Speak Now

Speak Now

Willa was raped at the age of 15. She was only a sophomore in high school. Willa was considered a quiet girl but her brains also made her unpopular. Most high school girls, had a senior crush. As for Willa the guy that took her breath away was named Cully. Cully was one of those guys who was known by everybody. He was the star of the football team. Since he was the “star” of the school and of course a guy, he was able to get away with everything. His fame in school also made him the womanizer and the pig that he is. But Willa still seemed to fall for him. He had lips that took Willa into a whole different universe.

One day she stayed after school late and by coincidence she ran into Cully. Cully invited her to lunch but it did not go as planned. The guys including Cully and Willa met at the Lawbourne’s house for a “party.” Because of the strong lush Willa had for Cully she drank to impress Cully. Willa got very drunk and woke up naked in a strange lonely bed. She was not able to recall anything except for her drinking. When she got out of bed she realized she had the words SLUT written across her thigh and in that exact night, she was raped by Cully and his friends.

The next day in school she was called down by her guidance counselor, Ms. Ryan. When Ms. Ryan heard about the rumors, she decided it would be best for Willa to take a break from school. She did not handle the situation correctly. By telling Willa, she needed a break from school was like saying that it was her fault for what happened to her. Willa was not the one who should have been dismissed from school because she was the victim. The worst part of this situation was the lack of help. Ms. Ryan was the one who should have spoken up for Willa because she was at a state of vulnerability and was unable to speak for herself.  Ms. Ryan ignored the situation as if it was nothing.

Ms. Ryan should have spoken for Willa. Willa was unable to recall anything that happened that night and Ms. Ryan said it was because she was drunk. Maybe Willa was unable to speak about what happened because she is scared of seeing clarity. Most women who are raped remain silent because it can be very painful and embarrassing experience. Most women who speak up about rape are not believed in. In most rape cases the men are not found guilty because of their dominant role in the world. Not believing in the victim will cause even more pain. Willa does not speak up about the situation because she does not want to relive and relive the story again. By saying what happened, it will make her even more skeptical about the situation. All Willa needed was someone who believed in her and someone who can help. Ms. Ryan should have been that person. Willa needs someone who she can trust. The right thing for Ms. Ryan to do is speaking up for Willa and helping her figure out the truth. Ms. Ryan should have been the voice for Willa. The fear and shame Willa had locked inside prevented her from speaking up which is why Ms. Ryan should have spoken up for Willa.

There are very few places in which someone feels protected and a school is one of them. As a profession as a guidance counselor in a school, Ms. Ryan did not do her job correctly. Not only did she not speak up for Willa but it made her feel unprotected as well. As the counselor and the adult in that situation, Ms. Ryan should have spoken up for Willa because she is the victim who is afraid of realizing the truth.

Watch This!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_4gNIbQ6Ms

Is Telling the Truth the Right Thing?

As a child everyone has been told to always tell the truth. But as one gets old, we seem to walk away from that tradition. So when is it the right time to tell a lie? Most people would say to always say the truth because lying just makes things worse. Although, telling a little lie won’t always hurt anyone. Sometimes one must lie to protect the feelings of others or just to protect yourself from harm.

In the necklace, Madame Loisel was an unhappy and ungrateful woman. She felt out of place and disgusted by her way of life. Madame Loisel was a poor woman who was forced into a marriage with a clerk. But she was one of the prettiest and most charming girls you would ever see. Every man around the corner would stop and stare at the beauty of her face. But even with all this attention Madame Loisel was still a miserable woman in a life where she though she didn’t belong. Madame Loisel felt entitled to a life of riches and luxury. She wanted sparkling jewelry that shined like the sun around every inch of her body, silver appliances to eat upon and expensive clothes to make her feel special. Because of her natural beauty, she thought she was suppose to be wealthy and famous. Instead she lived with a man who worked as a clerk, lived in a small house with pale dirty looking walls, worn out furniture and with some of the oldest curtains. This lifestyle made her one of the unhappiest woman to stand on this earth.

One day Mr. Loisel came home with a piece paper that he thought would change Madame Loisel’s life around but instead it made her resent her life even more. The couple was invited to a ball but one major problem was that Madame Loisel had no clothing or jewelry to wear. Mr. Loisel worked endlessly to give her all she wants but she was never thankful for all that he was doing for her. Madame Loisel finally had the perfect dress to wear to the ball but one thing that was missing was the piece of jewelry to display. Of course they did not have the money to buy such an expensive piece since it costs a bazillion dollars. So Mr. Loisel came up with this idea to ask a friend, Madame Forestier, whom she resented and hated because of all the fame she had in life. After a wonderful time at the ball she noticed that the necklace was missing. They did the impossible to find it but it was nowhere to be found. So they decided to buy a new one that looks just like it. After years of paying for it, it turns out that the necklace was fake and they wasted their whole lives trying to recover from a lie.

Shocker, I know!

What would you have done, tell your friend the truth or lie? I mean, if I was in Madame Loisel’s shoes I would have told the truth because in this situation it seemed the right thing to do. Either way she would have had to pay for the necklace but wouldn’t have suffered with such a burden. That little lie she told ruined her life. After that she became old and all her beauty was lost. She worked hard for so many years, paying for a piece of jewelry that wasn’t even hers. In that case, I would have told the friend the truth. Maybe if she would have explained her friend the truth, she wouldn’t have paid so much money for fake diamonds. I would have been so angry and frustrated at myself for wasting ten years of my life on something that was worse less. At that point I would have been unhappy about my life for a piece of jewelry instead of being poor. I guess, Madame Loisel learned an important lesson about always telling the truth. I wonder if the fake news about the diamonds made her even more resentful and unhappier about her life?

In some instances telling the truth is the right thing to do especially in Madame Loisel’s case. One must say the truth when it can ruin your life or put others in danger. Living in lies can make life hard to keep up and much less weight upon your shoulders, since you are not constantly keeping up with lies. Telling the truth is showing respect because it demonstrates that you have trust in that person to know your true self. But once in awhile, a little lie wouldn’t hurt anyone. Especially, when you are protecting the feelings of someone you love. You may have to lie about the horrible cooking of a relative or maybe of the wardrobe that someone you know because you don’t want to shut down the level of confidence they had in themselves. But don’t make it a custom because telling the truth is always the right thing to do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcmf3h6YoMI
In one minute this kid explains why it's important to tell the truth!

Kneeling during the National Anthem?

The most controversial conflict prevailing in our country today is what is considered the right thing to do. Colin Kaepernick is a perfect example. Those of you, who don’t know about Kaepernick, he is a famous football player for the NFL team, the San Francisco 49ers. Around the globe, he has been known as the football player who knelt down during the national anthem. The reason for kneeling down was because of the inequality and the injustice oppressing the colored people. At that explicit moment, the right thing to do in his mind was having the strength to kneel down during the national anthem to stand up for what he believes in which is equality for all. He wanted to make a political statement and the only way he could think of was at a stadium where thousands of people can watch and witness his power to make a change in this world. The right in this situation was standing up and protecting what you love.

So what’s considered the right thing to do in our country? No one thinks alike and if we did then we would not be considered one of the greatest countries in the world. Everyone has different opinions on what is considered the right thing. It all depends on the person’s morals and values. We are all unique which is what makes us all special in our own way. But these differences have also caused many conflicts between us.

So what is the true story behind the kneeling down of Kaepernick? As you may know racial injustice has been spreading around the country like a virus. The battle between blacks and the police has been an uproaring conflict. The trust and respect for the colored people has always been questioned no matter who they might be. A victim who has suffered of this injustice and police brutality was Terence Crutcher. He was an unarmed man when he was shot by the police while his hands were up in the air. A thirteen year old boy named, Tyre King, was also shot several times because of a $10 robbery. These two victims are perfect representations of what our world is becoming into. Black people have suffered and are continuing to suffer because of the lack of value and trust that is being placed on them. The brutal violence and hatred that is being repelled onto them has caused tension between us and rising objectives on how to deal with this situation.

With every conquest there comes challenges. Kaepernick’s protest to the inequality in this world did not turn the way he expected it to go. There were many controversies to him kneeling down during the national anthem during an American favorite sport. Many thought it was a disrespect to America and to those who are sacrificing their lives to protect this country. But the only thing he was trying to do was make a political statement for those that he loves. As a leader he wanted to make a stand to his beliefs and because of this decision many other leaders around the country are also following in his footsteps. For example, Michael Bennett knelt during the anthem as well since he assaulted by the police for just looking suspicious. Many believed he was not doing the right thing. I myself, believe that Kaepernick did do the right thing as a well known person. The power and fame that he has will help him better to make a difference in the world. If he didn’t take advantage of the power he has then what would it make him as a person. If he was a stranger in the streets making the same political statements then nobody would ever notice him. So as the someone who actually has the courage and voice to convert the injustice to the just, he was doing the right thing for the people.

Everyone has different perspectives of what is considered to be the right thing. You should respect the actions and words of those who are just trying to make a change on those who are oppressed. We must respect others' decisions of "doing the right thing."At the end of the day doing something is better than just sitting in silence.

Even Former President Barack Obama respected Kaepernick's decision of doing the right thing!

Do The Right Thing

Lisette Pelaez
English 1101
September 7, 2017
Prof. Young

In the Script, Do the Right Thing, by Spike Lee it demonstrates the tension between the different racial groups. During the 1980’s and even before that time, many citizens who were not considered Americans, experienced stereotypical issues. Specifically, the African Americans suffered more from political brutality than any other ethnic group. The blacks were treated unequally by the police. For example, in the script, Radio Raheem died because the cops began to kick him like a sack of potatoes while he laid on the ground, which caused his life to be taken away. When this occurred, the police became the public enemy and riots started to burst out towards the community. Causing the disproportion of peace, within the town, to be destroyed. Like what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Violence destroys the community and makes brotherhood impossible.” This quote perfectly sums up the aftermath of the boycott that occurred in the script. When the fight between Sal and Radio Raheem began, the cops showed up and they only initiated action towards the Radio Raheem and Buggin' Out. But the strength of six cops was not enough to stop Radio Raheem from killing Sal, so one of the cops decided to choke hold him which ended up killing him. After the death of Radio Raheem everyone’s anger exploded towards the community. Specifically, the black people went against others who were not considered the same as them, like the Koreans and the Italians. Mookie decided to hurl a garbage can through the glass window of Sal’s Pizzeria, which is where he works. The rest of the crowd followed in his footsteps and destroyed the entire business by putting it up in flames. They did not stop there, instead they decided to go against the Korean Store Owner. The black community was tired of getting unequal treatment and for once they decided to defend their honor. Since the police never seems to touch the other racial groups, they decided to take action in their own hands. By taking these actions they thought they were doing the right thing, which is defending what they love. But all this aggression and violence is just destroying the community rather than uniting it together. One thing that Dr. Martin Luther King said, that stood out to me was, “Violence creates bitterness in the survivors and brutality in the destroyers.” The survivors in this script is the community, who witnessed the killing of Radio Raheem and the destroyers are the policemen who allowed this to happen. With all the rage that expanded in the black community, the police enforcements decided to use violence to stop them. They sprayed them with fire hoses, to silence the crowd instead of finding another solution. The characters in the script like, Mookie, Radio Raheem, and Buggin’ Out thought violence was the answer but it did not solve anything. Specifically, at the end of the script, Radio Raheem did think violence was the only answer. When Sal broke his most prized possession, the boombox, he went all crazy and put his hands around Sal's neck until he wasn't breathing anymore. I think when it comes too protecting something you love, in this script, violence seems to be the first thing that pops into their heads. At the end of the day, violence is never the answer to anything. No matter how hard the situation may be, there is always a better solution to resolve it. In my opinion, violence is not doing the right thing. Like what Dr. Martin Luther King says, violence comes from hatred and these characters fought because of their disgust towards police brutality and the unequal treatment of the people.

First Week of College

Lisette Pelaez
English 1100
September 3, 2017
Prof. Young

My first week of college was a great experience. There were some bumps throughout the journey but overall I am enjoying the classes, especially since it is benefiting my career as a nurse. The first three days were rough. When I was alone in my room with nothing to do, my eyes would just start watering and I just could not hold back the tears. Transitioning from high school to college was obviously not an easy process for me. I miss the friendly relationship I had with my English teacher and the similar faces I would see everyday in the hallways, even if I did not know them. It is difficult for me to open up to someone new and I think this flaw has stopped me from blossoming in college. One good thing about going to Fairleigh Dickinson is that I have some friends from high school going to the same university. Some of them have also experienced some troubles fitting into college so it is nice knowing someone who has similar feelings about college as me. It is a comfortable feeling that I can talk to someone freely and burst out my feelings and worries. But I know that as time goes by I will be much more content and happy about school. One thing I love the most about college are my classes. I especially like my anatomy class because I find it so interesting learning about the human body and the way it works to keep us alive. College is an exciting experience because I will

be able to finally study what I like since it will be helping my career. Hopefully, as I mature into a better and wiser person, I will be able to call this place my second home.