the things I do for money...
So. There's an essay contest my lang. arts teacher wants us all to write for. It's open for grades 6-12 nationally (two divisions; 6-8 and 9-12), and...the prizes, oh my God.
For each divison:
First Prize: $1,000
Second Prize: $300
Third Prize: $150
If you know me even a little bit, you should know that I am absolutely in love with money. This kind of incentive makes me feel really giddy. And motivated. Most essays I've written, I haven't even tried (most of them, I just wanted to get published, which is really easy)...
Hell, even if I don't get the big one, I'll be fine - MONEY!!!
I'll be really sad if I don't get anything out of this, though. ):
Okay, I'll stop beating around the bush...
I want you to help me with this.
From the Maryknoll website [the Catholic extremist pacifists who happen to be sponsoring this contest]:
Theme: In the Gospel of John (18:1-11), we read that when the soldiers came to arrest Jesus unjustly, Peter drew his sword to defend him. But Jesus told Peter, "Put away your sword." Today there are many instances where people are resorting to violence to solve problems.
Assignment: Describe a situation in the world today or in your own life in which Jesus would say, "Put away your sword." Explain what you would do to follow Jesus' command to promote peace instead of violence.
I'm sure some of you would feel that this is a really stupid theme (I think it is, too), but the money. It tempts me. ):
But in the end, I'm not even too sure if my essay matches the theme and assignment all that well. >_>
Okay, I'll shut up now and give you my essay for criticism.
Every day, it seems like we always hear about war and homicides. As humans, not only are we a generous species, but one that knows how, and wants, to hurt each other.
Anyone who knows me also eventually learns very quickly that I have a nasty temper. With that nature, not only do I reach for the gun, but I fire, too (I mean that in a completely figurative way). I’m not the only person who happens to be that easily angered, either.
Violence is everywhere: it’s a part of our fight or flight process. Being American, I know that we are taught to stand our own ground and fight, for whatever reason it may be, instead of fleeing and looking like a coward. As a citizen of a country built on the notion of war, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that violence can be valuable in life.
Sometimes it can solve problems-if not for revolutions, there might not be as many free countries in this world. But in the same vein, because of violence, many people’s lives are oppressed. That’s another aspect of my unique culture that I, unfortunately, will have to face.
My parents and most of my other relatives (even those in my own generation-I am a first-generation Asian-American, one out of four in my entire known family) were raised in Burma (otherwise known as Myanmar). Unless you haven’t been paying attention to international news, it’s a well-publicized fact that there was a big uproar there recently, concerning human rights and democracy.
The last time something like this happened, my family was still in Burma, waiting for their immigration papers; August 8th, 1988: the 8888 Uprising. My mother sometimes tells me stories about what happened during it, one of them being about how my aunt saw soldiers attacking peaceful protesters, as well as innocent civilians who were merely there at the wrong time.
After over fifty years of this cruel treatment, Burma’s economy still staggers, its citizens continuing to suffer in silence because they’re too afraid to speak up, opinions being illegal-and the few who choose to express what they think end up hurt, perhaps even killed.
On the flip side, there are situations where violence is the wrong thing to end an issue. Point in question: the war in Iraq. Saddam Hussein’s reign may have justified this war, but the fact that it still continues today is horrible. Gas prices are rising, people are continuing to kill each other over rivalries forged by their differences, and our own soldiers are dying for a cause that may not even be worthwhile in the end. Sure, Iraq’s democracy may need some help being established, but who in the first place wanted them to have a democracy? Hussein’s regime was absolutely disgusting and now that he’s been overthrown and punished by hanging, our goal to make life better for the Iraqis has been fulfilled. But sometimes a democracy might not be the correct form of government for a certain type of people: just because it works for us doesn’t mean it’ll work for them. The way I look at it, the fact that we forced this government on these people is the only thing that makes this civil war continue. America has two good choices, in my opinion: pull out or step up the manpower and make this war end as quickly as possible-or else Iraq will turn into another Vietnam.
There are certain situations where violence is justified, and there are others where it is meaningless and a show of exactly how imperfect human beings really are. When Jesus commanded “Put away your sword!” in John 18:11, he was telling Peter that the situation didn’t call for fighting and that surrendering would have been the best choice to make. Notice that he doesn’t say “Put away your sword and never use it again”-we humans need to be able to defend ourselves when we feel threatened, after all. In situations where He’d say that, I’d try my best to support that great cause, especially if it’s as meaningful to me as the situation in Burma right now.
Perhaps the need for violence will continue to be imprinted on our imperfect human natures-it’s not necessarily a bad thing. Only when the need grows so great that we begin to fight for no reason will it be unjustified and an atrocity reflecting the worst part of being a human being-and a horrible sin.
For each divison:
First Prize: $1,000
Second Prize: $300
Third Prize: $150
If you know me even a little bit, you should know that I am absolutely in love with money. This kind of incentive makes me feel really giddy. And motivated. Most essays I've written, I haven't even tried (most of them, I just wanted to get published, which is really easy)...
Hell, even if I don't get the big one, I'll be fine - MONEY!!!
I'll be really sad if I don't get anything out of this, though. ):
Okay, I'll stop beating around the bush...
I want you to help me with this.
From the Maryknoll website [the Catholic extremist pacifists who happen to be sponsoring this contest]:
Theme: In the Gospel of John (18:1-11), we read that when the soldiers came to arrest Jesus unjustly, Peter drew his sword to defend him. But Jesus told Peter, "Put away your sword." Today there are many instances where people are resorting to violence to solve problems.
Assignment: Describe a situation in the world today or in your own life in which Jesus would say, "Put away your sword." Explain what you would do to follow Jesus' command to promote peace instead of violence.
I'm sure some of you would feel that this is a really stupid theme (I think it is, too), but the money. It tempts me. ):
But in the end, I'm not even too sure if my essay matches the theme and assignment all that well. >_>
Okay, I'll shut up now and give you my essay for criticism.
Every day, it seems like we always hear about war and homicides. As humans, not only are we a generous species, but one that knows how, and wants, to hurt each other.
Anyone who knows me also eventually learns very quickly that I have a nasty temper. With that nature, not only do I reach for the gun, but I fire, too (I mean that in a completely figurative way). I’m not the only person who happens to be that easily angered, either.
Violence is everywhere: it’s a part of our fight or flight process. Being American, I know that we are taught to stand our own ground and fight, for whatever reason it may be, instead of fleeing and looking like a coward. As a citizen of a country built on the notion of war, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that violence can be valuable in life.
Sometimes it can solve problems-if not for revolutions, there might not be as many free countries in this world. But in the same vein, because of violence, many people’s lives are oppressed. That’s another aspect of my unique culture that I, unfortunately, will have to face.
My parents and most of my other relatives (even those in my own generation-I am a first-generation Asian-American, one out of four in my entire known family) were raised in Burma (otherwise known as Myanmar). Unless you haven’t been paying attention to international news, it’s a well-publicized fact that there was a big uproar there recently, concerning human rights and democracy.
The last time something like this happened, my family was still in Burma, waiting for their immigration papers; August 8th, 1988: the 8888 Uprising. My mother sometimes tells me stories about what happened during it, one of them being about how my aunt saw soldiers attacking peaceful protesters, as well as innocent civilians who were merely there at the wrong time.
After over fifty years of this cruel treatment, Burma’s economy still staggers, its citizens continuing to suffer in silence because they’re too afraid to speak up, opinions being illegal-and the few who choose to express what they think end up hurt, perhaps even killed.
On the flip side, there are situations where violence is the wrong thing to end an issue. Point in question: the war in Iraq. Saddam Hussein’s reign may have justified this war, but the fact that it still continues today is horrible. Gas prices are rising, people are continuing to kill each other over rivalries forged by their differences, and our own soldiers are dying for a cause that may not even be worthwhile in the end. Sure, Iraq’s democracy may need some help being established, but who in the first place wanted them to have a democracy? Hussein’s regime was absolutely disgusting and now that he’s been overthrown and punished by hanging, our goal to make life better for the Iraqis has been fulfilled. But sometimes a democracy might not be the correct form of government for a certain type of people: just because it works for us doesn’t mean it’ll work for them. The way I look at it, the fact that we forced this government on these people is the only thing that makes this civil war continue. America has two good choices, in my opinion: pull out or step up the manpower and make this war end as quickly as possible-or else Iraq will turn into another Vietnam.
There are certain situations where violence is justified, and there are others where it is meaningless and a show of exactly how imperfect human beings really are. When Jesus commanded “Put away your sword!” in John 18:11, he was telling Peter that the situation didn’t call for fighting and that surrendering would have been the best choice to make. Notice that he doesn’t say “Put away your sword and never use it again”-we humans need to be able to defend ourselves when we feel threatened, after all. In situations where He’d say that, I’d try my best to support that great cause, especially if it’s as meaningful to me as the situation in Burma right now.
Perhaps the need for violence will continue to be imprinted on our imperfect human natures-it’s not necessarily a bad thing. Only when the need grows so great that we begin to fight for no reason will it be unjustified and an atrocity reflecting the worst part of being a human being-and a horrible sin.