2) Observing My Surroundings
·
Bullying
·
Drugs
·
Underage
Drinking
·
Homelessness
·
Racism
·
Poverty
Homelessness is a major issue all over
the US but especially in New York City. In October 2014 in NYC, there were 59,246 homeless people. Without
a home, these people can’t have all the necessities that they need to survive.
Many people are homeless because they have lost their jobs, but is it fair for
them to lose their house and live the streets and into shelters just because
they can’t come up with enough money to pay rent? People shouldn’t be allowed
to live on the streets and in parks. The city needs to provide aid to people
who desperately need it.
There are many things that
New York City could do to improve life for homeless people. The city could turn
more parts of the city into affordable housing for the less fortunate. The city
could also make more jobs in different areas so that people who are jobless can
begin to work, and get enough money to move off the streets and into homes. Homeless
people may need to take course to train themselves with certain skills, so they
can get new jobs. Homeless people also need free healthcare. All doctors could
offer services to people in need. If the mayor raised awareness and oney for
the homeless many lives would be saved and New York City would be a better
place for everyone.
4)
Reading Response
Last Sunday, 5 members of the NFL team, the St. Louis Rams
raised their hands to show support for Michael Brown. As the players ran out of
the tunnel before the game against the Oakland Raiders, they held up their
hands like Michael Brown did before he was killed. “The article St.
Louis Rams Players’ Display Is Condemned by Police Association,” is about how
the players of the Rams responded to the act of injustice that the police did a
few weeks earlier. I think that what the Rams’ players did should not be
punished, because they were expressing their freedom of speech.
At the moment, it
looks like the Rams’ players are not going to be punished by the team or the
NFL. But it has created some tenseness between the players and the St. Louis Police Officers
Association. They demanded that the NFL discipline them. They also said that
they were “profoundly disappointed,” by what the players did. The Rams head
coach has yet to punish them and he says that he doesn’t think he will. He
didn’t think that what they did was right but he also didn’t think that it was
wrong. “As far as the choice that the players made, no, they
were exercising their right to free speech… They will not be disciplined by the
club nor by the National Football League,” he told reporters. I think that what
the Rams’ players did wasn’t meant to offend the police officers. Their actions
were no different then a protest.
This wasn’t the
first time athletes have inserted themselves into political debates. Muhammad
Ali refused to join the army during the Vietnam War, because of his opposition
to war. Ali was charged with draft evasion and stripped of his boxing title.
Later, the case went to Supreme Court and he got his title back. In 2012, the
Miami Heat led by LeBron James wore hooded sweatshirts like the one that
Trayvon Martin wore. James and his teammates were not punished by the NBA after
the act of protest.
The Rams’ players
should not be disciplined or punished in any way. All they were doing is
expressing what they thought about the killing of Brown. The only difference
between the Rams’ players and the protesters in Ferguson, was that the Rams’
players had football uniforms on. It’s not fair that they should be punished
for expressing their feelings.
5) Poem
Some
think as a teenager it is cool
To
drink alcohol in middle school
But
alcohol messes up your brain
Not
healthy, not legal, nothing to gain
Giving
into peer pressure makes you a fool
The social issue I wrote my poem about is
underage drinking. It’s a much bigger problem then it seems. Alcohol use in
middle and high school leads to lower grades and more absences. It also makes
you more likely to get certain illnesses. Drunk driving is a big cause of death
in the US. Every 53 minutes, in someone is killed from drunk driving. This
means almost 27 people each day. I think all kids should be educated about the
dangers of alcohol.
Bibliography
1. "Basic
Facts About Homelessness: New York City - Coalition For The Homeless." Coalition
For The Homeless. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2014.
2. "Fact
Sheets - Underage Drinking." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16 Jan. 2014. Web. 02 Dec. 2014
3. "11
Facts About Driving Under the Influence." DoSomething.org. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2014.
4. Belson,
Ken. "St. Louis Rams Players’ Display Is Condemned by Police
Association." The New York Times. The New York Times, 02 Dec. 2014.
Web. 02 Dec. 2014
