In "Trouble in Ukraine" by Andrea Delblanco, the author writes about the conflicts that have been going on in Ukraine recently. The president of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych, has been removed from power after being in office from 2010-2014. He has been steering the country wrong for a long while now, and protesters clashing with police is causing a lot of problems.
This November, Yanukovych refused to sign a trade agreement with Europe, but then signed a "loan deal" with Russia. This sparked peaceful protests for new elections and better government in Ukraine. Then the police got involved. In my opinion, the police should have just left the protesters alone as long as they weren't violent. But conflict with the police led to "80 protesters dead and hundreds wounded", according to the article. After the violence, the president still refused to step down even after losing support from the military and Parliament. He fled Ukraine and went to Russia, a country that has offered him protection, probably because of the loan deal he made with them. After their president had left, Ukrainians looked into Yanukovych's home and found that it was obviously the home of someone extremely wealthy, even though the country was struggling with corruption.
I think that this article was unbiased, it just gave the facts. I, however, am very biased on this issue. I think both the president of Ukraine and the president of Russia are awful people. Viktor Yanukovych is a coward for leaving his country without stepping down (I'm glad he finally did). He should have been helping his country and rebuilding his government when instead he was just sending out police to repress protesters and sitting in his palace. Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, is also a complete jerk. He protected Ukraine's president, for one thing, and he's also hugely and actively homophobic and has enforced homophobic laws in his country, according to various sources.
Even though this article had no opinion on the "trouble in Ukraine", I definitely did.
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Sunday, February 23, 2014
"America"- Poem Reading Response 1st Draft
Living in America is often portrayed as a privilege, but for many people, such as immigrants, it is also a huge struggle. In the poem "America" by Claude McKay, the speaker feels that America's challenges make him/her a stronger person, therefore giving him/her strength to stand against all the problems and the hate in the country.
In the poem, the speaker is obviously facing problems in America. S/he describes these problems in very colorful ways. For example, "...she feeds me bread of bitterness/ And sinks into my throat her tiger's tooth..." (assuming "she" is America). The speaker could possibly be an immigrant, seeing that immigrants go through a lot in this country. The speaker could also be a person of color, a non-straight person, someone in poverty, or someone in any type of group that has a hard time living in the US because of discrimination or lack of resources. Despite this, towards the end of the poem, the speaker says "Darky I gaze into the days ahead/ And see her might and granite wonders...". This shows that while things might be bad now, the speaker has hope for America.
Even with all the challenges, in the poem, it is shown that the speaker likes America in a way. For example, "I love this cultured hell that tests my youth!". "Cultured hell" is an oxymoron, showing the strange nature of the relationship between the speaker and the country. I also think the speaker refuses to fear America, and will only let it's problems make him/her stronger. For example, s/he says "I stand within her walls with not a shred/ Of terror, malice, not a word of jeer". This means the speaker will not fear, hate, or tease America because of what it’s done to him/her.
America is a complicated place, with it’s privileges and problems. The speaker adresses this in the poem “America”, and doesn’t let the problems get to her. I think the speaker knows that letting the country beat him/her down won’t do him/her any good, so s/he only grows stronger from his/her experiences.
Monday, January 20, 2014
"Rethinking Juvenile Justice"- Reading Response
In "Rethinking Juvenile Justice" by John Schwartz, the author addresses the issue of children (people under age 18) being charged as an adult for their crimes. In the 80's and 90's, crack was a popular drug, and the government was desperately making more laws to get juveniles tried as adults for their more violent crimes. But now the country is moving in the other direction. Experts say that jailing younger kids with adult criminals could do more harm than good. The state of Colorado has started making some serious changes to their crime punishment laws, and nearly half of the US had already done so or followed along. Local areas, cities like Washington and New York, are trying to get kids out of the court system altogether for more minor crimes.
This article definitely leans towards kids not being tried for adult crimes. I think the author wants the reader to be informed about the issue and against underage kids being put in adult jails. A harsh example of the worst effects of underage people being in jail is that in 2012, there were two child suicides in Colorado adult jails, including a 17-year-old named James Stewart, who was put in jail for driving drunk and killing another driver. A psychology professor, Laurence Steinberg is quoted, saying "Ninety percent of teen offenders do not become adult criminals". This is probably because at that age, kids' brains aren't fully developed. This shows that most child criminals who are put in adult jails for their crimes don't need or deserve what they must endure in these prisons. The Supreme court had been working on eliminating the more harsh punishments for juveniles for a long time; punishments such as "the death penalty, and life without parole", according to the article. The death penalty was rid of the juvenile court system in 2005, and life without parole was rid of in 2012.
23 states have already passed laws to keep juveniles out of the adult court system. I think that this is a good thing for the US. Since the government is always looking for ways to cut costs, throwing juveniles in jail is a "less attractive" option, as put by the author of the article. Personally, I think that most juveniles should not be put into adult jail. Some kids definitely deserve it, like rapists and murderers. I strongly believe it's very unfair to give a rapist, even a child one, only a couple years in juvi until they can be let loose to possibly do more harm. But I think it's a little different for child murderers. For a person, especially one under eighteen, to kill another person is a sure sign of poor mental health. If the child does have a mental disorder, they of course still need to be detained, but with therapy and possibly less harsh care. Also, like in James Stewart's case, it could be an accidental murder, like a drunk car crash. Overall, though most kids who commit certain crimes should not be tried as adults, it's very dangerous to have people like rapists and murderers out on the streets at all, children or not.
This article definitely leans towards kids not being tried for adult crimes. I think the author wants the reader to be informed about the issue and against underage kids being put in adult jails. A harsh example of the worst effects of underage people being in jail is that in 2012, there were two child suicides in Colorado adult jails, including a 17-year-old named James Stewart, who was put in jail for driving drunk and killing another driver. A psychology professor, Laurence Steinberg is quoted, saying "Ninety percent of teen offenders do not become adult criminals". This is probably because at that age, kids' brains aren't fully developed. This shows that most child criminals who are put in adult jails for their crimes don't need or deserve what they must endure in these prisons. The Supreme court had been working on eliminating the more harsh punishments for juveniles for a long time; punishments such as "the death penalty, and life without parole", according to the article. The death penalty was rid of the juvenile court system in 2005, and life without parole was rid of in 2012.
23 states have already passed laws to keep juveniles out of the adult court system. I think that this is a good thing for the US. Since the government is always looking for ways to cut costs, throwing juveniles in jail is a "less attractive" option, as put by the author of the article. Personally, I think that most juveniles should not be put into adult jail. Some kids definitely deserve it, like rapists and murderers. I strongly believe it's very unfair to give a rapist, even a child one, only a couple years in juvi until they can be let loose to possibly do more harm. But I think it's a little different for child murderers. For a person, especially one under eighteen, to kill another person is a sure sign of poor mental health. If the child does have a mental disorder, they of course still need to be detained, but with therapy and possibly less harsh care. Also, like in James Stewart's case, it could be an accidental murder, like a drunk car crash. Overall, though most kids who commit certain crimes should not be tried as adults, it's very dangerous to have people like rapists and murderers out on the streets at all, children or not.
Sunday, December 15, 2013
"The Magician's Nephew"- Reading Response
In the first book of the classic Chronicles of Narnia, "The Magician's Nephew" by C.S. Lewis, the main characters Polly and Digory meet an evil and pretentious queen named Jadis. While reading the book, I found myself resisting this character so much that I nearly stopped reading. I think this was because even though she was cruel and full of herself and broke the law, nobody in the story tried to put her in jail or make a real effort to stop her because she was a beautiful woman.
I found myself resisting Queen Jadis because she was cruel, often for no reason. For example, she destroyed her own world and claimed it didn't matter because her people's only purpose was to serve her. Then, when Digory and Polly took her to Earth and then Narnia, she tried to take over both worlds. Jadis also uses violent tactics to get people to listen to her. When she met Digory's stubborn Aunt Letty, she tried to blast her when she was told not to use strong language in the house. When Jadis discovered that her blasting powers didn't work on earth, she threw Aunt Letty against the wall without hesitation.
I also resisted Jadis because she was pretentious and full of herself. For instance, when she went to earth she expected everyone to listen to her and bow down to her, and she called everyone "slave" or "dog" or "minion". She also only talked to or listened to people who could be useful to her. She refused to even look at Polly because she didn't know that she had access to magic as well as Digory. Jadis also did stupid things to try and "assert her dominance" like standing on top of cabs and telling people she was the queen of the world.
Despite everything else Jadis did, the thing that annoyed me most about her was that nobody (on Earth especially) made a huge effort to stop her. This was because she was, to use the words of Uncle Andrew, a "dem fine woman". What everyone on earth did mostly was just make fun of her and ogle at her, not acknowledge or try to prevent her vicious ways.
I found myself resisting Queen Jadis because she was cruel, often for no reason. For example, she destroyed her own world and claimed it didn't matter because her people's only purpose was to serve her. Then, when Digory and Polly took her to Earth and then Narnia, she tried to take over both worlds. Jadis also uses violent tactics to get people to listen to her. When she met Digory's stubborn Aunt Letty, she tried to blast her when she was told not to use strong language in the house. When Jadis discovered that her blasting powers didn't work on earth, she threw Aunt Letty against the wall without hesitation.
I also resisted Jadis because she was pretentious and full of herself. For instance, when she went to earth she expected everyone to listen to her and bow down to her, and she called everyone "slave" or "dog" or "minion". She also only talked to or listened to people who could be useful to her. She refused to even look at Polly because she didn't know that she had access to magic as well as Digory. Jadis also did stupid things to try and "assert her dominance" like standing on top of cabs and telling people she was the queen of the world.
Despite everything else Jadis did, the thing that annoyed me most about her was that nobody (on Earth especially) made a huge effort to stop her. This was because she was, to use the words of Uncle Andrew, a "dem fine woman". What everyone on earth did mostly was just make fun of her and ogle at her, not acknowledge or try to prevent her vicious ways.
Sunday, December 8, 2013
"Should IKWCBS be Banned?"- Publish
Everywhere in the United States parents and teachers are attempting to ban certain books from middle schools that are thought to have objectionable content. Many of these have taught children important lessons over the years. These challenged books include the tragic classic I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou. It's the touching, nonfiction autobiography of a girl who was raped as a young child and is forced to deal with that and racism throughout her life. Because of these mature themes, many people think that this book should be banned from middle school libraries. I disagree. I think that it is important IKWCBS book stays on the shelves in middle schools. It is important for kids at that age to learn about real-life issues such as those presented in the book. Besides that, many children are already exposed to these issues and banning books has proved to be ineffective in many situations.
IKWCBS should not be banned from middle school libraries because children in middle school need to learn about real life issues like those in the book. For example, in the book, the main character Maya deals with a lot of racism aimed towards her and her family, since they are black and living in the era of the Great Depression. These are unavoidable subjects in life even today, and the best way for a child to learn about these issues is through reading about it. And either way, it's not as if children haven't already been exposed to racism. Some experience it firsthand, while others learn about slavery in school in as early as 2nd grade. In the book, Maya's grandmother takes her to be treated by a white dentist, but the dentist says "I'd rather stick my hand down a dog's mouth than a n*gger's". This may seem extreme to some parents and teachers, but this book is an autobiography, and it gives kids a real look into history and what life was like for black people at that time. It could also help kids who are experiencing racism towards them by giving them something to relate to. It could help them feel like they are not alone, and maybe give them a boost in confidence.
This book also shouldn't be banned because book banning in general is ineffective. According to the article “The Banned Books We Have Loved”, "banning doesn't... hurt the [banned books] much at all. If anything, it may even inspire more interest....and sales, too." Banning certain books just makes books more intriguing and kids more interested. For instance, the New York Times best seller “The Hunger Games” was one of the most frequently challenged books of 2011, according to the American Library Association. Yet the book and the series has only become increasingly popular, and the first and second in the trilogy have already been made into movies.
Some people want to ban IKWCBS because it has sex and rape scenes in it. But this is not a good reason to ban the book because most middle school kids have already been exposed to this through books, movies and media. Sex Ed or Health is also taught in many schools, so it is not an unfamiliar topic with middle school kids. Also, if rape scenes make the child reading the book uncomfortable, they should know when to put it down. it should be an expectation for kids of that age to know what they can handle in a book. If a child reads the blurb/content of a book such as this one and is uncomfortable with it, he/she should be mature enough at an age of 11 and up to stop reading it.
Limiting kids from reading certain books such as I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is wrong. This book specifically has important themes and real issues that kids should learn about or already have learned about, like racism, rape, and sex.
Sunday, December 1, 2013
"The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making"- Reading Response
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynnne Valente is a creative fantasy about a young girl named September who is whisked off to a world of witches, Wyveraries, and magic. At first, this world seems to be any bored little girl's dream, but she soon realizes how dangerous it is. The dreadful queen of Fairyland, the Marquess, has attempted to make Fairlyland more safe than ever before, but by this she has made it even more dangerous. The Marquess has almost complete power over her kingdom, and establishes it by essentially making all the creatures of Fairyland work for her; and when they disobey, punishing them harshly.
One way the Marquess shows her power is by making certain creatures work for her. For example, when September had disobeyed her orders, she commanded the Tsukumogami (alive household objects over 100 years old) to kill September. The Marquess also gained control over the kindness of the creatures of Fairyland. When the her people weren't kind to the little girls and boys that came to Fairyland, she greenlisted them. She greenlisted them for other reasons, too. September and her friends, Ell and Saturday, met a woman named Calpurnia Farthing while bicycle riding. Calpurnia had taken a changeling (a child who has been taken from earth to come to Fairyland and replaced with a goblin) from an orchestra where the changeling had been very unhappy. Even though it was in the best interest of the child, and she didn't have anyone to look after her anyway, Calpurnia was still punished for messing up the Marquess's system.
Another way the Marquess established her power was by making Fairyland "safer" and more suitable for the young humans who came there. One way she did this was by chaining all of the flying creatures of Fairylands' wings. One of these creatures was A-through-L, or Ell, one of September's friends. Later in the book the Marquess claims it was "unfair" to everyone else when certain creatures could fly. But if it wasn't enough that their wings were chained, they were also chained with iron, a metal that every native of Fairyland was allergic to.
The Marquess was a cruel queen of Fairyland. She showed her power through force and brutality, and Fairyland was better off the way it was before she took over.
One way the Marquess shows her power is by making certain creatures work for her. For example, when September had disobeyed her orders, she commanded the Tsukumogami (alive household objects over 100 years old) to kill September. The Marquess also gained control over the kindness of the creatures of Fairyland. When the her people weren't kind to the little girls and boys that came to Fairyland, she greenlisted them. She greenlisted them for other reasons, too. September and her friends, Ell and Saturday, met a woman named Calpurnia Farthing while bicycle riding. Calpurnia had taken a changeling (a child who has been taken from earth to come to Fairyland and replaced with a goblin) from an orchestra where the changeling had been very unhappy. Even though it was in the best interest of the child, and she didn't have anyone to look after her anyway, Calpurnia was still punished for messing up the Marquess's system.
Another way the Marquess established her power was by making Fairyland "safer" and more suitable for the young humans who came there. One way she did this was by chaining all of the flying creatures of Fairylands' wings. One of these creatures was A-through-L, or Ell, one of September's friends. Later in the book the Marquess claims it was "unfair" to everyone else when certain creatures could fly. But if it wasn't enough that their wings were chained, they were also chained with iron, a metal that every native of Fairyland was allergic to.
The Marquess was a cruel queen of Fairyland. She showed her power through force and brutality, and Fairyland was better off the way it was before she took over.
Monday, November 18, 2013
Works Cited for IKWCBS Essay (possibly unfinished)
Doll, Jen. "The Banned Books We Have Loved." The Atlantic Wire. N.p., 12 Apr. 2012.
Web. 18 Nov. 2013.
Angelou, Maya. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. New York: Random House, 1970. Print.
Web. 18 Nov. 2013.
Angelou, Maya. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. New York: Random House, 1970. Print.
"Should IKWCBS Be Banned?"- Second Draft
Everywhere in the United States parents and teachers are attempting to ban books from middle schools that have taught children important lessons over the years. These challenged books include the tragic classic I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou. It's the touching autobiography of a girl who was raped as a young child and is forced to deal with that and racism throughout her life. Because of these mature themes, many people think that IKWCBS should be banned from middle school libraries. I disagree. I think that it is important that this book stays on the shelves in middle schools. It is important for kids at that age to learn about real-life issues such as those presented IKWCBS. Besides that, many children are already exposed to these issues. Banning books has also proved to be ineffective in many situations.
IKWCBS should not be banned from middle school libraries because children in middle school need to learn about real life issues like those in the book. For example, in the book, the main character Maya deals with a lot of racism aimed towards her and her family, since they are black and living in the era of the Great Depression. These are unavoidable subjects in life even today, and the best way for a child to learn about these issues through reading about it. And either way, it's not as if children haven't already been exposed to racism. Some experience it firsthand, while others learn about slavery in school in as low as 2nd grade. In the book, Maya's grandmother takes her to be treated by a white dentist, but the dentist says "I'd rather stick my hand down a dog's mouth than a n*gger's". This may seem extreme to some parents and teachers, but IKWCBS is an autobiography, and it gives kids a real look into history and what life was like for black people at that time.
This book also shouldn't be banned because banning in general is ineffective. According to the article The Banned Books We Have Loved, "banning doesn't... hurt the [banned books] much at all. If anything, it may even inspire more interest....and sales, too." Banning certain books just makes books more intriguing and kids more interested.
Some people want to ban IKWCBS because it was a couple of sex/rape scenes in it. But this is not a good reason to ban the book because most middle school kids have already been exposed to this through books, movies and media. Sex Ed or Health is also taught in many schools, so it is not an unfamiliar topic with middle school kids. Also, if rape scenes make the child reading the book uncomfortable, they should know when to put it down. it should be an expectation for kids of that age to know what they can handle in a book. If a child reads the blurb/content of a book such as IKWCBS and is uncomfortable with it, he/she should be mature enough to stop reading it.
In conclusion, limiting kids from reading certain books such as IKWCBS is wrong. IKWCBS specifically has important themes that kids should learn about, and even if it was banned it would be ineffective.
IKWCBS should not be banned from middle school libraries because children in middle school need to learn about real life issues like those in the book. For example, in the book, the main character Maya deals with a lot of racism aimed towards her and her family, since they are black and living in the era of the Great Depression. These are unavoidable subjects in life even today, and the best way for a child to learn about these issues through reading about it. And either way, it's not as if children haven't already been exposed to racism. Some experience it firsthand, while others learn about slavery in school in as low as 2nd grade. In the book, Maya's grandmother takes her to be treated by a white dentist, but the dentist says "I'd rather stick my hand down a dog's mouth than a n*gger's". This may seem extreme to some parents and teachers, but IKWCBS is an autobiography, and it gives kids a real look into history and what life was like for black people at that time.
This book also shouldn't be banned because banning in general is ineffective. According to the article The Banned Books We Have Loved, "banning doesn't... hurt the [banned books] much at all. If anything, it may even inspire more interest....and sales, too." Banning certain books just makes books more intriguing and kids more interested.
Some people want to ban IKWCBS because it was a couple of sex/rape scenes in it. But this is not a good reason to ban the book because most middle school kids have already been exposed to this through books, movies and media. Sex Ed or Health is also taught in many schools, so it is not an unfamiliar topic with middle school kids. Also, if rape scenes make the child reading the book uncomfortable, they should know when to put it down. it should be an expectation for kids of that age to know what they can handle in a book. If a child reads the blurb/content of a book such as IKWCBS and is uncomfortable with it, he/she should be mature enough to stop reading it.
In conclusion, limiting kids from reading certain books such as IKWCBS is wrong. IKWCBS specifically has important themes that kids should learn about, and even if it was banned it would be ineffective.
Sunday, November 17, 2013
"My Favorite Children's Book"- A Monday Muse About a Favorite Book
My favorite book from my childhood is probably "Where the Wild Things Are". I've always loved the illustrations in it and it's been close to me for a long time. I believe that everything in your life affects you somehow and this book taught me that it's okay to be in your own world sometimes. I also think a theme in this book is that your family will love you no matter what.
This lesson of coming back to reality is relevant in my life because I often get worked up about nothing and just need to be alone for a while. In the book, Max starts to miss home after spending time with the Wild Things. This teaches that it's important to come back to reality after a little bit, because it will always be more important.
The book also teaches that your family will love you no matter what. When Max's mom gets mad at him, she sends him to his room without dinner. This makes it look like she's angry with him, but when Max comes back from Where the Wild Things Are there's soup waiting for him in his room. This shows that his mother still loves him even though she was upset.
"Where the Wild Thing Are" is one of my favorite books because of the important lessons it taught me that i hope never to forget.
This lesson of coming back to reality is relevant in my life because I often get worked up about nothing and just need to be alone for a while. In the book, Max starts to miss home after spending time with the Wild Things. This teaches that it's important to come back to reality after a little bit, because it will always be more important.
The book also teaches that your family will love you no matter what. When Max's mom gets mad at him, she sends him to his room without dinner. This makes it look like she's angry with him, but when Max comes back from Where the Wild Things Are there's soup waiting for him in his room. This shows that his mother still loves him even though she was upset.
"Where the Wild Thing Are" is one of my favorite books because of the important lessons it taught me that i hope never to forget.
Monday, November 11, 2013
"Should IKWCBS Be Banned?"- Argument Essay (very very rough draft)
The classic I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou is the touching autobiography of a girl who was raped as a young child and is forced to deal with that, racism, and unfamiliarity throughout her life. Because of these mature themes, many people think that IKWCBS should be banned from middle school libraries. I disagree. I think that this book should not be banned. It is also important for middle school kids to learn about real-life issues such as those presented IKWCBS. Besides that, banning books has also proved to be ineffective in many situations.
IKWCBS should not be banned from middle school libraries because children in middle school need to learn about real life issues like those in the book. For example, in the book Maya deals with unfamiliarity and racism. These are unavoidable subjects in life even today, and the best way for a child to learn about these issues through reading about it. Maya says "These others, the strange pale creatures... weren't considered folks. They were whitefolks." Though some kids may not deal with unfamiliarity to this extreme, they could relate to Maya....(unfinished paragraph)
This book also shouldn't be banned because banning in general is ineffective. According to the article The Banned Books We Have Loved, "banning doesn't... hurt the [authors of books] much at all. If anything, it may even inspire more interest....and sales, too." Banning certain books just makes books more intriguing and kids more interested.
Some people want to ban IKWCBS because it was a couple of sex/rape scenes in it. But this is not a good reason to ban the book because most middle school kids have already been exposed to this. Also, it should be an expectation for kids of that age to know what they can handle in a book. If a child reads the blurb of a book such as IKWCBS and is uncomfortable with some of the content, he/she should be mature enough to put the book down.
In conclusion, limiting kids from reading certain books such as IKWCBS is wrong. IKWCBS specifically has important themes that kids should learn about, and even if it was banned it would be ineffective.
IKWCBS should not be banned from middle school libraries because children in middle school need to learn about real life issues like those in the book. For example, in the book Maya deals with unfamiliarity and racism. These are unavoidable subjects in life even today, and the best way for a child to learn about these issues through reading about it. Maya says "These others, the strange pale creatures... weren't considered folks. They were whitefolks." Though some kids may not deal with unfamiliarity to this extreme, they could relate to Maya....(unfinished paragraph)
This book also shouldn't be banned because banning in general is ineffective. According to the article The Banned Books We Have Loved, "banning doesn't... hurt the [authors of books] much at all. If anything, it may even inspire more interest....and sales, too." Banning certain books just makes books more intriguing and kids more interested.
Some people want to ban IKWCBS because it was a couple of sex/rape scenes in it. But this is not a good reason to ban the book because most middle school kids have already been exposed to this. Also, it should be an expectation for kids of that age to know what they can handle in a book. If a child reads the blurb of a book such as IKWCBS and is uncomfortable with some of the content, he/she should be mature enough to put the book down.
In conclusion, limiting kids from reading certain books such as IKWCBS is wrong. IKWCBS specifically has important themes that kids should learn about, and even if it was banned it would be ineffective.
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