Sunday, January 31, 2010

The Way to Peace

The United Nations meets for thousands of hours every year, with governments working hard to try to bring peace to every corner of the universe. Through all this, the US is still in two wars, while the entire world sits in a state of unease, with peace seeming much less like a five year plan, and much more like a century long turmoil.

Yet peace is beginning. It is not beginning in board rooms, the office of legal negotiators, or even in the United Nations. It is beginning with one silly dance by one man.

Dancing Matt has received 26,511,126 hits on his youtube video, and has been sweeping the nation, featured in such books as Socialnomics, by Erik Qualman.

Who is Dancing Matt? What does he do? Matt is a man who was known by his friends for a quirky, fun dance that he does when he is happy. A few years ago, someone thought it would be a good idea to videotape this dance. It became an instant Youtube hit, and Stride Gum would enter into a sponsorship with Matt and his dance. With Stride picking up the tab, Matt began going around the world, doing his dance in all sorts of destinations, from New York to Fiji, Chicago to Zambia.

What happened when Matt did his dance around the world? More and more people began dancing with him, spreading the joy. With thousands of people doing this dance from countries all over the world, Matt was making a global impact.

Sometimes its important to take a step back and say "How much are we actually getting done?" Matt was not attempting to change the world. He was simply doing his dance to entertain a few people. Yet that dance has changed the world in a way that nobody could have imagine.

So you don't have to be a national diplomat to make a difference. Just dance.

Saturday, January 23, 2010

14-11+1=newspaper?

As of 4th period last Tuesday there were only 4 people remaining on the newspaper staff at my school. We had gone from 14 to 4 in what seemed like overnight. The funniest part (though no one was laughing) was that we had actually gained a member.

Why had everyone quit? Why was it now three remaining staff members, plus a girl on her first day? Because the school that we were attempting to deliver the news to was just too stressful for them to handle. They couldn't take the interaction with an administration that they felt was abusing them. They couldn't work with the "unreasonable" expectations that were being put on them to put out a paper that "everyone" could be happy with.

I am not going to comment on what the administration has done, or on whether it was legal or ethical. You can go the Chicago Tribune or Fox News for that information. What I am going to comment on is what it is like to be the last man standing (I am the only male left on staff).

Since my first day in Journalistic Writing, my love of journalism has been fostered. I owe Barb Thill a great deal of thanks for inspiring me journalistically and teaching me how to report the news in a fair and balanced way.

Then, after 1 year of training classes to get onto the newspaper staff, the group as everyone knew it went down the tubes with the publication of the hooking-up article. This article was not only newsworthy because of what we covered, but also the way we covered it.

One year after the hooking-up article ran, nobody is left. The students who spent countless hours posting comments on facebook, speaking at school board meetings, and busting their asses to fight for what they believed was right are all gone.

I can empathize with their decision to quit the newspaper staff. Over the past few months, the act of being on this staff has been stressful and trying time. I also understand that many of the staff members believed their quitting was an act of defiance, a strike back against the administration to make a statement.

What I have no care, empathy, or patience for is the question that I have been asked, now way too many times. That question is "Why are you still there, Austin? Are you really dumb enough to think you can change anything?"

This question has come from a few staff members, but mostly from members of the community. The question is, frankly, incredibly insulting. No, I am not dumb enough to think my staying on staff can change the policy of the administration toward the paper. No, I am not dumb enough to think I can make bold acts to rejuvenating the vitality of the newspaper that I love with only 4 people to work with. What I am "dumb" enough to do is to attempt to do what I love. That is to write. I am "dumb" enough to not allow myself to be bullied, both by administration wanting to pick and choose what I write, and by my peers to decide if I should or should not be on the newspaper staff. And I am "dumb" enough to believe that I can put out a newspaper.

The paper that I plan to put out with the remaining members will not be a 16 page prize winner. It will however be the best work I can do. I intend to write the same caliber stories I was writing before. I intend to lay out pages, take photos, and pick up the slack left by those no longer with us. And, most importantly, I intend to prove wrong all of the people who say I can not do the things I have mentioned above. I intend to prove that we, as a 4-person staff, CAN put together a product that we can all be proud of.

To the staff members who decided to quit: I hold no hard feelings. I appreciate how tough the decision was for you, and I am proud to have been able to call you my co-workers.

To Soo, Kelly, and Hayley: It is up to us to continue this newspaper. We can do it. I know we can. I have faith in you. (No pressure :)

To Ms. Lukens and Mr. Lockowitz: I look forward to continuing to work with you to do what is best for our staff and our community.

And to those who think I can't do it: Prepare to be proven wrong.

BSVA

AZ

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Jersey Shore

A few weeks ago, I stayed the night at my friend's house with another kid from my youth group. The three of us returned home at about 11, and were deciding how to spend our Saturday evening. After Skyping with some friends, it was decided that they wanted to watch a new show on television, Jersey Shore. We were told that it was the new, great show and that it was hysterical.

So to On-Demand we went. We began with the pilot episode, and before the night was done, we had watched the first three episodes of the season. To sum up this interesting piece of pop culture, it is easiest to say Italian kids, working a little, drinking a lot, and letting loose in every way imaginable.

After those first three hours I was not impressed. In fact, the best way to describe my opinion of the show was with disgust. How could anyone find this type of behavior interesting or entertaining.

To begin with, the drinking was ridiculous. From morning to night, there was always alcohol, and it disgusted me to think that this type of alcohol abuse was deemed socially acceptable.

Another piece of the Jersey culture that sickened me was the sex. As a hormonal teenager, sex is not a new idea to me. But these people were heinous. From the second the guys entered a room they were scoping out the place, looking for girls to hook up with. Taking girls into the hot tub and getting naked, as well as making out with girls they just met at the club. This wasn't only the guys either. The girls had the same view.

What amazed me most about the show, though, was the publicity it received. Thousands of people watch this show. The media is eating this stuff up. Why? Why are TV show hosts like Kelly Ripa publicizing this kind of pop culture crap?

I don't really have an answer for this question. What bothers me most about the publicity the show is receiving is the message that it is sending to the youth of the world. When this kind of inappropriate activity is put on TV, with media attention and fanfare, the message that is being conveyed is that this behavior is healthy, and ok. And although teenagers are supposed to be social and to have fun, why are we telling the youth of this country that casual sexual activity and social drinking is one of the exciting parts of growing up, and that that is what there is to look forward to when we get older.

This post is not meant to insult anyone who finds this show entertaining. Watching "Snooki" get punched was a highlight of that Saturday evening at my friends house (excuse my possible cruelty). My point, however, is that, when watching this show, it is important to keep things in perspective. Remember that these people are not normal individuals. They are not, by any means, role models. They are characters, most likely played up for the camera, and are social nightmares, meant only to get their 15 minutes of fame. And by no means should anyone look up to them and say "Wow, I want to be just like them"

BSVA

AZ

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Thank you Garth Brooks

Though country music may get a bad reputation as being slightly more "backroad" than some may find enjoyable, one of the assets that makes it appealing to me are the stories that are told, and, most notably, the truely insightful quotes that come from these stories.

One perfect example of the insight that is available from country music is a song by Garth Brooks, a song titled "Unanswered Prayers." This song tells of a man who sees an ex-grilfriend at a football game and introduces her to his current wife. In looking back, the man realizes that, at the time of the relationship, he had thought he wanted to spend the rest of his life with this woman, and was remarking at what his life would have been like if that 'prayer' had actually come true.

As a highschool student, prayers are often very shortsighted. Not that everything a teenager prays for is not valuable or worldly, but as a general rule, prayers from younger minds are more focused on personal, right now kind of prayers. That being said, when these prayers don't come true, all too often people are easily driven to say "God must not be listening because I didn't get what I prayed for."

This brings up another great quote from this song. "Remember when you're talkin' to the man upstairs That just because he doesn't answer doesn't mean he don't care Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers." Although not as feministic as reform Judaism may tend to promote, this song verse does the job to explain what it is that I'm trying to say.

When I pray for an A on the final that I take tomorrow, that might not be what happens. If I get that final back as a D, though it will displease me, it does not mean that God has ignored me, or has completely laughed at my pain. This could be God's way of showing me that what I think is best, may not always be. "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundations? Speak if you have understanding." (page 61 Mishkan T'Filah) This quote, taken from the prayerbook used by my congregation, demonstrates the fact that, who am I to ask questions of God? Who am I, in my little understanding to disagree with what is right, to claim insight when I am, in fact, blind to many of the things going on around me.

So when you pray that the girl you have a crush on will accept your asking her out, if it doesn't pan out that way, don't blame God for neglagence. Maybe this was all in another of God's plans. You may not know it, but the girl of your dreams may be just around the corner.

BSVA

AZ

Sunday, January 3, 2010

First Shot

Hey everyone,

My name is Austin Zoot, and I am a 17 year old Jewish teen living in the Chicagoland area. I have created this blog so that I can have an outlet for me to post my comments, thoughts, and opinions on what is going on in my life, in my comunity, and in the world.

In the next 52 weeks, I will make 52 posts on everything from cost of a movie ticket (see next month) to teen spirituality (also coming soon). Whether your Jewish or not, a teenager or not, I invite you to come along with me across this year, and make take an amazing emotional journey across 2010.