With all the political primaries going on and the elections coming up, it's so easy to get completely and totally wrapped up in it. I think I've seen at least 100 Donald Trump memes in the past month. All this has a way of getting into our heads and staying there. The policies that our officials decide on and that create an impact in our everyday lives, so we're very invested in who our next President is going to be. So let's be really informed about the issues in our country, and across the globe. Let's be so informed that we'll hold knowledge enough to run for office. Well, maybe not, but as long as we stay updated on what's going on in the world, we can analyze what our candidates are telling us and really think about what their ideas mean, for us and for our neighbors across oceans.
My favorite place to look to for information is the United Nations webpage and the New York Times for news about what's going on, not only in America but across the world. So what's going on? What are the real issues, and not just the ones our candidates cover?
America
Oh goodness, where do we even start with all the political topics here in America? How do you feel about immigration? What about the evolving rights for the growing LGBT community? What do you want our country to do about poverty? What do you want our nation's budget to look like? How is racism relevant to you? Where do you identify yourself when it comes to feminism? Are you pro-life or pro-choice? What are your thoughts about the ongoing drug war? Do you believe the government should be doing something about climate change? What should we do about gun laws? How about education? Certainly these aren't all the issues, but these are all important questions that we're facing recently. Figuring out where you stand is essential to choosing political candidates, and it's even more essential to shaping out who you are as a citizen.
Depending on who you are, each of these topics means something different to you. Chances are, you've already made up your mind about how a lot of these problems should be dealt with. Staying informed is the best thing you can do as an American citizen, and staying informed helps you make better choices.
Hot topics across the globe influence how we communicate and interact with other countries. So logically, what happens to other countries impacts us in some way. It's important that we know what other countries are going through, so we know how we're going to deal with problems that will involve us. We are not just American citizens, we're global citizens.
Africa
As one of the most underdeveloped areas in the world, Africa is dealing with a lot of issues. There's the HIV/AID's crisis, which is only one of the diseases that Africa's harmed by. Without access to adequate medicine, this underdeveloped area has a lot of trouble with lifelong health and longevity. Another major problem is poverty, and paired with agricultural demands, Africa suffers from food shortages and malnutrition. Within the Central African Republic, there's currently a lot of distress about the political unrest, with more violence occurring in other African nations. Some other common issues within Africa are below:
South America
Our neighbors to the South are also having a lot of issues that we should be aware of. They have similar issues that Africa does, such as political unrest and poverty. However, with nations such as Haiti, natural disasters strike and leave the country desolate and destroyed. Natural disasters take years, decades, even more than that, to clean up the messes that were made. We'll hear about the disaster on the news, maybe donate some money, and never give it a second thought. But for these countries, there is much more time and effort needed to help the country get back into shape. There are many years that are spent building lost infrastructure, and pretty soon all their resources are drained and they find themselves in debt or poverty. Again. As a result, many of these unhappy people seek a better life in the United States. This is important to us because we must decide on how our government should help these immigrants, and what we believe needs to be done to help them become good citizens of the United States.Asia Pacific
This region includes countries that America interacts with more frequently. We trade largely with China, and every policy they make could affect how we interact with them. We get a lot of inspiration from them as their economy booms and their society develops more and more. However, India, Pakistan, and other surrounding areas are still very underdeveloped and suffer from poverty and political unrest. Also, the hub of our country's defense groups has been centered around the Iran/Afghanistan area. With the conflict involving ISIS, our country has been on its guard when trying to figure out how to approach these situations. This has become a huge topic in the upcoming election, and it's up us to figure out how we want our nation to remain "safe".
Europe
The biggest current issue in Europe is the surge of refugees. Coming from all over, the government is still trying to cope with the growing population. They find reasons to be concerned about terrorism occurring in their countries, especially with the recent attacks on Paris. However, they really want to help these refugees get the help they need and protection from the unrest they fled.
Does Europe's situation sound familiar? Immigration is an issue that America faces today as well. By working together and keeping updated on what Europe is doing, maybe we can find some inspiration on how to handle these issues. It's very important that we stick together as we're facing the same issues, so we can work together to solve them, and grow closer in the process.
Middle East
Right now, the Middle East is the prime source of the world's war and unrest. What first started as government corruption has led to complete devastation and brutality. How is our country getting involved? Should we be involved? These are important questions because the way our nation answers these questions influences how we interact with and are perceived by every other country in the world. There are so many reasons why staying informed on issues in the Middle East is important to us as we prepare to enter this conflict. We must know what our country is getting themselves into.
World news is very important in helping us make decisions. Foreign policy is a huge part of our government's agenda, and obviously foreign policy is influenced by what's going on in the world around us. The information has never been easier to find, with advanced technology at our fingertips. Knowing about the Syrian Refugees, the attacks on Paris, South American political unrest, the rise of ISIS, and more news are all important to see so our minds are opened. All of us are a community of global citizens, and it's our obligation to care for one another.
So take this in stride for the next couple of months. The world influences the way we think and the way we live, and how we're going to make choices about the elections coming up. By knowing what's actually going on, you can't be fooled by politicians who think they know what they're talking about, and you'll be all the better citizen for it too. I hope we'll all get the chance to increase our awareness of the world around us, and find in our hearts the concern for our neighbors all around the globe.
