The Bloomberg Breakfast Boycott

It's that time again. Time for New York's Mayor Bloomberg's annual interfaith breakfast, which invites country leaders, with all different faiths, from all over the world, to share breakfast with Bloomberg in NYC. Though, there will be one major difference at this years breakfast, that being the absence of 14 major muslim leaders who will not be attending. Said leaders are boycotting the breakfast in order to display their opposition to the "unfair" surveillance, or spying, of muslims that the NYPD has been conducting recently. The targeted areas of surveillance on Muslims include: mosques, Muslim businesses, and predominately Muslim neighborhoods. I find it insulting that Bloomberg condones this obvious violation of Muslim American rights, and still expected these leaders to come to his breakfast. In a letter addressed to Bloomberg the 14 Muslim leaders (plus many other businesses leaders, organization leaders, and professors) voice their opposition to Bloomberg by writing, "Mayor Bloomberg, the extent of these civil rights violations is astonishing, yet instead of calling for accountability and the rule of law, you have thus far defended the NYPD’s misconduct".  The full letter can be read HERE. I fully support the Muslim leaders who have chosen not to attend. The city of New York is basically racially stereotyping all Muslims living in New York and they're breaching these Muslim's civil rights. 

Protest to the Breakfast and to the
Surveillance of Muslims

So Mr. Bloomberg, when the other Muslim leaders who did accept your invitation arrive at the interfaith breakfast, will they be given their own special surveillance like their fellow muslims residing in NYC? 

The answer is no, because that would be ridiculous, sort of ridiculous as racially stereotyping every Muslim in the big apple. 

I think this opposition just goes to show how America's new surveillance laws, such as the Patriot Act and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, are ultimately affecting the world and its opinion of us. These laws enable racial profiling and this is not the first time America has racially profiled a group. I really hope that America has not ruined all Muslims' opinion of our country, but then again, I fear that it's too late for that. Racism against Muslims has been on the rise in America ever since the tragic events of September 11th, and if anything, this surveillance that the NYPD is conducting just promotes the racism. 


For the New Years I am creating a resolution for America. We as a country need to remember what this country stands for and realize what we will not stand for. 


Hope you all have a happy New Years Eve, 
Chrisanthy S.

The 51st State: Chicago

Today, a shocking idea was introduced to me. It's the idea of splitting Illinois's Cook County, primarily the city of Chicago, away from the rest of Illinois and making it its own state. The origin of the idea began in Southern and Central Illinois where they feel that Cook County and Chicago are munching up the state's tax dollars and imposing their political views on the rest of Illinois. They feel this way because they uphold much more conservative views than Cook County, and they attribute the liberal decisions made for the state with Cook County elected officials. Cook County is the second most populous county in the country and according to the article, the rest of Illinois feels like they're getting lost in the crowd.


At first I questioned the legitimacy of this idea. Because to me, the likeliness of Chicago becoming a state, about parallels the likeliness of republican candidate Jimmy McMillan becoming president in 2012. But, as I read more of an article published by the Huffington Post (click here to read), I learned that central Illinois state reps Bill Mitchell and Adam Brown actually proposed such an idea recently at a press conference. Bill Mitchell saying, "The old adage is true: Just outside Chicago there's a place called Illinois." Bill Mitchell has infact even introduced a bill to the Illinois General Assembly to separate the state from Cook County. To be passed, this bill would potentially be voted on by state citizens, and then congress would have to approve it, and finally the president would have to approve it as well. 

IL State Rep Bill Mitchell

Now, I suppose I can see why these Southern and Central Illinois citizens are getting frustrated, but I honestly think they just need to suck it up. We live in a democratic country, while our system is usually just and fair, it does not mean that everyone gets what they want. I think that if they really feel that strongly about their political views being enforced, than perhaps they should move to a more conservative state. 


Chicago is the staple of Illinois, and according to the article, Cook County "...is the state's economic engine and key tax generator, providing substantial contributions to the state's other 101 counties for everything from schools to roads, colleges and universities, and prisons". Which means that downstate Illinois may possibly not even be able to financially support themselves if they became a state. I don't think that they could legitimately function without Cook County. A state cannot simply divide and become their own state because they feel overpowered.  Plus, then all state maps, text books, and even the flag would need to be changed. 50 states is a nice even number, and 51 is not. Has Southern and Central Illinois really thought this through? Just because they aren't getting their way does that really entitle them to become their own state? 


Overall, I think this concept is absurd and is never going to be implemented. And frankly I feel embarrassed for Bill Mitchell and Adam Brown for bringing it up at a press conference with a straight face and for introducing it as a bill and I plan on writing a strongly worded letter to Billy kindly explaining how stupid this idea is. 


What do you think?