To anyone who comes across my page...

This blog was an assignment for my AP Government and Politics class in the spring of 2014. We had to complete a current event every week before Friday at midnight. My class was full of losers and hardly anyone did theirs, but this was one assignment and a class that I really enjoyed. Happy scrolling!

Wilmington? Conservative? What?

One of my good friends has an internship in Washington DC this summer writing for The Daily Caller. She wrote this article.

http://dailycaller.com/2014/05/21/uncw-planning-to-appeal-ruling-in-favor-of-conservative-professor/

For the past seven years, Mike Adams, a UNC Wilmington Professor, has been battling the school and the law. He was accused of teaching his conservative views and was denied a promotion because of it. Adams felt that this was a violation of his freedom of speech and took it to court. The court ruled in Adams’ favor, ordering The University of North Carolina at Wilmington to pay Adams $50,000 in back pay, as well as his legal fees, which have added up to over $1 million in the time this case has taken place. UNC Wilmington appealed this ruling against the wishes of a few news corporations. Adams says this could be a bluff, and feels that his case will only gain strength with more time in court.

 Again, if this doesn’t scream government, I don’t know what does. Adams was shot down for preaching his political views and was brought into court for it. This was legal because even though Adams’ rights as a citizen guarantee him free speech, the promotion should have been decided on factors other than political views. If Adams’ truly wasn’t the best person for the new position he doesn’t have any grounds to be in court. Because of all the paperwork and red tape associated with court, the case took forever to be heard and have a ruling and resulted in a large bill that UNC Wilmington now has to pay. UNC Wilmington appealed, so the case could be heard again. Even if they lose the appeal, this case could potentially go to the Supreme Court. UNCW’s task now is to prove they didn’t violate Adams’ rights.

I think this case is unique in its conservativeness. So often we hear about liberals being loud in their views. However, I’m not surprised that this became an issue since college campuses do tend to be more liberal overall. I’m with Adams on this one. I believe that he was wrongly denied a promotion because he held views different from those who were giving promotions, and I’m sure that this is not the first time that this has happened. I hope that if the appeal is accepted the ruling is kept. This case not only stands for Adams, but for all of the others who were in his position. Conservative or Liberal, black or blue, people have the right to be successful if they’re good at what they do.

“It’s about malice. That’s the game.”

Teacher Tenure Back in Play

I think it’s crazy that I have friends with students and real jobs; one of them posted this to facebook the other day. It gives me perspective. Though I’m not looking to go into education any more, these things could potentially affect my life in a few years.

http://wunc.org/post/judge-law-repealing-teacher-tenure-unconstitutional

A North Carolina law proposed in 2013 sparked much controversy in the education community. It did away with teacher tenure, required school districts to offer-one year contracts to teachers, and offered the top twenty-five percent of teachers a small annual pay raise. The law was declared unconstitutional on Friday by a North Carolina superior court judge who argued that it is unlawful to take away teacher tenure because it violated the constitutional protection of contracts.

Opponents of the law point out that it did not provide a standard to choose the top twenty-five percent of teachers. The work that teachers do is different depending on the subject and grade level taught, and there is not real way to measure effective or ineffective teachers. Meanwhile, advocates of the law point out its ability to weed out inefficient teachers.

If this doesn’t scream government, I don’t know what does. It might not be the Supreme Court, but this is still judicial review at the state level. In declaring this law unconstitutional, Judge Robert Hobgood summarized a lot of things that we value in North Carolina and in the United States. Contracts are wonderful tools, and they are to be honored. Additionally, many aspects of education are regulated by the government but this can’t be one of them.

I could say it a thousand times: teachers deserve much more than what they’re given. It takes a truly special soul to sit in a classroom with children for eight hours a day, explain the simplest concepts over and over, grade papers, keep their sanity, and even excel at what they do. I’m sure we’ve all been in rooms where the adult in charge couldn’t do these things and we know how awful it is.

Teachers do much more than teach. They coach sports teams. They direct musicals and band concerts. They act as tutors, therapists, and guidance counselors. The scope of their actions is unprecedented for they are the ones that help raise our children, our future. For some students, teachers become like family. For others, their actions seem greater because they are not family; they are not obligated to do what they do. Teachers could have chosen any other profession, yet they stick with what has become an increasingly challenging career. I say challenging not only because of the snarky students, but because it seems the working environment has deteriorated in the past couple of years, particularly in North Carolina. This law was not helping, and I’m glad it was struck down.

“We deserve to be respected”

Media Madness!

I wanted my blog link this week to be from BuzzFeed, because who doesn’t love BuzzFeed?

http://www.buzzfeed.com/jtes/new-york-times-executive-editor-jill-abramson-to-step-down

Much to my surprise, the website has much more than articles about Mean Girls and emojis and quizzes that tell you which type of unicorn you are. There’s a whole column of “Big Stories” that have to do with real life. But just in case BuzzFeed isn’t a credible enough source, here’s the same article Washington Post style:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2014/05/14/jill-abramson-unexpectedly-out-at-new-york-times/?tid=ts_carousel

Jill Abramson, former editor of the New York Times, stepped down unexpectedly Wednesday afternoon. She says she has “loved [her] run at The Times” but does not plan to continue her involvement in the paper in any capacity after her departure. The reasons for her decision are not entirely clear. Abramson was the Times’ first female editor. Her successor, Dean Baquet, will be the paper’s first African-American Editor.

Senior Editors of the Paper were told about Abramson’s departure Wednesday afternoon, and many of them will be sad to see her go. The news even took many of the reporters at the Times by surprise.  Still, Arthur Sulzberger Jr, the publisher of the Times, looks forward to the work that Baquet will accomplish while he is with them.

In our Government class we’ve talked about the effects of the media on politics. They decide which stories will be heard by the people and the point of view from which to report. The sources where citizens acquire information greatly affect how they think about what is in the news, and a good number of people look to the New York Times. As Baquet acknowledged in his remarks to the newsroom, the newspaper can expose a bad cop and, in doing so, free two people from jail. They capture grief and show inexplicable joy in the same issue. Newspapers print breaking stories, book reviews, photography, crossword puzzles, and comics. In doing so, they have a huge impact on everyone who came into contact with their papers. Abramson has (or used to have) a huge impact on what would be printed within the pages of that paper. This is pretty big news.

Personally, I’m getting that “Devil Wears Prada” vibe. Something just isn’t right within the company. One person leaves and another takes their spot. Things go on, but it just isn’t the same. What (if anything) was wrong? We may never know. The Times is probably just as good at keeping things out of the news as it is at printing the stories it does want heard. I am glad to see Jill Abramson doing what she wants to do. I’m sure plenty were heartbroken and wanted her to stay, but she’s doing what she knows is best for her life. In the end, she is in control. Jill Abramson is a product of so much more than just the place where she works.

“Passion for Journalism”

Also, in case you were wondering, I wasn’t kidding about the Unicorn thing. I’m a Rainbow Unicorn, and everybody wants me at their parties. Y’all can be jealous, or you can take the quiz here (http://www.buzzfeed.com/keelyflaherty/what-kind-of-unicorn-are-you) and find out what you are too!

Ivy League vs. Podunk U

It might be a little late for this year’s seniors to be making the choice, but for everyone else…

http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/85355

A recent Gallup-Purdue Index Report surveyed almost 30,000 college graduates and found some surprising results.  Rather than measuring job placements, this poll attempted to measure the relationship between college experiences and overall life satisfaction after graduation. Overall satisfaction and well-being was measured in a number of ways including

·         Purpose: liking what you do each day and being motivated to achieve your goals

·         Social: having strong and supportive relationships in your life

·         Financial: effectively managing your economic life to reduce stress and increase security

·         Community: the sense of engagement you have with the areas where you live, liking where you live, feeling safe, and having pride in your community

·         Physical: having good health and enough energy to get things done on a daily basis

These aspects were all given a “thriving,” “struggling,” or “suffering” rating by each participant in the survey.  

The results of the survey found that the cost and prestige of the university really didn’t matter when it came to overall life satisfaction. The key to satisfaction was engagement and support during college. Those who were involved and received the attention they needed during college were significantly more well-off afterwards. “When it comes to finding the secret to success, it’s not ‘where you go,’ it’s ‘how you do it’ that makes all the difference.”

I love this survey. Can I say that again? I LOVE this survey. In America we put so much pressure on having the right name. What we wear, what we eat, where we live, where we work, and where we go to school. Everyone may have heard of PennState, UGA, or Duke, but if the community college down the street is the right decision for you, go for it. In the fall, I told one of my teachers that I was thinking about going to Appalachian State. She told me to forget it because she thought I belong in the research triangle. I resented that. It was probably the only time I didn’t listen to what she told me, and in the end I decided to go to App. When I get into the workforce, will everyone have heard of (or know how to correctly pronounce) Appalachian State? Probably not, and that’s okay. I’m sure by the end of my four years I’ll have plenty of stories to tell about how wonderful it was. (By the way, it’s App-uh-LATCH-un, not App-a-LAY-shun. I will correct you.)

This relates to government in a number of ways. Everyone is entitled a “sound, basic education” from public school, but this only gets a person so far. It’s nearly impossible to find a solid, well-paying job without a college degree in today’s world. Many of our government officials went to ivy league schools, and they’re successful, but going to a big-name school doesn’t guarantee success. In our country you have to be willing and able to work for what you want. We have also learned about the work that goes into Gallup Polls to make sure they truly reflect the thoughts and opinions of the population. For example, having a large, unbiased (diverse) sample size is key. 

“Life in college matters for life after college.”

When Schools Lead to Sex

This is disgusting.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/04/30/montana-teacher-1-month-rape-sentence-overturned-378854592/

Stacey Dean Rambold was accused and convicted of raping a fourteen-year-old student. He served one month in prison for his crime, but could be heading back. A Montana Supreme Court ruled today that his sentence was too short. This new decision means that Rambold will have to serve at least two years in prison.

At the time of the rape, Mr. Rambold was a forty-seven-year-old teacher at Billings Senior High School.  Cherice Moralez was a student at that school. After the event, Moralez committed suicide. Though the defense argues that she may have had something to do with the events, the legal age of consent in Montana is sixteen; Moralez was well under that age. Her death took away the prosecution’s main witness, so the trial was carred out as a deferred-prosecution agreement. Rambold was required to register as a sex offender and was to remain on probation until 2028. In addition, he had to attend a sex-offender treatment program but was later kicked out for not disclosing sexual relationships and visiting child relatives. What’s worse, the defense is still trying to pin some of the blame on Moralez, as if she acted much older than she was and wanted to have relations with her teacher.

The prosecution will consult with attorneys and the victim’s family before deciding how much time they will seek to keep Rambold behind bars. It will be a minimum of 30 days before the case is re-assigned and brought before a new judge.

Did I mention that this is disgusting? It’s a sad, sad world we live in where sexual desires rule our lives and destroy the lives of others. This child had so much in front of her: a whole life of experiences to look forward to. This one experience made it all too much to bear, and now she’s gone. As this trial wears on I can only imagine what her family and friends are going through, constantly reminded of what happened four years ago. And chances are, the trial is going to wear on, because that’s how our government works. To get anything heard or passed or justified people have to fill out paperwork and go to meetings and be assigned court dates and the list goes on and on. Right now the case is in the Montana State Supreme Court. We’ll see how far this one goes.

“Horrible Crime”

Mama, it looks scary out there.

There used to be a time when you could climb a mountain and see for miles. Though that might not be the case anymore, at least America isn’t to this point yet:

http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20140422-would-you-work-here

Pollution in India has been bad for years and is constantly getting worse. Today, it’s to the point where the smog on any given day can weigh down the city. People’s eyes water and chests constrict because of the particles in the air. Delhi, India’s capital, was once best explored on foot. Today residents would rather hop in the car and go for a short drive than walk the streets. This creates a Catch-22 situation; the cars contribute to the pollution, and the pollution makes more people take their cars. The poor air quality is also weighing on doctors as they face more patients with respiratory illnesses. Children are particularly at risk.

Despite the implementation of the Euro IV emission standards in 2010, the volume of vehicles traveling the city continues to contribute to the pollution in India. Car pollution is not the only problem, though. Many citizens of the country will burn their trash to stay warm, emitting even more smoke into the air. The government of Delhi has implemented laws requiring Compressed Natural Gas for all public vehicles and has created a bus system that continues to expand. Even so, it seems there is no easy solution to this dusty, dirty problem.

Even if you don’t click on the article, I want you to see these:

 

 This is a terrible situation. In Delhi, it’s not violence or starvation that’s killing people; it’s the air. This is why, in the United States, we have agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Natural Resources. Without the environment around us, we all would be dead. There would be no clean water to drink or bathe in; no sunlight would reach the plants of the food we depend on. As much as the American people complain about the bureaucracy—how much money they spend and how inefficient they are—America might have problems like this if not for them.

Personally, I want to cry for the children of India who don’t have the choice to go outside, to run around, and to just be kids. Whenever I babysit, it’s always my goal to get the kids to go play outside for a little while. This is sometimes a growing challenge, but I know it would be different if they could not go outside. However, that day may be coming soon. Air does not discriminate, and slow as it may be, sooner or later the air of India will reach the United States, and will probably bring particles with it. Pollution is a world-wide program. More countries should be as proactive as the United States at preserving the beautiful Earth we inhabit.

“It’s too polluted outside”

That’s One Way to Cancel School

If you thought the HCMS bomb threat from last month was bad, just look at this: 

http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/09/justice/pennsylvania-school-stabbing/

A sixteen-year-old male sophomore student went on a stabbing spree at Franklin Regional Senior High School in Murrysville, PA on Wednesday morning. His weapons: two kitchen knives. In the process, he injured about twenty of his classmates. He is now in custody and has been charged as an adult.

Many of the students injured did not know what happened initially. They felt pain, realized they were bleeding, and brought attention to it. Students and teachers did what they could to help before EMS arrived, many of them asking for sweatshirts to stop the bleeding. The injured teens' wounds are “quite serious,” some to the point of being life threatening. Most were in the abdomen and lower back. Some have already undergone surgery. A fire alarm was pulled in the midst of the commotion, which probably helped save some students from the actions of the stabber.

The suspect was described as being quiet and not having many friends, though not known for being a victim of bullying. Mia Meixner, a student at FRSHS said, “He had this, like, look on his face that he was just crazy and he was just running around just stabbing whoever was in his way.” The student was eventually tackled by an assistant principal and handcuffed by the School Resource Officer.

This relates to government in a number of ways. First of all, government pays for our schooling, and government requires us to go to school. School, as we’ve established before, simply is not for everyone. The environment is not always healthy, the material does not always relate. Sometimes public school leaves students looking for any way to get out of class and away from their peers. If students need to pull fire alarms, call in bomb threats, or bring weapons to school, so be it.

As mentioned before, the student who committed this atrocity is being tried as an adult. That means that, instead of focusing on rehabilitation and future reintegration like juvenile court would, his case will focus on punishing this student and deterring him from future crime. This child is sixteen. While it is obvious from his actions that he has some issues, the fact that he is  going to be tried as an adult doesn’t really give him a chance at living life to the fullest.

More and more, it seems that shootings, bombings, stabbings, and the like are simply becoming a part of life. It’s sad. I heard it said today that the evening news is where they begin with “Good Evening” and then proceed to tell you why it isn’t. It’s sad, but it’s true. While we all think we have this shield of invincibility around us where nothing bad happens, it does, and much of it is caused by other humans just like you and I. What can we do for this child? Probably nothing. It’s too late; he’s in custody now. But we still have a chance for those who are starting out in this world. This is why we need classmates and teachers and parents and coaches and leaders who can show the world some love. If we don’t have love, we don’t have anything.

“It doesn’t happen here.”

The Government Plays Scorekeeper Again

Chris Christie has been in the news a lot lately. Some good, some bad. The intent of this article was probably to inform the public, but as we know now, pretty much all media is biased.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2014/04/03/chris-christie-the-33-million-man/?hpt=hp_t3

Last fall, in a scandal that is now known as “Bridgegate,” Chris Christie was accused of trying to punish the mayor of Fort Lee by closing lanes to the George Washington Bridge in New Jersey. Christie has denied knowing anything about the gridlock until after it occurred. He has since been cleared of any wrongdoing. Though the scandal might have shown him in an unflattering light, the attention may be helping him. He remains popular with Republicans and is a possible candidate for the 2016 election. In fact, he has already raised a ton of money towards that possible campaign and broken records for the first four and a half of a new RGA chairman’s tenure with the $33 million collected since he took over that position. Christie sounds hopeful about the future of Republicans in government, saying “While Washington is broken, Republican governors are getting results, making government work, and putting policies in place to put their states on the right track.” He sure has reason to hope—Republicans are defending 22 of the 36 gubernatorial seats up for grabs in November.

Personally, I still don’t think I know enough to judge Chris Christie. The 2016 election is up in the air, but if he’s doing well at the moment, good on him. I am glad that Washington and the media didn’t completely tear him up after the “Bridgegate” mess, and that people are still supportive of him. It’s obvious that plenty of those donations came from people just like you and I, but when they add up they can do marvelous things. I do think it’s interesting that this article is about a republican and was posted on CNN, albeit not one of the head stories. I suppose the media was trying to add a little more balance to their lives.

“Chris Christie: The $33 million man”

The Problem of Pants

I know this whole dress code thing is old news but I’m going to talk about it anyways.

http://thinkprogress.org/health/2014/03/25/3418482/middle-school-dress-code-protest/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=middle-school-girls-protest-sexist-dress-code-%25e2%2580%2598are-my-pants-lowering-your-test-scores%25e2%2580%2599

http://www.jrn.com/ktnv/news/Students-at-Illinois-school-start-petition-after-new-dress-code-rule-251489871.html

Parents of students at Haven Middle School in Illinois were contacted by administrators earlier this month. Female students are no longer allowed to wear shorts, leggings, or yoga pants. (The second article says that skinny jeans are also on the new list of forbidden clothing.) This style of dress on females, administrators say, is too distracting for male students.

It will come as no surprise that these actions have sparked a line of protests against the new dress code. They claim that the dress code is sexist because it targets only female students. Parents argue that it is not girls’ responsibility to accommodate the boys in their classes, and that this approach to controlling student dress is furthering unhealthy attitudes about sexuality. Parents say that this type of dress code sends the message that girls are at fault for the sexual assault by men and that boys’ behavior is are understandable and excusable because of what girls are wearing.

Other schools across the country are constantly fighting the dress code battle. Rules banning tight pants and regulate girls’ hemlines and necklines are common, while boys’ clothing is not as commonly restricted. As these turn to adults, the consequences worsen: women are punished for outward displays of sexuality, scrutinized as they try to balance being objects that men desire without being criticized for being promiscuous. Women have even lost jobs over such struggles.

There are so many problems with this; I don’t even know where to start.

We live in a man’s world. If Robin Thicke didn’t make that obvious this summer, I don’t know what will. (Listen to the lyrics of Blurred Lines and you’ll see what I mean. Every “good girl” wants sex and Robin was merely doing them one of them a favor by “liberating” her, right?) The expectations of women are outrageous. Get good grades, be able to cook, clean, and sew, carry and raise children decently, contribute to the family, the list goes on and on. And at the end of the day the woman’s fault that she was raped by some lusty creep when walking home from the supermarket.  Don’t get me wrong, boys have it hard. They’re expected to turn into men at some magical instant in their lives without any notification, but women have it hard too, and many of them choose to take all those built up feelings and emotions and pour it out into their wardrobe. The HMS dress code is taking away some of the outlets, the freedoms that these young girls need so desperately.

So what do we do about unfair administration? We use the right to assemble and petition. These middle schoolers have over five hundred signatures on a petition against the new dress code, and I applaud them for it.

However, I can see why the administration might want to put a limit on what students are allowed to wear. School is a learning experience, and in order for students to become functional members of society they need to dress as such. That being said, this was not the right way to do it. Trying to institute new rules in the middle of the year is sure to start some backlash, especially rules that only apply to half of the population. It’s true—girls generally need to cover themselves more than boys, but it’s hard to enforce these rules without objectifying bodies. Male teachers and administrators are given the awkward task of telling girls that their skirts are too short and calling parents about it. Thighs are not valid parts of the body anymore. After spending two years with a “knees and sleeves” dress code it takes me a while to be comfortable in my own body during the summer because I’m not used to wearing gym shorts around anyone but my family. Strict dress codes can also make kids want to go crazy at school events where there is no dress code. (Spirit week last year, anyone?)

Another part of me wants to scream at the girls who think that it’s okay for leggings to be worn as pants. Leggings ARE NOT pants. Have some decency and keep your body to your future partner. I think Brett Shoemaker said it best:

“Babe, keep your goodies in your basket.  I get it.  I really do.  When you have a nice car you want to show it off.  If you have a nice body, likewise, you want to show it off.  But, what makes a Lamborghini stand out from a Honda Civic?  I see Civics all the time.  Everywhere I go there is one of those bad boys sitting in the parking lot.  I can count on one hand every Lamborghini I’ve ever seen.  It is always exciting to see one of those.  The Honda, not so much.  Don’t get me wrong, your goodies are always going to be good.  I’ll say that again, your goodies are always going to be good.  But, if everyone and my mom has a look at everything you’re showing off, I’m not feeling like as much of a lucky ducky.  So please, for me, keep your goodies packaged away.” (http://brettshoemaker.me/2014/02/04/to-my-future-wife/)

Dress code is not a problem until students and teachers make it a problem. After that, the problem never ends. The problem in this case is that nobody want to judge how short is too short, how tight is too tight, and how much freedom pushes the limit past the brink of having order. I guess this is another one of those times that I’m glad I’m not president, or even school superintendent, and it’s not my job to judge.

“Are My Pants Lowering Your Test Scores?”

He Ain't in Kansas Anymore

I hate to say “Good Riddance,” but…

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-26669967

Fred Phelps, or possibly better known as The Reverend Fred Phelps Senior, died Wednesday evening at the age of 84. Phelps was the founder and preacher at Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas. Phelps and his church, made mostly of extended family members and friends, were rather infamous for their practice of picketing the funerals of fallen US troops. They claimed that the troops’ deaths were punishment for America’s tolerance of gays and gay marriage.

Phelps was raised a Methodist and ordained a Baptist minister, though Westboro not an official part of any regular denomination. The actions of Westboro Baptist Church have inspired numerous state laws and even a federal law limiting pickets at funerals. However, when taken to the US Supreme Court, it ruled that the church could not be sued for inflicting pain on grieving families.

Phelps was quoted saying, “You’re not going to get nowhere with that slop that ‘God loves you.’” The signature slogan of his congregation was “God hates fags.” It was sayings like this that aimed the Phelps’ church the title of “the most hated family in America.”

Religion is weird. It’ such a big part of a person’s life (or at least, I think it is), but it’s also something people generally keep to themselves. It can bring a person from the valley to the mountaintop in an instant, but can also want to make one jump off a mountain. I don’t know if it’s just our American culture, but people get offended and tired when religion is constantly thrown in their face, and this is what Phelps did with the majority of his life.

I know I’ve said this before. We have freedom of speech. With freedom comes responsibility. Once again, people have not responsible. Sure, this group has the right to protest and to share their opinions. Like we talked about earlier, protests have actually become more common in recent years. However, there is a time and a place to protest. The funeral of a fallen soldier is not the place. These men serve our country and fight for what we stand for. They help ensure our security and freedom—some of the same freedoms that Phelps and his church were arguing against at their funerals. Is anyone else seeing some sort of paradox here?

I get it. Gay marriage seems a little strange now, but I’m sure in the future we will look back at ourselves and realize how stupid we were for being judgmental. Times are changing. I was at a children’s play in Raleigh last weekend and there was a family sitting across from me: two dads and two young children. They were the cutest thing EVER. I’d totally go see that play again, and I’d love to see more of those families. We as humans need to stop putting each other down and have some acceptance for our shortcomings and the flaws of others. We are not perfect, but we are trying. Fred Phelps, not so much.

I also think there’s a reason that the vast majority of Fred’s supporters were his family. Just sayin’.

“God loves you.”

The Environment Never Sleeps

This is typically not what I think of when I hear of someone pulling an all-nighter:

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/mar/10/democrat-senators-all-night-climate-speeches

Senate Democrats stayed up late on Monday night in hopes that the environment will stay as healthy as it is (if you could call it healthy). Twenty-eight senators were set to take the senate floor, sharing speeches and presentations about the state of the environment. The event was organized by a new initiative, the Climate Action Task Force, which is trying to gain support for Obama’s climate change agenda. Senators believe in climate change and are willing to take responsibility and act. Senate Republicans, on the other hand, do not believe in such a thing. Therefore, the chances of passing any environment-related legislation anytime soon are relatively small.

Still, in Obama’s second term so far, his administration has been much more vocal about the need for environmental regulation. John Kerry, the current Secretary of State, said he wants to make climate change his signature issue and the Pentagon said last week that they see climate change as a threat to military installations.

The EPA is trying to put limits on the amount of carbon dioxide that can be emitted from power plants. These emissions are the single largest source of carbon dioxide in our country. Some senators have been trying to get such legislation passed for a number of years. They show no signs of letting up anytime soon.

I blame Mr. Dillman and my stays at summer camp for making me a tree hugger, but that’s not a bad thing. Our earth is beautiful, and even if you don’t believe in climate change, or “global warming” as many like to call it, we are destroying what we have been blessed with. This may have started out unintentionally. Did we know back in the times of the industrial revolution that the thick smoke blowing out of these things was bad?

Probably, but we couldn’t prove it scientifically. Heck, in the 1960s people were only speculating that cigarettes were bad. Today we know, and we cannot choose to be ignorant. In the same way that smokers are encouraged to quit and take better care of themselves nowadays, people should also be encouraged to take better care of their Earth. If we want our children and grandchildren to enjoy the great outdoors like we have, no split house or government can stop us. We only have one Earth, and it’s quickly going to waste. Change is essential; it cannot come soon enough.

"Climate change is real”

This Cook Can't be a Bus Driver Either

This happened a while ago, but it’s been in the news as of late, so here ya go!

http://www.11alive.com/news/article/322761/40/Bus-driver-fired-over-Facebook-posting-files-lawsuit

Johnny Cook, a bus driver in Haralson County, Georgia, was fired in May over a Facebook post he made. After hearing one of his middle school students complaining about being hungry he respectfully questioned the student about why this was the case. The student told Cook that he was denied lunch earlier that day because he could not pay the forty cents it takes to pay for a free/reduced lunch at his school.  With a heavy heart, Johnny Cook used Facebook as an outlet, saying that “As a taxpayer [he] would much rather feed a child than throw it away. [He] would rather feed a child than give food stamps to a crack head” and that the next time the cafeteria can’t feed a child for forty cents they could call him for the money. The next day he was called into his employer’s office and given a choice: repent and revoke his previous statement or be terminated. Cook refused to apologize and lost his job. The story is back in the news again after the American Civil Liberties Union agreed to take his case just a few days ago.

I can see this from both directions. Most people are going to back Johnny one hundred percent. After all, the first amendment to the constitution gives Americans the right to free speech. He was simply sticking up for a hungry middle schooler. In today’s world, forty cents is hardly anything. What can you buy with forty cents? An egg, a party hat, a piece of bubble gum. Heck, you can’t even buy a postage stamp with that. If you think about the amount of responsibility bus drivers have carry on a daily basis, and then the amount they’re paid, it just doesn’t add up. I earn between seven and ten dollars an hour on nights that I babysit, even after the kids have gone to bed and I’m sitting on the couch watching television. My responsibilities consist of making sure that they eat at least two bites of green beans and put on pull-ups before their heads hit pillows. I don’t take them farther than the backyard, and I’m still probably making more money than most bus drivers in the same time period. I’m not saying that more money would make it okay for any bus driver to blurt their opinion all over the internet, but I think it’s part of the problem.

Though forty cents started all this, the hungry child and mean cafeteria ladies are not the center of this argument. Johnny is. With that first amendment freedom that we all have comes responsibility. I talked to one of my teachers about this; she told me that teachers are required to sign some sort of waiver about what they are and aren’t allowed to post on social media. Even if Cook didn’t sign a waiver, there is a standard that he didn’t uphold with that Facebook status, and the state has a right to be angry. He clearly did not choose the right outlet for all those opinions.

Does Cook still have a right to a job, or was his post a little too much? We will soon find out.

“This is what the world has come to.” 

Justice for Justina

My parents like to have the television on almost constantly. I couldn’t care less what is happening on a flashing screen and would rather be occupied with what is happening in my tangible life. As a result, I normally don’t pay attention to any of it, but I heard about this the other day and just had to check it out:

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/parents-accuse-mass-hospital-locking-daughter-psych-ward-article-1.1609998

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/justina-pelletier-mom-faints-decision-place-teen-foster-care-article-1.1701640

Justina Pelletier, a fifteen year-old girl in Massachusetts, has been kept in a psychiatric ward at Boston Children’s Hospital for over a year. Justina started out at Tufts Medical Center, where she was diagnosed with mitochondrial disease, which has a negative effect on the way cells produce energy and can easily destroy a person’s body. Last February some other doctors at Boston Children’s Hospital decided that the disease was all in Justina’s head—they were caused by a mental illness. When Lou and Linda, Justina’s parents, tried to take their daughter back to Tufts Boston Children’s Hospital called the cops. Justina has been at Boston Children’s Hospital ever since, the focal point of a custody and medical battle that her parents haven’t stopped fighting. They want their daughter back.

For the past year, Justina has been sitting in a psychiatric ward at Boston Children’s Hospital. Her parents were only allowed a single one-hour, supervised per week. They say their daughter’s condition has worsened since she was admitted to the psych ward. Her hair is falling out, she relies on a wheelchair for transportation, and her parents are not allowed to photograph her.

Justina was brought to Boston Children’s Hospital after her regular doctor at Tufts was unable to see her. The medical professional she saw said he did not believe in the diagnosis or treatment she had already been given and created his own medical plan for her without input from anyone else. When Justina’s parents refused to sign the plan and attempted to check their daughter out of the hospital the hospital responded by accusing the parents of over-medicating their child and refusing to give her the mental health therapy she needed.

Justina’s latest hearing was a few days ago. Linda Pelletier collapsed to the ground and was taken to the hospital after hearing that her daughter might be placed in foster care. She would reside in a different county and attend a special education and treatment program. Reporters say this decision may indicate that Justina is mentally stable. Her next hearing is scheduled for March 17^th.

I know I’m not the only one who thinks there are multiple things wrong with this situation. Land of the free, home of the brave, but we don’t get to decide what happens with our medical situations? How is releasing Justina so different than if I decide not to take ibuprofen for a headache or if I tell my dentist I don’t want to have my wisdom teeth removed? I really don’t understand.

I suppose this really hits home for me because of the similarities to my family. There is nothing like the love between a mother and her child. I see it most clearly with my mom and my fourteen-year-old brother, but I know she would do anything for me too. Obviously, Justina has two amazing parents who love her and care for her. She is the center of their world, but she has been wretched out of it. It’s an unfortunate situation because of Justina’s rapid decline, but these hospitals aren’t doing anything to help. I don’t think the government or these hospitals have the right to say what is best for a minor with two living, caring parents. Especially since her condition is rapidly deteriorating, if the parents agree, I think it would be best for Justina to spend her time at home, rather than a hospital or in foster care. Is one lost patient really going to bring a hospital down? Justina probably could if they don’t release her.

“The system has failed.”

Skippers Better Watch Out!

By this time, I think we all know that our public school system is flawed. However, I think this is just a little ridiculous:

http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2014/02/ypsilanti_township_to_consider_2.html

Parents of so-called “chronically absent students” now have to pay for their student’s absence. Literally. An ordinance is already in place in Ypsilanti Community Schools. Michigan requires students between six and fifteen years old to be in school during regular school hours. The new ordinance that the Board of Trustees voted on at Tuesday night’s meeting would raise the age to seventeen. This change reflects a change in Michigan State Law. (I’m not sure exactly what happened at this board meeting in regard to this particular ordinance; it seems the biggest topic on the agenda was a number of changes in the leadership of Ypsilanti-Willow Run Board of Education) Kids who choose to skip school can only be ticketed if they are found on public property, but the new ordinance would allow officers to ticket kids who hide out in any residence, public or private. This offence is considered a misdemeanor. The first offence could cost the delinquent and his parents a $50 fine. The second offence is punishable by a fine of $100.

We all get it. Schools are under the jurisdiction of state governments. Schools aren't what they used to be (and they certainly aren't as competitive worldwide as they need to be). People think that in order to learn kids need to be in school so it’s against the law for kids to NOT be in school when they’re supposed to be.

I still see some problems with this.

How do you define “chronically absent?”  Is this for the whole school day or simply for certain classes? What happens to the kids who drop out on their eighteenth birthday? Is all that effort lost, or do teenagers have to start paying their own fines? What about those kids who are red-shirted and don’t start school until after they’re six years old? And about investigating the location of students on private property…is it just me or does that sound a little like an unreasonable search/seizure? (Fourth Amendment)

I have had late arrival all year and I love it, not only because I have the opportunity to take a dual enrollment class at the community college and sleep in a bit more every morning, but because there is no traffic when I get to school, and if there is I get to laugh at the students who skipped first period. It’s hilarious.  

Moreover, I believe that school just isn't for everyone. As much as we try to have a program or two for everyone to join and love, with the amount of budget cuts that are upon us, “extra” programs that students live for are the first to go. One cannot force a person to endure and participate in something five days a week that they do not enjoy and are not the least bit passionate about. Graduation requirements are not realistic for some students who are not motivated and not gifted in the academic ways of school. This also puts a lot of pressure on the teachers who are graded in a large part by the performance of their students, both in their class grades and on standardized tests and exams at the end of the semester. Placing consequences on parents for the actions of their children is somewhat unfair when they reach the point of independence and defiance. I can see two really bad situations come out of this. One is where the parents simply cannot pay for their student’s actions and that puts the whole family in a bad place. The other involves a student skipping school for a reason other than to have fun and when an abusive parent finds out that they now have to pay…things don’t end well for the student.

“Sound Basic Education”

Who Are We to Judge Ugly?

I’ll be the first to admit, when I first saw this picture I was thinking a few things that weren’t exactly positive:

Who is this?? An advocate for an organization that helps feed the Starving Children of Africa? A survivor of domestic abuse?

Answer: None of the above. This is Lizzie Velasquez. As I learned, she is just like every single one of us, but she was born with an unnamed syndrome that doesn’t allow her to gain any weight. Ever. She can eat Twinkies all night and be the same sixty-five pounds that she was the morning before. It sounds like heaven, right? Well, there you’d be wrong again. Lizzie has been the victim of bullying her entire life. It is her response to this bullying that has gained her attention.

http://www.ryot.org/worlds-ugliest-woman-teaches-beauty-is/533737

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellness/texas-woman-gain-weight-bullied/story?id=17228529

Lizzie lived a very normal childhood. When doctors told her parents their daughter was born with this syndrome that left her with the inability to have the normal layer of fat that most humans do, they said they wanted to see her, to take her home, and to love her. And so they did. Before kindergarten, Lizzie had no idea that she was different in any way because of how naturally her family treated her. Upon entering kindergarten, however, Lizzie soon realized that she was different. She recalls other students looking at her like she was some sort of monster. The rest of her years were full of the same reactions: stares and hatred. At one point, some classmates of hers posted an eight-second video of Lizzie on YouTube, characterizing Lizzie as the “World’s Ugliest Woman.” Lizzie had much the same reaction as any teenage girl: she cried her eyes out. However, instead of killing herself like some of her peers had requested, Lizzie decided to turn the situation around. She continued to live life, set goals, and achieve success.

After reading the two articles above, listening to her TedX Talk, and visiting her personal website (http://www.aboutlizzie.com) my opinions quickly changed. Lizzie is an awesome woman, and I hope many of you will agree. Not only did she defeat the bullying that, at one point, seemed to consume her life, she now works as a motivational speaker. She inspires those who think negatively about their bodies and those who are dealing with their fair share of bullying.

Bullying. Remind me again why this is a problem. Why do we feel it necessary to taunt and tease others to the point of depression and suicide? Bullying is against the law in 49 states (Montana is the only state that does not have an anti-bullying law), and still there are news stories of middle and high schoolers taking their own lives because of harsh comments whispered under another’s breath or criticism online or judgmental text messages. Just last week there was an eleven-year-old boy in Raleigh who tried to hang himself from the bunk beds in his room because he was teased at school and after school care for liking “My Little Pony.”

Someone’s always going to blame the government. (All these snow days and the school we’re going to be making up when the weather is nice? That’s Obama’s fault.) Citizens are calling for stricter anti-bullying laws to cover ALL the types of bullying and permissions to make punishments more severe. Others say that free speech, no matter how hurtful, is one of our first amendment rights that can’t be tampered with. These people see the fact that many of these children are the center of their parent’s world, and they have difficulty dealing with any situation that does not go their way. The children who are being bulled need to “man up,” and deal with it. So far, no federal anti-bullying laws exist, though some cases of bullying overlap with discriminatory harassment, which people are protected against by law. Most state laws define bullying as teasing, social exclusion, threat, intimidation, stalking, physical violence, theft, harassment, humiliation, or destruction of property. Cyberbullying is doing any of the above by use of any electronic communicator. (Source: http://www.stopbullying.gov/laws/key-components/index.html) However, only a few states have measures to punish bullying done by juveniles.

Someone’s always going to blame the government, but in this case, I think it’s the parent’s fault.

Children are amazing creatures. They easily learn from examples, and they can pick up on feelings and emotions of those around them. Those two traits combine to make a recipe for disaster. When a mom at a supermarket is less than friendly toward the old classmate she runs into, her daughter is watching and listening and learning. When Mom thought she was picking out PopTarts, she was actually learning a lesson about hate, one that will follow her back into the classroom. And when that young daughter grows up and runs into an old classmate at the supermarket…you see where I’m going.

The lesson here is love. The lack of love as seen in the form of bullying is not something that the government can fix simply. Rather, the love the world needs is a lesson we can learn from Lizzie Velasquez. People are not defined by their outward appearances or their interests in different aspects of culture, but by their goals, successes, and accomplishments. We all have the choice to let the people who speak negatively about us affect us in the ways they intended or to ignore them and live our lives, but we also have a responsibility not to become the person who tears down.

“Brave starts here.”

Props to Mac

As y’all might know, I’m not “into” a lot of today’s culture. I don’t watch television or go to the movies every single weekend. I don’t drink coffee and I’d much rather be reading or doing something with my hands then sitting inside and passing my time in front of some sort of screen. What I do love, however, is music. Though I am not musically talented, per say, I love to listen and sing to whatever is on the radio, and I was super excited when the Grammy’s rolled around the other week. After going to bed at ten o’clock because my brother needed a ride to school the next morning I spent plenty of time watching YouTube videos and reading articles about what went on. What I saw was amazing, and I think this about sums it up:

http://seattletimes.com/html/musicnightlife/2022787404_grammyanalysis1xml.html

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis...what a year they had, and what a Sunday night. The Seattle Times says that their song, “Same Love” set the standard for the Grammy’s, held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Sunday January 26, 2014. Their performance, along with that of Sara Bareilles and Carole King, Lorde, Kacey Musgraves, and Hunter Hays sent a clear message, all the while “rais[ing] questions about gender, justice, class and staying true to yourself.” Macklemore’s performance was one of the last, but one of the most lasting. His single, “Same Love,” was the fourth single released off of his album “The Heist” but didn’t take off until this summer, following the successes of “Thrift Shop” and “Can’t Hold Us,” which are both about much less controversial material. Still, the subject matter did not hinder the single’s success, taking the #11 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 and the #1 spots in both New Zealand and Australia. Inspired by the story of a gay teenager who took his life, Macklemore wrote his own take on the continuing battle for gay rights. His song proclaims, “I might not be the same, but that’s not important. No freedom ‘till we’re equal. Damn right, I support it.”

During the performance, Queen Latifah emerged onto the stage, carrying out a ceremony to unite 33 gay and straight coupled in marriage (34 couples, according to other articles). Madonna then joined the party singing her hit, “Open Your Heart.” The couples exchanged rings, shed tears, and sang along. Macklemore’s own sister took part in the ceremony, giving herself to her boyfriend.

While the fight for Gay Rights continues, support is not coming from everywhere. Gay marriage is one of the few topics the Federal Government will not address fully, giving the states the right to decide whether or not gay marriage will be allowed. As of December 20, 2013, seventeen states and Washington DC have established the freedom to marry same-sex couples. (North Carolina is not one of those states.) Colorado, Oregon, Nevada, and Wisconsin offer a more limited civil union or domestic partnership.

Personally, I’m with Macklemore on this one. We are all sinners, but we all have something to bring to this world. It pains my heart to know that some wonderful human beings are hiding the greatness within themselves because they’re afraid of being judged by their peers, that some kids would rather take themselves out of the world than tell the people who brought them into the world who they really are. While I have been taught that “marriage” is between a man, a woman, and God, I think society has turned it into something else, and that the marriage we know today needs to be available to everyone. When my grandkids look to their history books and see gay marriage the same way I look at my history books and see slavery and civil rights, I want to be able to say that I supported the way of the future, that I loved everyone I came into contact with regardless of their beliefs. I know I still have a far way to go, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop trying.

Macklemore took home four Grammy’s last month. He may have apologized for some of them, but he never apologized for writing about things that mattered to him. In the process, I hope he changed some views. He definitely had an effect on mine.

“Live on, and be yourself.”