~April 30th
Is the court system in the United States reliable? Are cases in the court based off of reliable evidence, or what is the best story for the media? These are questions that many Americans wonder. The American court system is about finding justice. However, this does not always occur. There are many cases throughout American history that have not come to the correct verdict. This occurrence needs to stop and we must find a way to make sure all cases are based off of pure evidence.
In The Stranger, Meursault's trial lacks the evidence needed to convict him of murder. However, he is convicted anyway and sentenced to the death penalty. Throughout his trial, both sides create stories as to why Meursault killed the Arab. However, none of them are based off of the truth. It cannot be the truth because Meursault does not give them any information to help their cases. He basically answers them with the answer "I don't know". The fact that Meursault is convicted without evidence could be Camus's way of exposing the real court system of America. He is exposing the flaw that America does not find complete evidence before deciding they are guilty.
In America, there are many cases where one could say there is not enough evidence to convict a person of murder. The case I am going to talk about is the court case involving Aaron Hernandez. Hernandez is a former NFL tight end for the New England Patriots. He has recently been found guilty of the murder of Odin Lloyd. Even though I believe he is most likely guilty, the actually court case seemed to be purely based off of assumption. There is evidence that he was in the area when the murder took place, but there is know hard proof he was at the scene of the murder or that he pulled the trigger. The fact that Hernandez also keeps stating he is not guilty makes one wonder if he is somehow being wrongly accused. Even though it seems like he is guilty, and everyone in America believes he is guilty, there is a small chance he is not.
There is a saying in the American court system that a person is innocent until proven guilty. I believe the court system needs to base court cases off of this motto. Even if it means having longer wait periods before convicting a person of murder, it must be done in order to make sure one is 100% a person is guilty of the crime they are accused of. Assumptions should not be part of the court system, Many assumptions are wrong. Should we be basing a person's life on a lawyer's assumption that they did something wrong? No.
Sunday, May 3, 2015
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
March Blog- Selling of One's Soul
~March 31st
What would you sell your soul for? A million dollars? A billion dollars? Knowledge of all things? This is something that I am sure everyone has been asked at some point in their lives. However, is it true that every single one of us sells the soul to evil at some point in their lives? Whether it is lying to your parents, cheating on a test, or gossiping about the new kid in school, it is something we all do. It is unfortunate, but the world is full of lies and sins. It is our job to do our best to avoid selling our soul to the devil and doing what is morally right.
Recently in class, we read Dr. Faustus. In the play, Faustus literally sells his soul to the devil in order to live a life with a wealth of knowledge and magic. However, throughout the play, he is torn about whether to repent and be saved by God, or remain loyal to the devil. By the end of the play, he decides to remain loyal to Lucifer and does not take the opportunity he is given for salvation. The play describes the struggle every person has when making a decision between right and wrong. Of course, in real life, we do not actually talk with the devil about making a pact. However, the good vs. evil problem is almost always apparent when making a decision.
An example of this occurred just the other day. Alex Coleman and I stayed after school in your room to take makeup tests. I am sure you remember Mrs. Burnett. Alex was preparing to take the A Thousand Splendid Suns quiz, when he realized you accidentally gave him the answer key. Alex could have easily memorized all the answered and then gone on to ace the test. In fact, he even accidentally looked at the first answer. Nobody would have argued or been upset if he had used that answer for the first question and gotten at least one answer correct on the quiz(which would have been better than he said he probably did). When Alex saw that answer, he knew there was no way he would have gotten the answer correct if he had not been given the answer key first. Because of this, he purposely got the first question wrong on the quiz. Now, I know that is probably not the best example of selling your soul to the devil, as even you understood that he was going to get that question correct. However, he deemed it morally wrong to take the answer and get the extra point on the test. In his mind, he would have been "selling his soul to the devil" by getting that answer correct.
Every day, we are faced with much bigger decisions than the decision Alex had to make. Decisions that would create much bigger and harsher consequences. As humans, we will make mistakes. It is inevitable. It is impossible to be a perfect human being. All we can do is do our best to make decisions that are morally right.
What would you sell your soul for? A million dollars? A billion dollars? Knowledge of all things? This is something that I am sure everyone has been asked at some point in their lives. However, is it true that every single one of us sells the soul to evil at some point in their lives? Whether it is lying to your parents, cheating on a test, or gossiping about the new kid in school, it is something we all do. It is unfortunate, but the world is full of lies and sins. It is our job to do our best to avoid selling our soul to the devil and doing what is morally right.
Recently in class, we read Dr. Faustus. In the play, Faustus literally sells his soul to the devil in order to live a life with a wealth of knowledge and magic. However, throughout the play, he is torn about whether to repent and be saved by God, or remain loyal to the devil. By the end of the play, he decides to remain loyal to Lucifer and does not take the opportunity he is given for salvation. The play describes the struggle every person has when making a decision between right and wrong. Of course, in real life, we do not actually talk with the devil about making a pact. However, the good vs. evil problem is almost always apparent when making a decision.
An example of this occurred just the other day. Alex Coleman and I stayed after school in your room to take makeup tests. I am sure you remember Mrs. Burnett. Alex was preparing to take the A Thousand Splendid Suns quiz, when he realized you accidentally gave him the answer key. Alex could have easily memorized all the answered and then gone on to ace the test. In fact, he even accidentally looked at the first answer. Nobody would have argued or been upset if he had used that answer for the first question and gotten at least one answer correct on the quiz(which would have been better than he said he probably did). When Alex saw that answer, he knew there was no way he would have gotten the answer correct if he had not been given the answer key first. Because of this, he purposely got the first question wrong on the quiz. Now, I know that is probably not the best example of selling your soul to the devil, as even you understood that he was going to get that question correct. However, he deemed it morally wrong to take the answer and get the extra point on the test. In his mind, he would have been "selling his soul to the devil" by getting that answer correct.
Every day, we are faced with much bigger decisions than the decision Alex had to make. Decisions that would create much bigger and harsher consequences. As humans, we will make mistakes. It is inevitable. It is impossible to be a perfect human being. All we can do is do our best to make decisions that are morally right.
Thursday, March 5, 2015
February Blog- The Importance of Education
~ February 28th
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." ~ Nelson Mandela. In America, children do not understand how privileged they are to have an education. I hear so many children talk about how much of a waste of time school is. They say it is stupid and that it will not better them for life. They are wrong. Our ability to learn in schools is special. Many countries around the world do not enforce education, Also, the citizens of other countries are so poor that they cannot afford to send their children to school. This is a travesty, as children should have the ability to earn an education so they can grow up to be successful.
In A Thousand Splendid Suns, education is a very important thing to Laila. Her father always preached the importance of education and told her she could grow up to be successful if she worked hard at her studies. During her childhood, she worked hard to be the best student she could be. However, once her parents were killed, everything changed. She was forced into marrying Rasheed and could no longer go to school. She lived the life her father wanted her to avoid at all costs. However, what other choice did she have? On her own, she would not of been able to care for herself or make money necessary to survive, let alone go to school. Education became just as important when Aziza was born. Laila wanted her to get a good education. However, it was hard with Rasheed making close to nothing. It was hard to put food on the table. It all worked out by the end of the novel. When Laila and Tariq were married, the children were able to get a solid education, and Laila was able to work in a job she loved.
In life, lower developed countries have a much more difficult time educating their children. This topic reminds me of a documentary we just watched in Spanish class called "Living on a Dollar". The documentary takes place in Guatemala. What happens is these four guys live in Guatemala for three weeks, and must live with an average of one dollar per day. Throughout the documentary, we meet their neighbors and learn about their lives. In the documentary, there was this one boy named Chico. He was about ten years old. However, he was unable to go to school because his parents needed him to work in the fields for money. The sadder part was that the boy said his dream job was to become a farmer. What the documentary showed was that these children are assuming at a young age that they will be degraded to lower paying jobs. It is sad that they will never be able to live up to their potential. The reason they cannot live up to their potential is the lack of education.
It is disappointing that so many children around the world are unable to earn an education. An education is extremely important for any human being. It allows are brains to grow and allows us to acquire well paying jobs. Americans should be blessed they have the opportunity to learn. There are thousands of children in the world that would do anything for the opportunity we are presented. We need to take advantage of this opportunity we are presented and not waste it. It'll make for a better world where eventually, every child will go to school.
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." ~ Nelson Mandela. In America, children do not understand how privileged they are to have an education. I hear so many children talk about how much of a waste of time school is. They say it is stupid and that it will not better them for life. They are wrong. Our ability to learn in schools is special. Many countries around the world do not enforce education, Also, the citizens of other countries are so poor that they cannot afford to send their children to school. This is a travesty, as children should have the ability to earn an education so they can grow up to be successful.
In A Thousand Splendid Suns, education is a very important thing to Laila. Her father always preached the importance of education and told her she could grow up to be successful if she worked hard at her studies. During her childhood, she worked hard to be the best student she could be. However, once her parents were killed, everything changed. She was forced into marrying Rasheed and could no longer go to school. She lived the life her father wanted her to avoid at all costs. However, what other choice did she have? On her own, she would not of been able to care for herself or make money necessary to survive, let alone go to school. Education became just as important when Aziza was born. Laila wanted her to get a good education. However, it was hard with Rasheed making close to nothing. It was hard to put food on the table. It all worked out by the end of the novel. When Laila and Tariq were married, the children were able to get a solid education, and Laila was able to work in a job she loved.
In life, lower developed countries have a much more difficult time educating their children. This topic reminds me of a documentary we just watched in Spanish class called "Living on a Dollar". The documentary takes place in Guatemala. What happens is these four guys live in Guatemala for three weeks, and must live with an average of one dollar per day. Throughout the documentary, we meet their neighbors and learn about their lives. In the documentary, there was this one boy named Chico. He was about ten years old. However, he was unable to go to school because his parents needed him to work in the fields for money. The sadder part was that the boy said his dream job was to become a farmer. What the documentary showed was that these children are assuming at a young age that they will be degraded to lower paying jobs. It is sad that they will never be able to live up to their potential. The reason they cannot live up to their potential is the lack of education.
It is disappointing that so many children around the world are unable to earn an education. An education is extremely important for any human being. It allows are brains to grow and allows us to acquire well paying jobs. Americans should be blessed they have the opportunity to learn. There are thousands of children in the world that would do anything for the opportunity we are presented. We need to take advantage of this opportunity we are presented and not waste it. It'll make for a better world where eventually, every child will go to school.
Sunday, February 1, 2015
January Blog- Abuse on Women
~January 31st, 2015
In early times, it was a known fact that men were superior to women. Men controlled the money, the lifestyle, and the livelihood of his wife and children. Fast-forward to modern times. In many cultures, we have reached a time where women and men are equals. We have reached a time where women can support and care for themselves. We have reached a time where women are seen as strong, smart, and independent. However, why is domestic violence still an issue? Why is it that men still are willing to violently harm their wife, sister, or mother?
In A Thousand Splendid Suns, Rasheed is willing to harm both Mariam and Laila in order to get what he wants. A specific example of this is in chapter 33. Rasheed barges into Mariam's room and threatens to beat her for teaching Laila to deny him. He talks off his belt and would have whipped her with it if not for Laila saving her. Rasheed takes advantage of both girls throughout the novel by forcing them into sex , scaring them into doing chores for him and threatening them with force. This was common practice in the culture and time the book takes place in. However, when Americans of today read it, we see it as an abomination. No husband should treat his wife the way Rasheed does. Rasheed's actions would land him in jail if he lived in America now.
Unfortunately, even though Americans see domestic violence as a terrible thing, it still occurs on a daily occurrence. In America, a woman is abused every 18 seconds. Even though thousands of cases occur every year, one particular case has risen awareness on domestic violence: the Ray and Janay Rice assault case. Ray Rice was a star running back for the Baltimore Ravens. On February 15th, 2014, Ray and Janay Rice got into an altercation in an Atlantic City elevator. When they got out of the elevator, Ray had knocked out Janay and carried her out of the elevator. The incident became global news. Because of this horrendous incident, awareness was raised for the danger of domestic violence. The world watched the fiasco that would ensure after the incident. After surveillance videos came out of the incident, the NFL suspended Ray and the Ravens released him. The incident would go to court and Ray was eventually reinstated into the NFL. However, the publicity of the event helped the world realize how large a problem domestic violence is.
The abuse of women is something that needs to be stopped. It is crucial to raise awareness for the problem. There must be strict laws and punishments for those that hurt another person. Any person that purposely physically harms another is cowardly and inhumane. This is an issue that everyone must realize and try and put a stop to. There is no room in this world for a person willing to undertake these cruel acts.
In early times, it was a known fact that men were superior to women. Men controlled the money, the lifestyle, and the livelihood of his wife and children. Fast-forward to modern times. In many cultures, we have reached a time where women and men are equals. We have reached a time where women can support and care for themselves. We have reached a time where women are seen as strong, smart, and independent. However, why is domestic violence still an issue? Why is it that men still are willing to violently harm their wife, sister, or mother?
In A Thousand Splendid Suns, Rasheed is willing to harm both Mariam and Laila in order to get what he wants. A specific example of this is in chapter 33. Rasheed barges into Mariam's room and threatens to beat her for teaching Laila to deny him. He talks off his belt and would have whipped her with it if not for Laila saving her. Rasheed takes advantage of both girls throughout the novel by forcing them into sex , scaring them into doing chores for him and threatening them with force. This was common practice in the culture and time the book takes place in. However, when Americans of today read it, we see it as an abomination. No husband should treat his wife the way Rasheed does. Rasheed's actions would land him in jail if he lived in America now.
Unfortunately, even though Americans see domestic violence as a terrible thing, it still occurs on a daily occurrence. In America, a woman is abused every 18 seconds. Even though thousands of cases occur every year, one particular case has risen awareness on domestic violence: the Ray and Janay Rice assault case. Ray Rice was a star running back for the Baltimore Ravens. On February 15th, 2014, Ray and Janay Rice got into an altercation in an Atlantic City elevator. When they got out of the elevator, Ray had knocked out Janay and carried her out of the elevator. The incident became global news. Because of this horrendous incident, awareness was raised for the danger of domestic violence. The world watched the fiasco that would ensure after the incident. After surveillance videos came out of the incident, the NFL suspended Ray and the Ravens released him. The incident would go to court and Ray was eventually reinstated into the NFL. However, the publicity of the event helped the world realize how large a problem domestic violence is.
The abuse of women is something that needs to be stopped. It is crucial to raise awareness for the problem. There must be strict laws and punishments for those that hurt another person. Any person that purposely physically harms another is cowardly and inhumane. This is an issue that everyone must realize and try and put a stop to. There is no room in this world for a person willing to undertake these cruel acts.
Friday, January 2, 2015
December Blog- Damage from War
~December 30th
Soldiers in the middle of war see truly terrible things. They see fighting, death, explosions, and awful events that no person should ever witness. It is no surprise that many of these heroic people experience post-traumatic stress and other conditions after war. They can never truly rid their minds of the abominable images they saw during battle. They can become extremely paranoid and worried about everything around them. War not only damages a person physically, but also psychologically.
I am going to discuss question 4 of the Slaughterhouse Five Socratic Seminar Questions. I believe Billy's image of Tralfamadore is caused by psychological damage from war. One way it does not seem realistic to me is that the Tralfamadorians picked Billy and Montana as their two prisoners. It is odd they would pick Billy, and older, out of shape, and just overall average guy, along with Montana, a young, beautiful, pop star. This makes it seem more like Billy's imagination. The damage to Billy's brain shows the author wants to create an anti-war atmosphere. The author wants to show the harmful effects of war and why we should avoid it at all costs. The author wants the reader to sympathize with Billy. In my opinion, Billy is just a poor older man who has not received the treatment necessary for a person who has suffered through World War II. He is not damaged; he is psychologically damaged. Billy represents all the people impacted from the harsh realities of war.
The harmful effects of war are seen in veterans all over America. America is continuously raising awareness for these soldiers. Over Christmas break, I have seen multiple commercials for Wounded Warriors. This group is trying to raise money for soldiers who have suffered both physical and mental debilitations. The message that Mark Wahlberg conveys proves just how many veterans are suffering from the impact of war. America needs to do everything possible to help these men and women. These people risk their lives in order to make our world a better place. Because of this, we should give them the best medical treatment they can possibly receive, no matter what the cost. They deserve nothing less for their service.
Soldiers in the middle of war see truly terrible things. They see fighting, death, explosions, and awful events that no person should ever witness. It is no surprise that many of these heroic people experience post-traumatic stress and other conditions after war. They can never truly rid their minds of the abominable images they saw during battle. They can become extremely paranoid and worried about everything around them. War not only damages a person physically, but also psychologically.
I am going to discuss question 4 of the Slaughterhouse Five Socratic Seminar Questions. I believe Billy's image of Tralfamadore is caused by psychological damage from war. One way it does not seem realistic to me is that the Tralfamadorians picked Billy and Montana as their two prisoners. It is odd they would pick Billy, and older, out of shape, and just overall average guy, along with Montana, a young, beautiful, pop star. This makes it seem more like Billy's imagination. The damage to Billy's brain shows the author wants to create an anti-war atmosphere. The author wants to show the harmful effects of war and why we should avoid it at all costs. The author wants the reader to sympathize with Billy. In my opinion, Billy is just a poor older man who has not received the treatment necessary for a person who has suffered through World War II. He is not damaged; he is psychologically damaged. Billy represents all the people impacted from the harsh realities of war.
The harmful effects of war are seen in veterans all over America. America is continuously raising awareness for these soldiers. Over Christmas break, I have seen multiple commercials for Wounded Warriors. This group is trying to raise money for soldiers who have suffered both physical and mental debilitations. The message that Mark Wahlberg conveys proves just how many veterans are suffering from the impact of war. America needs to do everything possible to help these men and women. These people risk their lives in order to make our world a better place. Because of this, we should give them the best medical treatment they can possibly receive, no matter what the cost. They deserve nothing less for their service.
Sunday, November 30, 2014
November Blog- What is Morality?
-November 30
Morality is the differentiation between right and wrong. However, is there an exact answer as to what is right and wrong? Different cultures, ideals, and beliefs from around the globe would prove there is no answer. Morality is dependent on an individual's or a society's opinion. An action normal to one society is seen as repulsive to another. Because of this, a true line between right and wrong cannot be estsblished.
In Things Fall Apart, many parts of Okonkwo's country's culture are seen as abhorrent and horrendous. One practice in this society is polygamy. Okonkwo and the majority of the men in that society have multiple wives. In today's world, the majority of Earth's population sees polygamy as disgraceful. This includes America where polygamy is almost impossible to find practiced. A second aspect of the culture in the novel is the adoration and praise of multiple Gods. In my opinion, praising multiple gods is weird and dishonorable. I have grown up learning to believe in God and only God. I've been taught that believing in more than one God is a sentence to hell. However, in Okonkwo's society, believing in more than one God is normal and respected. To them it is the moral thing to do.
Throughout the world and the history of Earth, there is thousands of ways individuals and/or societies have conflicted on the morality of something. One major example of this was the struggle between communism and democracy. Each side believed the other government type was terrible for the future of the world. Americans were taught that communists such as the Russians were dictators and were looking to take over the world. The Russians told their citizens the same thing about America. This struggle has led to countless arguments, battles and even war. However, differing opinions make it so there is no true moral belief. The idea in today's society can be mostly seen through America's battle with the Middle East. We, as Americans, believe the actions of the Middle East are abominable and must be stopped. However, is that sentiment believed by all people in the Middle East. It is not. From my research and examination on morality, I believe there is no true truth to it. Morality is based truly on opinion. There will never be a solid line between right and wrong; it is based truly on one's belief.
Morality is the differentiation between right and wrong. However, is there an exact answer as to what is right and wrong? Different cultures, ideals, and beliefs from around the globe would prove there is no answer. Morality is dependent on an individual's or a society's opinion. An action normal to one society is seen as repulsive to another. Because of this, a true line between right and wrong cannot be estsblished.
In Things Fall Apart, many parts of Okonkwo's country's culture are seen as abhorrent and horrendous. One practice in this society is polygamy. Okonkwo and the majority of the men in that society have multiple wives. In today's world, the majority of Earth's population sees polygamy as disgraceful. This includes America where polygamy is almost impossible to find practiced. A second aspect of the culture in the novel is the adoration and praise of multiple Gods. In my opinion, praising multiple gods is weird and dishonorable. I have grown up learning to believe in God and only God. I've been taught that believing in more than one God is a sentence to hell. However, in Okonkwo's society, believing in more than one God is normal and respected. To them it is the moral thing to do.
Throughout the world and the history of Earth, there is thousands of ways individuals and/or societies have conflicted on the morality of something. One major example of this was the struggle between communism and democracy. Each side believed the other government type was terrible for the future of the world. Americans were taught that communists such as the Russians were dictators and were looking to take over the world. The Russians told their citizens the same thing about America. This struggle has led to countless arguments, battles and even war. However, differing opinions make it so there is no true moral belief. The idea in today's society can be mostly seen through America's battle with the Middle East. We, as Americans, believe the actions of the Middle East are abominable and must be stopped. However, is that sentiment believed by all people in the Middle East. It is not. From my research and examination on morality, I believe there is no true truth to it. Morality is based truly on opinion. There will never be a solid line between right and wrong; it is based truly on one's belief.
Saturday, November 1, 2014
October Blog- The Power of Loyalty
~October 31st
What does loyalty really mean? To me, loyalty is when a husband sticks by his wife when she is in a bad situation. Loyalty means not revealing secrets your friend has told you. Loyalty is always sticking by your family because they will always be the ones that love you. In my opinion, loyalty is one of the most important characteristics in a person. Any friendship or relationship is fully dependent on the loyalty displayed from both sides. Loyalty is a true measure of someone’s character.
What does loyalty really mean? To me, loyalty is when a husband sticks by his wife when she is in a bad situation. Loyalty means not revealing secrets your friend has told you. Loyalty is always sticking by your family because they will always be the ones that love you. In my opinion, loyalty is one of the most important characteristics in a person. Any friendship or relationship is fully dependent on the loyalty displayed from both sides. Loyalty is a true measure of someone’s character.
Question 6 of the Socratic Seminar
for Beowulf is how does the character
of Beowulf exemplify the pagan core values of loyalty, bravery, and generosity?
Where else do you see these core values demonstrated? I want to focus my
attention purely on the loyalty aspect of Beowulf’s core values. Beowulf
displays his loyalty through his relationship with Hrothgar and Hrothgar’s
family. After Hrothgar’s death, Beowulf could have easily taken the throne away
from Hrothgar’s family. Instead, out of true respect and loyalty, he allowed
Hrothgar’s son to become king. Beowulf also helped supervise and protect the
realm out of loyalty to the family. It was not until Hrothgar’s son’s death that
Beowulf became king. He was not willing to become king until the realm and the
family was in dire straits. Even though it does not concern specifically
Beowulf, another example of loyalty in the poem is in the actions of Wiglaf.
Wiglaf is one of the soldiers Beowulf takes with him to attack the dragon.
Beowulf tells these soldiers to stay away at a distance to let him take on the
dragon alone. However, when the dragon attacks and begins mauling Beowulf,
Wiglaf is the only one to come to defense of the king. He is able to help
Beowulf kill the dragon. Even though Beowulf dies, Wiglaf is able to carry out
his final wishes. Wiglaf shows true loyalty to the king.
In my life, I have had to learn to
true meaning of loyalty. By being in a relationship and having a girlfriend, I
have had to learn to be trusting and loyal to her. In any relationship, there
has to be trust and loyalty or else it will never succeed. That is why loyalty
is so important. It is the true backbone of any relationship and it has to be
relevant for any relationship to last a long time.
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