Final: Our Country's Morals Revised

Greg Link

Written Communications

Mrs. Allard

16 December 2010

Our Country’s Morals

America is changing in many ways, and many things have changed.  Sixty years ago, people had to either write a letter or be put through a phone line to contact distant people, and now it is as easy logging into Skype.  Once 8-tracks were in high demand, and now all music can be stored on an iPod the size of an eraser.  There are, however, many things that are changing in America that should not be.  Children are watching shows that express vulgar ideas and words, drugs are taking over several streets in urban cities, and family time seizes to exist in many households.  America is losing is sense of morale, and it seems nearly impossible to slow down the damage that is being done.

            It was only forty years ago when television was a dream come true.  It was such a breakthrough; the concept of seeing live action from somewhere else in the world was remarkable.  Then came something even better, multiple channels!  As television grew, families could gather around and watch it together.  Even until the 80’s and 90’s television provided instant news, entertainment, and most importantly, family time.  Recently though, television has been providing shows that not only are inappropriate, but down right wrong.  “The Maury Show” and “Desperate Housewives” are enabling content that I would be embarrassed to be associated with.  Even worse, the show “Family Guy” is a cartoon, grabbing children’s attention.  It is teaching corrupt models to younger and younger generations.  Other shows suggest that manners are not necessary and being rebellious to rules is nothing more than standing up for yourself.    These shows degrade people’s minds and attitudes, and they also suggest that drugs and alcohol are a way of life.

            While I have accepted the fact that alcohol and cigarettes will not be prohibited any time soon, both are getting out of hand.  Cigarettes are becoming available to younger generations so easily, just as alcohol is, and marijuana is no exception.  Every weekend parties are thrown that give out alcohol to teens.  This behavior seems less immoral to teens, parents, and even police officers; I know of officers that go to parties just to scare the underage drinkers knowing that they will not give tickets.  Marijuana punishments are being lessened, and many people believe that it should be legalized.  If someone really needs alcohol and drugs to have a good time, then does that mean they lack enough personality and self-confidence to have fun? An interesting and fun person doesn’t need drugs and alcohol to enjoy themself.  Unfortunately, society has changed, and it says that this is all okay; apparently there is nothing wrong with damaging the body, increasing the number of drunk drivers our roads, and taking vital brain cells away (because who needs to be smart when you can be stoned?).

            Perhaps the biggest change in society today is the amount of time a family spends together.  Where once families spent time every day with each other, now there are business meetings, parties, and Facebook to attend to.  Family dinners are replaced with takeout orders that everyone eats whenever they feel like.  Weekends are no longer spent with each other, but are used for parties and going to the bar.  Teen years are perhaps the most important time to have a strong relationship with family because at that time in their life, it is easy to be exposed to alcohol and drugs.  If the teen has no sense of family relationships, they can simply spend time elsewhere, unlike younger children.  Also, strong relationships with one’s family can lead to better decision making. 

            There have been many laws created to prevent and discourage negative values in the United States; Age limits have been put on alcohol and drugs, movies have ratings based on violence and graphics, and cities have curfews that don’t allow kids to be unsupervised outside after a certain hour.  Still, laws can only do so much.  Dwight Eisenhower once said, “We have never stopped sin by passing laws; and in the same way, we are not going to take a great moral ideal and achieve it merely by law.” ( Lawocracy Para 22).  One of the most effective ways, if not the most effective way, to increase morals in society today is to associate oneself with good company.  It is well known that if you are surrounded with good and honest people, you too will likely be good and honest.  Not only should people have high morals, they should also raise their kids and encourage their friends to do the same; it is our responsibility as people to live by the golden rule. 

            The lack of morals in this country has gone on too long, and has developed poor values.  All of the movies filled with curse words and nudity and the drugs that are consumer like candy on Halloween are proof that this country is falling apart in its morale.  America was once a peaceful and generous place to live, but no anymore.  The country has changed for the better in many ways, but has not maintained a strong moral fiber.

Works Cited

Special feature: California’s Proposition 8 appeal (Part 2).  Lawocracy.com.  2010.  Lawocracy.  12 December 2010.

Snow Days

            If you were to ask nearly any child in California, Georgia, or Nevada what Christmas is like, probably none of them would say “white”.  Snow just doesn’t make an appearance down south that often, so the kids don’t get to build snowmen, have snowball fights, or create snow forts.  Many would like to, I’m sure.  Although snow can provide all of that fun up north, it also provides black ice, tight streets, and snow plies in front of your house.  This winter snowstorm was not forgiving, and everyone in the La Crosse area suffered.

            It was Saturday when we realized that this snowstorm was going to be serious.  Saturday was not as bad as I thought it would be, and I was able to go to work in the morning.  Still, I had to take my mom’s van because my car would not make it to La Crosse and back.  The snow kept people at home, away from shopping.  This kept the restaurant slow all day, so I was sent home pretty early.  I spent the rest of the night doing homework and finals.  Being the end of the semester, I knew I had to buckle down and get this work out of the way.  I got a few finals done that night, and still the snow came down.  I had to call in to work and let my boss know that I would not make it to work tomorrow due to being snowed in.  That was fine and I called it a night.

 The next day I shoveled the snow that my dad could not reach with the tractor and did a little work around the house.  At one point my mom and I had to find a way to make a trip to town to pick up fuel for the tractor.  It took a while, but we made it to and from safely.  I then called work to ask if they needed me to work my evening shift.  The manager said to come in just in case they get busy.  “Well that’s okay, I’ll earn some money,” I thought to myself.  Well after a 45 minute drive, I walked in the door to hear from the other manager, “Sorry, but we don’t need you.  I don’t know what the other manager was thinking.”  So I put on a smile and walked back to the van.  I got home and was going to do some more homework, but then I logged onto Facebook.  After that, no homework was completed.  I would procrastinate yet again.

            The snow really came down on us, and it affected me quite a bit.  I fell short of hours at work, I couldn’t go anywhere to do something fun, and I was pretty cold.  The snow provides plenty of fun for kids, but not me.  I wonder if the kids in California could last a whole week in this.  

A Better Workplace

What is one of the most important parts in running a successful business?  In my human resources class, my instructor always says, “If you hire and train good employees, and keep them happy, then life’s good.”  It’s true, because I left two jobs because I was not happy.  I wasn’t treated fairly and the management knew that, but wouldn’t do anything about it.  People have shared with me a few stories of how just having good and happy employees can make a business successful, and if you can make a business successful, then life’s good.

            It was in a local fast food resturaunt where employees were not very happy and business was below great, where the company decided to get rid of management and make all employees equal.  They then hired a current employee to be the single manager, and everyone else below him.  He, because he was an employee already, had a few changes to make.  First, he cut all uniforms and allowed workers to wear anything they wanted as long as it was appropriate.  Then he changed the sign that read,”No Free Refills” to, “Free Refills”.  There was some speculation to these decisions.  After a few months the business had greatly increased their sales, and employees were happier. 

            For the past 6 months or so I have worked at TGI Friday’s, and on weekend mornings I sweep and mop the front, and clean the bathrooms.  I did this from 9am to 11am, and then washed all preparation dishes and leftover dishes until 2pm.  I had an idea though, to simply shift my work hours back one hour.  This was no more expensive because I still worked the same hours.  However, because I was done earlier with dishes, I had time to go the back of the restaurant and help the “Floater”, who does remaining preparation work and portions food.  This person was able to get out earlier, which saved the company a little money (that person was paid more than I was).  Also, because I was able start dishes earlier, I was able to get things washed that the cooks needed for that day’s service.  They had them done before they started cooking so they didn’t have to wash them themselves (while I was cleaning floors).  They are now happier, work gets done sooner, and I have time to help out anyone who needs it. 

            If a few changes are made, the entire company morale can increase.  If workers are happier, then so will be the customers.  Using current employees is a great way to improve your business and probably save money.  Going to work will feel better, and you can relieve stress fairly easily.  Less stress and better days is better for everyone, so life’s good.

One Week

            There are many things that I have done in a week.  One week is enough time to crunch out a five page paper or buy Christmas presents for the entire family.  One week can be just one week, or it can change someone’s life.  As you may have guessed, I changed my life in one week.  One summer week changed me for the better, and I wish everyone had the chance to experience what I did.  I spend one week at Northern Pines Youth Methodist Camp, and going there was one of the best decisions I ever made.

            It was about May in 2004 when my pastor came to me with a form.  He asked if I would like to attend Northern Pines United Methodist Camp that summer, and I was not interested.  Church was something that I was forced to do, and one hour a week was enough.  He told me that his son Ben was going and since I was his friend, I finally said yes.  I really didn’t want to go for two reasons: church and being away.  It would be the first time I ever was away from home for more than a day, and I was nervous.  I don’t know why because I was going into seventh grade, but I just was.  Anyway, I left Caledonia (my home town) one morning and caught a bus in Bloomington with about seventy other kids going with me.  Surprisingly, it didn’t take long to meet friends because everyone seemed to be strangers, and we all wanted to meet people. 

            When we arrived we received a schedule of the week, which included daily events such as meals, church, Bible discussions, and campfires.  The week was going well from what I first experienced, and my relationship with God was growing quickly.  I felt comfortable with that too because everyone around me was a Christian.  I was open to share my religious ideas and feelings for the first time in my life, and was completely supported. 

            The week continued with plenty of activities like water skiing and beach volleyball, even mud sliding one day.  There was also one event every night that we looked forward to.  One day was the dance, one day was skit night, and one was commitment night.  I actually was not looking forward to commitment night, but it turned out that it was my favorite.  Our pastor preached to us all about our faith and how to live.  We were also given the chance to commit ourselves to Christ on the front alter, which most people did.  I did so with a few close friends, and I never regret it.  Since then, I have lived better and have tried to do everything in the way God would want me to.  I make better decisions and I have become closer to my family.  I chose different friends and have surrounded myself with similar people.  My life changed in that one night, and having a whole week of that experience made it all the more memorable.

            I really want everyone to have a solid relationship with God, but I know that can’t happen.  It’s a shame, because one week might just make that happen.  It did for me, and it was the best week of my life. 

                

Thanksgiving Weekend

            Thanksgiving.  They say it is a time for family and friends, and this year that couldn’t be truer for my family.  The whole family was at my house for a great meal and lots of humor.  Even my sister’s friend was there because she and her family don’t get along.  The day after was not quite as fun because I had to work in the morning, but none the less the weekend was fun and gave me time to relax.

            It was Thanksgiving and I slept in late, and I half expected my parents to do so as well because they work so much.  Nope.  When I went upstairs my dad was off cutting firewood and my mom had already started cooking the big meal.  I helped her out for about an hour and then proceeded to watch TV.  Not a very exciting way to start a day.  Eventually my sister came over with her friend Megan.  My sister and I were always closer than most siblings, but we still had our fights.  Since she moved out, though, we are great friends.  I always look forward to hanging out with her now.  Her friend Megan is also one of my friends, and I happen to work with her at Friday’s.  We played Harry Potter Scene It because we are some of the biggest Potter fans you’ll ever meet.  We talked about work and about things going on.  My sister and I had plenty of childhood stories that get funnier with time.  We ate the dinner, which everything from the turkey to the gravy to the potatoes were from scratch, and we just slept.  Talk about a lazy day. 

            The nightmare came when I woke up Friday morning and I had to go to work.  Black Friday and working at a restaurant is never a good combination.  People, over the past few years, were so anxious to eat that they filled the parking lot and kept knocking on the door and telling us to open up two hours early.  So this year we did, and it was the busiest day of the year.  To make things worse, one of our kitchen staff members was gone and the other left early.  We were two men down on the busiest day of the year, and we also had two rookies in the kitchen.  None the less, we pulled through and though exhausted, we did well. 

            After a long day at work I decided to do a little Christmas shopping, or so I thought.  There was hardly anything left on the shelves at a good price.  I settled for a few things for my nephews and called it a day.  I still had to work Saturday and Sunday and do quite a bit of homework, but I was well rested that weekend.  I never thought I would have so much going on during my break, but it was worth it. I had time with my family, had a few laughs, and put an extra fifty dollars in my check that week.  

Elie Wiesel

It was on September 30, 1928 a boy named Eliezer (Elie) Wiesel was born in Sighet, Romania.  Elie lived a normal life; he lived in a small community that valued family and God.  The community was primarily Jewish and Elie Wiesel took great interest in his religion.  Little did he know that one day his life would become a living hell, and yet would inspire millions of people with his life story.  After surviving the Holocaust and accounting his story in his self-written book “Night”, Wiesel was given the honor of the Nobel Peace Prize for promoting acceptance of Jews and other minorities.

            Elie Wiesel thought he would grow up as any other person had: he would finish school, attend college, and start a career all while maintaining a strong spiritual bond.  In 1944, at the age of fifteen, however, he and his family were sent to perhaps the most inhumane place on earth: Auschwitz.  While his mother and sister were killed immediately, Wiesel and his father were sent to work at the concentration camp.  From the first night, Elie saw evil in ways he had never before.

“Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, which has turned my life into one long night, seven times cursed and seven times sealed…Never shall I forget the little faces of the children, whose bodies I saw turned into wreaths of smoke beneath a silent blue sky…Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust. Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God Himself.”   (Wiesel 32).

Wiesel saw many men killed for no reason, right in front of him.  Babies were thrown into furnaces and some men were forced to throw their dead family members in as well.  Elie was surviving from only stale bread and watery soup.  He was beaten on occasion with a whip and put through intensive labor.  Though Wiesel was able to avoid it, other people had their crowns and some teeth pulled right from their mouth for the minute amounts of gold.  The few men who survived until the last few months were also forced to run many miles in the freezing snow with no shoes or coat.  Wiesel and his fellow Jews were treated inhumane and most killed.  Though his father died, Wiesel survived through the entire Holocaust.  He was freed from Auschwitz in 1945.

            After the Holocaust, Wiesel was moved to France, where he was placed in an orphanage until he was an adult.  Although the Holocaust was over, he still had no ambition to continue living.  His family was gone, and he was alone.  Still, he continued on with his life by going to college.  He went to Sorbonne where he studied phycology, philosophy, and literature.  Later, he became a tutor and choir director.  Though he had started to rebuild his life, he felt that he needed to openly share his experience with the world, so he began to write “Night”.  It took quite a while to even find a company to publish the book, but when it was published, it was remarkable how successful it became.  The book has been used in high school and college as a large part of the curriculum.  After the success of “Night”, Wiesel was not finished; he decided to travel the world and share his story through interviews and public speaking.  In 1976, Wiesel went to Boston University and became a professor of humanities and in 1980 was named head of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council.

            Wiesel made numerous appearances to speak about his life.  A few appearances include his interview with Oprah Winfrey and even a presentation he gave at Viterbo recently.  He has shared personally how the Holocaust affected him and changed him.  He has answered questions that most people would never be asked because most people have not been through anything that horrific.  He has not only inspired people to appreciate life, but has also changed the way Jews and minorities are viewed.  He has promoted their acceptance as equals in life and inspires everyone to live in peace. 

            Elie Wiesel was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986 for promoting the acceptance of minorities in society.  He has inspired many people through his story and continues to through his presentations worldwide even today.  The Norweigen Nobel Committee stated, when they decided to award Wiesel with the Nobel Peace Prize, “Wiesel’s commitment, which originated in the sufferings of the Jewish people, has been widened to embrace all repressed peoples and races.”  (Para. 3).  He not only changed the way that Jews were perceived, but also the way that people see the world.

This Section of My Life

Since I woke up, I almost knew that I was going to head to state on my senior year.  I had worked for years for this moment; this green stage is where I was ready to perform my best.  The course was difficult, and my game was ready for everything the course had to throw at me.  The last words I was told before I stepped up to the tee box was by my coach and mentor: “I really do expect you to be playing next week.”  Now it was up to just me, to capitalize on my game, and to prove to everyone that I was good enough to go to the state golf championship.

            For the past 2 ½ years, I dedicated myself to being the best golfer I could be by practicing as often as I could.  When I didn’t have a driver’s license, I would try to get a ride up to my golf course as often as I could, whether that meant going for only a half hour or staying up there six hours.  Once I did get my license, I would go golfing even more.  I would play as much as I could, even if it was raining.  I practiced on the putting green, hit balls on the range, and even saved my money from work to buy a better set of clubs.  Even with all the practice, I knew what I needed was a coach.  I found a great coach, and we worked together quite a bit.  We improved my game, and that gave me the confidence going into each season.

            As I began my final golf season for my high school, I was all the long preparing to make it to state.  I had been watching golf shows and reading articles through the winter, and tips on how to improve.  I took a risk at the beginning of the season by completely changing my swing, but did not see immediate improvement. I knew though, soon enough, it would pay off.  Luckily, it did pay off.  As sections came closer, and my excitement grew, I never wanted to stop working.  The team and I were so into it that when it got dark, we pulled up our cars to the practice area, put on our lights, and continued to work.  All of us could smell success in the coming weeks; we knew we were going to blow away the other players.

            Sections, the tournament that decided who would advance to state, was finally here.  Although I was sick the previous day, today I was feeling great.  The smell of freshly cut grass, the sound of the creek running through the course, and feeling I got when you know you are in the middle of some of the best competition of your life, made this day all the more memorable.  Even though I was ready for state, and it was something I had wanted for so long, I realized that I was up against nearly one-hundred of guys with the same story.  I was different though, and I was going to be better.

            As I was stepping up to the tee box, I could hear the talking of teammates, and the sound of clubs clashing together as the golfers walked down the fairway.  There were birds singing, leaves crackling, and yet it was silent.  I didn’t care about the distractions, and like that, they were gone.  I only heard one thing: “I really do expect you to be playing next week.”   As my first ball splashed into the pond, I wondered if perhaps this was not meant to be.  Now, the singing birds sounded of a high-pitched screech,  and the crackling sound of leaves were getting in my head.  However, as I continued on, nothing was going well.  My game was letting me down.  I lost a ball that was as good a shot that I had hit all day (I still believe that another golfer mistook it for his ball), and I even missed a putt that was shorter than minute hand on my watch.  Unfortunately, as my game fell apart, so did my confidence.

            Upon arriving to the club house, I was informed that I have missed the cut by three strokes.  For a while, every time I looked back I thought about all of the mistakes I had made, and if I had not done them, would I have gone to state?  That lost ball was two strokes already, and the stubbed put would have made the difference.  That was most upset I have been at myself to this day, but I now understand how unimportant it was.  Looking back on the season, I realized I as good enough to go to state.  I set the low score for my team all but twice, and I medaled in two meets.  I shot an 80 at Lake City, which is better than most previous golfers at our school had even shot there.  As I realized that my hard work had paid after all, I decided to put that much effort into my life.  I worked harder at school, and even at my job.  Because of that, I earned more scholarships than I could have predicted, and even got a promotion at my job this summer.  Throughout the summer, I placed fourth against the best golfers in high school in the La Crosse county area, twice.  I also placed third in my final of those tournaments, earning my second golf medal of my life.  I also placed second in my flight at my club championship, one stroke off Boomer, who is nearly a legend at our course.  So although I did not go to state, I earned so many more qualities.  Better work-ethic, honesty, and perseverance. 

            I had one chance to go to state, and I did not make it.  Quite frankly, I am okay with that.  I worked hard to make it to state, and even though I did not make it, the work was not wasted.  Not only did I improve my game, but I learned what it is like to fail.  Failure is not something I had significantly experienced before sections, and it has taught me a lot.  I learned to persevere and learn from my mistakes.  I have improved my work ethic and increased my chances of succeeding next time.  I have many years ahead of me, and more golf to play.  So when I do well, or not so well, I will always have the memory of sections in the back of my mind, and that will always keep me going.