Gangs

The main controversy is how to prevent gangs and what to do about them now.  It is hard to come up with programs that give the support that kids need.  Mostly, people are trying to give kids a place to go and things to do after school and at night when most crimes occur.  These programs help a little bit but people need to get to the source of the problem.  By cutting off a gangs main income it will not be able to operate near as well.  If politicians, law enforcement and citizens can work together we can significantly slow down the drug trade.  It is not near as easy as it sounds.  

Politicians say that they have plans to stop the drug trade but they never really work for two reasons.  Police officers don't want to risk their lives going into a dangerous neighborhood to bust a few gangsters.  A solution is a special gang task force which many cities already have.  Locating who is selling drugs and where they are getting them from is another problem.  Boarder control is another issue.  It is very difficult to patrol thousands of miles of land and coast line where most drugs come across.  Boarder patrols help but will never be able to completely illiminate drugs coming in.  

Most people would agree that they do not like gang activity in their neighborhoods yet lots of people buy drugs.  They are directly supporting gangs by doing so and bringing more gang activity to a profitable area.  If people stop buying drugs, gangs have no money and die off.  This however can never happen because we live in a broken world.  Some one will always be willing to buy.  Lots of people don't believe that doing drugs is bad because they say it doesn't effect other people but supporting gangs effects a ton of people.

I learned a lot from Mrs. Micikas' story.  I have some cousins that are extremely sheltered kind of like she was.  I completely disagree with sheltering kids from culture.  One of my cousins was home schooled his whole life and when he graduated and moved away he started getting into a lot of trouble.  He totaled a car street racing, got a tattoo, started drinking underage, started smoking, and got arrested.  He just rebeled against everything his parents stood for because he had never been exposed to the real world and seen what it had to offer.

The Play

The play was really hard to follow in the first half. I didn't understand what was going on with all of the paper work and the money. There were also too many characters right away and I was trying to figure out who was who instead of listening the whole time. The second half was a lot easier to follow but I didn't really like the story. The tour was alright but I couldn't hear what Roger was saying for about 90% of it. I don't believe that anyone could have heard him in that big theatre. I liked seeing the building where they built the sets and props. It was the best part.

I really enjoy the week of homecoming because of all of the activities. The teachers don't give as much homework and I like that. I am pretty excited for the volleyball game and the bonfire. Homecoming is valuable tradition that people remember for a long time and provides a little bit of a break from the monotony of every day. Homecoming creates a good culture but some people make it into something else. I see it as sort of a relaxing and fun week.