Who Killed ROmeo and Juliet by Isabel Learis 811

In the tragic love story of Romeo and Juliet, the two teens fall in love, even though they have feuding families. In the end, they both end up killing themselves because they can’t be with each other. I believe Romeo and Juliet’s death can be blamed on their families, but in specific their parents.

If in the first place Romeo and Juliet could tell their parents things would have been fine. In act 1, Scene 5, Romeo goes to the Capulet party, in which he is not invited. If the families were not enemies, he would’ve just been invited and secrecy would have never been a problem. Line 69 in that scene says, “Tybalt: Uncle, this is a Montague, our foe, A villain this is hither come in spite To scorn at our solemnity this night / Capulet: Young Romeo it is? / Tybalt: ‘Tis he, that villain Romeo.” That night, Romeo and Juliet met and instantly fell in love, but as you can see from the excerpt from the play, the Capulet’s were not fond of Romeo or his family, referring to him as a villain. If they had just been friends, the families, they would have just let the kids been married and things would have been easy, but no.

Another reason their families are responsible for their deaths are because Juliet’s father forced her to marry Paris. Because at this point she was already married to Romeo ,she of course had to somehow get out of marrying Paris, which she was quite unhappy about. At this time, Romeo had already killed Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin, and was exiled. Juliet then fakes her own death, but Romeo doesn’t know she is faking, so he kills himself, and when she sees him dead, she kills herself in Act 5 Scene 3. Line 119, Romeo says, “Here’s to my love (drinking) O true apothecary Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die.” If Juliet’s parents known she loved Romeo and were good with the Montagues, then this wouldn’t have happened and both Romeo and Juliet could’ve gotten married.

As you can see Romeo and Juliet’s death can be blamed on their parents and families. If they hadn’t been stubborn and in a feud for so long then the two could just go about being in love. but because the families were the way they were, Romeo and Juliet’s love ended just as quick as it began.

Should a Hated Word be Banned?? by Isabel Learis

In the article "Should A Hated Word be Banned," it talks about how Israel is trying to ban the word "Nazi." Rabbi Dov Lipman says in the article that, "every country has to establish certain value based limits," but I think that Israel is going to far by banning "Nazi," therefore I disagree with Rabbi Lipman.

One reason I think that Israel banning the word "Nazi" is going too far is because the holocaust is a big part of Jewish History, and by banning "Nazi", how will people in Israel be able to fully discuss an important event in history. The Holocaust had a huge effect on Jewish society, and is the most major events that has happened in their history, and many people were killed, starved, and beaten to death just because of their religion. In the article it says, "Even more countries consider it a crime (as Israel has since 1986) to deny the Holocaust took place." This I believe makes perfect sense, but by banning the word "Nazi", it is as if they are banning a big part of that history, which is somewhat like denying it took place.

Another reason I dont think Israel should be banning the word "Nazi" is because it is against freedom of speech. The article states, "The bill is the latest clash involving Israel's insistance on being both a Jewish state and a democratic state." Being a democratic state involves having a freedom of speech, which by banning the word "Nazi" is not doing. The article also says, "The penalty [for saying Nazi] would be a fine up to $29,000 and up to six months in jails." This is unfair because on one side, Israel is a democratic state, yet they still cannot say words that have a strong signifigance to their history?

In conclusion, I think banning the word "Nazi" from Israel is unfair, and shouldn't be a bill. Even banning things like Mel Brooks "The Producers," because it "poked fun" at Nazi. I agree with Fuchs when he says, "You measure freedom of speech in a democratic country in the freedom to say disturbing and and annoying things, not in what is nice and pleasent to hear."

Sonnet #2 by Isabel Learis

It seems like everyone just leaves me

But I realize I did this to myself 

I'm just a fuck up as you can here see

So now I'm just gonna stay low, stay stealth

Mama, Papa, just try to understand 

You see I'm no trying to hurt you all

I didn't see this coming beforehand 

So have fun now as you all watch me fall

But hey I'm sorry for what I've done 

I'm failing and drinking and smoking too

And still please help me put down this gun

I really need you and that is so true 

And so I have lost more then I have won

Now I'm wishing I had never begun

Sonnet by Isabel Learis

Boys, they are thinking we treat them like toys

But they are the ones who treat us like pricks

We think they'll eventually bring joy

And still all they do is keep playing tricks

All they think is about them and their dicks

So don't go thinking that they give a shit

Im not gonna lie, they make me real sick

I want to look them in the face and spit

But still I want the love some will give me

Even if it is not the most perfect

Yet finding one is hard from what I see

I just want a relationship that's set

Don't even try to say "I'm not ready"

Just try to keep the relationship steady

Martín Espada by Isabel Lears

Throughout the three Martín Espada poems, "New Bathroom Policy at English High School", "Two Mexicanos Lynched in Santa Cruz, California, May 3, 1877", and "Revolutionary Spanish Lesson",  a sense of disrespect is felt. Espada discusses how he feels throughout his poems, but also how the Mexican community is feeling about the disrespect they are receiving, and also the way they are being treated. 

In the poem "Revolutionary Spanish Lesson," Espada is feeling disrespect when his Spanish name is pronounced incorrectly.  For example the poem reads, "Whenever my name is mispronounced,I want to buy a toy pistol, put on dark sunglasses... Hijack a bus of Republicans tourists from Wisconsin, force them to chant anti-American slogans in Spanish." Espada obviously didn't like when people mispronounced his name as if it has disrespected him, but by making the Republicans from Wisconsin chant anti-American slogans in Spanish, it's as if he is making them disrespect their culture just like they did to his. The poem also says, "and wait, for the bilingual SWAT team to helicopter overhead, begging me to be reasonable." His name being mispronounced is probably a common thing which you can tell by how unreasonable he is getting. If his name was only mispronounced once or twice, he would not get this worked up about it, that's how you can tell it is commonly said incorrectly. 

In another one of Espada's poems called, "Two Mexicanos Lynched in Santa Cruz, California, May 3, 1877", the disrespect is warm the white people are hanging the innocent Mexicans. In the poem it says, "Forty gringos vigilantes, cheered the rope that snapped two Mexicanos." The gringos (white people) were hanging the Mexicans, with no good reason or explanation. This is disrespect to Mexicans because they are innocent and should not be killed. The text also says, "Remain the faces of the lynching party: faded as the pennies from 1877, a few stunned in the blur of execution." The Mexicans are still scarred from what happened many years ago, and how mistreated they were, and how unfair that is. 

In another Espada poem, "The New Bathroom Policy At English High School", the principal feels disrespect when the boys are talking about him in Spanish, but then he disrespects them by banning the language. In the poem it reads, "The only worse recognizes is his own name, and that constipates him." The boys who are speaking in Spanish about him are being disrespectful, but then the poem reads, "so he decides to ban Spanish in the bathroom, now he can relax." Although the principal feels disrespected by the boys, banning their language is disrespectful as well, and two wrongs don't makes a right. 

As you can see in those three Espada poems, there is a disrespect towards Mexicans. Espada is not just talking about how he feels, but speaking for the community of Mexicanos, and how this isn't fair to them. 

The Sneetches by Dr. Suess

Who has power in the text? How do you know?

In the book the "Sneetches" by Dr. Suess, there is an obvious group in power, it is the star bellied Sneetches. They are the coolest ones on the beach, and they exclude the Sneetches without stars. I feel like this kind of relates to society and social class because you can relate it to people who have more money get to do more, and exclude people who are possibly lower class. Also, the Sneetches without stars upon thars want stars, and people who are poor and suffering want money and so be able to live better. In the book the Sneetches who don't have stars, get stars, but then the ones with stars get there stars taken off because they don't want to be mixed with the other Sneetches who now have stars. The Sneetches who originally had stars don't wanna be mixed with the ones who didn't, because they think they are in some way better, and I guess in some way have more power. They think thy are better because they have one thing more than the other Sneetches. I feel like they are in a way, kinda cocky. They don't see that everyone is actually equal and it doesn't matter if they have stars or not.

Banning Books

Dear Ms.Berner,

Over the past few years many people have been trying to ban book from school libraries. Personally, I believe that people should not be able to ban books in our 6th grade library.

One reason that we should not ban books from our 6th grade libraries is is because sometimes books have serious topics that can help kids. Books can help kids going through severe problems because the characters in the books are going through the same issues. These books can show students how to deal with conflicts. An article by Sherman Alexie, the author of many books including The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (which deals with issues such as rape), is about how books written with true horror some times can be the best types of books. In this article, "Why the Best Kids Books are Written in Blood," Alexie says "And now I write books for teenagers because i vividly remember what it felt like to be a teen facing everyday and epic dangers. I don't write to protect them , it's far to late for that. I write to give them weapons in forms of words and ideas that will help them fight their monsters," Alexie describes how books can really help kids. Like he said, we can't solve their problems but we can help them get through it by using YA books. Another author that writes about serious issues is Ellen Hopkins. She wrote the book Crank, which deals with durgs and the issues of addiction. In an article in the Huffington Post, Hopkins says, "I have received tens of thousands of messages from readers, thanking me for turning them around, giving much needed insight, even literally saving their lives." From this you recongize that books have a great impact on some, and it can be life changing, in a positive way.  Also in a BCC news article discussing putting age restrictions on books called "Age Rated Books: Right or Wrong" it says,"They identify with characters who are older, and with those who are younger- the reason authors go through such trouble not to pin ages onto characters." This shows that authors purposely make their books for kids to relate to, so that they can possibly even help out a child going through traumatic obstacles in their lives. Protective parents who are trying to ban books realize how strong an impact a book can have on someone, especially if they are going the same or similar issues that are being discussed in the book.  

Another reason I think the book should not be banned in the sixth grade libraries is because if we did we would be protecting the sixth graders from the issues that they're going to eventually find out about. For example in the article "Age Rated Books:right or Wrong"  from a BCC News article it says "Children read up and read down. They read over and over again. They read the same book at two different ages and get something totally different out of the experience each time." Even if kids don't have prior knowledge of the topics being discussed in their books, as they read the book more then once, they start to get a better understanding. Also in the article my Sherman Alexie, he says "they are trying to protect the privileged children." He then talked about a boy in private school read his book and didn't quite comprehend at first the conflict of being sexually abused. He soon stared to understand from Alexie's book, the trouble people face day to day. Reading books can help kids understand conflicts that they may not face, but it helps them get a better depiction of it through the book, and makes it easier for them to comprehend the world around them on a more sophisacated level. It makes them learn what their peers are going through. 

Although I think we shouldn't ban books in the 6th grade library, some people would argue against me. For example in the article by Meghan Cox Gordon called "Darkness to Visible" about how books are too dark for kids to be reading, she says, " 'Rage' teenage Missy's secret secret cutting turns into a nightmarish after she is the victim of a sadistic sexual prank ... Missy survives." Gordon believes "Rage", a book about a young teenager who cuts, should be on the banned book list. The thing is, a lot of people do cut, and people who might cut could read this book an possibly get faith, have someone to relate to, or even just learn how to cope with their issue. While Gordon thinks it's "gruesome", other people find it to be somewhat helpful. Another example of people who believe in banning books is Tania de Luzuriaga from the Globe Staff who writes in the article "Man from Ministry Bans Potter," that "removed the books [Harry Potter] declaring that the theme of witchcraft and sorcery are inappropriate for catholic school." People in my opinion, are overreacting. Do they think witchcraft and sorcery will influence the kids in Caltholic schools. It's a science fiction book, a story that is clearly fake. Harry Potter is one of the most popular books today, and no one should be robbed of the opportunity to read it. This is how I feel about all books. 

As you can see, books shouldn't be banned from our sixth grade library. Books can help kids in many ways. 6th graders should have the chance to read the books that they want, and we should not be restricting them. Like Noam Chomsky said, "If we don’t believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don’t believe in it at all.”

Thank you,

Isabel Learis 811