Ponder This

by Kristy Zabel

Work in Progress 2

People take for granted today the many freedoms that did not exist in the past. Nowadays, different races can use the same facilities, enjoy the right to vote, be recognized as equals, and much more. And women have come a long way as well - with the ability to vote, seek a greater education, work toward career goals, etc. It is quite amazing once you really think about the advances that have been made in both aspects of inequality's past and present state.

When I hear of racism or gender inequality today, however, I wonder why the individuals involved are still stuck in the dark ages. Stories like the Jena 6 make me sick. Did those white people that hung the nooses in the tree really grow up in the same country and same decade as me? And did the black students who beat the white student (who wasn't even involved in the noose-hanging incident) even think about the consequences of their actions, or did they just act on animal instinct like they see in video games and media, thinking that violence is normal, acceptable, and necessary? It makes me wonder--what makes some people think violence and racism are acceptable in today's world? I realize that society's moral standards have gone down, but haven't we at least moved on in the department of race relations? I would venture to say that the majority of the country has moved on, so what went wrong in the minds of those people involved in the Jena 6 story and other similar cases of racial tension? It truly baffles me.

People who commit violence or unfairly treat other races should suffer equal consequences - no matter what their gender or race is. For the Jena 6 issue, I think both the white students who hung the nooses and the black students who beat the innocent white student should be punished to the fullest extent of the law - not only as a consequence for their actions, but also to serve as an example and a warning to other potential "thugs" in an effort to prevent such occurrences in the future. Violence like that which took place in the Jena 6 case should be punished severely. The black students had nothing but hate in their hearts as they kicked one helpless guy until he was out like a light. As for the white people who put up the nooses...they should be put in jail for a hate crime. What is wrong with these people? Seriously?!

Besides the instances dealing with racial tension, we still have gender issues today that we are trying to deal with. These days, men and women compete for the same careers and overall goals in life. So why would a man be offended if a woman makes more than he does or visa versa? It's not because it's only one gender's role to win the bread for the family, it's because both men and women are competitive. We both feel the need to win--whether we're striving for the best job, the highest paycheck, or even trying to be the one who pays for a nice dinner. In the past, men grew up with the idea that it was their job to provide for the family. Today, I think there is a slight change in that kind of upbringing, but I hope that it will continue to change for a more 'woman-accepting' upbringing. It's important for young men to learn that women can contribute to a conversation, a relationship, or a business as well as any man.

Even in 2007, we still have a bit to go with the progress of an equal man/woman and race society.

Work in Progress 1

Revision of draft:

I have decided to cut and paste a few parts from my previous blogs into this, so if some of it looks familiar, you're not crazy, I'm just using it again. :)


People take for granted today the many freedoms that did not exist in the past. Nowadays, different races can use the same facilities, enjoy the right to vote, be recognized as equals, and much more. And women have come a long way as well - with the ability to vote, seek a greater education, work toward career goals, etc. It is quite amazing once you really think about the advances that have been made.

When I hear of racism or gender inequality, however, I wonder why the individuals involved are still stuck in the dark ages. Stories like the Jena 6 make me sick. Did those white people that hung the nooses in the tree really grow up in the same country and same decade as me? And did the black students who beat the white student (who wasn't even involved in the noose-hanging incident) even think about the consequences of their actions, or did they just act on animal instinct like they see in video games and media, thinking that violence is normal, acceptable, and necessary? It makes me wonder--what makes some people think violence and racism are acceptable in today's world? I realize that society's moral standards have gone down, but haven't we at least moved on the department of race relations? I would venture to say that the majority of the country has moved on, so what went wrong in the minds of those people involved in the Jena 6 story and other similar cases of racial tension?

People who commit violence or unfairly treat other races should suffer equal consequences. For the Jena 6 issue, I think both the white students who hung the nooses and the black students who beat the innocent white student should be punished. Violence like that which has occurred in that case should be punished severely. The black students had nothing but hate in their hearts as they kicked one helpless guy until he was out like a light. As for the white people who put up the nooses should be put in jail for a hate crime. What is wrong with these people? Seriously?!

Besides the instances dealing with racial tension, we still have gender issues today that we are trying to deal with. These days, men and women compete for the same careers. So why would a man be offended if a woman makes more than he does or visa versa? It's not because it's only one gender's role to win the bread for the family, it's because both men and women are competitive. We both feel the need to win--whether we're striving for the best job, the highest paycheck, or even trying to be the one who pays for a nice dinner. (Christie pointed out a couple of things for this part of my writing, so I'm going to try to address her comment.) In the past, men grew up with the idea that it was their job to provide for the family. Today, I see a slight change in that kind of upbringing, but I hope that it will continue to change for a more 'woman-accepting' upbringing. It's important for young men to learn that women can contribute to a conversation, a relationship, or a business as well as any man.


"That's all folks!"--for now anyway... :)

Happy Halloween!

Well, Halloween is over now because it's 1:30 on Thursday morning, but HAPPY HALLOWEEN anyway! Hehehe Wow...it's soooo late, and I don't really have anything to blog about right now. Hmmm... I suppose I'll do a Halloween poem. Again--I'm not really a poem person, but I resort to it on here when I'm at a loss for words. :-P :)


There was an old witch who flew at night,

And she happened to have bad eyesight.

She'd barely miss running into stuff,

So soon she decided she'd had enough.

She put down her broom - she thought for good,

But decided she'd fix her eyes if she could.

She stirred up a brew with hopes it would work.

When she drank the concoction, her ears perked.

But her eyes were no better, she still could not see,

So she tried one more time - adding mud to her tea.

Once she drank it, she could see all around.


Only problem was now, she couldn't hear a sound.


Oh, my....That was cheesy, random, weird, and appropriately scary for this holiday. :-/ Oh well. Happy Halloween! :)

Working Toward the Final Product for Blog Assignment - Inequality

Yes, Olyivia, I will use red pen to grade things once in a while. I will use other colors too though just to avoid monotony. :)

Well, here is the start of my final product for my blog. I have chosen to combine several of my blog topics into one umbrella topic - inequality (with a focus on gender & race). It is almost a cliche issue because many people choose it as a topic to write about, but I think it's an important issue that should be discussed and confronted.

I have blogged about many things that are seemingly random (and many of them are :)), but I plan to use some or all of the following past blog topics: the Jena 6, the adverse effect of the hip-hop culture on youth, money & gender, inappropriate ads (I'm sure I can use that one somehow), high expectations, and maybe a couple of others that I might be able to associate with the topic. I'll see how it pans out near the end. This is one of my first drafts, so it's only going to be the tip of the iceberg. Bear with me. :)

People take for granted today the many freedoms that did not exist in the past. Nowadays, different races can use the same facilities, enjoy the right to vote, be recognized as equals, and much more. And women have come a long way as well - with the ability to vote, seek a greater education, work towards career goals, etc. It is quite amazing once you really think about the advances that have been made.

When I hear of racism or gender inequality, however, I wonder why the individuals involved are still stuck in the dark ages. Stories like the Jena 6 make me sick. Did those white people that hung the nooses in the tree really grow up in the same country and same decade as me? And did the black students who beat the white student (who wasn't even involved in the noose-hanging incident) even think about the consequences of their actions, or did they just act on animal instinct like they see in video games and media, thinking that violence is normal, acceptable, and necessary?

Besides the cases of racial tension, we still have gender issues. These days, men and women compete for the same careers. So why would a man be offended if a woman makes more than he does or visa versa? It's not because it's only one gender's role to win the bread for the family, it's because both men and women are competitive. We both feel the need to win--whether we're striving for the best job, the highest paycheck, or even trying to be the one who pays for a nice dinner.

---I'm going to stop here because my 20 minutes are up, it's late, and I have to go to bed. So, I will continue with this at a later time. Have a good week, fellow bloggers and blog-readers! :-D

The Use of Red Pens Leads to Low Self Esteem?

I've heard that teachers are no longer allowed to grade students' papers using red pen because it lowers their self esteem. I'd like to know what 'psychologist' came up with that. These days, it seems like we are trying to make everyone happy all of the time, but we are forgetting the common phrase--"You can make some of the people happy some of the time, but you can't make all of the people happy all of the time"---(or something to that effect.) :)

I would think that no matter what color you use to grade a student's paper, if he got an "F," he's not going to be happy whether it's written in purple or aqua-marine. Instead of focusing on the color of pen we're using, the student needs to look at the grade and use it to see if he's learning the concepts or not. And we as teachers need to focus on the students' needs as far as giving them a good education is concerned.

No one likes a bad grade, and another color is not going to make it look more appealing. The color red is not going to ruin a child's self esteem in my opinion. Generations of people have lived through their teachers' usage of red pens, and they're just fine. Grading is a way to show what a student has/hasn't learned, his progress over time, and it also helps in self evaluation of success. Therefore, it's important to point out to children that the grade is a helpful evaluation tool for them and for teachers and the education system as a whole--it's not to torture them.

Red ink is our friend! :)

High Expectations

Before I begin with tonight's topic of "High Expectations," I'd like to respond to Christie's last response to my "Birth Control for Eleven Year Olds" blog. Wow, Christie, that is depressing that you've had to deal with the issue already in the high school where you work. You gave a good response to the girl. If I were in your place, I don't know what I would have said! I don't know what's wrong with people these days. Children don't need birth control--they need good parents! Now for tonight's topic...

Recently, I was forwarded a link to yet another website that conjures up some random, blog-worthy thoughts in my head. Here's the link...
http://www.bju.edu/prospective/expect/dress.html The site is just a list of dress code expectations for the students at Bob Jones University (wherever that is--never heard of it.) After looking over the expectations, all I could really say was WOW. Their rules are so strict it's ridiculous.

I'm a Christian girl, but I'm sorry--wearing flip-flops is not a sin. I believe students SHOULD be required to wear appropriate, conservative dress in schools (and everywhere), but they should also be allowed to have more say in what the wear. "Morning Dress–dress shirt (no denim/chambray) with tie, dress or neat casual pants (no jeans, cargo, carpenter, or sloppy pants), dress or leather casual shoes; sweaters should show shirt collar and tie knot (no sweatshirts)." Aren't they getting a bit picky with the shirt collar sticking out just so, the no-jeans rule, etc.? Their rules are over the top in my opinion.

At Fern Creek (where I'm interning), they require the older students to tuck in their shirts so that they are presentable, and skirts must come to a certain length. Rules like these make sense to me because they allow children to choose what they wear but also make sure that they are wearing things properly and presenting themselves properly to others. It is good to set rules and expectations for students because they know what is required of them, but in the case of dress, it would make more sense to set some basic rules (like the examples from Fern Creek), and then if a few problems arise, deal with them on an individual basis.

Although I do believe in individuality---in some cases, I would opt for uniforms--but only in extreme cases. For instance, if a school has mostly low-income students who can't afford clothing, it would be beneficial to have them wear uniforms. Also, if there is a school in the inner city, where gang symbolism and inappropriate dress abound, then students should wear uniforms. Otherwise, give students the ability to make good choices about their dress.

Conservative clothing doesn't have to be 'un-trendy.' And I don't consider it a sin to have well-fitted clothes instead of "loose fitting shirts and pants." Students should be expected to wear conservative clothing, have 'normal' hair, and be free of distractions (like tongue piercings, green mohawks, and tattoos)--but they should be allowed to wear things found in an everyday department store--as long as it's appropriate.

My Siblings

Well, I'm borrowing a blog idea from one of you again---this time it's from Olyvia. She wrote a nice blog about her sisters, so I thought I'd share a bit about my two sisters and brother.

First of all, I have to say, I find it so strange when people don't like their siblings. I can't imagine my life without my siblings! I actually have three older half brothers and one older half sister, but to keep it simple and uncomplicated, I'm going to stick with talking about the siblings with whom I share my Mom and my Dad. (My Dad was married and divorced before he married my Mom, so that's the background info.) :)

I have an older sister Jill, a younger sister Brittany, and the baby in the group is my brother Gregory (Greg). So, I am a middle child...kinda--since I share that spot with Brittany. We are each about three years apart--Greg is about three & a half years younger than Brittany. So now that I have you thoroughly confused and bored, I will move on to what makes them special to me. :)



Jill, being the oldest of the four, has always been the protector and 'mother hen' if you will of all of us younger kids. She and I have fond memories of playing travel agent, beach party, restaurant, and so much more as children. She is one of my best friends ever. She has always been there for me--encouraged me, laughed with me, occasionally laughed at me, and helped me with all sorts of things. Even though we're three years apart, we are so close that we say that we are twins but that one of us was born a year and a half early and the other a year and a half late. I have always looked up to the great example she provides. We have a great relationship--one that I deeply cherish. She is currently getting her Masters at Georgetown University, and so she lives and works in D.C. It's hard having her live so far away. Her visits home are few in number and don't come often enough, but we keep in touch by phone, email, and instant messaging.

Then, there's Brittany. Brittany Brittany Brittany. She is quite a character. :) She is a lot of fun to be around; she comes up with the strangest things to say sometimes--we just have to laugh. It's hard not to smile when she's around. When we were kids, I used to force her to play school with me. I complained often to my parents because she didn't want to sit still and listen. :) She is a very friendly, accepting, 'bubbly' person, and she cheers me up when I'm down or bored or what-have-you. She is my best friend too. (I don't have just one best friend because they're all the best.) She is always there for me also, and I wish she were here right now making me laugh as I blog. She recently left for her first year at the University of Florida, so I'm the only girl (besides my Mom) at the house now, but she gets to visit pretty often, since she's so close---so that's a good thing. :)

With Jill and Brittany gone, I'm left with Greg. :) He's great too. He's my big little brother. :) I remember when he came home for the first time as a cute little baby---now he's taller than me! He's only 14, but because he's so tall, people often think he's my boyfriend. I'm like, nooooo, people--he's my brother! :) Anyway, he is a very talented musician. He's in both the marching band and jazz band at school, and I get 'jazzed up' about his performances. (Pardon the pun.) ;) But it is so cool to see what he can do with the guitar especially (he plays trumpet and piano too). It blows me away. Besides being talented (as all my siblings are with different things), Greg is just a good guy. He is a caring, loyal, trustworthy best friend. I know that I can count on him for his support, and I value his opinions. He's the best little brother.


So, that's all I can really squeeze into 20 plus minutes of blogging about my siblings. I am WAY over the time limit right now. Oops! Really, I could spend weeks talking about them, but I have other homework to do. :) The moral of the story (that is my life) is that I love my siblings!!! :-D They are the best, and they are irreplaceable to me. I would NEVER trade them for anyone else and would NEVER want to be an only child. My siblings provided me with 'built in' best friends, entertainment, love, and support. God blessed me with three wonderful siblings, and for that I am very grateful.