Punished for Self-Defense?

I came across a story this weekend that I am still puzzled with and not completely sure where I stand with my opinion as to how it should be handled. Two students, Erik Fagan and Dan McIntosh, at Gonzaga University were in relaxing in their off-campus apartment when someone knocked at their door. Fagan answered the door and saw John Taylor, a convicted felon. He demanded money and turned down Fagan’s offer for food and a blanket. Fagan called to McIntosh who came to the door with his gun and got Taylor to leave the property. The two then called the police and told them what happened.

I would say that the two of them handled this situation in a fantastic way. Even though the man demanded money, they still kindly offered him food and warmth. They didn’t really have any other choice than to drive him off with the gun.

Hours later, the police came to the apartment and came in to confiscate the gun that belonged to McIntosh. He did have a concealed weapons permit, but the Gonzaga student handbook states that students may not have guns on university owned property. The two students now face discipline from the school, which could possibly include expulsion.

Obviously there are two sides to this argument. People defending the students will say that the gun saved their lives, and they shouldn’t be in trouble for self defense. The other side says that rules are rules and if broken, there has to be punishment handed out.

Here is my thinking. The students were not in the wrong to defend themselves. They were, however, in the wrong to break the school’s gun policy. I think a good way to handle the situation would be to discipline the students, but not expel them. Then, I think the school should re-evaluate their current rules on guns on university property. Some good ways they could adjust their rules could be to state in the handbook that if you have a gun on school property, you must be licensed (a bit obvious, but I think a necessary addition). Also, if they are aiming to keep their campus safe, limit gun possession to only off campus residencies. I think that would be the best route to take because it keeps the main student population gun free, but still allows the people who would actually need a gun to have one.

Read more about this story and watch a video about it here

Feel free to comment below with your opinion

Shocked enough

Imagine seeing this ad on the highway for 1 second as you drive by going 70 mph. A lot of thoughts would go through your head. Most people aren’t used to seeing a couple like that, so something like this would turn a lot of heads. And that is exactly what Snore Stop wants to happen.

Snore Stop is a company that sells products to prevent and get rid of snoring. They mainly advertise to couples, because they want to help them be able to sleep together without snoring causing any barriers.

So why use such an out of the ordinary couple? Melody Devemark, a company spokeswoman, said that Snore Stop is trying to “grab people’s attention” with these ads. They want to show people something that they are not used to seeing. This is being done in hopes that they can shock their customers into looking into the product.

Many people disagree with this method. On social medias, the ad has been called “offensive” and “a slap in the face to our military.” I can see why someone would be offended at first, but the more I think about it, the more I realize that it is harmless and shouldn’t offend people. Nothing inappropriate, illegal, or racist is being portrayed in the ad.

Now, do I think this is a good idea for Snore Stop? No. All this ad does is make drama. It does turn heads, but I don’t think it will help them out much. People driving by on a highway don’t have time to analyze billboards. They get a quick look and have less than a second to take in what they see. Most people will see that and be puzzled and confused, some even angry. Not very many people can see an ad for half of a second and immediately understand and appreciate the message.

I think there is nothing wrong in the ad itself, but I do think it will not be helpful to the company.

Read more about the story here and here.

Comment below to share your thoughts or opinions.

Giving to Thieves

Today I read something that really encouraged me. A story of a mother of 4 who showed mercy to a man who had robbed her.

Jessica Eaves of Oklahoma was shopping for her family when she noticed her wallet was gone. She knew who had stolen it, so she approached the man. “You can either give me my wallet and I'll forgive you right now, and I'll even take you to the front and pay for your groceries” she said to him. The other option she gave was to call the police. He gave back the wallet and burst into tears and confessed how desperate he was and that he was sorry.

“I'll never forget tonight. I'm broke, I have kids, I'm embarrassed and I'm sorry". These were the last words the man said to Eaves before he left.

I am absolutely shocked at how this women handled the situation. In a good way. To have the patience and understanding this woman has blows me away. If I knew someone tried to steal my wallet I would have probably freaked out and called the cops. To have the presence of mind and calmness that Jessica Eaves had is amazing.

I hope that reading this can inspire people to show mercy to others. I know that I am going to be looking for ways in my life to do what this woman did. I challenge anyone who reads this to do the same.

Read more here

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How far does the 2nd Amendment go?

Today a video caught my eye that I could tell would spark much controversy. “Debate builds in Iowa over gun permits for the blind." My initial reaction was why on earth would a blind person have a gun? I watched the video and read the article about it, and it really made me think about my view.

Obviously, the 2nd amendment was brought up. The 2nd amendment basically protects the right to bear arms. The argument that the blind make is that there is nothing in the Constitution that says anything about blind people not being able to own or carry guns. One blind man, Michael Barber, says “The Second Amendment does not say we have the right to bear arms unless we're disabled. I should be able to protect my family just like you can, just like anyone else can.”

Barber makes a good point. In the Constitution, it is not exclusive as to who can have a gun, so why are people trying to add to it?

Currently in Iowa a blind person can legally do the same things with a gun that a person with normal sight can. Many of the police officers in Iowa have a problem with that. One county sheriff, Jerry Dunbar, says “If you can't see where that bullet is going to wind up then that's our concern, maybe you shouldn't be carrying.”

I happen to agree with Dunbar. I don’t think anyone who can’t see where they are shooting should be armed with a gun in public. That seems like common sense to me. I do think it is fine for someone who is blind to own a gun and keep it on their property, because then it is in a familiar place for self defense. Once they are in public, they put people around them in danger because they have no clue where the “target” is.

I recognize that it is up to the individual states to make these decisions, and not the federal government. If I were a governor though, I would push for my state to not allow those who were blind to be armed with guns in public.

Read more about the article here

Comment below to weigh in with your opinion

If You Dream it, Make it Happen

"If you dream it, make it happen."

Those are the words of 38 year old Maickel Melamed of Venezuela after finishing the Chicago Marathon. Melamed suffers from muscular dystrophy, a muscle disease that distorts muscle tissue and hinders the ability to move.

Melamed was the last runner to finish the marathon, with a time of 16 hours and 46 minutes. 100 people waited for him to finish and cheered him on.

When I read about this man I was in shock. This man has an enormous amount of character and courage to do what he did. His quote shows that he did this to inspire others, not to prove himself. “If you dream it, make it happen”. That is how Melamed wants to help people.

This video shows some of the hardships that people with muscular dystrophy have to go through, but it also shows how people are helping those afflicted with the disease.

Reading about Maickel Melamed and watching that video changed me in two ways. It makes me realize how stupid and petty a lot of my “problems” are. The stuff I complain about is nothing compared to what these people have to go through. They put a smile on and live their lives with the mindset that nothing can get in their way of living. I also am inspired by Melamed’s words to the world. He pushed himself to complete a marathon, with a disease that keeps most people from being able to even walk. He had a dream to run races, and he made it happen through perseverance and determination. That is something I can apply to my life in so many ways.

I challenge you to learn from these people the same ways I have. Put your problems in perspective, and make your dreams a reality.

For the full story on Maickel, click here

Feel free to comment below

Punishment for Bullies

Recently, a story about a father's punishment for his son made national news. The father, Jose Lagares made his young son put on a sign with the words, "I am a bully. Honk if you hate bullies." The boy is in fourth grade, so he is very young. According to the father, his son was a repeat offender as a bully at school.

“Maybe he understands that when he humiliates someone publicly that doesn't feel good. Hopefully he'll take that with him so the next time he tries to bully someone he'll think about it twice," said the father. Lagares was trying to teach his son a lesson about how wrong bullying is, and how much it hurts to be on the victim of it.

I can understand why Jose Lagares did this. His son is very young and impressionable. If he can correct his son’s bad behavior now, it will probably stick with him the rest of his life. The punishment was tough, but ultimately out of love.

On the other hand, I can see how this is out of line. The bullying that Lagares’ son did at school could not have been nearly as scary or public as what he had to go through. The kid is only in fourth grade, and in my opinion, probably needs mercy and a light punishment more than an extreme punishment like this.

I’m only in high school, so I obviously have no experience or training as a parent, but I really don’t think it was the right thing to do to publicly humiliate his son in that manner. He’s in fourth grade! I don’t think bullying should be fought with more bullying. Be more gracious and soft on him if that’s what you want him to be like to others.

Maybe the young boy will learn something that will change him positively for the rest of his life. Maybe he will just go back to his old ways. I don’t know.

Watch the video and read more about it here.

Comment below if you want to weigh in with your opinion.

Grow Up, America

It seems that our country is close to going through a government shutdown. I wasn’t exactly sure what this meant when I first heard about it, so I decided to look it up. According to Wikipedia, when a government shutdown happens, all services that are considered unessential are no longer provided. This means only services needed to maintain peace are funded, like the police, medical services, and the army.

The shutdowns happen when the President, the Senate, and the House cannot agree on a budget for the fiscal year. I think it is safe to assume that President Obama along with most of the members of the Senate and the House (if not all), care about the well being of our country. Since they are trying to accomplish what is best, you would think that they would all work together to pass a budget before the government shuts down.

Thousands of federal employees go unpaid for days, possibly even weeks on end during shutdowns. Workers going without pay is not what our country needs. We need to be unified as a whole. Both the political Left and Right want a budget to insure what is best for the country.

In the current potential shut down, The House Republicans have made the most recent move with a spending-bill offer on Saturday, but the White House and the Senate have both made public that they will not accept the offer. If the Senate and White House follow through with what they have stated, then the shutdown will go into effect.

This situation is horrible for our country, and displays the immaturity of many of our government leaders on both sides. The House needs to come up with a bill that meets some of the demands of Democrats, while still maintaining the Republic values. The Senate has to be willing to agree to a bill that isn’t exactly what they want, but still has some essential Democrat ideas. President Obama needs pass the bill if it is given the ok by both the House and the Senate, because then it is most likely the best of both worlds and the best compromise the two sides can make.

Nobody can really win in this situation. Everyone needs to suck in their pride and cooperate with each other. Being stubborn and refusing to agree unless it is exactly what you want is what little children do. Our government cannot act like little children. There are many people’s jobs at stake, and the government needs to grow up.

Read more about the potential shutdown here

If you have any comments, opinions, or ideas, feel free to comment below.

Effects of Technology

Imagine being on top of the world. The best of the best. Number one. This is exactly how Stephen Murray, 3 time world champion BMX rider, was described from 2000 to 2007. Now imagine everything being stripped away from you. Everything you have worked on your whole life is gone. No longer can you go out every day and do what you love. This is exactly how Stephen Murray was described on June 22, 2007, and still is to this day. Stephen suffered a career ending injury that left him paralyzed from the shoulders down.

Stephen Murray has spent the past 5 years in a wheelchair, not able to do anything active. Everything he does requires the help of his family and friends. Many people would not be able to handle this situation, but Stephen keeps fighting with the hope that one day he can hold his children.

After 5 years of hardship and struggle, imagine that someone came along and gave you something that let you communicate freely and be far more independent than you had ever been since everything was taken from you. That is what the technology company, Tobii, did for Stephen, and anyone else in a similar situation. Tobii is soon to release eye-tracking technology for Windows 8.This gives Stephen, and other paralytics, the ability to have access to computers for the first time since their accidents. Tobii brings a new way to use computers and tablets without touching a thing (Article on Tobii invention).

This story really made me appreciate what I have and what I take for granted. It made me think a lot about me and the world around me. But then after some time of sentiment, my thoughts wandered to what the limits of technology are. Inventions like the one Tobii has come out with and other helpful gadgets really do make life easier and simpler, but at what point will they start becoming harmful? I don’t come close to understanding how these things work. I also don’t know what more scientists and engineers can come up with. We all love a story where someone invents something that gives others access to different things in life they could not have before, but there has to be a point at which technology starts to hurt us. I don’t want to be a damper on this story, I just want to provide a different viewpoint on how technology can affect us. If you have an opinion or any thoughts about the progression of technology and its effects on us, feel free to comment below.

Josh Hamilton: Real Life Hollywood Story

Josh Hamilton is one of the most beloved players in baseball. One might ask why many baseball fans, and even people who don’t follow the sport, find themselves rooting for him. The answer is pretty simple. His life is a Hollywood story.

Last week in my American Studies class, we looked at an excerpt from “A Man Without a Country” by Kurt Vonnegut. In this, he analyzed and “graphed” some popular american stories. Vonnegut explained what they have in common and why americans eat them up. The first story pattern he showed was “Man in Hole”. The protagonist starts with good fortune, then falls into a deep “hole” of ill fortune, then rises up even higher than he or she started. So many loved Hollywood stories follow this layout (think Lion King and other popular animated films).

Seeing this layout made me want to find a good real-life example of this happening. After reading this information, I got a bit off task and started looking at baseball scores on my iPad. I read an article about the Los Angeles Angels, and then it hit me: Josh Hamilton’s life is the Hollywood story. For those of you who don’t know who he is, Josh Hamilton is an outfielder for the Los Angeles Angels. He is considered by many as one of the best players in the game.

So what is so “Holywood” about Hamilton’s story? It follows exactly in line with the “Man in Hole” storyline. Hamilton was drafted number 1 overall in the 1999 MLB draft. He spent a few years in the minor leagues, playing very well. The sky seemed to be the limit for young Josh Hamilton. Then came the Hole. Hamilton was introduced to drugs and began a downward spiral that lasted around 5 years. He came close to death multiple times because of his excessive drug use. Josh had some people in his life who cared about him and helped him, including his father in law Mike Chadwick, and Roy Silver, owner of a training facility that mixed christianity and baseball. Hamilton worked for Roy Silver at the training facility for a while, where he changed his ways and got back into the game of baseball. Over the next few years, Hamilton worked his way up from the minor leagues, to being a backup for the Cincinnati Reds. Hamilton kept improving, eventually becoming a starter. He proved himself as a new man and new player, leading to the Texas Rangers giving up 2 top prospects for him. Hamilton continued to dominate, and eventually won the AL MVP in 2010. Hamilton had risen to the top of the baseball world.

Josh Hamilton’s story really is amazing and inspiring. He overcame many personal problems to become one of the best baseball players in the world. He climbed out of the “Hole” and is now higher than he was when he started. This pattern makes his tale a real-life Hollywood story. If there is anything you would like to add/expand on or disagree with, please comment below.

Josh Hamilton’s full life story: http://www.jockbio.com/Bios/J_Hamilton/J_Hamilton_bio.html

Racism Today

So often I hear people say that America is still a racist country. I'm not sure I really see it. This may be because I am trapped in the "water" of the North Shore life, but I don't think that is the case. I started thinking about this when one of my American Studies teachers made a sarcastic comment about people who say America isn’t racist, referring to the fact that we have a black president. He said something along the lines of, “Oh, just because our president is black that means we aren’t racist anymore right?” and sort of laughed a bit. Our president is black. If our country is still prejudice towards black people, why would we have voted Obama in? People who play the race card to force their agendas remind me of Japanese soldiers who refused to believe WWII ever ended (http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2010/02/a-japanese-soldier-who-continued-fighting-wwii-29-years-after-the-japanese-surrendered-because-he-didnt-know/).

No, I’m not calling these people supporters of the Axis powers, I’m simply saying they are fighting a war that is already over. We have a black president. That should speak volumes. The days of discrimination are over. There are no more “Whites only” water fountains, no longer do white people get seating priority on busses. Everyone has the same rights. In Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, he shared a few of his dreams. He dreamed that black and white children would be able to play and hold hands together. That is socially acceptable and legal in America. He dreamed that people in government (specifically the governor of Alabama) would no longer discriminate and hate on other races. President Barack Obama is not a racist man. He dreamed that as a nation we would recognize that all men are created equal. There are no laws in this country that prevent anyone of color to do what they want, live where they want, or work where they want. King Jr.’s dreams have come true. Of course I realize that there are people out there who are still racist inside, but as a country, we’ve done all we can do to help them. We have removed the disgusting, racist roadblocks for minorities in this country. The war for racism is over. Any racism left is personal, and is up to the individual to end. If you completely disagree with me, or have some thoughts about anything I just said, feel free to leave comments below.