Stephen King once wrote an article about why people crave horror movies. In summary, and a summary that doesn't do the article justice, is that people need to keep the 'alligators' fed-- we need to watch horror movies so we don't turn into chainsaw welding, hockey mask wearing killers. He thinks we all have this "sick" side to us, sorry Mr. King for the poor paraphrasing, and if we watch horror movies we don't act on these urges; hence, we keep the gators fed.
Okay, I like the premise and I like Mr. King's article insomuch I use it in teaching any time I have the opportunity. Sometimes I even create lesson plans just so I can use this essay of his. Of course, I use it at my film class at Alcatraz. But this time, my thoughts went a different direction.
What happens when the gators are fed but people still do unspeakable horrors to others? Oh, I don't mean killers like in slasher movies type of horrors, the Jack the Rippers and Son of Sams. Yes, they are horrific, but that's not the group I'm referring to. It's the other unspeakable acts of horror people perpetrate on each other.
Sorry for the scattering of thought processes here... stay with me if you will, please.
The kids who are sentenced to Alcatraz all live in houses. They are grouped by their offenses. So for example, if you have kids who were kleptomaniacs, performed B&E, or who are car thieves, they all get put in the same house. Druggies are all housed together. And the kids who are sex offenders are all grouped together. Some of the kids have crossover crimes: he was a druggie who stole stuff to pay for his habit- so where does he go type of issues, but you get the gist.
My problem is my students told me which group of kids live in what house. And the kids who live in houses C and G are the sex offenders: child molesters, rapists, sexual offenses that don't fit into one of these two groups.
Now, I have a problem. A personal problem.
I personally do not think child molesters or sex offenders can be rehabilitated. I just don't believe it. I also think child molesters and rapists are some of the most vile people on Earth because of the acts they've committed. I don't care about the BS that molesters were molested themselves; even a worse argument if you ask be because they know how HORRIBLE it is so why make someone else feel that way? I think child molesters and rapists deserve the death penalty, after a public flogging on the courthouse square, after having been covered in honey and fire ants, after having bamboo chutes shoved under their nails and Chinese water torture for nine days. I'm just sayin'.
Herein lies my problem: I have kids from houses C and G in my classes. Okay. There they sit, every day. I have to treat them like I would any other kid. I have to be as nice to them as I would anyone else. That is very, very hard for me. Very. I even find myself watching the way I do treat the kids, because I don't want to be extra mean to them if they misbehave in my classroom because I think they are the scum of the Earth. Yeah, guess I'm having one of those professional roadblocks. I think it goes a little more than a "personal problem."
Those kids in houses C and G would never know how I feel about them. I find myself watching myself to make sure I smile at them like I do any other kid, that I call on them the same amount, and that I give them the same 'leeway' in discipline as I do any other kid. But it's hard. Oh so very hard.
And to top it off? To make matters worse... my second favorite Alcatraz student lives in house C...
Damn alligators...
Maggie
Showing posts with label politically correct sometimes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label politically correct sometimes. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Reasons Our Country needs Planned Parenthood
Since I've been unemployed I decided to go to a Planned Parenthood to get my annual pap and my birth control pills. (No I'm not having sex. Yes, I hope to have sex; hence, the need or desire for the Pill)
I'd never gone before so when I went for the first time I just had to fill out your typical medical forms and an income summary form. Then I had an iron test, blood pressure, weight, height, the pap, a pelvic, and a breast exam. Then I was given 3 months of pills. They told me if there was anything wrong with my results they would call; no call means everything is fine. Before the end of my three months I needed to come back and get another iron test, weight checked and the blood pressure checked and they would give me 9 more months of pills.
So I called this week to set up my three month check and I find out that they are closing the office nearest me because this state was not offering any funding so it had to close. I went to do the tests and they gave me three months of pills because there is no funding and they have to stretch what Pills they have in storage. Apparently my kind is fairly popular because they only had 6 paks left and gave me 3 so three for someone else. Because there was no State funding for Planned Parenthoods, my records will be sent to another office that has outside funding and who can take on another case. Then I can call that office to get the last 6 months.
I'm appalled that I live in a place where funding is cut. I could go searching online to see why but I'm afraid to find out the answer. I have a feeling it's because of the abortion issue.
We need Planned Parenthood. Not only do they do abortions, but they provide much more important services: medical coverage for women's health. They do testing for STDs as well as providing sexual education for those in need, and birth control. Free condoms! And all this comes at a low cost to nothing. When I went to my regular doctor aka "my health care professional", when I had insurance BTW, I paid my co-pay for $30. Then I had to pay 20% of the lab results, which came to about $80. There was also %20 of whatever the insurance company didn't cover as part of the doc visit, which was around $30 more. Then I also had to pay for my pills which were $52 a month- not covered under insurance. This cost was the very minimum if all my tests came back fine (and as many of you might remember, I usually have a an angry vagina monologue). I didn't get any sort of different or better service at my doctor's office than I did at the Planned Parenthood. Everyone at PP was kind, informative, and nice. I also got free condoms at PP and was never given such at the doc. office. AND when I went to PP I didn't have to pay anything for my exams or Pills. They just asked for a donation, which I gave a healthy one. I felt it was right to give a donation if I could afford it even though my "income" dropped me into the "free" category (pride and humility life lesson here for another day).
Planned Parenthood is necessary because I think of all the women who are helped. Even if I take abortion out of the equation, then think of all else they do: free STD screening. Educating those about safe sex and their bodies. Free birth control. Hello? Is there anyone who really thinks these things are bad and shouldn't be funded? Really? I think all women have a right to protect their bodies and with the price of HEALTH CARE right now, other than those with a good job or good insurance, who can afford to go to the doctor just for a check up? I know I needed them right now and I was thankful they were here.
Can anyone really not want to fund a place that will do early detection of breast and cervical cancers? An organization who wants to educate women about their bodies, and provides men's health services? Who provide LGTB services (lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual)? Who will provide information about safe sex? Who will help prevent the spread of STDs through education and knowledge? Who provides affordable health care options? Who gives vaccines and pregnancy tests for free? And these are the services that have nothing to do with abortion. I just don't understand. I'm so frustrated. I can't change it, fix it, do anything about it. Grrrrrr!
I'm a huge advocate of Planned Parenthood and this is disappointing. Again, I realize I should do my usual routine and research why the State didn't fund them, but I just don't think I have it in me to hear the answers. Planned Parenthood has been around for years and has been doing it's own version of 'health care reform' before that became the popular buzz words to bandy about. Bottom line, PP didn't get funded for 'whatever' reason and that's just another way to hinder people in need of affordable health care.
Pro- health care reform,
Maggie
I'd never gone before so when I went for the first time I just had to fill out your typical medical forms and an income summary form. Then I had an iron test, blood pressure, weight, height, the pap, a pelvic, and a breast exam. Then I was given 3 months of pills. They told me if there was anything wrong with my results they would call; no call means everything is fine. Before the end of my three months I needed to come back and get another iron test, weight checked and the blood pressure checked and they would give me 9 more months of pills.
So I called this week to set up my three month check and I find out that they are closing the office nearest me because this state was not offering any funding so it had to close. I went to do the tests and they gave me three months of pills because there is no funding and they have to stretch what Pills they have in storage. Apparently my kind is fairly popular because they only had 6 paks left and gave me 3 so three for someone else. Because there was no State funding for Planned Parenthoods, my records will be sent to another office that has outside funding and who can take on another case. Then I can call that office to get the last 6 months.
I'm appalled that I live in a place where funding is cut. I could go searching online to see why but I'm afraid to find out the answer. I have a feeling it's because of the abortion issue.
We need Planned Parenthood. Not only do they do abortions, but they provide much more important services: medical coverage for women's health. They do testing for STDs as well as providing sexual education for those in need, and birth control. Free condoms! And all this comes at a low cost to nothing. When I went to my regular doctor aka "my health care professional", when I had insurance BTW, I paid my co-pay for $30. Then I had to pay 20% of the lab results, which came to about $80. There was also %20 of whatever the insurance company didn't cover as part of the doc visit, which was around $30 more. Then I also had to pay for my pills which were $52 a month- not covered under insurance. This cost was the very minimum if all my tests came back fine (and as many of you might remember, I usually have a an angry vagina monologue). I didn't get any sort of different or better service at my doctor's office than I did at the Planned Parenthood. Everyone at PP was kind, informative, and nice. I also got free condoms at PP and was never given such at the doc. office. AND when I went to PP I didn't have to pay anything for my exams or Pills. They just asked for a donation, which I gave a healthy one. I felt it was right to give a donation if I could afford it even though my "income" dropped me into the "free" category (pride and humility life lesson here for another day).
Planned Parenthood is necessary because I think of all the women who are helped. Even if I take abortion out of the equation, then think of all else they do: free STD screening. Educating those about safe sex and their bodies. Free birth control. Hello? Is there anyone who really thinks these things are bad and shouldn't be funded? Really? I think all women have a right to protect their bodies and with the price of HEALTH CARE right now, other than those with a good job or good insurance, who can afford to go to the doctor just for a check up? I know I needed them right now and I was thankful they were here.
Can anyone really not want to fund a place that will do early detection of breast and cervical cancers? An organization who wants to educate women about their bodies, and provides men's health services? Who provide LGTB services (lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual)? Who will provide information about safe sex? Who will help prevent the spread of STDs through education and knowledge? Who provides affordable health care options? Who gives vaccines and pregnancy tests for free? And these are the services that have nothing to do with abortion. I just don't understand. I'm so frustrated. I can't change it, fix it, do anything about it. Grrrrrr!
I'm a huge advocate of Planned Parenthood and this is disappointing. Again, I realize I should do my usual routine and research why the State didn't fund them, but I just don't think I have it in me to hear the answers. Planned Parenthood has been around for years and has been doing it's own version of 'health care reform' before that became the popular buzz words to bandy about. Bottom line, PP didn't get funded for 'whatever' reason and that's just another way to hinder people in need of affordable health care.
Pro- health care reform,
Maggie
Friday, June 12, 2009
Mac is right in a "wrong" way
I was going to write a big disclaimer about a words Mac used today prior to telling the following story but you know what? Instead I'm going to hope readers know by now, as an educator, certain words are never used in my vocab, that teen boys are just teen boys, and that Mac is actually a nice, polite kind kid, even when he sometimes gets lippy. So that's your preface and if offends... then I apologize. (I'm having a Denis Leary sick of apologizing for everything even when the funny is wrong, but still funny or ironic...)
I had the first day of the World's Largest Rummage sale today, which actually went rather well. Mac, for $20, agreed to get up at 6:30 am to help me haul tables, set out stuff, carry heavy furniture, clean, wipe stuff, and just generally do all the crappy work to help Curley and me out. And he did it with a smile, a sense of humor, and with enthusiasm and without complaint.
As he's carrying out a table he looks down and sees a cassette tape of Barry Manilow's Greatest Hits, marked for 50 cents. Mac, who respects all music but LOVES LOVES LOVES classic rock and true blues, says I should have to pay someone 50 cents to take it or $50 even, instead of the reverse. He also said only weirdos or gay guys or "retards" would buy Barry Manilow and I should just throw it in the trash. I gave him a dirty look about his language, he said, "sorry, just kidding." But we laughed and we joked and went on.
The sale starts and Mac goes in the house.
A lady and her son show up. I have no idea what the lady buys but the boy gets the cassette tape.
Later, Mac asked me if the Barry Manilow tape sold and I said yeah. I waited for it and then decided to tell Mac before letting him put his foot and mouth- I told him a mother bought it for her teenage son- Mac's mouth opens, ready to spout some witty sarcastic teenage axiom and I rush ahead and tell him that the teenage boy was severely mentally handicapped.
Dead silence.
Mac didn't crack a smile or say a word. But I know what he was thinking... because that boy knows better than to ever say "I told you so."
Trying to raise a politically correct teenager in a politically incorrect world,
Maggie
I had the first day of the World's Largest Rummage sale today, which actually went rather well. Mac, for $20, agreed to get up at 6:30 am to help me haul tables, set out stuff, carry heavy furniture, clean, wipe stuff, and just generally do all the crappy work to help Curley and me out. And he did it with a smile, a sense of humor, and with enthusiasm and without complaint.
As he's carrying out a table he looks down and sees a cassette tape of Barry Manilow's Greatest Hits, marked for 50 cents. Mac, who respects all music but LOVES LOVES LOVES classic rock and true blues, says I should have to pay someone 50 cents to take it or $50 even, instead of the reverse. He also said only weirdos or gay guys or "retards" would buy Barry Manilow and I should just throw it in the trash. I gave him a dirty look about his language, he said, "sorry, just kidding." But we laughed and we joked and went on.
The sale starts and Mac goes in the house.
A lady and her son show up. I have no idea what the lady buys but the boy gets the cassette tape.
Later, Mac asked me if the Barry Manilow tape sold and I said yeah. I waited for it and then decided to tell Mac before letting him put his foot and mouth- I told him a mother bought it for her teenage son- Mac's mouth opens, ready to spout some witty sarcastic teenage axiom and I rush ahead and tell him that the teenage boy was severely mentally handicapped.
Dead silence.
Mac didn't crack a smile or say a word. But I know what he was thinking... because that boy knows better than to ever say "I told you so."
Trying to raise a politically correct teenager in a politically incorrect world,
Maggie
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