The death penalty has always been a bit of a controversy, now more than ever. Capitol punishment rates have been dropping steadily over the years, yet there still appear to be some staunch supporters of the death penalty. One only has to look at the Republican presidential debate of September 2011, when "the audience erupted into applause when moderator Brian Williams noted Texas had executed 234 people in recent years" (NPR). All of this discussing other people's fates as if they were already dead is frankly making me a little queasy, so I think we all, as Americans, need to come together and have an educated discussion on whether or not the death penalty is moral or even worthy of merit. Only then do I believe that we would decide whether or not it should truly be our call if a person should die for his crimes.
I think most of us, whether Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, or even Atheistic, can agree that all human life has value. The question then becomes how much is a life worth? Is it worth killing something for a crime they committed if there is a chance of redemption? Are criminals "worthy" of the death penalty even worthy of redemption? If all else fails and you still have an un-slakeable bloodlust that will not slumber until the person in question has paid for his/her crimes in your mind, isn't it a far worse punishment to be sentenced to "natural life in prison, without any chance of parole," (NPR) being forced to live their lives in agony over the crimes they've committed? (a tad morbid, I know and I apologize). The answers to these questions are "Priceless, no, no, and NO!" Every life holds value because it is a scientific miracle that it exists at all, even if it has been adverse to society, and it should not be ended. Everybody is worthy of redemption and to those who would see a life end because they deem it necessary, I say this: "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind" (Gandhi) we must be better than the killers.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Homeschooling: Should you or Shouldn't you?
Lately there has been a lot of discussion about the issue of homeschooling versus more traditional methods of schooling. Proponents of homeschooling point to statistics saying that home-schooled children tend to be more well adjusted than traditionally schooled children. Also, the point to the statistic that children who received a home education generally outperform "at least 70 to 80 their conventionally scored peers" on standardized tests (Gathercole). Opponents of homeschooling, however, generally say that homeschoolers generally fall into three categories: "left-wing unschoolers and right-wing religious fundamentalists"or "middle-of-the-road suburbanites"(Reich). Both sides can agree that there is an incorrect stereotype of home-schooled children being socially inept, undereducated, and unprepared for the real world.
So what are the key issues associated with homeschooling? The most important issues include quality of education and the social implications of homeschooling. Why the former of these issues is important is obvious; parents want the best possible education for their child no matter what medium of education they choose. the implications here vary on a case-by-case basis. There are some parents out there who are more than qualified to teach their children and may do so if they wish, but there are always those who are under-qualified to teach theirs or anybody else's children. It's these parents, these stay-a-home moms with all the free time in the world who insist that their little Johnny is too smart for public school who think that teaching is only a glorified babysitting job, who are the ones that are really going to screw their kid up.
The social implications of homeschooling are the second key issue to be considered. Parents can provide positive, reinforcing social interactions with other local homeschoolers (assuming there are any) and set little Jimmy or Sally up for a large self-confidence boost and sunshine and rainbows everywhere they look, but seriously, is this kind of control over your child's interactions such a good thing? What happens when he or she meets his very first jerk? His or her first idiot? How will they handle it when they're thrown into a world filled with the worst and best kind of people when all they've experienced before is what their parents wanted them to experience. As Mary Elizabeth says in her article "Cons of Homeschooling" on the website educationbug.org, homeschooling simply cannot "provide the diversity of social contacts that a public or private school does." I just personally can't see homeschooling as a feasible option, though everybody else is entitled to their own opinions.
So what are the key issues associated with homeschooling? The most important issues include quality of education and the social implications of homeschooling. Why the former of these issues is important is obvious; parents want the best possible education for their child no matter what medium of education they choose. the implications here vary on a case-by-case basis. There are some parents out there who are more than qualified to teach their children and may do so if they wish, but there are always those who are under-qualified to teach theirs or anybody else's children. It's these parents, these stay-a-home moms with all the free time in the world who insist that their little Johnny is too smart for public school who think that teaching is only a glorified babysitting job, who are the ones that are really going to screw their kid up.
The social implications of homeschooling are the second key issue to be considered. Parents can provide positive, reinforcing social interactions with other local homeschoolers (assuming there are any) and set little Jimmy or Sally up for a large self-confidence boost and sunshine and rainbows everywhere they look, but seriously, is this kind of control over your child's interactions such a good thing? What happens when he or she meets his very first jerk? His or her first idiot? How will they handle it when they're thrown into a world filled with the worst and best kind of people when all they've experienced before is what their parents wanted them to experience. As Mary Elizabeth says in her article "Cons of Homeschooling" on the website educationbug.org, homeschooling simply cannot "provide the diversity of social contacts that a public or private school does." I just personally can't see homeschooling as a feasible option, though everybody else is entitled to their own opinions.
Friday, December 16, 2011
Savings on Stereotypes?
There is no use sugar-coating it: our economy sucks. People have been scrimping and saving, tightening their belts, hiding their money in their mattresses, the whole nine yards. In this rough economic climate, the issue has come up lately about wether or not those who would receive welfare should be drug tested. This would supposedly save us all money by eliminating some welfare checks being used on drugs. But is this really the case? How much are we actually saving on this plan? Are we just perpetuating a long-held stereotype that "low-income people are lazy, shiftless drug addicts" (Sulzberger).
Let's start with the effectiveness of this policy. It has already been instated in the state of Florida to dismal results. Out of the first forty people that they tested "only two came up positive" (Cohen). This means that the state of Florida would be spending too much on drug tests and not gaining enough back from not having to pay welfare checks. They would be earning "$240 a month if it denies benefits" to these 2 people, but they would be spending around "$1,140 to the applicants who tested negative" (Cohen). Florida is a real life example of why this system wouldn't work.
Next, the human factor. So often we treat other people's lives like numbers and statistics just because we may be better off. There are low income families out there barely scraping by on what little government money that they receive. These are honest Americans who are just down on their luck in these tough economic times, not "welfare queens" to use the phrase coined by former president Ronald Reagan. Some of these people are just getting by on "a monthly welfare check of $342, plus $642 in food stamps" (Sulzberger).
Finally, there is the issue of stereotypes. For the longest time the stereotype of those who are on welfare is that they are lazy people living it up on the government's dime. In truth, however, these poor folks can barely make it on their income and they can't get hired because they got laid off of their previous job. Sure, cutting some people's welfare would save us money, but how much? Enough to justify ruining a life? Sure some of the lower class does illegal drugs, but then so does some of the middle class, and indeed some of the upper class. So should we attempt to get savings off of stereotypes? Even the suggestion itself is crass.
Let's start with the effectiveness of this policy. It has already been instated in the state of Florida to dismal results. Out of the first forty people that they tested "only two came up positive" (Cohen). This means that the state of Florida would be spending too much on drug tests and not gaining enough back from not having to pay welfare checks. They would be earning "$240 a month if it denies benefits" to these 2 people, but they would be spending around "$1,140 to the applicants who tested negative" (Cohen). Florida is a real life example of why this system wouldn't work.
Next, the human factor. So often we treat other people's lives like numbers and statistics just because we may be better off. There are low income families out there barely scraping by on what little government money that they receive. These are honest Americans who are just down on their luck in these tough economic times, not "welfare queens" to use the phrase coined by former president Ronald Reagan. Some of these people are just getting by on "a monthly welfare check of $342, plus $642 in food stamps" (Sulzberger).
Finally, there is the issue of stereotypes. For the longest time the stereotype of those who are on welfare is that they are lazy people living it up on the government's dime. In truth, however, these poor folks can barely make it on their income and they can't get hired because they got laid off of their previous job. Sure, cutting some people's welfare would save us money, but how much? Enough to justify ruining a life? Sure some of the lower class does illegal drugs, but then so does some of the middle class, and indeed some of the upper class. So should we attempt to get savings off of stereotypes? Even the suggestion itself is crass.
Friday, November 11, 2011
Is College Worth It?
In his article "Will Dropouts Save America?", Michael Ellsberg states that a college degree is frivolous in this economy and is unnecessary for success in life. While I agree with him on some of the smaller details of his article, our opinions probably couldn't be much more different. While I believe that some people are born with a natural talent and don't need college to be successful, I don't believe that college is a thing of the past or useless as Ellsberg makes it out to be. Ellsberg scoffs at our educational system trying to prepare us to have good resumé, saying that "80 percent get filled in the informal job market" as opposed to a supposed 20 percent, resumé-based job market (Ellsberg). What he is proposing is that instead of everybody trying to go to college, everybody should try to be entrepreneurs. While I agree that we do need more entrepreneurs, I do not believe that entrepreneurship is something to be focussed upon in schools. Not everybody should run their own business, as it is a risky financial venture which has an almost guaranteed chance to fail.
In addition to business-ownership being a risky business, there are only a certain amount of people that can have businesses at once. It's hard enough to become a business owner nowadays with the cost and competition, but could you imagine is the educational system groomed everybody to be owners of businesses instead of workers in business? There would be "too many chiefs and not enough indians" as the old saying goes. Too many people would be trying to do the same thing where the work is not needed.
In closing, do I believe that college is worth it? Absolutely. College is an institution that was created to further the education of a high school graduate so that he or she may be better prepared to enter the working world without (or at least with less) fear of working in modern society, or even being hired. I believe that college works as well today as it did back when Ellsberg said that the college mentality started, "in the stable economy of the 1950s" (Ellsberg).
In addition to business-ownership being a risky business, there are only a certain amount of people that can have businesses at once. It's hard enough to become a business owner nowadays with the cost and competition, but could you imagine is the educational system groomed everybody to be owners of businesses instead of workers in business? There would be "too many chiefs and not enough indians" as the old saying goes. Too many people would be trying to do the same thing where the work is not needed.
In closing, do I believe that college is worth it? Absolutely. College is an institution that was created to further the education of a high school graduate so that he or she may be better prepared to enter the working world without (or at least with less) fear of working in modern society, or even being hired. I believe that college works as well today as it did back when Ellsberg said that the college mentality started, "in the stable economy of the 1950s" (Ellsberg).
Friday, October 28, 2011
Are Tattoos Right for You?
Over the years I've noticed more and more people getting tattoos for reasons that are less and less important. I mean, back in the day, you'd get a tattoo of an anchor if you were a sailor just because of the achievement to show that you went through tough trials to get where you were. Some people would get tattoos of their children's names to commemorate their birth, or names of lost loved ones. Over time tats have come to be less about achievements and more frivolous. People began to get tattoos of the names of girlfriends and the classic "Mom" heart tattoo. More and more novelty tattoos followed these, most popular being characters from pop culture, pictures of flowers and animals, and barbed wire tattoos.
Some of these had meaning mind you. Some examples from my experience with others being a dolphin for being the best swimmer on your team. Another (slightly more extreme) example is a man who legally changed his name to Darth Maul and got a tat of Darth Maul on his calf (If you don't know who Darth Maul is, then I am severely disappointed in you and you need to google him right now. Go ahead, I'll wait... Are you back yet? Good. Now that your a bit more educated I can continue with my pointless rant.). I can understand say getting the logo of a band that has been a huge influence in your life. I can almost even understand the barbed wire tattoo on a guy who wants to get the bump from "tough" to "intimidating." There are some tattoos that I refuse to understand, such as naked or semi-naked people, the dog collar tattoo, the full body tattoo, and the infamous "Hello Kitty" tramp stamp.
Some of these had meaning mind you. Some examples from my experience with others being a dolphin for being the best swimmer on your team. Another (slightly more extreme) example is a man who legally changed his name to Darth Maul and got a tat of Darth Maul on his calf (If you don't know who Darth Maul is, then I am severely disappointed in you and you need to google him right now. Go ahead, I'll wait... Are you back yet? Good. Now that your a bit more educated I can continue with my pointless rant.). I can understand say getting the logo of a band that has been a huge influence in your life. I can almost even understand the barbed wire tattoo on a guy who wants to get the bump from "tough" to "intimidating." There are some tattoos that I refuse to understand, such as naked or semi-naked people, the dog collar tattoo, the full body tattoo, and the infamous "Hello Kitty" tramp stamp.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
"I've got a fever, and the only cure: IS MORE COWBELL!"
Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a music lover. I play guitar and sing (how well is debatable) and i dabble in several other instruments, such as harmonica, bass, and ocarina (think weird lookin' yet somehow cool wind instrument). I love to play all of these, they all sound lovely when played correctly and they help me to unwind at the end of the day. I honestly believe that it helps me to be more creative than somebody who doesn't care much for music. Everybody should learn an instrument, whether its guitar, saxophone, or just how to keep a beat with a cowbell. Even if you're not a musical person, you should still try to find some kind of creative outlet, be it dance or drawing. Perhaps if we had more creative people then we could finally be rid of this cultural mishmash of infinitely self-recycling crap that we call modern popular culture.
The lack of creativity in today's pop culture scene can be attributed to the lack of willingness to try new creative activities such as playing instruments. All of the "fresh new entertainment" that we see today seems to be recycled directly from the past. All sorts of movie remakes, such as the smurfs, the karate kid, and the A-team, while marginally entertaining, are still just rip offs straight out of the 70's and 80's. Then you have your crappy musical con-artists like Kid Rock, blatantly stealing the music from "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Werewolves in London." I mean, just give Madonna a listen and then Lady Gaga and tell me that they don't sound exactly the same (Even the stupid, weird wardrobe gimmicks).
The lack of creativity in today's pop culture scene can be attributed to the lack of willingness to try new creative activities such as playing instruments. All of the "fresh new entertainment" that we see today seems to be recycled directly from the past. All sorts of movie remakes, such as the smurfs, the karate kid, and the A-team, while marginally entertaining, are still just rip offs straight out of the 70's and 80's. Then you have your crappy musical con-artists like Kid Rock, blatantly stealing the music from "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Werewolves in London." I mean, just give Madonna a listen and then Lady Gaga and tell me that they don't sound exactly the same (Even the stupid, weird wardrobe gimmicks).
Friday, October 21, 2011
The Ice Flame of Krystille: Part 4- Heiron's End
The wind whipped through Heiron's hair as he rode his horse Zephyr through the streets of the village of Grënit. He rode into the neighboring Init'ha wood, weaving through the trees with the skill of a master equestrian. His goal was to reach the house of the newborn boy who was mentioned in his prophecy. This house was in the small, sparsely settled village of Posnä. Normally Heiron would take the road, but this way was shorter, and he feared that he was not long for this world.
Suddenly a voice that filled the forrest. It boomed all around and nearly deafened Heiron. "Heiron, Warlock of Erindiel! You have seen the future as all wizards have, but you choose to tell the world of it! This is in violation of the Warlock-God pact! You have been warned, turn back and die peacefully or we shall retaliate with all of our might! Do not invoke the wrath of Asgard lightly..." Heiron wasn't surprised that the God Odin would contact him in such a way. Not only had the two once been friends, but Heiron and Odin were the ones who signed the Warlock God pact. Heiron began to ride faster and yelled back "My message SHALL be delivered! Even the combined might of Asgard cannot stop me Odin." "If this is your decision... then so be it. We shall see just how much weight your mere words carry old friend!"
Heiron reached a field, on the other side of which was the town of Posnä. Heiron rode faster and faster until he could push Zephyr no more. Suddenly he hear what sounded like a hammer hitting an anvil at an Earth-shattering decibel. A bolt of lightening struck two feet to the right of him and spooked Zephyr into running to the left. Heiron willed Zepher to turn back towards Posnä. "It seems that you need to work on your aim Thor!" yelled Heiron, knowing Thor to be the god of thunder, and that the hammer sound that he heard was from Mjolnir, Thor's hammer.
A voice began to whisper in Heiron's ear "Heiron... Oh Heirooon... Your friend- Elijah was it? He's dead Heiron! We destroyed your tower in Erindiel and killed him Heiron... We destroyed his home, his possessions, him, and.... his FAMILY!" The voice gave a maniacal cackle at this, and tears began to stream down the wizard's face. But then he remembered who the voice must've been, Loki the trickster god. "That's not true Loki! You know it, you've never told a truth in your life!" "There's a first time for everything Heiron! Are you so sure I speak un-truths? Your friend is the only one who knew of the prophecy besides you!" "Clever Loki, but you've forgotten! The prophecy I spoke was in the sacred tongue! Odin would never give your leash enough slack as to kill innocents Loki! Now if you'll excuse me, I have a message to deliver!" Heiron rode towards Posnä, his spirits bolstered by outsmarting Loki and learning that his friend was still alive.
Lightening fell from the sky like an electric rain, but Heiron rode straight and true, shielding himself from the bolts with all of the magical strength he could muster. He made it! He'd arrived in Posnä. He dismounted his horse and ran to the center of town. "People of Posnä! Hear my words!" Heiron was about to speak the prophecy when he realized what would happen to the townspeople if he did. Anybody with knowledge of the prophecy must be silenced, and telling the townsfolk would only give Loki enough just cause to kill them all. Heiron realized what he must do.
"I shall die where I stand on this day. The god Thor shall turn me to ash and a tree imbued with my magic shall grow in this very spot. My ashes are not to be moved, as the shall nourish my tree. When your boys turn 16, have them try to scrape the bark from my tree. He who scrapes the bark from my tree shall have a prophecy revealed to him, he shall be the chosen one as spoken of in the stories of old." He flourished his hand and a seed that shone like a star appeared at his fingertips. "Smite me Thor, I am ready." He clasped his hands around the seed and to his heart, closed his eyes and took his last deep breath. The Ear-splitting "Clang" of Mjolnir sounded, and a lightening bolt flew straight and true for Heiron. Heiron was turned to ash, though his tree's seed remained intact. The village children were shocked and cried, inconsolable even by their mothers. Some of the men stood dazed, the rest got back to their work as if nothing had occurred at all.
Suddenly a voice that filled the forrest. It boomed all around and nearly deafened Heiron. "Heiron, Warlock of Erindiel! You have seen the future as all wizards have, but you choose to tell the world of it! This is in violation of the Warlock-God pact! You have been warned, turn back and die peacefully or we shall retaliate with all of our might! Do not invoke the wrath of Asgard lightly..." Heiron wasn't surprised that the God Odin would contact him in such a way. Not only had the two once been friends, but Heiron and Odin were the ones who signed the Warlock God pact. Heiron began to ride faster and yelled back "My message SHALL be delivered! Even the combined might of Asgard cannot stop me Odin." "If this is your decision... then so be it. We shall see just how much weight your mere words carry old friend!"
Heiron reached a field, on the other side of which was the town of Posnä. Heiron rode faster and faster until he could push Zephyr no more. Suddenly he hear what sounded like a hammer hitting an anvil at an Earth-shattering decibel. A bolt of lightening struck two feet to the right of him and spooked Zephyr into running to the left. Heiron willed Zepher to turn back towards Posnä. "It seems that you need to work on your aim Thor!" yelled Heiron, knowing Thor to be the god of thunder, and that the hammer sound that he heard was from Mjolnir, Thor's hammer.
A voice began to whisper in Heiron's ear "Heiron... Oh Heirooon... Your friend- Elijah was it? He's dead Heiron! We destroyed your tower in Erindiel and killed him Heiron... We destroyed his home, his possessions, him, and.... his FAMILY!" The voice gave a maniacal cackle at this, and tears began to stream down the wizard's face. But then he remembered who the voice must've been, Loki the trickster god. "That's not true Loki! You know it, you've never told a truth in your life!" "There's a first time for everything Heiron! Are you so sure I speak un-truths? Your friend is the only one who knew of the prophecy besides you!" "Clever Loki, but you've forgotten! The prophecy I spoke was in the sacred tongue! Odin would never give your leash enough slack as to kill innocents Loki! Now if you'll excuse me, I have a message to deliver!" Heiron rode towards Posnä, his spirits bolstered by outsmarting Loki and learning that his friend was still alive.
Lightening fell from the sky like an electric rain, but Heiron rode straight and true, shielding himself from the bolts with all of the magical strength he could muster. He made it! He'd arrived in Posnä. He dismounted his horse and ran to the center of town. "People of Posnä! Hear my words!" Heiron was about to speak the prophecy when he realized what would happen to the townspeople if he did. Anybody with knowledge of the prophecy must be silenced, and telling the townsfolk would only give Loki enough just cause to kill them all. Heiron realized what he must do.
"I shall die where I stand on this day. The god Thor shall turn me to ash and a tree imbued with my magic shall grow in this very spot. My ashes are not to be moved, as the shall nourish my tree. When your boys turn 16, have them try to scrape the bark from my tree. He who scrapes the bark from my tree shall have a prophecy revealed to him, he shall be the chosen one as spoken of in the stories of old." He flourished his hand and a seed that shone like a star appeared at his fingertips. "Smite me Thor, I am ready." He clasped his hands around the seed and to his heart, closed his eyes and took his last deep breath. The Ear-splitting "Clang" of Mjolnir sounded, and a lightening bolt flew straight and true for Heiron. Heiron was turned to ash, though his tree's seed remained intact. The village children were shocked and cried, inconsolable even by their mothers. Some of the men stood dazed, the rest got back to their work as if nothing had occurred at all.
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