WEEK9
1241 words by sshelby
My project has been going well. Instead of working at the middle school down the street, I decided to go to my old high school:West Jefferson. I go to the school on Tuesdays and Thursdays to speak with the students.I found this group to be perceptive because they are at the stage in their lives where the problem I am addressing is very relevent. This group faces the decision of whether or not they want to fall into becoming a dropout statistic or worse and sexually transmitted disease statistic.
I have been informing them on ways to re-kindle their intrest in school. These are some of the things I suggested to them:
-Look at school like a challenge or a game. [I know that competition appeals to some people because I am one of those people]
-Identify your favorite subject and allow it to be your motivation. [I personally once lost intrest in school and by making my favorite subject,English, my focus I found reason to stay in school]
-Simply pay attention. [If you give your class all of your attention, chances are you may actually find it [the subject] to be intresting and enlightening.
I have also been speaking to on a more personal level about education. I have presented the education statistics to the students and I am currently attempting to persuade these young people to avoid becoming a statistic. These are some of the things I have told them:
“You really should desire to be educated. So many people have faught, shed tears and blood for you to have the priviledge to learn. It would be a disgrace to our forefathers and ancestors to simply let the opportunity to be educated go to waste. Don’t become a statistic. You need to be educated because life will present you with really difficult situations and it is a necessity to have a well developed mind for “good” decision making. You need to be educated because YOU ARE the future of this nation. Someone must lead and we don’t need a dummy to lead, we have had our fair share of those. Be different, be great!”
I have also discussed the issue of sexually transmitted diseases with some students. I found them to be more intrested in this topic more than any other topic that I have discussed with them. I think this is largely due to the fact that they still have many questions about “safe sex”. We have talked about the different types of sexually transmitted diseases; how they are contracted; the quick and massive spread of these diseases among youths; and ways they can avoid being victims of disease. These are some of the things I suggested to them in regard to standing clear of contracting a sexually transmitted disease:
-Avoid sexual relations completely or at least until you are fully aware of possible consequences and feel responsible enough to take the risk.
-If you are having sex, check your partner for visible signs of a STD.
-Get tested for AIDS and other STDs and suggest or request that your partner does the same.
-Use condoms, make “no glove, no love” your motto.
Presently, I am trying to make sure they are actually applying this advice to their lives.I’m more than sure they completely understand. My only worry is whether or not what I am saying is acutually doing any good.I know that my audience is always getting lectured so I want to avoid simply lecturing. So my next step to upgrade my project is to find a new or better appeal to my audience.
According to the Deuteronomistic Historian, Kings are expected to have certain qualities and behavior traits in order to be considered “good”. To be considered “good” the King must believe in one God. He must serve him [God] well and be perceptive to God’s word. A “good” king must understand God and his holy word [Bible] in order to run his country well. Under God a “good” king will treat his people with love, respect, and fairness. A “good” king would be able to make “good” decisions because he would have an open ear to God and would allow God to work through him.
If George W. Bush had to have the approval of the Duteronomistic Historian he probably would obtain it. George Bush refers to himself as a “chrisitian” man. This is evident in many of his SPEECHES and in his attitude that he has formed in regard to certain issues such as gay marriage. Bush has many predjudices that he supports with the Bible. So if leading the country through following select rules of the Bible is part of the criteria to being a good leader, then he has a shot at it. However, I think we should look at the situation again. Okay, so Bush says he his a christian and he lends a ear to God…but his actions does not support what he says.
If Bush really was a good christian leader then he would have consulted God in decisions about the war. Yes a christian may desire, and even God, may desire to liberate Iraq but, is it Godly to fight people to liberate them? I am aware that people went to war in the Bible, but they didn’t fight people to liberate them and free them. That dosen’t even make sense, if you are trying to help someone why would you go and kill them. So I personally believe that Bush has us fighting war for his personal reasons; not to help anyone but his damn self. He did not and is not considering God or God’s word in his decision making process.
Another case that would prove Bush to certainly not be a good leader is the way he handled the Katrina situation. A Duteronomistic Historian would expect a good king to be good to his people and make wise Godly decisions for his people. Bush proved him self to be fony when he didn’t respond to Katrina fast enough. Many people, including myself, felt that he gave us the cold shoulder. He didn’t provide any physical or psycological support when we needed it most. Then to make matters worse his family totally disgusted and shocked me with some of the cruel slurs they said about the victims; especially his mother when she said, “some of these people are actually doing better than they was beefore Katrina” when his family visited the shelter in Texas. Bush and his family really need help.
King David was a great King, however, he made some bad decisions. The worst one was when he committed adultery with a woman named Bathsheba. Bathsheba’s husband was away fighting in King David’s army when David and Bathsheba decided to have sex. She became pregnant and David didn’t want his dirty secret exposed and it certainly would if her husband was to come home and she would be pregnant. Everyone would know that it could not have been her husband who had impregnated her. So David had a good honest man killed. As a resulted God cursed David’s seed and the baby eventually died and the rest of his children killed and raped each other.