Frogs in a Well: Castro's Desk

The year Fidel Castro came to power, there may have been three objects sitting on the desk of the Cuban prime minister: a small model of the Lincoln Memorial, a mini desk calendar turned to July 26th, and a rustic quill. Castro’s changing foreign interests have mystified many throughout his reign, and the evolution of these symbols may provide a window into the mindset of his 56-year dynasty.

1959-  When Castro seized control of the Cuban government on the first of the year, it was still heavily dependent on US corporations and investments, which had replaced the weight of the Spanish crown through the Treaty of Paris (1894). However, after the success of Castro’s 26th of July political movement, the new prime minister began dramatically re-working the entire economy. US-Cuba trade evaporated quickly following extreme taxes on American exports. Though the US government was already privy to Castro’s “anti-Yankee imperialism,” vice-president Nixon agreed to meet with Castro in Washington DC, the last such visit for the next half century.

1962- The objects on Castro’s desk have sustained a dramatic change. As the Cold War swept across the world, the quill that had reminded Cubans of America’s economic and political power snapped into two pieces when President Kennedy, pressured by American corporations, approved a stringent trade embargo with Cuba. In the same year, a model of a bobble-head pig armed with a missile found its way into the space on Castro’s desk, replacing the Lincoln memorial. In the midst of the Cold War, the CIA led over fifty attempts on Fidel Castro’s life, starting with the botched Bay of Pigs invasion, to prevent Cuba from joining the Soviets. Though the organization operated secretly through former Cuban exiles, Castro was not deceived. He quickly armed his country with missiles from the USSR, and the US just barely escaped armed confrontation with Communist forces. Just as the bobble-head figurine bounced its head comically from side-to-side, Castro’s erratic ambitions darkened his relations with the US.

1996- Amidst the exodus of dissatisfied Cubans to the US, 2 model fighter planes appeared on Castro’s desk. This year, the Cuban government shot down two such American planes flying over Cuban airspace. When the US Congress furiously extended the trade embargo to all of Cuba’s trade partners (Helms-Burton Act), deep-seated anger on both sides brought relations to their most volatile point.

2013- Seven years have passed since the first Castro bequeathed control of Cuba to his younger brother, Raul Castro. This year, the leather gloves that the second Castro wore to Mandela’s funeral appeared casually on the table – this was the same pair that he had worn while shaking hands with President Obama, the first such handshake to take place in 54 years.

2015- The seeds of revolution have sprouted out of the deep-rooted trade embargo. The armed pig on Castro’s desk has evolved into a small model of a wrapped and packaged American pork chop, mirroring the vast amount of US food aid that entered Cuba following Hurricane Michelle. Despite the sharp hostility of President Bush’s administration, the non-existent trade relations between the two nations have given way to cautious negotiations between the two countries. Though there is much uncertainty as to how these talks will affect Cuba’s anti-American stance, President Obama recently suggested a small addition to Castro’s desk- a small black desk phone, connecting directly to an identical one on his own desk. With these, there may come a time when the fierce rivals reach a point of understanding and democracy. Until then, I believe we must keep an eye on the Cuban leader’s desk.

Frogs in a Well: At the apex of the Women's Rights Campaign

                In 2012, a “mockingjay” entered the international stage. When the Taliban shot and critically injured this 15-year old girl, her voice was immediately amplified across the world as a powerful call for youth education. Her name is Malala Yousafzai. One afternoon, I was sitting in my room, surrounded by recent magazine clippings of Malala, when she paid me a visit. As if her passion and strong will had risen out of all of the articles, I envisioned her spirit standing in front of me, determinedly sharing her life’s message. Here is our interview.

Me: Malala, you’ve received the Noble Peace Prize, met with Obama, the Queen of England, and are talked about throughout the world. How does it feel to be looked up to by so many girls & children around the world?

Malala: It’s a real honor, but a strange feeling for me, because I’m really just like all of you. Even after being shot by the Taliban, I am still the same girl I was before; a teenager from Pakistan that wanted to go to school to be with her friends and receive an education.

Me: Are you scared of being targeted by the Taliban again?

Malala: Now, I only desire for all youth, even the children of the Taliban to have equal opportunities & the right to education. So you can say that, even though my view has not changed, I am thankful as the Taliban boy that shot me raised my voice, which is only one of the many for unprejudiced education, to the international community.

Me: What motivates you to continually speak out on human rights?

Malala: Ever since I was young, my dad has always encouraged me to speak out about my rights. I’m sure all of you, even as Americans, learn one key thing from our parents. Mine was that I had the right to be educated, and to have as many opportunities as my two younger brothers did. When I began blogging for the BBC Urdu, I was determined to receive an education despite all of the violence that surrounded me, and that desire has been with me even after I was shot. Now, I am receiving an excellent education in the United Kingdom, but whenever I think that another girl or another boy may be suffering from the same unequal opportunities I faced, I am filled with a burning desire to help them, and to make their voice heard to the international community.

Me: Do you have any advice for how members of the Saint Francis High school community can work to make a change for girls’ and boys’ education?

Malala: I greatly admire the environment in which many of you have grown and received an education. But let me ask you this: what are your plans for the future? My dream is for all children to be able to ask themselves that question without criticism or attack. If you have school clubs that allow you to stand up & speak out on the fight for children’s rights, join them to strengthen the campaign for equal education of all children. One child, one teacher, one pen, one paper can change the world. If we really want world peace, education will spark the revolution.

                With her last words ringing in the air, Malala’s spirit faded away from my room. But where she had just been standing, I could still sense a beacon of life, and I felt the intensity of her life’s dream welling up inside of me. Seeing in person a teenager, just like us, that had changed the world, I thought she had the power to make anyone see beyond the well.

Frogs in a Well: the Ebola Virus Strikes Back!

The latest villain of news media has begun to penetrate the deepest fears of Americans. Is it Ronan? Kim Jong-un? No, it’s the ebola virus. The highly contagious disease that infected almost 6,000 and killed over 2,000 in Western Africa has left America terrified for its health. But perhaps these fears are not justified; could it be that our tendency to misread international events has made us into parochial frogs in a well?
According to statisticians, the answer, surprisingly, is “no.” The outbreak that first struck Guinea in December of last year has exploded into the most serious case of the disease to date; the current number of cases triples that of the first outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1976, or the brief scare in Uganda at the turn of the century. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported two weeks ago that the total civilian death rate by January 2015 will reach 11,000 at the very least, and 1.4 million in the worst case scenario.

However, as researchers are not the ones directly exposed to the virus, it is critical to consider the perspective of Africans. For those living in the disease-ravaged African coast, ebola has disrupted every aspect of daily life. Not only has the under-staffed and under-funded health care system refused to treat all but ebola cases, but public services, including schools in Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Senegal have closed out of fear of spreading the contagion. Local residents commented to BBC on their frustration at the situation: “I’m against the government decision to [close all schools]… would you ask students to stop going to churches and mosques as well?” Though the government cannot prevent locals from gathering, it has every power to deny them access to basic medical aid. Stories of first-time mothers dying from pregnancy complications, or seniors battling desperately with the common flu have horrified Americans. In each of these situations, the victim died alone, as their suffering was deemed “not as important” as that from the ebola virus.
Even from the view of the medics themselves, the epidemic is a worst nightmare come true. Many of the workers are volunteers who raced to answer the world-wide plea for medical personnel. What the job description did not address though, was the fact that there is no cure or vaccine, or that most hospitals are ill-equipped to treat ebola. Volunteers are in contact with victims for far more than the recommended number of hours, and easily contract this fluid-borne illness. However, most infected volunteers do not have to worry about being refused medical aid. Dr. Rick Sacra contracted the disease in Liberia last month, but six days later, he was receiving expert care in the United States. For Americans at least, “the care [is] so excellent, so speedy,” and a world apart from the situation that faces African victims.

Then do we have any reason to fear an ebola outbreak in the US? Unless otherwise noted, our insurance money can more than easily contain any outbreak, in the case that one does occur in the United States. The real concern, though, is our blatant ignorance of the African health care. Why did it take a reoccurrence of the ebola epidemic for us to take our eyes off our own health care system? Before more deaths can take place, it is high time that we paid more attention to lacking medical facilities around the world, and fulfilled our obligation to improve international health. Perhaps then we will be less inclined to believe exaggerated news reports, and disperse the self-absorbed mist that clouds our perception of the world. Until then, Americans can be said only to be frogs in a well, unaware of the reality of the ebola virus in Africa, or most any other conflict beyond our country borders.

Frogs in a Well: Why Migrate into the "Melting Pot"?

In the North American continent, two wars have taken countries by a storm. One, involving the massive influx of immigrants (many of them unaccompanied minors) from Latin American countries (especially Honduras and Guatemala); two, encompassing Congress, and its failure to surpass political interests in order to pass effective legislation. Though the two issues may at first seem distinct, polemics in both conflicts are involved in a game of "chicken and egg," with both sides implying that the present-day errs and complications are a result of the opposite dispute.

Most of the immigrants come from Spanish-speaking countries in the Northern Triangle. Mexico is excluded, as current immigration laws allow for the immediate deportation of Mexicans across the border without trial.

Since civil war first entered the scene in Latin America, the number of immigrants looking to the US as a haven from violence has been steadily increasing. Mainly, the number of unaccompanied minors that are crossing the border has grown by more than 117%. (51,729 youth migrants were counted entering the country in this fiscal year, beginning October 2013. Hispanics and Asian-Americans make up 2/3 of the immigrant population in the US, while Hispanics comprise 3/4 of the illegal population.) Youth often flee pressure to join one of the local gangs; if they succumb, their family may come under fire from enemy gangs while if they refuse, the offer is likely to turn lethal.

The route of drug trafficking and involved gangs through Central America via the main source countries of many refugees in the US.

Residents of Latin America have reason to fear for their lives. Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador, the three major source countries of refugees and migrants, comprise the Northern Triangle, dubbed the "most violent region not involved in war." Homicide rates in these countries are at a record high, though the UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Trafficking) reports that these rates may not reveal the full extent of violence, as many citizens do not trust the responsiveness of police enough to report crimes. Growing up in such circumstances, many youth are unable to receive education or a stable job, forming the Ni/ni generation, a group of over 20 million Latin American young adults (ages 15-24) that "neither work, nor study." Many such youth join the gang culture for a sense of purpose and protection, but end up heightening the intensity of violence, and force other youth to flee the country.

Members of the "Ni-ni generation," standing in an endless queue for the employment office.

If so many juveniles are bringing unrest to the country by joining gangs, why not abolish the gang culture? Unfortunately, the gang rivalry in Central America causing the loss of so many lives, finds its root in Congress's inability to handle the broadening crisis. The first generation of Hispanics that fled the civil war in their hometowns in the 1980s found itself without financial support, a stable job, nor the acceptance of mainstream Americans. (The lack of institutions to aid assimilation is often blamed on the government's inability to realize the potent impacts of immigration.) The children of these immigrants found solace in forming gangs with others like themselves, a phenomenon for which LA has received the nickname of "gang capital of America." According to early immigration laws, these youth were deported to countries such as Guatemala or Honduras; for many of the gangs, this was the first time its US-born members had ever set foot in the region. Today, these troubled juveniles have created one of the most dangerous territories in the world, an unrestrained gang war zone that makes the violence in the southern US seem like child's play. Gangs such as the Mara or 204th street gangs (named after the LA streets in which they were first established) have gained over 70,000 members each, and continue to resorted to drug trafficking and terror, unchecked by Latin American police forces or law enforcement officials.

If Congress were to pass a 'comprehensive immigration reform' bill, it could take the first steps in reorganizing the current system of handling immigrants, before tackling the unrelenting stream of new refugees.

So which came first? The chicken or the egg; the deficient immigration laws or the influx of Hispanic immigrants? Currently, the White House position states that extreme poverty and the endemic of gang violence paired with the lacking rule of law brought on the current calamity. What better country to seek economic incentives and refuge than the "country of immigrants"? However, according to House Republican (Judiciary Committee Chairman) Robert Goodlatte, "Word has gotten out around the world about President Obama's lax immigration enforcement policies, and it has encouraged more individuals to come to the United States illegally, many of whom are children from Central America." (What's Causing the Latest Immigration Crisis?) There may be a grain of truth in this statement as well. Besides the economic or refuge-motivated incentives, immigrants that cross the border today are discharged to the care of relatives with only an assigned date to appear in court. (Only Mexican immigrants can be immediately deported due to child trafficking laws.) With court appearance dates backlogged 587 days on average due to the lack of immigration court lawyers and judges, many immigrants think of their court appearance notices as proof of their legal status in the US, and contact family members with the false news. Ultimately, it remains to be seen whether Congress and the White House will be able to reach an affirmative decision to stem the flow of immigrants by addressing the cause for their exodus (release of false news or gang crisis), or effectively integrate them into American society.

Flashback: the Gabo Reform (Joseon Dynasty)

Before becoming the Korean empire, the Korean peninsula was under the rule of the feudal system in the Joseon Dynasty. In an uprising called the "Gabo Reform" (named for the year in which it occurred, 1984, according to the Chinese Stems-and-branches calendar), a people's rebellion similar to those that occurred in Western Europe, the commoners and peasants successfully overthrew the traditional hierarchy, abolished slavery, and established several institutions that would contribute to a more democratic society. Similar reforms continued through the start of the 20th century, until Korea was forcefully annexed by the Japanese Empire. Some historians believe that the reforms taking place during this period were influenced by the Meiji Reform that had taken place in Japan. Regardless of the presence of Japanese ideology, the movements comprising the Gabo Reform moved the country greatly in the path toward modernization, a process that was furthered, albeit forcefully, during the Japanese Occupation period.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzTDmkWTzr6PYU1RTk0xcHBUN00/edit?usp=sharing

The Visible & Muffled Minority

Koreans, historically, are unwelcoming to foreigners. Before the country was forced open to Western influences under Japan's dominion, it had maintained a strict closed-door policy to all contact but trade and cultural exchange with neighboring China and Japan. This policy was gradually cemented into the Korean mindset following French and American campaigns against Korea in the mid-19th century. In retaliation for the execution of its first missionaries sent to Korea (an act motivated mostly by the humiliation brought on by foreign powers in the Opium Wars), the French deployed a naval mission to the hermit kingdom. Though the French forces were forced to retreat, Korea lost many valuable books and national treasures to plundering, and it remained sore from this encounter throughout its first interactions with the US and other Western powers.

The Paris Foreign Missions Society in the 19th century. The four missionaries on the left were later martyred in Korea.

Today, almost no trace of such hostility remains in the Korean economy, which in 2011 was ranked 7th and 9th in total international exports and imports, respectively. However, Korea is still characterized by a populational homogeneity that has only now begun to diversify with the influx of foreign migrants. As a member state of the prestigious 20-50 club, an exclusive group of countries (7 total) with a per capita income exceeding 20,000 USD, and a population of over 50 million, Korea provides an ideal environment for many investors, foreign workers, and exchange students. While Western travelers described local hospitality as "their most distinctive impression of Korea," Koreans have been known to discriminate and treat poorly visitors from other Asian countries, especially those that come to the country with purposes beyond tourism or temporary study. At the crux of this conflict is the rising presence of foreign marriage migrants and long-term laborers.Laborers, especially those from South Asia, are leased to enter the country under the competitive "Employment Permit System Recruitment," a system that delegates immigrants jobs in manufacturing, construction, agriculture, and fishery that have often been classified as "DDD" (dirty, dangerous, demeaning). Even after entering Korea, such laborers are only guaranteed two 4.5-year residencies, just short of the 5 year requirement for permanent residency. Unfortunately, such unfair policy is merely a reflection of Korean sentiment, which is piled high against immigrants.

One of many Korean visas issued to foreigners entering Korea for work. Continual restrictions on the issuance of visas has not discouraged foreigners who compete fiercely for the coveted legal acknowledgement.

Another group facing strong persecution in Korea is migrant spouses. While 86% of laborers are male, nearly all entering spouses are Asian women, following their husbands to a foreign land, where they are often shunned for their distinct appearance and inability to speak Korean. Many of these women follow their husbands for the rich economic opportunities in Korea, which can translate to remittances for struggling family members back home. Unfortunately, children of these "multicultural families" often face the brunt of prejudice. Despite identifying as Korean, many are shunned by their peers and teachers due to their mixed bloodline; those unable to afford school are often under-educated and unable to speak proper Korean or gain a high paying job. Unlike in other destination countries, migrants in the Korean Peninsula are isolated from mainstream Korean society for life, and the government is only now beginning to enact infrastructure protecting foreigners' rights.

Foreign wives assimilate to a new life in Korea through cultural immersion activities such as making the side dish kimchi.

In 2008, the Korean government released an "Act on Support for Multicultural Families." Recognizing the increasing percentage of "multicultural families," the legislature sought to organize efforts at integrating foreign mothers and their half-Korean children into regular society, while also defending migrant laborers' rights against work-related prejudice. Recently, several NGOs in the country have released a myriad of suggestions specifically targeting youth integration into the economy/society. The proposed solutions include, but are not limited to translating official documents and educational guidebooks into common minority languages(also provides jobs for immigrants), creating a government-funded network of multicultural families to allow greater communication and representation, providing extra Korean language classes especially for resident aliens (can be founded in partnership of the Office of Education and local community colleges). However, none of these solutions have yet been  implemented, and current infrastructure reveal a disinclination for the maintenance and funding of integration programs. So why do foreigners continue to flock to the Korean Peninsula? Beyond the obvious economic reasons, immigrants to Korea gain access to a much broader job market, and comparatively equal opportunities regardless of gender. Koreans are grudgingly tolerant of foreign laborers, for not only do they fill the undesirable "manual labor" roles, but the current system encourages temporary stay, which provides migrant labor on a temporary basis, meeting the seasonal demands of industries such as agriculture or fishing, without the obligation to provide for their welfare. Additionally, Korea has one of the world's lowest birth rates, at a meager 1.3 children per woman (Ministry of Health and Welfare). Korea's population is estimated to continue decreasing over the next few decades, due to a social environment in which women are more often choosing to work, instead of getting married and rearing the next generation. In this manner, migrant wives have been instrumental in providing children for many young Korean males who find themselves without a partner.

Korea's quickly rising foreign population. Statistics have risen significantly since this study was conducted in Dec. 2011.

Korea, previously a country unmentioned on world maps, is now one of the most appealing destination nations for international migrants. Where the US was once the paragon for economic opportunity, the Korean Dream is now fueling the paths of many migrants, especially in Southern Asia. Though the government and people are encountering many obstacles in accommodating the new residents, Korea must recall the policy decisions of other destination countries, including the US and Canada, and gradually build an environment of not only tolerance, but respect.

Frogs in a Well: Resolving the crisis of Small Arms Proliferation

In the United Nations, the main goal of the General Assembly and other collective bodies of nations is to pass resolutions that offer policy recommendations to state governments and the action-charged Security Council. While normally unable to directly cause actions to happen, these resolutions are the result of great negotiation between nations, and can inspire very specific change in the international community. Model United Nations attempts to model this collaboration and develop policy ideas by pitting student delegates (each representing a different country) against one another on the United Nations floor. Take a look at the below resolution, passed in the Disarmament and International Security at the 2014 UCLA MUN Summer Institute. The different nations' policies that went into the development of the resolution is a true widening of perspective, opening up the mouth of our "world view well."

 United Nations

General Assembly

Committee: Disarmament Commission

Topic: Regulating the Illicit Proliferation in Small Arms

Sponsors: Italy, Poland, Spain, Costa Rica, Japan

Signatories: Sweden, Mexico, South Korea, Belgium, Lithuania, Greece, United Kingdom, Brazil, Argentina, Australia

Keeping in mind the Arms Trade Treaty as originally signed, especially articles 7 & 8 in regards to the import and export of small arms,

Recognizing the individuality of countries and the need for a resolution that properly addresses the subtle variances in nations’ policies,

Recalling the Charter of the United Nations article 26, which established the need for an arms regulation system, and article 51, highlighting the inherent right of individual self-defense for international peace and security,

Affirming the sovereignty of individual states in the right to bear arms,

Considering the role of small arms export in arms-producing countries as a valuable industry

Highlighting the impact of the UN Firearms Protocol in declaring the illegal manufacture of small arms a criminal offense,

1. Urges the establishment of realistic goals in working toward small arms disarmament by:

1. reducing small arms production by 10% every 5 years for the next 25 years to work for gradual complete disarmament,
2. creating an international body tasked with overseeing stockpile reduction,
3. mandating that all member states of the international body report back to the committee annually on disarmament progress;

2. Recognizes the inability of countries to impose anti-proliferation measures and provides     financial support to countries that need it by:

a. Reasserting the points previously stated by the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT),

b. Further proposing the implementation of an international tracing system:

i. amends the jurisdiction of the UN International Tracing Instrument by increasing     the consequences to states for refusal to cooperate with the terms of the treaty,

ii. promotes transparency and communication between states to facilitate an international movement toward combating the illegal trade;

3. Implements the Arms Recycle Program:

a. In which individuals turn-in guns to their respective governments which then melts and recycles them into useful products:

i. fulfills the demand for jobs in the industry,

ii. increases economic development and independence as recycling plants will be constructed directly in the affected countries;

b. In which governments will incentivise individuals with monetary compensation,

i. requests funds from NATO, the European Union, and the United Nations General Assembly to implement this program,

c. In turn, the UN will build infrastructure to governments in exchange for reaching a target number of arms;

4. Proposes the development of a guns registration system in all arms-producing countries

a. Functioning at the site of arms producing factories in order to prevent the transfer of guns outside of the country before registration,

b. Designates a serial number for every small arm in production in order to track the distribution of individual small arms.

5. Recommends the implementation of legislation which would increase the punishment for owning or possessing any illegal small arm