An Injustice for Women in Uniform

Last month, Republican senate leaders blocked consideration of an amendment that would have lifted the ban that denies female service members coverage for abortion costs in rape and incest cases. There are more than 200,000 women currently on active duty in the military. Right now, military health pays for abortions only when the pregnancy is endangering a woman's life. Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire said all the amendment would have done is give military women the same coverage now afforded civilians who work for the federal government or rely on Medicaid. Shaheen said "..the amendment should not have been controversial."

The author of this editorial, Andrew Rosenthal, definnitely does not agree with the blocked consideration of the amendment. He strongly believes that women in the military deserve this right. He shows this when he says, "There is no rational argument for providing military women lesser coverage..." Rosenthal finishes this editorial saying, "Making a modestly paid enlistee find the money to end a pregnancy resulting from a rape is inexcusably cruel." 

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Bless Me, Ultima 8-12

I have to admit, I am officially hooked on this book. Chapters 8-12 were even more interesting and exciting than the first seven chapters. They begin with Antonio's brothers suffering from "war-sickness" or most likely post-traumatic stress disorder. This doesn't surprise me at all saying they entered the stressful war at a very young age and didn't have much of a childhood. Because of this, Antonio's brothers urge him to stay youthful as long as he can and not want to rush to grow up. I also think I found these chapters entertaining because magic was finally introduced in the story. Magic was introduced in the curing of Uncle Louis from his curse. He was placed in a curse by the barkeeper, Tenorio's, daughters. Ultima puts a lot of effort into coming up with a cure for Louis and spends several days trying to get it right. This shows that Ultima is a nice, caring person, but i'm not so sure i'm completely convinced of Ultima's character just yet. There something about her that makes me question her intentions. A prediction I have for the rest of the book is that Antonio will become a male witch. After going with Ultima to cure his uncle, I have a feeling Ultima is almost trying to train Antonio for the future. Another thing I noticed in chapters 8-12 is Antonio's parents bitterness towards each other. I love how Anaya made them absolute opposites and their continued opposition and fighting in these chapters adds a lot to the story. They can't seem to agree on anything. I'm really excited to keep reading Bless Me, Ultima and see what happens next!

Paris' legendary American bookseller dies

George Whitman, has passed away. A lot of you may ask, 'Who the heck is George Whitman?" Well, you may not know his name, but you probably have heard of his bookshop. He owned the world famous bookshop located in Paris, Shakespeare & Company. Whitman started the shop in 1951. This was during the time period when a number of Americans went to Paris after World War II to "re-start the party." By the mid 1950's, it was obvious that the party was over and most Americans went home to the states. But, Whitman did not. Whitman named his bookstore Shakespeare & Company in memory of Sylvia Beach, an American women who also had a bookstore named Shakespeare & Company that she was eventually forced to close. Everyone in Paris knows Whitman's bookshop, and he will be remembered for a long time to come.

The author of this article, Michael Goldfarb, definitely respects George Whitman. Even though Goldfarb did not have the best personal experience with Whitman, he still respects the man. He says, "By the time I made my first visits there 40 years ago, the bookshop was an anchor of Paris life and Whitman a well-established character: wizened, missing his front teeth, their absence highlighted by his wispy goatee." Goldfarb succeeded in interesting me in the topic and makes me want to know more about George Whitman. 

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Bless Me Ultima, Chapters 1-7

To be honest, when we received Bless Me, Ultima in class, I did not think this book was going to be fun or interesting to read. But, after reading the first seven chapters, I can say that I judged the book by its cover. Once I got reading, and read about Antonio Marez and Ultima, I didn't want to put the book down. I love how Rudolfo A. Anaya made Antonio's parents completely different. The contrast of their beliefs and upbringings adds a lot to their characters. As I kept reading I made some predictions for the rest of the book. Gabriel tells Ultima about his dream to move to California in chapter two. I think this will happen eventually, even though Gabriel worries about moving his family to California alone. Also, Antonio wonders a lot about Lupito's soul and what happened to it after he was killed. I think Anaya will bring this up again later in the story and give us some more information about that. I love how Anaya uses the spanish language throughout the text. I know a lot of other students have problems with it but I think its a great addition and brings out the culture. I can't wait to read the rest of this book and see if my predictions are accurate.

Invasion of Privacy

ESPN sports reporter Erin Andrews has filed a lawsuit regarding her September 2008 stay at a Nashville, Tennessee hotel. Andrew says that a man "altered a peephole so he could shoot video of the ESPN sports reporter while she was nude." The lawsuit was filed friday in Davidson County, Tennessee. Andrews is seeking $6 million from the Marriott Hotel and $4 million from the man, Michael David Barrett. She says that Barrett made calls to the hotel asking if she would be staying at the hotel. She also claims that the hotel revealed her room number and he requested a room right next to hers. Director of communications at Marriott hotel spoke out and said the hotel has made changes to the guest policy providing more privacy. Barrett was arrested after trying to sell the videos to TMZ. TMZ did not purchase the videos, but helped in the investigation by providing information to Andrews' attorneys.

The authors of this article, or the CNN Wire Staff, implied that they believe that Barrett was completely wrong for doing this. "Andrews' lawsuit contends she was a victim of negligence, invasion of privacy and infliction of emotional distress." I completely agree with the staff. I find this disgusting and inappropriate. The staff states that Barrett posted up to ten videos of Andrews. My question is, why was he not caught earlier? 

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Breast Cancer Strikes Again

Reality star and E! host Giuliana Rancic was diagnosed with breast cancer this past October. She recently announced to the public her decision to undergo a double mastectomy. Giuliana has had a bad history of health issues in the past. She has been very open about these problems on her reality show, "Giuliana and Bill." On her reality show she has chronicled her fertility problems, including a miscarriage. Giuliana desperately wants to become a mother, and this is the main reason why she's taking an aggressive stand and fighting the cancer early. Giuliana, as well as every other woman who has been diagnosed with the disease, is devastated. Giuliana's announcement has made people realize the emotional side of breast cancer. "Despite the pink-ribboned ubiquity of breast cancer in our consciousness, the difficult and emotional tradeoffs of treatment are still tricky to talk about." Even though October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the ways in which cancer can emotionally affect a female are sometimes pushed aside. 

The author of this article, Mary Elizabeth Williams, seems to be very emotional about the subject of breast cancer. She says that Giuliana, "reminds us there's more to fighting breast cancer than pink ribbons." Williams seems to agree with the decision she is making to undergo the double mastectomy. Williams says, "That quest to become a mother is a big part of her decision to take an aggressive line on cancer."Williams also touches on the underlying problem of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Even though the month is dedicated to empowering women, it ignores the emotional problems. 

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Weed Wars

There is a new TV show set to premiere tonight at 10 on the Discovery Channel called Weed Wars. The new series revolves around a medical marijuana clinic in Oakland, California. Business owner, Steve D'Angelo, says he runs "a family business." D'Angelo's company, the Harborside Health Center, distributes medical marijuana to almost 100,000 customers. D'Angelo sees his business as just another small normal business, and he compares it to a hair salon or a tattoo parlor. There is one problem with his small, family owned business. Even though medical marijuana can be sold legally to a California resident  with a medical permit, the federal government still considers it a Schedule 1 narcotic. This means that D'Angelo and his brother, who helps him run the business, "live in fear of a massive bust by the DEA."

The author of this article, Matt Zoller Seitz, implies that he does not really agree with the TV show. He says, "D’Angelo’s matter-of-fact statement sums up the tone of this series, which treats the Harborside Heath Center as just another family-owned (albeit nonprofit) business, ultimately not too different from a veterinary clinic, a hair salon or a tattoo parlor." To me, that sounds a little sarcastic. I, personally, do not understand the whole TV show. If they fear a bust by the DEA, once this show goes on national TV, aren't they definitely busted? I will definitely be watching tonight to see what happens. 

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Victory for Grizzlies

Thanks to a federal court ruling last week, grizzly bears living in the Rocky Mountains will continue to be considered endangered species. The species was taken off the Endangered Species List in 2007 by the Fish and Wildlife Service. But, the Fish and Wildlife Service ignored clear threats to the animal's food supply. Grizzlies' food supply has decreased due to climate change and the destruction of whitebark pine forests. When the Fish and Wildlife Service took the animal off of the list, they argued that the grizzlies would continue to do well without the pine forests. This theory was totally false and was proved wrong with much evidence and research. Finally, after the court ruling last week, grizzly bears are now back where they should be.

I, being the animal lover that I am, was immediately attracted to this article right when I saw the title. The author of this editorial, Andrew Rosenthal, was very happy with the decision made my the federal court. He strongly believes that the animals deserve to be there. He closes the editorial by saying, "All the more reason to make sure the bear stays on the Endangered Species List." Rosenthal is very persuasive in this editorial and makes you agree with his point of view. 

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5 Tips to Increasing Your Happiness

Who doesn't want to be happy? People will go to extreme measures to be happy in their life. Scientist Dr. John Grohol did some research and came up with 5 tips to increase happiness in your life. The first is, "Take a break from the material world" Grohol suggests that money won't buy you happiness and if you can afford some shelter and transportation, you're pretty much set. Second, he says, "Your relationships go a long way to helping you be happy." Grohol says that this tip is more for people that are married and that your relationship is a key component to your happiness level. His third tip is, "Trying to enjoy yourself will result in your least amount of enjoyment." He says your least likely to be happy when you're trying to be happy and happiness occurs naturally. The fourth tip is, "Being a giving person and having gratitude matter."People that are selfless tend to be happier and they tend to think about the good things in life. The final tip is, "Focus on experiences, not stuff." Grohol says to avoid buying stuff and having a lot, and focus more on the experiences you have with the people you enjoy being with.

Grohol is very persuasive in this article. His purpose was to inform people on how to live happier lives. The title of the article, "5 Tips to Increasing Your Happiness," made people interested in the article right from the start. Grohol definitely achieved his goal by writing this article. After reading this, it made me want to follow these rules so I too, can live a happier lifestyle.

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Outside Reading - The Great Gatsby

When choosing my outside reading book, it took me a long time to finally make a decision on what book to read. I finally chose The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The Great Gatsby is an American classic and Fitzgerald's greatest novel. The novel takes place in New York in the 1920's. It starts off with the narrator, Nick Carraway, moving into the West Egg district of Long Island to learn about the bond business. His next door neighbor is a man named Jay Gatsby, who lives in a mansion and throws extravagant parties on Saturday evenings. Gatsby is extravagant man on the outside, but he is really nothing more than a man desperate for love. Despite Gatsby's classy lifestyle, he is unhappy because he is still in love with Daisy Buchanan. With Nick's help, Gatsby and Daisy meet again and rekindle their affair. Daisy's husband, Tom, is angry about Daisy's affair, even though he himself is also having an affair with George Wilson's wife, Myrtle. When Gatsby and Daisy are driving back to New York one day, Gatsby's car hits Myrtle. Even though it was really Daisy who was driving, Gatsby takes the blame. George Wilson hears that it was Gatsby that hit and killed his wife, Myrtle. So, he goes to Gatsby's house and shoots Gatsby in his pool and kills him. Nick Carraway sets up a funeral for his friend. After the funeral, Nick decides to leave West Egg, disgusted by the lifestyle.

In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald has a very unique writing style that is both complex and descriptive. Fitzgerald's purpose is to expose what he saw as the flaws of the so called, "American Dream." Even though he focuses on this purpose and the general plot throughout the novel, he leaves other hints of underlying problems. For example, nobody really knew for sure how Gatsby made all of his money. But, near the end of the novel, Tom Buchanan reveals something that me, as the reader, had already started to suspect; Gatsby's fortune was made through illegal gambling and bootlegging. Fitzgerald uses ethos to create unique personalities for all of the characters. Fitzgerald uses pathos to emotionally persuade the reader and keep them interested in the love and relationships. "He doesn’t know very much about Tom, though he says he’s read a Chicago paper for years just on the chance of catching a glimpse of Daisy’s name." (Pg. 152) Fitzgerald uses pathos throughout the novel. I felt like Fitzgerald didn't use logos to support his ideas and purpose. One characteristic of Fitzgerald that kept me interested in The Great Gatsby was his use of description. Fitzgerald was very descriptive and used lots of imagery. Overall, I really enjoyed The Great Gatsby and F. Scott Fitzgerald's writing style, and look forward to reading more of his work in the future. 

Special Education Needs Not Being Met

I may have a personal connection with this article, and I may be biased, but it doesn't mean there is not a problem going on at the Hanover Middle School. The author of this article, Mark Skordinski, is explaining this problem. The Hanover Middle School has left nine special needs children without a teacher. The reason for this? Faculty cuts. According to federal law, school districts must provide an education to children with special needs in the least restrictive environment. So, the issue at the middle school is in "direct opposition with federal and state law." Skordinski also mentions the school committee and their failure to cooperate with special needs parents. The school committee is supposed to speak for the townspeople, which is why they were elected. Their failure to do so is not helping the situation, or the concerned parents.

Mark Skordinski makes it perfectly clear that he believes that this is wrong and that something needs to be done. He explains the problem that has arose at the middle school. He also thoroughly describes his feelings for the school committee. "From the very outset of the meeting, it was clear that the chairman of the school committee had no interest in hearing these concerns." Skordinski also says, "However, there is an overall chipping away of special education that seems to be driven too much by financial concerns instead of best practices or students’ needs." Skordinski believes that with a little teamwork, the school committee and special needs parents can cooperate and do what's best for their children.

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$350 Per Honk

For those of us who have been to New York City, we know the sound of the traffic and horns is loud enough to keep you awake at night. It's almost unbearable. Most of this noise isn't coming from just any normal car. The ones to blame are taxi drivers. The law in New York, for years, has been that it is illegal to use any "claxon" on a motor vehicle except in an emergency or a car alarm. The fine for unnecessary use of a horn is $350 a beep. The problem is very few, if any, tickets are given out for this. The taxi commissioner of New York, David Yassky, recently sent out a text to New York's 13,000 taxi drivers asking them to only honk in an emergency. But, the taxi drivers were unimpressed. The only way to solve this problem might be to start giving out tickets.

The author of this article, Andrew Rosenthal, believes the state should start giving out more tickets to solve this issue. He implies that unnecessary horn honking is very dangerous, especially when people are using their horns instead of their brakes. Rosenthal says at the end of the editorial, "Mr. Yassky is right to remind his drivers of why they have a horn in the first place. They should listen. So should the rest of the drivers out there." This proves that Rosenthal believes there's a problem and it needs to be fixed.


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White Halloween

I, as well as many others, never though I'd see a white halloween. But, this past Saturday night and Sunday morning left me speechless. I woke up Sunday, October 30th, and looked out my window and saw snow on the ground. Thats a first. The past weekends snow storm left millions without power. Schools have already been cancelled for weeks due to power outages and halloween has been postponed in some towns. Everywhere from West Virginia up to New Hampshire woke up Sunday morning and was astonished at what they saw. If this storm happened during the winter, it would have just been another snow storm. But the fact that it hit halloween weekend makes it one for the record books.


The author of this article, Andrew Rosenthal, also was amazed by the snow storm. He starts off the editorial comparing the idea of a white halloween to a Tim Burton movie. Rosenthal says, "Where the damage was worst, it looked as though autumnal trees had shed their branches instead of their leaves." Rosenthal was very surprised by the weekends storm. Rosenthal also says that, "The emotion this storm inspired was incredulity." He's right. People didn't know what was happening or what to do. Nobody was prepared for this and nobody will forget it. 

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The Troops Are Coming Home

There is good news for troops and military families. President Obama announced Friday that that all the troops will be home by the end of the year. More than 4, 400 Americans have been killed in this war, and it has cost the US $1 trillion over the past nine years. There was a possibility that Obama was going to leave some troops behind in Iraq for a while longer to help the Iraqi government maintain security. But, Iraq couldn't make up their mind and with a December 31st deadline approaching, Obama decided the best thing to do would be to bring all the troops home. There is finally a much needed end date to this long fought war.

The author of this editorial, Andrew Rosenthal, suggests that he believes its a good idea that there is finally an end date to the war in Iraq. He proves this near the end of the article when he includes a quote from Mitt Romney, a Republican presidential candidate. He says,"Romney...said Mr. Obama “unnecessarily put at risk” hard-won victories. Like most of what Mr. Romney says about national security, that was absurd. Would he have Washington ignore the desires of Iraq’s democratic government and stay in Iraq forever?" Rosenthal also ends his editorial by saying, "...Iraq will be in the hands of Iraqis, as it should be." 


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Are Wild Animals Meant To Be Pets?

Is it right to keep wild animals as pets? More importantly, is it safe? Even though many might not think it's right to keep these "pets," its not illegal. Last week, exotic animal reserve owner, Terry Thompson, released 56 wild animals from the Muskingum County Animal Farm in Ohio. He shot himself after doing this. These animals were extremely dangerous to the neighborhood living outside the animal farm. Because of this, sheriff's deputies shot 48 of the released animals, including eighteen rare Bengal tigers and seventeen lions. Six black bears, two grizzlies, a baboon, and three mountain lions were also killed. The death of the eighteen Bengal tigers was the most tragic because they are endangered with only around 1,400 left in the world. The real question is, why is this not illegal? There are many people around the world that keep these wild animals as pets in their homes. They raise them from when they are babies, and think that the animals will never harm them because they grew up with them. WRONG. As these wild animals get older, they become more aggressive and less predictable. These pet owners are taking a huge risk by keeping these dangerous animals as pets.


The author of the article, Peter Laufer, implies that he does not support people keeping wild animals as pets. He says that raising exotic animals can be very dangerous and creates many challenges. Laufer also says that, "Nationwide, the laws on keeping wildlife as pets are a confusing patchwork."Penalties for the violations are almost never severe and the laws are not very well enforced. This is part of the problem. Laufer believes that the federal government has some more work to do to protect the animals, and the owners. "It’s past time to regulate the wild beasts: us."


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New Orleans Back On The Right Track

The city of New Orleans has been slowly improving ever since Hurricane Katrina. Before the traumatic hurricane, more than 60 percent of children in this city attended a failing school. Now, 6 years later, only about 18 percent do. This is a huge step forward for the city of New Orleans. New Orleans Education Secretary Arne Duncan says the progress has been "stunning." The author of the article believes this progress is being made after the hurricane because the hurricane "destroyed the old system, allowing the city to begin fresh." The city of New Orleans has also made some major changes in their school systems. They laid off ALL of their teachers, and made them take a basic skills test if they wished to return. Only about 20 percent of the original teaching force returned to the schools.


The author of this article, Andrew Rosenthal, thinks that the school systems in New Orleans are improving. Rosenthal talks about charter schools in New Orleans and says, "They spend a great deal of time teaching study and time management skills, and plan each student’s development. None of these attributes are particular to charters, but they have helped turn the schools around." He argues that the schools do have a long way to go, but by bringing in "fresh ideas and strong instructional methods" they will continue to improve in the future. 


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Gambling on Your Health

"Early October brought two developments in the world of cancer screening." The first was the beginning of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which calls for regular mammograms for women. The second was a recommendation from the United States Preventive Services Task Force that healthy men do not get screened for prostate cancer. The author says there are two basic harms of screening: false-positive tests and overdiagnoses. "Approximately 15 to 20 percent of women and men who are screened annually over a 10-year period will have to undergo at least one biopsy because of a false-positive mammogram or P.S.A. — prostate-specific antigen — test." The author also points out that in breast cancer screening, there are about 5 to 15 people who are overdiagnosed each year. So, its really your decision whether you want to take a gamble on your health. 
The author of this article, H. Gilbert Welch, is very biased. He implies that he does not believe in screening and he would never get screened himself. But, he points out that he does not believe people who do get screened are wrong. The point he is trying to get across is that even if you do get screened, it doesn't mean the results are going to be a hundred percent accurate. Welch says, "Screening is like gambling: there are winners and there are losers. And while the few winners win big, there are a lot more losers." Many people believe that getting screened is the best possible health decision you can make. But, Welch explains why that theory may be wrong. 

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Employed Robbers

Many Bank of America users were upset to discover that the bank is now going to charge them a monthly $5 fee to use their debit cards. Their reason for doing this was that they were forced to make the change due to regulations that altered the economics of the card. JPMorgan Chase also told customers that they, too, were going to charge this fee. The author of the article, Lloyd Constantine, says, "Both banks were responding to the Federal Reserve’s actions to limit the interchange fees banks charge stores each time a debit card is used for a purchase." But in reality, banks are telling customers this to hide one of the largest illegal transfers of wealth from consumers to banks in American history. For decades, Bank of America, the founder of Visa, and all of the MasterCard banks, hid the identity of their debit cards from stores by making them look and function like their signature credit cards and by charging stores the same price for debit and credit transactions. This resulted in a 1996 lawsuit. This lawsuit resulted in $3.4 million settlement to banks, a court order for the redesign of debit cards, and a reduction in the price banks charge stores for common debit transactions. So, the fees that banks now charge stores for debit transactions are economically identical to the check interchange fees prohibited by the government almost a century ago.


The author of this article, Lloyd Constantine, does not support this new fee by Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase. He really doesn't state his personal opinion until the last paragraph of the editorial. He explains that retail customers of Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, and any other companies that follow their lead should move their business. He says that these banks are "arrogant" and their actions are disingenuous. 

Hell on Rails

"Few things say 'urban mass misery' more vividly than a breakdown on the Long Island Rail Road, the nation’s oldest, largest and, lately, most trouble-prone commuter railroad." (Hall, 1) Last Thursday, at the height of rush hour, lightning fried the signal system at the Jamaica Station in Queens, delaying service out of Penn Station. Hours later, the signal failure shut down all trains going east of Jamaica Station. This is not the first time this has happened. In August 2010, almost the exact same situation occurred. The real question is, why is the brand new $56 million dollar signal system failing? The only explanation the Long Island Rail Road has now is the failure of communication. They left thousands of people stranded on trains and platforms for hours last week, and many believe this is not the last time it will happen. 


The author of the article, Trish Hall, is very persuasive. She strongly believes that the Long Island Rail Road does not have an explanation for all their issues. She lists all the imperfections of the rail road system, like the quiet intercoms, and TV-monitors with the wrong information. Hall also points out that the state government has ignored the ancient infrastructure of the rail road for years. Hall encourages Long Islanders to urge lawmakers to spend what it takes to keep the Long Island Rail Road up and running. She says, "Being cheap about transit always ends up being expensive, especially when lightning strikes."


Click here to view the article - Hell on Rails

My Mother Never Worked Journal Entry

I do not believe that a homemaker who has never been a wage earner should be entitled to a Social Security death benefit for her survivors. If the homemaker did not put any money into Social Security, then why should he or she receive any money back? I don't think its fair for people that actually have documented paying jobs and contribute to Social Security. A homemaker definitely works, don't get me wrong. But, they never pay into the system. There is an example of this in "My Mother Never Worked" by Bonnie Smith-Yackel. Bonnie's mother "worked" all her life. She worked in the fields and in the house with the children. But, she never had a legit paying job. That was her problem. Bonnie gets upset when the Social Security woman tells her her mother never worked and she cannot get the death benefit check. All in all, I feel like Social Security has a good reason to not give homemakers the benefits.

Not So Green After All

You hear the term "going green" everywhere these days. The new company to "go green" is the Green Mountain Power company... Or are they? The Green Mountain Power company plans to put 21 wind turbines in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom. Vermont's Northeast Kingdom is one of the largest tracts of private wild land in the state of Vermont. This wind power threatens to ruin the landscape. Putting up these wind turbines will require roads to be built, and to change the whole profile of the ridgeline.  The same ridgeline that raised the state 1.4 million dollars in tourism spending. A total of 134 acres of forest will need to be cleared in order for the turbines to be created. These acres of healthy forests will be cleared with 700,000 pounds of explosives that will turn the mountain side into rubble. So, is the company really "going green" after all?


The author of this editorial, Steve E. Wright, is very persuasive with his language. His language and diction prove that he definitely does not believe the Green Mountain Power company is making the right decision. Wright uses words like "destroy," "ripping-apart," and "terrible" when talking about the destruction of the forest. Wright also uses evidence to back up his argument. He states that "The electricity generated by this project will not appreciably reduce Vermont’s greenhouse gas emissions. Only 4 percent of those emissions now result from electricity generation." He also points out that, "The mountains are integral to our identity as the Green Mountain State, and provide us with clean air and water and healthy wildlife populations." Wright has completely convinced me that the Green Mountain Power company is destroying the forest, even if it is for so called, green reasons. 


Click here to view the article - The Not-So-Green Mountains

Abortion Rights?

Abortion is a topic that either you agree with, or you don't. Since anti-abortionists know they will not reach their goal of an outright ban, they are now trying to get legislative laws passed that will make abortion more difficult for most women. Several states have already taken steps towards these restrictions. Click here to see which states have already passed restrictions. These restrictions include mandatory waiting periods, counseling sessions and parental consent. Some states even require women to have mandatory ultrasounds. During the first 8 months of this year, 61 abortion laws were enacted. These laws are weakening the view of the women who choose abortion. I have a personal connection to this article. My mother's best friend lost her baby when she was 5 and a half months pregnant. But, her hospital would not let her get an abortion because the law in Massachusetts says that you cannot get an abortion if you are over 21 weeks pregnant. So she was going to have to deliver the baby dead. She fortunately found a hospital that would give her an abortion under the radar. But, many other women might not be so fortunate.

The author of this article, Dorothy Samuels, was very persuasive. She convinced me that these laws were restricting women's rights across the country. Samuels uses words like "big-government attack" and "unconstitutional." This diction leads me to believe that Samuels does not think these restrictions are fair. Samuels also points out that "One powerful strategy of the anti-abortion forces has been to portray abortion as outside the mainstream and cast women who have abortions as immoral outsiders." This is definitely a powerful statement and a negative effect of the restrictions. Samuels knows her audience very well and has supportive evidence to prove her point.

Click here to view the article - Where Abortion Rights Are Disappearing
Click here to watch a video on the new restrictions in some states

Justice for Women Veterans

As we all know, being a victim of sexual assault is completely unnecessary and awful for anyone to have to go through. But, it almost seems worse to think about women in the military, just trying to help our country, to have to go through it. The author of the editorial, Andrew Rosenthal, agrees with me. Many servicewomen and veterans have a hard time trying to obtain health benefits related to the sexual violence they experienced while in the military. This is a huge problem, and is definitely not fair. Women in the military are already having a hard enough time emotionally dealing with the stress, and them having to worry about sexual assault and harassment is not acceptable. If they unfortunately do have to go through this, they should at least get health care benefits after they've served for our country. Don't you think?

Andrew Rosenthal supports his opinion with evidence from Veterans Benefits Administration and The Service Women's Action Network. One point that Rosenthal made was that the "Veterans Benefits Administration approves 53 percent of all claims related to post-traumatic stress disorder, it accepts far fewer claims - only 32 percent -  when the P.T.S.D. is related to sexual trauma." This statement makes me think that Rosenthal does not think that this is acceptable. Rosenthal also mentions that The Service Women's Action Network sued the the Pentagon and Department of Veterans Affairs under the Freedom of Information Act. Rosenthal states that women can be "traumatized" by the "hostility of the bureaucracy that is supposed to help them." Although Rosenthal believes this is a major problem in today's society, he still has hope. He says, "Making it easier for those suffering from sexual trauma to receive benefits is one step toward fairness."


Click here to check out the article - Justice for Women Veterans

The Spirit of the Game

Personally, I loved this editorial. I, thanks to my mother, am a huge professional tennis fan. I watch all of the grand slam tournaments with my mom, so I found this article very interesting. I completely agree with what the author is trying to get across. I think that Rafael Nadal, this year's US Open runner-up, was very graceful after he lost the 4-set upsetting battle to Novak Djokovic. He was definitely "a reminder of what good sportsmanship really means." As you've probably seen before, a lot of professional athletes make up excuses or blame someone for their loss when they lose a big game or match. Rafael Nadal did the opposite of that. He had nothing but good things to say about his opponent, and has lots of respect for him. I think because of this Rafael Nadal is a great role-model for young athletes. 


I believe that the author of this editorial, Andrew Rosenthal, knew his audience very well. Rosenthal knew his subject and exactly who was going to read this article: tennis fans. I know this because Rosenthal did not do a lot of explaining about the two athletes or even the game of tennis, he dove right into the good stuff. Rosenthal's purpose of this article was very clear to see. He wanted to explain the sportsmanship and work ethic of professional tennis player, Rafael Nadal. Rosenthal's diction shows that he is a fan of Rafael Nadal. He uses words like "graciousness," "polite," "soft-spoken," and "generous." Rosenthal says that, "It was moving to watch a man who had played with so much heart also speak with so much heart." All in all, Rosenthal understands his audience very well and thoroughly states his purpose. 


Click here to check out the article - The Spirit of the Game