Drug Testing and Student Rights

Imagine a drug test policy at Deerfield High School. . . I can't. Everyone would act immature, creating chaos and disruption towards the learning environment. And because our school's main goal, just like any other school,  is to educate students, many would argue that drug testing would not only violate one's privacy, but would violate one's right to education due to the disturbance.  However, a school also tries to prevent illegal drug use, and if the community has been abusing drugs, the court and school should allow and encourage drug testing for extracurricular activities and athletics.

I agree that upon "reasonable suspicion" a urinalysis test can be used on a student (1). However, what is considered reasonable suspicion? One may argue that this is too broad, but I believe that the vagueness should not matter. If student seems out of it one day due to lack of sleep and is asked to take a drug test, he or she should have no reason to argue against it because they have not consumed drugs. Also, if the behavior is caused from prescribed drugs, and the urinalysis by chance picks up the drug, the student has no reason to worry because it was prescribed. The urinalysis tests only detect the use of illegal drugs including "amphetamines, marijuana, cocaine, opiates, and barbiturates, not medical conditions or the presence of authorized prescription medications" (1). No student has the reason to argue against taking a drug test because if they are consuming drugs, they should not be.

Many students and parents in opposition of the drug test may argue that it invades one's right to privacy. I disagree because the faculty monitor does not act any differently than another student using the bathroom would. For example, one would stand outside a stall and "listen for normal sounds of urination in order to guard against tampered specimens and to insure an accurate chain of custody" (2). Therefore, these monitors are not closer to the student than any other student would be when using the rest room. The procedure is more than reasonable and people should understand that they are only taking precautions to lower drug use among students. And the information gathered from each test is kept in a file. However, there have been cases where teachers leave private information like this open to other students. This should be fixed because every student has a right to privacy and this is a violation of  that right. These results should be stored in a place where only the principal and the head of the drug test policy can access them, that way no one's privacy will be violated.

I believe the drug test will really benefit the school and community and has fair consequences. I believe students will start to stop using drugs illegally, thus helping the community as a whole. The consequence of a first positive test is that the school contacts the student's parent or guardian for a meeting and the student may continue to participate in the activity if within five days of the meeting, the student goes for drug counseling and submits a second drug test. And the most severe consequence of a third positive test is the student will be suspended from participating in any activity for the "rest of the year, or 88 school days, whichever is longer" (2). I believe these will help the community diminish the drug problem in school because if a student is passionate about a sport or activity, he or she will stop using drugs. And if they continue to use drugs, they will suffer from the consequences.

I believe the sooner one acts, the better. Although many cannot imagine their school with this type of policy, I believe it will be beneficial to the school, the students and their families, and the community. If Deerfield High School adopted this policy I believe our evident drug problem would decrease immensely because so much of the student body participates in athletics and/or extracurricular activities.

Recently, Obama passed the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act which allows one to share personal student information with state officials that are not working directly on education; these records can be placed in a state database with non-education records and private entities would be able to access the school records. Many families and schools worry that if the expansion continues, information will be shared between states without student of parent consent. I believe this is going to an extreme. Files should be open, but the documents being shared should not have be identified with a student name. I believe it is reasonable only if the student's name is not revealed. If names are not used, it would act more as a survey which would benefit school districts, the state, and the nation.

After reading the Safford Unified School District v. Redding case, I was appalled and surprised. I myself felt just as violated as the middle-schooler who was strip searched due to a suspicion of having ibuprofen. The strip search was conducted and she was down to her undergarments and at some point had to lift her bra and underwear out for the nurse to check. She was so embarrassed that she kept her head down so the nurse was unable to tell that she was crying. Redding filed against the school district and the strip search was found unconstitutional. The school had no right to conduct a strip search for a suspicion of possession of ibuprofen. It is very irresponsible of the school and illustrates how some schools violate one's right to privacy. It has been stated that once a student enters school that privacy is taken away to an extent because the school has to protect the rest of the student body. But in this case, a strip search was not necessary and found unconstitutional.

Grab a tissue for every issue. . .

Everyone has issues, no matter how large or small they seem on a world scale. Some people, like myself, can blow up an issue and make it seem like the center of the world. One bad day, can be the focus of a whole week, or month, or year.

I lost my pencil case, my prized possession. Now that, that is a problem for me that ruins my whole day, maybe even week. Because everytime I sit down in class and reach for my pencil case, I remember that it is gone. I sigh, then I pout, then I whine to my fellow student and I take out my only pen. Now that is rough. In a school setting, my pencil case truly is my life. I have my highlighters, my three expensive mechanical pencils that I have had for the past two years, my glue stick, my pretty color sharpies, my chapstick, my long and colorful eraser, my favorite pens, and my crappy pencils and pens that are only used for those who ask to borrow a writing tool. I think it is the fact that my dark green looney tune pencil case is gone that makes me upset. And as the day passes, if I encounter an additional problem, then its truly a crappy day. But then I take a deep breath and reflect. . .

My day is not at all shitty compared to others' days. I just tend to magnify my problems, no matter how small they are, because all human beings are selfish and like to be the center of attention. Especially me. When I have a shitty day, everyone has to know that it's my shitty day. I have to make sure all my friends and my whole family know. But when I take a step back, I notice my selfishness. I notice that others wish to have my problems. Some peoples' shitty day may be everyday, because they don't have food and starve, or live on the street becuase they don't have money. Some might even be having a perfect day, until a natural disaster ruins their home. Someone sick with a disease has crappy days everyday. Someone who is fighting cancer, or depression, or AIDS, or alcoholism, or any addiction is having a crappier day than me. A best friend or family member may have died the same day I lost my pencil case. The point is, that my crappy day is nothing compared to someone else's shitty day. It makes me feel as if I take my life for granted. I need to realize that my life is something that I should cherish and never give up. I love my life.

I can say that I am lucky to be able to go to school and get a great education; to have friends I can trust and share my life with; to come home everyday to a family that loves me; to have food ready on the table; to have my own room, bed, and bathroom; I am lucky to be happy and laugh everyday. So the small issues I have mean nothing when I look at the larger picture. Instead of magnifying my small problems, I should try to help others with bigger, more important problems. I could donate to research teams, cook a meal for a homeless man, or send flowers to someone in pain. My little actions can make someone's shitty day, not so shitty. By being unselfish and not self-centered, I can make someone else smile or laugh when they haven't in a long time. I need to cherish the life I have because my issues aren't so shitty when I think about it. Everyone has issues. The world has issues.

Freedom

Freedom--a word of diversity.

America is a symbol of freedom to other countries. We cherish our freedom and speak of it with pride. When people first began immigrating to America, they came for the freedoms the United States offered. There were, and still are, many more opportunities available. The nation emphasizes its freedom in different ways; we wave the red, white, and blue flag with pride, we sing the "Star Spangled Banner" and emphasize the words "the land of the free, and the home of the brave," and the government tries to maintain justice regarding the freedoms given to its citizens.
Freedom can refer to the specific rights for citizens, or the codes restricting certain actions. Some freedoms are not protected, while some are and it is the Government's job to interpret fairly what should be protected. Therefore, freedom can be associated with law and the rights we are guaranteed. In class, the freedom of speech is currently being analyzed. We have discussed different cases of students and have created our own opinions regarding if their behavior is protected by the freedom of speech. The Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution declares, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." As a class, we have been trying to find a way to differentiate between what actions are protected by this freedom and which aren't.

Freedom though can also be referred to as a state of being or feeling; one can be and feel free. We often associate birds with freedom, especiall the bald eagle because they are free to soar the sky and world.  Anything can feel free. Freedom doesn't only refer to the law. I can feel free. . .

Every Wednesday night in May, at 7 o' clock, my phone vibrated and I read the weekly text, "Hey girls!! Vball tonite at 8! Dont be late nd get pumped! woooo lets kick some ass!!" For the past seven years I have participated in the G.O.Y.A. (Greek Orthodox Youth Association) sponsored Junior Olympics event. It was the time of the year that every church began practicing to be prepared for Junior Olympics, and Wednesday nights were for volleyball. So being it was Wednesday night, I had my bag packed, and I was ready to go. I got in the car and drove away. I zoomed off onto the highway, in the farthest lane to the left. I pressed on the gas, and raised the music. This was my time, this was my freedom, this was my high. Feeling very aware as I drove, I felt very alive. I swerved in and out of cars, making lane changes left and right. My brain working as a factory with workers going at hyper-speed. No one was going as fast as me, and no one dared to challenge me. I felt invincible, powerful, but most importantly free. The windows were down, and the wind tossed my hair, making it feel as if I was a bird. I was flying down the highway, singing as loud as I could. My Jesus music played that I had gotten after attending KAIROS XIII, a Catholic retreat. I knew every word of every song and was not ashamed. I was Jesus high. I felt his presence there with me and I knew he was protecting me. It was as if he was singing along with me, smiling. But of course, I approached the exit NAGLE, and I was soon arriving to my destination. But every Wednesday, I looked forward to this drive, to this experience. It was when I escaped from the world, from responsibilities, from expectations, and all pressures. It was when I felt most alive and free. I can't wait for this upcoming May to drive in my batmobile with the music blasting. I can't wait to feel free again.

Speech Codes on Campus

Many universities create speech codes to combat the evident discrimination and harassment on campus, especially those that are directed towards a specific minority group. Many believe these speech codes limit peoples' rights to free speech, but I believe some rules and boundaries are necessary in order to maintain a respectful and safe environment for students and visitors. The pictures shown at fraternity parties are very inappropriate and disrespectful. I believe this behavior should be outlawed because it is offensive, inappropriate, deragotary, and may cause violence. This behavior is not an appropriate way to show school spirit and support for a specific fraternity. Passion and support can be expressed in different ways that are more respectful and appropriate. For example, one might wear a shirt of their fraternity's or sell shirts or wrist bands; one can try to recruit others into their fraternity. One needs to be respectful towards themselves, their peers, their mentors, and their community.

Many argue that speech codes restrain them from expressing themselves, but many also oppose this idea and believe they are necessary to keep some sort of order on campus. The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) tries to defend and sustain individual rights at colleges and universities. FIRE's core mission is to "protect the unprotected and to educate the public and communities of concerned Americans about the threats to these rights on our campuses," and by doing so one will also learn how to preserve these rights and maintain peace. FIRE therefore, opposes speech codes and the current censorship at campuses. It defends one's rights and freedom of expression. FIRE challenges speech codes, which I find necessary in a school. A school always needs some sort of boundaries because if there are none, many students will take advantage of this and act in uncivil and disrespectful manners. One may use fighting words, express their racist and close-minded views, offend someone and their beleifs, and may express themselves with hatred. FIRE is giving students a type of freedom that is dangerous; they are allowing students to say or do whatever they want because it is their right to do so. FIRE protects this and I believe they shouldn't. There needs to be codes to prevent violence, especially in universities because it is then that students find the need to explore and find the sense of belonging. Restrictions are needed to protect other students and the community.

From the FIRE website, I looked up Illinois State University to see if there are any speech codes or restrictions on expressive rights. There are policies regarding harassment, stating that it is not tolerated, whether it is verbal or physical harassment. I believe this policy is needed because it shows the seriousness of such a crime and will protect students. If students openly express that the values the school believes in are unnecessary and ridiculous, it will not be tolerated. All students must put an effort to follow these values: character, civility, conscience, citizenship, an appreciation of diversity, and individual and social responsibility. I believe the value that is not followed often is the appreciation of diversity. Many fail to do this and focus on harassing those that look different or practice a different culture. Everyone should be accepted for who they are and what culture they believe in. There is also a policy at ISU stating that one must inform the university before hosting an vent where they will be expressing themselves. I find this to be a very reasonable policy becuase it does not restrict students from expressing themselves, but encourages them to do so in a respectful and organized manner. I believe these policies are necessary.

The policies of ISU make me feel more secure. It does not feel as if they are stripping away my right to freedom of speech and expression. I am still able to express myself in an orderly manner, just shouldn't direct it towards a specific person or group of persons. To know that this university cares for their student's safety, makes me want to apply. I know I will not be targeted at the university. I feel as if students respect these codes and try to follow, but there will always be the few that express that they are limiting their freedoms. There will always be the crazy parties with disrespectful behavior, but I just need to make the right decision and leave to show that I do not support the behavior and beliefs they are trying to relay to others. I would not create a scene or uproar regarding the difference between views, but would simply not support them. Although these codes will not be followed 100 percent of the time, they will still provide some protection for other students.

Always Remember 9/11

Nine and eleven were just two numbers to me. They never meant anything special. They only meant that it was my cousin's birthday the next day and my brother's birthday in eleven more days. These numbers didn't mean anything to anyone until 9/11/2001, when terrorists bombed the World Trade Center and the Twin Towers collapsed. People with cameras turned towards the attack and recorded what was happening. With this documentary, I truly learned what this event was and understood its impact on others. It was so powerful because the video recorder was in the towers and outside. I was able to see what was truly going on inside, and how the community was reacting outside the towers. We saw the frustration, confusion, and fear in the firefighters' and pedestrians' eyes. I felt as if I was looking through this lense of the camera. It felt as if I was running from the collapsing towers. As if I was digging and searching for bodies. Walking out of the classroom each day, my happiness was not brilliant. Instead, I felt priveleged to be alive, lucky that  I was not in New York. I respected those who put their own life at risk to save others. I was shocked that such an event occured in America, that people have so much hatred to kill thousands of innocent people. This film opened my eyes and helped me understand what truly occured at ground zero and what 9/11 was and why we take the time to remember those that passed, those that survived, and those that became heroes that day.

After reading the articles, I again got another perspective of 9/11. I got a new meaning of what it truly means to be a survivor and a victim. An article stated, "All Americans are peripheral survivors, in that we were all traumatized by the events of that day and had our lives impacted and changed by their fallout." I had never thought of myself as a survivor. I always thought that those at the site were survivors, but after reading this article I do agree to some extent. We were all taken by surprise by the event and impacted in some way, no matter how far we lived from the actual Twin Towers. All of America was affected; security tightened, paranoia was more evident among people, fear replaced the sense of safety, peace turned into slight chaos, saddness replaced the happiness, tears replaced smiles, families tore apart, friends went missing, 9/11 was the mark of a sad day with more to follow. Therefore, we are all considered survivors. Even to this day people are struggling, especially from sicknesses due to the toxins that were exposed. Many families struggle financially to help their loved ones that have been affected by the toxins. They wonder why they were punished for helping the country and risking their own life. People believe it is the rest of America's "moral obligation to provide our 9/11 heroes with all the care they need." We only owe it to them. . .

I was in first grade the day this occured. I was innocent and too young to understand or care. I never really grasped what had happened until recently. I knew what happened that day, but it never occured to me that it did in a way impact me, I just never noticed. I'm not one to rethink entering a plane; I don't question a loud airplane; I don't question the amount of security we have today; I don't discriminate and judge others because they are Muslim, black, Asian, or gay, etc. I feel as if I grew up with this security. I don't remember any change. In a way, it saddens me that I don't remember this day, but at the same time I am glad my parents kept didn't go in depth while explaining. It saddens me to not feel something personal or remember the day because I want to honor those that saved lives,  I want to give my respect and remember. Remembering is what I struggle with. But when I saw the film, I lived through 9/11. It gave me a new and better understanding of what this day was. It opened my eyes to the world. It showed me that I am not always safe. From now on, every year, I will remember this day and  I will pray.

Students' Right to Free Speech

The First Amendment in the Bill of Rights states, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." I reitterate, shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech. . .

The justice system in America tries to maintain justice and equality to keep the existing peace. It is their duty to interpret the Constitution, enforce laws, and punish those who disobey the laws. A common topic of interest in law is one's freedom of speech. People question how much freedom they have and what they are and aren't allowed to say. There have been many disputes regarding this, starting with the Tinker v. Des Moines case. In this case, Mary Beth Tinker chose to disobey a rule the school had enforced stating that they were not allowed to wear armbands showing any sort of affiliation. Tinker, beleiving this was unfair, chose to continue wearing the armband to show her opposition towards the Vietnam War. When the dispute was brought to court the judge concluded that there was no clear disruption or danger to other students, therefore she should not have been punished because it was her free right to speech.

The Tinker case was one of the first cases to deal with freedom of speech and as the years passed, the court concluded that people lose this right when they impose danger or disrupt the surrounding peace. Tinker was not doing either of those, but simply trying to show her opposition with a wristband. She was not verbally expressing herself in a manner that was immature or inappropriate. She was using symbolic speech by wearing this armband. She was not using "fighting words" or causing "distress or violence." Tinker had the right to express herself freely.

Once again, the question comes up: what is covered under one's right to free speech? I believe individuals have every right to express themselves, but that they do so in a mature and appropriate way. People can make a point and send a message without using vulgar language and violence, or disrupting peace. But when one does not follow these guidelines, it is the court's duty to punish him or her. In America, people have been raised to respect one another and themselves, yet people still fail to express themselves in a respectful manner.

Parliament of the Youth - Βουλή τών Εφήβων 2011

The last day at the Parliament-all 300 members

On Wednesday, September 7th, 2011, I had my first day of school as a senior at Deerfield High School. I missed school to be in Greece and participate in the Parliament of Youth Program. To enter into this program, I entered into an optional, world-wide, Greek essay competition through the Greek school I attend on Saturdays. Of the 12,000 students who entered into this competition, 300 students were selected: 260 from Greece, 20 from Cyprus, and 20 from the Hellenic diaspora. I was one of the two representatives from the USA. Being chosen, the Hellenic Parliament sponsored my trip to Greece to participate in their Parliament of Youth Program where I presented my opinion and voted on the government's bills.

This program acted as a simulation of the Greek Parliament and allowed us to discuss the challenges that encompass us in front of other youth representatives, committee members, and government officials. The Greek Parliament is split into five committees, just as we were: 1) cultural affairs,  2) defense and foreign affairs, 3) economic affairs, production, and trade, 4) social affairs, and 5) public administration, public order, and justice. I was in the cultural affairs committee and discussed the combat against violence at athletic events in Greece, while other committees discussed the modern provisions of Greek citizenship, the acceleration of growth of renewable sources of energy, the application of equal treatment of men and women on issues regarding work and employment, and the penal provisions, therapeutic, and safety measures regarding narcotic substances.

The President of the Parliament in Greece

The second day of the program, my committee went to the Parliament of Greece where we expressed ourselves regarding the combat against violence at athletic events. Many members of the program took the opportunity to speak in front of the Prime Minister of Greece, the President of the Parliament, Committee members, a famous author, and our fellow youth parliament members and friends. Upon entering the Parliament, I had decided I would not speak due to my fear of public speaking, especially in Greek. However, as people were called up to speak, my viewpoint slowly changed and I quickly prepared a speech in Greek. I went up to the podium, before all the present important figures and friends, and expressed that the bill should be enforced to improve the safety and save lives. While speaking, I represented Chicago, most importantly America, and shared how different life is here and in Greece; there are no major issues regarding violence at athletic games in America because of how we are raised. We are raised to be responsible and respectful towards ourselves, our peers, adults, the community, the government, and our nation. We are hard-working and determined, which helps us pursue anything we believe. My insight varied from almost all of my friends and fellow youth members because I live outside of Greece. I helped open other peoples' eyes and mind to the world and I thank other Greeks for enlightening me.

Half the members of my committee

On the last day of the program, all 300 members went to the Parliament to share their opinions on each issue that each committee was assigned. Fourteen members spoke, four being international. After everyone spoke, we voted on each bill that was made. The President of the Parliament thanked us for our insight on each bill and we thanked him for giving us this opportunity to express ourselves and participate in the Parliament of the Youth Program. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity that I will never forget. I learned how the Greek Government works and how bills become laws.

Participating in this program reminded me how important it is to keep my Greek heritage close to me. I met 19 other members that live outside of Greece, just like me. There were members from Canada, New York, South Africa, Egypt, Sudan, Israel, Alexandria, Scotland, Australia, Germany, Congo, and Belgium. This showed me that despite all our differences and distance from eachother, we all have one similarity: our Hellenic descent. We are all proud to be Greek and find it vital to spread our Greek culture to future generations so it will never die off. Greece had the first famous philosophers and the first functional democracy. Greece can be considered the roots of other countries' growth. Therefore I feel that it is necessary that I continue to keep my Greek heritage.

To the new friends I made at the Parliament of the Youth: I could not have shared this experience with anyone better. The four days we spent together were some of the most memorable days of my life. I hope you have a successful year in school--stay determined and hard-working, but most importantly have fun. Good luck in college, I hope to be re-united with you next summer.

Dear Mr. Kramer,

The post I would like you to grade from third quarter would be my first post, "American Dreams: Lost and Found." Although this post is my first, it represents a great start to my blog. It shows how I was willing to put forth the effort to create a meaningful post. I shared my initial reactions of  C.P. Ellis and Vine Deloria's stories and analyzed quotes that I thought were important. I also brought in some of my personality and shared something personal about my family. I drew a parallel between C.P. Ellis and my grandfather because they were both searching for place that felt like home. Both were determined, but one naturally struggled more than the other. C.P. Ellis' story questioned the worth of one's life and values, as well as their determination. Vine Deloria's story also relates to these questions because she acknowledged the difficulty of mixing with one another. She believed that it was hard to leave one's customs and traditions to create or follow new ones. Deloria's family chose to not conform and mix in the United States melting pot to preserve their traditions. I believe Deloria's family was smart in not conforming because today I follow Greek Orthodox customs with my family and am proud that I do so. In conclusion, I am proud of this post and it layed out a good start for my blog.

My second post I would like you to grade from fourth quarter is "Working: Dolores Dante and Phil Stallings." This is one of my last posts and shows how much I have progressed over the semester. This post as well shares my initial reactions on each story, but goes more in depth and shares more quotes with analysis. I believe this post demonstrates my understanding of the stories because I even contrasted the two and shared my own opinions on what each figure should do. I argued that Dante should not feel guilt for being good at her job and that Stallings should have quit his job to enjoy life, be happier, and reach his full potential. These two stories also impacted me and my future plans; I have learned that I do not want to work everyday and not enjoy my job. I am someone who needs to interact with others and be excited every morning to work. So is the money worth your happiness? The answer is no, it is not worth it.

Race: Diane Romano and Lloyd King

Racism has been a national problem for many years and many people even today are prejudice towards blacks. I thought it would be interesting to read about this section because I was very fascinated with the Civil Rights Movement. I think it is very heroic to fight for values and rights. In the movement, children participated in the demonstrations to allow adults to continue their job and support their family; it made the whites seem even more wrong for arresting innocent children. Though the movements were successful and the Jim Crow Laws were proven unconstitutional, racism is still evident in the nation today and associate blacks with danger.

Just like my mother, Diane Romano, a mother of six children, chose to raise her children to respect and accept blacks. She did not conform to society and tried to show others that blacks are just like whites. She said, "These people are no different from any other people, that they talk and they have manners and they eat like we eat, and they think and they have feelings and they're sensitive and they're artistic, and some of them are strange and some of them are dumb--they are just like we are" (460). Sadly, the society did not understand this and only acknowledged their wrong doings. Diane though soon got a new job as a police-like figure, causing her to grow less sympathetic and avert from her initial, strong beliefs about black Americans. She converted into a citizen that saw "only the bad" and felt guilty (461). Her morals and actions shifted. She stopped correcting her children when they used derogatory terms and she herself began to "classify them all," a sin she wished she had never committed (463). She shared how she was weaker and ashamed when she reverted to her parents' beliefs and began to live in the past, rather than creating a better future for the nation. I feel as if Diane became two-faced and hypocritical because she stopped standing up for her beliefs to conform to society, but at the same time she chose to stay with her church because she believed they were different, they were "exceptions" (464). Those that worked with her were also exceptions. But those on the streets and in town were not, they were dangerous. This shows Diane's confusion, for she no longer knew where she stood and what she believed in. She tried practicing her values she once strongly supported, but with the pressures of society she conformed and did not stand up for her beliefs. This saddens me because she did understood that blacks were the same as whites and she could have been part of the minority that helped fight for black rights. She could have helped benefit and change the nation, but instead she ignored her inner conflict with racism.

Diane exemplifies the confusion that is apparent throughout the nation. Her story demonstrates the large influence society has on an individual. In Diane's case, the society negatively influenced her and urged her to not fight for black rights. This story reminded me that I have the freedom of speech, to stick up for my beliefs, no matter what. I am not racist or prejudice towards any group of people and I inform people when their comments bother me. I believe that everyone is equal and should be treated equally.
Lloyd King, a biracial man, shared his feelings toward integration, believing that society acts like a tragic biracial marriage because "the tragedy lies in the complex folds of this love and admiration, which is somehow twisted into intolerance" (467). A huge tension coexists with the strong love between two. For King, being biracial created insecurity and a lack of identity; he named himself a "Jewbro" (468). People considered anyone with even one once of black blood in them as a colored person. Growing up in the sixties, King joined the Black Panthers while at the same time realizing that he was interested in white culture. Having this interest in whites, and being biracial, he married a white woman. He believed that it is natural for blacks to love the white culture and whites to love the black culture, but many failed to openly express this due to their shame and conformity. With these strong beliefs, King began denying that he was black by escaping his parents and seeking out music. But music did not completely solve everything because in the clubs blacks and whites mixed; King was unable to escape his tension point of being biracial. At the clubs, the KKK felt threatened and King stated, "The good ol' boys didnt' like the idea of a salt-and-pepper group and threatened to wreck the place" (471). He was not able to fill the void in a white man with his music, causing him to grow more insecure. In 1986 he began teaching at a white college, despite his biracial status. King stayed optimistic and soon realized that with his contribution, he was helping the nation change; the more black teachers at a white school, the more the rules changed. Sadly, his efforts did not come too far in changing the society because of the lack of support. Racism stayed apparent in the nation, but King offered hope that "we can mature" and move forward in life and live together, as one united nation (475).

I chose this story because in English, we are currently reading Light in August and the protagonist, Joe Christmas, struggles with his biracial status and lacks a sense of identity. This novel closely relates to King's story because he is confused with his biracial status, just as Joe Christmas. Having previously been interested in the Civil Rights Movement and reading Light in August,