Kaylen May Gerkey

National
Valedictorian Sues School Over Jesus Speech

Summary:
An ongoing case in Monument, CO involves a Valedictorian, Erin Corder, and the Lewis Palmer High School Board. Corder was asked, as one of fifteen valedictorians, to give a 30 sec speech during the graduation ceremony. The teen, after preparing one speech, approached the podium and began to discuss Jesus Christ and her faith and encouraged her former classmates to “find out about the sacrifice he made for you”. After her speech, Corder was called into the assistant principles office and was told she could not receive her diploma because of her speech. Her alternative was to write an apology, apologizing for her quote-un-quote immature speech. Corder felt threatened and was afraid the school would put issues like this on her file and her future could be ruined. Corder signed the document and the next day the school sent out the apology via e-mail to all the high school community. Corder’s lawyer Matthew Staver said that valedictorians should have the right to express their religious beliefs and school official shave no right to threaten young graduates that their diplomas will be withheld.

Opinion:
I think that the teen has every right to sue the school board for many reasons; 1) the school board cannot withhold a students diploma if they have met all the requirements necessary to get that diploma. 2) The school board / principal cannot judge someone based on their religion or be prejudice based on religion. I was discussing this with my mom and together we concluded that the school had no right whatsoever to threaten Corder or withhold her diploma or humiliate her in front of her entire school just because she discussed her religion. I can almost bet that if it was any other student talking about Catholicism or Buddhism or such they would not have threaten him or her as they did Corder. It’s ironic sometimes how issues of religion threaten some schools while others take no offense whatsoever.


National
Doctor: Benoit’s Concussions May Help Explain Killings

Summary:
Chris Benoit, man who killed his son, his wife, and himself, was a pro WWE wrestler. After his death large amounts of testosterone was found in his system and was said to have explained why he snapped the way he did. Later tests showed that other athletes (pro football players) also showed the same symptoms when their brains were studied as well. Benoit’s brain was said to have the same degenerative process as the football players that committed suicide. Michael Benoit, Chris’s dad, said that the way his son acted was out of character and was in favor of the test to study why his son snapped. No one really came up with a definite conclusion as the testing came to an end but it was evident that the way Chris reacted the night of the murder was definitely out of character.

Opinion:
It’s hard to know anymore if the media is telling the truth or just pulling our string when they throw this information out there. All these stories involving steroids and drugs really make me wonder what our world is coming to. I really feel sorry for the Benoit family after what happened and obviously Chris Benoit was going through a rough time but it just really gets me that people think they can just take steroids or drugs or whatever makes them feel better about themselves and expect no consequences, major or minor. I’m not saying that Chris was in control when he killed himself and his family but he did physically put the steroids in his body and even though he is dead this story should be a testament that doing these things to your body even as minor as steroids is harmful.


International
UK to Go Ahead With Hybrid Embryos

Summary:
Researchers in Britain said that stem cell research could go forward in principle. The Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority said that their new findings take a rabbit or cow egg that no longer has its own DNA and injects it with that of a human. Then they induce it to divide hopefully leading to the development of genetically modified babies – although the eggs have only survived for two days. Dr. David King said that allowing such research to go forward in time would be the first step in developing genetically modified babies.

Opinion:
Honestly, this kind of stuff has always scared me. It just gets me that humans think that they can play God. God created babies in his image and in his likeness. We cannot then turn around and say that we want to create babies in our likeness. It is wrong. Secondly, the fact that researchers use animal eggs makes me wonder what effect can that have on the babies, if such a thing were ever to come about. The idea sounds good but in the end why do humans need to genetically create babies? The only way we were made to create babies is through having sex with your husband or wife, what other purpose could there be?


International
Thailand Lifts YouTube Ban

Summary:
On April 4th of this year Thai monarch King Bhumidol Adulyadej banned the famous video viewing website YouTube after an offensive video was seen on the site. The video showed feet pointing to the King and included the Thai National Anthem in the background. Feet are considered dirty and offensive and videos such as this are considered hurtful to the King and his government. But after four months the King lifted the ban with no comment, Apparently Google agreed to set up a program that would block any sensitive video clips from being accessed through Thai Internet service providers.

Opinion:
I kind of want to agree with the King of Thailand, and I almost wish they did that here (but then that would affect people’s right to freedom of speech and so on…). In Thai culture videos like that are very condescending and offensive and the King saw no other way than to ban the site to stop videos like that one be seen. It’s hard to understand for some because in the USA our morals and cultural ideals have diminished so much almost anything is acceptable anymore. In other countries such as Asia and Africa they still derive many of their beliefs and laws from tradition. So for a video that to us seems so minor to them it’s is very illegal and considered slander to the King and his government.