Have you ever been bullied?
Most people bully others for no reason, but to deride people, I feel that’s its worse. People who a re ridiculed know that being made fun of hurts. Some are ridiculed for personal reasons and some are ridiculed for stupid reasons like being gay or lesbian. It’s an enigma to why people get abused both physically and mentally by people who are haters just because they might be a little different from them. Is it because they are scared, scared of living in a world which isn’t the same as the one they used to live in? Scared of change? The term “being out of the closet” means to be openly gay and proud of it. Gays hide inside the closet and do not express themselves because they don’t want to deal with discrimination. Although I haven’t experience being gay or “inside the closet”, I know that holding in anger isn’t good for your health. So I wonder, is it the same way as not being able to express yourself as a gay, holding anger inside of yourself? I think so.
Being an Asian in a school populated with Hispanics and African Americans, you get discriminated against. I don’t have anything wrong with Hispanics; most of my friends are Hispanic and so is my girlfriend. Our school West Adams Preparatory High School on Washington and Vermont, has an Asian Population less than 2%. Therefore I know a little something about being discriminated against. I don’t mind the fact that people judge me, I think it’s because people feel that there is disparity between races therefore most people are shallow. Although I don’t think people should be judged by who they are. I guess it’s because I have experienced being discriminated against, that I don’t mind the fact that people are gay. They are just people. Humans create disparity in order to be the best and win the game of “survival of the fittest”. They feel that disparity still exists. People have become so deprived to the point where people put up banners to deride the gays.
I can understand why people wouldn’t “come out of the closet”. People are judgmental and mock others. It’s immutable to get rid of depravity in this world. This year, on October 17, 2010 in my junior year, was my first time in the aids walk. As I was walking, I saw all these people with banners about how got hates gays and that all gays would go to hell. It seemed like their piety was good, but all they were causing was adversity. When they were all together holding up the banners, they had the ascendancy over the walking crowd. In my head I wondered, “whoa, are they actually don’t that?” They thought that they were doing right, but in my eyes all they were doing was deprecating the gays. I was one of the many who were “booing” at them. They looked unphased by it. They didn’t care about being booed at. Like they were unwilling about putting up the banners, but the fact that they did it; it was profane. Any human would feel bad.
I don’t know many gays in our school, but I do know some people who are. One kid on our school gets treated in a profane way. I wonder if they do it arbitrarily or just for the fun of it. Its just the depravity of people, it would make anyone despondent. I would want to rectify with my voice, but in the end I would just retract myself. All I could do was support him in a public way. To the people who deride him, he’s seen different than a normal guy. Then he got a girlfriend because he was bisexual. The bullies used to disparage him, until he got a girlfriend. I don’t know if he got a girlfriend because he was treated so badly or if he just loved the girl, but the fact that he got treated differently shows the hierarchy in the prejudice world.
As any normal teenager, I watch t.v. and on the show “Glee” there is a character who is gay. The show isn’t about him, but still shows the life of an average open gay kid in school. I believe that the show reveals ethical dilemmas because it puts him in different situations and shows the way he gets treated. He is the only openly gay kid in school and is denounced everyday at school by the more popular kids in school like football player. People watch as he got bullied and treat him in a profane way. They would watch in disinclination and wouldn’t even bother to rectify the situation. I just feel sad but so does every other person with morals, but the ones who stand up can change or even save a life.
Maybe to the people to ridicule others, discrimination doesn’t seem like a big deal its harmless in their eyes. I know just by seeing how gays are being treated that all they want is to extricate themselves from all the “harmlessness” they receive from people. All anybody wants is sanction. To be approved of and not be seen any differently is what anyone would want to feel, but the fact that people are superficial causes us to do things to receive approval by society. In the end does society want us to be who we are or what they want us to be? Do they want us to “hide inside the closet”?
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Civil Disobedience
In the time of the American Revolution, revolutionists like Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson and Abigail Adams, has passionately voiced the ideas of equality and natural rights. Inspired by these ideas, Martin Luther king Jr. and Malcom X led a crusade for racial justice. Through their vision of justice they found the act of non-violence; civil disobedience. Malcom X and Martin Luther King Jr. were born around the same time. At that time, it was when the laws and the government were unjust. Laws were made for citizens to have equal rights. When those laws are not equal for all citizens there is going to be civil disobedience. The laws weren’t made equal for African Americans, and both Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcom X wanted to fight nonviolently for those rights.
Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcom X were both the strongest speakers of their time. They both led a non violent campaign for civil disobedience. They did this by the act of parallelism. They both use the grammatical forms to express equivalent thoughts. For example Martin Luther King Jr. wrote a letter in Birmingham jail for his fellow clergymen. He was sent to jail because he was in a protest for civil rights. Through his letter he didn’t want his fellow people to be angry. Martin Luther King quoted “love your enemies bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” He didn’t want his fellow people to fight, he wanted them to love their enemies. When Martin Luther King wrote the letter he didn’t want the act of violence just the act of civil disobedience itself. Malcom X was another powerful speaker during his time. When Malcom X was being interviewed; crane asked if he was preaching an anarchy, Malcom responded “Oh no. I respect the government and respect the law. But does the government and law respect us?” I believe that this was a strong response. Through that response it showed that all he wanted to do was claim their respected and deserved rights. Martin Luther King and Malcom X fought for their natural rights through civil disobedience.
Everyone knows no two great men are alike. Martin Luther King was born in the middle class, while Malcom was born a no body. They both fight for the same reason, but they have different ways of doing it. Martin Luther King is fighting by civil disobedience. Kind defends his actions by drawing upon the ideas of philosophers, religious scholars, biblical figures, and political thinkers. “ I hope this letter finds you strong in faith.” Martin Luther King is a religious person, that’s what made him fight through civil disobedience without violence. He focused on the equality and goodness of man, as well as his ability to do good in the name of goodness itself. While Malcom X was a violent action kind of man, but he acted without violence and fought through civil disobedience. He was raised to hate the people who killed his father in front of his eyes, burning a cross in front of his yard. While Martin Luther King fought with goodness at his side, Malcom X fought with hate, he wanted to get back at the world that pretty much treated him unfairly.
Still in both ways, both Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcom X did fight for Civil rights. They were inspired by the passionately voiced ideas of equality and natural rights. With their own vision of justice they acted upon civil disobedience. Though they were raised in different environments, they spread their message through powerful hard-hitting speeches. Nevertheless their intentions were delivered in different styles.
Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcom X were both the strongest speakers of their time. They both led a non violent campaign for civil disobedience. They did this by the act of parallelism. They both use the grammatical forms to express equivalent thoughts. For example Martin Luther King Jr. wrote a letter in Birmingham jail for his fellow clergymen. He was sent to jail because he was in a protest for civil rights. Through his letter he didn’t want his fellow people to be angry. Martin Luther King quoted “love your enemies bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” He didn’t want his fellow people to fight, he wanted them to love their enemies. When Martin Luther King wrote the letter he didn’t want the act of violence just the act of civil disobedience itself. Malcom X was another powerful speaker during his time. When Malcom X was being interviewed; crane asked if he was preaching an anarchy, Malcom responded “Oh no. I respect the government and respect the law. But does the government and law respect us?” I believe that this was a strong response. Through that response it showed that all he wanted to do was claim their respected and deserved rights. Martin Luther King and Malcom X fought for their natural rights through civil disobedience.
Everyone knows no two great men are alike. Martin Luther King was born in the middle class, while Malcom was born a no body. They both fight for the same reason, but they have different ways of doing it. Martin Luther King is fighting by civil disobedience. Kind defends his actions by drawing upon the ideas of philosophers, religious scholars, biblical figures, and political thinkers. “ I hope this letter finds you strong in faith.” Martin Luther King is a religious person, that’s what made him fight through civil disobedience without violence. He focused on the equality and goodness of man, as well as his ability to do good in the name of goodness itself. While Malcom X was a violent action kind of man, but he acted without violence and fought through civil disobedience. He was raised to hate the people who killed his father in front of his eyes, burning a cross in front of his yard. While Martin Luther King fought with goodness at his side, Malcom X fought with hate, he wanted to get back at the world that pretty much treated him unfairly.
Still in both ways, both Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcom X did fight for Civil rights. They were inspired by the passionately voiced ideas of equality and natural rights. With their own vision of justice they acted upon civil disobedience. Though they were raised in different environments, they spread their message through powerful hard-hitting speeches. Nevertheless their intentions were delivered in different styles.
What is an American?
An American person, in my view is basically who I am. I am an American, I have a religious freedom, and I am free to do what I want in life. I think that the word American doesn’t just mean living in America; it has another meaning to it. Stream of consciousness helped in wording my thoughts in what an American is. An American can have many meanings. Therefore many people have different ideas on what they believe it is.
The question “What is an American?” is like a word you know but you don’t know the exact definition of it because you never think about it. I believe that living in America gives you your rights and freedom, what you do with your rights and freedom is what makes you an American, what I do in life makes me an American. Everyday choices like where I live and breath makes me an American. For example one has to make a decision to eat fast food or to eat really healthy food. To be an American is enjoying your rights as a human being, living in democracy.
Being an American does not just mean being a certain ethnicity, gender, age, or what kind of car you drive. I wake up everyday to go to school just like thousands of other students. It does not even have to be in high school; it could be elementary school, middle school, or even college. I think that going to school by choice and determining what kind of grades I get makes me an American.
In most television shows and movies it shows the American as secret spies who live their lives in adrenaline and guns. I think that it’s only half correct. Because being an American gives you that right to do what you want. For example, one could become a top secret spy, cop, or a marine officer. Being an American gives you those natural rights which are life, liberty, and property, or the goals of our government.
Everyone has their own personal definition of an American and some thoughts might be the same, and some might be different than others. My thoughts are basically what I live and deal with in everyday life. I learned that I get to make my own choices in America and I can live my life anyway I want to. In the dictionary it states that an American is a citizen of America. I don’t fully agree with that. Well it does make you an American citizen, but doesn’t give you any meaning into it. An American is not a word that labels you as something, but rather something you are or an experience you gain.
The question “What is an American?” is like a word you know but you don’t know the exact definition of it because you never think about it. I believe that living in America gives you your rights and freedom, what you do with your rights and freedom is what makes you an American, what I do in life makes me an American. Everyday choices like where I live and breath makes me an American. For example one has to make a decision to eat fast food or to eat really healthy food. To be an American is enjoying your rights as a human being, living in democracy.
Being an American does not just mean being a certain ethnicity, gender, age, or what kind of car you drive. I wake up everyday to go to school just like thousands of other students. It does not even have to be in high school; it could be elementary school, middle school, or even college. I think that going to school by choice and determining what kind of grades I get makes me an American.
In most television shows and movies it shows the American as secret spies who live their lives in adrenaline and guns. I think that it’s only half correct. Because being an American gives you that right to do what you want. For example, one could become a top secret spy, cop, or a marine officer. Being an American gives you those natural rights which are life, liberty, and property, or the goals of our government.
Everyone has their own personal definition of an American and some thoughts might be the same, and some might be different than others. My thoughts are basically what I live and deal with in everyday life. I learned that I get to make my own choices in America and I can live my life anyway I want to. In the dictionary it states that an American is a citizen of America. I don’t fully agree with that. Well it does make you an American citizen, but doesn’t give you any meaning into it. An American is not a word that labels you as something, but rather something you are or an experience you gain.
Academic Autobiography
Nobody truly supported my academic life past elementary school. My parents would brag about me to their friends about me being in a magnet school when I was in elementary. My elementary school “Wonderland” was in the mountains. When ever I took the school bus up there it would always give me headaches, so I could never fully concentrate on my school work there. So it was then was fourth grade when the teachers told me that I would have to retake fourth grade or go to another school, it was then where my dad decided that I should just go to a public school, which I exelled at. My dad was kind of disappointed in me, so it was then when I promised myself that I would get all A’s in my classes.
I exelled through the rest of my elementary school, but it was my middle school “Pio Pico” that got me down. I was good at 6th grade with all the A’s, but my lowest grade in middle school was a “C” so I wasn’t to disappointed.
I loved how middle school took forever, I remember when me and my friends couldn’t believe that we were actually 8th graders. It felt that middle school took forever compared to high school. Even though I’m not finished with high school, time seems to be flying faster every year. It was also high school where I found a love for science. So then it became my favorite subject. That’s why I joined AP biology in my sophomore year. I got a “B” in that class as my final grade. I feel that I could’ve done better if I actually took it this year as a junior. I was immature and didn’t truly know the meaning of studying. I don’t really regret it because I don’t think I would have time for AP biology this year because all the studying I do for my SAT. Even so I did enjoy all the projects we did together and the bonding time we had for the whole year. We even went to seaworld at the end of the year for all our hard efforts. I don’t expect myself to become a scientist or getting a Nobel prize for achieving something great. I really don’t have any plans for myself in the future, like my occupation or my major. What I do know is that I plan on attending UCLA for my four year college if I do that well on my SAT, I don’t have any plans after that, I hope that I can find a career that I would enjoy through a university.
Myself as a student, I plan to learn new things and try to excel at them and try to use them in everyday life. Right now I’m trying to get a great score on the SAT so I’m studying new vocabulary words every day and trying to expand my limited vocabulary. This year I plan on getting A’s in all my classes and bond with my teachers. I DO prefer English more than math because it just seems more of a relaxing thing writing down without worries, when in math you stress trying to solve a math problem. People say that I would be an anti-asian because I’m better in English than math.
I try not to get engulfed in my school work and try to enjoy my school life as a kid more. I understand that high school I flying by and that I should enjoy it more. I really don’t like studying. I like going out and stuff and other things normal high school kids do. So in the end my goal in life is to live my life without regrets.
I exelled through the rest of my elementary school, but it was my middle school “Pio Pico” that got me down. I was good at 6th grade with all the A’s, but my lowest grade in middle school was a “C” so I wasn’t to disappointed.
I loved how middle school took forever, I remember when me and my friends couldn’t believe that we were actually 8th graders. It felt that middle school took forever compared to high school. Even though I’m not finished with high school, time seems to be flying faster every year. It was also high school where I found a love for science. So then it became my favorite subject. That’s why I joined AP biology in my sophomore year. I got a “B” in that class as my final grade. I feel that I could’ve done better if I actually took it this year as a junior. I was immature and didn’t truly know the meaning of studying. I don’t really regret it because I don’t think I would have time for AP biology this year because all the studying I do for my SAT. Even so I did enjoy all the projects we did together and the bonding time we had for the whole year. We even went to seaworld at the end of the year for all our hard efforts. I don’t expect myself to become a scientist or getting a Nobel prize for achieving something great. I really don’t have any plans for myself in the future, like my occupation or my major. What I do know is that I plan on attending UCLA for my four year college if I do that well on my SAT, I don’t have any plans after that, I hope that I can find a career that I would enjoy through a university.
Myself as a student, I plan to learn new things and try to excel at them and try to use them in everyday life. Right now I’m trying to get a great score on the SAT so I’m studying new vocabulary words every day and trying to expand my limited vocabulary. This year I plan on getting A’s in all my classes and bond with my teachers. I DO prefer English more than math because it just seems more of a relaxing thing writing down without worries, when in math you stress trying to solve a math problem. People say that I would be an anti-asian because I’m better in English than math.
I try not to get engulfed in my school work and try to enjoy my school life as a kid more. I understand that high school I flying by and that I should enjoy it more. I really don’t like studying. I like going out and stuff and other things normal high school kids do. So in the end my goal in life is to live my life without regrets.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)