Top 10 Proposals

Hector Rodriguez http://www.weeklyhistorynews.blogspot.com/
It is a good idea that at a certain age they have to cancel senior citizen's licenses, because they are more prone to causing more accidents. The elderly might not agree that they cause a great number of road accidents, but this is just for safety reasons.


Hector Porrata http://sayhellogoodbyeoutloud.blogspot.com/
I agree with Hector's proposal about teenagers being able to vote. Its the teenagers' future, so a lot of them should be able to know what the right or best choice is that will be a benefit in their future.


Jan Paul Perez http://jpah11.blogspot.com/
Veterans getting a bonus and the right to a scholarship is a good proposal. Veterans should get a benefit for having served many years in war.


Albert Matos http://www.jujomonkey.blogspot.com/
I agree with Albert's proposal about how you can't change the mind of those who don't want to change their perspective on African Americans. I also agree that those who are young whould be educated about the racial problems and discrimination with African Americans.


Nelsharry Baerga http://sharryknowsit.blogspot.com/
I agree that we never think about the disabled, and that we should do more in order to facilitate and help those who are not as capable as us. Also, about disabled children being able to be encouraged to go to school with children that have no disabilities should be encouraged more so that the children don't feel segregated, different, or as if there's something wrong with them.


Stephanie Ruiz http://www.tefiruiz01.blogspot.com/
Women should be able to speak up about being abused because no women deserves to be physically or emotionally abused. Women should have the right to defend themselves with the law and should be protected by the law as well.


Celimar Torres http://www.howceliknowsit.blogspot.com/
Immigrants should have the right to enter the US and make a better life for themselves. Immigrants can be a huge benefit for the US and can provide a lot of services.


Elsa Obando http://www.japaneseimmigrationtotheus.blogspot.com/
Every citizens, no matter their race or nationality, should be treated equally, no matter what country they are in. It is prohibited to discriminate against a minority, especially when that person works harder than you do. There is really no point in discriminating someone who works hader than you just because they are from a different race.


Cristian Virella http://www.cristianhistoryblog.blogspot.com/
Every person born in the US should be considered citizens no matter they're race because they were born in that country. This will help citizens bring their families that are struggling in other coutries to the US and help theym prosper and find jobs.


Arshad Khalil http://arshad-ah11a.blogspot.com/
Muslims should have equal rights and be treated just the same as US citizens. Muslims are still being discriminated in airports for the 9/11 incident, and it is not right for all the Muslims that didn't even have to do anything with that have to discriminated and not have equal rights.

Senior Citizens: Ideas for change

While I agree with most of the rights senior citizens are currently entitled to, there’s always room for change. One of the changes I propose is the senior citizens’ driving law. I believe there should be a cautionary driving law regarding senior citizens. Senior citizens over the age of 75 (with no disabilities making them more prone to cause an accident) should not be allowed to handle a motor vehicle without supervision on the passenger seat by a person over the age of 21 with a driver’s license.  Drivers over the age of 70 with eye-sight disabilities, arthritis, or any other disability that can cause them to have an accident should not be allowed to handle a motor-vehicle since they are more prone to cause accidents on the road. 

Senior citizens have the right to chose whether they should be cared for or not in a senior citizen retirement home. I believe senior citizens should be cared for if it puts their health at stake regardless if they don’t agree with the situation. If a senior citizen loses their life in a senior citizen home due to lack of care for their health state, it is frowned upon the retirement home, not concerning whether or not the elderly wanted to be taken care of. Retirement homes should always take care of the senior citizens living in the home and be able to maintain them at their healthiest.

Senior citizens shouldn’t have to go through mandatory retirement as long as they have the health state, and requirements to qualify them for the job. Older employees require less training and supervision, are as productive, and are more likely to stay in the job longer. Older employees usually acquire more knowledge and training throughout the years, making them highly qualified and sometimes even more qualified than someone just starting out in a job. As long as the person is highly fit and qualified for a job, I don’t think mandatory requirement is necessary. 

Senior Citizens: How they obtained rights over time

Today, many senior citizens are entitled to rights, whether its Medicare and Social Security benefits, or retirement home rights. No matter where they are, it is important for a senior citizen to recognize their rights and those rights that are violated. Senior citizens civil rights have changed throughout the years, even with their entitlement to civil rights, there will always be discrimination regarding that group. Rights violated should be reported to proper officials and this should be handled in a timely manner. Social Security is a major source of income for the elderly. They receive Social Security benefits based on their income when they were employed.

Senior citizens rights don’t stop when they enter a retirement home. A senior citizen should recognize their rights and those that are violated when entering and living in a retirement home. One of those rights is the right to courtesy and dignity. Caregivers should remember that a retirement home is the ELDERLY’S home, and they should be treated as individuals, such as not degrading them during activities or names, serving food in a timely manner, etc. Residents have the right to complain whether they are being treated fairly as individuals. Residents should be notified when that complaint is addressed by proper officials. The elderly also have the right to privacy. Caregivers should not share personal information unless necessary to provide proper care, resident record must also be stored securely and disposed properly. When giving personal care, doors and curtains must be closed and visitors must be asked to leave. They also have rights to personal belongings and married couples have the right to privacy. The residents have the right in the decision-making process for their care. They may choose to refuse care and see their financial and medical records. They may also choose to change caregivers and not attend certain activities. If a resident or family member feels their rights have been violated, they should report the issue. In a serious matter, call the police or local agency, charges or a lawsuit may be filed. In a less serious case, contact the retirement home staff and administration.

Many federal state laws gave been set up to protect job discrimination rights for senior citizens. Many states have their own age discrimination policies. In March 2005, the Supreme Court set up a law that employers could not discriminate against an employee based on their age. However, if an employer can prove and has tangible evidence that discrimination was based upon other factors, then the discrimination can be upheld. According to the Association for the Advanced Retired Persons, some state laws protect employees in different age ranges, some younger than 40. The ADEA, or Age Discrimination in Employment Act passed in 1967 and it protects senior citizens in the work and job area as long as position requirements are met. The Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sets up the federal laws for the discrimination of a prospective employee based on their age and other factors. The Family Employment Practices Agency makes sure senior citizens workers are protected under state and federal laws.  

References:
http://library.findlaw.com/1999/Apr/1/128510.html
http://www.cardi.ie/userfiles/Human%20Rights%20of%20the%20Elderly.pdf

Senior Citizens: The Struggle to Obtain Benefits

While senior citizens aren't really they type of people to be out protesting for Medicare or Social Security benefits, they literally have to pull their own weight for some of those benefits. Some of those benefits are already provided by the government, while others require to pay for part of the benefits. Senior citizens are the main recipients of many governmental provided benefits because they are generally the social group with the least amount of resources or ability to produce income. Another reason, is that when they are around the age of 60, age that is considered about to retire, many companies prefer hiring young workers instead of elderly or aging people. That's why senior citizens generally receive a lot of attention and benefits from the government.


In recent years, the Social Security checks millions of senior citizens rely on will not increase as customer prices have gone down, better known as "The Social Security Freeze". It is a frightening thought for many senior citizens who have a pension to rely on. Though there are some ways for senior citizens to maximize their Social Security benefits. One of them is to retire, and retire again. This means that if the retiree finds another well-paying job, the elderly can withdraw benefits application and repay in one sum what they've received. Later, they can reapply for a larger Social Security benefit, even 30% larger; then the money they received prior to having that job can be added into an account go gain interest. Another way is to file and suspend. Suspend your benefits until age 70, your benefits will increase an additional 8% for every year you delay, collecting beyond your normal retiring age. The final way is to wait to retire. Now, this is not the answer many senior citizens want to hear, but there is not reduction in benefit if you work until full-retirement age.


The Obama administration plans to spend $250 stimulus payments to about 57 million seniors and veterans, and this would amount to a roughly 2% amount raise for the average senior citizen. If approved, the checks for the senior citizens will cost about $13 billion, yet there is no plan on how to finance them. Senior citizens are willing to wait this out on the government, relating to the recession and federal deficit. Some senior citizens feel as if they could use a little more, and have shown hostile behavior towards the government and have spoken out about the issue in MSNBC news, but with the recession and federal deficit, a big increase in their social security checks is not promising.

References:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33341802/ns/business-your_retirement/
http://www.ehow.com/info_7924111_information-senior-citizens-medicare.html
http://seniors-site.com/finances/ss.html
http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Seniors/Laws.shtml

Senior Citizens: Employees Under a Negative Light

The problem of discrimination against the elderly, or senior citizens is a broad social problem that needs to be better analyzed and worked on. Discrimination against the elderly is typically based on trends that are set up by the younger generation, and ultimately, puts the aging group under a negative light. As a result of discrimination, the elderly may be denied access to health care, voting, employment, education, etc. based on their aging. Discrimination in a workplace is not acceptable when employers rely on elderly age stereotypes to deny hiring them. Mandatory requirement is presented as a way to make employment available for the young, which is often seen as discrimination. The reason that is often put out is that work is scarce and that retirement will sooner or later free up work positions. Some elderly may be very happy with their mandatory retirement, and see it as a way of freeing themselves from a never-ending life of work, and the benefits of mandatory pensions. Though retirement, is also sometimes linked to a feeling of uselessness and loss of control among the ageing population.


The Age Discrimination Act makes it illegal to discriminate when hiring workers based on age. This act covers the aging from from 40 to 70. As an employer, you cannot refuse to hire someone based on age, or indicate a preference, limitation or discrimination based on age. For an older applicant, or employee, it is almost impossible to prove age discrimination. If you decide to file a complaint against discrimination, you must be sure to document everything (how many older employees there are, was age mentioned in the interview or hiring process, was younger person hired, was that person qualified for the job). To file a complaint against age discrimination, The Equal Employee Opportunities, or EEOC should be contacted, which will help guide you through the process.


Employers not hiring based on age discrimination is not listed in the Constitution/Bill of Rights, but there are Federal laws against age discrimination, such as the Age Discrimination Act explained above. Under this law, age discrimination is only allowed if the employer can prove that age is an essential component in the job. This might apply to a situation where teenage clothing companies would only want to hire teens to model their clothes. What you may want to do as a senior applying for a job is to address the age issue up front. Show your interest in the job by providing accurate information that older workers are just as productive as younger workers, will require less training and supervision, are likely to stay in the job longer, and are technologically up to date. 


Reference:
http://lawblog.legalmatch.com/tag/adea/
http://www.cardi.ie/userfiles/Human%20Rights%20of%20the%20Elderly.pdf

Protecting the Rights of Senior Citizens: The Senior Citizens League

Senior citizens' lives are affected by many federal, state and local laws and regulations. Senior citizens are often discriminated, excluded, abused and segregated by younger citizens. Senior citizens are often put under a negative light by the younger generation, but senior citizens are proven to often be wiser than the younger generation, having acquired more knowledge and understanding throughout the years.  The elderly help us understand the past, teach us timeless lessons about life, and serve as role models for younger generations through their legacy of endurance, courage, patriotism, and love.  Many senior citizens depend on the government for such things as housing, basic income and health care. There is help available, at little or no cost, to people 60 years of age and over who need legal assistance.

The elderly are the fastest growing population worldwide, and one that raises major social and political changes. Even though they remain a small minority (7% of the population globally), it is a very significantly growing one that is expected to be bigger than children under 5 years of age within a decade. According to the Census Bureau for Older American Month, there are 36.3 million people living in the United States above the age of 65, considered to be senior citizens, or the elderly. There is a projected population increase to 86.7 million senior citizens living in the United States by the year 2050, compromising 21% of the population by that time.  

Many groups have been formed worldwide to defend the civil rights of senior citizens. One very notable group is the The Senior Citizens League (TSCL). Established in 1992, the TSCL consists of active senior citizens concerned about the protection of their Medicare, veteran of military retiree benefits, and social security.  There are over 1,300,000 active members/supporters. Approximately three-quarters of the membership are between the ages of 76 and 85. Nearly all are over the age of 60. Most members either served in the Armed Forces during World War II or played a part in the war effort. To try and pursue its goals of defending senior citizens' civil rights, TSCL distributes a newsletter (The Social Security & Medicare Advisor) ten times a year to approximately 150,000 of the most active supporters and to all Members of Congress, and has sent out more than one and a half million books and pamphlets. Senior citizens and retirees have also participated in a number of public education campaigns on behalf of TSCL. 

Reference:
http://www.seniorsleague.org/
http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/censusandstatistics/a/olderstats.htm
http://www.cardi.ie/userfiles/Human%20Rights%20of%20the%20Elderly.pdf

Classmates' Blog

Héctor Porrata-Doria http://sayhellogoodbyeoutloud.blogspot.com/
Héctor's essay had information about how the whites tried to control the Native Americans. It talked about how the Whites used violence in order to try and gain control of the Native American's, and how the Native Americans were suffering under the situation. I liked it because I think Héctor did a really good job with explaining the events by using a lot of details. Héctor talked about how whites wanted to assimilate the Native Americans and have them under their control, but they tried to do it in an immoral way by using violence.

Cristian Virella http://www.cristianhistoryblog.blogspot.com/
Cristian's essay explained the events in the movie "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee" and events in the movie like "The Wounded Knee Massacre" and the whites trying to assimilate the Native Americans by changing their Sioux name to a Christian name. Cristian was very detailed with the events and the situations that occurred while the whites tried to gain control of the Sioux.

Jan Paul Perez http://jpah11.blogspot.com/
Jan Paul's essay had to do with how the whites wanted to control the Native American's religion and beliefs. One of the examples he used was "The Ghost Dance", which was a religious tradition of the Sioux tribe, and the whites wanted to get rid of it. He explained very well the situation on how the Native Americans' best option was to conform to the whites' ways, even if it meant losing their identity, because then the whites possibly wouldn't use violence towards them.

Stephanie Ruiz http://www.tefiruiz01.blogspot.com/
Stephanie Ruiz's essay talked about the Native Americans struggle to try and overcome everything the whites did in order to try and control them, and their struggles still today.
The essay explained how the whites promised a lot of things to the Native Americans, but then broke their promises. The Native Americans could not have their own beliefs or independent opinion. After the government realized their mistakes, it was already too late, the Native Americans still live with struggles. Stephanie did very well explaining the situation.

Carlos Collazo http://qeehai.blogspot.com/
Carlos Collazo's essay explained how the Native Americans were forced to move into camps so the whites could have control over them. The whites would take away their Sioux identity by giving them a Christian name. The Native Americans had to follow the whites' orders and basically do everything the whites said, the Native Americans ended up having a lot of struggles because of this. Basically, he talked about the whites' control over the Native Americans.