By Jessica Druck
Published: February 23, 2011
Have you ever seen an episode of The Real World? You know, that show on MTV where seven strangers move to a city they’re new to, share a seven-bed apartment, possibly form romantic relationships (or just hook up), ally together and gang up on others and the couple breaks up seven times in a four month span, all while trying to get along as a house because no one knows anyone else?
Add a school mascot, midterms and Top Ramen, and you have a parent’s worst nightmare of a coed dorm. Of course, MTV’s The Real World is a rather embellished depiction of what can really be found in a coed dorm.
I can’t speak for all schools, but they are a bad idea.
Cal State Fullerton does not offer coed dorms, but according to an article in the Los Angeles Times, as of March 2010, about 50 colleges in the U.S.—some of which are Ivy League—are permitting mixed-gender dorm rooms to undergraduate students.
Freshmen and sophomores—at least most of them—are not mature enough to live with the opposite sex. Hell, some 30-year-olds aren’t even mature enough.
Promiscuity is huge today; just turn on the CW and watch an episode of 90210 (I did this for research). Look at what those teenagers are doing and they are in high school.
Sexual harassment can be a problem as well. I’m not saying everyone is vulgar, but I am saying that some are more sensitive to jokes which can be taken the wrong way, leading to harassment.
Speaking of harassment, while many people may feel completely comfortable walking around exposed, some may feel displeased by having to find your bare body on the couch watching TV. That alone can be some form of harassment.
Some colleges, like CSUF, offer coed floors as opposed to just dorms and even that might be overbearing for students.
Seeing someone with no shirt can be offensive. It may be religious or personal values, but those values should be respected.
And when it comes to values, what do young adults who moved out for the first time really cherish?
Freedom: the freedom to leave dirty socks on the floor, not do the dishes and date whomever they want, even if that includes rooming with their girlfriend or dating their roommate.
If breaking up is the least of your worries, come talk to me after you have to see him or her every morning while eating your Captain Crunch. Talk about awkward.
Freshman year is stressful. At 18 and 19, it’s hard enough to be yourself, so your living arrangement should be comfortable.
College campuses need to focus on what is really necessary for students, and coed dorms aren’t.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
Politicians and their religious beliefs
For the Daily Titan
Published: October 21, 2010
When you step into a position of power, you have to be prepared to lay your life out on a silver platter for others to observe and pick apart. Whether or not you have Constitutional rights, the First Amendment is a bitch and American citizens are greedily awaiting to hear about the latest political scandal.
Just look at celebrities: protection of privacy? I think not.
“That fact that an atheist couldn’t get elected dog-catcher in the United States of America is no secret,” stated writer Jonathan Malesic, ABC Religion and Ethics article.
If politicians ran around with their religious beliefs stamped across their forehead, they would be no closer to gaining a seat in the Senate as Mike the “Situation” from Jersey Shore is. Look at Christine O’Donnell, she admitted to being a witch at one point in her life and now she is constantly mocked for it. I mean who can take a reformed witch seriously? Save it for Halloween.
“Most voters (70 percent) want the president to be a person of faith. But half of the electorate expresses unease with politicians, presidential contenders and others, who talk too much about their religious beliefs,” according to an article written by the Research Center for the People and the Press.
I think it’s true – it would be awkward to have a hardcore preacher waltzing into the Senate trying to heal you.
Everyone in the United States has the right to express their religion in their own personal or public way. But religion always seems to be a touchy subject with people: Muslims get profiled as terrorists (Islamophobia), born-again Christians speak in tongues, Scientologists are secretly “crazy,” Catholics sit on their pedestals, warlocks and wiccans are just emo people on drugs and Rastafarians are, obviously, lovers of the natural herb. So do politicians really want to have to fight off these religious stereotypes every single time they step into the spotlight? I don’t think so.
But then again, I would want to know if the president, for example, is secretly worshipping the devil at night. Just like I would want to know if the first lady was a Bible hugger. Since I am an American citizen with kick-ass First Amendment rights, I feel like I should have the right to know something about politicians and their religious beliefs. No Christine O’Donnell, I do not want to hear about your first date to a satanical bloodbath or whatever creepy ceremony you so willingly took part in (yes, I am aware of the fact that the media most likely blows all of this out of proportion).
Just like we have our First Amendment rights as boring average citizens, I guess I cannot deny the fact that our politicians have their rights too. The Constitution states “no religious test shall be imposed on any public official,” according to an article written by Debate the Opposing Views. So, technically, we may never know which god or devil any of our politicians may secretly worship (they can just lie to us).
What I want to know from religious politicians is what role will faith play during his or her job as a national politician. What are the boundaries between government and religion? Since religion can dominate a person’s psyche and lifestyle, I think it is only fair we have these questions answered.
Debate the Opposing Views also told readers to take a closer look at past politicians to see how fanatical they are about their religion. “James Watt, President Reagan’s first Secretary of the Interior, told the U.S. Congress that protecting natural resources was unimportant in light of the imminent return of Jesus Christ. In public testimony he said, ‘after the last tree is felled, Christ will come back.” See, obsessed with his religion.
And also what about Bush? Does anyone remember Bush stating that the reason he was president was because God appointed him? I mean he told America that God wanted him and only him. Talk about narcissistic.
All I am saying is that we have to be careful. We do not want our politicians being affected by their religious beliefs to the point that they forget how our country was really formed: by revolution, war and oppression (with a hint of faith). Religion comes second to our Constitution. And most importantly, Debate the Opposing Views reminds us to remember that our politicians “don’t drop their religious beliefs at the White House door.”
Friday, February 18, 2011
Early Start Program
For the Daily Titan
Published: February 08, 2011
In early 2010, the CSU Board of Trustees voted that all 23 CSU campuses must create and implement new programs in remedial English and math. CSU campuses were given until Nov. 19, 2010, to come up with an individual strategy in accordance to the needs of their universities.
These mandatory early start plans will go into full effect by summer 2012 with complete implementation by summer 2014 after the Chancellor’s Office reviews each CSU program, according to the Access and Equity Group.
Ed Trotter, Cal State Fullerton’s acting associate vice president for CSUF undergraduate programs; Javier Ramirez, M.F.A, student retention services to CSUF; Kimberly King, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology at Cal State University Los Angeles; and Steve Teixeira, Academic Professionals of California for the CSU, came together for a discussion on Friday, Dec. 3, to discuss the details of the Mandatory Early Start Program.
The forum was called “Advocating for Educational Access, Quality and Equity Session,” and the main focus was to educate all attendees on the positives and negatives of the Mandatory Early Start Program, MESP.
The office signed an Executive Order that establishes “a program for CSU admitted freshmen who have not demonstrated proficiency in mathematics and/or English as established by the CSU faculty.” The order states, “as of summer 2012, incoming freshman who have not demonstrated proficiency in English and/or mathematics will be required to begin remediation prior to the term for which they have been admitted.”
According to a PowerPoint presentation put together from reports written by the California Faculty Association, UCLA Civil Rights Project and Academic Professionals of California, Cal State University Dominguez Hills needs 91 percent remediation, CSULA needs 89 percent remediation and Cal State University San Bernardino needs 75 percent remediation. CSUF falls between the highest and lowest remediation percentages.
Trotter said that the CSU aims to aid all incoming students. “There are a lot of issues here. But I know the people who started this (program) wanted to help people of color,” said Trotter.
“We tend to ethnitize everything, when in fact whites are amongst the second largest group that are in dire need of remediation,” said Teixeira.
To decide whether or not a student is remedial, “the CSU will take a look at test scores on the Early Assessment Program taken at the end of 11th grade in a California public high school, or the Entry Level Mathematics Exam and/or the English Placement Test taken during their senior year of high school,” Order 1078 states.
“Remedial students did not fail to prepare for CSU. Remedial students are the majority. Remediation can be seen as a social justice remedy because if remedial eduction was not available in the CSU then many fewer students would have access to a college education in California,” said King.
Teixeira feels that the MESP just raises the level for the students that have always had an unequal everything.
“It is a very cumbersome process right now. But it is the Trustees’ policy and it was passed by the Board of Trustees, so no matter what it will start in the summer 2012,” Trotter said.
Dr. King stated that according to the Chancellor’s Executive Order 1048, if students do not participate in the remedial summer program prior to their expected start date, they cannot attend a CSU.
“If (students) have not started to address a deficiency in either mathematics and/or English, they will not be permitted to enroll at the CSU campus of their admission unless they have applied for an exception, and the requirement has been waived due to extraordinary circumstances,” Order 1078 states.
In the Programmatic Requirements section of Order 1078, it says that the remediation requirement does not require that students demonstrate a proficiency at the end of the summer, “only that remediation has begun.”
Joe Lopez, president and CEO of Associated Students Inc., asked the panel, “Are there any people within the CSU, other than those present, that are advocating for students?”
Order 1078 also addresses the issues of financial aid for remedial students.
“Matriculated students who are required to enroll in remediation during the summer immediately after high school and immediately preceding the fall term shall be classified as early entrants,” the Order states.
Early entrant students can qualify for financial aid if they meet six specific CSU conditions and they try to qualify for a Pell Grant.
Teixeira is afraid that “MESP will become too much of a dollar opportunity as far as extended education is concerned.”
“A lot of us don’t have a problem with this, except for the fact that it’s mandatory and it seems like it’s just another admissions requirement that penalizes students who have already been cheated by the educational system,” King said.
Trotter did not deny the fact that parents and students alike will have concerns. “I cannot believe that when this hits it will survive. But people above me have control over this mandate.”
The panel, at the end of the discussion, directed their concerns toward the government: “If President Bush and President Obama bailed out the banks, insurance companies and automobile companies, why not have a real bailout for public education?”
King said there are many things everyone can do in regards to MESP. “First, understand the problem and get informed. Hold campus meetings for people who care about this, collect public data, that way we can push our leaders to commit to quality public education.”
Chancellor Charles B. Reed of the CSU signed Order 1078 on June 11, 2010. The CSU is currently reviewing MESP plans submitted by all 23 CSUs and is planning on beginning campus implementation in February 2011.
VICTORY: Planned Parenthood loses funding in House vote
(from CBSNews.com)
The House voted on Friday in favor of a proposal to ban all federal funding for Planned Parenthood and to eliminate a program known as Title X, which provides aid for family planning and reproductive health.
The amendment, which was put forth by Indiana Republican Mike Pence, passed with a vote of 240 to 185, with eleven Democrats voting for the amendment and seven Republicans voting against it. One Congress member voted "present." The amendment will now proceed to Senate as a part of the Continuing Resolution to fund the federal government through September.
Abortion rights activists immediately condemned the amendment as an "extreme and dangerous piece of legislation" and an "assault" on millions of Americans.
"The outcome of this vote is not a surprise, but it is radically out of step with mainstream American values and it is out of line with the issues voters want Congress to focus on," said Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards, in an e-mailed statement.
"In attacking Planned Parenthood, the House Republican leadership has launched an outrageous assault on the millions of Americans who rely on Planned Parenthood for primary and preventive health care, including lifesaving breast and cervical cancer screenings, annual exams, family planning visits, birth control, HIV testing, and more."
Anti-abortion rights activists, however, have lauded the proposal's passage on Friday as an "historic vote."
"We are very grateful to the House of Representatives and its leadership for listening to the American people," said Penney Nance, CEO of the anti-abortion group Concerned Women for America. "Now it's time for the U.S. Senate to follow suit and finally cut off all federal funding to an organization that thumbs is willing to aid and abet sex traffickers."
In a Thursday night debate preceding the vote, conversation quickly moved to the topic of abortion rights and women's rights, as well as the relative merits of Planned Parenthood and Title X - a program that provides low-income families with aid toward family planning and reproductive health.
New York Democrat Louise Slaughter called the proposed cuts to family planning "the opening salvo in an all-out war on women's health."
And in a moment that commanded solemn attention on the House floor, Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) discussed her own experience with abortion.
The House voted on Friday in favor of a proposal to ban all federal funding for Planned Parenthood and to eliminate a program known as Title X, which provides aid for family planning and reproductive health.
The amendment, which was put forth by Indiana Republican Mike Pence, passed with a vote of 240 to 185, with eleven Democrats voting for the amendment and seven Republicans voting against it. One Congress member voted "present." The amendment will now proceed to Senate as a part of the Continuing Resolution to fund the federal government through September.
Abortion rights activists immediately condemned the amendment as an "extreme and dangerous piece of legislation" and an "assault" on millions of Americans.
"The outcome of this vote is not a surprise, but it is radically out of step with mainstream American values and it is out of line with the issues voters want Congress to focus on," said Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards, in an e-mailed statement.
"In attacking Planned Parenthood, the House Republican leadership has launched an outrageous assault on the millions of Americans who rely on Planned Parenthood for primary and preventive health care, including lifesaving breast and cervical cancer screenings, annual exams, family planning visits, birth control, HIV testing, and more."
Anti-abortion rights activists, however, have lauded the proposal's passage on Friday as an "historic vote."
"We are very grateful to the House of Representatives and its leadership for listening to the American people," said Penney Nance, CEO of the anti-abortion group Concerned Women for America. "Now it's time for the U.S. Senate to follow suit and finally cut off all federal funding to an organization that thumbs is willing to aid and abet sex traffickers."
In a Thursday night debate preceding the vote, conversation quickly moved to the topic of abortion rights and women's rights, as well as the relative merits of Planned Parenthood and Title X - a program that provides low-income families with aid toward family planning and reproductive health.
New York Democrat Louise Slaughter called the proposed cuts to family planning "the opening salvo in an all-out war on women's health."
And in a moment that commanded solemn attention on the House floor, Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) discussed her own experience with abortion.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Important Meeting Tonight!
CALLING ALL CONSERVATIVES!
California in Chaos -
Our Strategy to fight back!
Guest Speaker Advocates for Faith & Freedom
Constitutional Attorney *Robert Tyler *
You Will Not Want To Miss This Critical Report From The Battlefield!
When? TONIGHT - Thursday, February 17, 2011
Dinner 6:15 pm – 7pm (on your own)
Meeting 7:00 pm -8:30 pm
Where? Sizzler Restaurant
1401 North Harbor Blvd.
Harbor/Brea Blvds
Fullerton 92835
Cost? FREE!!!
Advocates for Faith & Freedom (www.faith-freedom.com) is a 501c3 Legal Defense firm, specializing in the defense of religious freedom, parental & churches rights and other civil liberties. They work diligently without charge to provide their clients with the necessary legal support to affect a positive change in law & culture.
No RSVP Required.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Today's Reading
Acts 9
Saul’s Conversion
1 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”
“Yes, Lord,” he answered.
11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”
13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”
15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength.
Saul in Damascus and Jerusalem
Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. 20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. 21 All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” 22 Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.23 After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him, 24 but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. 25 But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.
26 When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. 28 So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews,[a] but they tried to kill him. 30 When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
31 Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.
Aeneas and Dorcas
32 As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the Lord’s people who lived in Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years. 34 “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up. 35 All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. 37 About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. 38 Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!”
39 Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.
40 Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. 41 He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive. 42 This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. 43 Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Planned Parenthood Aids Sex Trafficking
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Dear Friend, Shocking undercover video footage reveals a Planned Parenthood clinic manager assuring a pimp that the clinic would secretly offer full access to abortions and other services - despite knowing full well that the girls were underage victims of sex trafficking. To respond swiftly to this crisis - and to take decisive action to strip Planned Parenthood of all taxpayer funding - the pro-life movement is uniting this THURSDAY NIGHT on a huge nationwide webcast ... and your attendance is critical! On Thursday 2/3, at 8:30 PM Eastern (5:30 PM Pacific) attend the LIVE webcast at:
Joining Lila will be top pro-life leaders, including:
 Wendy Wright President Concerned Women for America P.S. Please forward this important message to family, friends, co-workers, church members - everyone! | |||||
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Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Ed Royce
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Representative Ed Royce
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