According to a recent article in the latest issue of upfront magazine, israel is planning to ban the use of the word,”nazi”. There will be fines for anyone who does not use the word for educational purposes. I personally understand the effect this group has had on the general population of israel and do not believe this is a word to be thrown around lightly. However, i do not believe it should be banned either. Banning any word or phrase is destroying free speech. An argument for the ban is that many young people have been using the word in insults and have been using it to lightly. I feel though that the ban would only make the insult more popular and often used. It would be a rebellious thing to do and all you would have to do to say the word is make sure no authority is around. This would cause the word to expand in popularity among teenagers and destroy the purpose of the ban in the first place. An idea i would suggest is a program to be set in place to teach young people how serious the root of the word is and why they shouldn't use it.

I dont know where to start to write this sonnet

I do not say thou nor thee i am not fancy

But I heard you can do anything if you really want it.

If I make this sonnet i'll say it can't be

My teacher said I must do this for homework

It was given monday but i did it last minute

I did this because i would rather do no work

I simply can’t believe I’m kind of near the finish

Now i'm on the last line I’m sad we’re out of time

Not really i get to go watch tv i’ll be fine.

Sam Griffith 813

Martin Espada’s poems  often tell examples of disrespect towards the latino culture. Espada’s Poem, “Revolutionary Spanish Lesson,” tells of everyday disregard to the integrity of latino culture. “The New Bathroom Policy at English High School,” paints a picture of a rather strange incident in where the principal of a public school had banned spanish. “Two Mexicanos Lynched in Santa Cruz, California, May 3, 1877,” gave light to the simply appalling story of two Mexicanos being lynched by a group of vigilante gringos for the sole reason of their race.  

“Revolutionary spanish lesson,” shows a minor everyday level of disrespect. “Whenever my name is mispronounced…” Espada then goes on to tell a detailed description of torture he wishes he could practice on the americans that disrespect his background by mispronouncing his name. This poem is meant to make you, the reader, feel the everyday frustration of living in a country with people who do not have enough respect for your culture to even pronounce your name right.

“The New Bathroom Policy at English High School,” gives an example of a major disrespect instilled by a powerful authoritative figure. A principal of an american school has banned spanish while the kids are on the school premises.  The poem has a theme of power shifts, In the introduction to the poem the kids have the power. The principal feels uncomfortable, constipated even, in the fact that he does not understand the student’s conversation. Afterwards, the principal has the power as he has banned spanish, “Now he can relax.”

“Two Mexicanos Lynched in Santa Cruz, California, May 3, 1877,” Portrays the story of the utmost disrespect. Two Mexicanos are Murdered at the amusement of a gang of vigilante gringos for only their amusement. “Remain the faces of the lynching party:/ faded as pennies from 1877,a few stunned/ in the blur of execution,/ a high-collar boy smirking, some peering/ from the shade of bowler hats, but all/ crowding into the photograph.” This poem is meant to make you feel disgusted, outraged, and possibly ashamed, it is meant to show you a depressing look into the past and give you advice into the near future.

       

Martin Espada’s poems have a general theme of disrespect towards latino culture. They reveal everyday struggles of an individual of a minority ethnic group, for example, “Revolutionary Spanish Lesson.” They convey tales of oppression from authoritative power, Shown in, “The New Bathroom Policy at English High School.” His poems can even demonstrate the extremes of murder towards certain ethnic groups for the sole purpose of entertaining bigots. As expressed in“Two Mexicanos Lynched in Santa Cruz, California, May 3, 1877.”   

To Kill a Mockingbird 

In the book, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, the protagonist, Scout, lives in a small southern town during the Depression. In this small southern town there is a widely know legend that there is a man named Boo Radley that lives in a basement, eats cats and has stabbed his father with a pair of scissors. Scout, her brother Jem and their friend Dill are equally terrified and intrigued by this shady character, so when the day comes that Boo gives Scout a blanket (without them noticing) while waiting for a fire to shimmer down on a cold winter night, they are nothing short of flabbergasted. The lesson of this encounter with Boo was that Scout should treat Boo less like an animal, and more like a human being. Scout should know that there is nothing sinister about giving a blanket to a girl in the cold. 

The deeper theme behind this lesson is not to judge a book by its cover. Boo is a good example, but there are many others. Another example is that Scout’s father, Atticus, is a lawyer supporting a black man. In order to win the case Atticus will have to make the jury treat the man like any other human being. This theme was also shown in the beginning of the book when a boy was treated like dirt because of the poverty of his family, but when Atticus had a conversation with the boy he treated him with respect. 

“Al Capone shines my shoes” by Gennifer Choldenko 

The main character of the story lives on Alcatraz, the jailhouse island that houses famous criminals such as machine gun Kelly, one arm willy and of course the deadly mobster Al Capone. On Alcatraz there is a very distinct, rich and different culture. One example of their unique culture is that they call the isle in the middle of the prison cells “Broadway” and the metal detector in front of the entrance to the island “the snitch box”. This has a very major impact on the main character “Moose” and all of the other aspects of this rich and exciting story. After all Moose wouldn't have Al Capone out to kill him if he didn't live on Alcatraz.

This wouldn't have happened if Moose hadn't asked for Capone’s help to get his sister into a special school via his shirt pocket that he sent into the islands convict laundry mat. Now Capone wants his part of the deal. Because of the story’s unique setting Moose has fallen into this deep problem.

Another example of how the setting affects the story is that there is a tension between one of his friends on the island and another that lives on the mainland. They are very different and in some ways and end up fighting for Moose’s attention. If there lived near each other and not a ferry ride away thy come to like each other. Or at least live with each other. Also, since this boy has lived on Alcatraz his whole life he does not play baseball. The boy from the mainland does. Again the Alcatraz culture has created yet another conundrum. 

The book Little Brother Cory Doctorow is a cautionary tale. It is afraid of the advancements in technology and how it could affect society. It details how it believes extreme security could destroy education.

At Cesar Chavez high there are cameras that detect and track people’s distinct walks. The school gives computers to each student, but their web history and the programs they use are monitored. The rebels of the story use tactics like putting gravel in their shoes to change their walk to avoid the surveillance. This does not take place in a far off time, the only real difference between this time and our time is that the technology is slightly more advanced.

I find it interesting that this story does not act as if the government is the one surveilling people beyond their privacy. contrary to most cautionary tales involving extreme surveillance  the government takes steps in the opposite direction. They outlaw cameras that use facial recognition technology in schools.