VOICES OF CHANGE

The Lost Dog

2009-11-29T23:13:00.000-08:00

Less About Candy Bars, More about the Eye-Candy

2009-11-24T13:49:00.000-08:00

     All Hallow’s Eve, modernly known as Halloween was once recognized as the night where the lives of the dead were celebrated. However kids today, have taken advantage and ventured out knocking on strangers’ doors asking for treats. Little boys and girls dressed as innocent ghosts and princesses come a’ knockin’. Yet, farther down the block, an older set of teens march down the street; girls wearing hardly any clothing and boys carrying weapons of mass destruction........

     It has come to my attention that there is more to Halloween than one would believe. It is not a holiday reserved for kids who want to dress up as other characters or people and to get free candy from friendly neighbors. Oh no! It is the holiday that old white haired perverts prey on innocent children. Are we setting up the children to be the fantasies of the older generation? Teenage girls show up to strangers’ houses in miniskirts, low cut tops, and fishnets, outfits that are “barely there”. “Trick Or treat!” What’s the real treat and for whom?

     Today, it has been adopted by the adult entertainment to risqué “costumes” turning wicked witches and bubbly bumblebees into barely there outfits that. Twisting our childhood fairy tales into outfits, that beg for attention and angle towards promiscuity. The adult industry has transformed the child’s holiday into a sex-starved business dressing teens for foul play; companies add garters, low cut blouses, and even shorter skirts.

     For example, Miley Cyrus' younger sister (image below), at only nine years of age, she decides to strut down a carpet in a dominatrix outfit; too young to know what that even means but just old enough to wear the costume? Where are the parents? Where's her older sister? Mileyfan says: “Most costumes for tweens are like that! It is hard to get a costume not like that and if she wants to be a vampire that is pretty much all they have! I am 13 and I think you should give her a break she doesn't need all this dumped on her!” (examiner.com). This comment taken from The Examiner is primary evidence of the social acceptance the costume companies have permitted.

     Costume designers are so focused towards selling their merchandise that they have merged the gap between youth, teen, and adult. Adding to the sizing, are the specifically labeled “tweens” which target those who aren’t exactly teens yet but just in between. With this distinct sizing, they still offer costumes which sexualize girls at such a young age. How long will we allow Mean Girls’ character Cady’s statement that “Halloween is the one night a year when girls can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it” fair true?

     Inappropriate costumes do not apply solely for the female population, parents have also began to complain that the costumes for boys have become increasingly violent year after year, from swords, to guns, to light sabers. Is this all a figment of our imagination? Are we allowing our angels, our poor boys to become the future gangsters and pimps? There is hardly anything wrong with a little positive motivation when behaving boys do deserve praise. Where have all the less controversial costumes gone? The law abiding citizen? The friendly fireman? The portly policeman?

     Is it appropriate for one to say that the day reserved to honor the lives of the dead has become a manifestation for unsuitable costumes that beg for attention in all the wrong aspects? Our society has encouraged commercialism to enter homes through purchasing candy for hyperactive kids to overfill their caffeine needs. But it doesn't just stop there, it ambushes the young minds by creating this ideal image that the “hottest” costumes this year are those that are exciting to the eyes and invite some serious child predators. Should there be age limits to those who can and cannot purchase these provocative outfits? Should we allow Halloween to be advertised as the holiday predators look forward to?

By Monica Chow

Disadvantaged & Victorious

2009-11-24T13:09:00.000-08:00

     The bell erupts at the end of yet another challenging academic day on the grounds of the Marc & Eva Stern Math & Science School. Twenty-three girls scurry to a restroom as they adjust shin guards in preparation for the last game of the season. Their impeccable record, in light of their novice status a rare feat, stands at 5-0. Just two months ago these girls stepped out for the first time ever onto a regulation sized field as a team......

    The Titan Girls’ Soccer team has practiced in gymnasiums’, patches of grass and dirt. Unlike the majority of high schools Stern MASS does not have a regulation sized soccer field or any sports fields for their athletic teams to use. As a small, newly founded charter school athletic teams have battled through various obstacles and have prospered magnificently although little to nothing is expected from them. As head coach Peter Ramirez stated, “Honestly, we thought we weren’t going to do great. We knew we had the ability to succeed but many girls were first year players and we had to work with what we had.”

     With eight athletic teams sharing one gymnasium, weight room and patch of grass Stern MASS athletics begun with a great disadvantage. At times there would be nowhere to practice and there was an immense amount of collaboration from the entire community. “The lack of resources was the biggest obstacle: our nonexistent facilities and having to borrow equipment from other high schools was a hassle. We did a lot of fundraising. Parents also played a large role in everything; they provided transportation, donated merchandise for the girls to sell and plenty of moral support,” stated Mr. Ramirez.
    The Titan Girls’ Soccer team tells a tale of resilience and strength. Although they faced numerous and staggering obstacles they continued to prosper. It’s a team of mental and physical strength that will surely overcome any challenges to head their way

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GOOD LUCK THIS SEASON LADIES.

*****I was a member of the Titan’s Girls’ Soccer team last year and would like to take this time to inform the reader so. We here at Voices would like make sure, you, the reader is well informed of our perspectives and possible bias. Being a member of the team has given me more insight for this piece and I’m sure you will find a deeper emotional appeal because of it.*****

By Ofelia Carrillo

Controversy of H1N1 Vaccine

2009-11-24T12:42:00.000-08:00

     The H1N1 flu virus is another name given to refer to the swine flu, and it has killed many people this season. The CDC states that those in greater risk of getting infected are pregnant woman, kids under the age of 2, adults over the age of 65, and those with asthma, diabetes, and HIV. This virus was detected in the United States in April 2009 (mchealthdepot.com). Unfortunately, since then it has been spreading from one person to another by coughing or sneezing becoming a worldwide pandemic. A controversial issue regarding whether or not one should take the vaccination against it is alarming various people......

     Doctors have recently urged patients not to take the vaccination because they are preoccupied that the vaccine can in fact be more dangerous than the flu itself. The 2009 H1N1flu shot has been proven to have thimerosal, a preservative for vaccines that contains mercury. Mercury in vaccines has been responsible for many cases of autism and gulf war syndrome but let's put that aside because a new issue is making people doubt whether or not to take the vaccine.
     On August 17, 2009 CBS’s The Early Show presented Dr. Jennifer Ashton who said that there is the possibility, even though small, that people might get the Guillian- Barre Syndrome or GBS. GBS, "is a rare, neurological disorder that has elements of an auto-immune condition in that some trigger (in this case from a vaccination against an infection) and results in a progressive weakening of nerves" (Dr. Jennifer Ashton). Furthermore, it starts in legs and works its way up to the body and it is estimated that it may occur one time out of 100,000 or one million vaccine doses. In fact there is the possibility that people can die from this syndrome but there is also the possibility that people can also recover. Moreover, those who are considered to be in greater chance of getting the virus should not doubt twice on getting the vaccination because it is of greater risk of getting sick than suffering from this rare side effect due to the vaccine. As Asthon stated, "You have to weigh the risk of getting influenza, and the risk of possibly dying from it."

By Silvia Ornelas

Gay Rights

2009-11-24T12:18:00.000-08:00

On November 4, 2008 Congress passed a bill in California banning same-sex marriage. This bill was called Prop 8. This proposition added a new section to Article I of the California Constitution stating that "only marriage between a man and woman is valid or recognized in California."..........

People should have the right to choose who they want to get married with and others should respect their choice. Not allowing gay people to get married is not only oppressing their beliefs and lifestyle but it also makes them ashamed or embarrassed of who they are. There is a deep sense in the Latino culture that says that being gay is morally wrong. In the Latino culture men have a strong sense that they have to be masculine so when they meet someone who is gay, especially in their own family, they will over react and feel ashamed that they know a gay person and even mock them by saying things that will offend them.

One of the major supporters of Prop 8 was the Christian Church all across the US. Locally, the Joy Ministry For Christ in L.A. and the Chinese Evangelical Free Church in Monterey Park are two of the many churches alleged of being supporters of Prop 8. This gets me kind of mad and confused because I thought that the main philosophy or idea of the Christian Church is that God created all men equally. So then I guess that these Christian churches are in a way contradicting their beliefs or philosophies.

By Francisco Fraide

School Food

2009-11-24T11:37:00.000-08:00

     Standing in line sandwiched between sophmores and seniors, you approach the line of food choices. The food seems harmless. You reach to grab a carton of milk and a piece of fruit. You make your way to a silver tray, it's the main course, you can't tell what it is. This is Revolution Foods no one knows where it came from or why it is here..........

     "The cheese looks like plastic, and the meat is reheated," shouted one senior in disgust. "The FDA should know about this," he jokes.

     Revolution Foods is the latest caterer to stop y Stern Math and Science School. The company partners with Whole Foods Market to offer lunh and snacks for schools across California. Our school has sampled a number of their options, all of them organic and fit the health standards set y state school districts. The organization claims that their food is 100% organic, free from hormones and poor preparation.

     "Our food is prepared fresh daily, we do not serve fried or overly processed food," revealed in their brochure.

     The food program here isn't all what it's cracked up to be. Many students, especially seniors, show deep disdain for the program since Royal Dining, the original lunch providers, departed from our school. Revolution Foods were introduced the second year of our school's existence and made a huge first impression, but now it is quite different. They appear to make a stand becoming advocates for the organic lunch movement in school. However, they haven't broken any ground in food preparation.

By Austin Baca