

America has a long history of political imperialism.

Even when America was young, there was a desire to move westward and expand territory and ideas.

Americans believed that it was their destiny to extend from ocean to ocean, and remake the west with their ideals and unique institutions. This became known as Manifest Destiny. Americans justified this idea by claiming it was their divine right, and that they were destined to extend to the Pacific.

The encroachment on Native American lands was one of the first examples of American imperialism, followed by the Louisiana Purchase and the Mexican-American War. The Mexican-American War in particular is an example, as the war was started solely for the purpose of gaining territory in the West.

The idea of Manifest Destiny eventually came to be applied to other affairs, such as the acquisition of Hawaii and the Spanish-American War. Hawaii was completely independent, but eventually became part of the United States through military force. The Spanish-American War aimed to push the Spanish farther from

America, and gained the territories of Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines, as well as the occupation of Cuba. The Spanish-American War was one of the last instances in which America’s desire for physical expansion was seen.

20th Century

However, American political imperialism survived through America’s aspiration to influence other regions of the world with their political views. This was evident at the end of World War Two, when America oversaw the reconstruction and modernization of Japan, which was based greatly off of America’s structure. The Cold War as well was an example of America’s political imperi-

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INFOGRAPHIC

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Infrographic by Seth Allen

alism, when they vied for political influence in Vietnam, Korea, Germany, and Austria against the Soviet Union and communism.

The prime example of 20th century American imperialism is found in Latin America. Since 1900, almost every Latin American country has been invaded by the United States, some multiple times. The Guatemalan government was overthrown in 1954 because its president’s interests conflicted with the United Fruit Company, an American corporation. The Dominican Republic had its government overthrown in 1961. The democratically elected president of Ecuador, Arosemana, was forced to resign by US military force in 1963. In 1964, the United States backed a military coup in Brazil. When the socialist Salvador Allende was elected president of Chile, the United States backed a coup that installed military dictator Augusto Pinochet.

A Bolivian coup was backed by the United States in 1971. The American invasion of tiny Grenada in 1983 overthrew its Marxist government, as it was not aligned with America’s interests. Finally, The Iran-Contra affair from 1985-87 sold arms to Iran, and then used the revenue to supply the Contras, who opposed the Sandinista government of Nicaragua--a government not well liked by the United States.

In other areas of the world, the United States overthrew the democratically elected Mohammed Mossadegh as lead

Borrowed from theguardian.com

Augusto Pinochet was a Chilean dictator installed by the United States in 1973.

er of Iran, replacing him with the Shah in 1953. Between the years 1957 and 1973, America backed approximately one coup a year in Laos. The CIA overthrew Prince Sahounek of Cambodia in 1970, replacing him with Lon Nol. The Khmer Rouge, formerly a minor opposition party, was able to gain power after this.

Modern Day

Near the end of the Cold War, American interests shifted to the Middle East. The United States helped fund and supply Saddam Hussein, encouraging him to go to war against Iran. The United States spent 627 billion dollars on the war, which

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had death toll estimates from six hundred thousand to one million. Much of the money and arms that the United States gave to Hussein was later used on Kuwait, which sparked the Gulf War in 1991 and may have ultimately led to the Iraq War in 2003.

The Iraq War, though spurred by the attacks on September 11th, eventually came to be much more politically based, with goals of suppressing a government which did not agree with America, and because of America’s interests in oil. The total cost of American involvement in the Middle East between World War II and 2001 are estimated at 3 trillion dollars.The total cost of American involvement in the Middle East since 2001 is estimated to be 1.6 trillion dollars, while some estimates are more than double that number.

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A good portion of this money is money given to Israel.

The Washington Report on Middle East Affairs estimates that the total amount of money given to Israel by the United States is 130 billion dollars. There are many reasons for the United States’ interest in Israel.

Israel is the United States’ only major ally in the region. The United States relied on Israel as an opposition to communism in the region during the Cold War. Israel role models a market economy style system in the region, as well as a democratic parliamentary style government. Israel supports the United States in various of its Middle East affairs, and the two frequently coordinate military strategies.

The United States also relies on Israeli intelligence.

Israel is the United States’ foothold in its opposition to various policies of other nations in the region. This method of using economics to gain influence over a country, and thereby using that country’s influence for regional policy making is viewed as imperialist.

While America uses its economy to influence Israel, it also uses its economy to influence Africa. America’s political influence over the continent is primarily run economically. For several recent decades, the United States has been the largest investor in Africa and has conducted the most trade with Africa of any individual country.

In recent years, however, China has caught up, and now rivals the United States in total trade and investments in Africa. The United States has replied by announcing their investment of an additional 14 billion dollars. The reasons for the United States’ interests in Africa are political influence and trade, as Africa possesses many important resources, such as metals like bauxite, used in aluminum, steel, and platinum. The interest in the continent’s politics and economics, as well as the sudden competition with China, are examples of imperialism, despite not using military.

Israel has received 130 billion dollars in aid from the United States, which is primarily used to fund its military.

A new building under construction for the NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.BorBorrowed from mt-milcom.blogspot.com rowed from mt-milcom.blogspot.com

Finally, America’s immense worldwide political influence is highlighted by its involvement in NATO. If one argues that NATO has an extreme amount of influence, it is also true that the United States has an extreme amount of influence. The United States is responsible for funding 73% of NATO’s treasury. As NATO is the primary defense of almost the entire Western world, the Western world is greatly dependent upon the United States’ military. This alone greatly increases the United States’ foreign influence, and therefore if they wish to exert power, they can do so. This enables the United States’ imperialist approaches.

tentionally or not, every other country. This level of influence has such an effect on the world as a whole that many country’s affairs are in some way linked to the United States.

Through the United States’ militaristic and economic power, the politics of foreign nations have, for better or for worse, been directly shaped by the United States, and in some instances, created by the United States. While the good or bad of American imperialism is still to be argued, the existence of such imperialism is evident.

Through America’s exertion of power in every corner of the world, it can be seen that the United States is imperialist. The United States is not intentionally imperialist in every instance, as it would be impossible for a world superpower to not influence, in-

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Pictured is Jean Moisse, 4 years old, pronounced John.

Photo by Tiffanny Evans.

Love Haiti Relationship By: Elizabeth Evans On January 10, 2010 the lives of Haitians were quite literally shook. An earthquake, with a 7.0 magnitude on the Richter scale devastated the lives of many Haitians. Over 230,000 people were killed and 300,000 were injured. This event incapacitated the already poor country. Five years later, this country is still struggling to get on its feet.

The earthquake combined with a corrupt government caused a collapsed infrastructure. Haiti is currently the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.

The money donated by foreign countries to aid in the earthquake relief, was taken by the government and used for other purposes. ment, the money in Haiti is unevenly distributed. According to haitianpartners.org 78% of the population is poor

and live on two U.S. dollars a day. 54% live in extreme poverty and live on one U.S. dollar a day. The lack of money and resources lead to poor living conditions.

I went to Haiti in March of this year to visit an orphanage. We taught vacation bible school at the orphanage, donated supplies, and taught a women’s bible study in the community.

When I went to Haiti, I saw people in living in terrible conditions. My experience in Haiti was like watching a movie, I could not believe the things I saw. I sawwomen carrying bags twice their size on their heads. I saw pigs living in the same place as children. I saw streets lined with trash, dirt, water, and animals.I saw all these things and more while driving through the city and interacting in the community. These conditions produce and un-

desirable quality of life.

Haitianpartners.org also gives voice, “For every 100,000 births, 523 women died in Haiti, compared to eight maternal deaths for every 100,000 births in Europe. “ After the child is born, the statistics get worse.

• 7% of babies die at birth • Half of all children under five are malnourished If a child manages to live after the first years, he or she only have an average of a sixty one years life expectancy, compared to the American average of seventy eight years old.

These living conditions are caused by a lack of infrastructure and low resources. There are few jobs available for Haitians, so low incomes.

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Infrographic by Elizabeth Evans

This inforgraphic is showing facts about Haiti after the earthquake and the need that remains today

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These low incomes lead to an unhealthy diet. The lower income Haitians can not afford nutritious diets. Also in Haiti the food prices are rising. In some Caribbean islands, the food prices are up forty percent, according to nationalgeographic.com.

This has forced some Haitians to desperate situations, literally eating dirt. They are called clay cookies, a mix of clay powder, water, vegetable shortening, and salt.

These cookies have little to no nutritional value, but

because of their low cost of five cents they are being eaten. These cookies have also been known to carry bacteria. How can we as a human race allow our brothers and sisters to eat dirt, like animals. We must stand up and help them. We can help by donating money to organizations in Haiti, organizations like Free the Kids.

Organizations like this allow you to make donations monthly or sponsor kids.

Another problem for the Haitians is for those not in the country, this prob-

lem is for those in the Do-

minican Republic. Many Haitians fear being deported from the only life they know in the Dominican. In 2013 a court ruling in the Dominican stripped the children of Haitian immigrants of their citizenship. USAtoday.com says, “In 2013, the Dominican Republic’s Supreme Court ruled that people born between 1929 and 2010 in the country to non-citizen parents did not qualify as Dominican citizens.

The decision effectively stripped tens of thousands

of people of their nationality retroactively, prompting activists to accuse the government of making people stateless. The majority of the people affected were people born in the Dominican Republic to Haitian parents.”

In my interview with Vicki Rogers, current resident of the Dominican, she wrote of seeing government trucks coming to their community and checking Haitians paperwork. These Haitians will be removed from their families and friends.

Theguardian.com claims , “In the first quarter of 2015 some 40,000 people have been deported to Haiti. Human rights groups have also documented numerous incidents in which people on their way to apply for residency were swept up and taken to the border.” Many Dominican pastors and mission groups are trying to help get Haitians the legal paperwork they need, but this can only help a small number of people. There is still much help needed.

The Haitians are still a strong people. Through all the struggles they continue to survive. There is a Haitian saying “Mountains beyond mountains”. This

his refers to the obstacles they have overcome and how they continue to persevere. Although they have survived, they still need help.

ing clay. There are many other organizations like this, some of which have products made by Haitians.

If you are interested in helping, there are many ways to do so. One option is very easy, but extremely vital. This option is donating money. Money is a scarce resource in Haiti. The average family lives off two dollars a day, so any donation helps. Abby Miracle, who has gone to Haiti twice, stated not to donate money to the Haitian government.

When you donate money, donate to a local mission group you can trust. When money is given to the government it will only enhance the corruption. The money donated goes to the much needed mission work. Your money may help build an orphanage, provide food, give health care, or much more.

You can also donate to organizations through purchasing certain products.

For example when you buy jewelry from liberate apparel , the money goes to those in Haiti. The bracelets are made from the same clay the clay cookies are made from. When the bracelets are made, it uses the clay for other useful things and keeps a Haitian from eat-

Another option is going to Haiti. You can do many things in Haiti. You can go with a church group and spread religion, you could go with a medical group and provide healthcare, or many other things. This option takes dedication and hands on work. A trip to Haiti is a life changing experience, that one must prepare for. When I went to Haiti, I came back a changed person. I had a new respect for what I had.

A trip to Haiti allows you to personally connect with the Haitians. This option allows you to see the poverty first hand. To quote David Platt, “Orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names. They are easier to ignore before you see their faces. It is easier to pretend they’re not real before you hold them in your arms. But once you do, everything changes.”

This option may not be for everyone, but those who go will not regret it.

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VIVA MEXICO!

Borrowed from Blog.fattonybmx.com

Borrowed from Mexico.malinikaushik.com

Viva Mexico

By: Elizabeth Pecina A familiar feeling. A warmness in my heart. Being Mexican isn’t just a race.

It is my lifestyle, my culture, my home.

As a Mexican American, I would say that I love my heritage. It’s traditional.

Comforting. When I think of Mexico, I think of my village Mier y Noriega. It is a small place, with little shops in every corner. There is a plaza, where everyone goes to at night. I went every night. It was a refreshing walk. Everyone knew each other, like siblings.

Overall, it is my favorite place. When I think of the people there, I think of honest people. Sure, some might be a little judgmental, but they’re all supportive of each other. When someone in the neighborhood is ill, everyone brings him or her soup and checks up on them. When someone is in need, everyone helps out. I do not think of rapists, criminals, nor drug dealers.

We have big hearts and intellectual minds. Our culture is unique. Everyone deserves to know what we are actually like, and how our culture works.

Borrowed from Mychicanonarrative.wordpress.com

A typical Mexican village, most buildings are very similar.

Food Mexican traditions have been passed down by family for many generations. You see authentic Mexican food around the world. Mexican traditions have been shared with other cultures as well. Here in America, they celebrate Cinco de Mayo. For example, even in small rural towns like Versailles, Kentucky, Mexican restaurants are very popular.

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The most popular mexican restaurants here, are Mi Pubelito’s, Ricardo’s, El Tapatio, and Taqueria Becerra. Carolina Z. has worked at El Tapatio for several months now. I asked her about her favorite dish there, and she said, “I really like Tacos de Pescado (fish tacos), or the chimichangas, pretty generic,” Carolina laughed. When I go to El Tapatio with my dad, I always get Tacos de Asada (Grilled Steak Tacos) with cilantro, and I always add lemon to spice it up. Recently, I have gotten the Quesadilla Tapatio, which includes three chicken quesadillas, a side of rice, and a side of salad.

According to Zagat’s 2014 Mexican Food Survey, tacos were the most popular dish.

19% of the surveyed population voted for them. Also, in the article, “Popular Ethnic Foods in The United States: A Historical and Safety Perspective,” it says, “The largest segment of the ethnic foods market in the United States appears to be Mexican, comprising 62% of the FDMx (food, drug, mass index), excluding Wal-Mart sales.”

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Art and Festivities Even though America has Mexican restaurants, we do not all have insight into the culture. Food is not the only aspect of culture. We too celebrate holidays, just like anyone else does. We celebrate La Virgen de Guadalupe (Our Lady Guadalupe), Flag Day, Día de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead), Dia De los Inocentes (like April Fools), and many more.

Photo by Elizabeth Pecina

Chimichanga, Fajitas de Shrimp,Chips and Salsa, Quesadilla Tapatio, and Tapatio.

Borrowed from Tradesy.com

Mexican artist Frida Kahlo

We have many dances such as, Bachata, Cumbia, Salsa, etc. Dances still danced to today at parties, a wedding, or a Quinceanera. Our fashion consists of bright, and beautiful colors with delicate designs, mostly handmade. Much of our clothing is sold by street vendors. Mexico also has its arts, like the famous Mexican painter, Frida Kahlo. Her paintings represented culturalism, and was said to reign against

Places There are many beautiful places to visit in Mexico. Of my many favorite places in Mexico, one of them is the Real de Catorce. It is so beautiful. Every time I visit Mexico, my family goes there. It is on a side of a mountain in San Luis Potosi. There, we usually go to the huge church, which is gorgeous. On the way to the church, vendors are everywhere, selling everything from traditional dishes, to sweets, to clothing, it is one of the most amazing places I have been to.

Mexico has beautiful places to visit. From mountains, to beaches, like Cancun if you feel like surfing, or Monterrey, with beautiful views of nature. I miss every aspect of Mexico.

Home Many times I get “homesick”, and I wish I could go to Mexico more often. I feel very relaxed there and rarely even touch my phone, which I always have on me. Going outside and spending quality time with my family distracted me from electronics, which is something that rarely ever happens. Of course, here in America, there are many things to remind me of “home”.

Even though I was not born in Mexico, I still consider it home. Many people here are very ignorant about Mexico and its culture.

In Mexico, education isn’t the best. Many of us come here, to America, for a better life. Sometimes in Mexico, I see homeless people in the streets. Even kids, around ages 3-6. And everytime I see them, it breaks my heart a little. I wish them a better life. The economy in Mexico isn’t great. It is hard getting money. There aren’t many jobs. Only as

Image of the Virgen de Guadalupe, in the church temple of Real de Catorce

Borrowed from collections.lacma.org

street vendors, or store owners. Here in America, there are so many options. Every person who comes here brings their creativity, their knowledge, their thoughts, and their values.

I want to bring awareness and knowledge of Mexico to America. In Lexington, they host A Latino Festival--food, music, and everything about Mexico. Even non-latinos go.

You can research about Mexico. You can talk to students of Hispanic culture, or just visit a Spanish speaking country. Learning about a culture is a great way to understand it. It may not be your exact way of living, but you can get some insight on it.

Mexico. A traditional, big, happy family. A diverse culture, with many different aspects.

Maybe one day, you will visit Mexico, and have some knowledge of the Latino culture. We are creative. We are intelligent.

We are proud. We are humans. We have a voice. Mexicans are proud. Our heritage, is what makes us, well, us. Culture isn’t just about one specific thing. It is not just about food or eating. It is a part of life. Culture is what helps define you as a person.

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