Thursday, February 1, 2007

Transmission 3

The melancholy tale of Dr. Stock and the writer :
Dr. Stock makes important decisions daily, but one of his choices came under fire Tuesday, as he didn't call for a delay or cancellation. This normally wouldn't be a bad thing, but many were angry, stating that at least a delay was needed. Thousands of people in the school district flocked to The Wawascene (as his blog is called), and voiced their opinion, many of them students, many of them displaying how childish they truly are, and many of them pushing for an early release. Even parents joined in the condemning of Dr. Stock. Many people didn't think before they chimed in, the first comment a simple "Dur". Anonymously at that. In fact, most failed to identify themselves, instead taking advantage of the Anonymous tag. I'm assuming this is to protect something. I'm also assuming it's their pride. They don't want to admit that they acted immature and rash, despite the students claiming to be mature, able-minded people, and the adults claiming to be more mature than their student counterparts. Dr. Stock made a mistake. At least he acknowledged it and helped to minimize the outcome.

Also on my list, Smoke Signals. The school paper recently published an article that this one deems controversial. In it, writer Breanna Kellermann gives her viewpoint on recruiters in school, and shares those of Dustin Ratliff and Chris Smith. I thought the article was well thought out, and well written, but many are complaining. I wondered to myself, why would someone be offended by such an article, and they gladly told me. It seems that the overall intent of the piece was misunderstood. Some claim that she (Kellermann) was stating that only underachieving students, people who may drop out, join the military. Others say that she's stating that only the poverty-stricken join the military. While this may or may not be true (statistics show that many recruits are single-income families), that was not the intent of the article. Kellerman was simply stating that you should join if you want to, not because you see no other options. There's always an alternative to service in the armed forced. Even a one Mr. Taylor agrees with the reporter's views, and goes so far as to say that recruiters shouldn't be in schools in the first place. It's all very hectic for the young reporter (15), but she's managed to keep her head above water and has begun working on her next story. Hopefully all will work out in the end, and those who misunderstood will see the article for what it is. Remember, people are offended by their ignorance.

Monday, December 11, 2006

Transmission 2

Now for another hot-button issue. Abortion. I've sat in on many many arguments for and against, and I've taken all the facts into consideration. The fact of the matter is, it's the parents fault. Easy enough to understand. Two people had sex, and they made a baby. It's happening more and more. We get unwed teen mothers who think that the only way to prove to their boy friend that they love them is to have sex with them. Let me set the record straight. Sex is the utmost expression of love and affection. Sex is something that you do with that special someone. Sex isn't something that you just do because you can. Having sex isn't a passive decision. You have to want to do it whole-heartedly. You have to do it with the one you love, the one who you want to spend the rest of your life with. Sex is also a gamble. You might have a child, you might contract an STD. Anyway, back to the issue at hand. If a 16 year old girl gives birth to a bay, what's she to do? Her parents might kick her out of the house. She can't support a child and go to school. And the father? Most likely long gone by now. Adoption? Perhaps the mother is stubborn, but think. The child might be loved less in an adopted family simply because s/he is adopted. Think of the emotional trauma as well. If the child were to get an abortion, she might be scared to have another child. She wouldn't have to quit her job. She wouldn't have to go through all of that. You'd be sparing a pre-existing life and sacrificing a non-existent one, and all to help cure those evil diseases like cancer, and other organ-destroying ones out there.

Friday, December 8, 2006

Transmission 1

Well, it's that time kiddies. It was only to be but a brief period until I received a web blog here on Blogger. It was in instant decision, seeing as the super of a certain school also has a blog on this site. This makes things all to easy. The internet is a medium of communication and the spread of ideas is easy through the world wide web. Like the threads of a spider's we, we are all connected to each other. I can say whatever I please here, and not be persecuted because of who I am on the outside. This blog is an extension of my mind, my thoughts, my ideas, and my self. They may oppress this, but they can not silence me. I will share freely, unpolished, insensitive, and sometimes unflattering thoughts. If it offends you, then by all means, stop reading. I'm not captivating you here, forcing you to read my ideas and opinions. You have come of your own volition, and you may leave whenever you see fit. Now, on to the actual blogging...

The pledge of allegiance. Many do not say it. Why? Well, for a plethora of reasons actually, though the most common is either "I don't like America" or because of the line "Under God". I'll openly admit, I find saying the pledge pointless. Why say you'll protect a piece of cloth? That cloth is not the ideals that the original colonists fought and died to protect. Those ideals are long past. Religion should not mix with politics. Under God. That line was added around WW2. My sources indicate that the president thought that enemies of America we enemies of God, thus making our country either A) God, or B) A nation wholly devoted to one specific deity. This is wrong. There are many diverse cultures, and many are discriminated against. Why, just the other day, a group of students in an Algebra class made fun of a German exchange student when his back was turned, calling him a "Neo-Nazi". Is the world so full of deceit and hate and xenophobia that we hold today's generation responsible for the mistakes of the past. Overcome your fear. Rid yourselves of the archaic beliefs, lest ye be forced to repeat the mistakes of our fore-fathers. People must learn that the way they are taught isn't the best way. You have to go out, experience life, and decide for yourself who you are, and what you believe. The youth are becoming old too fast. I have lost a piece of my childhood I can never reclaim. I am not the same person. I'm still a teenager, worried about how I'm going to support myself, worried about college, worried about keeping so many things together, then worried that if I do everything, I won't have time to have fun and enjoy life. You only get one life, and I prefer to spend it living from day to day than worry about what will come the next, locked away in a massive tower of books, trying to do everything I can to secure a future as a millionaire.

Another thing, concerning an article in an issue of "Smoke Signals" that was talking about the type of music people listen to. I don't have the article handy, or I'd provide more information, but in this article, the author says that you must understand that what you listen to has consequences, and that you must understand what your listening to. She goes far enough as to recommend what music to listen to in order to live a good life. The genre? Christian. Like rock? Christian Rock will make you successful. Like country? Make sure the underlying message is about God and Jesus, or you might end up in jail. The Dark Patriot is here to tell you that that isn't the case. System of a Down, one of my favorite bands, sings about the unfairness of the government, and the shallowness of religion. Their song "Needles", talks about a heroin addict and the things he sees, hear, and feels while on a high, and an excuse he tells people as to why he looks so addled. One of the lines goes "I'm sitting in my room/with a needle in my hand/waiting for the tomb/of some old dying man". MTV forced th word "needle" to be changed to "shotgun", so the new line read "I'm sitting in my room/with a shotgun in my hand." This does not want to make me go out, buy a gun, then sit in my room and either A) Kill myself, or B) Kill someone else. This theory of hers, that the message of any song gets through, is false. Make anyone listen to a System (as fans call them) song and ask what it means. Student Adam Stewart didn't comprehend that System sang about religion and politics. He had been listening since their double album "Mesmerized/Hypnotized" debuted. The popular song "B.Y.O.B" is a prime example. Bring You Own Beer? No. Bring Your Own Bombs. It is a song about destroying the future of the Iraqis through war and force. "Everybody's going to the party, have a real good time/ Dancing in the desert blowing up the sunshine" People need to think for themselves instead of being lead to slaughter like the mindless live stock that we claim to be superior than. In this day and age, I am beginning to doubt that claim.