In chapter 17 of The Scarlet Letter, Hester and Dimmesdale finally get to escape the town and sit hand in hand by a secluded brook. Hester breaks the news that Chillingworth is really her husband and Dimmesdale becomes furious with her. In the end, Dimmesdale forgives Hester and realizes that Chillingworth is a worse sinner then the both of them. He says, “We are not, Hester, the worst sinners in the world. There is one worse than even the polluted priest! That old man’s revenge has been blacker than my sin.” Even though what Hester and Dimmesdale did was horrible, Chillingworth is more of a sinner than them both and is truly a depiction of the devil.
At first, what Hester did seemed horrible and you would think it would have hurt her husband so badly. However, Chillingworth seemed like he could of cared less. The only thing he wanted was to get back at whoever committed adultery with Hester. Not caring and having revenge the only thing on his mind shows his poor character. He did everything in his power to torture Dimmesdale just like the devil would torture someone for his or her own satisfaction.
This quote tells how Dimmesdale feels about his own sin and about Chillingworth. He knows what he and Hester did was bad, but he believes that what Chillingworth is doing to him is worse. Most people who read this book think that Hester and Dimmesdale are the worst sinners, but Chillingworth seems to be more in the wrong here and even Dimmesdale, the Minster who committed a horrible crime, agrees. Of course he could be trying to protect Hester and himself by saying what Chillingworth is doing is worse, but torturing someone for your own sick, twisted gratification is pure evil.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Quote #4
In chapter 13 of The Scarlet Letter the narrator talks about hoe Hester feels and acts years after she committed her crime. By now Pearl is seven years old and Hester has completely changed. She is no more a tender passionate woman; she could have possibly been burned by the brand of the “A” on her bosom. The townspeople also act differently towards Hester. They don’t usually notice her symbol anymore. They think of her symbol to mean “Able” instead of “Adultery.” On page 133, it states that when a stranger would ask who Hester was and why she was wearing such a strange badge the townspeople would reply by saying, “It is our Hester – the town’s Hester, - who is so kind to the poor, so helpful to the sick, so comfortable to the afflicted!” After so many years of dealing with one of their society members breaking the law, the townspeople pretty much forgot about her sin and think of Hester as a good, willing person.
If the society was going to end up thinking good of Hester why did they make such a big deal about her crime in the first place? This quote shows that the townspeople think they know everything but really don’t. If Hester could commit such a crime then be forgiven for it, what about all the other people they have killed for committing the same crime? This quote shows how bias the townspeople really are. Hester is actually a good person and now that her crime is in the past the townspeople can see that. If only they had looked past her mistake years earlier a lot of pain and time would have been saved.
If the society was going to end up thinking good of Hester why did they make such a big deal about her crime in the first place? This quote shows that the townspeople think they know everything but really don’t. If Hester could commit such a crime then be forgiven for it, what about all the other people they have killed for committing the same crime? This quote shows how bias the townspeople really are. Hester is actually a good person and now that her crime is in the past the townspeople can see that. If only they had looked past her mistake years earlier a lot of pain and time would have been saved.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Quote #3
In chapter 12 of The Scarlet Letter, Pearl and her mother, Hester, were talking to Mr. Dimmesdale. Pearl is consistently asking Dimmesdale to stand in public with her and her mother but he keeps turning her down saying he will at a later time. While they are all three standing together the narrator says, “There is witchcraft in little Pearl’s eyes; and her face, as she glanced upward at the minister, wore that naughty smile which made its expression frequently so elfish.” Most of the townspeople think Pearl is some kind of evil and this quote would support that. However, she was born into an unfortunate situation where nothing is her fault, so she has every right to act the way she does.
This quote explains how Pearl doesn’t just act like she has a demon in her; she also just looks like she has a demon in her. The townspeople already thought Pearl acted strange and now, as said by this quote, she even looks different and evil. This quote explains some of Pearl’s character. In reality, Pearl is a lot like her mother. She is different and has known that from the beginning just like Hester.
The way the narrator describes Pearl, especially in this quote, you could only think of her as pure evil. On the other hand, how could she be evil? She is only a little girl that was born into a bad situation that isn’t her fault. She never does anything that hurts anyone or does anything that could potentially harm someone. She has to cope with her problems some how and acting the way she does helps her go on with life and there’s nothing wrong with that. Pearl never did anything wrong and this quote is sort of misleading and makes the reader think badly about Pearl even though she is innocent.
This quote explains how Pearl doesn’t just act like she has a demon in her; she also just looks like she has a demon in her. The townspeople already thought Pearl acted strange and now, as said by this quote, she even looks different and evil. This quote explains some of Pearl’s character. In reality, Pearl is a lot like her mother. She is different and has known that from the beginning just like Hester.
The way the narrator describes Pearl, especially in this quote, you could only think of her as pure evil. On the other hand, how could she be evil? She is only a little girl that was born into a bad situation that isn’t her fault. She never does anything that hurts anyone or does anything that could potentially harm someone. She has to cope with her problems some how and acting the way she does helps her go on with life and there’s nothing wrong with that. Pearl never did anything wrong and this quote is sort of misleading and makes the reader think badly about Pearl even though she is innocent.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Quote #2
On page 68 of The Scarlet Letter Reverend Mr. Wilson is trying to get Hester to reveal the father of her child. She refuses no matter what he says. Then Hester tells the Reverend, “And my child must seek a heavenly Father; she shall never know an earthly one!” Hester does not want her daughter to know who her father is at all. This shows Hester has immense shame for her crime. She never wants to tell who the father is or even let her daughter know her own father.
This quote shows just how ashamed Hester is of her crime. She knows her daughter is a child of sin and that kills her inside. If she doesn’t even want her child to know her own father then there’s no way she is ever going to tell the townspeople who the father is. This quote also shows that Hester wants to take all the blame of the crime even though it wasn’t all her fault. She doesn’t want anyone else to be held responsible and that shows great strength and generosity.
This quote is significant because, again, it shows insight into Hester as a person. It illustrates her qualities and how she feels about her crime. Even though she committed a horrible crime, Hester is not a bad person. She’s a good person for not ratting out the father of her baby. She is the one who is going to be enduring all of the punishments, but if she told whom the father is he would too have to go through the penalties. This quote also shows that she cares for her baby no matter what. She wants to do what’s best for her and not letting her know the father is what she thinks is best. This quote gives the reader an idea about Hester, which could help while reading the book later.
This quote shows just how ashamed Hester is of her crime. She knows her daughter is a child of sin and that kills her inside. If she doesn’t even want her child to know her own father then there’s no way she is ever going to tell the townspeople who the father is. This quote also shows that Hester wants to take all the blame of the crime even though it wasn’t all her fault. She doesn’t want anyone else to be held responsible and that shows great strength and generosity.
This quote is significant because, again, it shows insight into Hester as a person. It illustrates her qualities and how she feels about her crime. Even though she committed a horrible crime, Hester is not a bad person. She’s a good person for not ratting out the father of her baby. She is the one who is going to be enduring all of the punishments, but if she told whom the father is he would too have to go through the penalties. This quote also shows that she cares for her baby no matter what. She wants to do what’s best for her and not letting her know the father is what she thinks is best. This quote gives the reader an idea about Hester, which could help while reading the book later.
Quote #1
On page 78 of The Scarlet Letter, the narrator is talking about Hester and makes a point that shows a lot about Hester even before her crime. The narrator states, “In all her intercourse with society, however, there was nothing that made her feel as if she belonged to it.” This quote speaks a great deal about how Hester was before she committed adultery. She never fully fit in anywhere with anyone; she has always seemed a little different from everyone else. And after she committed the crime, she became even more dissimilar from everyone else in society.
This quote is explaining that even before most society disowned her, she still didn’t fit in with them. She was always different and knew it. After this sentence on page 78, the narrator goes on to explain that every word, gesture, and even the silence with the people she came in contact with implied and expressed that she was alone as if she “inhabited another sphere.” She never felt fully connected with people in society and her crime just made that feeling worse.
This quote is very significant because it shows insight into Hester before the crime. The start of this book is all about the crime and how Hester is after it. The reader gets no information on how Hester acted or was seen before all of this happened, but this quote tells a lot about Hester as a person. It gives the reader an idea of what Hester was like before her offense and how people treated her then. After reading this, it seems as if society didn’t even accept Hester before the adultery because she was just a little different from them. Now, since she committed a horrible sin, they have an actual reason to not accept her.
This quote is explaining that even before most society disowned her, she still didn’t fit in with them. She was always different and knew it. After this sentence on page 78, the narrator goes on to explain that every word, gesture, and even the silence with the people she came in contact with implied and expressed that she was alone as if she “inhabited another sphere.” She never felt fully connected with people in society and her crime just made that feeling worse.
This quote is very significant because it shows insight into Hester before the crime. The start of this book is all about the crime and how Hester is after it. The reader gets no information on how Hester acted or was seen before all of this happened, but this quote tells a lot about Hester as a person. It gives the reader an idea of what Hester was like before her offense and how people treated her then. After reading this, it seems as if society didn’t even accept Hester before the adultery because she was just a little different from them. Now, since she committed a horrible sin, they have an actual reason to not accept her.
Friday, April 9, 2010
The Status and Role of Women
The section in The Scarlet Letter on pages 246-253 was very interesting and made me think a lot about the differences between women today and women back then. A lot of the opinions in this reading really disgusted me. Most of the people who talked about women in this section believed they were below men and shouldn’t be treated the same. Many said that women shouldn’t have the right to do the same things a man does such as vote, have a job, etc. Men and women are both human beings, so not being treated equally really doesn’t make sense to me.
The first thing I though about while reading this is how much as changed regarding women from the 1600s to today. Women still complain and get mad over how they are not treated fairly, but if they knew just how bad women were treated back then, they wouldn’t have anything to grumble about. William Blackstone stated, “By marriage, the husband and wife are one person in law: that is, the very being or legal existence of the woman is suspended during the marriage… “ Today, women who are married can make their own decisions and are independent from their husbands. Likewise, today men who are married do not have to “give his wife moderate correction,” as said by William Blackstone. The whole outlook on women and even marriages has changed so much from back then and it was definitely for the better.
Even though most of the people in this passage had bias opinions about women, Catharine Beecher brought up a very fascinating point that I have never even considered before. She said, “women are always treated as superiors.” She goes on to explain that, basically, women had a lot of things handed to them that men didn’t. Women were not expected to go out and work a hard job or perform strenuous physical labor; they got to stay at home and do the less demanding tasks. Also, men would hold doors for women, carry things for them, stand when a lady entered the room, etc. This idea definitely makes sense, but women didn’t have to treated this way. I’m sure a lot of them would have liked to work a job if they were allowed. In addition, men didn’t have to those things for women. Of course it’s courteous, but women were capable to do all of those of their own.
In conclusion, the views on women have changed immensely over the years. Now women can actually have a say in most things. They can have jobs alongside men and don’t have to stay at home all the time. It is somewhat understandable as to why people thought women were so delicate and needed taken care of, but they took it to the extreme. Women are plenty capable of doing most things men are and can function perfectly without the cover or protection of a man.
The first thing I though about while reading this is how much as changed regarding women from the 1600s to today. Women still complain and get mad over how they are not treated fairly, but if they knew just how bad women were treated back then, they wouldn’t have anything to grumble about. William Blackstone stated, “By marriage, the husband and wife are one person in law: that is, the very being or legal existence of the woman is suspended during the marriage… “ Today, women who are married can make their own decisions and are independent from their husbands. Likewise, today men who are married do not have to “give his wife moderate correction,” as said by William Blackstone. The whole outlook on women and even marriages has changed so much from back then and it was definitely for the better.
Even though most of the people in this passage had bias opinions about women, Catharine Beecher brought up a very fascinating point that I have never even considered before. She said, “women are always treated as superiors.” She goes on to explain that, basically, women had a lot of things handed to them that men didn’t. Women were not expected to go out and work a hard job or perform strenuous physical labor; they got to stay at home and do the less demanding tasks. Also, men would hold doors for women, carry things for them, stand when a lady entered the room, etc. This idea definitely makes sense, but women didn’t have to treated this way. I’m sure a lot of them would have liked to work a job if they were allowed. In addition, men didn’t have to those things for women. Of course it’s courteous, but women were capable to do all of those of their own.
In conclusion, the views on women have changed immensely over the years. Now women can actually have a say in most things. They can have jobs alongside men and don’t have to stay at home all the time. It is somewhat understandable as to why people thought women were so delicate and needed taken care of, but they took it to the extreme. Women are plenty capable of doing most things men are and can function perfectly without the cover or protection of a man.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Adultery
On pages 241-245 of the book The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, there are multiple laws describing the punishments of adultery and fornication in the 1600s. These punishments ranged from severe beatings to death. Sometimes the court even ordered that whoever commits adultery has to wear the letters A D stitched into their garments all day every day so everyone knows what they did. Ultimately, the laws explain that when someone commits adultery or fornication the punishments for he/she are usually debated and can be different for every person.
While reading, it puzzled me as to why back then they made adultery such a known thing around a community. I think when someone commits adultery it’s their own business and everyone else around shouldn’t know about it. Of course, adultery isn’t a morally good thing and no one should do it, but killing someone over it seems a little melodramatic. It seems back then they believed very strongly in morals. They didn’t want anyone to do anything that would seem even remotely sinful. Today a lot of people still have morals such as these, but they are not as drastic. It is amazing just how much ethics, beliefs, etc. have changed from back in the 1600s to today.
One sentence that really got me thinking was, “Cobbett advises men that the most important quality to look for in a wife is chastity…that made adultery a greater crime for women then for men.” I don’t understand why only the women were expected to be chaste. I’m sure the women wouldn’t have wanted to marry a man that was impure, so why did they have to? Also, I don’t understand why adultery was worse for women. That seems very sexist and unfair. A women committing adultery to a man or a man committing adultery to a woman; it’s the same thing so it doesn’t make sense that it should be greater for women. Although this way of treating women makes no sense, it all leads back to how much has really changed from back then.
While reading, it puzzled me as to why back then they made adultery such a known thing around a community. I think when someone commits adultery it’s their own business and everyone else around shouldn’t know about it. Of course, adultery isn’t a morally good thing and no one should do it, but killing someone over it seems a little melodramatic. It seems back then they believed very strongly in morals. They didn’t want anyone to do anything that would seem even remotely sinful. Today a lot of people still have morals such as these, but they are not as drastic. It is amazing just how much ethics, beliefs, etc. have changed from back in the 1600s to today.
One sentence that really got me thinking was, “Cobbett advises men that the most important quality to look for in a wife is chastity…that made adultery a greater crime for women then for men.” I don’t understand why only the women were expected to be chaste. I’m sure the women wouldn’t have wanted to marry a man that was impure, so why did they have to? Also, I don’t understand why adultery was worse for women. That seems very sexist and unfair. A women committing adultery to a man or a man committing adultery to a woman; it’s the same thing so it doesn’t make sense that it should be greater for women. Although this way of treating women makes no sense, it all leads back to how much has really changed from back then.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Rembering Essay
Rachael Fenton
Mrs. Jordan-Squire
Remembering Essay
January 25th, 2010
Mrs. Jordan-Squire
Remembering Essay
January 25th, 2010
Chicago
“Nothing in the world could possibly be as amazing as this mind-boggling city!” I said with a goofy smile as big as a banana plastered on my face. As soon as I stepped out of the 20-foot dim lighted train tunnel and saw the “Windy City” for the first time I was astonished. I never saw anything like it before. At that moment I had an epiphany and knew my life was going to change forever. Chicago, to me, is the most breathtaking city in the entire world and I will, no matter what it takes, pursue my future there.
The noises, the smells, the sights – it was all so enticing I just wanted to stand in wonderment and absorb it. It was the summer before my freshman year and my mom, two aunts and I decided that we were going to take a girls trip to Chicago. I never knew that it would change my whole life. The train ride to Chicago takes about four hours. The whole ride there I couldn’t sit still. I was trying to preoccupy myself with music and magazines but I was too excited. When we were about 45 minutes outside Chicago, I could start to see the colossal buildings standing taller then anything I’ve ever seen.
When we finally got out into the “Windy City” it felt as if I was in a dream; it didn’t seem real. I wanted to walk everywhere, see everything, and talk to everyone. “Rachael, Rachael! Hello, earth to Rachael!” my mom said. I was so awe-struck by everything I had no idea she was even talking. I was so captivated by this city I could have stood in that same spot all day and been on cloud nine. Being used to living in Lima my entire life, Chicago was like a playground and I was a little kid. There was so much to do in so little time. You could stay there for a week and still not see all the breathtaking sights and we only stayed for three days so I didn’t get to even see half of this glorious city.
Right when I walked into the chaos of Chicago, Illinois I felt more at home than I feel in my actual birthplace. I knew right then and there that this is where I was meant to be in my life. Chicago has so many more opportunities than Lima and it has so much more to do. I get bored very easily so Chicago is perfect for me. This city is so flawless I was bewildered. I was speechless for the first couple hours we were in the city. All I could do was look around with mammoth bug eyes in wonder.
Every day we were there was packed with exhilarating activities. I couldn’t get enough; I always wanted to be on the move. One of the most memorable places we visited was Millennium Park. There were beautiful gardens of pink, purple, orange, blue, and green flowers. It was like a Technicolor rainbow of colors in the midst of a sea of people. There were smells of fresh hotdogs and lemonade. Every person had handfuls of shopping bags and souvenirs. This park was full of hustle and bustle just how I like it. The greatest thing about the park was the enormous bean directly in the middle. This bean was a huge circular mirror. It reflected the whole city onto it. There was an arc in it so you could walk underneath and look at your reflections. Nothing in Lima could top this.
Even the restaurants in Chicago were greater than anything in Lima. Ed Devebics, Cheesecake Factory, and Corner Café are not even one fourth of the fantastic diners in Chicago. My favorite was Ed Devebics. With a 50’s theme, the waiters were impolite to you on purpose. No matter what mood you are in, once you walk into this restaurant you automatically start chuckling. Just the atmosphere is enough to bring you into a euphoric mood. Everything is bright and cheery with colorful decorations and entertaining music. At some point during your dinner the waiters even get on top of the counters to dance and sing. Since the waiters were rude to me, I was just as rude back. “Would you be quiet you brat!?” the waiter said to me and I replied by saying, “Well if you wouldn’t take so long with my food I wouldn’t have to be a brat!.”
The whole three days I was there I could picture myself in the future living the life in this incredible city. I knew that to fulfill my dreams I would have to move to Chicago. I would never be 100 percent pleased with my life if I never moved there. That’s why it’s so important to me that someday I get out of Lima and get into the “Windy City”. Happiness is very important to me because going through life miserable is a waste of time. Why should I even be here on this planet if I’m not going to be the happiest I can be? I know that if I live my life in Lima I won’t be the happiest I can possibly be which is why I need to leave someday. I always knew, since I was little, that I wasn’t meant to stay in Lima forever and once Chicago hit me I knew that’s where I was meant to be.
I will never be able to forget that trip I took to the world famous Chicago. It changed my life forever and now I know where I am supposed to be in my life. I was always worried I would never have that moment where a light bulb turns on in my head and everything comes together, but after stepping one foot into Chicago I didn’t have to worry anymore. It doesn’t matter to me what it takes, but I will someday be saying hello to Chicago and goodbye to Lima.
Arguing Essay
Rachael Fenton
Mrs. Jordan-Squire
Argumentative Essay
February 23rd, 2010
Legalizing Marijuana
If a classroom of students were asked to raise their hand if they have ever tried marijuana, most likely none of them would put their hand up. No one would want to admit to a criminal activity in front of their teacher. But why is it that smoking pot is so taboo in our society? After all, numerous famous intellectuals support marijuana. Few people know that Al Gore supports the legalization of marijuana. The founding father of our nation, George Washington, said, “Make the most of the Indian hemp seed, and sow it everywhere!” Marijuana is also supported by many acclaimed celebrity role models. Famous Hollywood actor Johnny Depp says, “I’m not a big pothead or anything like that… but weed is much, much less dangerous than alcohol.” Other well known supporters of marijuana include Snoop Dogg, the Marley family, Willie Nelson, Chris Farley, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, Barack Obama, John Adams, James Madison, and JFK. A total of 11 United States presidents grew, smoked, or supported the legalization of Marijuana. With the support of some of the greatest thinkers and world leaders of all time, it’s a wonder that marijuana is still illegal. Although some think legalizing marijuana would corrupt the country, making this drug legal would benefit not only people who actually smoke it, but everyone in general.
A lot of people who don’t know about weed think that, of course like any other drug, it’s easy to become addicted to. All clinical studies, including those conducted by the government, have concluded that marijuana contains no addictive properties. A person can become chemically dependent on the drug, but that is radically different than an addiction. According to the UCLA School of Medicine, “Marijuana does not impair long term memory” (Volume 155 of the American Journal of Respiratory & Critical Care Medicine). Weed can cause short term memory loss but only while under the influence. The same can be said for alcohol and many over the counter sleeping medications. Brain damage that does occur is not because of any chemical property in ganja, but because the brain is deprived of oxygen for so long that brain cells are killed. For any self acclaimed pot smoker that’s an easy fix, just don’t hold your hits in for so long. Also according to the UCLA School of Medicine, “Neither the continuing nor intermittent marijuana smokers exhibited any significantly different rates of lung function as compared to those individuals who never smoked marijuana” (Volume 155 of the American Journal of Respiratory & Critical Care Medicine). The study was conducted on 243 pot smokers over an 8 year period.
Not only is Cannabis not as harmful as people perceive it as, it also has medical benefits. Marijuana has been without fail proven to relieve the vomiting and nausea that come with chemotherapy in cancer patients. Many cancer patients have said that marijuana was the best treatment for their symptoms. An interviewed cancer patient, who has miraculously overcome the disease, was asked about the effects of marijuana. The interviewee said, “I would not have lived if I didn’t smoke lots of marijuana”. Isn’t it interesting that cancer, one of the world’s deadliest, incurable diseases, is treated with marijuana, an illegal drug?
Marijuana is also used for treating multiple sclerosis and several mood disorders. After smoking small amounts of marijuana, patients are said to be relaxed and stress free. Unlike alcohol which is a depressant, Cannabis can be used to treat low level depression. Most depression is caused by stress; smoking pot relieves stress and thus relieves depression. Glaucoma is yet another disease that smoking weed will treat. Marijuana has abundant medical uses and little to no medical handicaps. Making it legal would benefit all of the people with diseases such as cancer, mood disorders, etc. For Cannabis to be illegal even though it has so many medical reimbursements, while tobacco and alcohol are legal, is insanity.
The most common problem associated with marijuana abuse is lethargic behavior, but it does not cause serious health or social concerns. Overuse of alcohol will result in an inability to walk, stand, or even death, whereas overuse of weed will simply put a person to sleep. 40% of all fatal car accidents are caused by alcohol while no car accidents ever have been directly caused by marijuana. Alcohol induces violent behavior such as domestic violence. Someone under the influence of alcohol could experience fits of rage, which has often led to their own demise or the death of others, while someone who got high from marijuana will stroll around pleasantly with a smile on their face in search of the nearest McDonald’s. As Bob Marley once said, “Herb is the healing of the nation, alcohol is the destruction.”
Cigarettes are another legal substance that is far more dangerous than some good ganja. Smoking cigarettes is the leading cause of lung cancer in America. Tobacco cigarettes are filled with harmful chemicals such as nicotine, rat poison, formaldehyde, ammonia, and arsenic. Both cigarettes and alcohol are immensely addictive products that lead to very serious health problems, primarily cancer, and ultimately death. Marijuana is considered by many to be a dangerous substance, but in reality many of our legal drugs are far more risky. Each year 400,000 people die from tobacco and 100,000 die from alcohol. Like any substance marijuana can be abused, but it is impossible to overdose on. In all of recorded history, going back as far as 2700 BC, there has never been one single human death attributed to a health problem caused by marijuana.
Not only is marijuana a safe drug with medical benefits, but it could rapidly stimulate our failing economy. At its current rate of production, legal marijuana generates 35.8 billion dollars per year. Profits from marijuana exceed that of corn and wheat combined. And that’s just the legal margins. Revenue from illegal domestic marijuana is speculated at around 60 billion dollars a year. That’s a total of 95.8 billion dollars each year excluding imports. Marijuana is considered by generous amounts of economists to already be our nation’s number one cash crop. It’s already the number one cash crop in 12 states including California, Alaska, and Hawaii. In Washington, weed is second only to apples. In 30 other states ganja is among the top three on the list of cash crops. Economists estimate that if marijuana were legalized, annual tax returns would be 6.2 billion dollars. That’s over 6 billion dollars in the hands of the federal government rather than in the hands of so called drug criminals. This money could be spent on combating the flow of hard, more hazardous drugs onto our streets.
Legalizing marijuana will not only create enormous sums of money, it will also save vast sums of money. Approximately 7.7 billion dollars is spent annually on law enforcement to navigate marijuana consumption. Legalizing marijuana would eliminate 100% of these costs. Another taxpayer expense that would be definitely reduced is prison expenses. New FBI statistics show that one marijuana smoker is arrested every 45 seconds. Since 1990 5.9 million innocent Americans have been arrested on Cannabis charges, a number greater than the population of Alaska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming combined. 88% of all people in jail, a staggering 2 million, are there due to marijuana offenses. In the case that marijuana is legalized that number will be reduced to 440,000 people, an exceptional decline. The deprivation of operating prisons would also deteriorate dramatically. The cost of operating prisons comes directly out of taxpayers’ pockets. Currently a 40 billion dollar per year expenditure would be cut back to 8.8 billion dollars, still a gigantic amount, but much, much less than what it was. With this amount of savings and profits, it’s amazing that our capitalist society hasn’t already demanded the legalization of pot.
Simply selling the buds is not the only way to make money off the Cannabis plant. Hemp fibers from the stalks have countless other uses. An entire hemp based industry will be created. Oil extracted from the seeds was used to lubricate gears and mechanisms in many of the original cars including Henry Ford’s Model T. Hemp fiber, renowned for its strength, has long been used to test the durability of other fibers. When George Bush Sr. was forced to eject from his F-50 over Vietnam, the parachute that saved his life was made from 100% hemp fiber. Hemp can be made into rope, clothing, and paper. Hemp paper is equivalent to paper made from trees, without destroying the rainforests. After all, the first, third and final drafts of the Declaration of Independence were all written on hemp paper. More important than the products made will be the jobs procreated by this industry. The current unemployment rate is 8.9% as of April 2009. 8.9% sounds like a small number out of 100 but 8.9% translates to over 13.7 million people without a job. Though legalizing marijuana won’t create all 13.7 million jobs necessary, it will create some. That’s a step in the right direction to revive our falling economy.
Like stated above, a common misconception is that smoking pot makes a person lazy, unexcited, and useless to society. That’s not true at all. Like most Americans, people who smoke pot pay taxes, love and support their families, and work hard to make a better life for their children. Suddenly they are arrested, jailed, and treated like criminals solely because they choose to relax in a way that is safer than tobacco or alcohol. State agencies frequently step in and declare children of marijuana smokers to be “in danger,” and many children are placed into foster homes as a result. This causes enormous pain, suffering, and financial hardship for millions of honest American families. It also engenders distrust and disrespect for the law and criminal justice system overall. If the children of marijuana smokers are in danger than the children of cigarette smokers and alcoholics are in a situation far more unsafe. Responsible pot smokers present no threat or danger to America and there is no reason to treat them as criminals.
Many people also believe that marijuana is a gateway drug and will lead to other more dangerous drugs. It’s true that most people who do hard drugs didn’t immediately start out snorting cocaine or shooting heroin, but smoking pot every now and then doesn’t condemn you to be some cracked out heroin fiend. From my knowledge, as it stands right now only a small portion of weed smokers go on to harder drugs. If kids could run down to the gas station and pick up some weed, their interest in other drugs would be diminished. The only way that pot could be considered a gateway drug is if it is sold alongside hard drugs. True, some pot dealers sell harder stuff, but legalizing marijuana completely counteracts that argument. If marijuana were legal, there would be no need for side street dealers who might have hard drugs on them. It could be sold in any convenience store across the country. I know for a fact that teenagers would much rather get high legally than break the law to do so. The problem is legal highs aren’t readily available, but if they were hard drugs would not be necessary. Many people also suggest that marijuana leads people to a life of crime. Amsterdam, where marijuana is legal, has a lower crime rate than any major U.S. city. That soundly disproves that theory and clearly shows that smoking marijuana is not a gateway to anything illegal.
All in all, legalizing marijuana would benefit anyone and everyone in some way or another. The politically left wing can stick it to the business owners who made it illegal in the first place. Marijuana is the number 1 cash crop according to the politically left wing and if legalized even more money can be made. A verse in the Bible, Genesis 1:29 “And God said, behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth.” According to the Bible, God has given the right to grow and consume any plant on this earth, including marijuana. Environmentalists or anyone who at least cares about the fate of our planet can save the 4 billion trees that are cut down every year to make paper. Permitting marijuana could help the economy, help people with medical problems, and even help the environment. Legalizing Cannabis would benefit every person in the country one way or another and the world as a whole would be a better place. In the words of Bob Marley, “Legalize it, don’t criticize it.”
Mrs. Jordan-Squire
Argumentative Essay
February 23rd, 2010
Legalizing Marijuana
Legalizing Marijuana
If a classroom of students were asked to raise their hand if they have ever tried marijuana, most likely none of them would put their hand up. No one would want to admit to a criminal activity in front of their teacher. But why is it that smoking pot is so taboo in our society? After all, numerous famous intellectuals support marijuana. Few people know that Al Gore supports the legalization of marijuana. The founding father of our nation, George Washington, said, “Make the most of the Indian hemp seed, and sow it everywhere!” Marijuana is also supported by many acclaimed celebrity role models. Famous Hollywood actor Johnny Depp says, “I’m not a big pothead or anything like that… but weed is much, much less dangerous than alcohol.” Other well known supporters of marijuana include Snoop Dogg, the Marley family, Willie Nelson, Chris Farley, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, Barack Obama, John Adams, James Madison, and JFK. A total of 11 United States presidents grew, smoked, or supported the legalization of Marijuana. With the support of some of the greatest thinkers and world leaders of all time, it’s a wonder that marijuana is still illegal. Although some think legalizing marijuana would corrupt the country, making this drug legal would benefit not only people who actually smoke it, but everyone in general.
A lot of people who don’t know about weed think that, of course like any other drug, it’s easy to become addicted to. All clinical studies, including those conducted by the government, have concluded that marijuana contains no addictive properties. A person can become chemically dependent on the drug, but that is radically different than an addiction. According to the UCLA School of Medicine, “Marijuana does not impair long term memory” (Volume 155 of the American Journal of Respiratory & Critical Care Medicine). Weed can cause short term memory loss but only while under the influence. The same can be said for alcohol and many over the counter sleeping medications. Brain damage that does occur is not because of any chemical property in ganja, but because the brain is deprived of oxygen for so long that brain cells are killed. For any self acclaimed pot smoker that’s an easy fix, just don’t hold your hits in for so long. Also according to the UCLA School of Medicine, “Neither the continuing nor intermittent marijuana smokers exhibited any significantly different rates of lung function as compared to those individuals who never smoked marijuana” (Volume 155 of the American Journal of Respiratory & Critical Care Medicine). The study was conducted on 243 pot smokers over an 8 year period.
Not only is Cannabis not as harmful as people perceive it as, it also has medical benefits. Marijuana has been without fail proven to relieve the vomiting and nausea that come with chemotherapy in cancer patients. Many cancer patients have said that marijuana was the best treatment for their symptoms. An interviewed cancer patient, who has miraculously overcome the disease, was asked about the effects of marijuana. The interviewee said, “I would not have lived if I didn’t smoke lots of marijuana”. Isn’t it interesting that cancer, one of the world’s deadliest, incurable diseases, is treated with marijuana, an illegal drug?
Marijuana is also used for treating multiple sclerosis and several mood disorders. After smoking small amounts of marijuana, patients are said to be relaxed and stress free. Unlike alcohol which is a depressant, Cannabis can be used to treat low level depression. Most depression is caused by stress; smoking pot relieves stress and thus relieves depression. Glaucoma is yet another disease that smoking weed will treat. Marijuana has abundant medical uses and little to no medical handicaps. Making it legal would benefit all of the people with diseases such as cancer, mood disorders, etc. For Cannabis to be illegal even though it has so many medical reimbursements, while tobacco and alcohol are legal, is insanity.
The most common problem associated with marijuana abuse is lethargic behavior, but it does not cause serious health or social concerns. Overuse of alcohol will result in an inability to walk, stand, or even death, whereas overuse of weed will simply put a person to sleep. 40% of all fatal car accidents are caused by alcohol while no car accidents ever have been directly caused by marijuana. Alcohol induces violent behavior such as domestic violence. Someone under the influence of alcohol could experience fits of rage, which has often led to their own demise or the death of others, while someone who got high from marijuana will stroll around pleasantly with a smile on their face in search of the nearest McDonald’s. As Bob Marley once said, “Herb is the healing of the nation, alcohol is the destruction.”
Cigarettes are another legal substance that is far more dangerous than some good ganja. Smoking cigarettes is the leading cause of lung cancer in America. Tobacco cigarettes are filled with harmful chemicals such as nicotine, rat poison, formaldehyde, ammonia, and arsenic. Both cigarettes and alcohol are immensely addictive products that lead to very serious health problems, primarily cancer, and ultimately death. Marijuana is considered by many to be a dangerous substance, but in reality many of our legal drugs are far more risky. Each year 400,000 people die from tobacco and 100,000 die from alcohol. Like any substance marijuana can be abused, but it is impossible to overdose on. In all of recorded history, going back as far as 2700 BC, there has never been one single human death attributed to a health problem caused by marijuana.
Not only is marijuana a safe drug with medical benefits, but it could rapidly stimulate our failing economy. At its current rate of production, legal marijuana generates 35.8 billion dollars per year. Profits from marijuana exceed that of corn and wheat combined. And that’s just the legal margins. Revenue from illegal domestic marijuana is speculated at around 60 billion dollars a year. That’s a total of 95.8 billion dollars each year excluding imports. Marijuana is considered by generous amounts of economists to already be our nation’s number one cash crop. It’s already the number one cash crop in 12 states including California, Alaska, and Hawaii. In Washington, weed is second only to apples. In 30 other states ganja is among the top three on the list of cash crops. Economists estimate that if marijuana were legalized, annual tax returns would be 6.2 billion dollars. That’s over 6 billion dollars in the hands of the federal government rather than in the hands of so called drug criminals. This money could be spent on combating the flow of hard, more hazardous drugs onto our streets.
Legalizing marijuana will not only create enormous sums of money, it will also save vast sums of money. Approximately 7.7 billion dollars is spent annually on law enforcement to navigate marijuana consumption. Legalizing marijuana would eliminate 100% of these costs. Another taxpayer expense that would be definitely reduced is prison expenses. New FBI statistics show that one marijuana smoker is arrested every 45 seconds. Since 1990 5.9 million innocent Americans have been arrested on Cannabis charges, a number greater than the population of Alaska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming combined. 88% of all people in jail, a staggering 2 million, are there due to marijuana offenses. In the case that marijuana is legalized that number will be reduced to 440,000 people, an exceptional decline. The deprivation of operating prisons would also deteriorate dramatically. The cost of operating prisons comes directly out of taxpayers’ pockets. Currently a 40 billion dollar per year expenditure would be cut back to 8.8 billion dollars, still a gigantic amount, but much, much less than what it was. With this amount of savings and profits, it’s amazing that our capitalist society hasn’t already demanded the legalization of pot.
Simply selling the buds is not the only way to make money off the Cannabis plant. Hemp fibers from the stalks have countless other uses. An entire hemp based industry will be created. Oil extracted from the seeds was used to lubricate gears and mechanisms in many of the original cars including Henry Ford’s Model T. Hemp fiber, renowned for its strength, has long been used to test the durability of other fibers. When George Bush Sr. was forced to eject from his F-50 over Vietnam, the parachute that saved his life was made from 100% hemp fiber. Hemp can be made into rope, clothing, and paper. Hemp paper is equivalent to paper made from trees, without destroying the rainforests. After all, the first, third and final drafts of the Declaration of Independence were all written on hemp paper. More important than the products made will be the jobs procreated by this industry. The current unemployment rate is 8.9% as of April 2009. 8.9% sounds like a small number out of 100 but 8.9% translates to over 13.7 million people without a job. Though legalizing marijuana won’t create all 13.7 million jobs necessary, it will create some. That’s a step in the right direction to revive our falling economy.
Like stated above, a common misconception is that smoking pot makes a person lazy, unexcited, and useless to society. That’s not true at all. Like most Americans, people who smoke pot pay taxes, love and support their families, and work hard to make a better life for their children. Suddenly they are arrested, jailed, and treated like criminals solely because they choose to relax in a way that is safer than tobacco or alcohol. State agencies frequently step in and declare children of marijuana smokers to be “in danger,” and many children are placed into foster homes as a result. This causes enormous pain, suffering, and financial hardship for millions of honest American families. It also engenders distrust and disrespect for the law and criminal justice system overall. If the children of marijuana smokers are in danger than the children of cigarette smokers and alcoholics are in a situation far more unsafe. Responsible pot smokers present no threat or danger to America and there is no reason to treat them as criminals.
Many people also believe that marijuana is a gateway drug and will lead to other more dangerous drugs. It’s true that most people who do hard drugs didn’t immediately start out snorting cocaine or shooting heroin, but smoking pot every now and then doesn’t condemn you to be some cracked out heroin fiend. From my knowledge, as it stands right now only a small portion of weed smokers go on to harder drugs. If kids could run down to the gas station and pick up some weed, their interest in other drugs would be diminished. The only way that pot could be considered a gateway drug is if it is sold alongside hard drugs. True, some pot dealers sell harder stuff, but legalizing marijuana completely counteracts that argument. If marijuana were legal, there would be no need for side street dealers who might have hard drugs on them. It could be sold in any convenience store across the country. I know for a fact that teenagers would much rather get high legally than break the law to do so. The problem is legal highs aren’t readily available, but if they were hard drugs would not be necessary. Many people also suggest that marijuana leads people to a life of crime. Amsterdam, where marijuana is legal, has a lower crime rate than any major U.S. city. That soundly disproves that theory and clearly shows that smoking marijuana is not a gateway to anything illegal.
All in all, legalizing marijuana would benefit anyone and everyone in some way or another. The politically left wing can stick it to the business owners who made it illegal in the first place. Marijuana is the number 1 cash crop according to the politically left wing and if legalized even more money can be made. A verse in the Bible, Genesis 1:29 “And God said, behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth.” According to the Bible, God has given the right to grow and consume any plant on this earth, including marijuana. Environmentalists or anyone who at least cares about the fate of our planet can save the 4 billion trees that are cut down every year to make paper. Permitting marijuana could help the economy, help people with medical problems, and even help the environment. Legalizing Cannabis would benefit every person in the country one way or another and the world as a whole would be a better place. In the words of Bob Marley, “Legalize it, don’t criticize it.”
“Multiracialness”
This excerpt, written by eleventh-grader LaMer Steptoe, from National Public Radio’s All Things Considered, is about how LaMer decided to redefine herself. While filling out a form she was required to check a box labeling her racial identity. Like most multiracial Americans, LaMer did not want to check just one box. She thought only checking one would seem like she was denying the other half of her family. She explains that she’s not white or African-American or Native American. She is just American. In the end she decides to pick the box marked D for none of the above because her race is just plain human. What LaMer did was completely reasonable and acceptable and people should follow her example of not caring so much about skin color.
This may sound bad but I have always wondered what multiracial people mark when they have to define their race. After reading this story though I have realized it really doesn’t matter. People spend so much time worrying about skin color when in reality it doesn’t matter at all. We have been pretty much trained to pay attention to skin color but times have changed and people need to change too. Skin color really doesn’t matter. Saying that it matters is like saying the color of your toothbrush matters and you can’t use it if it isn’t a certain color. It’s just ridiculous and truly makes no sense.
Race is just a color. Every person has the same exact thing on the inside so why does the outside matter so much? I know it’s cliché but it’s the truth. If we were made so we all were the same color would people still find something to dwell on? People of every race are good, bad, and everything in between. There is no reason someone should not like another because of his or her skin color. Just like LaMer said, our race is not a color; it’s human.
This may sound bad but I have always wondered what multiracial people mark when they have to define their race. After reading this story though I have realized it really doesn’t matter. People spend so much time worrying about skin color when in reality it doesn’t matter at all. We have been pretty much trained to pay attention to skin color but times have changed and people need to change too. Skin color really doesn’t matter. Saying that it matters is like saying the color of your toothbrush matters and you can’t use it if it isn’t a certain color. It’s just ridiculous and truly makes no sense.
Race is just a color. Every person has the same exact thing on the inside so why does the outside matter so much? I know it’s cliché but it’s the truth. If we were made so we all were the same color would people still find something to dwell on? People of every race are good, bad, and everything in between. There is no reason someone should not like another because of his or her skin color. Just like LaMer said, our race is not a color; it’s human.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
“Permanent Tracings”
“Permanent Tracings”, an observing essay written by Jennifer Macke, is about her visit to the Living Color Tattoo Parlor in Fremont, Ohio. Before ever visiting one, Macke believed all tattoo parlors were “smoke-filled, dimly lit places” where “undesirables gathered.” In the end after observing, talking, and interviewing Macke’s whole perception of tattoo parlors changed. Not only did her perception of tattoo parlors change, her opinion on tattoos changed too. A lot of people think down upon tattoos and tattoo parlors, but no one can really judge them until they actually go in one and observe and talk exactly like Jennifer did.
Most people have the same stereotypes for tattoo parlors, the artists who work there, and the people getting the tattoos. They are all dingy, old buildings, the artists are all covered in tattoos and piercings, have long hair, and do drugs, and the people there are typical tattoo junkies. This might have been how it was back 20 years ago, but times have changed. In this essay the owner of Living Color Tattoo Parlor, Gasket, said that he once tattooed five lawyers from Findlay, Ohio. These stereotypes about tattoos are bias and people would realize that if they just went and visited a tattoo parlor like Jennifer did.
What Jennifer did was very unprejudiced and I give kudos to her for that. Most people who really want to know about tattoos and tattoo parlors would just go to people who have been to them and ask, but they could be just as stereotypical as the next person and give the wrong impression. Actually going into a tattoo parlor and talking with the artists is the only way to really know what they are all about. Everyone has stereotypes and this essay proves that a lot of them are false. The only way to know if your labels are right is to go see for your self. This essay shows the meaning of the most common saying: don’t judge a book by it’s cover.
Most people have the same stereotypes for tattoo parlors, the artists who work there, and the people getting the tattoos. They are all dingy, old buildings, the artists are all covered in tattoos and piercings, have long hair, and do drugs, and the people there are typical tattoo junkies. This might have been how it was back 20 years ago, but times have changed. In this essay the owner of Living Color Tattoo Parlor, Gasket, said that he once tattooed five lawyers from Findlay, Ohio. These stereotypes about tattoos are bias and people would realize that if they just went and visited a tattoo parlor like Jennifer did.
What Jennifer did was very unprejudiced and I give kudos to her for that. Most people who really want to know about tattoos and tattoo parlors would just go to people who have been to them and ask, but they could be just as stereotypical as the next person and give the wrong impression. Actually going into a tattoo parlor and talking with the artists is the only way to really know what they are all about. Everyone has stereotypes and this essay proves that a lot of them are false. The only way to know if your labels are right is to go see for your self. This essay shows the meaning of the most common saying: don’t judge a book by it’s cover.
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