Importance of Culture

PRESERVING CULTURE

What is culture to me? Culture is what you grew up as. It is a background for you and your family. With culture, there comes tradition. Culture can be broken down to many different categories; language, tradition, superstitions, beliefs, legend/mythical stories and how your culture started or where it was derived from. The history behind their culture and the many older people with experiences should be heard and acknowledge.

Culture is important to me and it should be important to everyone else. You take pride in what you are. Whether your race is Chamorro, Carolinan, Filipino, Chinese, Korean and etc., you should be proud of who you are as a human being. You should never be ashamed of what you are.

 I think that it should preserve so much. Many people just don’t really care about their culture, or learned some things about it and do not want to learn anymore. I think that it is really sad. What if their parents died and the only way they can learn about their culture is from what they learned. Everyone should be taught about their culture, whether it is the little things or the anything about it.

 English is the common language that everyone is used to. Not many people know how to speak the language in their culture. To learn about your culture takes practice. I think that that is the first step to learning and preserving the culture that they are or have interest in.

I feel like this next project will be easier than the last, but it isn’t something that I would actually enjoy. Although, it is something I would not mind doing. Who knows I might enjoy doing this, or learn something I never knew.

It is our youth’s responsibility to preserve any and all culture. 

Current Issues #5

Click "here" for the article. 

"2016 Official Midterm Election Results"

The election for the Common Wealth of the Northern Mariana Islands was on November 08, 2016. Raphael Demapan is the candidate I was for. He was re-elected in the House of Representatives, Republican, for precinct two.  John Paul Palacios was in the lead with 554 votes along with 17 absentee is 571 and Ralph with 492 plus the twenty absentee, overall 512, making him second place.

                I think that it is good thing that Ralph won and is running again. He is very well aware of what he is doing and what he wants to accomplish. He has so much experience for his position and I am positively sure that he will and does make a difference. His work experience makes him stand out the most to me. He worked 15 years for immigration. And in those 15 years, he worked as three different positions and working his way up to higher positions. He started as an immigrations inspector, to immigration deportation supervisor then immigration enforcement chief. I put my trust on him since he has a plan.

When there is a problem that is acknowledged, he will really look into the matter and try to solve it. It may not be right away, but he does put in his best effort to make a change to the problem. He will make a plan to fix the problems. One of the problems that were acknowledged to Ralph was the issues with stray dogs. He created a plan and the challenges that he and the others have to face. For his position in the House of Representative, he has to address the issue to the Mayor’s Office. They are not really in charge of things like that, but he does try to do something to help. He has been trying to address that issue, but there is no space for all stray animals. There is limited space for these stray animals because there is only one veterinarian.

You would look up to someone who knows what they are doing and a job well done experience. He ran for re- election because there is so much more work to get done. If someone else was to finish where he left off, if he did not run for election again, then the person would be lost and not know where to begin or how to begin. It would be a complete disaster.

Ralph Demapan, he is someone who finishes what he started and it is the position for the House of Representative along with the duties and responsibilities. It is not just about reporting things to who should take care of some of the issues, he actually does something. He tries to make a difference for the community. He is very happy when people go to him and tell him about problems that are happening. He will do whatever it takes if he knows he can help benefit someone or the community.

                We need more people running for election the way he is. We do not need someone who is only nice when Election Day is near. Then after Election Day is over, all promises are broken. I am proud and happy that my candidate can be someone you look up to and very responsible.

Free Write

Literature

        Learning about literature and the history behind it are very important. Many people (especially students in school) don’t take it seriously. They are more of memorizing it for class than learning about literature and understanding it. It also plays a big role in our everyday life. If you break it down, literature is about comprehending complex stories, discovering meanings/morals behind stories or poetry, the history about it, who wrote what, who discovered the types of literature and many more!

                Literature can be so interesting. It just depends on how you interpret it or even teach it. There are so much other things to learn instead of making students do “achieve 3000.” We are taught things that do not even help us, as the future generation.  Instead, we are given work that teacher’s say we “improved and enjoyed” but in reality it is the complete opposite.

                                

Teachers, English teachers to be accurate, don’t really teach their students about literature. To be straight forward, teachers are very lazy. They don’t take the time to actually teach their student what literature is truly about and how important it is! Instead, these English teachers teach students things they already know or even worse, give them work and not teach them how to do it. 

If only there were teachers who were just as passionate as my senior English teacher. In there, we actually do work, where we actually learn something and learn to comprehend behind old literature. They way old literature is written, are very difficult to understand. He encourages us and helps us to understand the meanings and what the story/poetry is really about. We also learn about the author and their history. 

                In my opinion, out of all four years in high school, I FINALLY actually learned something in my English class. No other class has taught me the same way. Many other students had agreed that the way he is teaching literature is really interesting.

                A few of the things I would like to share to you about literature are it’s a few parts history, humanism and carpe diem poems. A few of the kings and queens back then did not learn how to read or write instead they hired people who would were literate. Five languages that influenced the English language were Latin, Scandinavian, Gaelic and German. Humanism was also another major influence on English Literature.  Sir Thomas More was a humanist in England, he wrote “Utopia.” That was a famous treatise on human society. Carpe diem poems were about seizing the day and how would these people manage their time because only DEATH knows when you’ll die. These are just a few things that I learned in my British Literature class.

                THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT ARE INTERESTING ABOUT LITERATURE. More than half of the people take learning for granted. I think that that is very sad. Every subject is important, but wouldn’t it be nice to know where your language was derived from and the history behind literature because that was where it all started? 

Click here for the article

"Jurors start deliberating in Koshiba Trial"

Koshiba, who is 42 years old, is an ex-firefighter, had sexually abused a nine/ten year old girl (One article says she is nine and the other says she is ten). There was a party at Navy Hill for a cousin’s birthday party at her Grandmother’s house. When she was watching television, she fell asleep on the couch with no blanket. She woke up that night to Koshiba rubbing her “private parts.” She went to the room where her mother was at and told her what happened. Although, her mother was too tired, so she told her daughter that they will talk about it in the morning. The next morning, they went to a relative’s house and the police talked to the nine or ten year old about what happened that night.

The little girl, was examined by Leticia Borja, though she said there was no trauma or injury.

My opinion to that is, Koshiba was had a couple of drinks and did not know what he was doing at the time. Of course there will be no trauma or injury to the girl’s private parts because he was just rubbing her private parts. That is still sexual abuse because he is 42 years old and the girl is just 9 or 10 years old.

On Friday of September 30, 2016 they had resumed their case. Koshiba’s attorney, Joaquin DLG Torres, thinks that the girl was dreaming. To that statement, I believe that is false. The girl was clearly awakened to him rubbing her private parts.

This little girl who is traumatized, her happiness was taken away the moment he touched her. When Torres said that he thinks that the girl was just dreaming, the poor girl got up and ran away from the couch sobbing. She could not help it. She held on to her mother’s leg because it was not a dream, it was reality that it actually did happen to her.

If Koshiba is found innocent, I will pray that he does not do anything to the girl or even do that to just any other girl.

I know what it is like to get sexually abused. I, myself had experienced that in the fifth grade and my heart and love goes out to this girl who has been traumatized. Nothing but fear in my head and heart when I experienced what a disgusting man can do!

I am hoping that the judged finds this lecherous man guilty and suffers in jail! The girl may not have enough evidence, although her emotions and tears tell everyone otherwise. He has officially taken away her happiness and dignity. She is a young girl who had a lot a head of her and he ruined most of it. I know that one day this girl will wake up as a stronger person with a smile on her face and all the wretched feelings gone. If I can do it, she can too.

NO ONE DESERVES THIS, ESPECIALLY AT A YOUNG AGE!!!

Current Issues #2

Click "here" for the full article

"Igisomar bats anew for responsible use of marijuana"

Senator Igisomar supports the use of marijuana for medical use. To prevent minors from having marijuana, they would have to be at a certain age to have it. Just like tobacco and alcohol, they have to be 18 to buy tobacco and 21 to buy alcoholic drinks.

Ray Yumul is running against Igisomar on November. Yumul is for personal use of marijuana. If this were to happen, it would become an addiction to people. Some people say that marijuana is a beginning drug and people would want the same sensation but stronger. This will lead to people doing more exotic drugs such as methamphetamine or also known as ice. Understanding the concerns of both groups who disagree and agree on the idea of legalizing marijuana, there will be challenges. He wants people to understand that there are positive effects from marijuana.

I definitely think that these representatives should keep in mind that anything that deals with drugs, people will continue to abuse it. If they do legalize marijuana, many people will have access, whether it is for those people who are chronically ill. More people will want more drugs. Legalizing marijuana is like legalizing all types of drugs, to some people. Marijuana will definitely have a big impact to the environment, economy, as well as the tourism.

Marijuana has its benefits to those people who are chronically ill. The use of marijuana help those people who have muscle spasm, chronic pain, glaucoma, epilepsy, vomiting during chemotherapy and reduce nausea and improve the appetite for those people who have Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. These people who have any of these can only get it from the pharmacy, only if it legalized. Getting these from the pharmacy costs a lot. It will be around 500 to 800 dollars.

Although, the purpose of this is for medical purposes, but there are people who are not thinking that way. The problem to this is that patients, who receive this treatment, might only get it to sell it to other people. These representatives need to think outside the box, like what it may lead to. There are people out there who will take advantage of this.

Due to that fact, people should be aware and prevent any future complications. Marijuana should stay as an illegal drug whether it is for medical purpose or not. No matter the benefits, we all got to this about the economy and environment for ourselves and the tourism industry.

This is up to the people around us and voting for the representatives who should be running. Positive or negative effects, it affects the people around us, especially to those who abuses this natural herb. There are people who do their research to find the pros and cons to this, although weed is a beginning drug that leads to hardcore drugs.

There are representatives who are just saying this stuff, to get people’s attention and to get their votes. Once they’ve been elected, the words and promises that were said will slowly be forgotten.

Current Issues #1 Sept. 9/11

Click "here" for the full article

"Flags raised at Airport Field for 9/11 first responders, serviceman"

Voluntary students from Mt. Carmel School, Grace Christian Academy and Marianas High School helped raised the United States flags at the airport field. The flags will be up for a week in memory of those who served and did not make it in the event of 9/11.

On September 11, 2001 two planes intentionally hit the World Trade Center building also known as the “Twin Towers”. One plane hit one side of the building and people thought that it was an accident, but when the second plane hit the other side of the building, they knew at that very moment that it was no accident. Until then, the building collapsed due to the fire when it was hit. The people in the building were trapped till death and people who were near the building were running for their lives. The police men and women, firefighters, medical technicians and paramedics rushed over to the scene as soon as they can. Many of these people died trying to save other people’s lives.

This event changed many people’s lives in a way that you can’t imagine. People still mourn to this day because of the innocent lives that were taken away due to this tragic event.

Therefore, these flags represent those people who responded and took action, to show that they died as a hero and no one will forget them. Eunice Angeles wanted to show everyone how important the 9/11 attack is and why it should never be forgotten. It affected many people's lives and their family. Although, Angeles stated that it is not just against terrorism, but also justice. The flags are honouring to the service men of the Mainland, but also dedicated to everyone around the world who was the first to respond to any endangerment.  To people all around the world who sacrificed their lives to not only save people’s lives, but a sacrifice to show that everyone deserves justice. Some of the people look at the flag as a dedication to someone who was once a hero to them or even their home and they will always be one to them. 

This event dedicated to them is entitled as 

 "We Will Never Forget: Field of Heroes"

Many people thought this idea was great so that people would recall or remember hearing about the 9/11 event. Local businesses of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and many people, who wanted to make the event happen, helped provide the flags. And if there are people who want to purchase of the flag, they can go to Shirley’s or any big shopping areas around Saipan. After the ceremony on September 13^th, the flags would be distributed to the people who purchased it. The money that is earned from this event would go to those veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD. There are people who served in the military and had gone through a very traumatising situation, such as the 9/11 attack.

Over all, this event it dedicated to our heroes who helped and saved us, as well as for the remembrance of those heroes from the 9/11 event. The money that was raised from this event will be used help those veterans who suffer from traumatising events.