By: Caroline Utz

The feeling is familiar. The history class discussion suddenly turns to current issues, and many students are left in the dark. They struggle to remember little tidbits of news stories playing in the background during breakfast or on their way to school. Fear no more. The following is a brief list of important events to save you from those dreaded moments when nothing comes to mind.

Proposition 8

California’s Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage, has been deemed unconstitutional in a 2-1 decision. According to TIME magazine, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled February 7 that the initiative “violates the equal-protection clause of the 14th amendment because it targets a class of people.” However, the decision did not determine whether gay people “had a constitutional right to marry,” continuing the gay rights debate.

Syria

The unrest in Syria is escalating. The dictatorial government of Bashar al-Assad has been violently clashing with the Free Syrian Army, made up of military defectors and some civilians, for many months. The Arab League, a diplomatic group of Arab nations, is now considering arming the rebels. According to msnbc.com, a resolution passed at a meeting in Cairo “urged Arabs to ‘provide all kinds of political and material support to the opposition.” This would include and allow arms transfers.

Rick Santorum

The race to the White House is getting interesting as Republican golden boy Mitt Romney has fallen to Rick Santorum in three presidential primaries. Santorum won in Colorado, Minnesota, and Missouri on February 7. However, Romney won Maine on February 11, perhaps signaling that he is not finished running for the presidency just yet. Other candidates Ron Paul and Newt Gingrich remain in the race.