Are We Celebrating Black Heritage?
As we progress through the month of February, our nation celebrates the rich history of African-Americans, a large minority in our diverse nation. However, after witnessing the apathy and disrespect at the annual assemblies put on in my high school to showcase the Civil Rights Movement and its leaders, it has become clear to me that a month designated to celebrating an ethnic history is a waste of time and also unnecessary.
Most of this year's presentation constituted songs and hymns attributed to the Civil Rights Movement, clips from Dr. King's famous "I have a dream" speech, and other such biographical accounts of the numerous providential events during the movement. During that time many of my peers were dozing off or intently chattering with their companions, ignorantly disregarding everything the presentation had to offer. The degree of ignorance and disrespect has reached an all time high in our youth; the presentation may not have appealed to all viewers, yet it is common courtesy to have paid attention nevertheless, and respect the entertainers who have put in so much effort to convey the message of the Civil Rights Movement, a relatively recent life changing event in our history. Instead of teaching students the 'Three R's of Education', schools should perhaps be more concerned with instilling pupils with a respect for their freedom that they are taking for granted today.
The message underlying Black History Month has slowly begun to lose its significance and the image of our great civil rights leaders has either become inconsequential or else blurred since the Black History Month celebrations tend to be ignored in more ways than one by the youth of today. It is incredibly disrespectful and disturbing when an African-American student fails to acknowledge the suffering his ancestors endured to gain freedom, something that he takes for granted today. It is sad that someone like me, who is not even of African American descent, pays more respect than does a student of African descent, to the memory of the freedom fighters of the Civil Rights Movement by being quiet and respectful during the Black history month assemblies.
If Black History Month has lost its meaning, then why do we celebrate it? Personally I feel that setting aside a month to celebrate an ethnic diversity is slightly absurd; why should we celebrate the rich history of African-Americans only in February, coincidentally the shortest month of the year? The history of the Civil Rights Movement is so critical not only as black history, but in the history of America and of the world at large. It was the movement that completely altered the social fabric of this nation from the bottom up and sent the oppressed people of the world a strong message of hope and freedom. The extent of the impact of the Civil Rights Movement itself cannot be completely understood and appreciated in a single month, not to mention the impact of black history as a whole. Through assigning a Black History Month we are paying lip service to appreciating diversity, and essentially encouraging apathy and ignorance toward something as fundamental as our need and respect for freedom.
Black History Month has once again put our society's ignorance in the lime light. I wholly commend the performance of the troupe that performed the Black History Month presentation at my high school and apologize for the lack of respect they received from many in the audience. As for Black History Month, we should not delegate remembrance to specified months because events that are as definitive and life changing as the Civil Rights Movement cannot be fully grasped and totally honored in a month. As we move along through yet another Black History Month, we will notice the forced appreciation of the rich African-American History and the resulting apathy, ignorance, and disrespect perpetrated by those who cannot appreciate the freedom they enjoy let alone the strife to acquire it; not even during a duration of some sixty odd minutes of a Black History Month Assembly!
Harnessing History Heralds Hope for Humanity
by Aditya Raina
As the year draws to an end, the New Jersey State Legislature passed a monumental piece of legislation. On December 17, 2007 Governor Corzine signed into law a ban on the death penalty within the state of New Jersey. For the past several decades, the death penalty in NJ had seemed worthless being that it had not been implemented since 1963. Many within the state now saw it as an unnecessary practice. By passing the legislature, our state modelled the necessity of looking back as we move forward; by looking back and realizing that this immoral practice was dispensable, the state legislature was able to learn from history. Unfortunately, as our nation, and the world, progresses, the importance of this great teacher,history, is diminishing; we are no longer learning from the mistakes of yesterdays, and instead are allowing the vicious cycle of history to replay itself without any improvizations.
Yet, we can see some hope in the upcoming elections of 2008. After the long lasting blunders of President Bush, we see a new batch of candidates that are out to fix the problems, both Democrats and Republicans. No one, currently or in the future, can look over Bush's biggest blunder, the war in Iraq. This unnecessary infringement on the Iraqi sovereignty portrays our inability to learn from the past; in other words we committed what will go down in the books as The Gulf War II, or Bush Jr.'s war for his old man.
If one looks for more reasons for our failure in Iraq, one only needs to look farther back in history. Lately, many have been drawing parallels between the Iraq war and Vietnam War, and they have every right to do so. The American army is getting bogged down in Iraq, just like we were in Vietnam, while Iraq is spiralling into chaos and civil strife. However, even with the abundance of evidence showing that the war in Iraq is a lost cause, the current administration remains stubborn and refuses to admit its misjudgement. Whether it is the unpopularity of the war, or the war itself, one can easily see the similarities between Iraq and Vietnam; however, we refuse to use this knowledge from history to our advantage, and get out of the situation as quickly and as painlessly as possible.
In the past couple of years, environmentalism has become a heated subject, and the search for alternative fuels has been sparked. Nevertheless, some feel it is too little too late, and the damage to the environment is irreversible. Our soon-to- be- shortage- of- oil is another factor in our search for an alternative energy source, but some ask if our new found environmentalism is just need driven. A valid point, because it was not too long ago that coal and wood were major, if not the only, energy producers. Then it was seen that coal was terrible for the environment, and, at the rate our nation was going, timber would run out too. Pressured to find something new, humans found oil to be an even better alternative. Now, is it not ironic that we are in the same predicament with oil, except the stakes are even higher because our environment is in dire straits and at the breaking point.
Looking globally, one can see our historic mistakes around the world. Currently, the unrest in Pakistan has made headlines across the world; President Musharraf's implementation of martial law and emergency rule caused great civil unrest in his country, and confirmed many people's assertions that he is indeed more of a dictator than a president. However, what is ironic is that the democracy-spreading United States of America greatly supported and heavily endorsed this dictator, but only because he said he would help America in the war on terror. America's actions show the rest of the world that essentially America will turn a blind eye to your immoral and totalitarian actions if it is in its interest to keep you in power, something it has done before; one can always draw on history to bring out pitfalls that could have been easily avoided if we had just looked back. Just as we are doing in Pakistan with Musharraf, we did with the Taliban in Afghanistan, ironically Pakistan's neighbor to the north. Using the ideology that the enemy of my enemy is my friend, we supported the fundamentalist Taliban in Afghanistan in eighties, only because they were battling to get the Soviet Union, America's sworn enemy, out of Afghanistan. Some years later, the same Taliban became our worst nightmare!
During the Paris Peace Conference, at the end of WWI, President Woodrow Wilson was forging a peace treaty with the European powers; new territories had to be drawn, and colonies had to be redistributed as well. At this conference a man representing a French colony came to Wilson to beg him for the freedom of his colony; the man was willing to be forever loyal to America, but despite the man's entreaty Wilson refused to grant him his colony's freedom. We now know this man to be Ho Chi Minh, and his colony was that of Vietnam, the location of a later seven and a half year war! If back in 1918, we had given Vietnam its independence, the entire Vietnam fiasco could have been avoided. A minor event, decades prior to the actual war, lead to the war itself, and shows how failure of diplomacy, even such a small occurrence, can alter the course of history completely.
The power of history is immense, and by harnessing it we can in fact make our foresight stronger and avoid the predicaments we find ourselves in today. As the years pass, we must look back and see what we have done and what we are doing, and based on that determine what we should be doing.
More States Should Allow the Use of Marijuana for Medical Purposes(11/12/07-THNT)
Marijuana, the so-called gateway drug, has, for the past century or so, been grouped together with the likes of cocaine, heroine, and other heavy narcotics; however, this stimulant has garnered an undeserved bad reputation. As a result it has been so thoroughly outlawed in nearly all the states, and thus it is very difficult to prove that the attacks against cannabis hold any weight.
However, an objective and a discerning mind can see the medical benefits of hashish if it were a legal commodity; this is especially true in the case of patients suffering from glaucoma. Along with the medical benefits, it could also be a moneymaker for the government. Taking into account the illegal activity that takes place because of the illegalization of marijuana, if it were legal, the government could regulate its sale, and thereby curb the flourishing marijuana black market and instead gain revenue from the drug sales.
Lobbyists and propaganda have been greatly responsible for keeping marijuana illegal in this country; the harmful effects of marijuana have been over advertised: full page and primetime advertisements in popular media; yet, the deaths from marijuana are considerably less than those from other harmful substances such as tobacco and alcohol. As many people slowly begin to realize that the negative propaganda associated with ganja is a misguide, and that marijuana's benefits greatly outweigh its negatives, people will begin to push for fewer restrictions on the misjudged plant. With the restrictions on marijuana, as they are now, the black market has become quite dangerous with numerous accounts of violence resulting from the possession and distribution of drugs; urban areas have become cesspools of crime, and the abuse of harmful substances is running rampant. Experts have suggested a solution to this problem, and this proposal has definitely proved to be pragmatic and effective- legalize marijuana.
With the legalization of marijuana, many violent crimes and illegal transactions can be avoided altogether. If this proposal is
put into effect, no longer will this so-called illicit substance be
bought, sold, and fought over in the black market. After the legalization of marijuana, the government can control and oversee the sale of the substance and make revenue on the taxes levied on the transactions. Seeing the evident problems that have arisen with the illegal distribution of the said substance, the government should take action and legalize this potentially profitable plant. What angers advocates of marijuana is the terrible reputation that precedes the substance. Very early on in one's education, we are taught to steer clear of so-called 'drugs'; however, it has been proven that one can not die from an overdose of marijuana; in fact, according to World Almanacs, Life Insurance Actuarial Rates in the last 20 years of U.S. Surgeon Generals' reports there has not been a death associated to marijuana. On the other hand, legal substances such as alcohol and tobacco have been responsible for 150,000 and 450,000 deaths respectively. It has been claimed that there has never been a documented cannabis-induced fatality. Slowly but surely Marijuana is making its legal presence felt in a positive way. California has been most commonly associated with medical marijuana, but the use of cannabis for medical purposes has now been legalized in nine other states as well- Colorado, Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Maine, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and Maryland. The laws in these states vary, but essentially they state that the use of marijuana is applicable for problems such as arthritis, cachexia, cancer, chronic nervous system disorders, chronic pain, Crohn's disease, epilepsy and other seizure
disorders, glaucoma, HIV or AIDS, multiple sclerosis and other muscle spasticity disorders, and help patients cope with severe migraines, severe nausea, and the side effects of chemotherapy.
Due to its benefits, there is a slow-growing acceptance of the substance; marijuana is now used daily by many people throughout the world. What is bothersome is that, according to the United States Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration, approximately twenty million to fifty million Americans routinely smoke marijuana illegally, without the benefit of direct medical supervision. Perhaps we need to give marijuana its due recognition and legalize it. Cannabis, for several decades, has unnecessarily been given a bad name by those who either know little about it or then stand to gain by making it illegal. If our nation is built on values that tell its people to never judge a book by its cover, how can these same citizens reject marijuana based on hearsay without looking a little deeper to see its benefits.
SATs Hold too Much Weight in Application Process(10/1/07-THNT)
As getting admission into prestigious universities gets ever more difficult, the SAT’s are playing a continuously larger role in applications. However, many argue that the role that this infamous standardized test plays is getting too large, and is starting to eclipse other significant parts of a student’s application. The diminishing acceptance rates at reputable universities is either an indication of the apparent decline in America’s world renowned education, or it may be a sign of greater competition in schools making getting into world renowned colleges that much harder; however, there is no argument over the fact that the SAT’s are getting more consequential and pivotal as years go by.
With Harvard University having an acceptance rate of 9%, it is no surprise that the college application process has become so cutthroat. To even catch the attention of such prestigious schools, such as Ivy League schools, one must accomplish something spectacular that stands out from the rest, and it is clear that to do something of that caliber is very difficult, to say the least. Being an underclassman, I can see many seniors and juniors struggling to get the attention of colleges, and one way is by achieving a high SAT score, and at times it can seem impossible. The let down of not getting into one’s dream school is terrible; as one walks through the hallway one can hear who got in where, and about the disappointment and sorrow of those who were unable to get into the college of their dreams. Seeing the students who do not get in where they had hoped is always discouraging, and makes putting in extra effort for that slim chance of getting into a distinguished university seem pointless.
Seeing the disappointment during college admission time is a big dampener on a student’s will to put in that extra effort. Why try so hard if one has less than a 15% chance in getting into an acclaimed university, especially if thousands of other applicants are also contending for your spot? Why study so much and stress out over every grade if one sees the kid who studied non-stop for his entire high school career, taking part in very few fun activities, and ended getting waitlisted and rejected from his top choices, and settling for his safety school? The amount of work, time, and effort that it takes for a prestigious college to recognize someone is utterly ridiculous; with extra-curricular activities, grades, sports, the SAT’s and other major tests, and of course all the little things that make an application perfect it has become impossible to fit in everything into the 4 years of high school.
With cutthroat competition comes pressure, and pressure is the cause of many problems. For many there is always the pressure to always do well, whether it is school or anything else, he or she must be the best; for many B+’s are not good enough. Parental pressure is always a culprit, and for the most part many students are only motivated by their parent’s continuous pressure until the point where they are just used to the extreme amounts of stress and pressure put on them by others and themselves. Parental pressure can get one the good grades, but at what cost? Can those grades really get you into a college with an acceptance rate of 10%, probably not.
Many students hate the monotony of school and the pressures involved, others just do not motivate themselves, and it results in apathy towards academics. Why waste away ones life studying? Students are more concerned with making their high school times memorable, which is completely understandable, and consider the stress of school as a deterrent one it comes to having fun. If one has no chance of getting into the university of his or her dreams what’s the point worrying about school? This predetermined pessimism is the cause for lack of effort along with pressure, the difficulty in getting into a college, and unfair evaluations.
Slowly SAT’s are becoming the sole gauge of one’s intelligence, but as of know colleges still take other aspects of a student into consideration. However, even with this taken into consideration, college admissions and applications are skewed. Out of the thousands of applicants universities are likely to pick a handful of students to attend their school, and this judgment process is very trivial. With so many applicants, there is no doubt that many are very similar, so how does a college application reader judge who gets in and who does not? Your GPA may be 4.4 but so many others may have the same or similar number, so which one of you gets in? Along with this predicament, there is also the problem of uneven judging. One person can not read all the applications, so the solution is to have many, many readers. However with this comes the fact that each reader will have there own evaluation process and expectations. The decision process that takes place at universities’ admissions offices is very flawed, and they lead to pressure, stress, disappointment, and sorrow.
SAT’s are the epitome of the stress and pressure for a student because of the immense role it seems to play these days in college admissions. No one test should hold so much weight when one’s future is in the balance. Anything could happen that one day to affect the results of the test. Although SAT’s supposedly gauge one’s abilities in basic math and English, they cannot properly determine one’s true capabilities; some people just are not good test takers, and this characteristic can totally throw off a test score, which will determine what college one will get into.
As admission into college gets more competitive students get more discouraged, yet this does not stop the colleges with such low acceptance rates. With pressure coming from every which way it is no surprise that many students eventually give up in trying to get into their dream school. Many will say that each student can only work up to his or her ability, but I feel everyone is capable of the getting into the so called prestigious schools. After hearing of heartbreaks from seniors many can see that getting into college is not getting any easier, and this should not be the case. Colleges have begun to set impossible bars, and expect applications that, in all truthfulness, are impossible to attain. Along with flawless applications, SAT’s continue to gain precedence, and due to this many are panicking because it literally means that one test will determine a person’s future. There is no need for so much competition, pressure, and stress because frankly they only waste time, and time is for enjoyment not unnecessary toil.
iPhone Is Sure to be the Product of the Year(2/19/2007-THNT)
Apple’s new IPhone has gone above and beyond everyone’s expectations! The CEO of Apple, Steve Job’s, two and a half years of commitment to a new creation have finally paid off. At Macworld 2007, in San Francisco, Jobs was able to unveil his work of art during his keynote. The other two new products Apple has produced, the Apple TV and the AirPort Extreme, dazzled the audience, but it was the new iPhone that stole the show.
This break-through in the world of electronics left the audience at Macworld, speechless; all they could do was stand in the wake of a machine that took cell phones and iPods to another level. Steve Jobs clarifies his company’s achievement, “iPhone is a revolutionary and magical product that is literally five years ahead of any other mobile phone.” Apple’s CEO could not have put it any better, whether it be the full screen iPod, the simple to use yet highly advanced cell phone, or the amazing internet capabilities, the iPhone is the greatest piece of technology to hit the market since Apple’s iPod. First the MP3 player, then the cell phone, what market will Apple dominate next?
The iPhone is a device that has no keypad to dial numbers, but instead consists of one large touch screen that can transform into a number of useful utilities. The beauty of the iPhone is that there is no stylus and all one needs is a finger. By using one’s fingers many things can be accomplished on the iPhone, such as zooming in and out by using the "unpinching" and "pinching" technique that is incorporated in the Multi-touch interface. However, it is not only the touch pad and the seamless scrolling that makes the iPhone a pleasure to use but also the many devices it packs into such a small body. The iPhone not only serves as a cellphone, but is also a widescreen iPod that plays movies and offers a web browser for wi-fi Internet access. Apple’s new device also incorporates Google Maps with its wi-fi Internet. These useful tools are not the only perks of buying an iPhone; the amazing electronic machine also holds a camera, extraordinary email access, and many other characteristics that are similar to PDA’s.
Mac fans will be happy to learn that iPhone will run OS X. Not only will it have a Mac operating system but also will easily synchronize with iTunes just like all the previous iPods. That is the beauty of the iPhone; most electronics that try to cram multiple devices into one device, fail, due to the fact that when they come together each of them loses its original efficiency and does not function at its optimum, but the iPhone shatters this myth; it is an epitome of efficiency even though it is many electronic devices rolled into one.
By the end of the MacWorld Expo the audience at Steve Job’s keynote was waiting for two things, the price and release date of the astounding iPhone. Job’s did not want to keep his audience waiting and announced that his new creation would hit the US markets in June. Everyone knew that something like the iPhone would not be cheap, and the $499 price tag was somewhat expected.
Although the iPhone may seem flawless it has its imperfections. For instance the $499 and $599price of a four-gigabyte and an eight-gigabyte iPhone respectively appeared a little unreasonable to some who felt the storage space will not be worth the cost. Another drawback of the iPhone is its relatively small battery life, especially for a cell phone that may be used for some heavy duty talking
Steve Job’s unveiling of the iPhone has on the one hand completely shattered and at the same time reshaped the entire electronic world, and has consequently left many companies in the dust. The iPhone’s numerous capabilities completely decimate any competition. With a cellphone, widescreen iPod, Internet capabilities, and many other utilities, the iPhone will be the most longed for product until its release in June, and then will definitely become the greatest product of the year.
