Constructive Writing

Like most people grammar, spelling & word choice are not my forte; But unlike most people when I say this I'm 100% Serious! The last time i had a spelling test I got 5 out of 50... my family still makes fun of me for my lack of spelling abilities. If It was not for spell check my papers would all definitely be instant Failures. Along with my lack of spelling I have bad judgment when it comes to word choice. I always try to spice up my papers and put in "big girl words" but it does not always work out in my favor. I also need some guidance when it comes to transitioning paragraphs and idea. I have a lot of good ideas within my papers but sometimes they come out like word vomit. I guess this lack of organization has spread from my bed room to my papers.

"It only takes One"

Every day people are faced with choices; these choices not only affect the person, but also all those around them. Officer Schoolcraft made a choice to stand up for what he believed was justified; after all, he is a cop. If someone’s decision goes against the status quo does this make their opinion wrong? In the case of Schoolcraft most would fight to defend his beliefs and actions.

            It takes a true hero to go against the big guy, also known as the boss. Most people do not even dream about stepping out of the small box their hierarchy places them in. It’s the people who decide to venture out of the box that truly change the world. Officer Schoolcraft was one of the few who bravely chose to stand up for all those who did not have the resources to. Although Officer Schoolcraft was a rule breaker, he was also a truth teller. The action of tape recording the injustices that were occurring at the department allowed the truth to break free from the cell walls. As a police officer it is Schoolcraft’s duty to protect civilians. The action of leaking the truth out and refusing to obey commands coincided with protecting civilians. If Schoolcraft had chosen to hide the truth and follow protocol he would have been arresting innocent people under false allocations. His actions of standing up and speaking out were justified by what he was sworn in to do as an officer.

            If most people were in Schoolcraft’s shoes they would have chosen the easy route, to obey the hierarchy. Every day people are belittled by the big man; children by their teacher, employees by their boss and even athletes by their coach. People mainly do what we were taught to do, obey; but what happens when obeying goes against everything else we believe in? If I had been in Officer Schoolcraft’s position at first I would not have had the courage to go against authority. After things had prevailed into innocent arrests, wasted time and victimized people I would have then stood up against the heinous acts. Although I personally side with Officer Schoolcraft’s decision, I also understand why many others chose to follow orders. If I was older with a family and pension that relied on my job, I too would have shut my mouth and followed orders. This reasoning is why not enough people stand up for what they believe in. People are blackmailed through punishments, money, unemployment and countless others in order to get them to comply.

            Months and even years usually go by before one is brave enough to break free from the binds of status quo. Although it takes time, it only takes one. After one person leaks the truth and or stands up for the innocent, others slowly follow. Officer Schoolcraft’s decision to put his job and paycheck on the line not only helped civilians but also other officers who could not do what he did. If there is one thing people can learn from his story is that we need to stand up for what we believe in. 

Face Book

Most teenagers believe Face book was the greatest invention aside for the television.  Face book can be used by people of all ages worldwide in a cornucopia of ways.  Some use face books large audience as a social network, while others use it as a business network. With the mixing of these separate worlds social and work life are sure to be mixed on occasion. This availability of access to one another’s lives may be useful, but it can also be costly.

                People across the world get involved with face book not because of the cons but rather for the pros. Face book is a large social network that allows people from all over the world to connect with one another. Many people have come to use face book in order to re connect with old friends. This site allows friends to keep tabs on one another no matter what obstacles come forth, like re locating and sickness. Face book also is an amazing way for workers to network with one another. Many struggling musicians and artists can use the website’s vast range of users to get their work noticed. It also allows fellow co-workers and businesses connect with each other in a fast easy way. Parents across the nation believe that many children are wasting their days away on face book. As true as this statement may be, face book also has qualities that are useful for teenagers. Face book allows seniors planning on attending college to make friends with people at colleges and learn where they may fit in best and why. Many students use face book in order to meet a potential roommate. Face book is a good way for teenagers to look for work, find volunteering events, and countless other important extra curricula’s. Obama being elected President, the events of 9/11 and face book are all things that will be connected with people from our time.

                Most people use face book in a sensible fashion and in terms only view its pros; but there are people who use poor judgment with face book  and cause the valuable site to carry a stigma.  These days people mainly use face book as a social outlook. They post a status every second so that people are forced to know about every breath they take.  As fun as it is for the posters to believe people actually care, this could cause a dangerous situation with stalkers.  As materialistic as people are, they want as many friends as they possibly can on face book. This causes a vast amount of people to have access to all of your personal information, and all of your daily posts.  This in terms can lead to rapists and dangerous people to having  access to information that could potentially harm you.  

“The Troublesome Truth”

            Honesty is always the best policy; the truth will set you free. These are two phrases that all children have in betted into their heads from an early age and on.  In a world where a lie detector exists, it is apparent that people do not always tell the truth. Is there ever a situation where telling the truth might possibly do the opposite of setting one free, or maybe even cause one to be viewed as a troublemaker? These are the double standards that people are faced with on a daily basis.

            When people view a person as a trouble maker they instantly place a stigma onto that person. What happens when one is listed as a trouble maker for doing what we have always been told to do, tell the truth?  If we are taught to tell the truth than should a best friends tell each other their new bag is hideous?  Should a husband tell his wife that she needs to put the pizza down and go to the gym?  In these cases honesty is obviously not the best policy. In some cases that golden trait of truth telling becomes an instant ticket to trouble maker status.  Obviously these circumstances are rare and telling the truth is a quality that should be upheld.

 If society felt it was acceptable to not tell the truth, the nation would have utter chaos. 

Telling the truth is not only morally correct but it also carries with it justice. Truth telling is what conjures criminals to come forth and plead guilty. It allows victims to push aside their fear and take their cases to the police. Giving or not giving the truth is a decision that can have astronomical effects. Some of us choose to hide from the truth because it is too painful; like a mother who finds drugs in her son’s pocket, or a girl who finds out she didn’t get accepted to her favorite college. The truth is a powerful thing, that power can bring with it positive feelings or very painful ones.

            When one hears the word “trouble” they instantly feel the unshakable butterflies in the stomach. The word troublemaker only adds on to the harsh reputation of the word. One who is viewed as a troublemaker tends to be viewed as the bad guy, but do they appear this way to every point of view?  When a boy tells on a group whom is cheating on a test he is viewed by the group as a troublemaker; but the teacher would view the boy as truthful and the group as troublemakers. This shows how everyone has their own definition for what a troublemaker appears as. This situation also provides evidence that telling the truth can also be viewed in different ways. In this case the group cheating believes telling the truth was troublesome; however, the teacher views the truth as being necessary and helpful. 

            The double standards that come with telling the truth and being a troublemaker are what force people to use their judgment. There are no rules that say when one should speak the truth or when one should hide it. Just like there is no definition of what exactly makes a troublemaker. People have learned over time how to judge situations by society’s standards. This allows the formation of rational reasoning for when and when not to tell the truth, and for who is viewed as a troublemaker.