THE RETURN OF THE EYE

By: BHS Features Staff

January 22, 2025

A tribute to a man who paved the way for future generations is necessary for all to read and hear on a regular basis. 

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born into a family of pastors, thanks to his grandfather, James King. MLK’s father was a pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church after James King passed it down, and from 1960 to his death, MLK, Jr. was the co-pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church with his father, Martin Luther King, Sr. 

MLK, Jr. attended segregated schools throughout his life and graduated high school at 15-years-old. He then went to Morehouse College to get his Bachelor of Arts Degree. His father and grandfather both graduated from Morehouse College, as well. He decided to go to Crozer Theological Seminary for theological studies. At Crozer, he was elected president of a predominantly white class. After he got his Bachelor of Divinity Degree, he attended Boston University where he was awarded a Doctorate in Theology.

King was always a strong advocate for civil rights for African Americans. He became a member of the executive committee of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Due to his Christian faith and teachings, MLK led many nonviolent protests and movements in the late 1950s and 1960s. His goal was to achieve equality for all African Americans in the U.S. and to eliminate all violence. He also led many other nonviolent protests against poverty and international conflict. He believed that everyone was born equal in the eyes of God. 

In 1955, MLK established the Montgomery Bus Boycott. This movement was to stop using buses because African Americans were forced to sit at the back. After roughly 380 days of boycotting, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that segregation was unconstitutional. 

In 1964, MLK was the youngest person to win a Nobel prize, at only 35-years-old. His lecture “Letter from Birmingham Jail” won a Nobel Peace Prize, and his “I Have a Dream” speech are a few of his most-favored accomplishments. His many achievements are taught worldwide in schools, and his teachings are often studied by scholars. MLK is the only non-president to have a holiday celebrated nationally to  honor and memorialize on the Great Mall of our nation’s capital.

On April 4, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was unfortunately assassinated. He was shot by James Earl Ray while on the second floor of his hotel room, standing on the balcony. 

The third Monday of January is a day to honor all that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. accomplished. He fought for the equality and peace of all colored people and is still a big influence today.

“We must learn to live together as brothers and sisters or die together as fools,” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

{Article is sourced from Nobel Prize, The King Center, Stanford University, and National Archives.}

By: BHS Features Staff

January 15, 2025

Although frigid temperatures have invaded Northeast Ohio, the first few weeks of 2025 have gone by smoothly. Typically in the new year, people make resolutions, but most do not stick to them for more than two weeks. Usually by late January/early February, old habits rear their ugly heads.

For today’s focus, we will review the most popular resolutions from those who decided to make them, even if they might not last much longer.

*Number 1: Save More Money

Most people have issues with spending habits, so deciding to save money instead of impulse-buying can relieve some stress. You won’t have to worry about whether you will have enough money for necessities, but in a week, you will more-than-likely be impulse-buying random junk all over again. Stay off of Amazon!

*Number 2: Eat Healthier

Eating the right foods can drastically improve your health and help you lose and maintain weight. A balanced diet will ensure that you will become healthier and not have to worry about as many health problems. Then again, Super Bowl Sunday is coming up, so this resolution will quickly be sent to the backburner. Buffalo wings, anyone?

*Number 3: Exercise More

Most people want to get fit from all of the junk food that they ate during Christmas and New Years. So, they decide to start going to the gym more or just use exercise equipment in their homes more often. Let’s face it, memberships and home equipment will be gathering dust in about a month.

*Number 4: Lose Weight

After celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas, gaining weight is inevitable. Losing weight is a popular New Year’s tradition, but many do not. Losing weight can help improve health if done correctly and will give you something to brag about…until you ultimately end up on the couch, eating a tub of ice cream while binge-watching a TV show that went off air in the early 2010s.

*Number 5: Spend More Time with Family/Friends

Spending time with family and friends is always nice when they aren’t swamped with work. Having a good break from a stressful job or school is a good way to prevent yourself from burning out. This only matters if your family and friends aren’t swamped with their work, too, so good luck with making those plans because you are going to need them. Let’s face it, didn’t we all spend enough time with family and friends over the holidays? Do we really need more?

Are you the one-to-two week resolution follower, or are you the exception and continue with new and better habits for the long-term? Many people don’t keep their New Year’s resolutions to the point that there have been set days for when people drop them. “Quitters Day” is on the second Friday of January, while “Ditch New Year’s Resolution Day” is on January 17, this upcoming Friday. 

Don’t be a loser, and keep your resolutions. If you don’t have any resolutions, then set some to prevent laziness.

Let’s face it, the resolutions mentioned above will make you a better version of yourself.

{Information for this article is sourced from Austin American-Statesman.}

By: BHS Features Staff

January 8, 2025

Every year since 2010, presidents of The United States have dedicated January to be the month to raise awareness of human trafficking. This month, we celebrate the collected efforts of law enforcement officials, survivors, and many others, but we know the job is not finished.

Human trafficking is defined when an individual is exploited for labor, services, or sex. It is estimated that worldwide, 27.6 million victims are trafficked. Unfortunately, this is considered one of the fastest-growing illegal industries in the world. 

In Ohio, 810 anonymous reports have been received, and 222 reports were made by victims and survivors in 2023. Through the help of reporting these cases, 258 cases were identified, and 458 victims were involved, with some cases having multiple victims at once. Unfortunately, most cases of human trafficking are hidden worldwide, so there is no way to know the exact number of people subjected to it. 

Although statistics about the human trafficking of people with disabilities are limited, from January 2015 through December 2017, the National Human Trafficking Hotline reported a total of 2,116 potential victims who had pre-existing health issues or disabilities.

Race and gender discrimination are prevalent in trafficking. Traffickers try to find the most vulnerable groups for the traffickers’ gain. Traffickers will claim that their working conditions will be better, and they will have better pay, even though their working conditions are usually unsafe, and often, the victims do not get paid or are paid such a low amount. Women and girls are often the target of human trafficking, making them around 54 percent of a higher risk. Race also plays a role in trafficking, putting race groups at higher risk. A study by the U.S. Department of Justice claims that over 40 percent of the victims are black, and 63 percent of labor trafficking victims are Hispanic. 

Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to buy or order something that was not made in the traffickers’ workplace. These workplaces are called sweatshops, by most. Big brands like Apple unfortunately use sweatshops for their parts. In Foxconn City, there are an estimated 450,000 workers, but the number is dropping due to the many suicides of the workers. In 2010, workers gathered together to form a line to jump off the building, one-by-one. The suicide notes from these workers often read about how much stress was put on them and that their managers would humiliate them for small mistakes. The suicide rate at this factory became so high that the owners had to put up nets and make their workers sign a document stating that they would not attempt suicide. Former workers warned others that the place was unsafe and extremely stressful, usually 12-hour work shifts per day. 

Some ways to help potential victims are to do as follows:

• Approach the victim when they are alone and when you are comfortable because the trafficker could be nearby or watching.
• Express and communicate that you are concerned for their well-being and safety. Ask about their working and living conditions, whether they are allowed to move and whether they have access to their travel documents.
• Tell them that the abuse they are going through is not their fault, and reassure them that they don’t deserve what’s happening to them.
• Boost their self-esteem by telling them good attributes because the trafficker(s) could be trying to tear down their self-esteem.
• Take mental notes about specific things in the situation like the model of the vehicle, license plates, and any identifying features of the abuser(s) such as scars, tattoos, clothing, etc.
• Respect the victim’s choices.
• Be patient with the victim.

This is a miserable tragedy that can happen to anyone. Show your support by donating to organizations that help victims. 

We are all in this together.

{Information for this article sourced from The U.S. Department of State, Human Trafficking Hotline, The U.S. Department of the Interior, The U.S. Department of State 2023, Center for Prevention of Abuse.}