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Dear Editor I am really appalled at the…
Dear Editor,
I am really appalled at the way our society treats homosexuals. We deny them so many basic rights, the biggest one being marriage, and although awareness is being spread we don’t seem to be moving towards progress. We treat them like second class citizens for no valid reason. A recent article was posted march 3rd on stltoday.com that was a perfect example of the injustice these people are subjected to. A St. Louis teacher was fired because he had plans to marry his male partner. If that wasn’t bad enough, the Archdiocese a man who is a leader for an entire religion, supported this. The reasoning behind it was that he wasn’t following a christian lifestyle and was a bad role model for students. The really frustrating thing is that there is nothing in the bible written against homosexuality. The bible can be interpreted so many ways, so for one to go so far as to fire some one because certain assumptions made about it is unacceptable. Then the archdiocese spoke in approval of this which was shameful. How could this man, Al Fischer, be a bad role model for simply wanting to start a life with someone he loved, while the archdiocese is can bash an entire group of innocent people and still be respected? Although we live in a country that supposedly stands for freedom, equality, and the right to happiness, we continue to deprive these people of that. I don’t understand why we are so threatened by gay people getting married. A lot of people say gay marriage threatens traditional family values, but when 50 percent of heterosexual marriages end in divorce we can’t honestly blame gay people for the deterioration of what it means to be a family. If everyone just realized how unreasonable and unfair this was instead of turning our heads to it, we could work together to make a real difference.
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Ashlie Pacius
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Ashlie Pacius
Speech
Topic: Gay rights
1.) Intro
a. attention grabbing question
b. introduce topic2.) gay marriage
a. how many states have it
b. why civil unions aren’t fair
c. address the counter argument ( it takes away from traditional values)3.) The Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders(GLAD)
a. What they do( take on individual cases, help draft and push legislation, break down gay stereotypes)
b. how you can help4)Conclusion
a. state the main idea
b.Thank the audience for their time -
Ashlie Pacius
I had to watch Noam Chomsky’s video on the nature of resistance a couple times before I could begin to understand what he was talking about, and I’m still not sure I even fully grasp it, but it got the gears in my head spinning. I think he was trying to get across that awareness is the first step towards progress. By asking questions and thinking about the way in which we function as a society we can identify the issues and move towards progress. Change and growth is made possible by resisting social and cultural norms. Most of us go through life completely oblivious or uncaring to things that just aren’t right. We are each just another sheep in the herd. At one point he said ” My grandmother wouldn’t have understood if you told her she was oppressed. If you tell my daughters that….well you don’t have to tell them because they’ll tell you.” I thought this was a really powerful statement that really puts his message in to perspective. If we don’t know there is a problem then we can’t address it. Another thing that struck me was his statement that “oppression is a natural condition”. I thought about it and since the beginning of recorded history there has always been a group or country being oppressed. Even in this country we have always been against someone weather it be Native Americans, African Americans, Immigrants, women, or homosexuals. It really says something about human nature. Apparently we are all born with the desire to bring down those around us. It’s really disturbing to think that way, but it seems accurate according to this information. It’s was very enlightening.
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Ashlie Pacius
Gays: The Modern American Prejudice
Since the foundation of this country human rights and equality has been a consistent theme for us. Many groups have had to fight for fair treatment in this country such as African Americans, Native Americans, and females. Looking back, it’s obvious it was wrong to deprive these people of opportunities the rest of had, yet we have carried on this type of prejudice and applied it to a new demographic, homosexuals. Because of their sexual preference we have made gays outsiders. Our society has denied them the right to marry, left them unprotected in legislation regarding discrimination and hate crimes, and treated them like second class citizens. The only reason we do this is the same reason for why we have discriminated any group, we are uncomfortable because they are different. A lot of people feel that their traditional views of family are being threatened. What it comes down to is really a moral issue. It is unfathomable that we can stand by and allow people to be so mistreated and oppressed because of something they can not control. Have we learned nothing from history?
It’s not just a problem in the U.S. and this is by no means a new issue. Gays have been globally discriminated against as far back as 2000 b.c.(idp.org) In the eighteen hundreds, many European countries outlawed homosexual behavior. It was illegal in some states as recently as 1986.(glapn.org) The countries original debate against homosexuality was religion. When the pilgrims settled here in the 1600′s church and state were linked. Homosexuality was considered a sin because God’s intention was for sex was to be shared between a man and a woman, according to the bible. Devout Christians often stage protests against gays for this reason. The problem with this being, the bible doesn’t out rightly say anything against gays. For example many protesters say the verse that states “Neither the sexually immoral nor idolators… nor homosexual offenders… will inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10.) is clearly stating that homosexuality is bad. At the same time researchers have claimed it is possible that the passages in Corinthians as a warning against the exploitation of young boys. There are many interpretations of the bible so nothing can be labeled as fact and used as a justifiable reason to mistreat homosexuals. We have even stopped them from fighting for their country. Gays are not allowed to serve in the armed armed forces. Nothing about a person’s sexual preference affects their ability to follow orders and perform. The reason why gays aren’t welcomed in the military is the same reason they aren’t able to donate blood, our culture has a long held belief that they are deviants. The public has this picture of gays as promiscuous and uncontrollable over their sexual urges. Although gays do currently serve in the military, they can not do so openly. They have to hide who they are behind the “don’t ask, don’t tell policy.” This policy was introduced in 1993 by the clinton administration and means that although gays aren’t allowed in to serve, it is unlawful to ask that information while enlisting, so therefor it goes unknown.(dosomething.org) It is awful to tell some one they aren’t good enough because of who they love. Some people don’t care about this issue, or condone it. Look at it this way, what if the government chose to ban a specific race from the military? That would cause an uproar and there would be activists marching in the streets. Gays are no different.
This is a really hot topic right now. It’s not uncommon to turn on the news and see a story having to do with gay rights. One of the biggest issues being debated today is gay marriage. Currently only the following six states; Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, and Washington D.C., allow gay marriage.(ncsl.org) Even then, these marriages aren’t recognized everywhere. Usually they are only recognized by the state government of where the ceremony was done, or another state that permits gay marriage. Currently only New York and Maryland recognize same sex marriages from other states.(ncsl.org) The following five states, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, New Jersey, Rhode Island, allow civil unions.(ncsl.org) Civil unions are supposed to be the equivalent to marriage so most people can’t understand why activists aren’t happy to settle with that. That’s because according to Federal Government regulations there are certain legal rights that apply to a marriage that are excluded in a Civil Union. Examples of this are the right to not testify against one’s significant other, social security benefits, unpaid leave to care for a sick spouse, and one thousand one hundred and thirty eight others.(dosomething.org) People who are against gay marriage feel that marriage is something meant to be something shared between a man and a woman. They feel that it would threaten traditional values and the traditional family unit. One could see how they might feel that way, but statistics say otherwise. When Massachusetts legalized gay marriage in 2004, over the following four years they saw a 21 percent decline in the divorce rate.(gaymarriage.procon.org) To me that suggests gay marriages have a strong sense of family and unity. When we consider the nation’s average divorce rate of about 50% among straight couples, and 40.6 percent of all babies are born to unwed mothers it’s not fair of us to point our fingers at gay couples for the disintegration of traditional values and family make up.(gaymarriage.procon.org) It’s obvious that family life in our culture is just changing, gay people were around a lot earlier than when this social breakdown began so it’s ridiculous to think they are the cause. As far as marriage being meant for a man and a woman, that is unfair. Marriage shouldn’t be thought of as something between a male and a female, but instead thought of as something shared between two people who love each other and want to spend the rest of their lives together. This is a country where everyone has the right to the pursuit of happiness as stated in the constitution. If marrying someone of the same sex is what makes a person happy, they are entitled to that. Another argument against gay marriage is that it should be prohibited because same sex couples can’t reproduce. The last time I checked people weren’t baby machines, there should be a lot more considered in a marriage other than the ability to conceive. If that was the case they wouldn’t allow infertile couples to marry either.
If it wasn’t enough that homosexuals are being discriminated against legally, they are also just being out right treated badly, some to the point where they feel it’s necessary to take their own life. Suicide rates and the number of suicide attempts among homosexuals are alarming. According to statistics one in three gay individuals admit to having attempted suicide.( youthprideri.org) They are also 3 times more likely to commit suicide than heterosexuals.(youthprideri.org) Maybe if these people had one person in their life accept them and let them know it was okay, they wouldn’t feel so hopeless and isolated. Life is a precious thing. Even if one doesn’t care about gay rights, they should at least care about the loss of innocent people. They shouldn’t have to be ashamed of what they were born as, something that is entirely out of their control. Although this is the frightening reality it isn’t exactly surprising. With the way they are treated it’s easy to see how one could go to such extreme measures. In our society homosexuals are often bombarded with violence and severe harassment, especially among teens. According to a recent survey, 84% of lesbian and gay students have been harassed because of their sexual orientation.(youthprideri.org) People are entitled to an education, and they shouldn’t feel terrified of going to school. It’s no wonder why this keeps happening when our government is sending a message that it condones this behavior. Although gays are currently the most likely group to be victimized, only twenty four states protect them with hate crime laws. A hate crime is defined as “a crime, usually violent, motivated by prejudice or intolerance toward a member of a gender, racial, religious, or social group.” That being said, it is unfathomable to me that we wouldn’t categorize the verbal and physical attacks these people are experiencing as anything but a hate crime. They also face inequality in the work place. It is more difficult for gays to advance in their fields, or even be hired for that matter. A survey of 191 employers revealed that 18% would fire, 27% would refuse to hire and 26% would refuse to promote a person they thought might be lesbian, gay or bisexual.(youthprideri.org) We as a country are telling these people that their lives, ambitions, and safety don’t matter. If we treat them like second class citizens how can we ever expect to have a peaceful society?
There are many organizations and activists groups working towards eliminating this issue. Some of the most well known are the Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance(GLAA), the Gay and Lesbian Alliance against Defamation(GLAAD), and the Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders. The gay and lesbian activists alliance is a nonprofit, volunteer organization that mainly focuses on furthering the rights of lesbians and gays. They were founded in 1971 and mostly work in the Washington D.C. area.(glaa.org) They are he nation’s longest running gay right organization and are accredited with why Washington D.C. is one of the leading states on gay equality.(glaa.org) They have done a lot for this cause, most recently they supported two bills. One was the Judicial Declaration of Parentage Act and the other was for a series of anti bullying laws.(glaa.org) The Judicial Declaration of Parentage Act gives domestic partners the right to have both of their names on their child’s birth certificate(glaa.org), and includes them in the Uniform Interstate Family support act that sets the rules for child support.(courts.michigan.gov) The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation is an organization that has been around since 1985. They put together events in major cities all across the country for the sole purpose of celebrating the culture the gay community has created and spreading awareness of the obstacles and mistreatment homosexuals are dealing with. For example, the next upcoming event they organized is the 23rd annual GLAA media awards in new york that celebrates all the contributions he gay culture has contributed to mainstream media over the years including theater, music, film, and other related media outlets. They also keep people updated on the most recent news involving gays in entertainment, politics, religion, sports, etc. The Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders is another gay rights group that has been doing a lot lately. They provide legislative advocacy which means they have special attorneys who write drafts of legislation, testify before legislators and is the basically the gay voice in the judiciary system. They also take on individual cases of same sex families that want to fight discrimination by the law. For example, they recently took a Connecticut couple’s case about weather or not the same sex couple’s names should be on the birth certificate of the baby they had through a surrogate mother. In a ruling that was a first of it’s kind they won. This is a huge step for gays who are fighting for equal recognition as parents. Another thing they work hard to achieve is bringing the truth out about these issues. The public has a lot of assumptions and stereotypes surrounding gays and gay issues. By informing them of the truth and the reality of what’s happening, they hope to change the minds of those who oppose gays and rally more support.
Above are just a few of the dozens of gay rights groups in the United States. After hearing about the inequality and struggles faced by gay people in this country you might be feeling overwhelmed and eager to help or support the cause. The good news is, there are lots of ways to get involved. You can show your support by getting involved with one of the many events hosted by major activists groups. There is power in numbers, so just showing up is a big help. It’s important for us to let them know that they can be embraced by heterosexuals They also need help running events so volunteers are always welcome. A lot of groups will work with you to find a project that suits your schedule and talents. GLAD, for example, utilizes each persons unique skills. They place you where they feel you would be the most hopeful while considering the time you are able to contribute and your professional skills. Of course nothing in this world is free and not everyone has time to commit so donations are always greatly appreciated. You can also sign up to be a part of their mailing list to keep yourself updated on the news and the different projects and events being conducted. There are lots of opportunities that are very easy to get in to. To participate with the Gay and Lesbian Advocates and defenders simply use this link(http://www.glad.org/help/volunteer) that will take you directly to a sign up page. This link( http://www.volgistics.com/ex/portal.dll/ap?AP=1650282281) will take you directly to a sign up form for the Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance.
If you would like to learn more you can look in to the following sources:
“Human Rights Campaign.” Human Rights Campaign. Web. 20 Feb. 2012. <http://www.hrc.org/>.
This is the website for the largest civil rights groups for homosexuals. Founded in 1980 they are now over one million members strong and growing. One of the great things about this site is that it offers a lot in depth information on a lot of the major issues, so even someone who isn’t fully aware of what’s going on can easily understand the situation. It also offers a great way to find local information by simply typing in your state. It can be difficult to look for volunteer opportunities when you have to scroll through lists of them, but this will narrow your results by your area. Over all, it’s informative with out giving the feeling you are reading a text book. I felt this site was valuable because it offered a lot of up to date information.
“Home Page.” National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. Web. 20 Feb. 2012. <http://thetaskforce.org/>.
“GLAD / Home.” Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders. Web. 21 Feb. 2012. <http://www.glad.org/>.
This is the site for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. What I liked about this site is it had a very strong and clear mission statement which was complete equality. It also had over ten categories of issues to search through for more information.Unfortunately I was disappointed to see the only opportunity they extended for helping them was to make a donation, it seemed greedy. Also, it’s last update was at the end of 2011 so it wasn’t as up to date as other sources. I felt this site is a good source because it was persuasive, which was the whole point.
“STATISTICS.” PFLAG Upstate SC. Web. 20 Feb. 2012. <http://www.pflagupstatesc.org/statistics.htm>.
This is the site for Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians & Gays. This organization is made up of those who aren’t gay themselves but are close to someone who is is looking for a way to show support. I liked that this site had a huge list of statistics. It’s one thing when people have opinions on this issue, but it’s a lot easier to provide a strong argument when you have a list of hard facts to back what you’re saying. This source is really valuable because it’s bring to our attention that gays are not the only ones affected by the gay rights movement.
“11 Facts About Gay Rights.” DoSomething.org. Web. 21 Feb. 2012. <http://www.dosomething.org/tipsandtools/11-facts-about-gay-rights>.
“Gay Rights and Lifestyle Choices.” Liberal Democratic Party. Web. 21 Feb. 2012. <http://www.ldp.org.au/federal/policies/lifestyleChoices.html>.
The History of Sodomy Laws in the United States – Introduction.” Gay & Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest. Web. 21 Feb. 2012. <http://www.glapn.org/sodomylaws/sensibilities/introduction.htm>.
“Gay Marriage ProCon.org.” Gay Marriage ProCon.org. Web. 21 Feb. 2012. <http://gaymarriage.procon.org/>.
“Statistics.” Youth Pride Inc. Home. Web. 21 Feb. 2012. <http://www.youthprideri.org/Resources/Statistics/tabid/227/Default.aspx>
“Same-Sex Marriage, Civil Unions and Domestic Partnerships.” Same Sex Marriage. Web. 21 Feb. 2012. <http://www.ncsl.org/issues-research/human-services/same-sex-marriage-overview.aspx>.
About PFLAG.” PFLAG Upstate SC. Web. 21 Feb. 2012. <http://www.pflagupstatesc.org/about.htm>.
“Top LGBT News Stories.” GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation). Web. 21 Feb. 2012. <http://www.glaad.org/>.
“Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance.” Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance. Web. 21 Feb. 2012. <http://www.glaa.org/>.
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Maura Bilek
Hi Ashlie! I enjoyed this paper a lot because I agree with your stance; this is truly a topic of relevance. People in our country have a lot to learn about this issue; I learned so much myself just from reading your paper. It seems like you did a great job finding interesting research to apply to your piece. I enjoyed reading facts about the history of homosexuality. It goes to show how much has changed, but I agree that there’s a lot more work needed to end the unfairness and discrimination gays face. I was satisfied to read your acknowledgement of biblical interpretations, and how a main opposing argument calls these interpretations fact when really it is not. You also included a lot of background about laws involving homosexuals; I was totally shocked to learn that only two U.S. states recognize marriages from other states. To me it seems like a very unnecessary, silly rule to impose. I was very engaged in your information about civil unions, because I knew very little about what constituted one until reading your paper. It’s unbelievable, the amount of restrictions placed on these unions that prevent two individuals from various rights that married couples receive. I was completely in awe at the fact that less than half of the US have hate crime laws to protect gay individuals. All your research about suicide rates amongst homosexuals due to bullying really helped connect the idea of how unjust this truly is.
As to the mechanics of your paper, there were some grammatical errors overlooked. Specifically in the introduction paragraph, I noticed some issues with incorrect punctuation and sentence structure. I think that the introduction was one part that could use improvement. As a reader, the introduction can really make or break focus or interest, so I think it would be a good thing for you to expand it with more detail. Also, there were some issues with citations. I was confused writing citations myself, and I might be wrong about this but I’m pretty sure you are supposed to end your citation with a period after the parentheses. For example, you wrote: According to statistics one in three gay individuals admit to having attempted suicide.( youthprideri.org) < period should follow parentheses (like this). One thing that kept bugging me was the way you wrote out super long numbers like fifty five thousand two hundred. In formal writing (from what I’ve been taught), only numbers twelve and under need to be spelled out like so. Also, there was a citation missing for your definition of ‘hate crime’, I believe. Anyway, you did an awesome job bringing up the opposing arguments and disproving them. You included a lot of great facts about people getting involved in this cause, and about what we can do to help change this issue. I think this was overall a strong draft with a lot of great research behind it; a little revising and editing will perfect it. -
Kyle Barczak
First off, Ashlie, I want to say that I loved your title. It obviously lets your reader know what they’re about to read but is also being very honest with what the United States has been the last few years, prejudice. In your second paragraph, I love all the facts that you’re providing the reader. While it’s obvious that there were people who were either gay or lesbian in the pat, I never knew that it was that long ago or that there would be any form of evidence of that.
One thing I would look in to is where you got your facts for gays serving in the military. As of October of last year, the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DNDT) policy was removed (I’m in the military). Well, that is, for now gay and lesbians are allowed to. Current presidential candidates have voted against the repeal of the DNDT policy so we may see that come back in to effect. But if one were to argue this, one can also argue why women aren’t allowed to be in a combat job like Infantry or Combat Engineers or go to specialized schooling like Ranger School or Special Forces. There are more than enough examples behind why that is. One being muscle mass. Would a woman be capable of carrying a 200 pound man, in full gear (another 50-80lbs) and carry him a solid 300 feet while wearing their own gear? While it’s possible, it may be very unlikely. The other question, although it applies to both genders, would a woman be able to pull the trigger? It may just be my experience but I’ve heard from my more men than woman that is capable of that, but I do know 1 woman who has.
With the exception of your military statement, I believe you have a very well written paper. You provided many, many facts, most of which surprised me, especially the suicide rates or the percent who have at least though about suicide. There are plenty of reasons I could see one arguing against these facts, but leaving those out of the picture, I found them quiet appalling. I also really like how you mentioned that gay and lesbian couples who are married wouldn’t make them worse parents than some parents who are heterosexual. I actually recently just watched a video on YouTube of a college student who was speaking to a representative or congressman in Iowa who was raised by a lesbian couple; he stated everything he had going for him and to be honest, I was extremely jealous of how much he had achieved at such a young age. I think that, more than anything shows that there’s nothing different from a straight couple or a gay/lesbian couple raising a child. As your paper says, a marriage should be between two people who love each other, and that’s all I believe it should take to be a parent. Someone who is ready for the responsibilities of a child, no matter if they’re gay or straight.
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Ashlie Pacius
I was really taken with Peter Hessler’s “Village Voice”, and Rajeev Goyal’s story. He has done so much and spent so much time and effort to improve the quality of life for people who are complete strangers. These people living in Nepal have to travel miles on foot just for clean water. It really put things in to perspective for me to hear something like that. When I am thirsty I walk ten feet to a fountain or a faucet. I never realized that something as simple as water was considered to be a luxury for some people. Every day we don’t realize what a blessing water, food, good health care, etc. are. In our society we almost feel entitled to it and it really goes unappreciated and unnoticed. I was impressed with The drive Rajeev showed. Over the years he has bombarded people with emails and phone calls so he could get support and funding for the ideas he concocted to aid these people. The average person would have given up, but he was persistent because this was something that was important to him. I couldn’t imagine his mind set, and I look up to him for his determination and compassion. In the end he constructed a whole pipe system that brought water to these people and made their everyday lives much more convenient. It was really cool that he was able to think of all that, it showed a lot of creativity. The fact that he was able to rally up enough people to help is also very notable. Not only does he do good things, but he also is a leader. We need more people like this in the world.
Hessler, Peter.”A Reporter At Large, Village Voice, The Peace Corps Brightest Hope.” The New Yorker. 2010. pgs. 101-109 -
Ashlie Pacius
The comparison of activism and service was intriguing. Usually the first thing that comes to mind when I hear the word activism is people. I immediatly think of famous activists. When I hear service I think charity and volunteer work. So in my opinion activism is more about spreading awareness, while service is more focused on taking action. Also, my idea of the type of person associated with each is different. I think of people who provide a service of some kind as hard working and compassionate. I think of activists as extremeists. That lead me start mulling over the question of which was more useful? People who provide service are actually helping to fix the actual issue, but at the same time, with out activism how would people even become informed of social issues and persuaded to volunteer. Also, what about services that are done in an effort to spread the word about issues. Services are often done for the sake of activism. When I sat and thought about it, I couldn’t think of a single example of just activism or just service on their own. They are almost always linked. One could go so far as to say they are dependant on each other, one could not exist with out the other. Weather some one works for a charity or an activist organization, they are working towards change and growth in our society which is very admirable and vital for our society. We wouldn’t be the country we are today with out it.
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Ashlie Pacius
The first time I read ” Your Mother and I”, by David Eggers I wasn’t quite sure what to make of it. I had to reread it a couple of times for things to fall in to place for me. The narrator was obviously a father talking to his son and reminiscing about the accomplishments he has made in his life. I got the assumption that this man was an older gentleman. The way he told these stories reminded me of the way my grandfather would carry a conversation. The things he claimed to have done seemed far fetched and exaggerated. He bounced from one topic to another with no fluency what so ever, his thoughts where unorganized. He seemed a little confused and disoriented which is common among seniors. From the way this piece is composed, it’s quite possible this man was talking to himself. This could be the extravagant ramblings of a man losing his mind. Even so, there is something about the choppy quality that instead of making it appear poorly written it comes off as creative.I also got the sense that his wife who he referred to frequently was no longer around. Perhaps she was dead or maybe she had left. He talked about her like she was an angel. Everything he said it was always”we”. It was very obvious that he looked back on his life fondly which gave me the impression that maybe he isn’t so happy now. I find, more often than not, when one goes on about the past it’s because they aren’t happy or something is missing from their life presently.
Eggers, Dave. “How we are Hungry: Your mother and I.” McSweeney’s Publishing, San Francisco. 2004. -
Ashlie Pacius
Although it was a very short excerpt, I really enjoyed Eggers’s ” What it means when a crowd in a faraway nation takes a soldier representing your own nation, shoots him, drags him from his vehicle and then mutilates him in the dust.” The mood was very negative and gloomy, but I find that that kind of writing seems more real to me. I could feel what this man was experiencing, the helplessness, feeling of entrapment, restlessness. Any writing that exposes those raw emotions in a character is more often than not very entertaining because it allows the reader to relate to the character. Every one knows what it’s like to feel trapped, you have so much desire to accomplish something but just can’t seem to find an outlet for that. In my opinion that is so common especially in my age group. When you can sympathize with a character, you start to care about what happens to them and that is what sucks you in to a story. I loved how descriptive it was. I could see the photo he was describing in my head. It had such a smooth flow and some of the wording almost sounded like poetry to me, but it managed to be well written while still very easy to comprehend. I will definitely be looking in to more of his work.
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Ashlie Pacius
Live. Die. Kill.
The way we answer these three questions reveals a lot about who we are. I never really thought about anything like this before this point, and at this time of transition in to adulthood I have discovered that I don’t really know myself as well as I previously thought. Struggling with my own identity made these questions very thought provoking and hard to answer. What it comes down to is what is important to me and how do these things affect how I live my life.
Everything I have ever done in my life, including what I do now, has all been in preparation for something. Going to school, working my part time job, learning valuable life lessons, etc. has all been necessary preparation for the future. So when I asked myself what I live for/ what is the purpose of my life as of right now, it became evident to me that I live for the future. My parents started a family very young and I experienced first hand what a toll financial troubles can take on a house hold. I never wanted to find myself in that situation. It’s important to me to not have to struggle through life and have that kind of burden weighing on my mind and the mind of my family. In order to ensure that for myself I work really hard now. By working and going to school I am giving myself the necessary knowledge to get a good career that I enjoy doing and will provide an easy life for me. I do whatever I can to achieve all I can and am very careful not to make choices that limit my opportunities. I consider where I am at right now as a pit stop, my life is on hold basically. My main focus is to graduate so I can join the real world and start my life. Unfortunately, sometimes work and school get in the way of other things but I am willing to sacrifice a social life if that means I eventually will get to be where I want. I think most people who have hard lives because of negative choices they made, I don’t ever want to look back and know I screwed up everything for myself. I get up everyday with the intention of being one step closer to joining the real world and finding my path, and I think am well on my way.
It’s really difficult to find something you are willing to die for. People often throw the term around in a joking manner, but it’s a really serious thing and when one really thinks it through there is very little in this world that is worth that ultimate sacrifice. What in this world is worth that? It’s not like you can reap the benefits of that kind of selfless act, so why bother dying for a cause? The only thing I would ever be willing to sacrifice my life for is my family, just my immediate family. If losing my life could some how spare them theirs or their suffering I would do it in a heart beat. I am still very young and selfish and so I don’t really care enough about any bigger cause that I would be willing to do that for. However, I would be willing to do that for my family because I know that were the roles reversed they would do the same. I don’t know if I could live with myself anyway if I knew I had the chance to sacrifice myself for one them and didn’t. Every opportunity I was ever given, all the values and strengths that make me who I am, my very existence is because of my parents and siblings. In a sense they gave me this life so they are the only thing I would ever feel okay with dying for, I feel like I would owe them that. Not being willing to die for them would make me a hypocrite. I was raised on strong family values and was taught it was my job to protect my sisters, it was us against the world, and we could only depend on each other. I definitely believe that with all my heart and feel very strongly about that. it has proved to be true time and time again and kept us all very tight knit. I admire those who think bigger and want to save the world and die for the greater good, but unfortunately I am not that selfless at this point in my life and my scope of the world is very small. I live in this little suburban bubble so I often forget about the troubles of others and the impact my life could make. As of now my family is the only thing significant enough for me to make that ultimate sacrifice.
Deciding what is worth killing for is even harder than deciding what to die for. Life is such a precious thing. It’s one thing to decide that your life is over and is worth giving to whatever cause, but it’s much harder to justify taking the life of another. Who am I to decide that another persons life isn’t as important as what I am sacrificing it for? The only thing I would be willing to kill for is my country and all the amazing things that make us a model society for the rest of the world. I am not in the military, nor do I have any desire to be, but killing to protect our freedoms is the most noble thing you can do. I am very thankful to have been born here and a lot of us don’t appreciate or realize how lucky we are. The freedoms we get in this country are unheard of in most other countries. We have so many opportunities and a strong voice in how our country is won. I acknowledge that I am very fortunate for being born here, especially being that I am a woman and many countries would classify me as a second class citizen. It makes me angry when people talk negatively about our government. The people who are running this country only have the power to make decisions because we put them in office. A lot of people don’t vote, and if you are one of those people I don’t feel like you have a right to complain. Even in our worst times we are still a very strong country. Yes we have done things to other groups of people that have been unsavory, but I will not apologize for what my country did to become great. I think we are very blessed and I would, with a clean conscience, kill for all the freedoms this country has given me.
After putting some thought in to these questions I feel like I have gotten a better grasp on who I am as a person and where I am headed. Life and death are very serious topics. For years people have questioned the reason/ purpose of life, and after writing this I realized that the reason it’s such a perplexing question is because there is no one answer. We all have different purposes and different answers. We may not all go out and change the world , but we all have an impact in some small way. Realizing that and asking ourselves this question, forcing ourselves to dig a little deeper, helps us understand our priorities in life and brings us that much closer to figuring out what exactly that impact is.
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Maura Bilek
I enjoyed your piece very much. It told me a lot about you, someone I’ve never met, and what you live by. For starters, I really enjoyed your introduction. It was simple, straight to the point, yet full of important details that helped me understand your personality from a reader’s perspective. When you said you felt you were “struggling with your own identity” as you wrote the piece, I immediately related. Who would have thought three simple questions could be so very complex? Anyway, your first body paragraph about what you live for was very inspiring. I am sorry that you had to deal with hardships so early in life; I understand how deeply they affect one. In your case, it definitely seems like your past hardships had a positive contribution to your personality in the long run. It seems you have a lot of goals for your future, and with your strong sense of willpower, I am sure you will get what you want out of life. Your narrative voice makes it evident that you are a very mature person with a lot of wisdom about life…this quote I feel really depicted that part of your personality best: “I am careful not to make choices that limit my opportunities”. I thought that statement was really strong, and reflected the kind of person you are. I admired your style of writing because it made me think a lot about my own life, and how maybe I’m not 100% happy because of some decisions I’ve made. I think it’s important to note that screwing up is an important part of life, as much as it sucks. You’ll do it eventually if you haven’t already, maybe in a small way or maybe in a big one. Either way I hope you won’t be too hard on yourself about it because it seems like you’re very driven towards success, which is awesome, but remember that learning from your past and from your mistakes has made, and will continue to make you a very strong and successful person. Another thing I found myself relating to was your love and understanding of the importance of family. It seems you truly care about the people you are close to, which is so vital to being happy in my opinion. You had excellent word choice that really displayed your feels about various subjects. Another strong quote that provoked a lot of thought in me: “..not like you can reap the benefits of that kind of selfless act, so why bother dying for a cause?” Yet another statement that revealed your maturity and wisdom about life. You seem to be very modest; I can tell from your views you’re a realist for the mostpart, which I think is a very good thing. All in all, I really did enjoy this piece and I hope you learned as much about yourself as I did. You are more than well on your way to success in life!
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Kyle Barczak
Ashlie, it seems that you and I both felt the same way when we began this paper. I just chose not to say it quiet like you did. I learned a lot about you, though, and I really do like that aspect from these papers. You have an amazing work ethic, from what I can tell. How you are wanting nothing but to better yourself and not to live through struggles that you’ve previously witnessed, outstanding. I feel that most people feel this way about their current families or for their possible future families but I haven’t witness very many people actually say it. I also really like how you mentioned that you don’t win anything, and/or can’t show anything for having to die for someone or something. That really puts another turn on the question. At least when I think about it that way, I almost want to completely second guess my answer for why I would die. Your mention of living in a “suburban bubble” caught my attention as well. I think that’s why very many people limit their answers to simply their families and loved ones. They haven’t gone out and experienced something they’re truly passionate for just yet. Then again, I’ve taken another route with my life that more than 90% of the population does so that question is a bit easier for me to answer. And with that statement, I absolutely love your answer for what you would kill for. I couldn’t relate anymore with you in the entire paper more than I do with that simple sentence. I am very humble to hear that answer from someone who isn’t a member of the armed services, and honestly, I was very surprised to have read that and how you’re a strong believer in our government. Not very many people, especially in the younger age group, even really care what is going on politically in this country. Once again, you surprised me with that statement. Overall, I really have to agree with Maura on your paper. It told me a lot about you and absolutely opened very strongly. The background information you provided made the paper feel a bit more personal and can easily have the reader painting a picture in their mind about what exactly may have been going on. You have definitely been through quite a bit and it seems to have made a positive level on maturity for someone who is younger. But, of course, that’s a very good thing. You seem to have your head on your shoulders, and very properly might I add, and from what I’ve heard, that’s hard to find in someone younger now-a-days. And I’m learning all this about you from a simple paper. Kudos to you Ashlie.
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Barbara Bzdyk
I really liked reading your paper. I felt like it showed emotions and you really put forth the effort into explaining what your opinions are. The first paragraph showed a side of your personality. It was straightforward, yet I liked how you added your own touch into it. I like how you added a lot of the hardship you went through. In the end, I know it will only make you stronger. I really loved what you wrote for what you live for. I feel like you have a lot of ambition and you try to strive to reach the goals you have made for yourself. Reading your paper, I feel like I learned many things about you. I feel like you are a strong person. Throughout the whole essay, I felt like many of the statements you made were strong. You seem to have a good idea of what you want in life and did a great job explaining your reasoning behind it.” I live in this little suburban bubble so I often forget about the troubles of others and the impact my life could make”- I liked this quote because I feel like I can relate to it. Often, in the busy world we live in, it’s hard to think about how your actions affect the world around you. Overall, I believe you did a great job not only showing a side of you, but kind of bringing out a side of the reader as well.
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Maura Bilek, 
Thomas Vasquez, and 
Kyle Barczak are discussing. 
Barbara Bzdyk, 
Kyle Barczak 12:10 am on March 20, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Ashlie, I believe your letter would draw very much attention to your community and the editor. It really shows how much you care about people and how we should all be treated equally. I easily agree with what you had said about how we are all raising awareness of what’s not right, but that nothing is being done. Do you have any ideas as to what we can do, as a society, to actually help make a difference? Maybe you can suggest getting a petition started, that might help raise awareness and make a difference in our society to help everyone be able to express themselves, in terms of marriage.
Reading how you mentioned that a teacher in St. Louis was fired because he had plans to be married to his partner simply appalled me. I am amazed that a school district would fire a teacher for getting married. Heck, he didn’t even get married yet! That school is absolutely ridiculous.
One thing that I couldn’t totally agree with is mentioning religion. Sure, I have my own views on the entire situation, which would probably offend very many people, but religion is just something I never saw appropriate to mention in such a public area simply because you can be offending many people. Though you may be saying something without the intention of doing any harm, words are open for interpretation. Just something to be careful of.
As for what you are saying about people feeling threatened by homosexuals… I personally think it’s just the generations who are in charge currently. The younger generations are aware of things that need to be changed, or things that need to be adjusted. It’s just going to take time for us to get there and make the necessary adjustments. Until then, I would continue fighting for what you believe in, Ashlie. Maybe try and get more involved with actually pushing to make a difference in our community and get as much support as you can. Submitting this letter is definitely a strong first step that I think you should take. It will get many readers interested and involved in what you believe in, and what many others believe in as well. All it takes is one person to spread the word, and this article may be what it takes.
Thomas Vasquez 12:44 am on March 20, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
By reading your letter you can really tell that this is a topic that you really want to see changed in the future. In your letter you write it really well and you also put in some facts. You can also tell that it’s a really subject that you hold dearly in some of the examples you give. I hate how society treats the homosexual community today because they think there love is immoral and should cease to exist. They have no right to judge people especially when homosexual marriages last longer than most male female relationships. You see people look down on homosexuals and you also see people not do anything when someone is being a jerk to a person who is a homosexual it’s ridiculous that someone can just sit there and watch that and it makes no sense why if there happy someone has to try and rain on their parade does it make them feel better? I highly doubt it because some people today are just idiots. The only thing I would say that you should add you your paper are possibly ways someone can get involved and help stop people from discriminating against the homosexual race. Even If u just share a link or something I think it would make you letter be that much more effective.
Maura Bilek 10:26 am on March 20, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
I think you did an awesome job with this letter. I have considered careers in journalism and editing myself, and I was appalled as well with the publication of the article you are replying to. If I were an editor, I would definitely publish your response because I’m sure many peple agree with the many valid points you made. In fact, if I
Maura Bilek 10:31 am on March 20, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
–were an editor myself, I wouldn’t feel comfortable with the publication of that article at all, if only for the reason it displays an opposing viewpoint about a major issue in our country. I agree it’s really unfair and poinless that the bible is the main resource people use in their argument. I also thought bringing up the 50% heterosexual divorce rate was a good point- it makes you wonder if the rates would be similar if gays were allowed to marry in all U.S. states. I agree with you that the way this man was treated was completely unfair, and I’m glad you decided to speak out about it.