MY VOICE
Educational reform needs to be next
I don’t think people realize
exactly what the word “reform”
means nowadays.
Reform is what shaped this
country, and is partially respon
sible for the start of the Civil
War.
This wave of passion and re
construction was' sparked by
President Abraham Lincoln,
who is considered one of the
presidents that turned America
into what it is today: a power
house in the global realm.
Obama is attempting to do
the same with an almost as hol
low America that Lincoln dealt
with, but with less passion.
Less motivation by the Ameri
can people to realize that they
are re-writing the history books
for the future in what is accom
plished, or not accomplished, in
just the next few short years.
The new question for current
college students should be what
are we going to write in the his
tory books for generations to
come? More world hatred to
ward a country destroying
global markets? I surely hope
not.
Until recently with the health
care reform there has not been
a major national reform policy
that has been put through Con
gress since the great “New
Deal” days of the FDR era.
Without a massive realization
by America, from the average
MY VOICE
Why
Before I get started, let me
first say this: I know politics
like the back of Barack
Obama’s hand.
Having never seen his freak
ishly lengthy hands in person,
one can assume that I do not
understand politics, and I can
add that I do not care about
them that much.
It seems, however, that every
one has a vested interest in this
new health care bill being
passed. Here’s what I get from
it: millions of uninsured Amer
icans will be gaining health
care. Point blank, that’s what it
I haven’t seen teenagers talk
about politics like this since the
popular emergence of the
aforementioned president,
Barack Obama. I’ve seen Face
book statuses dedicated to peo
ple’s opinions on the health
care bill. I’ve seen statuses
such as “Republicans make me
laugh,” and “Great, now we
have to pay for lazy, unem
ployed people’s health care.”
So-called Republicans and De
mocrats are arguing with each
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businessman to a senator on
Capitol Hill, the future looks
bleak.
Now, I am not saying Obama
is doing the best job he can for
the simple reasons that nothing
has been carried thr/'>— *
and that one mr
has been put 01
burner: educati
The No.l tl
comes to m
thinking ab(
should be edi
reform. Our pi
high schools h;
slipped throu;
the cracks
American soci
ety in a way th;
not all kid:
have an equal
opportunit'
walking out
high school.
The future
this country i:
the hands of p<
who must hav'
courage to stand l.
and call for
changes in situa
tions where we see problems.
Every high school graduate has
lived through the problems that
arise in the public schooling
system.
In my own personal experi
ence, the teachers went on
strike for a brief period because
NaNO„.VtXJ HAVE TO PUT
QUOTATION MARKS AfW
"HOW TO CENSOR GOOGLE'.
we should support health care
other over a health care bill that
they have absolutely no hand in
deciding, yet pay for.
Maybe that’s why I hate
politics
I don’t car<
you are Repul
mocrat, part
Green Party, (
of the Party
my Pants Party.
It’s time b
take a look at
this health
care bill hu
manely and
with a sense
of compas
sion.
As some-
one who
doesn’t
consider him
self as a part
of any party,
let me offer an unbiased point
of view. While I’m not quite
sure if this was the right health
care bill, I can say that some
thing needed to be done.
While most of us live in
a world where we can go to the
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they felt they were not being
compensated enough for their
extra duties as teachers.
All in all, the poor budgeting
skills of administrations cou
pled with a very impatient pop
ils it is paying
ich in taxes
very weak
stem.
ips and
>unds ahead
he United
tes. The
ich system
lique, alio
free col
ion to any
itizen who
.mg to put
forth the effort.
Every French
student takes a high school exit
exam called the Baccalaureate
exam (the Bac for short).
Basically this exam places
students into universities based
on the results of this test and is
taken extremely seriously in
France. Some high school stu
doctor when we have a stuffy
nose and a cough, there are
people out there without health
care that are gravely ill and
to go to the
of them lazy
le to get a job?
But there
out there that
tatever reason
mable to hold
)b. And for
ie that truly
help, this
will likely be
'viding them
th care
:ough a few
ax dollars.
Liv
ing in a mate
;tic world, we
turn a blind eye to
these people that
we are now finally helping so
that we, in return, can buy the
latest version of everything and
anything.
Now, I have no idea how
much that tax will be, but I
can’t imagine it being anything
rial B<
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dents even take a fifth year of
high school to prepare for it.
The focus right now in Wash
ington seems to be consumed
primarily by the health care bill
that is trying to be put into mo
tion. However, we as a nation
have jumped the gun here.
There is no doubt in my mind
that reformed health care
would benefit this country as a
whole and would be a huge
step forward in the furthering
development of America.
not under
:heir lack of
elected the
lal people
*e causing
lalfunction.
But educational reform
should have been the first pri
ority for those politicians who
are battling it out on Capitol
Hill.
ler coun-
educa-
lal reform
The Bush administration
tried desperately to impose
these sanctions, and although
the intentions were to help
school districts, the No Child
Left Behind Act failed miser
ably and only seemed to reveal
even more problems in the ed
ucational system.
Getting into a high school
with qualified teachers will
soon be a battle -much like it is
for college students- and the
implications could be horrific.
The battle for reform must be
won if anyone reading this
paper wants to give their chil
dren a fighting chance in this
rapidly changing, corrupted
world.
terns are
Googk.
ridiculous. Why not save up
your change, deposit it all
around tax season and pay for
it that way? Instead of thinking
about yourself, why not think
about the rest of humanity.
I’m not just talking about this
health care bill; I’m talking
about life. We all have times
where we wish someone would
lend us a helping hand. You
know what it’s like to be in
their Nikes (or, in the case of
those helped by the health care
bill, their dollar store shoes).
You know, in 2008, teens
around the world backed
Barack Obama, backing his
campaign of “change we can
believe in.”
Here’s some change that I
can believe in: maybe it’s time
to stop thinking about having
and start giving. Even just a
small step can help.
If you refuse to help those
who can’t afford health care,
why not help those in despair,
those who don’t have anything
to wear, or those who need help
with a repair?
Yes we can.
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MY VOICE
A pleasant surprise
when turning 21
There are major milestones
in our young lives that we all
spend years looking forward to.
The first, of course, is turning
10. For whatever reason, when
you are nine years old, nothing
is more exciting than the
thought of finally hitting double
digits. Becoming a teenager
at 13 can only be topped by
turning 16 and getting that dri
ver’s license that your parents
wish you weren’t old enough to
get.
At the age of 18, you finally
become an “adult” and can fi
nally buy all of those cigarettes
and adult entertainment you’ve
been looking forward to.
As college students, we have
all experienced the excitement
of reaching these points in our
lives, and of course, we con
tinue to wait for the most excit
ing one.
At 20 years old, 2009 crawled
by as I waited for Dec. 14 to roll
around to celebrate the final
milestone of a young life that
every college student antici
pates: turning 21.
While many may tell you that
turning 21 is more anticlimactic
MARISSA LANICH
staff writer
MY VOICE
Big Ben goes
SHAWN ANNARELLI
managing editor
When will Steelers quarter
back Ben Roethlisberger learn
to use protection?
He could not have been more
protected on March 5 when he
crossed paths with a 20-year
old Georgia College and State
female student at Capital City, a
Midgeville, Georgia night club.
His entourage included Steel
ers right tackle Willie Colon,
off-duty Coraopolis police offi
cer Anthony J. Barravecchio,
off-duty Pennsylvania State Po
lice Trooper Ed Joyner and sev
eral more unidentified men.
Let’s start with Ben’s obvious
protection here: Willie Colon.
Colon is Roethlisberger’s
starting right tackle three years
running. He is part of an offen
sive line that has allowed
Roethlisberger to be sacked
143 times in the last three sea
sons. Never mind, maybe he is
not the best protection after all.
Well, maybe the pair of police
officers with Roethlisberger
could have steered him away
from a young lady that is prob
ably still living with her par
ents. Nah, he will be fine.
Right?
Wrong.
This is the second time in less
than a year that Roethlisberger
has been accused of sexual as
sault.
It is a damning trend in pro
fessional athletics that simply
does not show any signs of
slowing down. Say hello Tiger
Woods, Kobe Bryant and Tom
Brady. Okay, Brady, as far as I
All profile photos taken b'
Editorial Polict
Behrend Beacon
March 26, 2010
www.thebehrepdbeacon.com
than you think or that the ex
citement fades quickly. I’d like
to reassure you that turning 21
is everything that it is built up
to be.
Although I heard the same
negativity in the months before
my birthday, my 21st was
everything that I had hoped it
would be and more. I had so
much fun, not only because I
was on my way to being 21
shots deep, but because my
friends and family were so ex
cited to help me celebrate the
occasion and make it memo
rable.
Turning 21 is like joining a
club, and everyone who is al
ready a member can’t wait to
initiate you and share the legal
drinking experience. You’ll
find this to be very true in the
weeks following your birthday,
when free drinks will be flying
in your direction before you
can even finish your last one.
However, turning 21 is about
more than the drinking. A
whole new social environment
is opened up to you, and al
though there may be down
sides, such as the expense,
"HU never be another op
ity to say, “there’s noth
tonight.”
birthday is also about
mg adulthood. At this
>u have reached the age
lOthing (legal) is off lim
ile this may not sound
:h, there is value in this
im that I definitely came
♦predate.
You will only have one
: birthday. Just as you
imemorated each
iday before, perhaps
super sleep-over, a dri
ft, or even a trip to
irt, celebrate your 21st
fullest. Personally, I
lat my friends and I will
irget the memories that
le on our 21st’s. So,
ou. Go out, get wild,
and make it an experience to
remember.
unprotected
know, has never been accused
of any sexual conduct crimes,
but that does not mean I cannot
have a deeply profound dislike
for him.
What is the solution for ath
letes that cannot stay away
from 20-something no-name fe
males?
As ridiculous as they may
seem, here are a few alterna
tives for these athletes with a
problem.
Get married and mean it. I
know, this is probably the last
thing these guys want to hear.
Bryant allegedly sexually as
saulted a 20-year-old Colorado
woman in 2003. He since
reached a settlement with his
accuser and somehow man
aged to remain married. Maybe
it was the $4 million ring he
bought for his wife after admit
ting his infidelity. Marriage is
not the best option after all.
Maybe these guys could have
police escorts with them when
they go to clubs and casinos.
Oh, wait. See paragraphs num
ber two and five of this article.
Here is a crazy idea, boys:
The next attractive woman you
see, say hi, how are you, would
you like to eat dinner Friday
night?
Nah, would not work. There
is just not enough not risk or le
galities involved.
Meeting 20-something-year
old college undergraduates and
cheating on your wives or sim
ply coming on too strong is a
much better route to take.
Right?
Wrong.
Daniel Smith / Behrend Beacoi
the negativity of others