Tuesday, November 9, 2010

The Pitch

My name is Emily. I am an alcoholic/addict in recovery. Having some experience working in the field I have learned that most alcoholics began drinking in their teens. Statistics show that underage drinkers have an 80% higher chance of becoming alcoholics than those who take their first drink at age 21. It is up to me and other alcoholics/addicts in recovery to educate our parents and children about the risks involved in underage drinking.
Surely most of us who began drinking in our teens remember those “cool” parents who bought us booze. If we were lucky they smoked us out too. I remember believing that my friend had it made. His mom smoked us out on a daily basis and regularly supplied us with a fridge full of beer, granted we paid for it. I respected her for being so nice to all of us. She provided us with a place to go any hour of the day. She became “mom” to me and 9 other kids in the neighborhood who basically lived at her place whenever they could break away from their parents.
We smoked pot, got drunk, did acid, shroomed and spent the night partying from age 13 until most of us had dropped out, became pregnant, got messed up on drugs or married at 18. Fortunately for us, we were lucky no one died while in her care. However, I can’t count how many times I or someone else blacked out or got sick from alcohol poisoning and excessive drug use. Her son, now 31, still lives at home with her and is an alcoholic and cocaine addict. All 9 of us who regularly partied in her home became alcoholics and 7 out of 9 of us became drug addicts. Not until I became sober did I realize she was not as “cool” as I’d once thought. I realized, sadly, how much she’d contributed to the chaos alcohol and drugs have created in my life.
I believe she had a responsibility to her son that she failed to meet. As a parent, that responsibility is now my own. It is up to me to provide a home environment that does not lead my child down a path of self-destruction, misery and pain. For those of us who are alcoholics and addicts in recovery, or those of us who are adult children of alcoholics, it is up to us to set up new expectations of ourselves.
Members of twelve step groups around the nation are working together to educate pre-teens and their parents of how “uncool” it is to drink or do drugs with adults. Flyers are being printed and distributed and assemblies are being held to discuss this subject. Alcoholics are sharing their stories about where they started and where they ended up, in part, due to the negative influence they had in childhood.
Our hope is that teens will consider, even if briefly, the many risks involved in underage drinking. We want them to recognize that adults who provide or allow their use do not have their best interests in mind. In fact, oftentimes, their motives are quite selfish and can lead to severe consequences such as abuse, victimization and rape. Of course there are severe consequences for adults who allow underage drinking such as legal problems and being responsible for over-doses.  
The costs of educating parents and teens are minimal. AA, CA and NA are non-profit organizations that provide us with numerous volunteers who are willing to share their stories. Also, treatment centers across the nation have employees and counselors who volunteer their time. The major expenses involved are the flyers, brochures and employees who coordinate the assemblies. Approximately $250,000 per year is spent on these costs. These expenses are largely funded by donations given during assemblies. The costs are minimal and the rewards immeasurable.          

Friday, November 5, 2010

1776

  
1776
November 4, 2010
Emily Shaw
Professor Stokes
English 2010


1776
            In class we watched the musical 1776 in order to decide if The Declaration of Independence was a proposal. It was definitely a proposal instigated mainly by John Adams. The reason the final Declaration of Independence is a proposal is because it clearly defines the problems at hand and offers a plan for solving these problems.
            According to the musical, 1776, John Adams demonstrates there is a problem by speaking up in Congress, often abruptly and headstrong. He describes the problems, such as crippling taxes, repression, abolished rights, and the invasion of British militia. He uses these examples to support his claim that the problems are significant and something must be done about them. He proposes to fix all of these problems by declaring independence from Great Britain. Adams and others who supported his proposal believed that in order to be free to govern as they choose and stop the injustices, they must unite and form their own country.  
The advantages and disadvantages of this proposal are clearly discussed. One major advantage is that a new nation would be created. In the proposal, The Declaration of Independence, it would be a nation in which, “all men are created equal (Congress, 1776).” Another advantage is that these people would have more of a voice in government with liberties that allowed them to pursue a life of happiness. Major advantages were that Great Britain would no longer be allowed to govern the colonies. British injustices such as taxes and forceful military actions would not be tolerated any longer.
Despite the advantages, there were also many disadvantages. Although the colonists had come to the states in search for a better life, many of them were still faithful to their home land. In fact, some members of Congress believed Adams talk of independence was committing treason against Great Britain and they were not happy about it. I believe the biggest obstacle in Congress, and a major disadvantage of the proposal for independence, were the risks involved. Great Britain was a large country with a strong military in comparison to the colonies troops. It would take an enormous commitment and willingness from the colonists to risk standing against British forces if they were to retaliate.
Another major problem encountered by Adams and his supporters was the issue of slavery. The South would not support the Declaration of Independence because of the threat it had to their slave trade. Adams and other members were frustrated and did not want to amend the Declaration to allow slavery because it went against everything the proposal was about, “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness (Congress, 1776)”. After much debate on this issue, particularly with South Carolina, it was clear that the South would not support independence without protecting slavery. Therefore, in order to declare independence from Great Britain, slavery was not abolished.  
The Declaration of Independence, while not able to address equality for all people, was a very effective proposal. And, obviously, one that has shaped the success of our country today. It defined and provided evidence of the major problems with Great Britain at the time. It presented a solution, independence, in order to address the problems. It touched on the costs and benefits involved and highlighted how the future would be affected if the proposal were put into action. Most notably, it thoroughly and effectively used pathos, ethos, and logos to draw in the support of Congress. In sum, The Declaration of Independence is a fine example of a well-written proposal.   
      
Works Cited
Congress, (1776, July 4). Declaration of Independence. Retrieved November 4, 2010, from www.constitution.org: http://www.constitution.org/usdeclar.pdf