Bill Spencer. *596*

In 1966, Bill Spencer graduated in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, being only the second class to graduate. Similar to Mr. Jim he decided there wasn’t much for him to do after high-school, thought unlike Mr. Jim, Bill really could not afford to go to college either. With those factors at hand, Bill enlisted in the Marine Corps. As he was enlisted, he was sent to boot camp for 8 weeks. Typically, boot camp was 12 weeks long, but as the war in Vietnam increased; the length of boot camp decreased. After he completed boot camp, he was allowed to come home. However, it was only for 20 days. Prior to the 20 days back home, he was then transferred to California. In California, Bill completed the last stages of his training and gained some knowledge to what the future might hold for him and the other marines. On October 10th, 1967, Bill Spencer was flown to Vietnam.
As he arrived to Vietnam, he explained to us, that nothing really happened in the beginning of his time there. In January of 1968, the Marine Corps were forced into a 77 day battle. Bill told us about how there were only 5,680 marines. In an article that Bill had read by the head of the Vietnam soldiers, General Giaup, he expressed that there were more than 100,000 Vietnamese men surrounding the marines. Also in the article, General Giaup explained how if the marines would have gone one more week of bombing them, the Vietnamese soldiers were going to go to the General Peace Assembly and surrender.
In Spencer’s “free time”, he and the other marines were told to write letters as much as possible to their loved ones. There were sometimes that Spencer’s family would go months without hearing from him. From time to time, the supplies helicopters could not land and give the items the men needed because they would be gunned down on the landing strip. Another time Bill had recalled in his preparation time, was a time that the marines needed to go wash up in a creek nearby. In that creek, being most of the men were only 19 at the time, they played like kids while washing up. It was one thing they got to enjoy in their time in that horrid place.
Today being 67, he is married and has two kids, a son and a daughter. But also in the present Bill suffers from an acute case of PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that's triggered by a terrifying event — either experiencing it or witnessing it. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event (http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/basics/definition/con-20022540)). Bill finds it to take a nap, he just can’t. He voiced to us that he gets angry and irritable, that it’s sometimes too hard to concentrate. He described that he really doesn’t know why. Bill believed that it could be that he is just afraid something is going to happen or rather. Bill says that he still has nightmares and wakes up at night, that when he lays down at night he is always wide awake and alert. Also he expressed to us, that he goes to a support group, because it really helps. When Bill was asked if he would go back knowing what he knew now, he told us that he probably would. His father was his idol and his father was in the war, and he wanted to follow in his footsteps. Bill Spencer is a very good and brave man.

Gay Adoption *387*

            In the 2000 census about 65,000 children lived with same sex parents, but now the statistics in 2012 is at 110,000 children which is over a 100% increase. Studies conducted by the Princeton Survey Research Associates International show that 53% of people agree with giving children to gay couples. 39% oppose the fact of reality. And 8% of people are unsure how they see their views and beliefs on gay adoption. Under the Iowa Supreme Court’s ruling legalizing same sex marriages, a married same sex couple may now petition to jointly adopt a child who is not biologically related to other of the parent, just like straight couples can. Also lesbian/gay adults may petition individually to adopt a child who is either biologically related to or already adopted by a same sex partner. Gay adoption should be legal and there are many reasons why.

            Children deserve parents no matter if your parents are straight or gay. It is important that the child is raised in a good home. The affirmative wants you to think that children in gay/lesbian homes get mentally, emotionally, and sexually abused more than a child in a straight home. That is not the case. According to the PSRAI, kids with same sex parents get abused 45% more than children with gay parents. If the United States adopts the proposition from the affirmative it would take a lot of children from good homes and parents. Plus when a parent loses a child they have a part of their brain that causes them to think of suicide. 3 out of every 7 parents who lose their child do committee suicide. Chances are that it would only make things worse for families.

A child with no parents would much prefer to have two parents that love and care for them no matter the gender of their parents. Studies for the PSRAI show that children with same sex parents are more open minded and happy with themselves.

Jim. *556*

                In 1965, Jim’s life was altered for good. Jim graduated that year in Illinois, and with the knowledge that he couldn’t do much more with his life, he went down to the Draft Board and signed up. (Draft Board - A local board of civilians in charge of the selection of persons for compulsory military service. (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/draft+board)) He was drafted immediately to Fort Knox in Kentucky, in which he spent 10 days there. During those 10 days he was taught the lowest basics and training of the military. Once he passed that, he advanced to the next stage of being a student of the military. Jim was transferred to Fort Louis for 10 months to finish the training and gain knowledge of the military technology. As soon as he exceeded the drills, he was sent home to see his family for the last time before embarking to Vietnam. Though most arrived to Vietnam by plane, Jim and his military family were shipped. He arrived in the Southern part of the China Sea. His job was to be on the Central Islands in Southern Vietnam and form a blockade so the Vietnam soldiers could not pass and breach their forces. In September 1967, Jim came home.

                That was the story this man gave us, he kept it brief. However he was willing to answer questions. Some other knowledge about this man is he was married in 1970 to a woman named Linda. But while in Vietnam, he had a girlfriend. He received a letter from her starting with “Dear John…”, his girlfriend forgot his name. In her letter she described how she couldn’t stand the stress, plus there was someone else. This girl got married to someone else, and Jim laughed and said, “To this day I know where she lives, though I won’t do anything to her, I still know.”

                Another moment he experience was a time he thought he got him by a round. Jim believed he was hit, though he didn’t feel anything. When he called about a medic and was checked thoroughly, the medic told him a can of meatballs saved him. What Jim felt was just the juice of the meatballs, warm, on his back. 

When Jim was released to come home, he described how he wanted to re-enlist and go back. He talked about how he and some other men from Vietnam were put in a room and asked who wanted to go back. Jim raised his hand. Though when Jim raised hand, he inquired if he could change his M.O.S. (A United States military occupation code, or a Military Occupational Specialty code (MOS code), is a nine character code used in the United States Army and United States Marines to identify a specific job. In the United States Air Force, a system of Air Force Specialty Codes (AFSC) is used. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_military_occupation_code)). Jim was told he could not, and he knew he was done.

When asked, “Knowing what you know now, would you go back and do it again if you had the chance?” Jim answered, “Hell no.” He described how especially from what he knows now that being there is lie after lie after lie, that he has had enough. Jim said that even though you’re there fighting for your country, you are more fighting for yourself, and the will to stay alive. He said he had learned his lesson.

Cell Phone Policy. *310*

“Put your phone away or I am going to take it and you can pick it up with your parent after school.” We have all heard this shit repeatedly. You just want to look at the teacher and be like “Do you pay my phone bill? No? Oh yeah that is right, well you probably are not getting my phone then.”

When I hear teachers say these stupid things, I honestly want to punch them in their faces, and I KNOW I am not alone.

What I think should really happen is that, teachers just need to calm down about the use of cellular devices and not worry so much.

Reason One: If the student checks their phone and responds to a text every so often, just let it ago. Teachers do not know what is going on in a student’s life, what they are texting, or who they are texting. It is another thing if a student is on it the whole time playing Trivia Crack or something, which leads me to reason two.

Reason Two: If a student is on their phone the whole time playing Trivia Crack or something, they obviously do not care. Therefore a teacher cannot force them to care then. JUST LET IT GO! When a teacher mentions it and distracts the class, it honestly is just a waste of time, especially for students who are trying to learn.

I sincerely believe that students have a right to their phones, especially considering that teachers do not pay for the students cellular devices. Also in addition to that, teachers are on their phone during class, so that makes them hypocrites.

Shouldn’t they lead by example?

Well that is just my opinion however. 

Freedom Of Speech. *357*

We all know the Constitution. We are all born with our rights in America. Or so 'they' tell us.
But what really happens?  
We are born into a world in the United States that is controlled by capitalism and the government. 
(And well who can really trust those things?)
Now. The United States of America is the greatest country in the world. I would not want to live in any of part of the world. But even though we have the most equality and (for the most part) our constitutional rights. 
I say for the most part for many reasons. One of the easiest examples to explain would be freedom of speech in the workplace or school. 
Okay so a little sub-story to my point, I have a potty mouth. I swear like a sailor. It does not bother me however. It has gotten me in trouble though. I have even been suspended for it. 
Which brings me back to my main point. Even though it happened long ago, I do not feel that was reason to suspend me, or any child for that reason, nor to fire people (because that happens in this world). That is a violation of our rights though! Just because you say the word fuck does not mean a child should be suspended from school. 
It is something that has always bothered me that someone can get in trouble for saying a "curse" word. Which to me, that is not even a real thing. That is just stupid. People and society just gave those words more meaning then needed to where people can not say a word like fuck or shit without being shunned. Even though we are giving that right the second sperm and egg create a fetus. 
I really wish this was not even a problem. Sometimes you just need a word like that to make your point and you should not be shunned for exercising your freedom of speech.