There are only four days until Christmas, and that's certainly something to be excited about. I have my pretty artificial pine in the living room with boxes aplenty lying beneath it. One of those boxes contains a PS3 for my brother and me, and I'm really looking forward to some gaming over break.
But is that what Christmas is all about? Despite what the commercials may tell us, the answer is no. Just watch A Charlie Brown Christmas is you haven't done so already. (And even if you have seen it recently, it can't hurt to rewatch it.) You should be very familiar with Linus's famous speech toward the end of the cartoon:
"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them,
Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
So there you have it, Charlie Brown. That's the true meaning of Christmas."
Had this special been made more recently, the creators would be afraid to include these quotes from the Bible out of fear of political incorrectness, but why should it be a problem for a character to tell the truth? News flash, people: Christmas is about Jesus. I mean, hello! The first six letters spell out "Christ." I'm not saying that everyone has to be a Christian - my dad is Jewish, so obviously I'm not someone who is prejudiced against those with different religious beliefs - but claiming that a Christian holiday is anything but just that is completely wrong.
And as for those of you who aren't Christian, don't think that's any excuse to make this season all about greed. There is nothing wrong with getting psyched about the gifts you receive, but be sure to give gifts as well. It doesn't even have to be a material present; kindness, respect, helpfulness, and love are all gifts in their own right. Spend some time with your loved ones. Bake some cookies. Sing some carols. What you give to others is what makes Christmas what it is.
That said, happy holidays to anyone who is actually reading this. Pour yourself a mug of hot chocolate (preferably with marshmallows), and enjoy your life! :)
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Sunday, November 27, 2011
My First World Problems
Okay, I know my last post was about how there are people in the world who are facing life-or-death issues and we shouldn't think our own troubles are significant compared to theirs, and I'm not taking that back, but I still have the right to complain about the little things that go wrong in my life. I know my quality of life is nearly perfect, and don't get me wrong, I appreciate how good I have it, but that doesn't mean I don't get frustrated once in a while. I'm human. And I think it's okay to get my anger out through blogging if that means I'm not going to be making those around me miserable.
My Thanksgiving break has been pretty mediocre. I enjoyed eating all of the yummy side dishes (No turkey for me!) and putting up the Christmas tree, but these past few days just have not felt break-like, if that makes any sense. Wednesday, I just slept all day. And if you're thinking that spending my time sleeping was a decision that I made and I'll just have to live with it, clearly you have never been in my body (which is probably a good thing; it would be pretty freaky if someone else were able to inhabit my body). You think I wanted to sleep? No. No, I did not. I never want to sleep. But my body requires a ridiculous amount of nap time. I swear there is something wrong with me. Then, at about 1:00 PM that night, I remembered, "Oh hey, I had an English assignment due at midnight tonight. Guess I'm getting a zero on that one!" And yes, I know it's my own fault for forgetting, but the second day of break is a really weird time to have a report due, don't you think?
Thursday was mainly comprised to chasing my little cousins around the house, trying to keep them entertained. They're good kids, and I love them, but I do not have the energy of a three-to-seven-year-old, and I kinda wanted to lay on the couch and watch TV with everyone else. Thursday was also an introduction to my bad luck with video games for the week, as I should have beaten Mimana Iyar Chronicle that day, but didn't because the final boss is so insanely hard that I just gave up on beating it and watched the ending on Youtube, which is something I have never had to do in my life. Seriously, I thought it was like an unwritten law of RPGs that the final boss shouldn't be able to heal itself, but I guess nobody told the makers of Mimana Iyar Chronicle that.
Friday? Eh, Friday was pretty good. Not memorable, but relaxing. No, I did not go shopping, you silly. Do you take me for the kind of person who wants to shop on the one day that shopping is not enjoyable? Because that is not my thing at all.
Yesterday (Saturday), I just watched cartoons all day, which was nice until that night, when I had a nightmare that I swear was caused by Adventure Time. (I was watching that episode with the deer. 'Nuff said.)
And then came today. I was planning on playing this game called Rogue Galaxy that I had bought a couple weeks ago, but my PS2 would not play it. Now, the last time I had used the PS2 was maybe two months ago, and it would occasionally have trouble reading the disc back then, but if I just took it out and brushed some dust off, it worked just fine. This time, I tried washing the game numerous times, and it sill refused to work. I tried putting another game in the PS2, and it had no problem starting up, so I'm sure this disc is the issue and not the PS2. So now I'm gonna have to take the stupid thing to Gamestop and hope that they can fix it or at least give me my freakin' ten dollars back. Oh, well. I'm off to try cleaning this piece of junk one more time, and if that doesn't work, I guess I'll just have to give up on it and go on with my pathetic life.
My Thanksgiving break has been pretty mediocre. I enjoyed eating all of the yummy side dishes (No turkey for me!) and putting up the Christmas tree, but these past few days just have not felt break-like, if that makes any sense. Wednesday, I just slept all day. And if you're thinking that spending my time sleeping was a decision that I made and I'll just have to live with it, clearly you have never been in my body (which is probably a good thing; it would be pretty freaky if someone else were able to inhabit my body). You think I wanted to sleep? No. No, I did not. I never want to sleep. But my body requires a ridiculous amount of nap time. I swear there is something wrong with me. Then, at about 1:00 PM that night, I remembered, "Oh hey, I had an English assignment due at midnight tonight. Guess I'm getting a zero on that one!" And yes, I know it's my own fault for forgetting, but the second day of break is a really weird time to have a report due, don't you think?
Thursday was mainly comprised to chasing my little cousins around the house, trying to keep them entertained. They're good kids, and I love them, but I do not have the energy of a three-to-seven-year-old, and I kinda wanted to lay on the couch and watch TV with everyone else. Thursday was also an introduction to my bad luck with video games for the week, as I should have beaten Mimana Iyar Chronicle that day, but didn't because the final boss is so insanely hard that I just gave up on beating it and watched the ending on Youtube, which is something I have never had to do in my life. Seriously, I thought it was like an unwritten law of RPGs that the final boss shouldn't be able to heal itself, but I guess nobody told the makers of Mimana Iyar Chronicle that.
Friday? Eh, Friday was pretty good. Not memorable, but relaxing. No, I did not go shopping, you silly. Do you take me for the kind of person who wants to shop on the one day that shopping is not enjoyable? Because that is not my thing at all.
Yesterday (Saturday), I just watched cartoons all day, which was nice until that night, when I had a nightmare that I swear was caused by Adventure Time. (I was watching that episode with the deer. 'Nuff said.)
And then came today. I was planning on playing this game called Rogue Galaxy that I had bought a couple weeks ago, but my PS2 would not play it. Now, the last time I had used the PS2 was maybe two months ago, and it would occasionally have trouble reading the disc back then, but if I just took it out and brushed some dust off, it worked just fine. This time, I tried washing the game numerous times, and it sill refused to work. I tried putting another game in the PS2, and it had no problem starting up, so I'm sure this disc is the issue and not the PS2. So now I'm gonna have to take the stupid thing to Gamestop and hope that they can fix it or at least give me my freakin' ten dollars back. Oh, well. I'm off to try cleaning this piece of junk one more time, and if that doesn't work, I guess I'll just have to give up on it and go on with my pathetic life.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Invisible Children -- We need to DO something.
During Invisible Children's presentation last year, I felt sad, but when the organization spoke at my school again this year, I was just plain angry. Not at the Invisible Children, of course, but at Joseph Kony. All I could think about when I learned of the numerous disgusting acts this man has committed were a string of profanities and, "He needs to die. The world would be a much better place without him."
Now, on the off chance that someone who does not go to my school is reading this, you might be thinking, "Melanie, what on earth are you talking about? Who are these Invisible Children?" Great question. The answer is completely sickening, but I feel the need to inform you of exactly what is going on, as the news really isn't doing so. We all need to become more educated on these horrors in order to stop them.
Basically, in northern Uganda, a war between the Government of Uganda (GoU) and the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) has been taking place for over two decades. The LRA began to rebel against the GoU in the 1980's when a woman named Alice Lawkena believed that the Holy Spirit told her to overthrow her nation's government and started the Holy Spirit Movement. After Lawkena's exile, Joseph Kony took her place, and he and the remaining followers of the Holy Spirit Movement formed the LRA. But not many people supported this group, making Kony and his men feel the need to abduct children and force them to join Kony's forces. The GoU attempted to protect the Ugandan people by relocating them to camps, but poverty, disease, and a lack of food have made many occupants of these camps die, while others just barely stay alive.
Attempts have been made to stop the LRA. In 2001, the US Patriot Act officially declared the LRA to be a terrorist organization, and in 2005, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Joseph Kony and four of his top commanders. The GoU and LRA have tried negotiating multiple times, but they have failed to achieve peace.
Invisible Children is an organization started by three young men, Jason Russell, Laren Poole, and Ben Keesey, who made the documentary "Invisible Children: Rough Cut" after a 2003 trip to Africa. Seeing firsthand what was happening in Uganda made them realize the need to spread the word in an effort to end the atrocities of the war, and several revealing films have been made since then for this purpose. The group has made a big difference in the lives of many of Kony's victims. They have managed to provide basic needs for several Ugandan communities and give young people an opportunity for an education through scholarships. Possibly the greatest accomplishment these people have made is convincing President Obama to sign the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act in 2010.
Efforts to end the crisis in Uganda have certainly come a long way in the past few years, and it's totally inspirational, but Kony is completely inflexible. After multiple peace talks, Joseph Kony has rejected the Final Peace Agreement four times and just stayed in hiding like the cowardly piece of garbage that he is. It's obvious that he has no intentions of stopping his sadistic habits.
All I can say is, seriously, Joseph Kony? Kidnapping, killing, and torturing innocent people, mainly children, because you believe it is God's will? You make me sick. We keep trying to end this conflict peacefully, but that hasn't worked yet, and it's not going to work in the future. See, signing a peace treaty is something that reasonable people do, and Joseph "I Love Seeing People in Pain" Kony is no more of a reasonable person than Adolf Hitler. Normally, I don't approve of capital punishment, but there are some times when it is necessary to get a person off of this planet in order to stop him from causing more trouble. Not assassinating Kony is ultimately no different from killing all of these undeserving Ugandans ourselves. If it's a choice between Kony's life and the lives of millions of people who have done nothing wrong (which it is), it's clear who has to die. We know from experience that there is no peaceful resolution to this problem. It is imperative that we purge the world of this evil man.
Now you might be thinking, what can I possibly do that will change anything? It's simple -- speak up. A big part of the reason so little has been done for Uganda until recently is that the general population of the western world has no idea about what is happening. Now, if you're reading this, you must have internet access. You can help educate those around you. It might not seem like you're doing a lot, but if enough people do this, it will add up.
And one more thing. Just remember that your life isn't that hard. Boo hoo, you don't have the latest iPhone and your boyfriend dumped you. Big deal. It's okay to be sad sometimes, but don't feel too sorry for yourself over things like this when people in other parts of the world are having their lips cut off. No matter how difficult your life is, I can pretty much guarantee it's not that bad. Appreciate how fortunate you are, please.
Image courtesy of Invisible Children.
Visit the official Invisible Children website at:
http://invisiblechildren.com
Monday, October 24, 2011
Neither the Red Cross nor my school cares if people die.
This is my first blog post that's not for a school assignment because, so far, this is the single worst day of my junior year. Not even Dodgeball is cheering me up, and I love that movie. So yeah, this is Serious Business.
I was planning on participating in the school blood drive today. I have given blood twice before and done just fine, thank you very much. I made sure to eat iron-rich foods, like shredded wheat cereal, which is frickin' 95% iron. I got a good night's sleep. I prepared exactly the same way as I have in the past, so nothing should have gone wrong.
But I didn't factor in one tiny detail: my school, despite mostly being as tolerable as a high school can possibly be, is like this:
That's right. My school refuses to use heat until November, and in October it is so intensely cold that it is impossible to be comfortable without wearing gloves, which are probably against uniform code and also impossible to write or type with. A winter coat would be nice, too, but the best thing they'll let us wear is a uniform sweater, which is like putting a napkin over something and sticking it in a freezer. It doesn't help at all.
And that's just the main part of the school. The gym has to be about ten times colder. Now, it's sensible for a gym to be colder than the rest of a normal school because people are going to get hot during P.E. But this is not a normal school, so people are still going to turn to icicles even if they're running around.
Naturally, the gym is where the blood drive is held. Now, room temperature has never been a problem in the past because the other times I've donated, it's been relatively warm. So I had no idea that temperature affects a person's iron levels. A lot. So after having my iron tested for the first time, I was told that I was at 11.8. So I was told to try squirming around to warm myself up for about two minutes to increase my iron. In this short time, I was not nearly warm enough to actually feel my fingers or toes, but this alone boosted my iron level up to 12.3. The necessary level for a blood donor is 12.5, so I asked if I could have a couple more minutes to get to my normal body temperature because by then the tests would surely come up with my actual iron level, which was obviously at least 12.5.
They said no.
Let me get this straight, Red Cross. My blood type is B negative, which is in high demand. I have given blood before and have had no problems whatsoever. You and I both know that those iron tests are inaccurate, and even if my iron level was only 12.3, 0.2 points can't make that big of a difference. (The ideal iron level for a woman is at least 12.1, and I'm above that, so I'm perfectly healthy.) You don't care that my blood could save lives. You just think that I'm too much of a wimp to handle blood donation with an iron level of 12.3 and would rather see innocent people die because of a B negative blood shortage than see poor little delicate me feel slightly dizzy. Let me tell you something, Red Cross. I am one quarter Italian, and I will not stand for this. You think I am too much of a sissy to give blood? Oh, no. You do not insult me like that. Clearly you have no idea who I am. And for the record, putting me in this foul mood did more damage to my health than allowing me give blood would have.
So to sum up, if some poor type B negative person gets in an accident and there's not enough blood to save him, the Red Cross and my school are fully responsible for that. Oh, and all you crybabies who have complained to the Red Cross because you had a hard time giving blood. It's all your fault that they can't be more lenient. I know someone who said that she fainted her first time, and I think she donated blood again after that. If she can suck it up, so can you.
Oh, and if the fact that you made me cry somehow makes you happy (which within the realm of possibility; I wouldn't be at all surprised if you were sadists), just know that you will never ever make me cry as much as Clannad After Story. So there! ;)
UPDATE 10/25/11: If anyone cares, I have just set up an appointment for this Saturday. If they don't want my blood then, I guess there's nothing I can do, but I guess this should work because I like visiting the Red Cross building better than participating in school drives anyway, so....yeah, I'm in a good mood now. ^_^ Sorry for being so angry in the rest of this post. I was just having a bad day, and being nice all the time eventually makes a person explode once in a while.
I was planning on participating in the school blood drive today. I have given blood twice before and done just fine, thank you very much. I made sure to eat iron-rich foods, like shredded wheat cereal, which is frickin' 95% iron. I got a good night's sleep. I prepared exactly the same way as I have in the past, so nothing should have gone wrong.
But I didn't factor in one tiny detail: my school, despite mostly being as tolerable as a high school can possibly be, is like this:
And that's just the main part of the school. The gym has to be about ten times colder. Now, it's sensible for a gym to be colder than the rest of a normal school because people are going to get hot during P.E. But this is not a normal school, so people are still going to turn to icicles even if they're running around.
Naturally, the gym is where the blood drive is held. Now, room temperature has never been a problem in the past because the other times I've donated, it's been relatively warm. So I had no idea that temperature affects a person's iron levels. A lot. So after having my iron tested for the first time, I was told that I was at 11.8. So I was told to try squirming around to warm myself up for about two minutes to increase my iron. In this short time, I was not nearly warm enough to actually feel my fingers or toes, but this alone boosted my iron level up to 12.3. The necessary level for a blood donor is 12.5, so I asked if I could have a couple more minutes to get to my normal body temperature because by then the tests would surely come up with my actual iron level, which was obviously at least 12.5.
They said no.
Let me get this straight, Red Cross. My blood type is B negative, which is in high demand. I have given blood before and have had no problems whatsoever. You and I both know that those iron tests are inaccurate, and even if my iron level was only 12.3, 0.2 points can't make that big of a difference. (The ideal iron level for a woman is at least 12.1, and I'm above that, so I'm perfectly healthy.) You don't care that my blood could save lives. You just think that I'm too much of a wimp to handle blood donation with an iron level of 12.3 and would rather see innocent people die because of a B negative blood shortage than see poor little delicate me feel slightly dizzy. Let me tell you something, Red Cross. I am one quarter Italian, and I will not stand for this. You think I am too much of a sissy to give blood? Oh, no. You do not insult me like that. Clearly you have no idea who I am. And for the record, putting me in this foul mood did more damage to my health than allowing me give blood would have.
So to sum up, if some poor type B negative person gets in an accident and there's not enough blood to save him, the Red Cross and my school are fully responsible for that. Oh, and all you crybabies who have complained to the Red Cross because you had a hard time giving blood. It's all your fault that they can't be more lenient. I know someone who said that she fainted her first time, and I think she donated blood again after that. If she can suck it up, so can you.
Oh, and if the fact that you made me cry somehow makes you happy (which within the realm of possibility; I wouldn't be at all surprised if you were sadists), just know that you will never ever make me cry as much as Clannad After Story. So there! ;)
UPDATE 10/25/11: If anyone cares, I have just set up an appointment for this Saturday. If they don't want my blood then, I guess there's nothing I can do, but I guess this should work because I like visiting the Red Cross building better than participating in school drives anyway, so....yeah, I'm in a good mood now. ^_^ Sorry for being so angry in the rest of this post. I was just having a bad day, and being nice all the time eventually makes a person explode once in a while.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Do I even need to explain what's wrong here?
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| I won't be held responsible for any monitors that get punched as a reaction to this image. |
It's hard to find an exact place to start explaining the beliefs of the Westboro Baptist Church, as they are all equally shocking and mad. Basically, WBC thinks the USA (and, according to one of their sister sites, virtually every other nation in the world) is a sinful country and that all of its citizens are headed straight for hell. Moreover, the group rejects the foundation upon which Christianity is based -- the concept that God is love itself. According to them, God kills innocent people because of the sins of others. This is why wartime casualties occur. This is why lives are lost due to AIDS and cancer. And what more effective way to express these ideas than by verbally torturing the families of the deceased and telling people God hates them?
Apparently no one ever told the WBC that you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. I mean, they are free to believe whatever they choose to believe, but do they honestly expect to gain followers when they act insane? If somebody demanded that you do something because you'll go to hell if you don't do it, would you feel compelled to listen? Maybe you'd feel afraid, but acting like you agree with someone out of fear is not the same as actually agreeing. And most people think the WBC is just plain crazy. Seeing as humans were created in God's image and are therefore capable of reason, I think that if the majority finds something to be true, it probably is the truth. To deny that would be denying human dignity and therefore denying the way God created the world.
Even if you do think something like homosexuality is a sin (in which case I completely disagree with you), the goal of human beings is not to punish sinners, but to help them to change for the better. I personally think the WBC contains some of the most immoral people on earth, but if one of them died, I wouldn't protest at his funeral. That would accomplish nothing.
One of the many problems if the Westboro Baptist Church is that it focuses too much on the negative. Forget about all the good people in the world -- the billions of people who practice charity, honesty, and kindness -- they only care about damning the "bad" ones. They pay no attention to the parts of the Bible that speak of loving one's neighbors and instead spend their valuable time trying to cite every example of God's rage ever mentioned in the Old Testament. Shouldn't a truly moral Christian follow the teachings of Jesus himself and spread love rather than hate? Call me crazy, but I have a feeling Jesus would not support the WBC.
I have not spoken to a single classmate yet who supports the Westboro Baptist Church, which is good because that means I go to school with people who are not total wackos. I've heard a lot of angry reactions, which is to be expected. But you know what? While it is impossible not to feel some rage over this, let's not try too hard to actively fight the WBC. After all, if you argue with a fool, you're a fool. Instead, let's just laugh in their faces.
First image taken from official WBC site, second and third courtesy of Buzzfeed.com.
To learn more about the Westboro Baptist Church, go to their official website at:
www.godhatesfags.com
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Cyberbullying: Nobody's a Winner
Shortly after finishing my last post (the one on bullying), I made a trip to the library, where I checked out Jay Asher's novel Thirteen Reasons Why. Now, I know the purpose of this blog isn't to review books, but this story emphasizes the points I made on how much simple words and actions affect the lives of others. Basically, the book tells about a high school girl and the little things that ended up leading to her suicide. It's a great read, and I highly recommend it.
Today, I would like to dive deeper into the bullying theme and focus on a more specific breed of cruelty -- cyberbullying, something that is way too prevalent these days.
In March, a fourteen-year-old boy in Jersey City was finally arrested for harassing two-twelve-year-olds on Facebook because he thought they liked his girlfriend. In addition to childishly calling them names, the bully talked about killing one of the boys in an incredibly violent manner. Now, I'm not sure what exactly the relationship between these boys was, but nothing the younger boys did could possibly make them deserve such sickeningly graphic death threats.
A more famous example of cyberbullying is the case of musician Rebecca Black. Don't misunderstand; I'm not telling people to stop saying that her song 'Friday' is terrible because it totally is. Besides, it was Rebecca's choice to go into show business, and any entertainer should be prepared for negative feedback. However, some online commenters have gone beyond criticizing Rebecca's music and begun to target the singer herself, saying things like, "I hope you cut yourself," and "I hope you get an eating disorder so you'll look pretty." This behavior is completely unacceptable. Nobody should ever fall victim to words like these.
The problem with cyberbullying is that nobody's a winner. Even if the bully doesn't get punished for his actions, he still doesn't benefit from making others miserable. Being a jerk doesn't make a person look 'cool.' Honestly, that's just common sense. But, to quote Yggdrasill from Tales of Symphonia (seriously the best video game EVER), "That is merely logic. People are not moved by logic." (And yes, that is where I got this blog's title.)
Pictures are from the University of Alabama website and Chris Kasurak, respectively.
Check out the following wesites:
http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Teen-Accused-of-Cyber-Bullying-.html
http://thetartan.org/2011/3/28/forum/rebecca_black
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
A Lack of Human Decency
Bullying. All of us have probably experienced it at least once in our lives, whether we were the abused or the abusers. Lately, stories have been cropping up all over about young people being cruel to each other, sometimes even pushing each other to suicide.
That was just what happened in the case of Jamey Rodemeyer, a Buffalo teen who saw taking his own life as the only escape from his peers' hurtful words. Rodemeyer had already been targeted by bullies for his sexuality for years, but it was online posts from classmates saying things like, “I wouldn’t care if you died. No one would. So just do it :) It would make everyone WAY more happier!” that brought him to finally make the decision to stop living.
I won't say that I want the people responsible for this death to die themselves. That would only bring me down to their level. But it is incredibly difficult for me not to think that the world would be a better place without disgusting idiots like this. I hope they carry the weight of their sin with them forever and wake up every day knowing that it is entirely their fault that a boy died at the age of fourteen.
But before losing all faith in humanity, it is nice to see that in a world dominated by bad role models like the stars of Jersey Shore, there are some celebrities who genuinely care about the well-being of others. At the iHeartRadio Festival in Las Vegas, Jamey's idol Lady Gaga dedicated her song 'Hair' to Jamey and has been very outspoken about her strong disapproval in his murderers and grief for his death.
And then there are the tales of a girl who was harassed for not inviting people to a party, a completely reasonable choice to make, to the point where she needed therapy, the boy who was unable to defend himself from bullies due to suffering from Aspberger's, and the girl who was being physically beaten and was not believed by school authorities when she tried to report it. What bullies do is trap people and make them feel helpless just like in the cases of those three. It's totally inhuman.
Other teens like Tyler Clementi and Jutin Aaberg have been driven to suicide by hateful homophobes, and it makes me sick to think that in 2011 people are still failing to accept each other for who they are. This world doesn't seem to understand the simple concept that there is nothing wrong with homosexuality, and hating people for it is no different from ideas as outdated as racism and sexism. Maybe this is because religion, which is supposed to motivate people to be kind to each other, is doing more harm than good. Apparently there is some unwritten law stating that God doesn't approve of two people being in a happy, loving relationship if they are the same sex, and hating gays is okay because it is God's way. Um...what?! Jesus was friends with figures as controversial as prostitutes, and I think pretty much every Christian agrees that prostitution is a sin. So even if one thinks homosexuality is wrong (a sentiment I strongly disagree with), that is no excuse for being mean to people in the name of religion. Sadly, Justin Aaberg's classmates did just that when they told him he was going to hell for being gay. Do I even need to explain why that's terrible?
I think it is especially important in the twenty-first century that people think about their words before they say them because now anyone can use technology to share ideas that they might not be comfortable saying in person. Not only can a Facebook status about how you were "soooo wasted last night" ruin your own career, but a rude message can haunt another person forever. You may not think it's a big deal when you insult someone, but you have no idea what the person receiving your comment might be going through. Your words may be the final straw that makes him kill himself or otherwise go insane. People can be more sensitive that one might expect, and nasty words tend to hurt more than physical injuries.
Please, consider the self-esteem of those around you.Junior high and high school are some of the toughest years of the average person's life, meaning we should be striving to increase teens' confidence, not lower it. Just remember that, for the most part, if you are nice to others, they will be nice to you as well. Is it really that hard to hold in your negative opinion of someone? I'm not saying that one should never disagree with others, but one should argue politely. And if there isn't a good reason to criticize someone, don't even bother; it comes across as arrogant.
Why is it arrogant, you ask? Just take a look at Youtube. Pick any video with a large number of comments. Now, how many of those comments are negative? Probably a lot. And out of those negative comments, how many are truly well thought-out? It would probably take several minutes of searching to find even one. Now, not only is commenting something like, "U R EPIC FAIL LOL!" rude to the person who made the video; it is also highly unnecessary. Do you honestly believe that anyone cares that you disliked this video? If so, then you think way too highly of yourself and are presumably the type of person who also tweets about how you just used the restroom or what you had for dinner. Let me get this through your head, internet people: NO ONE GIVES A FLYING SQUIRREL. When you say something mean, neither you nor the person you are talking do benefits from it, so what's the point?
But keep in mind that it's not only what you refrain from doing that matters, it's what you actually do. Not bullying is good, but let's take it a step further and go out of our way to be nice. Just letting a friend know you are there for him makes all the difference in the world. In Jamey's video, below, he describes how thankful he is for those who have given him love and support. If only there were more people like that, maybe this poor boy would still be alive today. Always remember that there is power in words; you can either change someone's life for the better or totally ruin it. Why on earth wouldn't anyone choose the first option? Just take the attitude of our dean, Mr. Miller, and remember that "Bullying is for squares." It's completely unacceptable at our school and should be unacceptable everywhere else.
Pics courtesy of CheshireTears, Happy Monsters, and iStock, respectively.
Also check out the following links.
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20110925/NEWS01/109250359/Hateful-texts-voicemails-end-after-visit-school-psychologist
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20110925/NEWS01/109250357/It-wasn-t-fear-kept-bullied-teen-from-talking
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20110925/NEWS01/109250354/Bullying-leaves-tormented-students-helpless-parents?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Home
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/20/jamey-rodemeyer-suicide-gay-bullying_n_972023.html
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/entertainment/2011/09/jamey-rodemeyer-suicide-lady-gaga-pays-tribute-to-bullying-victim/
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/entertainment/2011/09/jamey-rodemeyer-suicide-lady-gaga-pays-tribute-to-bullying-victim/
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39593311/ns/us_news-life/t/suicide-surge-schools-confront-anti-gay-bullying/
That was just what happened in the case of Jamey Rodemeyer, a Buffalo teen who saw taking his own life as the only escape from his peers' hurtful words. Rodemeyer had already been targeted by bullies for his sexuality for years, but it was online posts from classmates saying things like, “I wouldn’t care if you died. No one would. So just do it :) It would make everyone WAY more happier!” that brought him to finally make the decision to stop living.
 |
| "Bullying kills." -Alicia R |
I won't say that I want the people responsible for this death to die themselves. That would only bring me down to their level. But it is incredibly difficult for me not to think that the world would be a better place without disgusting idiots like this. I hope they carry the weight of their sin with them forever and wake up every day knowing that it is entirely their fault that a boy died at the age of fourteen.
But before losing all faith in humanity, it is nice to see that in a world dominated by bad role models like the stars of Jersey Shore, there are some celebrities who genuinely care about the well-being of others. At the iHeartRadio Festival in Las Vegas, Jamey's idol Lady Gaga dedicated her song 'Hair' to Jamey and has been very outspoken about her strong disapproval in his murderers and grief for his death.
And then there are the tales of a girl who was harassed for not inviting people to a party, a completely reasonable choice to make, to the point where she needed therapy, the boy who was unable to defend himself from bullies due to suffering from Aspberger's, and the girl who was being physically beaten and was not believed by school authorities when she tried to report it. What bullies do is trap people and make them feel helpless just like in the cases of those three. It's totally inhuman.
Other teens like Tyler Clementi and Jutin Aaberg have been driven to suicide by hateful homophobes, and it makes me sick to think that in 2011 people are still failing to accept each other for who they are. This world doesn't seem to understand the simple concept that there is nothing wrong with homosexuality, and hating people for it is no different from ideas as outdated as racism and sexism. Maybe this is because religion, which is supposed to motivate people to be kind to each other, is doing more harm than good. Apparently there is some unwritten law stating that God doesn't approve of two people being in a happy, loving relationship if they are the same sex, and hating gays is okay because it is God's way. Um...what?! Jesus was friends with figures as controversial as prostitutes, and I think pretty much every Christian agrees that prostitution is a sin. So even if one thinks homosexuality is wrong (a sentiment I strongly disagree with), that is no excuse for being mean to people in the name of religion. Sadly, Justin Aaberg's classmates did just that when they told him he was going to hell for being gay. Do I even need to explain why that's terrible?
 |
| "There is no need for people to bully others, it's just wrong and all it does is hurt other people. That's not fun." -Sarah L |
I think it is especially important in the twenty-first century that people think about their words before they say them because now anyone can use technology to share ideas that they might not be comfortable saying in person. Not only can a Facebook status about how you were "soooo wasted last night" ruin your own career, but a rude message can haunt another person forever. You may not think it's a big deal when you insult someone, but you have no idea what the person receiving your comment might be going through. Your words may be the final straw that makes him kill himself or otherwise go insane. People can be more sensitive that one might expect, and nasty words tend to hurt more than physical injuries.
 |
| "There should be a law against bullying." -Hannah A |
Please, consider the self-esteem of those around you.Junior high and high school are some of the toughest years of the average person's life, meaning we should be striving to increase teens' confidence, not lower it. Just remember that, for the most part, if you are nice to others, they will be nice to you as well. Is it really that hard to hold in your negative opinion of someone? I'm not saying that one should never disagree with others, but one should argue politely. And if there isn't a good reason to criticize someone, don't even bother; it comes across as arrogant.
Why is it arrogant, you ask? Just take a look at Youtube. Pick any video with a large number of comments. Now, how many of those comments are negative? Probably a lot. And out of those negative comments, how many are truly well thought-out? It would probably take several minutes of searching to find even one. Now, not only is commenting something like, "U R EPIC FAIL LOL!" rude to the person who made the video; it is also highly unnecessary. Do you honestly believe that anyone cares that you disliked this video? If so, then you think way too highly of yourself and are presumably the type of person who also tweets about how you just used the restroom or what you had for dinner. Let me get this through your head, internet people: NO ONE GIVES A FLYING SQUIRREL. When you say something mean, neither you nor the person you are talking do benefits from it, so what's the point?
But keep in mind that it's not only what you refrain from doing that matters, it's what you actually do. Not bullying is good, but let's take it a step further and go out of our way to be nice. Just letting a friend know you are there for him makes all the difference in the world. In Jamey's video, below, he describes how thankful he is for those who have given him love and support. If only there were more people like that, maybe this poor boy would still be alive today. Always remember that there is power in words; you can either change someone's life for the better or totally ruin it. Why on earth wouldn't anyone choose the first option? Just take the attitude of our dean, Mr. Miller, and remember that "Bullying is for squares." It's completely unacceptable at our school and should be unacceptable everywhere else.
Pics courtesy of CheshireTears, Happy Monsters, and iStock, respectively.
Also check out the following links.
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20110925/NEWS01/109250359/Hateful-texts-voicemails-end-after-visit-school-psychologist
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20110925/NEWS01/109250357/It-wasn-t-fear-kept-bullied-teen-from-talking
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20110925/NEWS01/109250354/Bullying-leaves-tormented-students-helpless-parents?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Home
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/20/jamey-rodemeyer-suicide-gay-bullying_n_972023.html
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/entertainment/2011/09/jamey-rodemeyer-suicide-lady-gaga-pays-tribute-to-bullying-victim/
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/entertainment/2011/09/jamey-rodemeyer-suicide-lady-gaga-pays-tribute-to-bullying-victim/
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39593311/ns/us_news-life/t/suicide-surge-schools-confront-anti-gay-bullying/
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
My first blog post, yay!
Hello! I'm Melanie, and in case you haven't figured it out yet, this is my Catholic Morality blog. So, um...welcome! :D
Just a little heads-up here: I'm very opinionated. But if you know me, then you already knew that. ;)
To start out, allow me to share my opinions on two issues.
Capital punishment must be abolished.
The problem with capital punishment is that it is just that, punishment. When a criminal is caught, we shouldn't be thinking about punishment. We're not God, and we're probably not that person's parents, so it's not our decision to make. The purpose of putting someone in jail is to keep everybody else safe from him and hope that maybe he learns something in the process. The point is that we hope this person will change, and he can't change if he's dead. Besides, "Thou shalt not kill," does not just apply to murdering people in cold blood; it also means that we shouldn't kill people who have done bad things. Human beings do not have the right to decide whether or not other human beings deserve to be alive.
I highly recommend that everyone check out the manga/anime Death Note. It demonstrates exactly why killing criminals is wrong. But I'll warn you that it's pretty dark, and as the title implies, there is a lot of death, so you might find parts of it disturbing. It truly has a good lesson in it though.
Prayer should be permitted in public schools.
I understand that public schools don't want to push religion on anyone. That's good. But forcing people not to pray is just as bad as forcing them to pray, if not worse. This is the USA, and we are all about religious freedom, so if a person wants to say a prayer in a public school, he absolutely has the right to do so as long as he is not pressuring other people to pray with him. Not allowing prayer at public schools is one of the million examples of taking political correctness to the point where it contradicts itself. Don't even get me started on political correctness.
Well, that's it for now. I hope you enjoyed this introductory post, and if you didn't, here's a picture of a derpy horse.
You can't possibly not find that entertaining!
Note: I have no clue who took that picture, so I can't exactly give anyone credit for it, but know that I do not claim to own it.
Just a little heads-up here: I'm very opinionated. But if you know me, then you already knew that. ;)
To start out, allow me to share my opinions on two issues.
Capital punishment must be abolished.
The problem with capital punishment is that it is just that, punishment. When a criminal is caught, we shouldn't be thinking about punishment. We're not God, and we're probably not that person's parents, so it's not our decision to make. The purpose of putting someone in jail is to keep everybody else safe from him and hope that maybe he learns something in the process. The point is that we hope this person will change, and he can't change if he's dead. Besides, "Thou shalt not kill," does not just apply to murdering people in cold blood; it also means that we shouldn't kill people who have done bad things. Human beings do not have the right to decide whether or not other human beings deserve to be alive.
I highly recommend that everyone check out the manga/anime Death Note. It demonstrates exactly why killing criminals is wrong. But I'll warn you that it's pretty dark, and as the title implies, there is a lot of death, so you might find parts of it disturbing. It truly has a good lesson in it though.
Prayer should be permitted in public schools.
I understand that public schools don't want to push religion on anyone. That's good. But forcing people not to pray is just as bad as forcing them to pray, if not worse. This is the USA, and we are all about religious freedom, so if a person wants to say a prayer in a public school, he absolutely has the right to do so as long as he is not pressuring other people to pray with him. Not allowing prayer at public schools is one of the million examples of taking political correctness to the point where it contradicts itself. Don't even get me started on political correctness.
Well, that's it for now. I hope you enjoyed this introductory post, and if you didn't, here's a picture of a derpy horse.
You can't possibly not find that entertaining!
Note: I have no clue who took that picture, so I can't exactly give anyone credit for it, but know that I do not claim to own it.
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