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Editorial
January 2011
Land of the free
home of the natives
It’s ironic, the fact that the
United States is a country made
up of immigrants, yet, when it
comes to immigration related
issues they seem to be quite
discriminating. We call that
hypocrisy.
The fact that those brought
into this country at a young age
are excluded to live up to all
the country has to offer is an
absolute shame.
Last year ended with yet
another attempt to pass the
DREAM Act, a bill intended
to offer a path to citizenship
for illegal immigrants’ children
who have come into this country
before the age of 16, obtained a
high school diploma and who
will proceed to complete either
two years of military service or
college.
Yes, the DREAM Act
would be executed as a
bandage on immigration issues;
however, for the time being,
it is the best solution. In the
future, when immigration laws
are reevaluated, we may come
back to this act and reform it or
maybe even eliminate it.
It is completely unfair that
this special group of immigrants
is being held accountable for
actions their guardians have
committed and in which they
had no say.
It is even sadder to think
that these young people, who
hold little connection with
their native country, speak
English, have worked hard in
school and maintained a good
moral character, are unable to
obtain a driver’s license, work
and further their education and
have no other choice but to
take illegal actions in order to
continue living.
We also have to keep in
mind that a percentage of those
who apply to the DREAM Act
are not only immigrants, but
also people who have a VISA
and are in the United States
legally. They are suffering now
that their immigration papers
are behind.
The greatest issue seems to
be the probability of documents
being falsified which provides
evidence that these immigrants
have lived in the United States
for more than five years and
came in before the age of 16.
Personally, this issue is
absurd. Schools have each
student’s ID number, which
contains all of their data; it seems
to be practically impossible to
falsify any sort of document
when it can be easily proven.
We do not see how allowing
this group to contribute with
taxes will in any way damage
the country, on the contrary,
instead of taking and giving
nothing back, they will now
have the opportunity to give
back to this country all that it
deserves.
Allowing the DREAM
Act to pass will provide this
deserving youth with the
opportunity to go beyond deadend
jobs and allow them to step
out of the shadows and into the
light, once and for all.
The most outstanding
factor in this whole matter is
that these brave young groups of
immigrants have exposed their
faces, revealed their names and
risked deportation because of
the efforts to make their dreams
come true.
Let’s go back to December
1, 1955, in Montgomery, Ala.,
where Rosa Parks did not give
up her seat because she knew
she deserved the same rights
as whites, risking the chance
of being sent to jail – which, in
fact, she was.
The saddest part is that these
are young people – children.
How can the government
have the heart to deprive these
children of what they deserve?
Now, in 2011, the issue is
neither racism nor machismo; it
is immigration.
What we find amusing
is that “we the people” elect
senators to represent our state
and to vote on our behalf, and
four of the 100 senators decided
not to vote, and as it is well
known during election time,
“a vote makes a difference.”
One of those senators, Sen. Joe
Manchin (D-W. Va.), missed
the opportunity to vote because
he was attending a Christmas
party. Nice to know they have
their priorities straight.
Of course, there should
be immigration regulations,
but these young people are
an exception now that they
were brought into this country
without their consent and should
therefore have somewhat of a
special treatment.
The DREAM Act should
be passed, because as cliché
as it may sound, it will make
these young people’s dreams
come true. It will provide them
the opportunity to obtain better
jobs, further their education,
contribute to their country,
and nonetheless, be part of the
“American dream.”
Welcome them home.
Custodians not to blame for bathrooms
column by Michael Formosa
Staff Reporter
Why does it seem like every
time I walk into the bathroom, I’m
entering the set of ‘SAW 3’? Is it
the custodial staff? Or is it the immaturity
of my peers? Our school
is in a constant struggle trying to
keep our bathrooms clean. But
who is to blame?
Students say that it’s our
school’s custodial staff that never
cleans the bathrooms. I beg to
differ; I’ve witnessed students
vandalizing the bathroom, for
example when I found urine all
over the wall. Maybe the custodial
staff isn’t to blame, but the
immaturity of some students who
ruin it for the rest of us. I believe
that we should all take some
initiative and keep our bathrooms
clean. After all, it’s basic common
courtesy. I find it very immature
that people can’t do a simple task
such as flushing.
Seeing the way people treat
the bathrooms make me question
how much we evolved from
monkeys. It’s really sad how
people can’t press a lever, but
then again I don’t blame them for
not wanting to touch it. Maybe
if we had actual soap and paper
towels in the bathroom, people
would be influenced to be more
humane. Even the blow dryers
in the concreteables are out of
order. The men’s bathroom in
concreteable A is even missing
dividers between urinals.
Maybe the condition of the
bathrooms, is contributing to
the way the students are treating
them. If students had better
toiletries, they would be more
sensitive to the bathrooms. Due
to lack of funding, our custodial
staff is forced to buy low grade
bathroom supplies. That makes
our bathrooms unappealing, and
makes our students not care about
the condition that they’re in.
It’s clear the bathrooms
don’t seem to be a priority when
it comes up to dividing the
school budget. Even though our
custodial staff works hard on
keeping our bathrooms clean, it’s
hard for them to work with kids
that don’t respect the bathrooms.
It’s also hard for kids to respect
the bathroom if no money is put
into them; and due to a restricted
budget no money can be put into
it. It’s just a revolving door of
mayhem and contradictions that
seems to never end.
But there is hope, people can
start making changes. Just because
we are not provided with
high class toiletries doesn’t mean
we can act like it. I believe if we
changed our habits we can make
this fine institution a better place.
Scanners infringe on privacy rights
column by Marien Gonzalez
Staff Reporter
Airports all over the nation
have taken the initiative to improve
security after an incident
in Detroit on Christmas Day two
years ago. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab
was accused of taking
a bomb aboard Northwest Airline
Flight 253. The bomb consisted
of a packet of PTN powder
sewn into his briefs. He has been
charged with “[attempt to] use a
weapon of mass destruction, attempted
murder, willful attempt
to destroy an aircraft, placing a
bomb on a plane and possession
of a destructive device” (www.
mahalo.com).
With hopes of preventing
other terrorists’ attacks, airports
have opted to use body scanners
and pat-downs. According to
Carol Pucci of the Seattle Times,
the Transportation Security
Administration (TSA) plans
on installing new full-body
scanners at U.S. airport security
checkpoints. Although TSA has
been testing the scanners since
2007, Congress approved the
program for nationwide rollout
after the bomb incident with
Abdulmutallab.
“TSA plans to have 450
scanners installed in 50 U.S.
airports, both big and small, this
year, and 500 more next year,
performing what it calls advanced
image technology,” said Pucci
(seattletimes.nwsource.com).
Our government’s attempt
to ensure national security is
admirable. However, many
wonder if this attempt has gone
a little overboard. Questions
about health risks and violation
of privacy have arisen. Scanned
images of women and men have
appeared all over the Internet.
Some of these images reveal
hidden weapons underneath
clothing articles. The scanners
seem to serve their purpose well
by detecting these weapons easily.
However, people are concerned
about the scanners revealing one’s
genitals.
Although many take the risk
of being exposed in order to ensure
security while flying, others feel
as if the scanners violate their
right to the Fourth Amendment:
“The right of the people to be
secure in their persons…” For
someone who isn’t insecure about
his or her body figure, the scanner
might be something minimal, but
what about the many American’s
who don’t necessarily have a high
self-esteem?
If one refuses to go through
the scanner, the only alternative
is the pat-down, which means
having to be touched by a
complete stranger. So, which one
seems worse: the scanners or the
pat-downs? At the end of the day,
the airport’s new form of security
is grossly invasive.
There are two types of
scanners being used in airports:
millimeter wavelength imaging
and backscatter X-ray scanners.
Concerns about exposure to too
much radiation seem to be on
many travelers’ minds.
Dr. James Thrall of the
American College of Radiology
says that “the exposure is
extremely low.” He also stated
that “the X-rays used in the
backscatter machines in airports
have such low energy that they
literally bounce off the skin.”
For those Americans who
only fly once a year, the exposure
to radiation may be something
minimal. But what about the many
Americans who are forced to fly
around the world on business
travels? On many occasions
many of these business flights
occur on a weekly basis. What
about pregnant women? What
about those who are completely
unaware of their early pregnancy?
What about children and those
who are constantly ill? (www.
reuters.com)
“Ionizing radiation in the Xrayspectrumdamagesandmutates
both chromosomal DNA and
structural proteins in human cells.
If this damage is not repaired, it
can lead to cancer. New research
shows that even very low doses
of X-ray can delay or prevent
cellular repair of damaged DNA,
raising questions about the safety
of routine medical X-rays” (www.
infowars.com).
Dr. John Gofman, Professor
Emeritus of Molecular and Cell
Biology at the University of
California, has completed extent
research on radiation which has
led him to conclude that “there
is no safe dose-level of ionizing
radiation.” (www.infowars.com)
Is increasing the risk of
developingcancerreallynecessary
in order to prevent a plane from
exploding? I think I speak for
most of the American population
when I say that’s one risk I’m
not willing to take. I would much
rather drive a great deal of miles
than become a growing statistic.
To what extent is the American
government willing to sacrifice
our privacy and health?
Terrorists will somehow
manage to find new ways to carry
explosives on board a plane.
Sooner or later, they will learn
about ways to make explosives
edible. What will our tough
government attempt to do then?
Blood test everyone before they
board the plane? Take urinary
samples and test the substances?
There’s only so much that
can be done to ensure national
security. At some point we must
learn to accept the harsh reality of
these terrorist situations. We must
learn to take the risk. Flying will
always be a risk. Even without
terrorist attacks, many things can
go wrong during a flight.
Those of us brave enough to
board a plane in order to reach a
desired destination will just have
to learn to deal with whatever life
throws at us.
Discrimination against all skateboarders is truly unfair
coulmn by Jonathan Cuartas
Staff Reporter
Skateboarding gives me a
chance to escape the everyday
mayhem in my life; a chance to
hang with the buds and cruise
around the city until nightfall;
a chance to have a good time.
Unfortunately, sometimes my
good times are hindered by the
thwarted views of society on us
skateboarders. The dirty looks are
column by Kimberly Slichter
Staff Reporter
In the last issue, co-Editor-in-
Chief Stefany Gomez talked about how
Limewire, the infamous file sharing program
that overly-abused its power, was officially
shut down following a heated court
endless, the comments demeaning
and the actions taken unbelievable.
In one instance, my friends
and I were standing outside
a pizza shop when suddenly,
without warning, a livid associate
crashed through the doors of the
shop and began yelling at us with
no mercy.
“We weren’t doing anything. Just
standing and talking. And the guy
just attacked us out of nowhere,”
said freshman Daniel Areas.
Yes, we had our skateboards,
but we weren’t even using them
on the property. Yet still, he
continued to harass us with his
words. A crowd gathered and
it seemed everyone was on his
side. Why you ask? Because
we had skateboards: an object
that immediately tagged us as
criminals. What were we doing
that was such a crime? Soliciting?
Standing? A simple “You guys
case concerning copyright infringement.
I was ecstatic, overjoyed, rapturous,
if you will, to know that this had finally
happened. To dampen my spirits, however,
was the reaction of those around me, and
honestly I don’t understand how I didn’t
see it coming.
In this “click away” age of ours, of
course, people wouldn’t have anywhere
near the same reaction. Outage filled the
web and users disgustingly mourned, almost
as if this abusive obscenity was a deceased
relative.
These actions make it seem as if people
are aggravated that musicians might have
a chance at not working two jobs to keep
their dreams alive. Illegal downloading
exemplifies the excess of greed in our
society because, quite frankly, that’s what
it all boils down to.
People are too selfish to pull the
Do You Agree?
cannot skate here” would have
done the trick, but he insisted on
being brash with us.
Not every skateboarder
vandalizes. Not every
skateboarder does drugs or drinks
alcohol excessively. Not every
skateboarder curses at old ladies
or harasses pedestrians.
“Skateboarding keeps me
busy. It’s something I do to have
a fun time,” said senior Alec
Meneses. “Just ‘cause I want to
skate through the streets does not
mean I’m a pothead. It’s just the
opposite. Skateboarding keeps
me away from drugs and keeps
me active.”
These are all just naïve
generalizations. It is just like
saying every Latino is Mexican
and mows lawns for a living, or
saying that every Asian is Chinese
and eats rice daily with chopsticks.
Sure, some skateboarders may
break the law, but the rest of us
shouldn’t be punished for their
misdemeanors.
A lot of these misled views
on skateboarders are due to
negative propaganda. Movies
such as ‘Lords of Dogtown’
perceive skateboarders as
rebellious miscreants to society.
Commercials often show that
skateboarders are creating havoc
in the city streets. Even shows
such as ‘Jackass’ contribute to the
negative views on skateboarders
since the majority of them are
reckless skateboarders.
If we take a further look
back into the past, the views on
skateboarders don’t seem as
murky as today’s. In the 1950s,
during the time of hula hoops and
yo-yos, skateboarding became
a prominent hobby. It was
accepted.
Major companies like Hobie
and Makaha struggled to keep
up with the high demand of
money out of their pockets to buy a CD
anymore or even 99 cents to download
a single off of iTunes. I understand that
we’re in a recession, but that gives us even
more reason to support the music industry
during these difficult times.
For those who can’t afford to buy
music, I understand where they’re coming
from. Nevertheless, that is no excuse. I
didn’t buy my first CD until the sixth grade
because I didn’t have the money before
that time.
What did I do until then? I listened to
the radio. I watched music videos in the
wee hours of the morning on MTV with
my sister.
I’m not perfect. I’m far from it, but at
least I realized how much of an effort was
put into the songs I was listening to.
Through all of this, there is one thing
that gets under my skin easier than anything
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skateboards. Even skateboarding
competitions were looked forward
to as an event where fans could
enjoy a fun and positive day. The
look of skateboarding in general
was the complete opposite of
what it is today.
After analyzing the brighter
past of skateboarding, it is
apparent that it is just as much an
American pastime as baseball or
movies, and should be revered as
so.
Yes, some skateboarders
may be rebellious and tenacious,
but most skateboarders are just
looking for a good time. It is
unfortunate to see that views on
skateboarders have plummeted
over the past few decades. It is
ultimately up to us skateboarders
to refurbish these tarnished
views.
“We are not criminals. We’re
just trying to have a good time,”
said Meneses.
Illegally downloading music puts one in jail, don’t do it
else. Think about how many times someone
has said “Music is my life!” I’ve heard this
statement millions of times, and sadly it’s
said most often by those who download
illegally.
If someone loved something with their
very existence, then they would want to see
it thrive, right? Obviously, this is no longer
the case. Who cares about morals when
you can get something for free?
People are nothing more than
inconsiderate, and thus, this matter will
probably always have to be dealt with,
especially when the day comes that CDs
are no longer in circulation.
If we truly love music, we shouldn’t
take advantage of it being a free-access
resource, and buy a song for a change. Give
it a chance, and let the beauty of sound
flourish into the state in which it once was
held.
Autism affects more children every day
column by
Joseph Cardenas
Section Editor
Autism is a spectrum disorder
that impairs social skills, makes
it difficult to communicate and
makes one prone to repetitive
patterns and behaviors. It is a
group of developmental brain
disorders known as Pervasive
Developmental Disorders (PDD)
(autismspeaks.org). “Today, it
is estimated that one in every
110 children is diagnosed with
autism, making it more common
than childhood cancer, juvenile
diabetes and pediatric AIDS
combined.”
I have autism. My kind
of autism is called Asperger’s
Syndrome, which is at the higher
functioning end of the spectrum.
It’s not readily detectable and
most people, when they meet
me, do not know that I have it.
But meeting me and seeing me
walk the halls does not tell people
what’s going on in my head. I see
patterns and a set order that no
one can understand.
My brain gets filled with so
many ideas that I have to write
them down on paper so I won’t
lose the information I have.
Things fly over my head without
me noticing them one bit. I zone
out when I hear a word or see
something that makes me think
about another thing which makes
me think about another thing and
so on and so forth. I love to read
books, but I don’t go deep into the
characters or situations because I
don’t see the deeper meanings
to things. This is the real major
problem for me.
I can’t read body language
and facial expressions, so I’m
almost always afraid to say
something because I don’t know
if what I say will offend someone.
It’s especially hard for me to think
about what I’m feeling. Having
an opinion about something and
what I emotionally feel about
something are two completely
different things, you know that?
I could state 50 topics where I
actually have my own opinion,
yet I couldn’t actually tell what I
felt about the topic. I’m not sure
if I just can’t find the words or if
I have the emotional range of a
teaspoon.
I also have very repetitive and
seemingly obsessive behaviors; I
probably listen to a favorite song
like 25 times a day at minimum.
When something actually catches
my attention, I’m hooked until
my phase tones down. When I
say phases, I mean a long time
of “obsessing” over the thing
the phase is about. My recent
phases have lasted up to a year
and maybe two to three months,
but currently, I’m going through
the ending period of a phase I’ve
had since I was seven-years-old.
It takes a long time at night for
my brain to slow down enough
for me to go to sleep.
I forget things that don’t
impact my range of interest or
I just simply forget things in
general, so I write things down
because of this, but if something
impacts me directly, I’ll remember
it for the longest time.
This order in my head I
mentioned earlier has recently
gotten me paying attention
to popularity charts such as
Billboard’s Hot 100 Singles
chart and the Box Office reviews,
which has led me to listing
movies and music that I like in
clever mathematical ways to be
“accurate” results -- but really, it
just keeps my brain going, which
is really hardwired for math. I’m
wicked at solving functions and
formulas, as long as I know what
they are.
And once I am taught to do
something a certain way, that is
always the way I will do it. Don’t
ask me to do it differently. Don’t
ask me to improvise. Change is
very hard for me.
It’s hard on me to live in this
world and try to be on the same
level as the average person, but
I still live it. I was brought up to
not use my autism as an excuse,
which I do not. I understand who
I am and all my quirks and I don’t
let them get the best of me.
My disability doesn’t control
my life.
Let us know
ecardenas@dadeschools.net