Nick Hawk

Writing

Mrs. Shukairy

October 27, 2013

In favor of the Death Penalty

            Is the death penalty right? Politicians, lobbyists, philosophers and experts from all walks of life continuously debate this controversial subject. Has anyone of these people listened to the rest of us? The United States is a democracy of embodied officials, who represent the people, their wishes, beliefs and ideals. That means, through elections we decide what policies are to be enacted. In the case of capital punishment, people that kill should be killed.  

            Various polls report that 20% of Americans are in favor of the death sentence. That is a majority, so why don’t we have it? Grievances and speak freely according to our constitution. The fact of the matter is seven out of ten Americans have evaluated the dilemma of capital punishment according to their own values and beliefs. Their conclusion was favorable the death penalty. 

            At this desperate time, the question of the death penalty being was just answered by the majority, and the majority of rules. Many experts who speak against the death penalty cite it as barbaric. The definition of murder, according to Webster’s dictionary is “the unlawful killing of a human being with malice aforethought.” Therefore, an uneducated person would classify murder as equally barbaric. The major factor of the death penalty is, or should be, an already established punishment for its crime. The killer willingly committed the bad act of taking a life, knowing they would be subject to this penalty.

            Therefore, the killer decided to gamble on not being caught, or thought that he/she was above the law. In either case he willingly forfeited their life with taking another, but killer may not agree with this. The consequences of his/her action were obvious. While critics argue that an innocent person may be put to death, most agree this may unfortunately happen. However, we must protect the people of this country from killers.

            We have tried all other options. Capital statues usually allow the trial court to impose death only after a post conviction hearing during which circumstances of the crime are reviewed. I think that the death penalty is a good Idea because when someone gets killed for no reason at all the person who killed the person should be sentenced for death. Some people may not agree with my opinion but others may agree. Death penalty is a good thing because the killer should be killed for killing; they aren’t following the Ten Commandments.

Do you own a gun at home?

Donia Alkaraki

Mrs. Shukairy

Honors Writing

October 27, 2013                            Do you own a gun at home?

                A lot of people may believe that they feel the need to be safe once they are in their household. They should know that they have the option to help and defend themselves and their families or loved ones when needed to. Some people believe that we shouldn’t be allowed to own a concealed weapon because of the risks at hand. Is it really that harmful? Some people would say “you should have a firearm for defense of everything you hold dear.” Having a gun or weapon of defense is a sense of safety to all the members of the household. It should be legal to carry a concealed weapon for self-defense because the world is not very safe because crime could happen to any person (famous or not) at any time (day or night), having a concealed weapon to defend yourself will give you a sense of safety.

                What happens in a person’s life is completely unexpected. Something could happen to a loved one and they may have never seen it coming.  In 2010the U.S the percentage of people who had a concealed weapon in their household was 40-45%. The percentage of adults that had a gun was 30-34%.  Nothing in the world is really guaranteed or predictable. You obviously cannot get a concealed weapon if you do not have the correct license for it. Firearms are generally classified into three broad types: handguns, rifles, and shotguns. Based on survey data from a 2000 study published in the Journal of Quantitative Criminology, U.S. civilians use guns to defend themselves and others from crime at least 989,883 times per year. The right to carry concealed handguns is guaranteed by the Second Amendment of the US Constitution. In the Bill of Rights, the Second Amendment to the Constitution reads: “A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a Free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed.” Having a permit to carry a handgun at all times means protection for yourself and loved ones everywhere you go.

                Knowing that you have something to keep you safe in desperate times is really comforting. I remember one of my friend’sdad had a concealed weapon (with license of course) in the house. The mother of my friend was frightened at the weapon of defense in her household and immediately took a stand to her husband to get rid of it. She knew that it wasn’t safe for her daughter or her siblings to be around. The husband obeyed the orders told by his wife. An unexpected moment happened and their house was broken into. At the time they didn’t really have the best security system the house could offer. Once the burglars entered the house it was all complete chaos. The family of 5 was frightened because in the back of their minds they knew that they didn’t have a weapon of defense.  The burglars had their own weapon and they were ready to commit a crime. My friend soon was a witness of her father’s death. Even if an adult never needs to draw a concealed handgun for self-defense, a person may feel safer being armed and feel freer to go outside at night or in dangerous areas.Now imagine watching the face of a child that was forced to see the death of her father and knowing that they can do nothing about it. Imagine losing your children and thinking if I had a gun I would be able to threaten them enough so they don’t harm anybody in the home.

                Others may believe that having a weapon of defense isn’t necessary. Some believe that it’s a risk to have in the household when there are children around this position is weak because don’t always let them know about the weapon in the house and put it somewhere where they  won’t be able to see it or even reach it. If some people want to tell them then they can and just keep it out of reach. Some people also believe that if the burglar or robber knows about the weapon then they will use it against you this position is also weak because keep it hidden in a safe and don’t keep it outside in the open where everyone who enters the house knows about it. Criminals are most likely less to attack if they know of the armed weapon in the home.

                Criminals carry concealed weapons regardless of their legality. Responsible citizens should have the same advantages when it comes to protecting themselves from armed attackers.This is a topic many people thought differentiate between. There are many pros and cons of carry a concealed weapon in or outside the house.   When we live in a world where everything and anything could happen it really does help to be happy knowing that you have something to defend yourself with in almost any situation.

               

sarah abuosba

Who want one less thing to worry about? A fact a lot of people do not know is that cyberbullying is not illegal in all fifty states. However, cyber bullying is wrong and people should not be bullied over the internet. No one should want to get bullied and no one should feel the need to bully people over the internet. For every state, there should be a law forbidding cyber bullying.
To begin with, cyber bullying should not be tolerable because forty three percent of teenagers are being cyber bullied. One in four of them have had it happened to them more than once. Seventy percent of students report seeing frequent cyber bullying. Two to nine of people are more likely to commit suicide because of cyber bullying. However, only one in ten people will inform a parent or guardian about their harassment over the internet. That is truly sad, that some people can not express themselves on the internet, without someone else bullying them.

To continue on, people should think of the victims' family and what they are going through. Imagine what it would be like to have your family member feel bad just by going on the internet and having fun. This probably is not the world people want to live in. It should not be okay for people to bully some one else. For someone to hate themselves, possibly commit suicide, and then for the bully to get away with it. People should stop the bullies before it is too late. There should be a law forbidding cyber bullying, so that people will not be able to get away with it.
Furthermore, some believe that cyber bullying is okay because it is over the internet and it is not hurtful or a form of harassment. Although, this position is weak because bullying over the internet is the same as bullying in person. It is still a way someone brings down another person. The position is also weak because there are no facts to prove that cyber bullying is not hurtful. Cyber bullying is one of the worst types of bullying and so many people are affected by it. It should be illegal to stop people from cyber bullying
All in all, Cyber bullying should not be tolerated, no matter what state you live in. Teenagers should not have the need to be close minded because a bully brought them down through the internet. The internet should not be a constant worry about what people are going to say about them but a constant rush of joy about expressing themselves. Cyber bullying should not be okay, no matter where in the United States you live.

x

Deanna 

Ms. Shukairy

Writing

10/27/13

                                                                       Alcohol

    Alcohol should be illegal because there are many cons toalcohol effects. Alcohol kills many people because for example drunk drivers that get in car accidents because they’re not controlling their driving. It kills innocent people. It affects the brain and causes death. When people have a party they should drink a little. If they drink to much they could throw up. Alcohol should be illegal because it has harmful effects on society.

Likewise alcohol should be illegal. The eighteenth adamant said alcohol is illegal but they change it. It changed because everyone still kept drinking it. The people who drink alcohol start craving alcohol. A lot of people get killed from over drinking. For example it makes your brain slower down and kills brain cells.  Teen age kids get under pressure and they do it to be cool. But it’s very dangerous for them because there so young for alcohol. At college they have some parties’ that have drinking and most of them are under age. When people drink their aware they will probably get drunk they start driving crazy and crash. When they crash they just do not hurt themselves. They hurt others too and it affects society.

  

Likewise, alcohol should be illegal because people get sad and depressed when family members get killed from any harmful cause of alcohol. Most accidents from alcohol are from drunk driving. It’s very dangerous when people are on the road. When people are driving and drinking you think you are driving straight. But when you hear crash you realize you weren’t driving good you were probably driving all over the place. Then you arehurt but you hurt the other person even more. Then someone feelreally guilty about. You can not face their family or you kill someone else that their family loves them a lot. Alcohol abuse is another harmful thing. It could break up families that are super close to each other. It hurts the one’s they love the most. The alcohol just becomes a hobby and bad harmful effects happen. There are a lot of tears from alcohol harmful effects on society and people.

While alcohol has many harmful effects, some people believe it’s their choice to drink. Some believe it’s an individual’s choice to drink or not. This position is weak because alcohol has harmful effects on those who are not drinking. Thousands die from drunk drivers because of car accidents. Now you see and hear do not drink and drive because it’s so dangerous. Brain starts to become slower every time you drink it. It’s not the best to drive when you are drunk. It is dangerous before you drive drink some water were do not drink at all. When you want to drink alcohol try to stop your self. Have other drinks instead like coke, water, sprite, juice and kitty cocktail. They are great suggestions.

  

 In conclusion alcohol should be illegal because there are many cons to it. Try to stop drinking alcohol by drinking other soft drinks. Once you do this there will be so many good effects. For example no drunk driver less people getting hurt. No braindamage, better health. Not abusing your family if it’s caused by drinking alcohol, there’s more love and happier families. Not getting sick and throwing up, safer parties. Teen age kids are not going under pressure and drinking alcohol. So if alcohol is illegal all these things will be gone and better place for people. Alcohol should be illegal because it causes many harmful effects on society and very dangerous.

​

Yasmin

Mrs.Shukairy

Writing

11/4/13

Caged Animals

Look at that cute little penguin. That penguin is stuck behind a glass wall with a little room to swim and walk around. That penguin is in zoo. Animals should be out in the wilderness wither friends and family. They should have an unlimited amount of space to run around and grow. It is inhumane for animals to be kept in cages; they should be let out and in their own natural habitat.  

Animals should not be kept in cages at zoos because they are being held captive in zoo cages away from their friends and family. If you have ever been to a zoo it shows on the animals face that they are sad, uncomfortable, and depressed.Endangered animals in the zoos are not in their natural habitat therefore it is harming them. In some cases they kill themselvesout of sadness. In some cases the zookeepers in the zoos are beating up the animals. In Santiago a zoo there was transferring an elephant to a wild park and as they were transferring it a zookeeper started to wipe the elephant with a metal spear for about two hours. The witnesses have said it’s like he was hitting a homerun. A zoo keeper in San Francisco Paul Hunter says “you have to motivate them and the way you do that is by beating the hell out of them.”

Animals are being hurt. They are getting abused and we aren’t doing anything about it. We just know its happening but we just stand around and do nothing. Our whole life is a cycle.The plants grow to feed the animals, the animals grow and eat so we can fee and hunt the animals for nourishments. A dolphin named Flipper committed suicide by holding her breath in and sinking at the bottom of her tank. Dolphins are not automatic air breathers. Every breathe is a conscious effort, so dolphins can decide whether or not to take their next breathe. That is exactly what Flipper did she took her own life. Flippers trainer found her on the surface of the water and then Flipper sunk to the bottom of her cage. She committed suicide. What if more animals started to committee suicide in zoos, then what? The zoo owners are just going to replace them and bring in new animals of the same species. And if those animals get sad it’s all going to happen again and again. If they do that and all the animals become extinct and they all die then what do we have left? Nothing. No more animals

Some believe zoo`s take good care of their animals this is a weak position because it’s not true. People don’t really know what’s happening when the zoo is closed. People aren’t there when the animals are getting abused, beaten, and whipped, for hours. The people don’t notice that. They don’t see the bruised marks they don’t see nothing. They honestly don’t care. Do they not think that it would be better if the animals were returned to their natural habitat? People really don’t think about other things happiness besides their owns. Well that is how we are all created, but is it really worth these animals getting beat and living in torture just for our happiness when all we can do is google a picture of them. Well we are just selfish in that way. Some people would do anything for their pets like their cats or dogs, but aren’t cats and dogs the same they all are animals. So why is it that we treat cats or dogs differently than monkeys or elephants?

In conclusion, people should stop hurting animals and let them go back into their natural habitat with their friends and family. People don’t respect what animals have done for us in the past. In the past animals were the only thing that was keeping our ancestors alive. Now imagine if there were no animals in this world that our ancestors died of starvation because there were no animal`s then that would cause us to have never been alive. There wouldn’t have been life on earth anymore. Now imagine if you were an animal trapped in a cage alone just you. How would that make you feel?

Should Children Be Allowed To Participate In Beauty Pageants?

Ayah I
                         Should Children Be Allowed To Participate In Beauty Pageants?

Children should never feel bad about themselves,so why make them feel that way? Why expose them to cruelty and harmful things such as beauty pageants. I know some people might think it's not as bad as it looks and that it's just harmless fun, but as you see the look in the children's faces after a loss is just sad for that child. The tears and pain etched on a their faces just by winning or losing a pageant you can make or break a girls confidence, and the latter one is what happens durning that time. There is a strong opinion on this topic and think that this is just not the way a young girl should be brought up. Competing for beauty is very wrong and makes other people feel ugly about themselves if they lost.

Beauty pageants make little girls feel that they need to put make up and wear tight and short clothing. People find this adorable because they see little girls dolled up looking cute, but really in the future these girls can become a horrible idol for other little girls because as she was younger she thought it was okay to dress in tight and short clothing and put so much make up on that you can not even see her natural face. The competition consists of girls from infant to ten year olds. In order for these girls to win they have to wear pounds of make up and short clothing that makes the girls feel uncomfortable,but the parents don't care because they want their child to win. No one really has ever thought on how the children feel about this. These little girls even have to wear heels in bathing suits. Isn't that sad and disrupting to the girls childhood?

Girls at such a young age shouldn't be allowed to participate in beauty pageants. This promotes low self esteem and a problem with worrying about her weight and her appearance. It should not be acceptable for children to stress about these kinds of issues at a young age. Another example is that some children are being forced to compete in these pageants by their families, so they can get the award money. It's not uncommon for children to be forced in doing these competitions.

Some believe children should be in pageants this position is weak because this is destroying a child's childhood. These celebrates who started at a young age all say they regret it because they didn't have a childhood like other girls. They didn't have a chance to go and have fun and eat whatever they wanted. Like these girls in the pageants they have to be careful what they eat or what they do because it can ruin their chances by winning the completion. This is what causes many disorders, like bulimia and anorexia so they can look good and be skinny.

In conclusion, little girls should not be competing in beauty pageants because it will make them feel bad on themselves. Parents need to know that they need to put their children's happiness in front of their own. Most children who do these pageants grow up to be sick. These little girls should not be treated as if they are twenty years old. They are only like five they should be going to Chuckie Cheeses not beauty pageants. Kids need to be able to be normal kids going to school have best friends not going to pageants and having competitors versing against each other. Imagine if you were that little girl forced to be in beauty pageants wearing little tight clothes that are itchy and gives you rashes. How would you feel? Children

Beauty Pageants Should Be Banned

        Beauty pageants are destroying little girls' childhoods. Beauty pageants are bad for children. Pageants cause emotional problems. Why should mothers put their daughters in something that will damage their self-esteem? “It is ridiculous. It is disturbing seeing such young children wearing: makeup, fake tans, hair extensions, fake eyelashes, fake teeth, etc. when they are so young and beautiful just the way they are.” Beauty pageants should be banned because they cause emotional trauma and low self-esteem amongst young girls.

        To begin with, children are too young for beauty pageants. Young contestants don’t get to do what normal girls usually do. Little children, most likely, love to play at a park, visit a zoo, or even participate in arts and craft. Young girls wouldn’t rather overdress and put too much makeup. It isn’t fair for mothers to ruin their daughter’s childhood. It's been known beauty pageants are considered a form of child abuse. Even though children should not stress, they stress about trying to win. Some may be even afraid of their mothers because they want their daughters to win. Young girls are too little for stress.

Furthermore, young children in beauty pageants should present themselves better. Appearance shouldn’t matter; their character should. Pageant girls learn to focus on appearance and overdress. Their behavior becomes bad. Some girls would throw tantrums over little things when they don’t go their way. Girls should learn to behave and treat others nicely. I think they would grow up to be great people who focus on important things in life. I also think pageant girls would grow up becoming bad and mean because most hate to lose and hate the contestants who won. When they hate the contestant, they act mean to them. They might focus on looks instead of education. Makeup, fake tans, false teeth, false lashes, and inappropriate clothing  could have a negative impact on these girls' self-image.  Beauty on the inside is much more important than on the outside. Additionally, young girls in the contest develop emotional problems. They may have an eating disorder, like starving themselves to lose weight even though they are way too young. Little children like to eat candy and other sweets. These girls may never think they are pretty enough. Young girls become depressed and look at pictures that may even be photoshopped and wish they looked like them. Also losing the pageant may become tragic to them, and they may have another reason to be depressed.

In contrast, sometimes beauty pageants can start off ok but result into something bad. Winning beauty pageants can earn winners scholarships and money. Also, winners can be role models for others. Categories may be good. Winners may feel good about themselves. But, there are flaws to each of these that support beauty pageants. Winning scholarships is wrong because it is not educational that you have to be the prettiest to earn one. It shouldn’t matter because outside beauty is not worth it, but inside beauty is. Winners can be role models for others, but what is it they're teaching? It may teach them to try to look like them and begin to obsess over appearance. Categories can include questions like helping the world, but the contestants can rehearse to try to win it. Maybe they don’t care about it; they might just want the crown on their head. Winners may feel good about themselves, but there’s going to be only one winner. What about when a contestant loses? She might feel bad about herself and become depressed.

To conclude, beauty pageants are bad for children. Emotional trauma and low self-

esteem amongst young girls are some reasons child pageants should be banned. Little girls' 

childhoods can be destroyed because of beauty pageants.

Rama Naser

Ms. Shukairy

Writing 1

November 2, 2013

                                                                            Smoking

  ​  Would you like to go to restaurants and have someone smoke near you? NO! People would not want to second-hand smoke or want the smoke to get on my food. There are children in the restaurants; it is not healthy for them. It is also not healthy for the adults either or anyone because everyone’s body is affected somehow. The less people smoke the better. Then people might be able to stop, and if they don’t then they can get help to stop them from doing so. Smoking should not be permitted in restaurants.

              Smoking is unhealthy for you and your body. One reason is smoking causes cancer and other diseases. "Chemicals in cigarette smoke affect the entire body. This causes so many diseases, including so many types of cancer, heart diseases and the various lung diseases."(www.cancerreaserch.org). Thesecond reason is your lung start shutting down and it changes color. "... Your lungs become black".(www.lung.com). Lastly, 443,000 die each year from smoking. "Each year an estimated number of 443,000 die from smoking". (www.cdc.gov). Stop smoking it is not good for you.

              One day I was at a restaurant called, Bravo. I was with four of my best friends Lulu, Reem, Suzanne, Shams. We ordered our food and talked about our day for a while. Our Italian food came and when we started eating and sharing what we did today. Aman who smokes came and sat on the table behind my friend who has asthma. He started smoking and blowing smoke, not paying attention to who is around him. My friend Shams haswho has asthma was sitting directly behind him. So she started coughing and we were all worried about her. The result in Shams coughing made us leave the restaurant with sadness because of my friend. The man apologized and didn’t realize that Shams had asthma. I picked this thesis because people withhealth risks are not safe.

Some believe that smoking should be allowed in restaurants. One reason is it's a free country; they could do what they want when they are by themselves because not everyone can take the smoke and they don’t have to hurt people while they hurt themselves because you don’t deserve it if you care about what happens to you. Another reason is they are in control of themselves and if they want to harm themselves they can. Atthe same time, they have to make sure who was around them when they smoke. This argument is weak because of there are many health risks. Some of the health risks are death, Lung cancer, depression, sadness, etc.

             In conclusion, smoking is damaging to you and your body.You don’t want to risk your life doing something that’s not going to do anything for you in the end. Smoking should not be allowed in restaurants. Smoking should become illegal or at least don’t do it in public because you never know who is around you and you may end up taking their life. Life is too short for you to sit there and harm yourself when you could be doing great things to help yourself and your community. You could be donating to charity, cleaning your neighborhood, joining clubs, or doing anything to help you get your mind off something you shouldn’t be doing. It will also make you a healthy person on the inside and help you feel good about yourself. I hope that everyone who smoke get to realize that they need help to prevent them from smoking. It would be nice for them to grow in a happy, healthy family. Everyone learns from their mistakes and smokers have to realize that they have to too.

Ban smoking

 Hiba Ali

 

Ban Smoking

What is made of tar that is used to used to make car tires and is very harmful to all living organisms? Many people all over the world smoke cigarettes. Cigarette smoking is very harmful and is scientifically proven to cause many diseases and complications. Smoking should be banned because it risks lives, harms the environment and wastes money.

First of all , smoking risks many lives every day. There are thirteen point two million smokers in the US alone. Smoking causes many diseases such as mouth cancer, lung cancer and can cause complications of the heart. Apart from causing diseases

Smoking can yellow teeth, wrinkle skin and can make eyes red. Cigarette smoking is the number one preventable cause of death in the US. Studies show half of those who smoke will dies from a smoking related illness. (http://www.cancer.org/research/infographicgallery/tobacco)

Aside from harming your own body smoking is also very harmful to the environment. Cigarettes contain over seven thousand chemicals. Each factory that produces cigarettes release harmful waste and gasses into the air. People who smoke can cause second hand smoke to people who are not even smokers. Why should others have to suffer. ( http://www.ucanquit2.org/facts/Environment.aspx)

Besides from hurting the environment cigarette smoking also wastes money. On average a smoker spends one thousand six hundred dollars weekly. In 2012, a packet of 20 cigarettes costs around fourteen dollars and fifty cents. That means if you smoke a pack a day you will spend more than five thousand dollars a year on cigarettes. Cigarette companies also spend over five million dollars on advertising alone. More money is saved by people giving up smoking than money collected through tobacco tax. (http://smokefree.org.nz/costs-smoking)

Not only does cigarettes waste money they also affected my life. When I was only a ten month old baby I was affected by second hand smoke. One day my mother took me to her friends house. There were more than four smokers all smoking at the same time. They did not think it would affect me. After that day I was acting different something was wrong with me. My family took me to the hospital and they found out the cigarette smoke affected my lungs and made me have trouble breathing. It caused me to constantly cough. I could not even drink my bottle because my breathing was so severe. I also almost developed asthma. I was put on an oxygen machine for over a month. Imagine a baby becoming sick from second hand smoke. I was very close to dieing. My condition was very severe. After being put on oxygen I eventually got better. After finding out about what happened to me it touched many lives. My own father who smoked a pack a day quit smoking which was very challenging for him to do. This was a lesson taught for many that smoking not only affects the smoker but also the people around them.

Some believe that smoking cigarettes can help the economy through taxes on cigarettes. This position is weak because the taxes that are collected are being used on healthcare costs. Smoking causes more illnesses and diseases which cause people to go to the hospital and use health care that was collected in taxes. The taxes don’t help the economy because they are used for the purpose of smoking anyway.

In conclusion cigarette smoking should be banned. One action can not only hurt the smoker but also the environment. Not to mention the amount of money spent on cigarettes which could have been given to the poor. There are more than two point two million people who smoke currently, lets help the future generations stay healthy and

make the environment a better place to live in. As Ann Landers says “Some people believe holding on and hanging in there are signs of great strength. However, there are times when it takes much more strength to know when to let go and then do it."
The reasons you started smoking are probably not around anymore. You don't need to act cool, be swayed by peer pressure, or do what grown-ups or stars do. All those things were false and it's just nicotine that's holding you to ransom now“.~ Ann Landers

 

Attention Bullies!

According to statistics, 1 in 7 students in grades K-12 is either a bully or a victim of bullying (MBNBD.org). Bullying is an aggressive behavior between students that involve physical strength, access to embarrassing information, and popularity to control others repeatedly. Bullying is notorious for harming others for a long period of time. It has affected so many students because people fail to do something to prevent it, but it must end now. Numbers of people getting bullied in schools in the United States are rising every month. Anyone caught bullying should be immediately expelled from school with zero tolerance.

So many students are missing school because of bullying. 15% of all school absenteeism is directly related to fears of being bullied at school (MBNBD.org). Why should students sacrifice their education because of bullies? Schools should be a second home for students, but it is turning out to be an uncomfortable environment for most of them. They should be able to come to school without fear of being bullied or hurt emotionally and physically. If the victims keep missing school due to bullies, they will eventually just drop out of school completely. At a certain point in their education life some student may feel that it is better to stay at home rather than gaining knowledge.  

 Bullying doesn’t only affect the victim at school but also at home and other places. It doesn’t only consist of physical strength, but also words and phrases that can affect many students and may leave a scar deep within their heart. Constant bullying could lower students self-esteem by making them feel insecure and out of place. It is possible that students will become emotionally depressed then they could start hurting themselves.

If bullies continue to keep hurting other people, eventually students will be tired of the constant hurt and fear and it is possible that students will want to take away their life.

            Suicide takes the lives of over 30,000 Americans every year. Over half of all suicide attempts are committed using a firearm. 15% of people that are depressed die because of suicide. On average, about 1 person dies by suicide every 16 minutes (sites.google.com). Over 14 percent of high school students have considered suicide, and almost 7 percent have attempted it. Bully victims are between 2 to 9 times more likely to consider suicide than non-victims. According to statistics reported by ABC News, nearly 30 percent of students are either bullies or victims of bullying, and 160,000 kids stay home from school every day because of fear of bullying (bullyingstatistics.org).

Amanda Todd was a victim of bullying. She made an immature mistake online, and that mistake grew and everybody knew about it. She was taunted, harassed, and lost all her friends in her school. So, she transferred schools and made new friends, but then that mistake had been spread all over again. The nightmare returned and grew worse. Like before people hurt her by using words that caused her to cut herself and become depressed. She would eat lunch all alone in the library. Even when she left the city to go to a different school, that mistake followed her. Once a group of kids came and started to curse on her, and abuse her. She was lying in a ditch until her father came to pick her up. She went home and drank bleach as an attempt to commit suicide. Luckily, she failed, but that wouldn’t stop her from doing it again because her classmates and other students, said it to her face, that they were happy that she drank bleach and almost died.

Amanda Todd had no reason whatsoever to live. She made a video explaining her story, and how she felt. Then after four hours she was found dead and proven that she has committed suicide. A young life had been taken away because no one tried to do something, or get rid of the bullies. This needs to stop now! How many more lives are going to be taken away because we fail to do something? The numbers are increasing, and the lives are decreasing! Unkind words are being said from the bullies and deeply hurting the victims. Brutal punches, and pushes are bringing the victims pain and fear. Anxieties and depressions are forming. Not so long will they be committing suicide. How can we stop the bullies, and save the victims from hurting themselves, or even worse taking their life away before it is too late?

Some believe that immediately expelling the bullies is a harsh, quick decision and that we should give them another chance to prove themselves that they can change. This position is weak because students will be informed in the beginning of school about the zero tolerance for bullying rule. That was their chance to change and actually have a heads up, but if they already knew the rule then why have they chose that path to hurt and bully people.

“People have no idea how long something they say can stay in one’s mind” (prideandinspiration.tumblr). Even a slight phrase could hurt someone’s feelings. It may sound very little but it actually stays stuck in that person’s brain for a long time. That may not get the person expelled, but if it is continuously said then it will. So many students are not able to get their education because of distractions and fear by classmates or other students. That should end by eliminating bullies out of the school completely and putting all our effort for students to feel safe and welcomed at their school. Always remember that hurting someone else continuously may lead, the person doing so, to be a murderer some day.

Reference List

MBNBD. “Statistics and Facts.” MBNBD.org. 2 Nov. 2013.

Google Sites. “Suicide Prevention: Learn the Facts.” sites.google.com. 2 Nov. 2013.

Bullying Statistics. “Bullying and Suicide.” bullyingstastistics.org. 2 Nov. 2013.