VOAVideo: Arizona Shooting Reopens Gun Control Debate
The shooting deaths of six people and the attempted assassination of U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson, Arizona last on January 8 has reopened debate across the United States over Americans' historic right to bear arms. But, many people in Arizona feel comfortable with laws that are among the least restrictive in the nation.
Today we will discuss USCIS 100:55, the 50th anniversary of President Kennedy Inaugural Address, and the passing of Sargent Shriver. (yes, we were inspired by the Google Doodle)Google Celebrates the 50th Anniversary of John F. Kennedy Inaugural Address with DoodlePresident Obama's speech:
At a time when some doubt the benefits of cooperation between the United States and China, this visit is also a chance to demonstrate a simple truth. We have an enormous stake in each other’s success. In an interconnected world, in a global economy, nations -- including our own -- will be more prosperous and more secure when we work together.
The United States welcomes China’s rise as a strong, prosperous and successful member of the community of nations. Indeed, China’s success has brought with it economic benefits for our people as well as yours, and our cooperation on a range of issues has helped advance stability in the Asia Pacific and in the
world.
We also know this: History shows that societies are more harmonious, nations are more successful, and the world is more just, when the rights and responsibilities of all nations and all people are upheld, including the universal rights of every human being.
Mr. President, we can learn from our people. Chinese and American students and educators, business people, tourists, researchers and scientists, including Chinese Americans who are here today —- they work together and make progress together every single day. They know that even as our nations compete in some areas, we can cooperate in so many others, in a spirit of mutual respect, for our mutual benefit.
What Deng Xiaoping said long ago remains true today. There are still great possibilities for cooperation between our countries. President Hu, members of the Chinese delegation, let us seize these possibilities together. Welcome to the United States of America. Hwan-ying. (Applause.)
President Obama speaks about the importance of service and volunteering after marking Martin Luther King's birthday with a service project at Stuart Hobson Middle School in Washington, DC.
VOAVideo: Martin Luther King, Jr Holiday a Time for Tributes (2010)
On January 17th, Americans will pay tribute to the legacy of slain civil rights leader The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the annual national holiday that celebrates his birthday (January 15th). Reverend King would have been 80 years old if he were alive today. More than 50 years ago, Dr. King campaigned across the United States, leading non-violent marches and demonstrations for equal rights for African Americans. VOA's Chris Simkins looks back at his life and the impact his work had on the country.
100. Name two national U.S. holidays.
"This bill would provide certain illegal and deportable alien students who graduate from US high schools, who are of good moral character, arrived in the U.S. illegally as minors, and have been in the country continuously and illegally for at least five years prior to the bill's enactment, the opportunity to earn conditional permanent residency if they complete two years in the military or two years at a four year institution of higher learning."
DreamActivist.org is a multicultural, migrant youth-led, social media hub for the movement to pass the DREAM Act and pursue the enactment of other forms of legislation that aim to mend the broken immigration system.
The DREAM Act Portal is a clearinghouse of local and national DREAM ACT organizations and activities.
USCIS 100:55. What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?
USCIS 100: 85. What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?*
. . . I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.
I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.
This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.
This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring."
And if America is to be a great nation this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania!
Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado!
Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California!
But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia!
Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee!
Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.
And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"
USCIS 100:84. What movement tried to end racial discrimination?
WH.gov: President Obama on Dr. King's Legacy
The President speaks about the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the importance of persistence in achieving broader goals in remarks at the Vermont Avenue Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. January 17, 2010.
VOANews: Obama Honors Martin Luther King, Jr.
U.S. President Barack Obama is leading the nation in honoring the life and legacy of the slain civil rights leader, Martin Luther King, Jr.
USCIS 100:48. There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them.
President Barack Obama called for unity as he tried to console Americans Wednesday night, just days after six people died in an assassination attempt on a U.S. lawmaker. The shooter's target, Representative Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona, suffered wounds to her head in the encounter. VOA's Carolyn Presutti brings us the president's words of comfort on the situation.
Photo Brant Ward / SF ChroniclePresident Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are joined by White House staff on the South Lawn as they observe a moment of silence to honor the victims of the tragic shootings in Tucson, Arizona. January 10, 2011.
My Senior ESL class 0bserved a moment of silence at 11 am. Then the students added their prayers in English and their native language: Vietnamese, Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean, Spanish, Bulgarian, Farsi, and Serbian. Buddhists, Christians, Muslims, and non-religious students prayed for peace and health for Congresswoman Giffords, the victims of the Tuscon shooting, the people of Arizona, the United States, our home countries, and the whole world--
"We are all brothers and sisters!"
