Inclusion in the classroom

Inclusion in the classroom

Ask any child what they want to be when they grow up, and they always have an exciting answer. Children look at the world and see endless possibilities and hope. When children look at each other they don’t see disabilities, they see their friends and classmates.
“Children are so accepting of each other,” said Kim Robinson, retired teacher. “They embrace the differences in each other, and because of that, have more fun.”
For many years parents and teachers have embraced the idea of inclusive education. Parents of children with disabilities have been vocal about getting their children into inclusive classrooms to give their children an equal opportunity at education and acceptance. They also want their children to be able to function in the real world as adults.
“I have a one-year-old at home and so far everything seems completely normal but if anything ever came up that she had a disability, or if someone in her class had a disability I would support inclusion,” said Amanda Thomas, pre-school teacher. “I think all children deserve a chance to live the life they dream of.”
Teachers have the difficult task of training themselves to accommodate children with disabilities and to get the approval of parents whose children do not have a disability. Many teachers feel the pressure to make their class accessible to care for each childs individual needs. Teachers who do not support inclusion in the classroom often feel overwhelmed by disabled children’s needs and do not take advantage of the trainings that would help make their classrooms more inclusion friendly. If a teacher wants to have more success in the inclusion process many times it will include a special education teacher to help out with special students. Communication between the teachers can prove vital to the success of an inclusion classroom.
“Anytime, I have ever had a special education teacher in my class I have felt that the two of us working with the child, or children, was more beneficial than just the one,” said Rebecca Mejia, pre-school teacher. “I have also noticed that all the children tend to enjoy an extra teacher in the class.”
Inclusive classrooms that are adequately prepared for students with disabilities usually function very well. The creativity in the classroom benefits all of the children. Inclusive classrooms work a lot in groups to help children with disabilities refine their social skill they may be delayed in. Working in different groups not only benefits the child with the disability, but helps the child without the disability be better prepared for what they will see in the real world.
“My children love to work in groups,” said Mejia. “They get to know everyone in the classroom better that way. It’s fun to watch them branch out and talk to students they normally would not.”
Teachers and schools that shy away from inclusive education usually do so because it takes effort. It takes time away from the class to prepare to bring disabled children into a classroom. Teachers have to be flexible with their lesson plans and be prepared to adapt worksheets for the student’s different levels. They have to be creative and be willing to adapt and change. This method has not always worked in the past.
“I was diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity-Disorder (ADHD) when I was very young,” said Jillian Hall, elementary teacher. “I never looked at it as a disability but my school did, and they actively tried to put me in separate classes than the rest of my friends.”
Teachers have the power to make their classroom a learning environment for all students not just the ones who seem easier to teach.
“I thank my parent’s everyday because they told the school I was capable of learning everything any other student was,” said hall. “I have a three-year-old son being tested for autism and I have every intention of putting him in a regular classroom whatever the results are.”
Inclusion education has the support of federal law as well. While federal law does not require inclusion in the classroom it does require that there should be significant effort made to find an inclusive placement. The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), amended in 2004, requires by law that children with disabilities be educated in the “least restrictive environment appropriate” to meet their “unique needs.”
IDEA does acknowledge that all children with disabilities should not be placed in the regular education classroom. However, the law does require school districts to have a
“Continuum of placements” available that allows the opportunity for each child to be placed in an environment that is specifically suited to meet his or her needs.
“Children view the world with such innocence and truly believe that all their dreams will come true,” said Robinson. “I will not be the person that tells them any different. When you educate a child in any environment anything is possible.”

Time to Look Again at Instant Replay

Stephen McIlhon
MC 4356F
October 6, 2008
WC 800



Time to Look Again at Instant Replay



We are all human. Maybe you’ve heard the expression before, referring of course to an acceptance of our imperfection and propensity to make mistakes. Nice to have that “human” thing to fall back on, isn’t it?

What excuse can we then have, however, when we are presented with all the necessary information to come to the correct decision, yet still come to the incorrect one? This continues to be the case, time and time again, with the use of instant replay in both college and professional football. The referees are still not getting it right – and admittedly so.

Two weeks ago, in the culmination of a highly combative, back and forth contest between the San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos, NFL senior referee Ed Hochuli gave the ball back to the Broncos after Denver quarterback Jay Cutler’s apparent fumble inside the Charger’s ten-yard line.

With less than two minutes on the clock, and his team trailing by seven points, Cutler attempted a pass, but forgot the ball. The pigskin slipped through the Vanderbilt product’s right hand and fell lonely to the ground. The call on the field was an incomplete pass, and although San Diego linebacker Tim Dobbins came up with the ball, NFL rules state that once the whistle has blown, and the play is declared dead by the referee, it is not reviewable.

Replay showed a fumble, but the call on the field was unchangeable. Cutler made good on the extra opportunity and held onto the ball for his next throw – connecting to receiver Eddie Royal in the back of the endzone to tie the game. Denver would go for the two-point conversion and Royal would again come up with the ball, this time sealing San Diego’s fate. The Chargers had one stolen from them, no thanks to the instant replay system designed to protect exactly that from happening.

What is the point of having a system if it can’t be used to produce its desired result? Here’s an idea: change the rule. Give these referees a little more discretion and if they blow the whistle incorrectly, let them use this evidence that you, the league, has provided them, and allow them to correct their human error.

After the game, Hochuli described, ”Affecting the outcome of a game … a devastating feeling. I failed miserably.” Hochuli did fail, according to the league commissioner, and was punished by the NFL in doing so. But who gets to punish the NFL for not putting their employees in a position to effectively use the tools given to them?

Three days prior to the aforementioned professional game, in a collegiate contest between Wisconsin and Fresno State, more admitted ineptitude. With the Badgers leading 13-7 late into the third quarter, Bulldog quarterback Tom Brandster threw a complete pass to receiver Devon Wylie. At least it appeared complete to you, me, and anyone else with the video evidence to decide for themselves.

Wylie turned up field, had the ball knocked out by Wisconsin safety Shane Carter and it was recovered by his teammate, linebacker DeAndre Levy. Fresno State coach Pat Hill challenged the call and replay officials overturned the ruling on the field, giving the ball back to the Bulldogs and another chance at victory. Western Athletic conference commissioner Karl Benson later said that the overturned ruling was the incorrect call by that referee crew’s replay official.

Luckily, Wisconsin came away unscathed and held on to a 13-10 victory. What is the problem here? How are we getting altered games when the evidence is presented to us in high-definition? How is a call more obvious a day later than it is on the field during a game?

“Our goal is to take advantage of advanced technology to create the most efficient replay system possible (White, 1999)," said former NFL Commissioner, and acting commissioner when replay was introduced, Paul Tagliabue. We all want the system to be efficient. Football games are long, and we all have lives to get back to once they conclude. But more important than coming to a quick decision, in this football fan’s opinion, is coming to the right decision.

Instant replay has been around a long time. This is not anything new to these officials. It was first adopted by the NFL in 1986; with its current, revised system put into effect in 1999. College football at the Division I level, adopted its current system before the 2005 season.

The system was designed to prevent bad calls from changing the outcome of a game. Instead, the system itself is doing so. With the amount of money and technology that goes into keeping instant replay a fixture on the sidelines, you would expect near perfection.

That hasn’t happened, however. But it needs to. Let’s perfect the system. Give these officials a chance to get it right. Educate them on how to better use it and don’t hinder them with unchangeable rules and stipulations.

We are all human. True. We don’t always, however, have the chance to stare the facts in the face before reaching a decision. How many times out of ten would we come to the correct one if we did?











Resources:
Bryant-Jon Anteola. (2008). Big Ten Network. WAC admits error against Wisconsin; Fresno State fumble should have stood. Retrieved October 5, 2008, from http://www.bigtennetwork.com/sports/football/story.asp?list_id=11&story_id=3127553.

Associated Press. (2008). Cutler finds Royal for late TD, two-point play to edge Chargers. Retrieved October 5, 2008, from http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=280914007.

Lonnie White. (1999). NFL gives it a second look, and Tagliabue says new computerized system is huge improvement over version used in the late ’80s. Retrieved October 5, 2008, from http://articles.latimes.com/1999/sep/12/sports/sp-9470.

Sun, Sweat & Songs

Dana Cedillo
MC 4356F
October 6, 2008
Word Count: 1,121

Sun, Sweat & Songs

It is amazing what fans will do for the bands they love. The average music lover will buy the albums, listen to them a few times, pick a favorite track and consider the possibility of seeing the act live. Hardcore fanatics will memorize every song, argue that each track has its appeal and they will be the first ones in line at concerts and the last ones to leave. The 2008 Austin City Limits Festival was the perfect setting for dedicated concert goers to sit back, relax and let the music guide them.
On Sept. 26 my friend, Vanessa, and I made the first of three 30 minute trips from San Marcos to Austin not knowing what to expect from the three days of music ahead of us. Being an ACL virgin, I was completely clueless about where to park, how much money to bring and the chances of getting to see the 23 out of over 130 bands I was making the trip for. N.E.R.D. was blaring out of my car stereo and I lost all concern of the things that plagued my mind. After years and years of reading about it and hearing all of the great stories, I was finally going to experience it.
Music is everything to me. It helps me make sense of this confusing world and also speaks for me when I can’t find the words to express myself. The best part of it is getting to see bands perform live right in front of me. I love being in the front row so I can do my crazy dances and sing along to the songs that have changed my life. I believe there is no other way to experience a concert. However, ACL was like nothing I have ever experienced.
An estimated 65,00 people would be entering the gates of Zilker Park for the next three days in hopes of hanging out in the grass, getting some sun and listening to good music. Tickets for the event ranged from $80 for the single-day passes to $170 for the three-day bracelets. It may seem pricey, but in its seventh year ACL remains to be one of the cheaper festivals in the United States. Three-day passes for Lollapalooza were $205 and $258 for All Points West..
Our first day at the festival consisted of catching the last few songs in Vampire Weekend and Louis XIV’s sets and moving on to Mates of State, N.E.R.D. and The Mars Volta. N.E.R.D. was the best performance of the day with their energetic hip-hop anthems and Pharrell Wiliams’s ability to keep the crowd dancing. Although we were mixed in with thousands of people and could not get a perfect view of the stage, it was still an awesome performance.
The Friday night headliner, The Mars Volta, was a disappointment. The band played an 11 song set which lasted an hour and fifteen minutes. The band came on stage, picked up their instruments and began playing without any introduction. The second song on the list lasted 20 minutes. A man fell to the ground right beside me and I thought ‘he must have passed out from boredom’. The Volta’s entire performance was just a jam session that lost the crowd. We knew it was finally over when they put down their instruments and walked off the stage without any acknowledgement of the thousands of people right in front of them.
The next day was definitely a more successful one. My friend and I arrived early so we could be in the front row for Jose Gonzalez’s performance. He is a solo artist that played his acoustic guitar so beautifully. I was worried about how the ACL crowd would act during his soft folk songs. When he came on stage everyone clapped but then silenced themselves as he began playing. I did not know a crowd of hundreds could be so attentive. I looked around and every single eye was on him.
After Jose’s set we made our way to the AT&T Blue Room stage where we were determined to beat thousands of people fighting for the space in front of MGMT, an indie band that weren’t due to perform for three hours. Although it felt like the sun had drained every bit of energy from our bodies, Vanessa and I were jumping and dancing along with the band. We were grateful for the security guards who supplied the crowd with water to keep anyone from getting dehydrated.
We were unable to get to the main stage where one of my favorite artists, Conor Oberst, was performing, in time to get good spots in front. We chose to lie down in the back on the grass as his slow, calming folk-rock tunes provided a perfect soundtrack to the sun set. It was an ideal way to end our Saturday at ACL.
Sunday was the day Vanessa and I had been waiting for. The Foo Fighters would be the closing band and we were on a mission to be in the very front in order to end our Austin City Limits Festival experience in the best way. We arrived at the AT&T stage at 11:30 a.m. and were prepared to sit in the Texas heat for the next nine hours until the band hit the stage.
It was not as difficult a task as we were anticipating. Instead of us having to walk to each of the eight stages where bands were playing, performers came to us. We just stood there as Flyleaf, Silversun Pickups and Gnarls Barkley came on stage to entertain us.
Finally, at 8:30 the big band of the weekend hit the stage. The Foo Fighters are a band that I have grown up listening too and it was amazing to see them right in front of me. As lead singer Dave Grohl announced that they weren’t going to leave until the cops kicked them off, I knew the wait had been worth it. The band played every song I loved and even re-did the classics to make them more exciting. They continued to play an extra 20 minutes passed their scheduled end time and seemed to be very grateful of the opportunity to play at the Austin City Limits Festival.
In the weeks leading up to the festival, I questioned whether the money and time I would spend would actually be worth it. I knew there were going to be an unbelievable amount of people attending and there was a slim possibility of getting to experience ACL the way I was hoping. However, it turned out to be a very memorable experience and reassured me that music is a positive force that will always be present in my life.

Death Row Doggies

Death Row Doggies
All the female breeding dogs are on death row at the puppy mill. Some are almost out of time, while others face countless more years of suffering before their final execution. These dogs are no more than cash cows. They are baby-making factories for the breeders who own them. They receive only what is necessary to keep them alive and some of the dogs do not even get that.
Puppy mills are farm-like estates which house dogs to breed. The puppies are then sold to pet stores and families for a profit. Although these properties are often large, the animals are confined in unbelievably tiny cages and often are unable to move. Many of the dogs do not know how to walk, as they have never been out of a cage. The dogs are frequently inbred and have serious health issues. Bill Smith, founder of Main Line Animal Rescue, has devoted his life to finding and rescuing puppy mill dogs. “It’s always amazing to me when I go out to pick up a dog, they’ve had the dog eight or nine years and it doesn’t have a name. It’s never been out of the hutch. It doesn’t know how to walk. I have to carry it to the car. It’s heartbreaking.”
The natural instinct is to feel bad for the puppies because they are too small to fend for themselves. However, the real victims of puppy mills are the female dogs who are being over bred and abused. They rarely receive any kind of veterinary care, and never leave the small confinement of the crate. Some of the dogs will have their vocal chords ripped out, so the breeders do not have to hear their screams.
The dogs develop terrible medical conditions and live in their own feces. They are never bathed and the stench of urine poisons the air. The puppies are sold to pet stores or families whenever they are old enough, while the mothers must remain in a torturous hell until they are no longer able to produce offspring. The dogs are then often killed or left to die, because they are no longer producing a crop. They are considered useless to the breeder.
How are these facilities allowed to continue operation? The simple answer is because consumers continue to purchase the puppies being produced in the mills. Directly or indirectly, society is supporting this abuse. According to www.stoppuppymills.org, “They continue to thrive because they prey on unwitting consumers who are smitten by too-cute-for words puppies in pet store windows and on fancy websites. But behind the friendly façade of the local pet shop, the pastoral scenes on a “breeder’s” website, or the neighborhood newspaper ad, there often lies a puppy mill.”
Many people are unaware of the huge puppy mill problem that exists. Of the five dog-owning students that I surveyed on campus, only two of them knew where their dog came from. The other three students purchased their pups from breeders but did not know the conditions of the environment they were raised in. When I asked them if they knew anything about puppy mills, they responded that they did not. Kara Sha Jones, a psychology major, stated “I bought my cocker-spaniel from a breeder in Alabama. Because of the distance, I was not able to see the conditions of the puppies because I met the seller half-way to do the transaction.” This is a typical mistake and often overlooked detail that can cause puppy mills to continue operation. If potential owners are made aware, I do not believe they would overlook such an important component of puppy purchase.
These dogs can not speak out for themselves so we must do it for them. If the public won’t stand for puppy mills these torture houses will be forced to close and lives will be saved in result. The owners of these puppy mills are monsters who pull the wool over the public’s eyes and take advantage of people with big hearts. All pet owners should take a step towards animal protection by asking questions about where a puppy comes from. Responsible buyers should go to the home of the owners and look at the living conditions of the mother dog. Report suspected abuse or neglect of animals to animal services. The best choice of all is to rescue a dog or puppy from the humane shelter and save a life.
People all over the world are joining in the cause to stop puppy mills and save the tortured mother dogs in these prisons. A large supporter of closing all puppy mills, of course, is PETA, and recently Oprah Winfrey joined the cause. Lisa Ling, an inside reporter, conducted a secret investigation for the Oprah show into the devastation of puppy mills. In the investigation, Ling visits different mills in Pennsylvania and captures some first hand footage of how bad these situations really are. Once you are exposed to these images, you will forever be scarred and it will always be with you as a problem humankind simply cannot ignore.
In this canine genocide, knowledge is power. If people aren’t informed, they cannot make the right decision when it comes time. Share this information with everyone you know and be part of the solution.

Paul Newman Dies at 83

For all of Newman's fine acting skills, race car driving and philanthropy, perhaps he truly did live out one of the famous lines written by William Goldman for Butch Cassidy: "I've got vision and the rest of the world wears bifocals." He truly had vision and lived it to the benefit of countless others.
Being an actor with undeniable sex appeal was surely not Newman’s only fame, but it was one of his firsts. After attending numerous colleges, including Ohio University, Kenyon College and Yale Drama School, he headed to the New York Actors’ Studio. His famous set of baby blues and classic good looks got him numerous television appearances and his first Broadway debut in “Picnic.”
The following year Newman stared in his first major motion picture, “The Silver Chalice,” which did quite miserably. He considered it to be a failure and even took out a full-page ad in a trade paper apologizing for his poor performance. Luckily, Newman didn’t relinquish after this.
His first major hit was “Somebody Up There Likes Me,” in which he played boxer Rocky Graziano. Critics loved this new face and soon Newman was a leader in the box offices during the 1960s. Such hits as, “The Long, Hot Summer,” “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” “The Hustler” and “Cool Hand Luke” followed. Newman had made a name for himself.
After “Cool Hand Luke,” Newman decided to try his hand in directing. His behind-the-camera talent was just as good as when he was in front of it. Newman won a much deserved Golden Globe for directing “Rachel, Rachel” which stared his second wife Joanne Woodward. Little did he know, but many more awards were to come.
1969 brought one of the most famous duos in the motion picture industry, Robert Redford and Paul Newman. The two were magic together. Their friendship was evident in their films, “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” and “The Sting.”
Newman continued to act until his late years, which several may argue were some of his best movies. “The Color of Money,” “The Verdict” and “Message in a Bottle” were all done later in Newman’s life, but by then his experience and relaxed nature made these movies shine.
While filming a less known movie, “Winning,” Newman took on a love of race car driving. He began competitive racing at the age of 70. He has said that one of his favorite sounds is that of a V-8 engine. It wasn’t enough for him to race, but he submerged himself in the lifestyle also. Newman owns one third of the Champ Car auto racing team, Newman-Haas-Lanigan. He once said, “I will continue to get behind the wheel of a race car as long as I am able.” He raced until he was 80 years old. A man with as much courage and drive as Newman wouldn’t stop at just acting and racing.
Newman had always been a charitable man, but it wasn’t until his only son died from a drug overdose in 1978 that he began doing more. Newman’s first project was setting up the Scott Newman Center for Drug Abuse Prevention. Newman’s work did not stop there. In 1982, Newman created his own food company called Newman’s Own. After starting the company, Newman had this to say about it, “When I realized I was going to have to be a whore, to put my face on the label, I decided that the only way I could do it was to give away all the money we make. Over the years, that ethical stance has given us a 30 per cent boost. One in three customers buys my products because all the profits go to good causes and the rest buy the stuff because it is good.” The company has given over $200 million dollars of their profits to charitable causes. Last year Newman signed ownership of the company over to the charity.
Much of the money raised by Newman’s Own goes to his Hole in the Wall Gang summer camps which he set up in 1988. His camps are designed as a place for terminally ill children to go and enjoy things like kayaking, horseback riding, archery etc. all while receiving 24-hour medical treatment. Over 100,000 children have attended Newman’s Hole in the Wall camps so far.
Newman also helped found the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP). CECP is an association of CEO’s and other important corporate figures who raise awareness for the need of higher quality corporate patronage. He, along with the CECP, donates to numerous causes and charities throughout the world. Newman has donated money to cancer research, refugees in Kosovo, and the Canary Foundation to name a few. A few years ago Newman flew to London and performed as a clown for sick and disabled children. His efforts to save the world never did cease.
Newman lived a life that many are in awe of. He had it all, fame, fortune and good looks. It’s how he used that fame to help others that impressed the world. Anna Grimm, a freshman at the University of South Carolina, was only a toddler when Newman rose to fame but she still remembers his fondly. “He has always been a role model for me because he stayed grounded despite his fame,” says Grimm. “Not a lot of celebrities do that. I have always admired him for his talent, but also his way of giving back so much.” It’s his compassion for others that makes Newman one of the greats.
Newman once said, “I’d like to be remembered as a guy who tried- who tried to be a part of his times, tried to help people communicate with one another, tried to find some decency in his own life, tried to extend himself as a human being.” He continued, “Someone who isn’t complacent, who doesn’t cop out.” Newman is not only remembered as a guy who tried, but as one who significantly succeeded.

Casey Aldridge is a senior journalism major at Texas State University.

Race Still Matters

It was my first year in Tuscaloosa Alabama.
“That’s a damn shame.”
I looked around. “What is?”
She nodded towards a table across the room where a couple was sitting.
“I don’t get it,” I replied.
“The girl,” she said.
I glanced back over and took a second look. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
She laughed. “We call girls like her damn shames.”
I was a little slow, but then it clicked. The guy was black, the girl was white.
A few moments later, she added, “It’s not a race thing, it’s the culture I have a problem with” followed up saying “Hey, I have black friends.”
A recent Associated Press/Yahoo poll asked some questions on a subject many find uncomfortable—race.
The 2,000 plus respondents were broken down in multiple demographic groups, most notably by the color of their skin.
Out of a list of positive and negative attributes, white Americans said “complaining” described blacks “extremely well” the most. Conversely, “keep up their property” described blacks “extremely well” the least.
Overall, both white and black respondents primarily attributed “nicer traits” to the opposite race.
At least seven percent of all people polled said a black family moving next door to where they lived would upset them.
At least 25 percent of all people polled said black leaders asking the government for racial equality in the work place would upset them.
At least 10 percent of all people polled said a black person serving as president of the United States would upset them.
Are these percentages still too high? Is it a problem that we still have to ask these questions?
Out of all the people polled, eight percent said they disliked blacks, ten percent disliked Hispanics and two percent disliked whites.
Perhaps the most interesting result of the poll was how blacks and whites view racial discrimination.
Charles Babington, Associated Press Writer, writes, “When asked ‘how much discrimination against blacks’ exists, 10 percent of whites said ‘a lot’ and 45 percent said ‘some.’ Among blacks, 57 percent said ‘a lot’ and all but a fraction of the rest said ‘some.’ Asked how much of America's existing racial tension is created by blacks, more than one-third of white respondents said ‘most’ or ‘all,’ and 9 percent said ‘not much.’ Only 3 percent of blacks said ‘most’ or ‘all,’ while half said ‘not much at all.’”
Seventy percent of blacks have felt admiration for whites “very” or “extremely” often. Twenty percent of whites have felt the same.
Thirty-eight percent of whites agreed with, and 25 percent disagreed with, the statement, “It’s really a matter of some people just not trying hard enough; if blacks would only try harder, they could just be as well off as whites.”
The American Dream tells us that we are each in control of our own destiny, not a class structure.
The late comedian George Carlin once said, “It’s called the American Dream cause you have to be asleep to believe it . . .”
According to the May 2000 Human Rights Watch Report: Punishment and Prejudice: Racial Disparities in the Criminal Justice System, blacks constitute 13 percent of all drug users, 35 percent of those arrested for drug possession, 55 percent of persons convicted, and 74 percent of people sent to prison.
Author Daniel Lazare in his essay Stars and Bars discusses Marked by Devah Pager.
He writes, “Working with two pairs of male college students in Milwaukee, one white and the other black, she drilled them on how to present themselves and answer questions. Then, arming them with phony résumés, she sent them out to apply for entry-level jobs. The résumés were identical in all respects but one. Where one member of each team had nothing indicating a criminal record, the other's résumé showed an eighteen-month sentence for drugs. To help ensure that the results were uniform, the résumés were then rotated back and forth among the testers.”
“The results? The white applicant with a prison record was half as likely to be called back for a second interview as the white applicant without. But the black applicant without a criminal record was no more likely to be called back than the white applicant with a record, while the black applicant with a record was two-thirds less likely to be called back than the black applicant without.”
These are just a few examples of racial inequality, but feel free to examine unemployment levels, infant mortality rates, special education placement, wealth, etc.
I have been told my entire life by suburban friends and family that racism is dead, the struggles were overcome, everything is equal, and if it is unequal blacks are to blame. I cannot count the number of times I’ve been told that black people have it easier than whites in modern society.
According to them, if my skin had more pigment I could get any job I wished, free housing, free school and I wouldn’t have to work.
The usual counter to this is “Do you know any black people?”
But in this day and age, most everyone has a few examples to give. It’s almost mandatory that they do. Some even go the extra mile, as if somehow collecting one friend of each minority group will make them the most anti-racist person on earth.
I have yet to find statistics that show blacks have an easier time living out the American Dream than whites.
How much interaction do people of different races really have, particularly in the South? The ethnic differences between inner-city and suburbs are obvious enough to not merit a reference. With clear physical boundaries present, how can someone say they “like the race and not the culture?” Do they genuinely understand both the race and the culture, or is that just a safe thing to say?
We are only 40 years removed from the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., 16 from the LA riots, 10 from the James Byrd dragging/beheading, and two years from the Jena Six incident. This isn’t ancient history we’re discussing.
Racial issues aren’t gone, they’ve evolved. Gut feelings of mistrust are still there even though separate schools aren’t. Slang is no longer publicly shouted, but subtlety insinuated through mediums such as jest.
The real damn shame is not only that racial inequality still lingers in society, but that some people need reminding of it.

—By Allen Reed

The Big Apple

Cassandra Delgado
MC 4356F
Due Date: Oct. 6
Word Count: 1,038

Texas Girl Dreams of Moving to the Big Apple


For my eleventh birthday my grandmother bought me a big, glossy poster of Times Square in New York City. It showed the streets filled with zooming yellow taxis, colorful billboards that decorated the skyscrapers and the busy people cramming the sidewalks. Year after year, the poster hung above my bed reminding me of this enigmatic, far away land. I became fascinated with the idea of living in a place that appeared to possess such movement and excitement. One day, I decided that when I grew up, I was going to move away and start fresh in the Big Apple.

My love affair with New York only grew throughout the years. I was able to explore my favorite city vicariously through movies and books. However, I never gave up on my dream to actually visit it myself. When I was fifteen, my wish was finally granted as my mother informed me we would be vacationing in New York City in just a few short weeks.

The moment I walked out of Pennsylvania Station and onto the crowded sidewalk of the city, it all hit me. The smell, the noise, the traffic, the buildings, the people, and the electricity in the air consumed me all at once. It was everything I thought it could be and more. It was in that defining moment that I realized this is where I belonged.

Every little facet of New York intrigued me: the vast amount of restaurants and shops, The Statue of Liberty, Central Park, the different cultures, the museums and even the attitudes of the people. I walked the streets of the city with ease and comfort. In an odd way, the city gave me a certain confidence I’ve never felt anywhere else. I gladly fell asleep to the sounds of ambulance sirens, and the neon lights that filled my room. The city could do no wrong in my wide-opened eyes. After five days, I returned to Texas and tucked the memory of New York City away, hoping one day- I could call it home.

As college graduation looms in December, the question of where to work and live comes into play. Of course, my first choice is New York, although, I’m not the mesmerized fifteen-year-old girl I used to be. I still love the city, yet I am now aware of a world where student-loan bills, jobs and rent may worry one’s mind.

Among 2008 college grad job seekers, 77 percent moved back home with their parents after graduation, which is up from 73 percent in 2007, according to a recent poll from Collegegrad.com

This scary, little fact definitely makes me nervous. Is it that hard to find a job, and are times that hard you have to move back home? I start to question whether I’ll have a difficult time finding work and making it on my own. I try to push the idea of curfew, feeding the cats and Sunday chores out of my mind. It is obvious the nation is in an economic downturn, which makes me reconsider fulfilling my lifelong dream and moving to New York.

The 2008 cost of living index there is 135.9. This is extremely high for a city considering the U.S. average is 100. That number makes me envision myself becoming a dog walker or eating a Snickers bar for dinner to cut costs.

One of my best friends, Dominique Folacci, 22, just recently moved to New York City this past August. She graduated from The University of Texas at Austin in May, and bunked with a friend until her determination landed her a job in advertising. She would call me at random times during her quest for a job crying and disheartened. I wanted her to succeed so badly, because in a way, I felt if she could make it in the big city, then I could too. Dominique made me feel that much closer to achieving my goal.

“At times, I just wanted to give up,” she said. “I was running out of money and patience. I’m glad I decided to stick with it though. This is what I want and I’m willing to sacrifice. Right now I’m sleeping on an air mattress and don’t have a TV. It’s hard because the economy is so bad right now, so many places aren’t hiring. If a company is in a hiring freeze, it doesn’t matter how qualified you are. You have to give it all you got and really want to make it here.”

After speaking with Dominique, I started to debate whether I’m willing to sacrifice numerous things just to say I live in New York City. I don’t know if I could happily give up a bed or shopping or privacy or decent meals. My mother, once an avid supporter of her oldest daughter making it in the Big Apple, is somewhat wary now. She’s not discouraging, but urges me to be realistic about my decision to move.

According to an analysis of Integrated Public Micro-Data Census sample, 1970 through 2005, the wages of New York women in their 20s with a college degree was $33, 616 in 2005.

This number has lingered around my head ever since I read it. I start to picture how my life could be if I did move away to New York City, and how it could be if I lived somewhere else. I would always wonder about the distant city that was so unattainable to me. I’d feel like a failure for not executing my childhood plan to start fresh, because I don’t see New York City as just a location. To me, it’s an amazing metropolitan where dreams can come true and lives are changed; It’s that eccentric place in my poster where I always dreamed I’d find myself.

After much careful consideration, I’ve decided to move to New York City after graduation. I start to think about how every time I’ve visited the city; I’m reminded of why I want to stay there. The lights, the exhilarating atmosphere and the breathtaking scenery flood my memory, and sway me to take a huge chance. I’ve decided that I am willing to sacrifice some things, because I truly do love you New York.

will change make the grass greener?

Adam Epperson
MC 4356F
1,101 words
Which “Change” Will Bring the Greener Grass?
Is the grass always greener on the other side? Is change really such a good thing? It may seem like it is, but even by simply looking at politics you can see that change may not be what it seems.
This election year, Ill. Sen. Barrack Obama has appealed to voters with a promise for the change he would bring to the White House. It didn’t happen immediately, but after “change” became such a big seller with the American public, Ari. Sen. John McCain picked up the idea as well.
McCain’s promise for change seems to only indicate a change from the Bush administration, as in debates McCain does not deny that he has backed Bush 90 percent of the time.
Obama’s promise for change leads to questions, like how can he go about bringing forward these changes? McCain’s camp promises that these changes will come from taxes, a lot of taxes.
What actual changes the winning candidate can bring to the country won’t be apparent for the next few years, as it would take awhile for their policies to finally come into play. One can only hope that, with the economy on the brink of a possible depression and the country stuck in a war that may never end, though that is up to the president.
In 2000, the Electoral College voted in George W. Bush as they deemed the country ready to change pace from the Clinton administration, even though Gore got the most votes. A terrorist attack, the war in Afghanistan and six years of the Iraq invasion, Rolling Stone columnists and many others took these mistakes, which coincidentally started after Bush was sworn in, began to question whether he was the worst president of all time. What if Gore was president? Could have been better, could have been worse, we’ll never know. The country got the change half of them wanted, and they’ve paid for it.
In 2004, as the country was in the middle of the bloody failing war in Iraq, the country refused to step away from backing Bush, as they seemed to fear that change would give the terrorists a win, as Kerry wasn’t so trigger happy as Bush was. Change didn’t come, and we’re left wondering whether the country, which wasn’t in economic turmoil yet, would have let the economy crash so hard?
The Democratic Party had two different ways to change the country in their hand of cards this election year, a woman and an African American. Hillary and Obama raced in an epic battle before Obama won the race a few months ago. Both candidates are very qualified, possibly with Sen. Clinton being the more qualified, with Obama as the most impressive, motivating speaker, and the most likely to bring the biggest change into the White House.
McCain’s answer to this was to look around the country and it seemed like he would pick the Minnesota governor, Tim Pawlenty, before he reached into Alaska, or Canada-Lite. Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was chosen as McCain’s vice president, supposedly to light a fire under his, then, dwindling campaign. She brought the fire, igniting the country at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, MN, then the fire caught up to her as her inexperience blazed through as she wasn’t force fed answers in interviews and had to come up with her own. In a rally a few days ago, Palin made the big mistake of trying to quote former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright as saying “There’s a place in Hell for women who don’t support other women.” Palin used this to sway women voters to feel compelled to vote for her as an act for feminism, then she went on to joke about how the newspapers would twist her quote.
The actual quote was “There’s a place in Hell reserved for women who don’t help other women.”
“Though I am flattered that Governor Palin has chosen to cite me as a source of wisdom, what I said had nothing to do with politics,” Albright told the Huffington Post. “This is yet another example of McCain and Palin distorting the truth, and all the more reason to remember that this campaign is not about gender, it is about which candidate has an agenda that will improve the lives of all Americans, including women. The truth is, if you care about the status of women in our society and in our troubled economy, the best choice by far is Obama-Biden.”
The change McCain obviously hoped Palin would help to bring to his campaign has exploded in his face, with only blind conservative dogs left to follow them to the finish line, as the rest of the country sees a woman so unbelievably over her head, running behind a 72-year-old-man with health issues. That is extremely unsettling for voters. Whether they think Obama has enough experience to bring his change to Washington, America must fear the snowy blank-slate in Palin’s brain where political knowledge should be found. Being able to see Russia from your house does not give you any experience in foreign relations, McCain’s change would be a disaster.
My own experience with change has lead me to fear change, and also to hate it. My family’s move to Texas a decade ago ruined my idea of change. The grass has looked ungodly beautiful on the Minnesota side of the fence compared to Texas, I never wanted that change to come. But ten years later I’ve realized that I have made some of the best friends a guy could ask for in Texas, and by leaving Minnesota I was able to come back to Minnesota and start fresh for a summer, which is when I fell in love with a girl that I would probably have never met had I never left Minnesota. This way, the cards just fell into place. The idea of change is not so terrible for me anymore. Scary, yes, but I can handle it because I know that great things can come out of it that you never expected to find.
Change can be scary; the fear of the unknown, but it is far more frightening to know what you’re getting is already destined to be a nightmare. The Bush administration has failed time and time again, why do people think that a man that supported Bush 90 percent of the time will bring such a different outcome? Rather than sticking with the GOP as the country did in 2004, Americans should ignore McCain’s supposed change, with his ignorant vice president, and jump onto the Obama bandwagon. It’s time.

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-- Terry