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Writers  Lauren Forcella Emo TrendPromotes DepressioChic Editor’s note: Emo stands for “emotional.” Formerly a genre of music, emo is now a social movement of mostly white, affluent, suburban teens who champion melancholy, depression, cutting and suicidal thoughts. The fashion is skinny black pants and black hair covering most of the face. For further definition, see www.urbandictionary.com. Dear Straight Talk: I don’t get why everyone thinks emos are so bad. We are people, too, and we deserve the same love and respect everyone else gets. It’s not right how we are put down and even beat up for it. We are already emo enough! This just makes it worse. It makes us do things to ourselves that we don’t want to do. Why do people do that? — Breanna From Laura, 21: First of all, no one "makes" you do anything, you do that all on your own. Secondly, why should anyone give you "love and respect" if you don't love and respect yourself? Many people see emos as self-pitying whiners with no extraordinary problems who are ungrateful for the life they are given. They wallow in misery because they want attention and enjoy feeling sorry for themselves. That may be an unfair generalization, but a cultural movement that glorifies cutting and other self-destructive behaviors does not deserve respect. From Taylor, 19: Regardless of your problems, if you’re cutting as a solution it will bring you negative attention. I don’t make fun of people who cut. I talk to them about it, and it seems to make them feel better. Next time you feel put down or unloved, talk to someone, focus on what you are grateful for. From Ashley, 20: Being emo is all for attention, and that's what you’re getting. Being emo is feeling sorry for yourself, and that’s what you’re creating. What we think and feel we create in our life. Hate crimes should not be tolerated, but emos bring it on themselves. You need to find an outlet so you can happy again. From Megan, 19: Your complaint about emos getting beat up and ridiculed goes for every group of stereotyped individuals. Some people lash out at those they don’t understand. They are just ignorant. Regardless, if you are “doing things to yourself that you don’t want to do” you can’t really blame anyone else. From Nicole, 18: People diss you because it upsets you and they get amusement from that. Don't take it personally. People pick on others when they see something they resent in themselves. From Emily, 15: Emos already feel bad about themselves and I agree that dissing them makes the situation worse. Many emos come from wealthy families with big shoes to fill. A natural response is to rebel and/or become depressed. But the way emos do it is too radical to accept. Another reason people abuse emos is because (except for their music and writing) they are quiet. Like the nerd in the corner, they keep their verbal thoughts to themselves. One’s bark is bigger than one’s bite, and with no bark, one is more likely to get beat up. I wish parents would talk more with their kids. I, too, become depressed when I’m stressed, and talking with my mom totally lightens my emotional load. Dear Breanna: Sorry dear, but those who understand the emo trend find it difficult to respect. I say that with full respect for you as an individual. However, most people don’t see you. They see the tight black clothes, the black hair covering one eye. And they know this emo dress-code includes a thought-code that glorifies cutting and suicide. The emo trend has “elevated” depression into chic rebellion; the more depressed you act, the more points you get. Yes, sensitive people are searching for depth in our shallow world and yes, self-pity will take you to an emotional depth, but purposefully staying in self-pity is insanity. It is also dangerous and addicting. Your words show that. You speak to how, even when you want to stop cutting or harming yourself, you can’t. See a counselor as soon as possible. You deserve to have your joy back. Write to Straight Talk at www.StraightTalkForTeens.com or PO Box 963, Fair Oaks CA 95628.  Poppoff! Mary Jane Popp Seeing is Believing- Part 1 
Do I look a bit weary? Well, I should. I just returned from a whirlwind journey to the Holy land that pushed us twelve hours a day taxing the heartiest of souls. Emotional? Yes! Inspiring? Indeed! Questioning? You bet! It was evident from the very beginning that many of our stops were speculation at best whether these were the exact spots where Christ was born, walked, preached, and died. Did it make a difference? Perhaps to the devoted Christian who needs an absolute spot to touch. But just knowing that I was walking the land where it all began was just fine for me. I cannot cover all that I did, but I had some favorite spots like the Sea of Galilee (not a sea but a lake) where Christ threw out his net for his apostles. To put my hands in the very water and touch the soil brought me that much closer to what happened so long ago. To ride on a boat similar to the ancients singing songs of praise and seeing the sun set on the water upon which Christ was purported to walk was truly inspirational. I must say that I was rather disappointed by the mighty River Jordan. I expected it to be flowing as I had seen in the movies. But the mighty Jordan was not so mighty after all. It was a rather grimy creek at best. But knowing that somewhere on its shores is where Jesus met John the Baptist and was baptized was enough for me. To this day, followers from around the world immerse themselves in its waters just as they did two thousand years ago. I was especially anxious to see where the Christ Child was born. And it didn’t matter to me that Christ was probably not born in December but most likely September. Just to explore the Church of the Nativity and put my hands on the probable spot where Mary held Jesus that first night was awesome. And you would be amazed at the orthodox influence in the church with its ornate icons and hundreds of hanging chandeliers. 
I would be remiss if I were to leave out the incredible walk into the Garden of Gethsemane. This is where Christ spent his last hours before the legions took him away to his inevitable fate. To see the simplicity of the place he chose, and to be so near the tree that perhaps Christ touched that very night was inspiring. There before me stood a tree that experts claim is over 2200 years old. Could it have been that very tree that he touched? From the beginning of the story of Christ to the end made it all a worthwhile journey, especially after I walked the Via Dolorosa…the actual path where Christ was led from Pontius Pilate to be crucified. To have the privilege of carrying this very heavy wooden cross on my shoulders as Jesus did, certainly brought me sadness and pain at every station of the cross. But my sadness was even more profound as the stations are nearly invisible in the clutter of the cubbyhole shops hawking toy camels and cameras to every chinchy souvenir you can imagine. What a cheapening of history and religion alike. Would I have traded the experience? Not on your life, but truth is truth, be it good or bad. Still, to walk the streets of Jerusalem brought home the 4000 years of history and the secrets they possess. However, one question did plague me. When we visited the huge cathedral that housed the location where Christ was crucified, I was amazed that the sepulcher where he was laid to rest was only some eighty steps from the site of the crucifixion at Golgotha. The movies I had seen from “The king of Kings” to “The Greatest Story Ever Told” made it seem like it was some distance where Christ was laid to rest. But it was explained that it was necessary to inter his body before sunset according to Jewish law, or the body would have had to stay on the cross an additional two days since the beginning of Sabbath began sundown on Friday. So a place had to be secured rather close to make it happen since he was taken down from the cross sometime around 3 PM. Still, it does seem rather strange when you walk the walk. History came alive for me when we climbed into the cable car for the ride up the mountain to Masada where 967 zealot Jews held off the Roman empire. To walk into the rooms where they lived and died was an incredible experience. The technology of their survival cannot be duplicated with all our sciences today. To look down upon the outlines of the Roman encampments which you can still see today brought it all home…the story of Jews that abhorred slavery so deeply that they preferred to die upon that mountain. It was meant to be that the Romans held off scaling the walls that last night which allowed the Jews time to take the lives of their families and one last man to commit suicide. Slavery was not acceptable. Death was. It was so appropriate that a few sprinkles came down as the story was told. It was as if these were tears of those who died rather than accept slavery. I had to include this one photo of this woman riding her donkey along a busy roadway. Could it be that she was going to market? What I saw in this sight as well as others with goat herds on the streets as we walked is that we may be living in the 21st century, but the clash of the ancient and the new continues to be a reality. Another site I was looking forward to seeing was Qumran where caves pit the sides of the mountains where the Dead Sea scrolls were found and continue to be found. Many of these caves are still being excavated, so who knows what stories they have to tell. Perhaps they will shake the world with their mysteries, and perhaps it is what is sorely needed to change the war ways of religion for centuries until today. To actually see the scrolls at the Israeli Museum in a darkened and secure room was totally inspiring. That brings me to the Dead Sea itself. By the way, it’s not a sea but a lake also. How the tourists flock there to cover themselves in Dead Sea mud for health purposes…they say. I put my hand into the water but passed on immersing myself in its murky waves. But it was clear that it impressed many from around the world. Now, I can’t forget to share my experience at the wailing wall. Here, men and women were separated. There was a “he” wall and a “she” wall. I have to admit it rubbed me the wrong way at first, but my respect for their tradition kept my comments in check for the most part. I did get to touch the wall, and seeing the devotion of so many, inspired me to write my requests on a slip of paper and insert it into a tiny crevice in the wall. We shall see! Finally, entering the Palestinian side of the western wall was impressive. I could not resist asking some fine young Palestinian soldiers if it would be proper to a picture with them. They were only too happy to oblige. Just young boys, but doing the job they were asked to do…to keep the peace the best way they could. Tradition once again reared its head as we came into view of the holy places in the Muslim area. Our tour guide informed us that men and women were not to touch in this area…do not hold hands even spouses…do not even touch each other. Strange, but it is a culture we as Americans will never come to understand. But, to stand in front of the mighty Dome of the Rock brought it all home to me that people may be divided by religion, but not by devotion to their own beliefs. There was so much more to tell you, but space does not allow for more. Would I have passed up this opportunity to experience history? No, absolutely not. Did it validate my beliefs? Perhaps it brought up more questions for me than validation. But is that so bad? Remember, the Almighty gave us a mind to question. Does that mean that my faith is shaken? If that is all that it takes to shake one’s belief, then there was no faith to begin with! Suffice to say, my belief is secure.  Eric Hogue TRICKY 93 PROPOSITION, CAREFUL CONSERVATIVES There is an important message to send, and we have little time to lose in getting out the message to voters. We the voters must stop Proposition 93 on the February Presidential Primary ballot. Titled “Limits on Legislators’ Term in Office”, Prop 93 is easily the most deceptive ballot measure Californians have faced in a generation. While it’s described as ‘term limits reduction’, what it would really do is give the current crop of free-spending, big-government lawmakers even more time in office. Prop 93 was crafted by the same lawmakers who moved California’s Presidential Primary from June to February, at the cost of millions of dollars for the added election. The excuse for moving up the election was that California would have more say in the selecting the Presidential candidates. Well, have you seen the Presidential candidates, or even their campaign workers knocking on doors in your neighborhood? The truth is, during a period of record budget deficits created by the current lawmakers in Sacramento, we now get to pay for an expensive, extra February election, an election forced upon us by the same legislative ‘fat cats’ who brought us the deficit in the first place – Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez and Senate President Don Perata. So if Prop 93 passes, these same ‘Capitol Fat Cats’ will have time to file re-election papers and get on the ballot in time for California’s real primary come June. This deceptive labeling was no accident. All ballot measures are submitted to the Attorney General, who has final say on each ballot measure “title and summary” – The name and short descriptive that appears on the ballot and the voting materials we receive before each election. Attorney General (and Democrat loyalist) Jerry Brown went right along with the Prop 93 bunch, agreeing to call it a term limits reduction. Why? Because Brown and his cronies Nunez and Perata know the people who are likely to turn out and vote in California don’t trust the legislature, and know that political corruption goes hand-in-hand with too much time in office. So, when you read voters “Limits on Legislators” on your sample ballot and in the voting booth, don’t fill in that “YES” box, don’t do it, it’s a trick. Preying upon the voter’s negative attitude toward the legislature is the lawmakers’ strategy, and it’s working. Although the latest Prop 93 polls show support for the measure is slipping, a majority of conservative voters still support it. This is why I’m releasing this statement: We must STOP PROP 93 in February, or we’ll have more budget deficits with “raise the taxes solutions” in the near future. Tell a friend, a co-worker, and a fellow church member that we must be sensible, we all want a better legislature, but this is not the way to go about it. We must STOP PROP 93 in February. Just say NO to 93!  Phil Cowan Want Cheaper Gas? Grow Up! As the price of gasoline climbs ever closer to five dollars per gallon, we have reached a watershed moment in American history, one where we must decide the economic future of this great nation. Will we accept crushing fuel prices as the inevitable consequence of moving away from an oil-based system of energy production? Or will we at last realize that the environmental movement, for all its good intentions, is crippling our economy? The choice needs to be made soon, and your quality of life depends on it. Environmentalism is a good thing. Our water and air are cleaner than they were forty years ago, and it has fostered an awareness of, and respect for, our place in the ecosystem, and the many ways our human behaviors can affect the planet. But the movement and its goals are rarely guided by science and logic these days, preferring instead to base its arguments on histrionic emotional appeals that bear little resemblance to reason, and the balance between healthy economic growth and responsible stewardship of the environment has been lost. We can’t drill in ANWR because of some perceived danger to caribou migration routes, even though the area we’re talking about is like a postage stamp on a manila envelope. The caribou would adapt. We can’t drill in coastal waters because we might pollute the ocean and taint our beaches. Maybe. But outside the two-hundred mile “exclusive economic zone” limit recognized by the U.N., international waters are fair game. If you hadn’t noticed, the Chinese don’t care about polluting our shores, and are already hard at work extracting oil from the Gulf of Mexico in partnership with their commie pals in Cuba. If we don’t extract that oil, someone else will, and they won’t be nearly as sensitive about it as we would. But then we see a picture of a seagull covered in oil, and we go all soft in the head. And don’t even get me started on this non-existent “global climate crisis,” which has already cost us billions. The planet has gone through climate cycles for eons, but no matter. Show somebody a forlorn looking polar bear on an ice floe and they’re weeping in their hankies. News flash: the polar bear population is larger and healthier than it’s been in years, and polar bears have been swimming (sometimes for miles) out to ice floes forever. So what’s it going to be? Will we, as a society, finally tell environmentalists they’ve gone too far? To shut their collective yap and get us some reasonably priced oil? Or will the Greens carry the day? Will we move away from an oil based economy on their schedule, and pay the excruciating economic price that will result? Do you want to keep paying these prices for your gas and food? Do you want to see the travel and tourism industries wither and die? Do you want to see this economy get worse? Childish emotion, my friends, is a lousy reason to make public policy. Maybe it’s time we act like adults for a change.  Catherine Moy Move America Forward Takes Action Against 'Counter-Recruitment' A well-organized campaign of anti-war, anarchist groups and homegrown terrorist groups has caused an escalation of violent attacks on military recruiting centers across the nation, according to an in-depth report by Move America Forward, the nation’s largest pro-troop nonprofit organization. Attackers since Sept. 11, 2001, have used bombs, human blood, feces, chains, guns and other weapons to destroy government property, block individuals trying to enter recruiting centers, close down recruiters, and terrorize the general public, according to the Move America Forward report being released today. “This report took a lot of work, but it was necessary to show to the public that the attacks are well-planned, well-orchestrated and they are a threat to our society,” said Melanie Morgan, chairman of Move America Forward. “The conspiracy has reached all the way to Berkeley City Hall where the City Council encourages radicals to impede recruiters and even pays their way to harass U.S. Marines.” Move America Forward (MAF) will release the report and a related TV commercial at a press conference this morning at the Press Club in Washington D.C. The commercial focuses on the growing problem of attacks on recruiters. The report highlights more than 40 recruiting sites across the nation that protesters have attacked. Some of the sites have had more than one incident, such as Berkeley, Calif., where the left-wing group World Can’t Wait has assaulted and battered people entering a Marine recruiting center and employed juveniles in masks to beat elderly people with skate boards and picket signs, set fires and hit police officers. Among the 40-plus cities and incidents in the report are:
Specifics on attacks in the report also include more on the Times Square bombing last week, a firebomb at a Texas recruitment office, a “Molotov cocktail” bomb at a Buffalo, N.Y.; recruitment office; and gunfire at a Denver, Colo., recruiters’ office. “Counter-recruitment” is so popular with anti-war activists that entire Web sites have been set up to describe the activity that often turns violent and destructive. Anarchist groups and anti-war organizations such as the radical Code Pink encourage others to attack and vandalize recruiting centers in action they call “counter-recruitment.” After completing their violent acts, the groups often post about them on web sites. Very few people are caught and prosecuted for the offenses, the report shows. “We cannot sit by as this violence continues,” Morgan said. “Law enforcement has an obligation to our society to stop these actions by capturing the suspects and prosecuting them. Lawmakers must ensure laws are in place to properly punish these deviants of society.” Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), who has introduced legislation to strip the city of Berkeley, Calif., of its federal earmarks for designer lunches and other pork because the City Council encourages forceful protests of the city’s sole recruiting center -- will speak at MAF’s press conference at 9:30 a.m. at the Press Club in Washington D.C. DeMint has been an outspoken critic of “counter-recruitment” and especially the ongoing incidents in Berkeley, where the City Council gave free parking and sound permits to Code Pink and enacted a resolution labeling the Marine recruiters there unwelcome intruders. The anti-war groups continue their siege on recruiters’ centers across the country. The fifth anniversary of the beginning of the Iraq War, March 19, 2008, will mark more attacks, according to Web sites of radical groups. The Pittsburgh Organizing Group (POG) plans to hold a “torch-lit march to a modern day castle of abominations -- our local military recruiting office,” according to its website. The POG will try to shut down the office and evict “everything inside of it.” The group will bring a “movable cage” to capture recruiters and hold them. “This violence will not stop until good Americans, lawmakers and law enforcement work together to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators of these attacks,” Morgan said. MAF is calling on U.S. Attorneys to investigate all of the incidents and prosecute the criminals participating in the violence. Catherine Moy is a nationally recognized award-winning journalist and coauthor of America Mourning: A story of two families.  Joyce Marcroft An Interview at William Jessup I wish everyone could visit the campus of William Jessup University! My previous times on the campus had been to attend a concert, a dinner, or a meeting with colleagues to plan an event. This time I arrived about 2PM during school hours to interview a student who is a senior and has attended William Jessup since her freshman year. As I entered the quad area a group of students were talking and exchanging books but stopped long enough to smile and say "hello" to an obvious stranger. A couple minutes later, approaching the door of the administration building, I saw two faculty members talking. Both turned and smiled and asked if they could help me find a specific office or person. I said that I had an appointment and had been in the office before. They then held open the door and returned to their conversation. Everyone I met had a gracious, friendly courteous demeanor that is so refreshing in this hurried, harried life we live. My interviewee, Erin O'Sullivan was waiting with a warm handshake and smile- a very poised young lady with obvious Celtic charm. With her was Christy Jewel, a William Jessup administrator. I explained that I was interested in talking to Erin about her experience at William Jessup University, reasons for her deciding on attending, and her future plans. Erin comes from a family of five- her father Mark, mother Patti, and two brothers. Dan is 37 and Mike is 34 years old so Erin was able to experience some of the "only child" feelings and yet have two older brothers to provide support and guidance. She became interested in the "generational gap" that existed not only between herself and her parents but also between her older siblings and herself. She has long been interested in the psychological differences determined by age. This explains her double major of Bible/Theology and Counseling Psychology. Growing up in Loomis, a suburb of Sacramento that has grown in population from what was once almost rural to one of the fastest growing area of California, Erin was able to experience the musical and artistic benefits of Sacramento and that of a quiet countryside. At Del Oro High School, Erin was a member of Talons- a chapter of the National Honor Society and was awarded the award of Golden Eagle of the year 2004. During her high school years, Erin's involvement with Sports Medicine and Peer Helping she says "the Lord made it extremely clear what would be her calling in life. What first showed up was my passion for people, the deep care I felt for the emotional, physical, and spiritual well being for the people with whom I spent my time". When father Mark suggested Erin think about attending William Jessup University, she was fairly resistant ( close to home, would rather experience a new area, etc.- all the reasons high school students have for selecting a college away from home). And she already had her life planned down to the most m minute detail!!! "Coming to William Jessup was a large leap of faith for me" continued Erin. " I set down the plans I had to attend a university in Washington state, a place I love very much. But I felt so strongly that WJU was the place God wanted me to be...and since being at Jessup the Lord has helped me mature so much and brought me through so many rewarding experiences." "I have been thinking a lot about graduation and evaluating my time here(at WJU) and have come to the conclusion that what I am going to miss most about being at this university is the professors! Jessup is flat out blessed. The faculty is a real gift from God. They will be truly missed and not having their influence on a daily basis will be the biggest shock for me. I have grown so fond of them and will miss them dearly... I am so thankful for the years spent at William Jessup University". Attending college not far from home has given many advantages to Erin- being close to her family, watching her three nieces grow up, while she was able to find her own independence. Erin has her post graduate studies all planned also. "I will be attending Alliant in Sacramento and getting my PsyD in Marriage and Family Therapy- and hope to practice there. It's obvious she "likes her space" and yet "appreciates the familiar". Erin looks forward to having the closeness of family and her friends from William Jessup University. Being in Sacramento will also enable her to continue attending her church The Rock of Rocklin where she is the administrative assistant to the Youth Pastor. This very mature young lade refers to her faith as a "gift from the Lord Jesus" and goes on to remark that she feels a relationship with Him that guides her through life.  Yolanda Knaak Recent LA Judges’ Decision Regarding Home-Schooling and Moms’ Options for Educating Their Children In light of the February 28th Los Angeles Judicial decision to not allow 2 children to be home-schooled, parental rights advocates are very concerned because of the wording used in the decision. The Judges in the case stated that parents have “no legal right to home-school their children”. Both the Pacific Justice Institute and the HSLDA Advocates for Home-Schooling feel they could apply the decision to the whole state and both have petitions against the decision on line. They have also vowed to fight the decision. One Folsom mom who requested to have her name be withheld, states “I’m horrified (regarding the judicial decision)”. Home-schooling works well for her, she has a Bachelors Degree and she teaches her 2 young children privately. It gives her the freedom to choose any curriculum for her children. Both her children have such a joy of learning and she presents the subjects based on their interests. Her older child is a 1st grader, but educationally is at a 3rd grade level, her younger child is at a higher level as well. Other options she had looked at before deciding to home-school were private schools, but they were very expensive and none in the area stood out for her. Then public schools she looked into had high student-teacher ratios with little private attention. She was also concerned that her advanced children would get bored. A mom in Rancho Cordova, Christi Underwood, states that she was unaware of the ruling. Home-schooling works well for her 4th grader who had been in private school in the past, but due to the cost was forced to decide on another option. After exploring public school, she felt that it was not an option since the public high school in her district was “undesirable”. Her daughter is enrolled in the San Juan School District Visions Home Schooling Program and they send a teacher to the home approximately every 20 days. Christi also has hired a teacher for tutoring. Christi’s husband who is a High School teacher also helps with the instruction on some Saturdays. Another mom in Citrus Heights, who also desires to withhold her name, states she is opposed to the ruling as well. Her daughters are in private school, but the cost is becoming a burden to her, so she’s looking at other options. She states that public school isn’t an option, because of the “homosexual influence” in surveys (allowed without parental consent in grades K-12 by SB 71), school books that teach children as young as Kindergarten about having “2 mommies”, and the undetermined influence of SB 777 (deleting gender roles from public schools), which just passed last year. With this new judicial ruling, she is actually wondering if home-schooling will be an option for her in the future. After exploring decisions moms have had to make regarding educating their children, it helps us to better understand their decision to home-school. It is too early to tell what impact the new judicial ruling will have on state-wide home-schooling, considering that 2 organizations have vowed to fight the recent decision. For comments or questions, feel free to contact me at yk@skyq.com. About the author: Yolanda Knaak has a Masters degree from UCLA in nursing. She is an elected member of the Sacramento County Republican Party Central Committee. Archives... |
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