America is traditionally considered a safe place; however, many Americans live in constant fear of violence, particularly gun violence, within their own communities. Since the year of 2012, Chicago has become a national symbol of gun violence (Atkins 2015). Because of all the acts of violence and the number of murders in the city, Chicago is also called “Chiraq.” The name “Chiraq” was given to Chicago because walking the streets of Chicago is like walking through Iraq. So many innocent people are losing their lives every day due to senseless gun violence. Chicago has become a war zone, and it is out of control. Many people attribute this to strained relationships between the local communities and law enforcement, but many of these acts of violence can be traced to other factors in different communities including lack of education, unstable income, and poverty. Not all of Chicago is dangerous; there are some neighborhoods and communities that suffer most and need more attention.

http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2014/05/multiracial_americans_identity_when_blackness_is_less_than_half.html

Proposition 8: The California Marriage Protection Act (p. 67) & The Conservation Case for Gay Marriage : Why Same-Sex Marriage Is An American Value (p. 75) – Topics: Marriage, Gender, Family, Values