America's Changing Face ...

               

You ever washed your clothes and had to separate the whites from the colored? And if you didn't, your whites and colored clothes would mash up and make a whole new color? Would you believe me if I said this is very similar to how America is now? Sounds weird, doesn't it? Well recently I have read an article called "The New Face of America" by Veronica Majerol about how the United States has become more diverse over the years, and the percentile of races has changed drastically over the years.

Majerol made several interesting points on the newly discovered diversity in the United States. She graphed the information on the drastic changes to the nation from 1950-2011. Also, she estimated the changes in the nations’ races in the year 2050. In the article, Majerol says “Social changes are also driving the social shift. The number of mixed-race marriages – and as a result, mixed-race children is on  the rise: multiracial and multiethnic Americans are among the fastest growing demographic groups in the U.S., with 9 million people identifying as a mixed race on the 2010 census, a 32 percent increase from 2000.” This is why there is a growing percentile in the different races of America. Back in 1950 when some of our parents, and grandparents were born there weren’t many more white people in America than the ones who were non-white.

Also in the article Majerol says, “we, in this country have a history of bringing in people from other parts of the world… that’s still a part of our DNA as a society that puts us ahead of other parts of the world where they have real difficulties in assimilating people.” I agree with the previous statement because many other places in the world are not as open to immigrants. America, or “the home of the free” has become a diverse place in the recent passing years.

I think that “America’s changing face” won’t really affect today’s youth because this is the world that we have been growing up in, the world that we’re used to. Although we may have heard stories of how there used to be slavery, and how the “white man” ruled the nation, we don’t know this to be true. People who were alive back then and are still alive now may have a problem with the growing diversity, but I honestly think they’ll learn to live with it. I mean, who cares about color anyway?

What About Syria?

 In Syria, they’re steadily dying for help with the war that they’re facing, here in the U.S we just don’t know what kind of help we can give them. Should we push aside everything that we worked effortlessly for, to help the helpless? Or should we mind our own business and live on as if nothing is happening? Recently I have read an article called, “Civil War in Syria Raises Questions About When to Intervene” by the PBS news hour about how the Syrian war needs some assistance, so that the violence in Syria doesn’t continue to have many people flee their homes due to the violence taking place so close to their homes.

In the article PBS news executives say, “While these countries accept refugees, they have limited recourses to care for another population. The United Nation estimates that as many as 2.5 million people have been affected by the crisis, many of them in need of food, medicine and shelter.” This statement is basically saying that although there is a major crisis occurring in Syria, they still open their arms to other countries in need.

Also in the article it says, “a lot of people trying to figure out what could be an effective intervention that wouldn’t cause more death and suffering… we are thinking about all of this. There’s all kinds of both civilian and humanitarian and military planning going on but the factors are just not there.” I agree with U.S secretary of state Hillary Clinton because she has made an avid point about if the U.S should intervene in the Syrian war. In general, I think that the U.S should extend their arms to Syria and help them in their war, just as well as when they help build refugees for other countries in need.

Marijuana , legalized?

“Weed is a seed that grows in the ground. If God didn't want it, it wouldn't be around. So all you people that don't get high, just shut up and give it a try.”                                             

-       Dodge Girl

How would you like it if every time you turned around, you were being searched? How would you like to be a victim of the “stop and frisk” law? Just picture this, you don’t smoke marijuana but one of your friends does, and you just happen to be holding it for them. Worse case scenario… you get a fine, or end up behind bars because you just “held” the small amount of marijuana for your friend. Even if you didn’t smoke it, it was in your possession and that’s a crime.

Marijuana is an illegal drug. Committing a crime makes you a criminal. A criminal is a person who is guilty of crime. So does having even the smallest possession of marijuana make you a criminal? The answer is yes. Recently I have read an article called, “Marijuana law just creates criminals” by Hakeem Jeffries, that talks a lot about how the illegal use of marijuana gets millions of people arrested each day.

In the article Jeffries says, “But what many people don't know is that the state decriminalized this offense more than 30 years ago, making private possession of less than 25 grams of marijuana a violation punishable by a $100 fine.” Many people are unaware of this. This is a crime, making millions of Americans “criminals” without them even knowing it. Another interesting point that Jeffries makes is when he talks about the “stop and frisk” law that makes millions of New Yorkers “criminals” as well.

Also, In the article Jeffries clearly says, “Often however, the police approach young people and instruct them to empty their pockets immediately and show the officers anything they have. People who have a small quantity of marijuana in their pockets take it out and hold it up. The marijuana is now in public view. Thousands of people are then arrested and charged with misdemeanor possession, punishable by up to three months in jail and a $500 fine.” I don’t think that this is fair because people can be “stopped and frisked” based on their looks, or just random acts of prejudice. Although, I don’t agree that marijuana should be legalized, people should still have their privacy and personal space.

If you don’t feel as though you should be a victim of the “stop and frisk” law, take the lead and be above the influence.

Give Lance Another Chance?

Have you ever thought about achieving something major? Have you ever wanted something so bad that you just couldn’t help but cheat your way to the top? Have you ever wanted to be an icon to many and hated by none? Well so did Lance Armstrong. Recently I have read an article called “Give Lance Another Chance” by CNN executives and many others about how Tour de France winner seven times in a row, Lance Armstrong actually cheated his way to the top.

 Most of us know Armstrong as a seven time Tour de France winner, a testicular cancer survivor, and the founder of the “LiveStrong” foundation funded by Nike. But most people don’t know Armstrong as the cheater he confessed to being on the Oprah Winfrey show. Armstrong confessed to the use of steroids before the seven Tour de France races. In the article, Frida Ghitis says “… Armstrong’s achievements--recovering from cancer and then breaking records in the cycling world—made him an inspiration, an icon of hope” which is believed to be true, but once people find out the truth, will Armstrong’s legacy be the same? Will “LiveStrong” still “Live Strong”? These are questions that must be answered.
           

            Kevin Powell, author of “ Barack Obama, Ronald Regan, and the Ghost of Dr. King: blogs and essays says, “Lying is not the way to live one's life, ever, especially if you've positioned yourself as a role model and a hero. But I am not here to judge nor convict him. We all have our flaws, we all fall short as human beings. So, yes, I do think anyone can be redeemed, and should be given another chance if he shows true remorse and make amends for his bad deeds.”

I agree with Kevin, because not only did Armstrong make himself an idolized human being, but he also is very close to getting that taken away from him. Although he admitted to using drugs before the public had found out on its own, he still was wrong because he tried to hide it for over a decade. Anyone who has done a misdeed, should be given a second chance, especially someone like Armstrong who had given millions of Americans hope for the future. I think that Lance Armstrong is a lucky man and should not be chastised for wanting a life filled with fame. He’s alive, right? Although he lost his seven Tour de France titles, he still won that battle against cancer.

Let Kids be Kids ...

At one point in your life, you were a child. Not a teenager in your adolescent years, but a young child. Remember arguing for hours over who won that game of kickball? Or who made the most 3-pointers in basketball? Why don't kids this day in age happen to have the same opportunities? Are parents too overprotective to let their children have time of kid-organized play? Recently I have read an article called, “All Work and No Play: Why Your Kids Are More Anxious, Depressed” by Esther Entin about how declining a child’s play at a young age stops them from becoming confident adults in the future.

Entin makes several interesting points about the decline of child’s play, ways play benefits kids, and the loss of play and rise of anxiety. In the article, Entin says “Gray describes this kind of unstructured, freely-chosen play as a testing ground for life. It provides critical life experiences without which young children cannot develop into confident and competent adults.” In my understanding, that means that there are plenty of adults who have grown up and became socially-awkward, depressed and distressed because they didn’t even get a chance to have kid-organized play, not even for a limited amount of time. Also in the article, Entin mentions “Children learn to manage their emotions through play.

I agree with the points that Entin was making in the article because being able to go outside and play or to have a companion in which you could confide when you were a child was a major privilege that some of us didn’t have.  I think that kids don't have enough time to just let loose and be kids. There is just too much distraction these days. Parents are often so focused on their older children, and even the thought of them growing up that they don't even have the time of day to focus on their younger children. kids should be able to get up, get out, and get active. Even as adolescence and adults, some people still look back and wish they had – had those very rare opportunities to get out and play, because that is somewhat a part of what made them who they are today.

Bye Bye Birdies ...

There are 37 schools in the Philadelphia school district that are in line to be shut down, mixed-in, or relocated. Why? Don’t ask me. Recently, I have read an article called “Philadelphia Superintendent Identifies schools he intends to close” by Kristen A. Graham, inquirer staff writer about how the superintendent intends on closing about 37 schools, 22 of which are elementary, 4 of which are middle and 11 that are high schools for many different reasons, such as the cutbacks of the utility bills, the cut principals and school staff.

There are several reasons that the superintendent intends on shutting down, relocating, mixing-in, closing programs, reshuffling grades and more. The school district of Philadelphia has been borrowing tremendous amounts to pay the utility bills as well as the major funds for books and supplies. The school district of Philadelphia has also been losing many of their students, over 50,000 to be specific, more as though to charter schools than any other schools.

I think that a lot of students who have previously been relocated are not too happy with the change in the school district. I think that a lot of schools will begin to lose their students to charter schools because parents are already complaining about the books, the lunches, and the disciplinary actions taken by the school district of Philadelphia. Masteries are now taking over (becoming one of the top schools),  so I think that all of the schools that are being shut down, relocated, and or mixed-in should just become a few more Mastery Charter campuses.

Parents are already not too happy with the Philadelphia school district, so by the superintendent wanting to shut down and relocate schools, it’s only getting worse. I think that the superintendent is right by wanting to save money, but there are other ways to handle that, because being a student, I know for sure that if a student like THEIR school, it not only consists of the staff and students but the building as well. Some of the schools that are being shut down, have been around for centuries. I don’t think that it’s right for the superintendent to just take away buildings, surroundings or even the jobs of some.