Young Seth's Suicide Causes National Discussion

     A young boy, Seth Walsh, recently committed suicide after being tormented for his sexuality. The kids who bullied him did not understand him, and they viewed him as different. Seth's grandparents, Judy and Jim Walsh are peaking out. They want Seth to be remembered as more than that homosexual boy who hung himself. They spoke to the LA times about Seth: "When he smiled, he smiled with his whole face. His eyes twinkled. it wasn't just the smile. You got it from the eyes and the beaming of the face. He really meant that smile for you".  Though Seth's death is not directly a political issue, it serves as an example of how a lack of social tolerance can lead to lethal ridicule.

Evidence shows that just before hanging himself, Seth had gone to the park with a friend, and some other kids. The kids apparently upset and bullied him. He called his mother, upset, asking her to pick him up. He hung himself in his back yard.
     Kids are cruel, and often times they reflect what they have been taught at home or in school. In California, there have been many homosexual civil rights cases brought to the political surface. Among the most notable are Harvy Milk's story, and the controversy surrounding proposition 8, the proposition which retracted entitlement to gay marriage.
     I believe that the political buzz and the history surrounding homosexual marriage is part of the reason behind the cruelty that Seth faced. People who were strong proponents of Proposition 8 were concerned that being gay would become socially acceptable and would threaten the foundation of the nuclear familial structure taught to children. Being gay is socially acceptable, but when so many people publicly  demonstrate hatred toward homosexuals, kids are learning more about hatred than love. By preventing open discussion and acceptance of a lifestyle in classrooms, kids such as Seth gain an unspoken stigma, and are viewed as different. His story has caused national discussion.There is much discussion right now between scientists and the state court to determine is a choice or a genetic trait. When this question is answered, can the haters really discriminate against people? It would be the same as abusing someone because of their hair or eye color. I feel that there should be more education for the younger generation about love, tolerance, and acceptance in schools and in social arenas. The hatred and abuse inflicted upon Seth exemplifies this need. There is much discussion right now between scientists and the state court to determine is a choice or a genetic trait. When this question is answered, can the haters really discriminate against people? It would be the same as abusing someone because of their hair or eye color.

Curwen, Thomas. "Teenage Torment" . Los Angeles. The Sacramento Bee. 10 October, 2010.

One Month Away from Election Day: Illegal Immigration could Tip the Scale...But in Who's Favor?

Whitman's illegally immigrated house keeper of nine years, Nicandra Diaz Santillan speaks out. Her public address led to a venomous debate with brown; the race is on for Governor.

     Meg Whitman and Jerry Brown continue to fight to get ahead in their race to become the next Governor of California. Sure, neither of them wield super human strengths like the terminator in battle, but they know both have impressed their parties well enough to keep the polls fairly neck and neck. Brown and Whitman had their first debate at the Mondovi Center at University of California, Davis. Topics discussed included: job creation, California water distribution, the death penalty, and the U.C. budget cuts. Neither candidate appeared to surpass the other in terms of having a better argument. They were different. Meg Whitman stuck to her seemingly scripted opinions, while Brown spoke mildly off the cuff. He even had viewers laughing. Whitman's public apology, that regarding her voting inconsistencies,  was discussed. Some speculate that if Whitman has barely voted in California, then she must not have an accurate understanding of California politics. The first debate was interesting, but the race became far more interesting when Nicandra Diaz Santillan entered the political arena. 

     Santillan  publicly expressed her story the day after the first debate. Basically, Whitman was her employer for nine years. When Santillan came to her asking for help to receive legal papers in order to stay in the united States, Whitman told her that she would try and contact her lawyer. Then Whitman came to Santillan telling her that she could be of no help to her, and than she was let go. Santillan was devastated when Whitman allegedly told her  "I cannot help you. And don't say anything to my children. I will tell them you already have a new job ... and from now on you don't know me, and I don't know you. You have never seen me, and I have never seen you. Do you understand me?" Now Whitman is seen as a cruel person, and this scandal will have a negative effect on her campaign.


     Jerry Brown and Meg Whitman had a second Debate on October 2nd, 2010. When illegal immigration was discussed at this debate, the tension was so thick between the two candidates, that one would have to cut it with a knife. Whitman foolishly blamed brown for her housekeepers honesty, saying:
 "You should be ashamed for sacrificing Nicky Diaz on the altar of your political ambitions". Whitman has absolutely no evidence that Brown is behind Santillan's public address. Brown responded to Whitman's accusation saying:    
"Don't run for governor if you can't stand up on your own two feet and say, 'Hey I made a mistake' ". Whitman said that the person elected needs to crack down on employers who hire illegal workers. Brown said responded to this by pointing out that she didn't crack down on herself. It is unknown who actually prompted Sanillan's public address, but there is no evidence that it was brown. I agree with Whitman that it would be cruel to force someone to  speak out in order to gain a good political image, but I believe that that is not the case here. I believe that Santillan spoke out on her own accord. Brown was right to point out that Whitman cannot own up to her own actions. Illegal immigration provides for a heated debate in California at this time. For this woman to voice her suffering is a brave thing to do, and an action that will tip the scales in this election. Whitman tried to make brown look like the bully when she blamed him for the scandal. But all she did was dig herself a deeper hole. I think illegal immigration is an important issue for the candidates to discuss because it is a California issue. Santillan provided a face for the issue, no matter which way one looks at it. Her story is heartbreaking, and groundbreaking in this election. We shall see which candidate wins the Latino vote after this scandal.

Jerry Brown just may have gained a lead after Whitman's scandal 

 

Source : McLaughlin, Ken. "Whitman and Brown Pound Each Other in the Second Debate" . Bay Area News Group. 2 October, 2010. <http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_16236975?source=most_emailed>