I Have a Dream

15,000, do you know what that number represents? 15,000 is roughly the number

of people murdered in the United States every year.  It can either be because the murderer

wants something the victim has or wants to get back at them, or they could be mentally

insane. As many of you know there was recently a crime in the state of Connecticut

where there were 20 children ages 6-7 and six adults not including the gunman’s mother,

who were all shot and killed. As Albert Einstein once said “Learn from yesterday, live for

today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.” We have

learned from a few days ago, we are trying to fix alarms, security, etc. We aren’t just

hoping for a better tomorrow, we are praying that tomorrow people will begin to feel

safer, we don’t want them to be afraid anymore. These people were killed for not doing

anything but living their normal lives and Adam Lanza, the murderer, decided to kill

them on a whim.  Women get upset over breaking a nail or scuffing their new shoes, men

get upset because their favorite football team lost a game. What do you think the families

in Connecticut are upset about? Losing their friends, their family, their trust. Now how do

you feel?

Upfront Magazine~ Are Facebook "Likes" Protected by the First Amendment?

This article stated that "One day in April 2009, Daniel Ray Carter was fired from his job as deputy to Sheriff B.J Roberts in Hampton, Virginia." Daniel Carter was supposedly fired for liking the Facebook page of the person running for sheriff against his boss. So Carter sued Roberts in federal court, in a case that may help determine the limits of free speech in the digital world. But last spring Judge Raymond Jackson of the Federal District Court ruled against Carter. "Carter knew that as a public employee, he had the First Amendment right to speak freely on matters of public concern without being fired, so the case had raised questions about the Founding Fathers as they couldn't have imagined when the Bill of Rights was ratified in 1791." Long ago the Supreme Court established that "students have free-speech rights at school, as long as their acts of expression didn't disrupt school activities", so why hadn't Carter had that privilege?  Whatever the courts ultimately decide about Facebook "likes" Hudson, (of the First Amendment Center in Washington D.C) thinks the bigger questions about online speech will ultimately need to be determined by the Supreme Court. "There is a pressing need on the part of the Supreme Court to clarify the boundaries of public-employee and student speech, says Hudson. Because as of right now, it's a deeply unsettled matter." In conclusion Facebook likes are somewhat protected by the First Amendment but not completely.

Up on the Housetop

                                                       Up on the Housetop (24 days)

What do you think about the amount of violence on T.V?

• What do you think about the amount of violence on T.V.?

               The amount of violence on television has impacted many peoples lives mostly children growing into adults.  On April 16, 2011 a boy named Kevin stated "Children are like sponges and are always observing their environment, often to a   greater degree than their parents and guardians realize." Kids are like sponges when they watch the violence on television they remember what it is, and more than less will have nightmares about it. We can't really prevent what goes on television but we can try to prevent who watches it. There are people in jail now because of violence and they more than likely watched violent T.V shows. The world would be a better place without the violent television, where people wouldn't be able to get ideas about how to do things such as robbing. All in all the violent T.V shows should be removed.

Jingle Bells

A Christmas song a day, counting down until the 25th. Comment a song if you want to! (25 days)

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