Issue III
Veracium / March 8th, 2021
Embedded Files
From now on...
Veracium will be releasing biweekly on Mondays!
Greetings and hello! Welcome to Veracium, a newsletter published by BLS V.O.T.E. It is currently published bi-weekly on our website, and details some current events, be it local, national, or global. This time, we'll be covering Senator Ted Cruz's vacation, the Equality Act, Mario Draghi, and continuing with the crisis in Myanmar.
I'd also like to welcome Alessandra Woo as a writer for Veracium, you can read her bio on the Staff page!
We'll be having an info session this Thursday for anyone who wants to get to know the club better. Please sign up for our club if you're interested, or join us here on Thursday, March 11th, 2021!
-Megan Li, Co-President (III)
Articles
Myanmar's Status: An Update
Introduction By Joshua Rand (IV)
As the status in Myanmar continues to evolve, it's important to stay up-to-date and informed about the political and civilian struggles that are ongoing in such a troubled nation. That is why BLS V.O.T.E. will continue to cover and report on the developing situation in Myanmar.
In both internal and external affairs, the position that the people within Myanmar are in has been complex. Internally, police have clashed with protestors, killing many and injuring even more. Externally, very few nations have responded to the violence, despite how many civilians are suffering, and not many more are saying something. It is a dark time for the people of Myanmar, and a grave reminder that democracy has not yet been fully established in the country.
Thanks for reading. We will continue to do our best to cover the situation in Myanmar, and we ask that you realize the terror that so many within the nation are in. If you can, spread the word about it, and hopefully we can raise awareness for the people of Myanmar and those that have died so far.
Before reading on, it is important to note that the following two articles includes descriptions of violence. We have done our best to limit any such content, but please take this into account if this affects you.
Death, Demonstrations and Dominance:
Myanmar's Internal Situation
By Joshua Rand (IV)
The memorial for the first victim of police violence during the anti-coup protests in Myanmar, Mya Thwe Thwe Khaing. The memorial was erected in the nation's capital, Nay Pyi Taw, on 12 February. She has become a national martyr and symbol of the movement to reinstate democracy- the George Floyd of Myanmar's democracy movement.
As of now, the most well-known death has been that of 19-year-old Mya Thwe Thwe Khaing, who was killed due to sustained injuries and a worsening condition after a shot in the head, most likely one of live ammunition. This occurred at a demonstration in the capital on 9 February, where at least two other protestors were hit with genuine live fire.
As of March 3, at least 59 protestors have been killed through police brutality (as well as one policeman) in Myanmar following the February 1 coup d'état when the military seized power, claiming election fraud. This has not been backed by any evidence, and all results point to the National League for Democracy (NLD), the leading Party in Myanmar, as the clear victors. Aung San Suu Kyi, the famous Nobel Peace Prize laureate and de facto leader of Myanmar and other NLD party leaders have been detained, along with hundreds of others, as the military has continued to crack down.
However, the people of Myanmar have not been quietly sitting by the sidelines, and in Yangon- Myanmar's largest city- alone, thousands have gathered to go on strike and protest military rule. The current protests are unlike any Myanmar has seen in 14 years, since the event dubbed the Saffron Revolution in 2007, when thousands of monks decided to go up against the military regime of the time. These protests, and others, such as those in the capital of Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar's second largest city of Mandalay, and the towns of Monywa, Myingyan, and Magway, have been violent and they've led to many deaths and even more injuries.
Mya Tha Toe Nwe, Mya Thwe Thwe Khaing's sister, spoke to reporters, saying simply:
" I want to encourage all the citizens to join the protests until we can get rid of this system. That's all I want to say. "
However, hers is not the only death thus far, as is clear from the overall death toll. More recently, many have been shot by Myanmar security forces, including a protestor who was shot in the head in Mandalay, and five or six were killed in the town of Monywa. Members of larger scale protests have suffered as well, with thousands in Yangon being subjected to tear gas and rubber bullets, and later even live ammunition after the protestors regrouped and returned to the same location. There may have even been deaths and serious injuries in association with that event. Yangon has also been host to numerous reports of mass arrests and police beatings, and well over 1,200 people have been detained since the coup.
Wednesday, March 3, was described as the deadliest day so far, as 38 people were killed in a single day, adding to the 21 who were already dead before that point. Knowledge of this day of death is still coming out, but it has become known through footage coming out of Myanmar, the UN Myanmar envoy Christine Schraner Burgener, and witnesses that both rubber and live bullets were used, and the military and police attacked unarmed protestors in what can only be described as nearly a massacre. Among the dead are: two boys, one 14 and another 17, another 19-year-old woman, the six in Monywa mentioned above, unidentified deomonstrators in Mandalay, and at least about 30 others. Injuries includes at least 10 in Myingyan. In several of these situations, no warning was given, the police and soldiers just came in and started to shoot.
Overall, the situation is not looking good in Myanmar, but there has been little real action from the outside, and the people of Myanmar continue to face harsh, violent responses to their calls for democracy.
Sources:
Cuddy, Alice. "Myanmar coup: What is happening and why?" BBC, 2 Mar. 2021, www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-55902070. Accessed 5 Mar. 2021.
"More killed as Myanmar forces open fire on anti-coup protesters." Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera Media Network, 3 Mar. 2021, www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/3/protests-continue-amid-row-over-who-represents-myanmar-at-un. Accessed 5 Mar. 2021.
"Myanmar coup: Woman shot during anti-coup protests dies." BBC, 19 Feb. 2021, www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-56122369. Accessed 5 Mar. 2021.
"Myanmar sees deadliest day as 38 protesters killed." BBC, 3 Mar. 2021, www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-56265962. Accessed 5 Mar. 2021.
"UN: 38 killed in 'bloodiest day' since coup hit Myanmar." Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera Media Network, 4 Mar. 2021, www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/3/un-envoy-says-38-dead-in-bloodiest-day-since-coup-hit-myanmar. Accessed 5 Mar. 2021.
The International Response to Myanmar's Coup
By Alessandra Woo (V)
As the violent crackdown in Myanmar intensifies, the United Nations, the United States, and several other countries have done little to assist the country in this time of international crisis. In response to the coup d'état in Myanmar which took place on February 1, the military has taken full control of the country, defying Myanmar’s previously democratically elected leader. Many are working to ensure that democracy is rebuilt for the Burmese people, yet others cannot come to terms.
President Joe Biden has condemned the Burmese military, imposing sanctions on those responsible for the coup. He blocked property ownership in the United States, so that everyone in Myanmar responsible for the coup will not be able to trade with the U.S. These sanctions, however, have harmed the citizens, rather than the government, since the US focuses on the domestic market in trade. The United Nations has done little but recommend the military leaders to have this “resolved through peaceful dialogue”.
Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong, condemned the violence.
As helpful as these international aids might be, the responses from Myanmar’s neighboring countries are crucial. Japan and Singapore have both come out and said that they “oppose any action” against Myanmar’s democracy, yet have done nothing. Lee Hsien Loong, prime minister of Singapore, said that the military has Myanmar’s best interest at heart, and that “it will be the Myanmar population who will hurt”. Many of Myanmar’s neighbors have similar military dictatorships as Myanmar’s coup-induced government, so they don’t see this current situation as an emergency. China, a powerful country directly bordering Myanmar, has not come out with a statement, which is immensely detrimental to the Burmese people. As Beijing heavily relies on Myanmar for trade, it is suspected that China will side with the military.
Sources:
Lee, Yen Nee. "WORLD POLITICS Myanmar coup tests Biden's ability to work with allies in Asia, where China's influence is growing." CNBC, 2 Feb. 2021. CNBC, www.cnbc.com/2021/02/02/myanmar-coup-tests-bidens-pledge-to-work-with-allies-in-asia.html. Accessed 2 Mar. 2021.
United Nations Secretary-General. "Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary General - on Myanmar." United Nations, 31 Jan. 2021, www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2021-01-31/statement-attributable-the-spokesperson-for-the-secretary-general-myanmar. Accessed 2 Mar. 2021.
"'It will be the Myanmar population who will hurt' says Singapore's PM Lee Hsien Loong." South China Morning Post, 2 Mar. 2021. South China Morning Post, www.scmp.com/video/asia/3123816/it-will-be-myanmar-population-who-will-hurt-says-singapores-pm-lee-hsien-loong. Accessed 2 Mar. 2021.
International Crisis Group. 16 Feb. 2021, www.crisisgroup.org/asia/south-east-asia/myanmar/b166-responding-myanmar-coup. Accessed 2 Mar. 2021.
Mario Draghi: One Special Leader
By Albert Chen (IV)
Two weeks ago, Italy got a new prime minister, the second highest government official below the president and the scaffolding for its government: Mario Draghi. Draghi however, was not elected by any of Italy’s citizens, he wasn’t even working for the government at the time of his inauguration. He was invited to be the Prime Minister, by the president: Sergio Mattarella. You must be asking: “This doesn’t sound like a democracy, especially when Italy is supposed to be a leading face in modern-day Europe” The thing is, Draghi isn’t politically driven, he does not take sides, instead choosing to be an independent, he was never even educated in politics, instead he has a degree in banking and economics. Draghi did have a presence in European economics though, previously serving as the President of the European Central Bank (the committee responsible for the Euro), and the Chair Financial Stability Board. But who is Draghi, and why does Italy like him?
Mario Draghi was born into an upper class family in Rome in 1947. His father had a large presence in the Bank of Italy, and IRI. He went to a Catholic school in his childhood, and was friends with a fellow classmate Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, who was the former CEO of Ferrari. Besides that, Draghi wasn’t that special. He graduated from Sapienza University of Rome and studied at MIT with a degree in economics. In the last decade, Draghi played an important part in Europe’s financial system, serving as the President of the ECB, Draghi was in charge of dealing with the Eurozone Crisis, a recession in the EU caused by the high levels of debt within European nations to the EU, resulting in a series of bailouts, most notably Greece, whose debt was almost twice as high as previously expected at the time of Draghi’s office. However, even when many have failed, Draghi managed to resolve most of the Eurozone problems, through what is highly regarded as some extreme brokering, including a €489 billion loan to European nations, and doing some smooth talking which led to some Quantitative easing of the US Federal Reserve, and the Bank of England, which prevented the Euro from devaluing, These steps ultimately saved the EU financially, and earned Draghi the nickname “Super Mario.”
In 2019, Draghi finished his term as the President of the European Central Bank, and retired quietly to private life. However, with the Covid-19 pandemic in the following year, Italy’s financial and political situation was quickly deteriorating. With tourism quickly coming to a halt, and Italy’s poor handling of the initial wave of cases, the government was in trouble. After a year of bad decisions and lots of finger-pointing, Giuseppe Conte, the former Prime Minister of Italy suddenly resigned, bringing the Conte government of Italy to an end. Just a few days later, Draghi was invited to the Quirinal Palace by Mattarella, whose intention was to persuade Draghi into taking the role of Prime Minister. However, Mattarella didn’t have to persuade Draghi, and just after a week or two, Draghi had secured the support of all of Italy’s political parties, every party from the most left to the most right supported Draghi. Just a week later, Draghi revealed his Cabinet, which consisted of an even number of members of all parties, and a handful of technocrats and economists. With an “election” in the Senate, Draghi was received well, with a 10:1 support to oppose ratio, the highest margin ever seen in Italy’s history. Although no citizens got a say in Draghi’s inauguration as PM, most are confident in Draghi. By the time March rolled around, Draghi had already secured around 2,000,000 Pfizer vaccines for his nation, and is in the process of vaccinating Italy as we speak, and is expected to receive more Oxford-Astra vaccines in the future. In the coming days, Mario Draghi’s plans only seem to get larger.
Sources:
“Mario Draghi Sworn in as Italy's New Prime Minister.” BBC News, BBC, 13 Feb. 2021, www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56049115.
"Draghi Says He Knew Nothing About Goldman-Greece Deal". Bloomberg.com. 14 June 2011. Retrieved 4 October 2020
The Equality Act: It Has Passed The House,
But The Senate Still Must Endorse It
By Megan Li (III)
On Thursday, February 25th, the House of Representatives voted to amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and provide protections to the LGBTQ community. The amendment would extend civil rights protections by explicitly including sexual orientation and gender identification as protected characteristics. The protections would cover many areas of everyday life, including housing, employment, education, loan applications, education, as well as others. It would hopefully ensure that everyone is equal before the law, and prevent discrimination based on who a person is or who they love.
Democratic Representative David Cicilline, of Rhode Island, is the bill’s lead sponsor, and is quoted saying it “ensures members of the LGBTQ community can live their lives free from the fear of legal discrimination of any kind.” It is necessary to pass this amendment at the federal level, as 27 states currently have no LGBTQ nondiscrimination legislation. A federal law would cause this to become necessary across all of America. After all, how can we claim to protect “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” if we don’t even prevent bigotry and prejudice from affecting people’s lives?
Significant opponents of the bill include Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican representative of Georgia, and Senator Mitt Romney, a Utah Republican. Greene’s prejudice was demonstrated in a sign she put outside of her office door reading “There are TWO genders, Male & Female. Trust The Science!” By doing this she proved that bigotry can exist anywhere, even in Congress, and demonstrated the reason we need to pass this bill. Very well thought out plan there.
Another issue which has been brought up by critics is that the legislation will undermine Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination in education programs funded by the federal government. However, Neena Chaudhry, who works as a lawyer for the National Women’s Law Center, says that the bill will not do that.
Although this law has passed the house, it is necessary for it to pass the Senate as well. In order for that to happen, the Equality Act needs 60 votes, which would be all Democrats, as well as 10 Republican Senators. You can help by signing this petition (http://chng.it/9n2RpkMNx8)
Sources:
Board, Editorial. “The Senate Must Pass the Equality Act - The Boston Globe.” BostonGlobe.com, The Boston Globe, 3 Mar. 2021, www.bostonglobe.com/2021/03/03/opinion/senate-must-pass-equality-act/.
Cicilline, David. “Mitch McConnell, Take Some Advice from Taylor Swift on LGBTQ Rights - The Boston Globe.” BostonGlobe.com, The Boston Globe, 27 June 2019, www.bostonglobe.com/metro/rhode-island/2019/06/27/mitch-mcconnell-take-some-advice-from-taylor-swift-lgbtq-rights/Ye4wXFrbDsZLVFB2bFn1ZJ/story.html.
Cicilline, David N. “Text - H.R.5 - 117th Congress (2021-2022): Equality Act.” Congress.gov, 2 Mar. 2021, www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/5/text.
Daly, Matthew. “House Approves Sweeping Bill to Expand Gay Rights - The Boston Globe.” BostonGlobe.com, The Boston Globe, 17 May 2019, www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2019/05/17/house-approves-sweeping-bill-expand-gay-rights/EEOazyz5YZctvVlQTjTyMO/story.html.
Fitzpatrick, Edward. “Cicilline Blasts Taylor Greene for Opposing Equality Act - The Boston Globe.” BostonGlobe.com, The Boston Globe, 26 Feb. 2021, www.bostonglobe.com/2021/02/26/metro/cicilline-blasts-taylor-greene-opposing-equality-act/.“
LGBTQ Americans Arent Fully Protected From Discrimination in 29 States.” Freedom for All Americans, freedomforallamericans.org/states/.
"Canún Cruz" Takes a Vacation Amidst Crisis
By Peter Guo (V)
With the recent surge of news, you’ve certainly either known or have heard of the Texas power crisis. As the result of 3 winter storms sweeping across the United States, more than 4.5 million homes and businesses were left without power, water, and food. Frozen natural gas equipment and a lack of standard winterizing technology was the main cause of the crisis, but perhaps there is more to blame than just equipment. Senator Ted Cruz decided to take a vacation to Cancún, while his state was in critical condition. It took Cruz just 10 hours, from when his united plane landed in Cancún on Wednesday at 7:52 PM, to when he booked his return flight the next day at 6 AM, to realize that he just made both a humiliating and catastrophic mistake. It’s really not ideal to take a personal vacation when 30 people are dead and millions are without electricity or safe drinking water in your state, which earned him the nicknames “Cancún Cruz” and “Flyin’ Ted”. One Houston-based Twitter user even tweeted “Well Senator Cruz is flying to Cancún while millions of Texans do not have electricity #Priorities #ThanksforNothingSenator” over a picture of Cruz at the airport. With protestors outside of his home, Cruz says he understands the anger many Texans feel toward his decision, finally admitting that leaving for a personal benefit in the middle of a winter disaster was “obviously a mistake” and mentioning that “in hindsight, I wouldn’t have done it”.
Sources:
“2021 Texas Power Crisis.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 6 Mar. 2021, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_Texas_power_crisis.
Goldmacher, Shane, and Nicholas Fandos. “Ted Cruz's Cancún Trip: Family Texts Detail His Political Blunder.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 18 Feb. 2021, www.nytimes.com/2021/02/18/us/politics/ted-cruz-storm-cancun.html.
Images from above sources: in order of appearance top to bottom, left to right; Licensed Through Creative Commons
The Jerusalem Post (https://www.jpost.com/international/myanmar-diplomatic-revolt-against-junta-widens-after-violent-crackdown-661053);
CNBC (https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/02/myanmar-coup-tests-bidens-pledge-to-work-with-allies-in-asia.html);
Al Jazeera (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/3/protests-continue-amid-row-over-who-represents-myanmar-at-un);
BBC (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-56122369);
The Straits Times (https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/myanmar-situation-an-enormous-tragic-step-back-use-of-lethal-force-unacceptable);
Presidenza dell Repubblica (https://www.quirinale.it/elementi/52056);
The Dallas Daily News (https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2021/02/18/barbs-fly-at-ted-cruz-for-heading-to-cancun-as-millions-in-texas-freeze-without-power/)
Upcoming Online Events
BLS V.O.T.E would like to recommend the following online events for both students and faculty! They are all free to attend, and hopefully will be rather informative. Please let us know if there are any events you would like to recommend by emailing us at vote.bls@gmail.com!
Organisational Change in Policing (March 18th - Register Here)
Join Suffolk University Professor Brenda Bond-Fortier for a discussion titled Organisational Change in Policing on March 18 from 6 - 7 p.m. In February 2020, Brenda published her latest book, Organisational Change in an Urban Police Department: Innovating to Reform. The book describes her research on the complexity of police management, innovation, and change in the Lowell, Massachusetts, Police Department. The discussion on March 18 will focus on Brenda’s latest work and is being hosted by the AmeriCorps Alums of Boston.
Feminist economics and care - Nancy Folbre's Economics for Activists (March 9th - Register Here)
The fifth 'Economics for Activists' session with acclaimed feminist economist Nancy Folbre on care, intersectionality and the economy. Nancy Folbre will present a view of economics from a feminist perspective, with a focus on the care economy - unpaid and paid care provision. She’ll help us think about the important economic contributions made by families and communities and the failure to measure them properly; and the shortcomings of the standard “business model” based on profit maximisation and consumer choice for care services through the market. She is Director of the Program on Gender and Care Work at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and is the author of a number of books.
Accidental Courtesy: Daryl Davis, Race & America (March 13th - Register Here)
Daryl Davis will give a talk about his experience as an African American fighting racism including engaging directly with Ku Klux Klan. On March 13, 2021, 6:30-8:30 PM, former Belmont resident Daryl Davis will give a talk and discussion about his experience as an African American fighting racism. However, his is an uncharted territory for activism because he has engaged directly with Ku Klux Klan members in order to win over their hearts and minds.
Activism and the Humanities (March 17th - Register Here)
Join Kevin Gotkin, David Kirkland, Nikhil Pal Singh & Mara Mills as they discuss the relationship between activism and the humanities. Underpinning the liberal arts is the belief that higher education is preparation for life as a responsible, actively engaged citizen. Does this mean there is a natural connection between the humanities and activism, or is it that higher education points the way to something more focused? What might such activism look like? Join us for a discussion with NYU faculty on Activism and the Humanities.
"Don't Get Sick After June": Maria John on Native Health Inequality (March 11th - Register Here)
In the wake of the US federal government’s record-breaking shutdown in January 2019 and the onslaught of COVID-19 just a year later, the severity of Native American health disparities and the precarious reality of funding within the IHS for both reservation and urban communities alike has been thrust into the national spotlight. This paper will historicize these very recent catastrophes in a long-running record of medical neglect, chronic underfunding, and structural barriers to access within the IHS. By unpacking the reasons why, for almost seventy years, the refrain “don’t get sick after June” has remained painfully relevant for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities, this paper argues that the US federal government’s woefully inadequate and underfunded system of healthcare for Native peoples is one of the nation’s gravest examples of structural inequality and racialized disparity created by the government in the realm of health.
Gratitude and Thanks
We want to extend our gratitude to our teachers at Boston Latin and BLS staff, especially Ms. Catherine Arnold, Ms. Martha Pierce, and Ms. Rachel Skerritt.
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