We were under heavy fire from the North Vietnamese Army and I had just
knifed the chest of a enemy solider that had rushed into me. The battle had me
full with so much adrenalin that I forgot the strategies that you to taught me that
have so many times kept us alive through so many battles. Like the one when u
said to secure every kill with a second cut to the throat to be sure that your
enemy will never get up. But I didn’t instead I turned my back on him and the
wounded enemy was able to draw his gun and fire.I slowly began to turn around in
shock of the fate I will soon take I felt powerless and it seem as if I could
not move. But then came you
jumping right in front of me
pushing both of us down to the ground. As we laid on the ground I began
a sigh of relief, until I notice this blank stare in your face and you where
not responding to my cries.” Ceaser Ceaser are you alright” no answer so pushed
you off from the top of me and noticed you have been shot 3 times and where heavily
bleeding. So I rushed you back to home base for medical attention but by time
we had made It I had already lost you. From that moment in life I decided that
it was time for me too change my life around. See even in the past life you are
still my teacher. So for that I thank you Julius u are a true life changer
“I walked down the hall towards the board room contemplating this latest situation with the bank and the attempted robbery today. As I though to myself, that was the second one this week, what are we going to do about this? The bank is hemorrhaging money and I am at a loss as to why. (Look around the hall) I wonder where everyone is now, no one has been on time to a board meeting in forever and, needless to say, that doesn’t make me feel very good as a boss or an authority figure. What’s the word…(Stops and ponders for second) It makes me feel disrespected. (turns toward the wall and rests his head on it) When I think about what we could do to save this bank I draw a blank, I feel spent, I just don’t know what to do anymore. I have asked people what they think we should do about this money situation and they just stare at me and ignore me. (Stops and listens) What’s that noise? (Walks down the hall) Oh yea that’s right it’s Franks’ birthday and they’re having that party. I wonder if i should tell him that he’s getting fired at the end of the week…(debates and struggles with himself) No I don’t want to ruin his birthday. The sad thing is that most of us will be fired before the month is out that was the only way to keep people from suing."
"I knocked on the door and walked in, the shareholders and investors alike were furious with my leadership, if I had know this I might have made some excuse, anything that I could have…Just to get me some more time. To do what? I’m not sure. At that meeting they voted to push me out, they literally pushed me out of the bank at the end of the day. Needless to say that was my last day working there."
"My name is Tim and that is how I lost my job, my friends, the respect of everyone I knew, and everything that I ever cared about. That is why I sleep on the streets every night. It has been ten years since that day. (Man that Tim was talking to throws a couple coins into a jar beside Tim and walks away shaking his head)"
Back in the closet it’s dirty, dark, and cold. I’m all alone in this box of nothing. My time has passed and I am aging everyday. I remember when I had that new fresh clean smell, not dirty like I am now. When the white part on me wasn’t an ashy brown and black. Back then I was cool. My family came out with something newer; I am so “yesterday” as I hear the others say. What is wrong with me? Yeah I guess I am a little beat up. What is SO wrong about that? Although I don’t like being dirty, smelly, bent all over and damaged up. I hate just sitting here! I am not cleaned anymore. Is it possible I just smell so bad that no one wants me? So maybe it’s not the way I look. Or maybe it is you, not me? There are so many possibilities. Jessica my owner, is short, red haired, and loves to play in the dirt. Why can’t she pick something cleaner? Maybe I would still be picked to wear. My name is hi- top, and I have a white base, with purple in front and red flaps in the back. I have a blue check on my sides. Oh . . . and I can’t forget about my laces! Name a color and it is on there. Maybe, just maybe I will be wanted after all. (pause) Is . . . Is she really coming my way. Jessica, is that you? I don’t have to look through that little whole anymore in this cardboard box. I think the top is finally opening. I’m soaring through the air in Jessica’s hands. OUCH! She just threw me down to the ground. Next thing I know I have the feeling of my laces being untied. Stretching my body for the first time in a while. As I “oohh”, and “ahh” I feel warm socks start to slowly slip into my open mouth. As she yanks on my tongue to try to get her foot in, it hurts a little, but I am just too happy to care. Tying the laces back up into a bow. Doubled knotted too! But then . . . I feel a pull. I feel my stitching becoming looser and looser. As her toes, slowly but shortly curl up I realize that her feet are too big for me. That happy smile I had was no longer there. A frown is starting to appear. Maybe it just seemed that way. As she gets up and starts to walk around it hurts even more. I am being pulled in every direction. I can only stretch out so much. She finally notices that I am way to small and sits down. Once she unties my laces and yanks on my tongue once again she struggles to get her foot out. She’s pulling on me in every angle and it’s hurting me, and probably her too. After pulling and stretching me in every way possible Jessica’s foot finally comes out. I get put into that hard annoying cardboard box, again. Then getting picked up and not sure where I am going? Why not into the closet? Isn’t that where I live? KABOOM. I get thrown into this white thing. It smells a little funky. Definitely not my closet, or any closet! I see a big clear carton, which has 4 spaced out shapes across the top. But what I really want to know is, where am I? What am I doing here? And most importantly why?
Curtis Jones jr. represents me because I live in the fourth district, he is also the person who drafted and sponsored the “Growing Greener” movement that has made Philadelphia cleaner in projects dealing with parks and recreational things. My representative Mr. Jones is not just interested cleaning parks and recreational places but he also is big into other stuff like transportation and public utilities. He has interests that are lengthily and important to keeping Philly a good city. According to this site from the Philadelphia city council, Curtis Jones jr. is a member of a broad number of topics that he fights for everyday. What Mr. Jones and I both have in common is the interest of parks, recreation, the disabled and the handicapped, the environment and a working knowledge of housing and the homeless. From all that I have read I can tell that the councilman really loves Philadelphia and really does want to change it for the better.
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When it comes to things we have in common there isn’t much between Chaka Fattah and myself. We both went to schools in the Philadelphia School District, we share the same religion which is a Baptist Christian and we are both democrats that reside in the city of Philadelphia.
I am so tired. I have an English and History project to due by tomorrow morning. There is no way I am going to get all this work done in time. I don’t know how I have gone this whole year without doing enough work to be able to graduate. Hmmm, well, maybe, just maybe, I have just been slacking off a little bit. I haven’t been motivated to do any work.
I want to be there, at graduation, not watching the other students, but being apart of it. I really do. It is 1:00 am and I haven’t completed any of the projects. I can’t go into school tomorrow without them if I want to move forward with my goals for life.
I might as well get started. I could always just drop out of school, even though I want to get a high school diploma. Why don’t I just start? What is the English project again? Oh yeah, the paper about that book that we were reading in class. What is wrong with me? Just start.
My eyelids are starting to get heavier and heavier. I don’t see these projects getting done any time soon. Let me just start to write, I am not sure whether what I am writing makes any sense but I am writing. The clock says 2:30. Whew, I just finished writing the English paper.
Ahhhhh…..Drifting off…
I see myself walking into school without my projects. I see other kids laughing at me, pointing at me. I see teachers asking me “why?” That’s when I hear yelling coming from outside of my door. I wake up and hear my mom yelling. “I know you’re still awake in there, your light is still on. Go to sleep!” I slowly lift up my head and hear my mom walking back down the stairs.
I need to get back to work. I realize that in a couple of hours I am going to have to go to school and hand in my projects. Or what there is of my projects.
How did it get to this point? Why do I have to do homework? I don’t quite see the reason for homework in general. What purpose could it possibly serve? Is it to make up for the lack of learning in the classroom? Is it that the school year is not long enough, or is it simply to keep us from having fun when we get home? Maybe it is none of the above; all I know is that it is something that I don’t enjoy. Argh, isn’t life supposed to be about enjoyment? But, I really don’t want to go to summer school! Back to work!
I can do this. Onto my history project. American history. How hard could that be? I am American after all. Hmmm. It’s supposed to be about World War 2. I know about that, my grandfather fought in that war. He told me all about it when I visited him in Florida. It was fascinating to hear his stories. I particularly remember the one where he flew a plane for 45 hours to avoid enemy territory. This is great. I could write about this forever because I love this subject. It is both fascinating and intriguing. It touches something deep inside of me. Wow, this is great.
I will finish my projects. I will graduate. I will get my diploma. Hell, I might even go to college.
“Here they come! Everyone hide! The police is here!” They screamed while I was recollecting all the junk from the tables of that restaurant. “¡Virgen santísima!” I screamed. I remember myself hiding under the table I was cleaning. I tried to hide as much as possible. Silent, I saw people getting arrested by the police officers. They were screaming, crying, begging. “¡No me lleves! ¡No me quiero ir!” Those people who wanted the ‘’American Dream’’ like me, begged. Poor fellows. They cautioned me about this. I knew this was going to happen. The police would come one day looking for the immigrants. But thank God I practiced a little bit what to do when that situation came, and at least it helped me. I did not get caught.
While
waiting for the police to leave… I felt like all my dreams got broken in one
minute. After that horrible moment, I realized I do not want to live another
moment like this one ever again. This whole situation about hiding from the
government it’s not as easy as it may seem. Now the confusion starts. I don’t
know what to do. I remember I was born
in the deserts of México, where my dad had to wake up every single morning, put
his clothes on, and go to the farm to start working. After hours of hard work,
he came home to eat some Tamales and that was it. Saw my family suffering from
economical problems my entire life. They had to work every day for long hours
to get some money to feed five kids for two days approximately. I remember when
my mom gave me her food because it was not enough. Oh dad, I remember you
coming home all sweaty, dirty, and tired. While other people in other places
without working and without moving one finger, had more money and food than
what we had in three weeks. I was the oldest of my other four siblings. Even
though I do not have an education because my family never had the resources to
send me to school, I consider myself more educated and smarter than a lot of
people who attend school. That’s why I decided to move on and do something for
my family. I remember that Saturday. When I packed all my things up and finally
did it. Crossed the border from Mexico to United States without finding death. I
guess I was so lucky no one caught me.
Now I am here, without
anyone beside me. Trying to find myself in this unknown place. Seeing a lot of
different people dressing up, talking and acting in a very weird way. Women dress
up almost showing her body, and men decorate their bodies with piercings almost
everywhere. The funniest thing is that no one seems like caring about that. “Where
are you from?” some ask me. “¿Qué?” I answer.
Then I realize they are speaking English. I do not know the language. How will
I survive like this? I remember when I used to say: “Nothing will stop me. I will
look for a job. That is how I will start. It will not be easy, but I will do
it”. “Maybe I will have to hide from the police, but not for my entire life
because I will become a citizen. Some people have come here and now they have
money and the life they dreamed of. So I guess I will be pretty good…”
Who am I trying to fool?
Right now I feel so lonely, sad, and depressed. When I remember those hard
times at México, I get weaker instead of getting stronger. I miss my Mexican
culture. I never thought living here would be like this. Here everything is
just so different. I am not used to this. It’s hard surviving in here. I can’t
communicate with anyone. This is not what I expected. Where is ‘’The American
Dream’’ I was looking for? Where is the money I want? It was just a fantasy,
rumors people say. What am I supposed to do now? Go back to México, or stay here?
This is so confusing. They all say love is louder than pressure. But, is it
louder than the pressure of trying to help your family with their economical
problems? A pressure you had since you were a kid. Is it louder than having no
food, clothes, or money?
It’s hard being in this situation right now. Where all you know is that
your body is in Los Ángeles, California… but your heart is in a little farm at
Zacatecas, México.
- No haría decir nada a Susana, Yo no me gustaría Susana mucho.
- Diría a Pedro que él no necisita una chica muy mala como Susana y su primo es muy estupido.
- No sería ayudar. No es mi problema.
- No es mi problema. Recomendaría a buscar para una chica nueva y no hable con su primo o Susana.
- Yo, en su lugar sería más enojado con mi primo como Susana.
- Mataría los dos personas!
Research the Issue
Getting your start as a citizen lobbyist can be intimidating, despite the fact that in a representative government, our elected officials are working for you. There are many written and unwritten rules to be aware of, offices and staff to navigate, and complex policy issues to understand. It is no wonder that these barriers keep people from regularly engaging with public officials on decisions that affect their lives.
Empowering ourselves to make an impact on an issue can be one of the first, and largest, barriers. It's important that as citizen lobbyists, we redefine what it means to be an "expert" -- learning the status of the issues we care about and drawing on our own stories and experiences.
Yes, we need to know about the issue we are lobbying on. But we don't need to draw a paycheck working on the issue, or have a PhD, to have something worthwhile to say.
When starting the process of citizen lobbying on an issue, your group or organization should think about the following:
1. What is the status of your issue at the legislature? Is this a "good" year?
How many elected officials have indicated support for your issue? Is
there public support behind it, with good media attention? Who are your
opponents, and how much power do they have? Has a policy been written to
address your issue, or do you need to work with an elected official to
write one?
2. Who is essential to the outcome?
Who are the stakeholders in this issue? Who are the allies you need to have on board because they increase the power you have to move the issue? Which decision-makers do you need to move (committee chairs, legislation sponsors, etc)?
3. Who else is working on this? Can you coordinate?
4. Who can you influence?
5. What is the time frame?
6. When are key dates - meetings, committee hearings, deadlines, etc.
I live in the 2nd District and it is represented by Anna C. Verna. Anna Verna made history in 1999, she was the first woman to achieve council presidency in philadelphia's 300 years history. Verna was born on April 15, 1931. She joined City Council in 1975. She represents the 2nd district which covers most of South Philadelphia and western end of Center City. Verna has been a strong supporter of the tax reform and has fought for affordable housing in various parts of her district. From 1991-1998 she was the Chair of the Finance Committee, She was trying to restore fiscal stability when philadelphia was on a edge to bankruptcy. Not only she was a great supporter in the tax reform but she also fought crime. President Verna successfully fought for 6 billion dollars in funding in the city's operating budget for an additional 100 police officers and has been a strong supporter of curfew center. President Verna has made the renovation of housing stock in neighborhoods and affordable housing a top priority. She has worked with many community-based organizations to build hundreds of affordable homes throughout the Second Council District and was honored by the Pennsylvania Association of Non-Profit Homes for the Aging as their statewide “Public Official of the Year” for her work in providing affordable housing for senior citizens.
Court Case
11/8
US. Vs Jones argues whether the use of a GPS tracking device without a warrant on a respondents vehicle to monitor it's movements is constitutional. The amendment argued in this case is the 4th.The FBI placed a GPS device on a suspect's car -- a Jeep belonging to D.C. nightclub owner Antoine Jones -- and used it to track the car for a month, without a warrant. (In fact, a federal judge had authorized the use of the GPS device, but the device wasn't installed until a day after the warrant expired.)
The placement of the GPS e system is the result of an ongoing case dating back to 2008, where Jones was convicted to life in prison for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute five or more kilograms of cocaine and 50 or more grams of cocaine base.The D.C. court of appeals then overturned the ruling, saying that it violated his 4th amendment rights. The case is now being argued in the supreme court because the D.C. courts claim Jones had no fourth amendment rights after being convicted.
In my district, Councilman Brian O'Neill represents me and my district (district 10). My legislator hasn't voted in the past because it has not come up yet.
Brian O'Neill is a Republican Council man who represents the 10th, and only the 10th district of Philadelphia. He was born on December 23, 1949 (making him 62 years old). O'Neill acquainted the "Philadelphia blunt ban," which bans any item that suggest the seller to be doing drugs. This bill (No. 060345) was "adopted and signed by the mayor." This bill included the ban of feather hair clips, which could be used to hold a roach (the small end of a blunt) to smoke marijuanna from. He's been serving since 1980.
O'Neill went to Saint Joe's University and graduated from Widener University School of Law. Brian was very much interested in Politics and he is a Chairman of the Board of The Public Technology Institute . He is also chairs the Northeast Airport Advisory Council. He's very much involved within his district and makes sure that things are going over smoothly.
