If you were too busy tanning, reading 50 Shades of Grey or slaving away at a summer internship to keep up with the summer’s biggest political movements, read on. This list just might save you when a discussion with a professor turns into playing catch-up about the last several months’ political issues.
Syria: Munich moment or overblown mess?
The United States narrowly avoided seemingly unavoidable military intervention in war-torn Syria with a last minute diplomatic solution. In the midst of Syria’s ongoing civil war, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime allegedly used chemical weapons. This propelled the United States into a crisis of conscience that almost led to military intervention. After President Obama stated last summer that he would draw a “red line” when it came to the use of chemical weapons in Syria, he was criticized by several politicians and national security experts for both not making an immmediate attack on Syria and for even contemplating an attack on the country. After calling for a strike, going to Congress for approval and inciting a huge public debate, Obama has reached a tenuous diplomatic solution in which Russia will be charged with assisting the removal of chemical weapons from Syria.
Trayvon Martin verdict sparks riots and dialogue
On July 13, George Zimmerman was found not guilty in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, which reignited discussions about racial profiling and privilege. Race played a significant role in national coversation about the trial, which featured endless strong opinions on the proceedings of the case. When the verdict was rendered, the nation exploded with polarized views. The case brought up heated perspectives, with some arguing that the verdict was fair given the parameters of the law, while others declared that the alleged racial profiling should be a force for legislative progress, making it clear that the American discussion of race is still a critical issue.
Anthony Weiner: The five-second comeback kid
In a bizarre story of a politician's fall from grace, former congressman and New York mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner experienced his second major public sex scandal. In spite of the Summer 2011 fiasco, in which his sexually explicit extramarital tweets were widely reported and lampooned, Weiner seemed to have a solid shot at the Democratic mayoral nomination. His restored public image and strong polling numbers didn’t last long though, when Sydney Leathers, a former Internet flame of Weiner's, came forward with more sexually explicit material exchanged between her and the former congressman.
These days Weiner refuses to bow out of the public spotlight or the race in spite of his humiliation. Weiner’s wife Huma Abedin has also received loads of media attention for standing by her man in a manner reminiscent of Hillary Clinton, who happens to be her close friend and boss.
New Pope offers relaxed view on gays
Pope Francis shifted the tone of the Catholic Church this summer by offering some nice words on the topic of homosexuality and sin. Referred to by some as “The People’s Pope” for his down-to-earth approach to the papacy, made waves this summer when he said, “If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?” While Pope Francis’s message was more of a shift in tone rather than in actual policy (the Church’s official stance has for some time now been that it is gay behavior, not gay feelings, that are wrong), many saw the Pope’s seemingly relaxed stance as call for members of the Catholic faith worldwide to adjust accordingly. For some people, it gives hope that members of the Republican party may shift their ideology about gay marriage.
Edward Snowden blew the whistle on PRISM program
Edward Snowden, a former defense contractor, leaked information about the National Security Agency's PRISM program to The Washington Post and The Guardian. The program allows the government to track the information of tens of millions of Americans. Some view Snowden as a hero, others as a traitor, but either way he’s facing espionage and theft of government property charges. After waiting it out in a Moscow airport, he has been granted temporary asylum in Russia. While it’s not clear what information he has shared with other governments, it's clear that his actions have muddied international waters, heightening tensions between the United States and Russia.
Peace in the Middle East?
While peace between Israel and its Arab neighbors seems unlikely, this is the task newly minted Secretary of State John Kerry has decided to tackle. Looking to continue former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton’s formidable legacy, Kerry began his tenure in the position with a stab at the seemingly interminable Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Kerry secured agreement from the Palestinians to enter negotiations only after exerting considerable political pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who reluctantly agreed to release Palestinian prisoners such as Al-Haaj Othman Amar Mustafa, who was convicted of murdering of a U.S. Marine. While it may be months before more movement occurs in the negotiations, the Israelis’ continued settlement building and the Palestinians’ demand to use pre-1967 war boundaries as the basis for discussions makes a peace accord of any real weight seem unlikely.