Humans Killing Humans

       Before I begin, I have tried not to weigh in my opinion too much regarding the subject of police brutality, simply due to the fact that so many people are just seeing the issue as a "racial problem". I think that in any case where a white officer shoots an African American perpetrator there are two sides and it is unfair to just look at one.
       It is incredibly difficult to talk to people who are so one-sided regarding this controversial issue. I personally know someone who has said, "the only way that cops can be unbiased is if they are black." To me that statement is incredibly wrong, every person is different, of course there are biased or racist police out there, but it is not okay to say that every white officer out there is against those of a different colour, because it simply is not true. I have grown up in Canada, and my whole life I have not seen differences people based on their skin colour, they have all just been people to me. 

       The biggest issue that I see here is improper training, but at the same time its hard to tell as I have never been trained as a police officer so I do not really know. As I see it, the only time a police officer should be take out their gun is to stop a perpetrator who is harming others and cannot be stopped any other way. At the same time though, I do not believe in killing others on purpose. If officers are trained properly, they should know the best way to stop a perpetuator without killing them or anyone else. 

       I like the idea of body cameras on all police officers, that way it is easy to catch those abusing their power, and also protect those wrongly accused of showing bias. I think that if all police officers were made to wear body cameras a lot of the problems that are occurring would be solved.
       In the end I think that the key thing that everyone seems to be forgetting, is that we are all only human, and when faced with a threat there is no way to know how we will react, even with the correct training. Fear and adrenaline can be dangerous things, and it is best to know who we are as individuals in situations where those emotions may come out. The most beneficial thing that anyone can learn, is the ability to remain calm and clear headed. 

Accepting the Future as it Comes

       As a grade 12, graduating student, the time has now come to start applying to university, and in a sense applying for my future. The years have quickly gone by, and now more then ever I often wonder about where I will end up. I have plans, but there is no way to tell how or if they will succeed.

       The quotation I chose is "the future is as bright as your faith," said by Thomas S. Monson American religious leader, author, and the sixteenth and current President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I think that this quote really applies to my life and where I am at right now planning my future. I think that this quote can be perceived in more ways than just one, especially in my life. 

    For me my faith and religion are important, and I feel that with that faith comes a certain amount of relief and calmness. Believing in a creator who is in control of my life and my future, brings me peace as I know God has my best interests in mind, and has a plan for my life.

I believe that this quotation has many meanings beyond just faith in a religion though. For me this quote also has to do with faith in myself. In order to succeed I truly feel that believing in yourself is just as important as believing in a religion or creator. When you have faith in yourself it opens door and gives you motivation. 

Having faith in yourself is not easy to come by though, it takes many times of failing and self blame before coming to the realization that you are in control and you can change your own future. You also need to understand that there are times that you are going to fail but you have to believe that failing is not the end, it just means you need to try harder or change your approach. For me having that mind set changes everything, I am more open to reaching higher even though I may fail I know that I have to have faith in myself and try. 

The best thing to do at this point is not stress, but not forget about what needs to be completed in order to secure my future. It is an obvious fact that the future will not be easy but I know that with plans, faith, and faith in my plans I can achieve greatness and have a bright future. 

Remembering Those Who Shaped Our World

      As another Remembrance Day ceremony comes to a close, questions arise as to the full importance of remembering such a horrible time in world history. Being a proud advocator of peace, I do not condone glorifying war. I strongly believe though, that Remembrance Day is not for glorifying war, it is for remembering those who lost their lives in war, as well as the horrible times that people faced. It is a chance for people to remember the past in hopes that we learn from it and refuse to repeat it. Canada has mostly been seen as peace makers in war, and I believe that those who served deserve full respect, not only on this day of remembrance, but also every single day of their lives, and even after their lives. 

         Our school is incredibly lucky to have had General Romeo Dallaire come speak, and receive our leadership award. Having seen the movie "Shake Hands With the Devil", based on his peacekeeping efforts in Rwanda, I have so much respect for him and what he has done for the world. He is an inspiration to us all, and I hope that everyone at the assembly will take his words to heart and follow in his footsteps to make a change in the world that we all share.

         On a sadder note of a war veteran, my grandmothers next-door-neighbour, Frank Taylor, who served in the second world war, recently, for the fourth time, had his house broken into. War documents and even his birth certificate were stolen from a safe in his home. In having met him on multiple occasions, I know how much the war and what he fought for fully mean to him. The fact the someone would break into a senior's home at all makes me sick, but stealing war documents takes it to a whole new level of disrespect. I pray that the culprit will be caught, and that all of Frank's belongings will be returned to him.

       Remembrance Day is an amazing time to fully be grateful that we live in such an amazing country. It is also a time to teach and learn from the past. This day is a day that should always be commemorated so that people can truly be thankful for all those who served to make this wold a better place. Not just for us in Canada, but also for places like Rwanda, Germany and so many other country's that overcame war with the help of Canadian peacekeepers and troops. These are important events that we need to remember in order to fully appreciate the lives that we have today. I will always remember and respect those who served, and I hope that peace will prevail across the whole world.

This is Halloween

       During my childhood my family did not celebrate Halloween. We would spend our Halloween nights at a family fun night at our church. As I got older the church event became childish and boring, and often times I would sneak out with my friends and we would trick-or-treat around the block. When the church event stopped, due to lack of interest, my mom very reluctantly let me trick-or-treat twice in my life with friends in grade eight and grade nine. 

       To my family Halloween is seen as a day that people use to celebrate the devil and demons. If you look back on its origins, you may find just that, as well as many different traditions such as All Hallow's Eve. I know many Christians that celebrate Halloween, so it's not fair to classify it as just a chance for people to "worship demons". I believe that if you are going out to trick-or-treat there is nothing wrong with that. But I would also agree that simply trick-or-treating is not only thing that occurs on Halloween. 
       Many people involved in witchcraft and other things, use Halloween as a time to celebrate their beliefs. In my opinion people should be allowed to practice their beliefs freely, and I think that Halloween is a time for people practicing witchcraft to have a chance to have more of a celebration. Although I do not agree with the practice of witchcraft and demon worshiping, as long as their practices do not harm or hurt people I have no problem with them using Halloween for their celebration day. 

         As people get older Halloween becomes more of a time to party and dress up in slutty costumes for attention. Costume companies use Halloween as a time to sell people inappropriate costumes to young women, and every year it gets harder and harder to find a costume that does not prove provocative or degrading. I remember being shocked when one of my friends wanted to dress up as a Playboy bunny at age 13. Now it has become so normal though. But it is not just "slutty" costumes that are the problem, many people in general are dressing up in racially offensive costumes. It may seem like a funny joke, but it can be taken the wrong way, and it can show your character. People who dress up as if they have no respect for themselves or others will gain no respect from their peers in the long run. 

       Another side of Halloween is one that the Spanish practice on the first and second of November and it is called "Dia de los Muertos" which is the day of the dead. People in Mexico use this time to celebrate those who have died, maybe recently in their families, or just in general. The holiday mainly focuses on the gathering of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have dies. Being half Mexican I know a lot about this tradition, and although my direct family does not celebrate it, many of my family members in Mexico partake in this holiday. 

       So however you choose to partake in Halloween, or if you choose not to participate, it is up to you. There are many different types of people who celebrate it in their own ways. whether it is used for simple family fun, cultic worshiping, or celebrating those who have walked the earth before us, it is up to you to figure out what it means to you. For me Halloween is a chance for people to express themselves in a pressure free way, and of course receive free candy!

       

My Poetry Experience

       Poetry to me is art. It is a way for people express their emotions and opinions, and tell their stories in less formal writing. For the most part I love reading poetry and hearing people speak their poetry. As for writing poetry, I'm a train wreck. I have not done poetry for two years so this poetry assignment brought up a lot of fear. So many thoughts were running through my mind in the time leading up to starting my first poem. I was worried that I would not be good enough, that my poems would suck, and that I would just plain embarrass myself. It's hard for me to put my writing out there, and although I'm becoming more comfortable showing/presenting my work to others, handing in writing that I'm not secure with is just straight difficult. Once I started putting out ideas, and words on paper, as well as seeking out assistance, it was much easier to understand where exactly the best starting point was for me. Seeing examples helps me write, examples inspire me and for this project they were my saving grace. I think that this project, although difficult at the start, was a great experience for me to practice different styles of writing. I look forward to trying out different writing styles that I do not normally use, mostly because I feel like it is a good way to learn.

School vs. You

        Children are sent to school at a young age and taught the necessities of life. They spend five days a week for ten months a year in a classroom from the time they are three or four to the time they are 17 or 18. Then they go off to Collage or University to complete the necessary education for whatever they plan to do until retirement. 

        The system allows little room for enjoyment, and students end up hating school and learning before they even get to fully experience it. What people learn from kindergarten to grade 12 is interesting but it can also be boring, and it seems to be getting harder and harder to distinguish the two. There is little focus on teaching kids that learning is good, and more focus on teaching pointless things. Things that people will generally not remember when their third grader is asking them for help. 

        I believe that learning is very important, it is just hard when somethings that I have to learn are not tailored to me as an individual, and more tailored to the class as a whole. For instance, in grade nine and ten English I had to do poetry. I am terrible at poetry, and although I do not hate reading it, I detest writing it. I love writing, but not poetry or essays. Although it is important to know how to write in those formats, by the time that I am in grade 12 I think that I should not have to write in those styles. 

        To improve letting student be assessed by their own interests in an English setting, teachers should give topics and let students decided how they should be assessed. For example, say a teacher shares a heart warming story about a boy saving his dog and in response the students have to write how they feel after hearing the story. The students should be given the option to write their responses however they see fit. They should be allowed to write it in poetry, as an essay, as a interview, or any format acceptable for the class content. This way an individual student interested poetry can write a poem about how they feel, where as a student interested in journalism can write their response as an interview. 

        I think that if the content that children learn in school was more tailored to their interests, it would be easier and more enjoyable for them to learn. I also believe that it would make them as adults more content with their employment. A society where children are excited to go to school and learn is something that should be a goal for every school system.

Words on Paper

       Louis L'Amour, born on March 22, 1908, was the youngest of seven children. He lived in North Dakota. His books consisted primarily of Western novels, but he also wrote historical fiction, science fiction, non-fiction, and poetry and short-story collections. Throughout his life he wrote and collected many writings. He suffered from pneumonia, and after he through it off cancerous cells were found in his lungs. After finding out that surgery was not possible, he decided to write a memoir to commemorate his life. He died on June 10, 1988 while editing a book.

          “Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.” -Louis L'Amour

         This is something that I have heard many times before, from English teachers, family members, and even friends. I have never read any of Louis L'Amours writings, but I think that this quote shows that he is very insightful. This can be very applicable to any writer, and it definitely is for me. In my life, when I'm struggling with finding out something to write, I start making lists. It gets my brain going and the ideas start pouring out. I believe that as soon as you start writing, more ideas, and even better ideas will come. 

Expressing My Gratitude

Dear Bethany,

        I feel the need, after watching a video on gratitude, to let you know how much you and your influence mean to me. I know we haven't spoken for a while, but for a long time I was happy to have you in my life even though I may have rarely expressed it. The thing is, I feel open with you, like I can tell you things that I don't normally tell people in my life. You are easy to talk to and always there. I'll never forget the time when you told me that if I ever just needed someone you'd be there to get me, no matter where I was or what time it was. I may not have taken you up on your offer yet, but at the time (and even now) that meant so much to me. When I was having a hard time you could tell and you knew how to make it better. I love how you can make any situation fun, and you know how to make a game or craft out of anything.You are always the life of the party and your presence fills rooms. You can make friends with anyone. You showed me how to be honest, but not condescending.  I have always viewed you as an older sister. You taught me the many ways to put my bangs up when I was trying to grow them out. I hope that we can continue our friendship as I am very grateful for how it has been so far. You mean so much to me.

Sincerely, Isabela

Censorship on Writing

I have recently been made aware of a young high school student who was arrested for a piece that he wrote for a school project. In the Facebook post that he wrote as apart of a creative writing assignment he talks about shooting his neighbour's dinosaur with a gun. This brings up the topic of censorship of writing, and what is acceptable.

In my opinion there should have been no reason to arrest a kid on such a silly topic, first of all it was a creative project, and secondly it was about a dinosaur. Imagine if things like that were occurring all the time? How would that impact creativity of writing, or even the courage to write?

In this last week I have also been made aware that lots of books have been, and are still being banned. In a video that I watched called "Banned Books Week: 13 Authors Speak Out" the authors all stated their opinions regarding book banning, and all of them disagreed with it. A quote that I took away from that short video is said by author Bill Garfield, "If you don't want to read it, don't read it." I agree completely with the what he says. In the end it is always up to you whether you choose to read a book or piece of writing or not. Books and the freedom of expression should not be banned or censored on a persons choice or opinion.

The Key to Success

The key to success is something that many individuals search for at different points in their lives. In a Ted Talk by Angela Lee Duckworth, Angela presents the notion that grit is the key to success in any given situation. She states that success is found in people who are willing to put in the effort for the long run.

I agree with her that grit is the key to success. In my experience, sticking through and putting in the effort has made me stronger and more able to complete the task at hand. Choosing a plan and sticking with it will get anyone further in life. Recognizing challenges in your plan is an important thing, because it then helps you realize what you need to do to work around them or get through them. Children should be taught at a young age to push through and stick with their plans even when faced with challenges; this will help create strong character, one that does not quit or give up.

The World According to Me

In the past, when faced with having to talk about myself, I always became insecure and unsure of what to say. In the last few years, however, I have changed a lot, and have become more confident in myself and who I am. 

So who am I? Well, my full name is Isabela Jimenez (I don't have a middle name and never have). I am the second oldest of six children, and I am very protective over all of my siblings but mostly over my two youngest siblings who are ages three and one. Coming from a big family, I have never really had too much attention, and I'm often uncomfortable when attention falls upon me. I was the only one in my family to be home schooled pretty much until high school, which has always made me like a bit of an outsider, and not fully secure in my work. I'm not shy for the most part, and I am very opinionated, but I often keep my opinions to myself due to bad experiences. This is my first time writing a blog, and really putting my writing out there, which hopefully will be a good experience as I am typically insecure about my writing. 

I am really into fashion and journalism, and I would like to combine the two and go into fashion journalism someday. Some of my long term goals include working for a big name fashion magazine and traveling the world. I'm not the best writer or the most confident, but I'm hoping that this class will help me to improve that.