peace in the streets

We all have different needs and wants, but we never think of peace in a short term or a long term. My short term peace would be peace with those that surround me, not fight for stupidity and not argue about things that don't matter. Peace within those you love makes life a better place, a much better place in reality! My long term peace would be to help those who have never had a stable household, who have had problems with drugs and alcohol and have been depressed. I want to help those people in the long run. That's why I'm majoring in Criminal Justice to seek justice and help those that are out in the streets in need of help. Peace is something big for all of us, and we can all take one step closer to peace if we actually commit to it.

my peace

My inner peace comes within my family, if my family is happy then I'm happy. If everything at home is okay, I feel peace inside. Peace to me comes from my home. The world can be a chaotic place, and sometimes you don't know where to run to, if you have a home where you can go and talk to your parents and sister and grandma etc you have peace. Peace to me is a feeling that is comforting, and you feel absolutely secure. Peace to me is happiness, and joy and laughter. Peace is something we all think of differently but we all want it underneath it all. What I've learned this semester is that we all think differently of course, we all want different needs, and all think of peace totally differently and I've learned we can all have peace and it can start at home.

The Gay, The Lesbians, Oh my..

The video we just viewed was very inspiring, because many people often bully and do not stand up for people who are homosexual. Homosexual people are the same, and there is nothing different about them, we shouldn't let people bully anyone in general. Being different is the thing that is in  now a days. Personally, I'm a person who is straight, but still I have friends who are gay and lesbians and I don't ever put them down in any way possible. I still treat them the same, and I'm glad they have opened up to the world and some did care what the world had to say, but others didn't care and showed the world the real them. People have to accept people, and we're all different and just because some might like the same sex or whatever the case doesn't make them not normal. The world we live in now is very much open, and people stand up and speak for themselves and others. I know that in the past, at a UTEP football game one of my gay best friends got bullied on for being gay, and the big jock guys told him some pretty mean things because he was with a bunch of girls, but I stood up for my friend and I don't remember exactly what I told the guys but I left them quiet and with their mouths shut. I'm not a person that puts up with that type of bullying or any type really. I'm a person who likes getting respected and will stand up for those who are in need. I really hope there are more people who will stand up, and not tolerate bullying because it just destructs the world emotionally.

Violence violence, and more violence

Much violence is taking place in Libya, Libya is located on the African continent and they are very rich in oil.  Since Libya is very rich in oil, they have countries like the United States that are interested in this resource. Libya is a place where it is great to get oil from because it is close to the Mediterranean and it is easier for countries to go and get the oil they need, it is an easier route in other words. Libya has been ruled for many decades by Gaddafi, and Gaddafi has been killing his own people. He doesn't want to resign power, and isn't planning to do so anytime soon. Gaddafi ordered to bomb a pipeline that is very important in obtaining the oil, and very crucial to the Libyan Economy. Since it hasn't been producing much oil, Libya has been getting it's oil from Saudi Arabia. Right now, the United States wants to help free the Libyan people and want Gaddafi to resign power, since he hasn't and has kept killing his own people because they have rebelled against him, the United States attacked Libya with Missile Strikes, not only the United States is trying to help Libya but also other European nations which feel for the Libyan people. There is much poverty in Libya, and many people are dying each and everyday because of ongoing violence. I honestly believe that as a united nation and a nation that believes in freedom, we do have somewhat of a responsibility to help the Libyans. Not only because we are interested in the Libyan oil, but because it is everyone's responsibility to take care of each other as human beings.

Maribel Foundation

Date: February 12, 2011

To: English 1311 students

From: Maribel Fragoso

RE: The Maribel Foundation

Many women and children in the United States cannot afford healthcare, and especially many more around the world. Jennifer Lopez had discovered a lump on her baby girl’s head, her and husband Marc Anthony then took their daughter to The Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles. After discovering it was nothing severe, they thought about creating a foundation that would help people who are less fortunate, and be able to see a doctor when they are in need of one. They decided to name this foundation, The Maribel Foundation, after Marc’s sister who had died of a brain tumor. It was Jennifer Lopez’s dream and her sisters Lynda Lopez when they were young girls, to create a foundation that would help children in the United States, but also children around the world as well. They partnered with The Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles, and they all decided a magnificent way to help children all around the world is by using Telemedicine.

Telemedicine is something very new, and unique it’s an amazing way to connect the best doctors with any patient around the world. Specialists around the world can video conference with the best doctors, and many of them work at the Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles. Through telemedicine doctors are able to diagnose, examine and treat patients. Doctors are able to see charts, x-rays, and they are also able to consult the patient and let them know what is going on with their healthcare issue. Distance is not an issue anymore using the telemedicine technology, now anyone in the world can get connected and get the help they need. That is Jennifer and Lynda’s goal, for patients to be able to connect with the best doctors, and they are doing just that.

Through the Maribel Foundation, Jennifer and Sister Lynda Lopez are trying to accomplish many goals that will very much help the world. Their most important and ultimate goal is for every child no matter their economic situation, no matter where they live around the world, is able to get the best healthcare they can receive. They partnered with The Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles, because they are one of the best hospitals, and also have the best pediatricians in the country. There goals are to improve healthcare not only in the United States but around the world in the less fortunate countries. The Lopez sisters want to raise the level of medical care, and improve the life of children and women. They hope that by helping these children and women they will make a positive impact on communities around the world.

Jennifer and Sister Lynda have many ways of communicating to get their message across. The Maribel Foundation is a non-profit organization, and of course they need people to donate and keep helping so that the organization can continue to bring hope to these children and women who desperately need the help. The Lopez’s have the official website, The Maribel Foundation where people can learn more about the foundation, can volunteer and donate money. Also a huge help comes from the Samsung Hope for Children, which they are dedicated to also help children around the world. Samsung Hope for Children has many events in order to raise money; they are partnered with six charities including The Maribel Foundation. One of the events Samsung Hope for Children has is having concerts, and Jennifer Lopez and husband Marc Anthony sing in order to raise money. Many interviews about the foundation also give the public a view on what the foundation is all about. Jennifer has had interviews with Larry King, Rachel Ray, Ellen and many more talk shows. Videos about the foundation can also be found on YouTube, and the Lopez sisters can be found in the videos going to The Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles interacting with the children and telecommunicating with other patients to give some sort of hope. Another way of getting in contact with The Maribel Foundation is by calling, a number is provided on the website. People can also email the foundation, or can also write to the foundation. Any donation makes a difference; there are numerous ways of helping, and bringing healthcare to less fortunate communities all around the world.

Honestly, I think here in America we are given so much. Just to see these kids wanting to be educated, and wanting an education so badly, makes me think about children here in America. These children didn’t even have paper or pens to write with, they would write with a stick on stones and what not. It makes me think about the children here in the United States, and think about how we take for granted what we do have, and are given. The State of The Union made me think a lot when I watched it last night. It made me think how many schools are failing to meet certain standards, and how many students are dropping out. The fact that in many other places, many students many young people want an education, and the fact that they are not given an education is heartbreaking. I honestly do live in a country where so much is given to people in order to keep furthering their educations. Education is the key to anything, with an education you know for a fact that you can keep moving forward, and can get a stable job and provide for yourself and your family. This school in Pakistan that Mr. Greg built was a sign of hope for these young children, a sign of hope that they too can fulfill their dreams, and keep moving forward. This school gave them a chance to strive for a more promising future, and keep going so later when they further their education they can help their communities. These communities are very poor, and many young girls reproduce. That’s why it’s important to keep girls in school as well, so they too can become educated, and not only reproduce but make a difference in their community, country, and the world we all live in. I strongly believe that with an education, people can change this world, and not fear it or fear anyone. Here in America, we are blessed that we are given an education at such a young age, and can keep going if we’d like once we’ve graduated high school. Other countries lack of those blessings, and well as a result their children do not get to even go to school. It’s people like Greg, who change the world, who think of others but themselves. It’s those people that actually make a difference. Give hope to poor families that their child will grow as a person and be able to read. Give hope to the child to better themselves, and have a degree to provide for their families. Hope is what Greg gave this community, and it all started with building a school for a very poor community who needed a school to be built to start, and further education. Teachers are what make students keep going, and I know teachers can be very inspiring. Teachers are the foundation to a school. If a student has a great teacher, trust me they will learn a lot and want to further their education. I honestly believe people here in America, should stop slacking so much and want their future to be brighter. I would love to see that in high schools, students become more interested in science and math than in what dress to pick for prom. Students in the United States, need to see there is much more to life than that. We need to set goals, and actually accomplish them. If we set goals, we will keep moving forward, and later on be able to help our community, country and even the world.

When I think about peace I think about the opposite. I think about war. As cruel as it may sound it’s the actual truth when I think about peace. With peace in my opinion this world would have no religion. Religion has to do a lot with the violence around the world; with violence peace does not exist. Peace is about a world of unity, a world where everyone gets along and everyone is friends with each other. I would honestly love a world with peace, but I don’t think it’s possible. They say nothing is impossible, but a world with peace seems very distant from us. People are constantly fighting; there is constant jealousy, and competition in everything we do which creates violence. People do not fully understand the concept of peace. I don’t think I fully understand the concept of peace either. I would want to live in a world where there would be no judging, where people wouldn’t look at you funny or think of you as weird because of something you said or do.  I would want a world where we could all help each other, we could all be united and feed each other, provide healthcare for each other. Peace is everything; with peace life is easier I would believe. When I have peace within myself, I feel so great I have a great day. There are those days where maybe something went wrong, or you think of something that once made you angry, or you see something that happened on the news that wasn’t pleasant.  All of that may bring stress, and most people take it out on others. We have to learn to not take it out on others, and think that tomorrow is another day and hope for the best. That would create peace somehow. When you feel good about the things you have done, by maybe helping someone by even doing what you had to do like your homework for school, you are at peace. You are at peace in mind.  Peace is all good, it’s nothing bad. I don’t think peace is entirely impossible, I think it can be possible but as a world I really believe we have to work on it together. We have to stop judging other people, because of their color, their religion, what they believe in, the gay, the different anything really, we have to stop judging!  By judging people you are only putting down yourself, and who are you to judge? We are all humans; none of us are perfect we all came to this world with a mom and a dad, that’s the way it works. Finding peace brings happiness, people want it and they search for it their whole lives. They might search peace, in God or in Love.  In my mind with peace I think of God, Happiness, and Love. With those three things, comes peace and all the good things anyone could ever feel or want.