Demonstrations led by students continue against restrictions on voting set by Beijing in advance of Hong Kong’s 2017 election. Also, next Monday marks the first oral arguments of the Supreme Court's new term. Then, author Laurence Steinberg offers a fresh look at adolescence with his latest, "Age of Opportunity: Lessons from the New Science of Adolescence.”
Protests in Hong Kong over contours of 2017 election
Following a string of protests last week by students at the Chinese University in Hong Kong, demonstrations continue against restrictions on voting set by Beijing in advance of Hong Kong’s 2017 election.
The specific restrictions under protest are those surrounding the election of Hong Kong’s first democratically elected leader, particularly because the National People’s Congress insists that potential candidates be vetted by a party committee rather than be chosen through primary or another form of candidate selection. Protesters contend that you cannot have democratic elections without being able to choose your own candidates. In addition, protestors believe that vested political and economic interests will be promoted rather than those of the people.
Yet protesters have met resistance as the police used teargas, pepper spray, and batons to break up Sunday’s sit-in throughout Hong Kong’s major thoroughfare. Many protesters have responded by wearing gas masks and goggles as well as calling for an indefinite student strike.
Is the ability to directly choose one’s leaders worth striking for? Do you think the protesters will succeed in obtaining political concessions from China’s National Communist Party? Are there other ways to create change besides protesting?
Guests:
Gabriel Law, spokesperson, Hong Kong Forum, a Los Angeles-based organization that advocates for democracy in Hong Kong and China. Yesterday, the HK Forum organized an impromptu protest in front of the Chinese consulate in Los Angeles to support the student demonstrations in Hong Kong
Clayton Dube, Executive Director, U.S.- China Institute at USC
Supreme Court term preview: Pregnancy discrimination, death threats, and religious freedoms
Next Monday marks the first oral arguments of the Supreme Court's new term. While there are myriad cases the justices have yet to grant, some high profile hearings are on the docket.
In the case of Young v. UPS, Peggy Young says her employer discriminated against her while she was pregnant because they refused to put her on "light duty" as prescribed by her doctor. Did UPS violate the Pregnancy Discrimination Act? In Elonis v. United States, Anthony Elonis says the graphic, violent threats he made against his wife online were not "true threats." Legal scholars say the case especially interesting because of its similarity to trials in which rap lyrics were used against a defendant in court.
Guests:
Lisa McElroy, Associate professor of Law, Drexel University
Senate control at play in fast-approaching midterm election
Campaign ads are spamming inboxes and congesting the airwaves as the midterm elections are just over a month away - on Tuesday, November 4. In the fight for U.S. Senate seats, as the Los Angeles Times reports, "To a great extent, Democrats are simply fighting for the least bad result, which would be clinging to the Senate by the narrowest of margins." Coming to Democrats' aid in no short supply are campaign funds. In the most contested Senate races, Democrats have spent $80-million compared to GOP spending of $73-million, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
How is President Obama's approval rating affecting the races? What is motivating voters of all stripes to get to the ballot box?
Guest:
Mark Barabak, Political Correspondent, Los Angeles Times,
'Yes means yes' law ushers in new sexual training on California campuses
Governor Jerry Brown signed the “affirmative consent” bill into law over the weekend, creating a standard that requires “affirmative, conscious, and voluntary agreement” before engaging in sexual activity. The law is intended to prevent sexual assaults on college campuses, and was sponsored by incoming Senate President Kevin de Leon.
The new “yes means yes” standards will likely change the way that colleges address sexual harassment and sexual assault prevention training -- the law applies to any college or university that accept funding from the state of California.
How will new policies and prevention programs work? Is this law enforceable, or is it more about education? How could affirmative consent change the culture of sexual assault on California college campuses?
Guests:
Roxanne Neal, Director of new student and transition programs at UCLA
Sondra Solovay, California Attorney; Director of Product for Workplace Answers and its sister division, Campus Answers - which provides California-compliant workplace harassment training, diversity and discrimination training
Who benefits from Mammoth’s purchase of Bear Mountain and Snow Summit?
The owners and operators of Mammoth Mountain ski resorted purchased Southern California ski and snowboarding destinations Bear Mountain and Snow Summit for $38 million dollars. The long-anticipated acquisition gives Mammoth Mountain 4,000 more acres of skiable land, millions more visitors, and the option to pursue larger resort developments in Big Bear and Snow Summit.
Consolidation has been increasingly common in the ski-resort industry, with similar purchases in Tahoe. Consolidation has helped larger resorts maintain steady business during drier seasons, bringing an influx of capital into the towns that house the hotels and slopes. Those behind the deal say they’ll stay true to the “vibe and culture” of Big Bear, and that the new merger will offer skiers and snowboarders a great opportunity to hit the slopes with season passes. Critics argue that big resorts and condos could have a negative impact on the small ski towns.
How will Mammoth’s acquisition of Bear Mountain and Snow Summit change the ski and snowboard culture in Southern California? Can Bear Mountain be remade into an overnight destination?
Guest:
Rusty Gregory, chief executive of Mammoth Mountain
Pam Scannell, executive director of the Big Bear Chamber of Commerce
Growing science on adolescence: Age of Opportunity explores brain development and its consequences
Adolescence is many things: exciting, scary, confusing, new, and an endless litany of other adjectives. A fresh look at the period of development, Age of Opportunity: Lessons from the New Science of Adolescence, seeks to teach its readers about the newest research and revelations regarding brain development and its effects on youths.
Author Laurence Steinberg, Ph.D. covers a range of topics related to adolescence, including: the intersection of societal expectations and brain development, research on risk-taking behaviors, methods of optimal parenting, and how the lengthening of adolescence contributes to income inequality.
What are your thoughts on adolescence? Should we treat adolescents differently than we treat adults? Is there anything you find interesting about the transition from childhood to adulthood?
Guest:
Laurence Steinberg, Ph.D., Author, “Age of Opportunity: Lessons from the New Science of Adolescence;” Professor of Psychology, Temple University