Entries 09/10

Recipe for Writing a Poem
About a Basketball Buzzer Beater

One gallon sweat.
Two cups motivation.
I catch the ball and one cup of elevation.
Three quarts rotation the perfect angle.
One tablespoon of gravity.
Thirty gallons of pressure the clock counting down 3,2,1
Five tons of the perfect sound,
Swish, we won.
- Sam Parker
3/4/10

if i could wake to your presence
it would be christmas with presents
long days of lessons
thank god for my blessing

he sent an angel to soil
so loyal with faith
to defy would be a lie
the foundation would shake

for what we fight for
is sacred and above all
leaves of the trees
in the breeze slowly fall

material to no attachments
a sight with no light
blinded life rewinded
my life published and cited

farewell my dear
i was never here
an illusion a solution
sorry for your dillusion

The fourteenth amendment of the United States Constitution states that everyone receives equal protection of the laws. A person’s civil rights include freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and equal treatment from government, other persons, and private groups. In the past century, many people have fought for their equality, such as African Americans, women, laborers, children, Native Americans, immigrants, and then there are a few that are still fighting for their equality, such as homosexuals.
Homosexuals are fighting against the world currently to get their right to be married. They fight for their right against the government, against the states, against their neighbors, against many people. People oppose homosexual marriage because they feel like it is changing the state of marriage, because marriage is always stated to be between a mother and a father. The opposing side is widely based on religion, because some feel that homosexuality is an offense against God. Some say that homosexuals should not have the right to get married, but it is their constitutional right. Because same-sex marriage is a national issue, the federal government must act to ensure equality for all Americans.
Civil rights have been continuously expanded throughout America’s history. The gay rights movement is an effort to protect rights and maintain equality for homosexuals, bisexuals, and transgender individuals. “The gay rights movement seeks to educate society about gay issues and to encourage gay individuals to declare publicly their sexual orientation. A major goal of the movement is to eliminate laws that restrict or ban same-sex sexual relations” (Markel 73). This gay rights movement helped increase awareness of the conditions homosexuals are facing. Supporters of same-sex marriage believe that they have the same rights as heterosexual married couples.
Gay rights groups also work to improve ways in which gay people are presented in the mass media and to enact laws that protect homosexual individuals from discrimination. Many support laws that increase the penalties for hate crimes, in which the victim is targeted based on sexual orientation or other characteristics (Markel 73).

Homosexuals have people fighting for them and their rights, just like other groups that wanted their equality. African Americans had to fight against slavery and to win the right to vote. It took years for African Americans to gain their rights from the world, and the Supreme and federal courts had to step in and help African Americans get where they are today. To get equality, homosexuals are also going to have to take many steps against the opposing side. African Americans fought against being ridiculed and people discriminating against them, and that is what homosexuals are going to have to do also. If homosexuals want equality they are going to have to continue fighting against the differing opinions.
Some historical background is needed to understand this issue. Civil unions were an important first step towards marriage equality for homosexual couples. “A civil union is one term used to describe a legally sanctioned partnership between two people, which may be roughly equivalent to marriage. In most cases, people seeking a civil union are members of homosexual couples. . . “ (Christensen-Ellis). Couples in civil unions have the right to federal benefits. Their health insurance can also cover their partner, and they can make medical decisions for their partners. However, under civil unions some couples may be denied the right to adopt children, and they may not be able to cross state lines. Not every state allows civil unions; some that do are Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Iowa (Vermont). These are a few of the states that are now making the attempt to change the view of same-sex marriage. In April of 2000, Vermont took its first step and legalized civil union; this came into effect on midnight of July first. “In the state of Vermont, 1,704 civil unions were performed between July 1 and December 31, 2000” (Andryszewski 94). Then in 2009, Vermont legalized same-sex marriage. However, many people disagree with Vermont’s choice of legalizing same-sex marriage for various reasons.
The arguments against marriage for same-sex couples are based on fear, not rational evidence. Over the years, reasons to ban homosexuality have changed drastically. “For much of the 20th century doctors considered homosexuality to be a kind of disease” (Andryszewski 16). Not only did people call homosexuality a disease but they also believed homosexuals carried infectious diseases. “In 1981 a mysterious, deadly sickness afflicting gay men in the United States was first reported. News of the disease spread among gay men and lesbians in 1982 and among the general public in the mid- 1980s. Scientist studying the disease called it acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)” (Andryszewski 21). AIDS started a fear of homosexuality, otherwise known as homophobia. “Some medical personnel refused to treat AIDS patients, some ambulance workers and police refused to touch people who appeared to be gay. Some funeral homes refused to handle AIDS cases” (Andryszewski 22). Because of AIDS, people started becoming afraid of homosexuals and hated them. They believed that homosexuals started this infectious disease, which spread through sexual contact.
Eventually scientists figured out that AIDS is caused by a virus, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV first infiltrated the male homosexual community in the United States sometime in the 1970s, where it quickly spread through sexual contact. HIV has since spread in the United States among heterosexuals and intravenous drug users, through sexual contact and the use of shared hypodermic needles (Andryszewski 22).

The discovery of AIDS greatly increased discrimination towards homosexuals because the public now thought that homosexuals were going to give them a disease.
Discrimination against homosexuals has been more focused on personal opinion than facts. Other than the world thinking homosexuals had a contagious disease, they also discriminated against homosexuals because they felt that being gay was a sin, and offensive toward God. Christians believe that homosexuality is sinful, and that it is not a trait of a person, it is a choice. They believe what the Bible says is right, that God wanted marriage to be between a man and a woman. “If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall be put to death, their blood upon them” (Andryszewski 30).The Bible states that when a man is with another man then it is an abomination. Christians and other religions that follow the Bible are not going to go against what God says and accept homosexuality. Because God does not say that homosexuality is okay, then followers are against it. However, these scriptures are almost two thousand years old, and it is obvious times have changed.
No longer is marriage considered universally in the public mind as a permanent union; no longer is it considered to have any necessary connection to children; no longer does it universally bind to fidelity; and that sex should be reserved for it is today’s unthinkable thought. Marriage has become a mere diaphanous thing (Skrable).

Indeed, things have changed; divorce happens more often than it ever used to, sex is no longer always saved for marriage, and abortion is legal. Times have changed, rules have changed, and people have changed. Marriage is a union between two people who are loyal to each other, and who love one another. Many people today are accepting civil unions as a fair arrangement for same-sex couples; however, a civil union is not marriage. If two homosexuals are ready for their commitment in life, and love one another, they deserve marriage and not the lower standard of marriage.
Even though homosexuals in some states are given the right to civil union, that is not enough; they deserve the right to marry. The Federal Defense of Marriage Act denies federal recognition of gay marriages:
The Federal Defense of Marriage Act of 1996 which denies federal recognition of gay marriages and gives each state the right to refuse recognition of same-sex marriage licenses issued by other states. The act does not prohibit states from allowing gay marriages; neither does it obligate states to recognize gay marriages from other states (Johnson).

Some states have accepted a civil union for same-sex ‘marriage,’ but a civil union is not enough. Civil union is like second class status; it is like saying that marriage is not good enough for homosexuals, and that is not equality. If the federal government does not decide that all of the states must accept same-sex marriage, then the United States is going to have to deal with angered people fighting for their rights. When African Americans were fighting against slavery the United States was divided into slave states and non-slave states, which ended in a huge war. Describing that situation, Abraham Lincoln said “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” If the United States allows this division throughout the country, it will be divided against itself. The federal government needs to stand up and make same-sex marriage legal. This is an issue of equality; it can not be up to each individual state. Same-sex marriage should be legal from one end of America to the other.
One can not tell the difference between a homosexual and a heterosexual based on a first glance appearance. Unless a homosexual has made it clear that they are in fact gay, one would just assume and not know the straight facts. Everyone deserves equal treatment, and to give homosexuals civil union instead of marriage is not fair. Civil unions are like a second choice because marriage is not good enough for a family different than a father and a mother. Homosexuals are only given civil union because the government knows that they have to give them something like marriage, but civil union is nothing like marriage. Discrimination against homosexuals needs to stop. They need to be treated like the average American, and get an equal chance to everything in life, just like everyone else.

Works Cited
Andryszewski, Tricia. Same-Sex Marriage: Moral Wrong or Civil Right? Minneapolis: Twenty-First Century Books, 2008.
Christensen-Ellis, Tricia. “What is a Civil Union?” 2009. Wise Geek. November 13, 2009.

Haider-Markel, Donald. “Civil Rights Movement.” The World Book Encyclopedia. 2008.
Johnson, Ramon. “Federal Defense of Marriage Act(DOMA).” 2009. About. November 13, 2009.
< http://gaylife.about.com/cs/gaymarriage/i/doma.htm>
Skrable, Burman. “Same-Sex Marriage Would Harm Society.” 1998. Gale Group. November 12, 2009.
“Vermont, First to have Civil Unions, Now the Fifth State Where Same-Sex Marriages are Legal.” 2002. Democratic Underground. November 13, 2009.

I had the surprise of my life when i opened the door and saw the Pretty picture on the wall. Fire burning in the hall. I'm a witness. I know the truth. Take my life from the proof. I could tell, i could snitch. Hold your breath before i snitch. I control what happens next. I can make you fail the easy test. Your the reason my life is destroyed. Played like a game a child's favorite toy. I'm not a blanket you can drag around. I'm not a pet you can forget about. My revenge is something really strong. All you lies didn't last long. A pretty picture, that all was left. I regret the day we met

Mud

Mud is brown most of the time. Mud is made of dirt and water. You can sometimes find mud in streams or next to ponds. You can find mud on the road after it has rained. When you put water in dirt, you get mud. Young children like to play in it.

The Overlooked Glories of Mud

Despite its being, as a general rule, unliked and seen as an annoyance to the majority of the human race, mud is not as appalling as some seem to be inclined to think. On the contrary it is part of the great mysteries of nature, which we still know but a small amount. This substance is formed when water combines with the dirt that gives it its deep brown coloring. Children who are still rather young have been known to spend many pleasurable hours entertaining themselves in it. Sometimes this is via building bridges across moats which are attacked by mud armies; other times there are mud pies which are built in mud kitchens and are fed to mud covered dolls. The fact is though, these children grow up into the people who forget all of these pleasurable hours and become the ones who can no longer see past the unfavorable parts of it and make the rest of the human race see the same.

Take a girl and show her she is beautiful,
Take a girl and show her that you care,
Take a girl and make her understand,
Thatif you dont get her,
Than no one can.

Persuasion is like a math equation:
Charm + flaunt = you get what you want.
You have to have charm, be witty and clever,
Or what you’re looking for, you will get never.
Then you need to flaunt the perks,
That’s the only way it works.
Make sure that you are confident
And your time is well spent.
Now there is nothing left to do,
Except sit back, relax,
and see what persuasion can do for you.

The only common thing between you and I is that we’ve both shed tears at this very spot. We’ve gazed out the window at the flowing canals, which are now only lined with tourism boats. We’ve brushed against these walls, on which now the whole world’s handprint is layered over yours. My footsteps are blanketed over yours, and those of thousands of others.
The feel of the marks that Otto and Edith made, displaying the progress of your growth, makes me realize that you were once a child like me. I examine it and such a small thing like that brings so much pain to me. Our eyes connect in the sixty-five year old pictures hung up in ancient frames, your innocence soaking into me. I gaze up at the rusty attic, covered by plastic boards, and imagine you gazing back down upon us. The cramped staircases were the same ones you used to go to and from the levels. The rooms were the same ones you sat in, writing the journal that you didn’t know would make you one of the most famous people in our world.
When you hid here, the wood floors weren’t glossy and there weren’t televisions in every corner of every room. When you hid here, there weren’t people at the door accumulating money as a means of living and a gift store at every exit. When you hid here, you didn’t have the luxury of standing outside in Amsterdam on a beautiful day, admiring the sun and the splendor of the city.
I strive to steer clear of the television screens that explain your last days in Bergen-Belsen because if I did, a little part of me would die too. I can’t help but feel upset that out of hundreds of people who have roamed these floors, only a small percent understand. To those people, it’s not just a house; it’s memories that have been disseminated throughout a building. It’s memories that have changed not only individual lives, but the whole entire world.
During this whole visit, there’s one thing I’ve realized. Even after months of studying you and getting to know you, it didn’t hurt badly when I entered the Annex. It was when I left, I looked back, and the tears started streaming down my face.

We (the dinosaurs) are very humble creatures.
Many tales have been made up about us.
These are the Dinosaur President’s corrections:
1. We did not die because of a gigantic meteor,
We died when mice had taken over our real estate and roaches ate our wool coats.
2. The bones humans think are ours aren’t,
They are the bones of those pestering mosquitos.
3. We do not “roar”, we rather “meow”.
Lastly, the Dino Chicken-Nuggets was never reviewed with us about copyright issues.

Sunrise over Haiti

By Isaac Totten
Sheldon School, Grade 8

That wonderful feeling of rest without a care in the world; soft sheets keep sweet dreams and warm feelings inside me; everything is calm and quiet… until Knock, Knock, Knock “Hey guys you’ve got to see this!” This was the beginning to the most memorable and beautiful moment of my life.

It all just started out as a simple thought, “Maybe we can go on a cruise.” This simple (unrealistic) thought turned into an idea and that idea into rock hard reality. Next thing I know I’m in our white Ford SUV on the way to the airport and the beginning of a great adventure.

The plane ride may have been my favorite part. We arrived early in the morning, and as happens every time I’m excited for something I could barely sleep the night before. The airport was so quiet that only our yawning and groggy yet excited voices could be heard. The airport was massive and there seemed to be activity everywhere. Soon people started to arrive and the sound began to rise. This would be both my mother’s first flight and mine and once we got strapped in our seats and the plane started to take off, I looked over at my mother with an excited grin and she returned it with an equally eager smile. It felt like we were sailing through a see of clouds and already I couldn’t wait for the plane ride back.

The cruise ship was incredible! It had sixteen stories and was gigantic compared to our large airport bus. It seemed to rise out of the water, making us look like ants below it. I could never have imagined a ship like that one. It had restaurants, pools, hot tubs, a wonderful view, and gorgeous hallways and entry ways. Our rooms were wonderful; we had two rooms for the four of us. My sister and I shared an interior room while our mom and her boyfriend, Alex, shared a balcony room. It was relaxing to sit out on the balcony and listen to the waves crash against the side of the ship and watch all of our destinations before we land. Although I loved the ship the destinations are probably my most memorable.

It was the third day that I remember the most. We had been sailing for two days and we had been exploring all the ship has to offer. My sister and I had been sleeping soundly in our soft sheeted bed, not a care in the world, only our soft breathing could be heard when there was a Knock, Knock, Knock at the door (as I mentioned earlier) and my mother’s sweet, warm voice calling, “Get up you’ve got to see this.” We just groaned at her and tried to get back to sleep but that wouldn’t stop our mother. She is a pretty woman with spunky, spiky hair and a great spirit of adventure that can’t easily be broken. So we knew that there was no point in fighting and that we should just go and see whatever it was before we miss it. So we opened our door and squinted from the light that blinded our sensitive sleepy eyes and knocked on our mothers door across the hall. She quickly opened the door and both a toothy grin and a blinding light met us.

At first I was stunned and couldn’t work out what I was looking at. Then as I was ushered to the balcony by my mother my eyes began to adjust and the glare wasn’t blinding. I got my first glimpse of our first destination Haiti. I had heard of all the violence that Haiti had and how poor it was. We were a bit scared at first to come and we almost changed our cruise destinations to avoid Haiti but from what we saw that day it seemed like a tropical paradise. We found out later that the part of the island that we visited was owned by the Royal Caribbean and was very safe. It was a green tropical paradise that was so beautiful, I just gaped at it; every one was silent, just watching it as we arrived in the bay. No one said a word for about ten minutes. My mom broke the silence saying, “Well isn’t this the greatest thing that we’ve ever seen.” Tearing our eyes away from the hypnotic sight we were still lost for words finally managing a “Yeah” or “Totally”.
In my head, I began thinking how Vermont (where I live) was keeping away from all of these sites. Its beautiful green mountains that I had always admired now seemed more like walls keeping me in. I watched the news and saw all of the horrible things happening in the outside world, which only made the walls feel safer and safer. Seeing such beauty in a place that was supposed to be so horrible really opened my eyes. It showed me that everything has beauty and that if I just escape the walls trapping me than I can discover new experiences and new adventures. Since that moment I have been craving to get away from here; to travel the world and see things just as beautiful. I saw a sunrise over Haiti that day, it opened my eyes and gave me the motivation to see many more.

Egress is the only way
Now that darkness is here to stay
No brightness and love
From the skies up above
Where is the way out of here?
The path that is blurred and feared
Show me the way out of here
The path is unclear
This empty space is something I fear
It is not a happy place, my dear
For all year round I see darkness and fright
Why not show me love and light?
I must escape from this place
From this never-ending space
But where is the path I seek?
That takes me away from a future so bleak?

I speak to the sun as it shines so bright,
I speak to the moon in the dark of the night.
I speak to the waves that crash on the beach,
I speak to the clouds, when they're just out of reach.
I speak to the fire, as it sparks and it flickers,
I speak to the horses; they respond with their nickers.
I speak to the earth near a high mountain peak,
Now that you know this, to whom do you speak?