Research Assignment Topic 2 # Civil Rights

           The rights that every citizen in the United States being taken away from them.  Some people think they are superior because of their race.  While others are treated with servile attention just because they are different.  School officials are starting to get jumpy that a student will do something bad because of their skin color.  In some states gays and lesbians aren't allowed in the military.
            The "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" rule a very hard rule on gays and lesbians.  In order for them to be in the military they have to keep their secrets secret.  Now there are arguments that are deciding the fate of the policy.  For now gays are accepted openly in the military.  A federal judge in California refused to postpone the policy.  He says, that the government failed to prove the policy would disrupt the system of the military.
Many lawyers said that the policy would cause harm to the country.  Also the ending of the policy would actually improve combat.  It denied the rights of citizens to be in the army just because they are gay.  Just because they are different doesn't mean that they shouldn't be denied the right to be in the army which would be a good thing.  They will be serving the community.  Roughly 13,500 gays and lesbians have been discharged under the policy.
             There are many officials that are going overboard with the suspicion because of their skin color.  The kids that go through this are having their rights getting mistreated.  Many people complained to the Department of Education's office of Civil Rights.  There were about 7,000 complaints.  The Department of Education is starting to develop stuff that would help kids who have trouble learning and those who get in trouble a lot.  In some states they are deciding for kids with disabilities would have a shortened school day according to the transportation schedule.
             To check these interesting articles go to : http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst-article-display?id=S44-4241-0-8550&artno=0000308184&type=ART&shfilter=U&key=Civil%20rights&title=No%20Delay%20for%20%27Don%27t%20Ask%2C%20Don%27t%20Tell%27%20Ruling%2C%20So%20Pentagon%20Takes%20Gays%2E%2E%2E&res=Y&ren=N&gov=N&lnk=N&ic=N
and http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst-article-display?id=S44-4241-0-8550&artno=0000308091&type=ART&shfilter=U&key=Civil%20rights&title=Number%20of%20Ed%20Civil%20Rights%20Complaints%20on%20the%20Rise&res=Y&ren=N&gov=N&lnk=N&ic=N

Research Assignment Topic 1: Bullying

           Have you ever been bullied?  If not then you haven't felt the pain, the humiliation, the dangers of being bullied.  Imagine a boy got picked on at school.  Not just emotionally but also physically. Got beaten up in the bathroom and was cursed out by the bullies just because he was gay.  If you could decide what punishment they would get, what would you choose?  Now if you found out that the boy committed suicide.  Which punishment would you give now?
           No one know the dangers of getting bullied more than a person who gets bullied.  Try putting yourself in the shoes.  How would you feel?  Many teens get bullied in the USA.  Many of them commit suicide.  The bullies pick on them because they are different, but everyone one is different from someone else.  So why should gays be treated harshly that they have to take the plunge. Some people get bullied by people that they didn't even do anything to them.  But in middle and high school any little thing can lead to getting bullied.  Middle school it like the time when everyone is trying to figure out who they are.  High school is when stuff gets personal and everyone wants to be "cool".
           Schools and the government are trying to develop ways to stop bullying.  Sometimes the work and sometimes they don't.  In some state there is something called R-time where you talk to other kids in your class on who they are and what they like.  Basically, the point is to make everyone get along so there won't be that much bullying.  I think first you should try to hide it as much as you can that you are gay.  But when It is time to let it out you should first tell your parents, principal, and teachers.  Eventually word would spread quickly so if you get bullied you should tell adults first.  But  when things get physical you should file a lawsuit.  No matter how much they threaten you.  You should never keep it a secret because things are going to get worse.  Tell someone, don't go to school, but don't keep it a secret.
           Bullying is a serious matter, and there should be more measures to protect kids.  To learn more go to the following websites: http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst-article-display?id=S44-4241-0-4903&artno=0000308284&type=ART&shfilter=U&key=Bullying%20in%20schools&title=For%20Gay%20Youths%2C%20Middle%20School%20Can%20Be%20Toughest%20Time&res=Y&ren=N&gov=N&lnk=N&ic=N and http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst-article-display?id=S44-4241-0-4903&artno=0000307887&type=ART&shfilter=U&key=Bullying%20in%20schools&title=From%20Lockers%20to%20Lockup&res=Y&ren=N&gov=N&lnk=N&ic=N.

Poem responding to Social Problem

Lurking in the Shadows

Lurking in the shadows
staying away from my fear
my fear of bullies
waiting, waiting for me

humiliation
is what they do
physically
mentally
they hurt me
they hurt me hard

they say I'm different
different
I don't see the difference
the only thing I can do
is lurk in the shadows

Identifying and Analyzing Social Problems in Independent Book

            The book I am currently reading is City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare.  This book is part of the Mortal Instruments trilogy.  I think there are many social issues in this book.  Some are like a metaphor to social problems in reality.  One example is that Jace and the other Shadowhunters treat Clare like a mundane (human) instead of a Shadowhunter which she really is.  Also they treated Simon like a monster just because he is a Downworlder (more specifically vampire).  I think this is a metaphor of how people treat other people differently just because they are different.  I say everyone is different from each other and everyone should be treated equally.  Racism a very big social problem.  I think they are stating it metaphorically to show how big this social problem is in an interesting way.
            Another thing is that you hide something very important.  In the book Alec a Shadowhunter is gay but hasn't told anyone.  But his friends found out by his actions when he sees Magnus a warlock.  His friends haven't asked him and by his actions I think he doesn't want anyone to know about him.  There are social issues everywhere from reality to books.

Responding to a Poem about Social Problems

By Dimitri Shostakovich. Sequenced by J. Marques

Bullies like to pulverize their pain, Unleashing torrents of humiliation. Love can little do but bide its time, Letting go the currents of the crime, In bitter knowledge finding consolation. Eventually, all must turn again, Stripped of all but fear and adoration.

            This poem describes the position of a person who gets bullied and how they feel and what are their emotions.  I really think it was emotional because it shows the danger of getting bullied.  It still it is kind of saying that there isn't a permanent way to stop bullying and it says how wrong it is.  I think bullying is like a crime because it hurts people both physically and mentally.  No one knows more of the dangers of getting bullied except if you  know from self experience.  Only the people who get bullied knows the true pains of getting bullied and how it can change their life's.  The poem it states that bullies do it for fun or social status it bring s humiliation to the person who gets bullied.  I say bullying is wrong and there should be more measures of protections.  Just telling an adult won't help because you have to live in fear thinking that the bully would plot revenge on you.  You can read this poem at: http://www.poemsforfree.com/bullie.html