Exercise 15.5: If I Ran the Zoo

"If I Ran a Zoo," written by John Leo, is a poem that proposes some problems and changes that need to be made on college campuses including: cutting down the number of undergraduate professors that are not teaching students adequate knowledge that can be applicable in later studies, raising the pay for teacher assistants but also questioning whether teacher assistants are even wanted on campuses, challenging the efforts made in remedial courses, and eliminating unnecessary courses to reduce the costs of tuition. Although the current tuition costs are raising each year due to the state budget cuts, some of Leo's proposals may not be a kind solution that has the best overall benefits for students.

Tuition costs are staggering, however, the number of students remains the same and cutting down the employment of undergraduate professors does no justice when reducing the staff only creates overcrowded lecture halls. In addition, many question the presence of teacher assistants because of the minimum wage they receive for their workload and because of their age that is in close range to the students. Despite Leo's proposal, teacher assistant positions have the intention of giving experience to students who aspire to become a teacher or professor one day and are needed in courses that have larger enrollments. Nevertheless, Leo explains that courses that end in "studies" are unnecessary along with courses with titles such as "Star Trek Theology" and "Queer Musicology." Indeed, some of these courses are unnecessary but many courses that end in "studies" enlightens many students on important social issues. For instance, women's studies courses educate students on the inequalities against women, minorities, and homosexuals that still exists regardless of favoring court cases and legal rights. In all, if Leo were to run "the zoo," his changes would not be as beneficial as he had planned.

Proposal Argument Topics

1. A problem facing my country is:
1. Homelessness.
2. Obesity.
3. Diabetes.
4. Economy.
5. Health Care.
6. Energy Crisis.
1. Prius' and other fuel efficient cars.
1. price.
2. faultiness.
2. A problem I frequently encounter on campus is:
1. Constant budget cuts.
2. Parking.
3. Limited course list.
3. A problem I hear my classmates discussing quite a bit is:
1. Tuition fees.
2. Gas Prices.
3. Limited course list.
4. A problem people have been trying to solve for years is:
1. Racism.
5. A problem that I heard about in the news is:
1. Deadly tornadoes in the Midwest.
6. A law that I object to:
1. Possession of Marijuana.
2. J-Walking.
7. A misguided school policy is:
1. Limitations on units students can take.
8. A public policy that makes my life or other people's lives more difficult:
1. California's Proposition 8.
9. A public policy or law that could be improved is:
1. The Death Penalty.
10.  Others.
1. gang violence.
2. marriage/divorce.

Addiction to Death by Choice

Around the world, a growing number of people are destroying their lives as a result of being consumed with alcohol and drug addictions because of the way they may feel while doing these activities. The fact of the matter is that addiction does not segregate or discriminate, nor does it judge a person by their economic class. As a result, the number of people who become addicted increases quite rapidly. Those struggling with addictions also have a higher chance of committing crimes such as domestic violence, child abuse, and other unlawful acts. Ultimately, these addictions may even lead to homelessness and poverty. Without the ready availability and the correct resources, addicts are hopeless in cleaning themselves up and starting their lives over along with, maintaining their wellbeing for their outlook on life. Although alcohol and drug addiction are continued complications worldwide, change can only be made once addicts decide to help themselves.

            No matter the circumstances, alcohol and drugs affect anybody of any race, gender, and economic stature. For instance, within the lavishing lives of celebrities may come the exclusive events but it also comes with an endless supply of drugs and alcoholic beverages. Many famous stars have fallen victim and struggled with alcohol and drug addictions for years, having trouble-reaching sobriety due to the easy accessibility. Just last year, “Grammy-winning soul singer” (Cheng) Amy Winehouse was found dead in her home on July 23, as a result of alcohol poisoning. In conclusion of Winehouse’s death, autopsy reports stated, “the level of alcohol in her blood was 416 milligrams per 100 milliliters, [or] a blood alcohol level of 0.4 percent” (Cheng). People within the entertainment industry may have a luxurious lifestyle but with the steady flow of drugs and alcohol, there are more opportunities for addictions to advance. In addition to the development of an addiction are serious health problems. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), “the impact of addiction can be far reaching cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Auto Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), Hepatitis B and C, lung disease, [and] mental disorders” (NIDA). In all, drug and alcohol addictions are not only detrimental to one’s own health in the long run, but may cause death in the near future with continued use. For instance, singer Whitney Houston was seen "partying the night before her death in the bar" (Gast and Hayes) and died as a result of “a combination of drowning, heart disease and cocaine use” (Detroit Free Press), in addition, “[actor] Heath Ledger died as the result of acute intoxication by the combined effects of oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam, and doxylamine" (CNN). Also, in the case of actor Charlie Sheen, many are uncertain of Sheen’s mental wellbeing:

His recent ranting behavior has led viewers to question whether the actor was still on drugs and denying addiction, [or] whether he was exhibiting manic symptoms of bipolar disorder, [or] some combination of the two. Sheen's negative drug test suggests that addiction is unlikely to be his only problem. (Brown)

Sheen’s aggressive addictions were so overbearing that Brook Mueller, now ex-wife, filed for divorce and custody of the children. Depending on the level of addiction, many addicts will do anything for their next fix including a number of illegal acts.

            As addictions further progress, resources run low and substance abusers are more likely to commit crimes. With addiction, abusers are stricken with physical and psychological dependencies that become the driving motives to partake in domestic violence and child abuse. “It is likely that some drug-exposed children will need educational support in the classroom to help them overcome what may be subtle deficits in developmental areas such as behavior, attention, and cognition” (NIDA). While substance abusers only focus on themselves and getting their next fix, they leave their family to fend for themselves as well. Despite the fact, addicts will eventually “join the 2.5 to 3.5 million individuals, including 600,000 families, who live on the streets or in shelters at some point over the course of a given year” (National Alliance…) and will remain chronically homeless due to drug and alcohol addictions. Without the proper help and support now, addicts trapped behind alcohol and drugs will never be able to get their lives back on track.

            While programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous do exist to straighten out the lives of addicts, most addicts do not feel the need of sobriety. Many addicts have developed profound addictions to different substances ranging from cocaine and methamphetamines, to heroine, because of a traumatic event in their life such as the loss of a loved one, being neglected, or being abused. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention states that substance abuse may consist of “neurological damage as well as psychiatric problems such as depression, anxiety, and antisocial personality disorder.” Most often, addicts use drugs or alcohol to self-medicate and keep depression at bay but truthfully, drugs and alcohol can alter the mind and worsen depression. Personally, I have an uncle that is mentally and physically abused by his wife and as a result, he has become dependent upon alcohol to feel “better” about himself and the situation he is in. My uncle has had a hard time contemplating his options if he were to divorce his wife and it hurts to see him drink himself to sleep, but it is up to him to make those choices to better his life for his sons. I have also heard numerous stories from friends and family of suicide because of the extreme altered consciousness an addict can experience. In addition, in Canada, drug and alcohol abuse has been an extensive complication and even though universal health care is provided to all citizens, not very many Canadians seek the available medical attention to sober up. It is possible to achieve a life of sobriety, however, relapse is likely:

"You can't reach an addict when he's not ready," said Harold Owens, senior vice president of MusiCares/Musicians Assistance Program (MAP) Fund who has been counseling others in substance abuse since he became sober about 23 years ago. "I've been through the struggle," he said. "To an alcoholic, I like to think it's a self-diagnosed disease: Nobody can tell you you're an alcoholic until you tell yourself." (Lewis)

Nevertheless, to begin the journey of sobriety, addicts must experience a revelation and have the courage to better themselves for the future.

            Despite the fact that addicts may choose not to reach sobriety, there are high quality treatment centers available, such as the Betty Ford Center. As a result of the heavy alcohol addiction Betty Ford, wife President Gerald R. Ford, faced, she decided to help others like herself when she had reached sobriety. The Betty Ford Center is located in Rancho Mirage and has been treating patients since 1982.

            As the number of drug and alcohol addicts grows quickly, so is the number of those in poverty and on the verge of becoming homeless. Because drug and alcohol addictions correlate to physical and psychological dependencies, addicts will go through any obstacle to get their fix and even be willing to participate in more illegal activities. These “activities” may range from domestic violence, child abuse, and burglary or robbery. However, there are programs available to the public to gain sobriety but not many addicts feel the need to be in detox. Those struggling with drug and alcohol addictions must realize something must change in their lives and find the will power to become sober for the better.

Journal Question

Q: Think about the last time you saw a homeless person. What was your reaction? Did you help them in anyway? Why or why not?

A: Most recently I have seen the homeless at the freeway exit on my way to school. There were two homeless people; both of them had grey hair and holding cardboard signs asking for money. I had no big reaction to their presence. I have seen many homeless people on the streets and I rarely ever give a lending hand. For the most part, I feel that the homeless are not doing enough to help themselves. However, I do understand that the United States does not provide enough aid and resources for the homeless for more sustainable living conditions.

In class, we have read the articles:“Throw the Bums Out: But do so With Compassion – Coolidge-Style Compassion” and “The Meanest Cities.”

In the article "Throw the Bums Out: But do so With Compassion - Coolidge-Styel Compassion," John Derbyshire describes his business trip to to San Francisco, which he said was plagued with the homeless people. Derbyshire also expresses his disgust of the number of homeless people after visiting the security office of the downtown museum and urges his audience the importance of cleaning up the area. The guard had shown Derbyshire a wall of polaroid photos of vagrants with offenses including masturbating in public, vandalism and assault. Although Derbyshire's approach on the topic was harsh, I do agree that we need to lower the number of people on the streets not only because it looks bad, but because homeless people need food and shelter, just like we do.

"The Meanest Cities," an article in American Magazine, discusses how cold people are towards the homeless. American Magazine writes about the harsh laws that basically criminalize homeless people. The article also entails about a city that prohibits churches from running a soup kitchen to feed the needy. In all, I do feel that those who are steady need to be a little more generous, but at the same time, I feel that the homeless are not doing enough for themselves in order to get back onto their feet financially.

Both articles show how harsh people can be on people who are already as low as they can get, and it does not help when laws push them away through laws that punish them for trying to survive in the world with little to nothing. Although, there are resources out there to help the homeless, I feel that there can be more done to further their progression in life but only if they are willing to work for what they receive from others.

Sentence Structures

1. Sentence. Sentence.

• Ralph likes to eat in his room. He eats in there every day.
• Louis likes to listen to music. He listens to music all the time.
• Kat hates studying. She studies the majority of the week.

2. Sentence; Sentence.

• Ralph likes to eat in his room; Louis enjoys eating in the bonus room.
• Louis likes to listen to Hip Hop music; Kat prefers live music.
• Kat hates studying; Louis prefers studying.

3. Sentence, [Coordinating Conjunction] Sentence.

• Ralph likes to eat in his room, and to make his food from scratch.
• Louis likes to listen to music, but only with his headphones.
• Kat hates studying, but likes to handwrite her notes.

4. Sentence; [Conjunctive Adverb] Sentence.

• Ralph likes to eat in his room; consequently, he has to clean his room a lot.
• Louis likes to listen to music; incidentally, he is open to any kind of music.
• Kat hates studying; however, she likes the results of her test scores.

5. Sentence; [Transition Phrase] Sentence.

• Ralph likes to eat in his room; after all, it is his room.
• Louis likes to listen to music; as a matter of fact, he listens to music all the time.
• Kat hates studying; at the same time, she enjoys her high test scores.

Homeless Parents

             In regards to having children, many people have different views on the proper way of raising a child and in the article “What Makes a Good Parent?” by Robert Epstein, is a list of ten essential factors that are important in parenting. However, in The Glass Castle, Rose Mary and Rex Walls had their own ways of parenting, which many people would find to be questionable. Throughout The Glass Castle, author, Jeannette Walls, describes her childhood and the extreme living conditions she had to endure with her siblings due to the choices her parents made. Although Rose Mary and Rex Walls had their method of rearing their children that is considered unfit and neglectful, and many would feel they belonged in foster care, the Walls children would not be the prospering adults they are today, if it were not for their parent’s choices.

            According to Epstein’s list of skills that makes a good parent, “love and affection [comes first], [then] stress management, relationship skills, autonomy and independence, education and learning, life skills, behavior management, health, religion, and safety” (49). However, in comparison to this list, Rose Mary and Rex Walls had drastically different priorities when raising their children. When making a hypothetical list of parenting skills, Rose Mary and Rex Walls’ list would look completely different compared to other parents. Rose Mary Walls was very self-centered and only cared for her career as an artist, often neglecting her children on numerous occasions and fending for herself. For example, there was a time when, Jeannette was three-years-old and had been making hot dogs on the stove by herself and caught on fire (Walls, 9). If Rose Mary had been more attentive and made the food, rather than painting, Jeannette would not have caught on fire and badly burnt. Also in regards to the children’s safety, when Jeannette had been touched inappropriately by her uncle and with little concern, Rose Mary said, “Well there you go. If you don’t think you’re hurt, then you aren’t” (Walls, 184). Throughout The Glass Castle Rose Mary had been selfish and did not care so much for her children. Even as the Walls children struggled to find food, Rose Mary had stashed a family-sized chocolate bar for herself. When Brian had found it, Rose Mary started crying and said, “I can’t help it. I’m a sugar addict” (Walls, 174). During times of desperation most mothers would go out of their way to provide their children with food before themselves, but this was not the case for Rose Mary Walls, who was more concerned about being number one.

Rex Walls struggled to provide for his children due to the alcoholism he experienced throughout his life. During the Walls’ life in Battle Mountain, Rex Walls got a job and was able to provide food and shelter for the family but, due to his addiction to alcohol, Rex eventually began spending his earnings on alcohol, rather than his family. During one Christmas, Rose Mary and Rex did not have enough money to buy the children gifts, but instead resorted to giving them a star in the sky. When giving Jeannette the planet Venus, Rex said, “Years from now, when all the junk they got broken and long forgotten, you’ll still have your stars” (41). After living in Welch, Rex’s alcoholism had gotten worse, after his mother died, to the point that Rex would not come home for days (Walls, 171). Furthermore, Rex expresses his little concern for Jeannette’s safety when using her to win money from games of billiards. On one occasion, Rex allows a drunken man to take Jeannette upstairs after winning eighty dollars (Walls, 212). Rex had also tricked his family to giving him money including Jeannette, and stole a check for the lease on Rose Mary’s land in Texas (Walls, 214). In all, both Rex and Rose Mary had trouble prioritizing to provide for their children. If the parents of the Walls children had put their children before them, perhaps their lives would have had fewer hardships.

            While the bad living conditions in Welch were at their worst, the opportunity to join the foster care system was presented. A man had appeared at the door and asked if Jeannette was being neglected or not and persuading the man that she was not being neglected, the man left. Jeannette was angry and had no interest in being separated from her siblings in foster care. Jeannette also showed no concern for her parents but only wanted to stay with Lori, Brian, and Maureen:

He’d launch an investigation and end up sending me and Brian and Lori and Maureen off to live with different families, even though we all got good grades and knew Morse code. I couldn’t let that happen. No way was I going to lose Brian and Lori, and Maureen. (194)

         Also, within the foster care systems are many flaws. According to ABC News, “about 520,000 children end up in foster care each year,” and each social worker has “three or four times” (Facts on Foster Care…) the recommended cases due to the large number of children entering the system. If the Walls children had been placed in the foster care system,

“The children [could] stay in the system for almost three years before either being reunited with their families or adopted [and] almost 20 percent wait five years or more. [Also], children have on average three different foster care placements.” (Facts on Foster Care…).

          Assuming the children went to foster care services, the Walls children would have had a high possibility of being separated from each other, which was not an option for the children. The children were very close-knit and went through the hardships their parents put them through together. If the children did not have each other, the outcome of their lives would be completely different for each of them with the exception of Maureen. Despite the fact, Lori, Brian, and Jeannette may have had successful lives after leaving Welch, but Maureen could have possibly had a better life if she had gone into foster care. Maureen had fended for herself through her friends’ families that felt bad for her. Overall, the children did not want to go through the risk of being separated from one another, even though the children could have had a more comfortable living condition. As for staying with their parents, the children did not want to live with them either.

            The Walls children knew the living conditions were bad at “93 Little Hobart Street” did not have indoor plumbing, and “during one particular fierce rainstorm that spring, the ceiling grew so fat it burst, and water and plasterboard came crashing down onto the floor” (Walls, 153), and the kids would eventually devise their own plan to move to New York. After Rose Mary had gotten back from renewing her teaching accreditations, she felt that teaching was not her ambition in life and said, “It’s time I start living my life for me” (Walls, 218). Lori and Jeannette were forced to work to provide for Brian and Maureen, and knowing that Rose Mary and Rex would not help them progress out of Welch, Jeannette comes up with the idea of helping Lori move to New York and eventually she would join her. Lori, Jeannette, and Brian move to the big city without the help of their parents, but eventually Rex and Rose Mary would decide to move to the city as well, although, the children felt as thought their parents were dragging them down.

            In all, Rose Mary and Rex Walls were neglectful parents and needed to better understand how much their children depended on them. Despite the Walls’ lifestyle, it was through their hardships that they became the people they are today and if they children were placed into foster care, the result could have been entirely different. Although the three of the four Walls children are successful today, it could have been possible for all the children to be successful if Rex and Rose Mary were better parents.

Works Cited

Epstein, Robert. "What Makes a Good Parent?" Scientific American Mind 21.5 (2010): 46-51. Print.

"Facts on Foster Care in America - ABC News." ABCNews.com - Breaking News, Latest News & Top Video News - ABC News. Web. 20 Feb. 2012. <http://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/FosterCare/story?id=2017991>.

Walls, Jeanette. The Glass Castle. New York: Scribner, 2005. Print.

Pay it Forward

In the movie Pay it Forward, a boy devises a concept to help change the world for the better and the concept of paying it forward is to help three people in a way that will impact their lives in a good way. In addition to helping the three people, you must ask of nothing of value in return, but to instead ask the person to do a good deed to three more people. I feel that this concept truly could make a different in this "shitty" world, but at the same time, because the world is so shitty, I feel that I cannot fully trust that the people that I would hypothetically help. Lots of faith is required for this concept to affect the world, and not everyone is even willing to participate. I believe that it is possible for people to pay it forward, but factors such as the nations economy and location would be big obstacles that could jeopardize the concept as well.

For example, in the movie, Trevor helps a man that was homeless due to his drug addiction by giving him food and shelter for the night. Trevor also helped this man in a tremendous way but giving him the money he had saved so that he could buy new clothes for an interview and although the man got the job, he relapsed into his drug addiction, which goes to show how much faith a person needs for the idea of paying it forward to work.

Personally, I try to help others as much as possible because I gain satisfaction through helping others and I suppose I have most recently paid it forward by chasing down a fellow classmate last Friday to give her back a textbook she had forgotten under her seat. I felt great afterwards and I hope she would do the same if I had forgotten any of my textbooks.