Should home-schooled students be allowed to join in public high school activities and sports?

                          
An editorial by The Washington Post raises a valid question for the state of Virginia: should home-schooled students be allowed to partake in activities and sports of public high schools? The requirement for students at public high schools to be eligible to play a varsity sport is to be passing five core classes in their process of receiving a diploma. Meanwhile, if this Tebow Bill passes would only need a report from parents saying that their child has satisfactory progress in one to two subjects. I don't think that seems fair. Parents have their reasons for home-schooling their children and I respect that, but with that decision, the child is choosing to withdraw from the access to school community activities. If they want to play a sport, find a club/AAU team to play on. If they want to join a club like an art or music group, then find one in the community. At first, before reading this editorial, I had an antithesis of an opinion, but the article changed my point of view. Why should students only having to take one to two classes be allowed to play with students who have to juggle five courses?

The editorial "An unfair playing field for the home-schooled" utilizes logos, and a defined opinion. The logos is used when the author explains the political figures and controversy surrounding the Tebow Bill, along with an explanation of the bill itself for the audiences who don't know about it. the defined opinion of the authors can be found with their "no offense intended" lines to parents who choose to home-school their children, and quoting opposition against the bill. The author writes, "But this bill -- no matter the allure of Tim Tebow -- is not the answer. Being on a team or in a debate club or working on the yearbook is part of being a member of a school community," (1). After reading the editorial, I couldn't agree more.

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Source: "Editorial: An unfair playing field for the home-schooled." The Washington Post 17 Feb. 2012, sec. Opinion : n. pag. The Washington Post. Web. 19 Feb. 2012.

Medical Aftermath of 9/11

                                    

Every American alive back in September 2001 will never forget that horrible day that the terrorists attacked our country and flew two planes into the World Trade Center towers. But, now over ten years later, the medical aftermath on the police and firefighter responders in taking its toll. The United States created the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act was created after a police detective who helped on 9/11 died in 2006 to improve and expand officers protection and services who helped our country on 9/11. However, this act does not include coverage for cancer and 65 officers have died from cancer that were present at 9/11 and 300 more have been diagnosed. I strongly believe that those who risked their lives for us on that terrible day should be receiving some of the best medical coverage we can offer, INCLUDING cancer. They did our country a great service on that day, and if their health is being affected because of the work they did, we should be able to help them.

The author of "Police Union Seeks Data for Cancer Links to 9/11", Colin Moynihan writes with a lot of logos and understanding of his audience. The logos appeal in this article is found with his citation of relevant people on the issue including Police Officer Alonzo Harris, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Patrick J. Lynch the president of the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, and Al O'Leary a union spokesperson. The understanding of his audience in this article is shown with his explanation of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, along with the past history of medical effects of 9/11. I do hope that cancer gets included in the medical coverage of the officers who were at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.

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Source: Moynihan, Colin . "Police Union Seeks Data to Cancer Links to 9/11." The New York Times 12 Feb. 2012, sec. N.Y./ Region: n. pag. The New York Times. Web. 17 Feb. 2012.

Cancer Drug Supply Running Extremely Low

Ever wonder if the world ran out of a drug we have become reliant on? Motrin? Advil? Well, right now the United States is running extremely low on preservative-free methotrexate, a drug that treats acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a form of cancer that strikes children ages 2 to 5. Our country is running so low, that our supplies could possibly run out within the next two weeks. Can you imagine being one of those families that needs this drug for their child? There are at least hundreds of families that have come to need this drug in order for their children to survive. Now, the supply is depleting and what are they supposed to do without the drug? We currently have the four remaining suppliers of preservative-free methotrexate that are trying to increase production and we may even have to appeal to a foreign supplier. However, even more interesting was that there are currently at least 180 drugs that are imperative to treating childhood leukemia, colon cancer, breast cancer, and other diseases. At least 180 drugs! Honestly, I think after reading this article that the United States should be making this a top priority of increasing the supplies of these important treatments.

The author of "Supply of a Cancer Drug May Run Out Within Weeks", Gardiner Harris utilizes a lot of logos, pathos, and understandable diction to appeal to the audience. The logos Harris uses is when he quotes relevant people on the issue, including Valerie Jensen, associate director of FDA's drug shortages program, Dr. Michael P. Link, president of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, and Erin Fox, from drug information service at the University of Utah. The pathos Harris uses is the personal story of Jackson Schwartz, age 6 who is diagnosed with A.L.L. and his dad. This appeal allows the audience to have an emotional insight of what it would be like to be one of the families that needs this drug. The understandable diction Harris writes with is the explanations of what A.L.L. and preservative-free methotrexate are in a way that is comprehendable for most audiences. I really hope that the United States can find a way to get production back on track for this drug that helps cure a form of childhood leukemia.

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Source: Harris, Gardiner. "Supply of a Cancer Drug May Run Out Within Weeks." The New York Times 10 Feb. 2012, sec. Health: n. pag. The New York Times. Web. 12 Feb. 2012.

Chancer, The Wonder Dog

I have always wanted another dog ever since my first dog died in kindergarten. But, my brother became highly allergic so I probably won't have another dog for awhile. But, this article "Wonder Dog" by Melissa Fay Greene highlights how dogs can be so much more than just pets and companions. For a now thirteen year old boy named Iyal Winokur, his golden retriever Chancer has changed his life. Iyal was adopted by the Winokurs from Russia in 1999 and was diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome. FAS is a form of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders where because the mother drank alcohol during her pregnancy, her child's brain and nervous system were severely and permanently damaged. Iyal was explosive with tantrums caused by the tiniest things, urgency, attempts to jump out of moving cars, and rages in the middle of the night. After trying everything, the Winokurs called 4 Paws and went to Ohio to receive a dog that changed their family's life. Chancer has the ability to keep Iyal anchored in the world with full night sleeps, disrupting tantrums and providing the emotional companion that Iyal could never find in his family or humans.

Melissa Fay Greene writes an amazing article with pathos, logos, and ethos. The pathos is just the story she reports in its entirety about how a dog was able to change a boy's life with FAS and prevent his mental state from completely declining to schizophrenia or psychosis. The logos involved are the numerous different statistics and quotations from organizations and doctors, like Alan G. Weintraub, Dr. Jacquelyn Betrand of the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. general surgeon, and Alan M. Beck, the director of the Center for the Human-Animal Bond at Purdue University's College of Veterinary Medicine. The ethos appeal is established with Greene's credibility of knowing which people to talk to and quote on Iyal's story, including his family, Karen Shirk, and Jeremy Dulebohn. Another interesting technique that was used was "Before Chancer, B.C." and "After Chancer, A.C." for how situations have changed. Honestly, I highly recommend this article; it was truly a wonderful story.

Source: Greene, Melissa Fay. "Wonder Dog."The New York Times 2 Feb. 2012, sec. Opinion: n. pag. The New York Times. Web. 6 Feb. 2012.

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Thank You Teddy Roosevelt!

                        

Wonder what America's sports culture would be like if we didn't have the NFL? Well, one things for sure...today would be a different day, probably just treated like any old Sunday in February. However, all of us Americans who are getting ready for the Super Bowl right now, make sure you thank President Theodore Roosevelt. Without his influence back in 1905, the excessive violence of football back then (18 deaths in 1905 alone from the sport) would probably have banished from the United States. It's pretty cool how President Roosevelt was able to influence and change the rules of football so the game was safer, and able to stay as a part of America's culture.

The rhetorical techniques Bob Greene uses in his article of "The president who saved football" relys heavily on the logos appeal for his audience. Throughout this article, there is a logos appeal of historical events and references, including President Theodore Roosevelt's accomplishments, and influential football figures at the time like Charles W. Eliot (Harvard's president). Also,  Bob Greene cites the authority of Arthur Miller. Arthur Miller researched and wrote the book "The Big Scrum: How Teddy Roosevelt Saved Football", therefore, ethos is established as Miller is obviously a knowledgeable source on this topic. This article was a great way for me to get in the spirit of the Super Bowl. Now let's go watch some football...

Source: Greene, Bob. "The president who saved football - CNN.com." CNN.com - Breaking News, U.S., World, Weather, Entertainment & Video News. N.p., 5 Feb. 2012. Web. 5 Feb. 2012. http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/05/opinion/greene-super-bowl/index.html?hpt=hp_c2.

Do-It-Yourself Deportation

One of the many controversial questions in the United States today is pertaining to the children of illegal immigrants. Should they be allowed to stay? Or should we deport them back to their home countries? Everyone has their own opinions, but this is mine: these children help make the United States the melting pot it is. Without them, our country wouldn't be this amazing mixture of cultures, languages, customs, and people. The diversity we have makes us such an amazing place. Honestly, this article made me cry for Antonio Alarcon, the author. His parents were not only not making enough money in the United States, but another son left in Mexico without any guardians to care for him, has made them return to Mexico and leave Antonio alone with his uncles in New York City. One line that really spoke to me was when Antonio says, "Now that they are in Mexico, I wonder who will be at my graduation, my volleyball games, or my birthday? With whom will I share my joy or my sad moments?" (Alarcon 1). His words made me realize that having your parents there for you, no matter what, isn't a guarantee. Those of us who do have them, think about how much you count on your parents for whatever reasons you have. Maybe it's a sports game, a celebration, taking pictures at a dance, or simply confiding in them about a bad day. They do so much, and the pain without them would be overwhelming.

The rhetorical techniques Antonio Alarcon utilizes in this pathos based article are very convincing and appealing to the audience. First, however, the interesting thing about this article was that it was originally submitted in Spanish and was translated into English for publication. This article is heavy on the pathos appeal because Alarcon really draws his audience in emotionally with his story and what deportation has done to his family and how it affects him. Another technique Alarcon uses is his citations of political figures and news involving deportation, like Mitt Romney's suggestion for "self-deportation", and the Dream Act. This technique establishes reliability with the audience, that immigrants do have an understanding and care about the politics in our country. Finally, Alarcon asks his audience a lot of rhetorical questions, including the ones previously cited and this one: "Does Mr. Romney really think that this should be America's solution for immigration reform?" (Alarcon 1). These questions really question the audience's previous opinions and how Antonio's story has affected them. Honestly, Antonio Alarcon's "Do-It-Yourself Deportation" article was one of the best articles I have read, full of truth and a new perspective on immigration.

Source: Alarcon, Antonio . "Do-It-Yourself Deportation." The New York Times 1 Feb. 2012, sec. Opinion: n. pag. The New York Times. Web. 5 Feb. 2012.

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Memoir #2: Warriors Don't Cry

For my second memoir, I am going to read Warriors Don't Cry by Melba Pattillo Beals.