From the 1800s to the mid 1930s, the Temperance Movement arose, spreading ideas that alcohol is immoral and should not be consumed or bought. Americans also feared that alcohol led to damaging effects on the body, as well as contributing to alcoholism and other problems. The individuals who started the Temperance Movement also wanted the production of beer, wine, and liquor to end as well. New York and Massachusetts include two large states where groups of these movements emerged.

One of the binding factors that brought individuals together over this issue was religion. Protestant and Christian leaders preached for their leaders to abstain from alcohol, claiming that it is a sin and it people that consume alcohol are “going to hell.” Prohibitionists also argued that alcohol is “Un-American” and ending the consumption of alcohol would lower crime rates, contributing to a more perfect country.

Women and religious groups would protest in large groups holding signs that read different phrases about alcohol. Signs include, “Purity, Our Motto,” “Vote dry,” and “Protect the American youth from the saloon.” Prohibitionists were very passionate about these protests. However, anti-prohibitionists would also protest for the presence of alcohol, holding signs like “We want our beer.” The alcohol industry boosted the economy since it was so high in demand. As protest against the prohibitionists, people opened speakeasies where individuals could drink and enjoy themselves.

On January 16, 1919, the 18th amendment was ratified, declaring the prohibition of “manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors.” The hope of this amendment was that it would decrease the poverty rate and other social issues. This was a win for the Temperance Movement.

However, after the shock of The Great Depression, there was a need for jobs and a boost in the economy. 32nd President Frank D. Roosevelt announced the 21st amendment which repealed the 18th. The amendment ended the prohibition of alcohol, allowing its transportation, importation, and manufacturing in the United States.

Though the prohibition movement lasted for years, the government and high power officials have ultimate authority to make decisions like these. It is up to these authorities to make decisions that benefit the entirety of the country. Though alcohol has negative affects on the mind and bodies of individuals, it helps the economy and gives individuals jobs, which benefits the country.

On January 6th, 2021, supporters of Donald Trump and right-wing rebels gathered in thousands in Washington D.C. to storm the capitol. The scene looked like it was taken straight out of a movie. Flags and signs were waved proudly through the air by individuals dressed in all black, and even some in costumes. There was screaming, shouting, and crying by individuals who wanted to enter the capitol building. Eventually police and government authorities crashed the scene to attempt to end it, but their efforts were not strong enough to stop individuals who eventually broke into the building, destroyed it, and even threatened to kill government officials. The event lasted hours until police drove rioters away and restored protection around the capitol. What facilitated the storming of the capitol? Cell phones.

Burner phones were purchased and distributed to individuals who were helping in the insurrection. It was discovered that Kylie Kremer, who helped in the March for Trump rally before the rioting at the capitol, purchased these phones using cash so that it would not be revealed that she bought them. Kremer used the phones to communicate with the Trump family, campaign leaders, and White House officials. These individuals were using burner phones to communicate with each other about planning marches, rallies, and other events that were associated with the “Stop the Steal” riots.

Ordinary individuals use cellular devices to communicate with others, to work, or to capture moments by photos or videos. Burner phones are cheap, prepaid devices that are used for short periods of time, then can be discarded. These phones are used since it protects the users anonymity and makes it difficult to track down the user if needed. For obvious reasons, a government official would not want to be caught behind the organizing one of the nation’s biggest riots. These individuals spread messages to their supporters about not backing down and continuing to fight for “their president,” Donald Trump.

During his speech at the rally, he stated to his supporters, “We fight like hell. And if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore” (Donald Trump). It was with this motivation that Donald Trump’s team were able to round up thousands of their supporters and rally groups to destroy the capitol in the name of Trump.

The use of these phones, and regular phones in general, is powerful enough to connect to any individual across the globe. No matter where an individual is, they can be connected to an individual miles away from them, and send them photos, videos, links, or even have a 1-on-1 facetime call with them. Individuals are also able to connect their phone to any Wi-Fi or VPN in order to use their device wherever, whenever they want. However, cell phones are easily trackable and hackable. It take an individual just one computer and cell phone connected to internet to hack into an individual’s phone and leak all kinds of information to the internet, and even sell their data to individuals around the world. If Trump’s team had used regular cell phones to communicate with each other about their plans for the riot, then they all would have been thrown in jail. Since they used burner phones, their identities were hidden and they could control the information they sent, for the most part.

The world we live in depends on technology for almost any need. The various kinds of devices available to the individual allows them to be creative and have as much control as they please. As for democracy, it easily brings individuals together, and can be used to spread helpful information to any person. Without the use of technology, our democracy would not be as strong as it is today.

During the Vice Presidential debate in 2020, a surprising creature appeared on screen and interrupted Mike Pence. Mike Pence was so into his argument that he did not notice a fly inching across his white hair. Viewers quickly noticed the fly which started chaos across social media.

Since the younger generation on social media seems to target Trump and Pence, it was easy for this event to turn into a viral meme. Individuals were posting pictures of the fly on Pence’s head on all social media platforms. People were not surprised about the fly appearing on the screen; instead, they poked fun at the fly and created many memes about it.

The meme displayed on the left shows sleepy Mike Pence paired with the fly speaking at the national debate. Pence’s head is even enlarged to make it more humorous. Memes like these were circulated on almost every social media platform. Videos and photos displaying the fly were posted for months after the event even happened.

Not only did the fly cause hundreds of memes to be created, but Biden’s campaign even created fly swatters mocking Mike Pence. The fly swatter was created seconds after the event, which contributed to the memes. The fly swatter is blue, taking after the Democratic party theme, and has the quote “Truth over Flies” printed across the handle. Celebrities like Kerry Washington reposted the picture of the swatter and wrote “Just ordered mine!!!!!! #VPDebate.” Not only were fly swatters made, but shirts, mugs, and hats made by supporters were sold to people nationwide.

It is insane to me how individuals can make one event turn into an internet meme that gets spread worldwide. I personally have seen these memes all over my social media feeds, and my own friends have even reposted them and created some of their own. I enjoy looking at these memes because they poke fun at serious topics. It is also very easy for me to understand them since it is all based on humor. Memes make it easy for the average individual to understand an event through a picture and a short caption. In politics, they make serious situations light-hearted and funny.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2020/10/08/fly-pence-head-vp-debate-biden-harris-campaign-fly-swatters/5927281002/

This past January, a gunman held members of Congregation Beth Israel hostage during a livestreamed service. 44-year-old Malik Faisal Akram was later identified as the gunman who trapped four adults inside of the synagogue during the service. Reports also found that Akram may have had ties to Al Qaeda. His weapon was purchased off of the streets, and he also had a number of mental health problems. Terrorism like this seems to continually affect our country, especially towards the Jewish community. Over the last 10 years, the number of attacks at Jewish institutions have increased, including places such as the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Young Israel of Century City in Los Angeles, California.

In a public sphere, every individual should be respectful to the beliefs, values, and identities of the people around them. People can collaborate, deliberate, and incorporate their own thoughts into the world to create a diverse environment. Habermas’s ideal of the public sphere is always changing and developing. While there is a lot of good that comes out of public spheres, they may also exclude others out of it. In this scenario, the Jewish community is being discriminated against by others in the public sphere for holding their own beliefs. This is an unfair practice that can only continue with ignorance to social issues.

To stop these attacks from happening, it is important that we educate the youth and older generations who may not understand why these situations are detrimental to society. It causes so much polarization between groups of different identities and forces a negative mentality into those who may be against the Jewish community. We are able to identify these individuals as the “counterpublic.” The counterpublic is formed around groups that are being excluded. These individuals can even contribute to the exclusion because they believe that they are “above” the oppressed group.

All of the individuals who have contributed to attacks on the Jewish community, and even those who made antisemitic remarks against them, can all be categorized as the counterpublic. This group believes that they are superior to the Jewish people and will use their power to bring them down in anyway they can, whether that be spreading harmful messages or shooting up an entire synagogue. They may not realize that their actions are so negative when they initially spread them, so it is necessary for society to educate them. Everyone in the public sphere must be respectful and mindful of others who surround them. With this mindset, we can strive towards a more equal society.

The role of media in politics has had a huge impact on consumers of media and the choices they make when deciding their beliefs. Nowadays, people only watch, read, or listen to one news source because it is the most efficient for their interests. However, only keeping up with one source is harmful to the individual in regards to what they understand is occurring in the world.

A Pew Research study done in 2020 found that out of 30 given sources, meaning different names of news companies, Democrats trusted 22 of the sources, while Republicans distrusted 20 of the sources. News companies such as MSNBC, CNN, and The New York Times are just a few of the sources that Democrats trust, as they speak to more of their views and interests. On the other hand, companies such as Fox News are geared to right-wing, Republican individuals.

When individuals are exposed to only few types of companies and sources, they tend to become blind to other websites, shows, or articles that display an array of views and ideas. This is known as cultivation. They block out all existing beliefs and consume media that appeals to their interests. Sure, if you are a type of person that only wants to hear one-sided news, then relying on one or few sources may be easier to understand since it is catered to your beliefs. However, this limits the ability to explore multiple views on trending topics, and alters one’s views on reality.

Political journalism has been used for years to get individuals interested in politics, and spread information to the public that is easily accessible. In our century, individuals are able to access articles, links, and interviews at the click of a button, a page in a magazine, or a column in a newspaper. While there is a wide variety of companies who post unbiased, fact-checked news to their sites, multiple companies tend to leave out certain pieces of information so their viewers only rely on their site.

Donald Trump is one of the many politicians who spews misinformation to his supporters and others who align with his beliefs. In an interview with Fox News in 2018, Trump stated, “I would bet if you took a poll in the FBI I would win that poll by more than anybody’s won a poll.” People who do not support Trump would argue that this statement is untrue due to the fact that there is no hard evidence to back this claim. Trump knows that he has an army of supporters who would attempt to defend this statement, and these are people who only believe his words.

Statements like these contribute to the act of only listening to one-sided news. An individual who only uses Fox News, or even only listens to Donald Trump, would believe this statement because it is all they are used to. They do not read articles in MSNBC that oppose these beliefs because they do not support it. They are only exposed to one side of the political spectrum, and may not have any interest in diving into the entire array of political viewpoints.

It is necessary that individuals like these are exposed to fact-checked information so they do not believe meaningless information, and spread it to others who may be impressionable. Looking and listening to all sides of the political field helps to get a feel for the types of information that is spread, and also for information that should be avoided.

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